Nicholas Scott Heaton

About

Nicholas Scott Heaton is a Professor of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology at Duke University. He also holds positions as a Professor in Cell Biology and in Integrative Immunobiology. Heaton is a member of the Duke Cancer Institute and the Duke Human Vaccine Institute. His research focuses on molecular genetics, microbiology, and immunobiology, contributing to the understanding of host-microbial interactions and immune responses. Heaton's work is integral to advancing knowledge in these fields, supporting the development of novel therapeutic strategies and enhancing scientific understanding of microbial and immune system functions.

Research topics

• Virology
• Medicine
• Biology
• Immunology
• Pharmacology
• Internal medicine
• Computational biology
• Genetics
• Pathology
• Biochemistry

Selected publications

• Development of CRISPR as an Antiviral Strategy to Combat SARS-CoV-2 and Influenza

  Cell · 2020 · 501 citations

  DOI

• 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

• Masitinib is a broad coronavirus 3CL inhibitor that blocks replication of SARS-CoV-2

  Science · 2021 · 253 citations

  There is an urgent need for antiviral agents that treat severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. We screened a library of 1900 clinically safe drugs against OC43, a human beta coronavirus that causes the common cold, and evaluated the top hits against SARS-CoV-2. Twenty drugs significantly inhibited replication of both viruses in cultured human cells. Eight of these drugs inhibited the activity of the SARS-CoV-2 main protease, 3CLpro, with the most potent being mas…

  PublisherDOI

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

  Journal of Virology · 2020 · 112 citations

  Senior authorCorresponding

  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

• 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

  Senior authorCorresponding

  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

Recent grants

• The effects of cells that survive direct influenza A virus infection on lung repair

  NIH · $431k · 2017–2019

• Loss of cellular identity after influenza virus infection and effects on pulmonary function

  NIH · $2.8M · 2018–2024

• Survival of influenza A virus infected cells and effects on pathogenesis

  NIH · $267k · 2015–2017

Frequent coauthors

• Allison J. Greaney

  Fred Hutch Cancer Center

  40 shared

• Jesse D. Bloom

  Cape Town HVTN Immunology Laboratory / Hutchinson Centre Research Institute of South Africa

  40 shared

• David J. Bacsik

  Cape Town HVTN Immunology Laboratory / Hutchinson Centre Research Institute of South Africa

  40 shared

• Andrew Butler

  Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

  37 shared

• Bernadeta Dadonaite

  37 shared

• Alfred T. Harding

  Massachusetts Institute of Technology

  20 shared

• Brook E. Heaton

  19 shared

• Rebekah E. Dumm

  Washington University in St. Louis

  18 shared

Labs

• The Heaton LabPI

Similar researchers at Duke University

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