Keith Jerome, MD, PhD

Clinical and Research Background

Dr. Keith R. Jerome is Head of the Virology Division in the University of Washington Department of Laboratory Medicine and Professor, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutch of the combined program in Infectious Disease Sciences/Virology at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. He received his M.D. and Ph.D. degrees from Duke University. He completed his postgraduate training in Laboratory Medicine and Virology at the University of Washington. Dr. Jerome’s clinical focus is on the diagnosis of viral infections and the role the laboratory can play in improved patient care.

He has published extensively on pathogen-host interactions and immune evasion by herpesviruses, and is now pioneering the use of DNA-editing endonucleases as a potentially curative therapy for previously incurable viral infections including HIV, hepatitis B, human papillomavirus, and herpesvirus infections. He currently serves as co-PI of defeatHIV, one of three NIH-funded Martin Delaney Collaboratories dedicated to developing curative therapies for HIV.

In addition to his basic research efforts, Dr. Jerome leads the diagnostic virology program at the University of Washington. Under his guidance the program has designed and implemented molecular testing assays for a wide variety of human viruses, including HIV, hepatitis B and C, enterovirus, BK virus, and cytomegalovirus. The laboratory provides diagnostic support for stem cell transplant and other patients in the Pacific Northwest, and throughout the country through its reference testing services.