Jesse Bloom, PhD
Professor
Basic Sciences Division, Fred Hutch
Professor, Herbold Computational Biology Program
Public Health Sciences Division, Fred Hutch
Member
Translational Data Science Integrated Research Center (TDS IRC), Fred Hutch
Dr. Jesse Bloom studies evolution using viruses and viral proteins as models. Specifically focusing on the fast-evolving influenza virus, Bloom aims to understand how mutations in viral genes shape the pathogen’s ability to infect and spread. He uses computational biology and real-world data to build evolutionary models and examine different scales of viral evolution, from evolution within a single host to evolution on a global scale. In doing so, Bloom addresses both fundamental and translational questions, including those with relevance to developing more effective seasonal flu vaccines.
Other Appointments & Affiliations
Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, Howard Hughes Medical InstituteHoward Hughes Medical Institute Investigator
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Education
Postdoc in Biology, Caltech
PhD in Chemistry, Caltech
MPhil in Theoretical Chemistry, Cambridge
BS in Biochemistry, University of Chicago
"We don’t really understand why certain viruses are so good at escaping from our vaccines while others aren’t. We would like to better understand the constraints of evolution."
— Dr. Jesse Bloom