Heroes on the Front Line: David Gordon

David Gordon, Associate Researcher and transitioning to Associate Professor
Krogan Lab, University of California, San Francisco
UAW Local 5810

“I was wrapping up a genetic interaction mapping project on HIV in January when we became aware of the new coronavirus. Since then, we've been working around the clock to find the interactions between SARS-CoV-2 proteins and human proteins. By uncovering the human proteins that enable the spread of the virus, we are able to identify existing FDA-approved drugs which might be repurposed for COVID-19 patients.

“This effort has grown to include over 20 labs and a range of other collaborations, including Mount Sinai in New York and Institut Pasteur in Paris. We are gearing up to do live infection studies and are waiting for safety protocols and PPE. The same things we need to do the work is what the frontline hospital needs – so that is impacting the live virus work.

“I am grateful I can try to make a difference. I like to be able to support others and try to contribute to the greater good. I’m lucky to be in this position with the kind of lab that has the experience and resources we have. The team has been absolutely incredible. The dataset we gathered would not have been analyzed for months or even years — but what we’ve shown is that we can come together and push this stuff out quickly when we all work together.”