Brook Heaton

About

Brook Heaton is an Associate Research Professor of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology at Duke University and a member of the Duke Human Vaccine Institute. His research focuses on molecular genetics and microbiology, contributing to the understanding of microbial interactions and host-microbial dynamics. Heaton's work is integral to advancing knowledge in these fields, supporting the development of vaccines and therapeutic strategies through his role at Duke.

Research topics

• Virology
• Medicine
• Biology
• Pharmacology
• Internal medicine
• Bioinformatics
• Biotechnology
• Chemistry
• Immunology
• Cancer research

Selected publications

• Human Lung Stem Cell-Based Alveolospheres Provide Insights into SARS-CoV-2-Mediated Interferon Responses and Pneumocyte Dysfunction

  Cell stem cell · 2020 · 422 citations

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• A CRISPR Activation Screen Identifies a Pan-avian Influenza Virus Inhibitory Host Factor

  Cell Reports · 2017-08-01 · 144 citations

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  Influenza A virus (IAV) is a pathogen that poses significant risks to human health. It is therefore critical to develop strategies to prevent influenza disease. Many loss-of-function screens have been performed to identify the host proteins required for viral infection. However, there has been no systematic screen to identify the host factors that, when overexpressed, are sufficient to prevent infection. In this study, we used CRISPR/dCas9 activation technology to perform a genome-wide overexpre…

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Development of a Fluorescence-Based, High-Throughput SARS-CoV-2 3CL ^pro Reporter Assay

  Journal of Virology · 2020 · 112 citations

  This reporter-based assay allows for antiviral drug screening in human cell culture at biosafety level 2 (BSL2) with high-throughput compatible sample processing and analysis. This assay may help identify novel antivirals to control the COVID-19 pandemic.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Host protein kinases required for SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid phosphorylation and viral replication

  Science Signaling · 2022-10-25 · 97 citations

  articleOpen accessCorresponding

  Multiple coronaviruses have emerged independently in the past 20 years that cause lethal human diseases. Although vaccine development targeting these viruses has been accelerated substantially, there remain patients requiring treatment who cannot be vaccinated or who experience breakthrough infections. Understanding the common host factors necessary for the life cycles of coronaviruses may reveal conserved therapeutic targets. Here, we used the known substrate specificities of mammalian protein…

  PublisherDOI

• The FDA-approved drug Alectinib compromises SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid phosphorylation and inhibits viral infection in vitro

  bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) · 2020 · 63 citations

  While vaccines are vital for preventing COVID-19 infections, it is critical to develop new therapies to treat patients who become infected. Pharmacological targeting of a host factor required for viral replication can suppress viral spread with a low probability of viral mutation leading to resistance. In particular, host kinases are highly druggable targets and a number of conserved coronavirus proteins, notably the nucleoprotein (N), require phosphorylation for full functionality. In order to…

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Nicholas S. Heaton

  19 shared

• Tomer M. Yaron

  Columbia University

  11 shared

• Alfred T. Harding

  Massachusetts Institute of Technology

  9 shared

• Gad Getz

  7 shared

• Cait E. Hamele

  University of Virginia

  6 shared

• Ting-Yu Lin

  Tunghai University

  6 shared

• Katarina Liberatore

  Weill Cornell Medicine

  6 shared

• Ryan R. Chaparian

  Duke University

  6 shared

Similar researchers at Duke University

• Douglas Alan Marchukh-110
• Jack Donald Keeneh-100
• Hiroaki Matsunamih-86