Nicholas S. Heaton Research Group

Duke University

How do respiratory viruses establish infection in the lung, spread locally, and trigger harmful inflammation? The laboratory studies how viruses establish infection in the respiratory tract and the resulting host immune responses. Researchers investigate how the lung returns to homeostasis after infection by measuring inflammatory and tissue-repair processes. The group aims to develop new interventions to limit viral and inflammatory lung diseases, translating findings toward therapies. Investigations draw on molecular genetics, microbiology, and integrative immunobiology through multidisciplinary experiments and analyses.