People

Keir got hooked on research after witnessing a video of immune cells on the prowl in transparent zebrafish larvae. This experience motivated him to pursue work as a technician in David Traver's group at UC San Diego using zebrafish to investigate the development and function of vertebrate immune cells.

Bringing microbes into the picture, Keir joined Emily Troemel's lab for his PhD work to study the genetics of infection using a charismatic worm and its co-evolving pathogens. This work forged his interest in pursuing a greater understanding of evolutionary infection biology with common laboratory organisms made more wild by their microbes.

As a postdoc at the University of Utah in Nels Elde's group, Keir designed a new approach for infection surveillance that led him to discover naturally occurring viruses of zebrafish. 

Equipped with a transparent vertebrate and a diverse cast of viruses, the Balla lab is launching from a platform of virus discovery and experimentation to illuminate virus infection biology in toto.

Deepika double majored in Physics and German Studies at the College of Wooster in Ohio, where her physics research focussed on experimental and theoretical quantum optics, drawing connections between classical and quantum interference. 

After college, she did the Teach for India fellowship in southern India teaching 6th and 7th grade students. She was drawn back to physics, now using optics to probe the workings of living things and started graduate work in Raghuveer Parthasarathy's lab at the University of Oregon and completed her PhD studying biophysical aspects of microbial communities, such as spatial structure, impact their interactions. During this time, she developed a combination of live imaging, computational image analysis, biophysical modeling and deep learning skills.

Outside of physics, Deepika enjoys playing Sitar, gardening and time in nature.

Jennifer became fascinated with viruses after reading the Hot Zone and taking a microbiology class at community college. After a meandering path through philosophy and psychology classes she finally settled into a BS in biochemistry at San Jose State University, where she studied genetic networks governing iron metabolism in methylotrophic bacteria. Her work in bacterial genetics continued at UCSF, where she utilized CRISPR interference to study essential genes in gram positive bacteria. 

It wasn't until graduate school that she managed to make her virology dreams come true. In Karla Kirkegaard's lab at Stanford University she studied genetic interactions in enteroviruses, with a focus on viral proteases. She developed expertise in viral genetic engineering and molecular virology, as well as a deep appreciation for the complexity and inexorability of viral evolution. 

Aside from viruses Jennifer enjoys good books, live music, craft beer, and enthusiastic karaoke.

Jared got his start in research as an undergraduate at Montana State University, where he isolated novel endophytic fungi from plants collected in jungles and rainforests all over the world. He got hooked on viruses during this time after realizing that with their diverse transcription, translation, and replication strategies, viruses are the rulebreakers of the molecular biology world.

With an interest in using virology as a lens to uncover novel aspects of host biology, Jared undertook a PhD in Bryce Falk’s lab at the University of California Davis, where he discovered that virus-derived sequences are widespread in arthropod genomes and may play roles in antiviral immunity. Jared continued his study of host-virus interactions as a postdoc in Carla Saleh’s group at the Institut Pasteur, where he leveraged the tractability of the fruit fly model to understand how viral infection disrupts gut homeostasis and accelerates aging processes.

Outside the lab, you can find Jared climbing up or skiing down mountains, running, or enjoying a good IPA.

Emily earned her BS in Environmental Science from UMass Boston, where she discovered a passion for aquaculture. She began her career working on oyster farming projects, focusing on shellfish propagation and improving water quality in local estuaries.

During her time at UMass Boston, she gained valuable research experience in an ecotoxicology lab, studying genetic biomarkers in blue mussels and their implications for aquaculture production. After transitioning to the zebrafish field in Boston, she specialized in animal husbandry and facility management, overseeing aquaculture systems and ensuring the health and care of extensive zebrafish colonies.

As a lifelong fish enthusiast, Emily has cared for aquariums since childhood, at one point maintaining five tanks at home, before relocating to San Francisco. Outside of the lab, she enjoys exploring the Bay Area’s many aquarium shops or spending time with her pets: two cats (Tipsy and Duck), her dog Schatzy, and her tortoise Spud!

Shiloh earned her Bachelor’s in Biological Sciences from UC Santa Barbara, where her passion for scientific discovery began as an undergraduate researcher studying the cellular cascades that drive regeneration in tunicates. She further honed her skills as a molecular and cellular biologist during her time as a research associate at Stanford, investigating the underlying mechanisms of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and uveal melanoma in cells and mouse models.

Her work in translational research targeting cellular dysfunctions in eye disease sparked a deeper curiosity about the dynamics immunity at both cellular and organismal levels, especially in response to perturbation. Now at the Biohub, she’s excited to contribute to and learn from the lab’s efforts to characterize the biology of host immunity and viral evolution in transgenic zebrafish.

Outside of the lab, Shiloh enjoys hiking and/or tidepooling, getting lost in a good book at a coffee shop, and volunteering as a museum docent at the California Academy of Sciences.