Dr. Keith Jerome on herpes research, cure efforts and the future of virology

Fred Hutch Cancer Center has a long history of challenging conventional dogma in science and medicine. That legacy began with E. Donnall Thomas, MD,  whose Nobel Prize-winning work in bone marrow transplantation transformed a once-radical idea into a lifesaving treatment for people with leukemia and other blood cancers.

Today, Keith Jerome, MD, PhD, professor in the Vaccine and Infectious Diseases Division and holder of the Larry Corey Endowed Chair in Virology at Fred Hutch, is carrying that tradition forward through his trailblazing work on herpes simplex virus (HSV).

On this episode of Oncology Insights, Jerome joins Petros Grivas, MD, PhD, FASCO, to discuss his decades-long pursuit of better ways to prevent, treat and ultimately cure viral infections. Their conversation explores the biology of HSV, the barriers that have slowed progress in the field and the translational research required to turn bold scientific ideas into real-world therapies.

One theme runs throughout the episode: the importance of taking more shots on goal. Despite infecting well over half the world's population, HSV has historically attracted less research attention and investment than many other diseases. Jerome argues that progress will require more scientists, more approaches and more opportunities to test promising ideas in parallel. Whether through gene editing, epigenetic silencing, vaccines or other emerging strategies, advancing the field depends on building a broader pipeline of potential solutions.

Key topics

• Jerome's path from MD-PhD training and cancer research into virology, and how Fred Hutch's culture of challenging scientific dogma shaped his career.
• Early advances in viral diagnostics, including PCR-based monitoring of cytomegalovirus in transplant patients, and the importance of improving outcomes for immunocompromised people.
• Why HSV became a major focus of Jerome's research, including its lifelong persistence, recurrent disease burden and impact on vulnerable patients.
• The role stigma has played in limiting public discussion, funding and scientific momentum around HSV, and efforts to normalize conversations about the virus.
• The challenge of translating laboratory discoveries into therapies, where safety, efficacy and prioritization guide every step toward clinical trials.
• Emerging strategies for HSV control and cure, including gene editing, gene-drive concepts, epigenetic regulation and vaccines, and why the field needs more researchers pursuing multiple paths at once.

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