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Sam J. Hobbs

Sam J. Hobbs, PhD

Languages spoken: English

Academic Information

Departments Primary - Biochemistry

Research Interests

  • Bacteriophages
  • Biochemistry
  • Microbiology
  • Poxviridae
  • Virology
  • Structural Biology
  • Innate Immune Response to Viral Infection

Education History

Doctoral Training Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School
Postdoctoral Fellow
Doctoral Training Oregon Health & Science University
PhD
Undergraduate University of Washington
BS

Selected Publications

Journal Article

  1. Chang RB, Toyoda HC, Hobbs SJ, Hadary R, Richmond-Buccola D, Wein T, Osterman I, Burger N, Chouchani ET, Sorek R, Kranzusch PJ (2024). A widespread family of viral sponge proteins reveals specific inhibition of nucleotide signals in anti-phage defense. Mol Cell, 85(16), 3151-3165.e6. (Read full article)
  2. Tan JMJ, Melamed S, Cofsky JC, Syangtan D, Hobbs SJ, Del Mrmol J, Jost M, Kruse AC, Sorek R, Kranzusch PJ (2025). A DNA-gated molecular guard controls bacterial Hailong anti-phage defence. Nature, 643(8072), 794-800. (Read full article)
  3. Yirmiya E, Hobbs SJ, Leavitt A, Osterman I, Avraham C, Hochhauser D, Madhala B, Skovorodka M, Tan JMJ, Toyoda HC, Chebotar I, Itkin M, Malitsky S, Amitai G, Kranzusch PJ, Sorek R (2025). Structure-guided discovery of viral proteins that inhibit host immunity. Cell, 188(6), 1681-1692.e17. (Read full article)
  4. Hobbs SJ, Nomburg J, Doudna JA, Kranzusch PJ (2024). Animal and bacterial viruses share conserved mechanisms of immune evasion. Cell, 187(20), 5530-5539.e8. (Read full article)
  5. Richmond-Buccola D, Hobbs SJ, Garcia JM, Toyoda H, Gao J, Shao S, Lee ASY, Kranzusch PJ (2024). A large-scale type I CBASS antiphage screen identifies the phage prohead protease as a key determinant of immune activation and evasion. Cell Host Microbe, 32(7), 1074-1088.e5. (Read full article)
  6. Yirmiya E, Leavitt A, Lu A, Ragucci AE, Avraham C, Osterman I, Garb J, Antine SP, Mooney SE, Hobbs SJ, Kranzusch PJ, Amitai G, Sorek R (2023). Phages overcome bacterial immunity via diverse anti-defence proteins. Nature, 625(7994), 352-359. (Read full article)
  7. Brogan AP, Habib C, Hobbs SJ, Kranzusch PJ, Rudner DZ (2023). Bacterial SEAL domains undergo autoproteolysis and function in regulated intramembrane proteolysis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 120(40), e2310862120. (Read full article)
  8. Abdelbary M, Hobbs SJ, Gibbs JS, Yewdell JW, Nolz JC (2023). T cell receptor signaling strength establishes the chemotactic properties of effector CD8(+) T cells that control tissue-residency. Nat Commun, 14(1), 3928. (Read full article)
  9. Leavitt A, Yirmiya E, Amitai G, Lu A, Garb J, Herbst E, Morehouse BR, Hobbs SJ, Antine SP, Sun ZJ, Kranzusch PJ, Sorek R (2022). Viruses inhibit TIR gcADPR signalling to overcome bacterial defence. Nature, 611(7935), 326-331. (Read full article)
  10. Hobbs SJ, Wein T, Lu A, Morehouse BR, Schnabel J, Leavitt A, Yirmiya E, Sorek R, Kranzusch PJ (2022). Phage anti-CBASS and anti-Pycsar nucleases subvert bacterial immunity. Nature, 605(7910), 522-526. (Read full article)
  11. Ma S, Morrison R, Hobbs SJ, Soni V, Farrow-Johnson J, Frando A, Fleck N, Grundner C, Rhee KY, Rustad TR, Sherman DR (2020). Transcriptional regulator-induced phenotype screen reveals drug potentiators in Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Nat Microbiol, 6(1), 44-50. (Read full article)
  12. Hobbs SJ, Harbour JC, Yates PA, Ortiz D, Landfear SM, Nolz JC (2020). Vaccinia Virus Vectors Targeting Peptides for MHC Class II Presentation to CD4(+) T Cells. Immunohorizons, 4(1), 1-13. (Read full article)
  13. Hobbs SJ, Nolz JC (2019). Targeted Expansion of Tissue-Resident CD8(+) T Cells to Boost Cellular Immunity in the Skin. Cell Rep, 29(10), 2990-2997.e2. (Read full article)
  14. Osborn JF, Mooster JL, Hobbs SJ, Munks MW, Barry C, Harty JT, Hill AB, Nolz JC (2017). Enzymatic synthesis of core 2 O-glycans governs the tissue-trafficking potential of memory CD8(+) T cells. Sci Immunol, 2(16). (Read full article)
  15. Sanchez MA, Tran KD, Valli J, Hobbs S, Johnson E, Gluenz E, Landfear SM (2016). KHARON Is an Essential Cytoskeletal Protein Involved in the Trafficking of Flagellar Membrane Proteins and Cell Division in African Trypanosomes. J Biol Chem, 291(38), 19760-73. (Read full article)
  16. Ma S, Minch KJ, Rustad TR, Hobbs S, Zhou SL, Sherman DR, Price ND (2015). Integrated Modeling of Gene Regulatory and Metabolic Networks in Mycobacterium tuberculosis. PLoS Comput Biol, 11(11), e1004543. (Read full article)
  17. Rustad TR, Minch KJ, Ma S, Winkler JK, Hobbs S, Hickey M, Brabant W, Turkarslan S, Price ND, Baliga NS, Sherman DR (2014). Mapping and manipulating the Mycobacterium tuberculosis transcriptome using a transcription factor overexpression-derived regulatory network. Genome Biol, 15(11), 502. (Read full article)
  18. Huesemann MH, Van Wagenen J, Miller T, Chavis A, Hobbs S, Crowe B (2013). A screening model to predict microalgae biomass growth in photobioreactors and raceway ponds. Biotechnol Bioeng, 110(6), 1583-94. (Read full article)
  19. Navarro VM, Ruiz-Pino F, Snchez-Garrido MA, Garca-Galiano D, Hobbs SJ, Manfredi-Lozano M, Len S, Sangiao-Alvarellos S, Castellano JM, Clifton DK, Pinilla L, Steiner RA, Tena-Sempere M (2012). Role of neurokinin B in the control of female puberty and its modulation by metabolic status. J Neurosci, 32(7), 2388-97. (Read full article)
  20. Navarro VM, Gottsch ML, Wu M, Garca-Galiano D, Hobbs SJ, Bosch MA, Pinilla L, Clifton DK, Dearth A, Ronnekleiv OK, Braun RE, Palmiter RD, Tena-Sempere M, Alreja M, Steiner RA (2011). Regulation of NKB pathways and their roles in the control of Kiss1 neurons in the arcuate nucleus of the male mouse. Endocrinology, 152(11), 4265-75. (Read full article)

Review

  1. Hobbs SJ, Kranzusch PJ (2024). Nucleotide Immune Signaling in CBASS, Pycsar, Thoeris, and CRISPR Antiphage Defense. [Review]. Annu Rev Microbiol, 78(1), 255-276. (Read full article)
  2. Hobbs SJ, Osborn JF, Nolz JC (2017). Activation and trafficking of CD8(+) T cells during viral skin infection: immunological lessons learned from vaccinia virus. [Review]. Curr Opin Virol, 28, 12-19. (Read full article)
  3. Hobbs SJ, Nolz JC (2017). Regulation of T Cell Trafficking by Enzymatic Synthesis of O-Glycans. [Review]. Front Immunol, 8, 600. (Read full article)