Robert Davey, PhD
Professor
Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
Virology, Immunology & Microbiology

PhD, University of Adelaide
BSc, University of Adelaide



Dr. Robert Davey, PhD is a currently a Professor of Microbiology at the Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine. Dr. Davey received his doctorate in Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Adelaide in Australia. He continued his training as a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and then at the Division of Hematology, both with Dr. James Cunningham at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School.

Dr. Davey's first academic appointment was as an Instructor in Medicine at Harvard. He then held an Assistant Professor position which he got promoted to Adjunct Associate Professor at the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Texas Medical Branch.

Dr. Davey was also a Ewing Halsell Scholar and Scientist at the Department of Virology and Immunology at the Texas Biomedical Research Institute. As a Scientist at the Texas Biomedical Research Institute, Dr. Davey's work was focused on identification of cellular factors important for establishing infection by filovirus and bunyaviruses. His work has culminated in a deeper understanding of the entry and cell signaling pathways that are used by these viruses to penetrate the cell membrane and establish infection. His work with Ebolavirus has been published in the high-impact journals PLoS Pathogens, PNAS and a new article on host factor dependence in Science that was featured on the cover page. Dr. Davey’s group works collaboratively with a number of groups providing sophisticated molecular biology and cell biology techniques for the study of pathogenic viruses including Ebolavirus for which the lab mainly works. He has developed high throughput screening techniques for Ebolavirus. He also performs contract work testing drugs and compounds for ebolavirus infection inhibition. His team is well trained in ABSL4 procedures and have been working with Ebolavirus since 2006.

From 2015-2017, Dr. Davey held the role of Interim Chair in the Department of Virology and Immunology at the Texas Biomedical Research Institute. He is also Director of ABSL4 at the Texas Biomedical Research Institute.

Interim Director
Boston University
National Emerging Infectious Disease Lab


Member
Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
Evans Center for Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research


Graduate Medical Sciences Educator and Mentor (Primary Mentor of Graduate Students)
Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Graduate Medical Sciences




Molecular mechanisms of filoviral-host interactions - Core C
08/10/2023 - 05/31/2028 (Subcontract PI)
The Washington University NIH NIAID
5P01AI120943-07

Optimizing Ridaifen-B analogs as potential therapeutics for Ebola viruses
09/20/2022 - 07/31/2027 (Subcontract PI)
University of Illinois NIH NIAID
5R01AI168362-03

National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories Operations
07/08/2021 - 06/30/2026 (Key Person)
PI: Nancy J. Sullivan, ScD
NIH/National Institute of Allergy & Infectious Diseases
5UC7AI095321-12

Optimization of broad-spectrum filovirus inhibitors that target viral glycoprotein
11/01/2022 - 10/31/2025 (Subcontract PI)
Microbiotix, Inc. NIH NIAID


Molecular mechanisms of filoviral-host interactions - Project 3
08/10/2023 - 05/31/2025 (Subcontract PI)
The Washington University NIH NIAID
5P01AI120943-07

Center for Antiviral Medicines & Pandemic Preparedness (CAMPP) - PROJECT 6
05/16/2022 - 04/30/2025 (Subcontract PI)
The Scripps Research Institute NIH NIAID
1U19AI171443-01

Midwest AViDD Center - CORE E
05/16/2022 - 04/30/2025 (Subcontract PI)
Regents of the University of Minnesota NIH NIAID
1U19AI171954-01

Perturbing virus replication with interfering peptides
04/25/2022 - 03/31/2025 (Subcontract PI)
Purdue University NIH NIAID
5R21AI166736-02

Task B22 - Comprehensive In Vitro Antiviral Screening Against BSL-4 Pathogens
03/13/2024 - 03/12/2025 (Subcontract PI)
Utah State University NIH NIAID


Assay development and execution of live virus testing in support of the Harvard-AbbVie Research Collaboration
03/01/2021 - 02/28/2025 (Subcontract PI)
President & Fellows of Harvard College on behalf of Harvard Medical School AbbVie


Showing 10 of 25 results. Show All Results


Title


Yr Title Project-Sub Proj Pubs

Publications listed below are automatically derived from MEDLINE/PubMed and other sources, which might result in incorrect or missing publications. Faculty can login to make corrections and additions.

iCite Website       Copy PMIDs To Clipboard

  1. Donahue CJ, Kesari AS, Thakur N, Wang L, Stubbs SH, Williams CG, Sharma SB, Kirby CD, Leung DW, Aryal UK, Basler CF, LaCount DJ, Davey RA. A protein-proximity screen reveals Ebola virus co-opts the mRNA decapping complex through the scaffold protein EDC4. Nat Commun. 2025 Sep 26; 16(1):8485. PMID: 41006235; PMCID: PMC12475165; DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-63392-4;
     
  2. Uwase G, Luthra P, Vogel OA, Batra J, La Rosa BA, Sheehan KCF, Khatavkar O, Payton JE, Davey RA, Krogan NJ, Basler CF, Leung DW, Amarasinghe GK. Ebola virus VP35 NNLNS motif modulates viral RNA synthesis and MIB2-mediated signaling. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2025 Sep 30; 122(39):e2411961122. PMID: 40982696; PMCID: PMC12501117; DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2411961122;
     
  3. Hanke S, Giannikopoulos D, Neumayer B, Vedenkannas T, Davey R, Mpaltadoros L, Guthrie B, Jackson R, Lagerwaard B, Zuidgeest M. Operationalizing Decentralized Clinical Trials: Technology Insights from the Trials@Home RADIAL Proof-of-Concept Trial. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 2025 Nov; 118(5):1090-1099. PMID: 40970561; PMCID: PMC12598119; DOI: 10.1002/cpt.70070;
     
  4. Richards PT, Fleck AM, Patel R, Fakhimi M, Bohan D, Geoghegan-Barek K, Honko AN, Stolte AE, Plescia CB, Messingham CO, Connell SJ, Crowe TP, Gourronc FA, Carrion R, Griffiths A, Meyerholz DK, Klingelhutz AJ, Davey RA, Messingham KN, Maury W. Ebola virus' hidden target: virus transmission to and infection of skin. J Virol. 2025 Oct 23; 99(10):e0130025. PMID: 40938099
     
  5. Lagerwaard B, Rutgrink L, van Weelij D, Lipinska K, Bornemann T, Davey R, Fons-Martinez J, Dupont S, Grobbee DE, Zuidgeest MGP. Recruiting and Consenting Decentralized Clinical Trial Participants-Learnings from the Trials@Home RADIAL Proof-of-Concept Trial. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 2025 Nov; 118(5):1067-1078. PMID: 40906242
     
  6. Uwase G, Luthra P, Vogel OA, Batra J, La Rosa BA, Sheehan KCF, Khatavkar O, Payton JE, Davey RA, Krogan NJ, Basler CF, Leung DW, Amarasinghe GK. Ebola virus VP35 NNLNS motif modulates viral RNA synthesis and MIB2-mediated signaling. bioRxiv. 2025 Jul 27. PMID: 40777377; PMCID: PMC12330714; DOI: 10.1101/2025.07.27.667045;
     
  7. Carlson RJ, Patten JJ, Stefanakis G, Soong BY, Radhakrishnan A, Singh A, Thakur N, Sheehan KCF, Amarasinghe GK, Hacohen N, Basler CF, Leung DW, Uhler C, Davey RA, Blainey PC. Single-cell image-based screens identify host regulators of Ebola virus infection dynamics. Nat Microbiol. 2025 Aug; 10(8):1989-2002. PMID: 40707832
     
  8. Singh K, Patten JJ, Dimet-Wiley A, Davey RA, Watowich SJ, Chandra A, Leverett J. Unlocking the potential of phytochemicals in inhibiting SARS-CoV-2 MPro protein - an in silico and cell-based approach. Sci Rep. 2025 Jul 02; 15(1):22840. PMID: 40596019; PMCID: PMC12216938; DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-05907-z;
     
  9. Padmanabha Das KM, Chen J, Charifson PS, Green J, Tang H, Panchal S, Pu F, Korepanova A, Dubey A, Afanador G, Stojkovic V, Nocek B, Bigelow L, Stubbs SH, Davey RA, DeGoey DA, Arthanari H, Namchuk MN. Inhibition of dimeric SARS-CoV-2 Mpro displays positive cooperativity and a mixture of covalent and non-covalent binding. iScience. 2025 Jul 18; 28(7):112773. PMID: 40655098; PMCID: PMC12246642; DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2025.112773;
     
  10. Wang LL, Keiser P, Yang D, Seravalli J, Patten JJ, Eaton B, Anderson D, Liu Y, Holbrook MR, Smith AB, Davey RA, Xiang SH. Soluble CD4 inhibits Ebola virus infection by targeting endosomal receptor-binding site. iScience. 2025 Jun 20; 28(6):112573. PMID: 40491485; PMCID: PMC12148371; DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2025.112573;
     
Showing 10 of 148 results. Show More

This graph shows the total number of publications by year, by first, middle/unknown, or last author.

Bar chart showing 148 publications over 30 distinct years, with a maximum of 12 publications in 2021

YearPublications
19831
19911
19922
19961
19972
19981
19991
20011
20041
20052
20068
20073
20084
20092
20104
20116
20126
20134
20148
20157
20166
20174
20188
20194
202010
202112
202211
20236
202411
202511


Optical CRISPR Screening Unveils New Ebola Drug Targets

Mirage News 7/24/2025

Novel Compound Protects Against Infection by Virus That Causes COVID-19, Preliminary Studies Show

ReachMD 1/8/2024

Novel Compound Shields Against COVID-19 in Preliminary Tests

MIrage News 1/6/2024

Uncovering the first FDA-approved drug for Ebola virus infection

Drug Target Review 2/6/2023

Structure and function of the first FDA-approved treatment for Ebola virus discovered

News Medical 1/30/2023

Can COVID-19 Reboot Drug Repurposing?

Inside Precision Medicine 12/20/2022

Best of The Brink 2022: BU’s Most-Read Science and Research Stories

BU Today 12/13/2022

ONE YEAR LATER: LESSONS FROM THE PANDEMIC

BU Today 3/16/2021

In It Together 6/2/2020

WGBH 6/2/2020

BU Scientists Awarded $1.9 Million to Accelerate Coronavirus Research

BU Today 5/13/2020

Massachusetts Consortium Tests Thousands Of Existing Drugs Against Coronavirus

CBS Boston 5/13/2020

Decoding COVID-19

PBS Nova 5/13/2020

BU Labs, Researchers and Students Fight COVID-19

The Daily Free Press 4/29/2020

Episode 195: Does New England Have Enough COVID-19 Tests; The Fight To Save Yiddish

New England News Collaborative 4/23/2020

Will Antibody Testing Help Get People Back to Work?

PBS Newshour 4/21/2020

Needles In A Haystack: Could Existing Drugs Treat COVID-19?

WGBH 4/15/2020

Getting to Know the Enemy

WGBH 4/10/2020

BU NEIDL Scientists Can “See Enemy,” Making Headway on COVID-19 Research

Mirage News 4/7/2020

Coming: A New Appreciation For The Social Benefits Of Graduate Education

Forbes 4/6/2020

Get A Peek Inside The Search For COVID-19 DrugsL

Futurity 3/23/2020

Boston Researchers on the Frontline in the Battle Against Coronavirus

Boston 25 News 3/20/2020

Live Coronavirus Research Gets Underway at BU NEIDL

BU Today 2/19/2020

Ebola Treatment Massively Cuts Death Rate, But It’s No Cure

Futurity 8/16/2019

Malaria Drug Shows Promise For Treating Ebola

Futurity 11/30/2018

Old Drug, New Tricks

BU Today 11/19/2018

2015 San Antonio business journal: Outstanding medical researcher, Healthcare heroes awards
2005 UTMB Graduate school teaching award
In addition to these self-described keywords below, a list of MeSH based concepts is available here.

Marburg
Ebolavirus
ABSL4
Virology
Immunology
bunyaviruses
arenaviruses
Junin virus
Lassa Fever
Filoviruses
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Boston MA 02118
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