Kevin’s PhD research focused on retroelements, the mobile repetitive elements that make up nearly 50% of our genomes. Retroelements have important roles in many biological functions but are challenging to identify. Kevin developed new techniques to identify novel retroelements with critical functions in immune regulation. Kevin will now pivot from genetics and genomics to viral immunology. Kevin plans to integrate ecology, immunology, and virology to design effective, economical vaccines that can be rapidly adapted to combat future pandemics.