During the COVID-19 pandemic, we worked to find ways to contribute our knowledge, expertise and resources to help understand how COVID19 develops and how we can treat infections and prevent disease.
In our lab, we applied our forward genetic screening approaches to identify genes and cell pathways that can increase cellular resistance to SARS-CoV2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Our goal was that this approach would allow us to quickly find new genes and therapeutic targets that can be used to combat infections, or help to understand why some people develop severe disease, while others have mild symptoms, or none at all. We also worked with our lung immunity team here at BRI, including Dr. Steven Ziegler, Dr. Jessica Hamerman and Dr. Daniel Campbell, along with collaborators at Seattle Children’s Research Institute and the University of Washington, to test whether the antiviral mechanisms discovered in our Ebola and Influenza studies can also act against SARS-CoV2.
Additional Research Projects
Distinguishing Pathogens from Self
