The Heaton Laboratory at Duke University is primarily interested in the study of respiratory RNA viruses. They have published work on viruses of the families: orthomyxoviridae, paramyxoviridae, and coronaviridae. Research in the lab leverages several complementary approaches such as high-throughput genomic screening and transgenic animal models in order to understand, and develop new ways to combat, respiratory viral disease. In the context of the READDI-AC program, the Heaton Laboratory is focused on developing fluorescent assays that report on viral enzymatic activities to help prioritize antiviral compounds that inhibit broad families of viruses and work via novel mechanisms of action.
