Keith Jerome

Dr. Keith Jerome is a Professor at the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (Fred Hutch) and holds the Larry Corey Endowed Professorship in Virology at the University of Washington (UW). He is also a Professor in Laboratory Medicine and Pathology at UW, Head of the Virology Division within that department, and Director of the Molecular Virology Laboratory. His research focuses on persistent viral infections (e.g., herpes simplex, HIV, hepatitis B), leveraging CRISPR/Cas9 and gene-editing tools to develop curative therapies. He pioneered a rapid diagnostic test for SARS-CoV-2 during the pandemic.

Education:

• MD, Duke University, 1993
• PhD in Immunology, Duke University, 1992
• BS in Chemistry, Georgetown College, 1985

Research Interests: Dr. Jerome’s work integrates virology, molecular biology, and clinical diagnostics. Key areas include:

• CRISPR-mediated removal of viral genes from host DNA
• Combining gene therapy with blood stem cell transplants for HIV cure
• Rapid diagnostic development for high-threat viruses (e.g., SARS-CoV-2)

Recent Work Highlights: His lab has explored HSV co-infection dynamics and gene drives to combat herpes. In 2024, they demonstrated CRISPR-based in vivo therapy efficacy for HIV and hepatitis B. Collaborations with UW expanded local COVID-19 testing capacity.

Awards: Elected Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology (2025).

Labs & Teams: Leads the Jerome Lab and directs the Molecular Virology Laboratory. Active in the Hepatitis B Research Network Central Lab.