Digitally-colorized TEM images from CDC-PHIL.

 

Our Research

The Blanco-Melo Lab at Fred Hutch aims to identify and decipher past viral infections at the molecular level to understand their effects on our history and evolution. Through the combination of molecular biology, genomics and bioinformatics, we seek to characterize modern and ancient viral infections, understand the evolution of our antiviral immune response, and enable the design of broadly acting therapeutics against current and emerging viral threats.
 

Paleovirology

Viruses are important human pathogens that impose a global burden of morbidity and mortality each year. However, viruses and their hosts have been engaged in a constant battle for survival for millions of years. The evolutionary interplay between virus and host has resulted in a myriad of overlapping, complex and interconnected cellular pathways that are activated upon infection. Our lab aims to decipher the properties of viral infections across time scales to understand how these agents have shaped human evolution and influenced human history.

PaleoTimeline

Lab News

Reconstruction of an 18th century Human Rhinovirus A from ancient RNA

Recovery of an 18th Century Rhinovirus Genome through Ancient RNA Isolation of Human Lungs. Now published in BioRxiv

The Lab Turns 4

Nov 2025 - The lab turns 4 years old. Thank you everyone! 

Daniel on Science News magazine

Daniel was named one of this year's SN10: Scientists to Watch by Science News Magazine. Check the full SN10 list here.


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