The Cherry lab has a long-standing interest in host-pathogen interactions, and particularly emerging viruses. She has pioneered the use of high-throughput cell-based screening to study these viruses and virus-host interactions. She is the Scientific Director of the UPENN High-throughput screening core that implements many high-throughput assays and uses robotics to perform extensive dose-response studies and combination studies. The Cherry lab is using this technology to perform high-throughput screens and dose response studies against a diverse array of coronaviruses within Projects 1 and 2. Validation studies using complex systems including air-liquid interface cultures elevate candidates within the program. In addition, her lab has HTS assays for additional viral pathogens of pandemic potential that are studied within this Program including flaviviruses and alphaviruses and is contributing to those Projects as well.
