Research in the Perlin Lab
The global burden of infectious diseases has reached unprecedented levels, driven by the continued emergence of high-threat pathogens that cause substantial morbidity, mortality, and economic strain. Recent pandemics and outbreaks -including COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 - along with the accelerating spread of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial and fungal infections, have resulted in millions of deaths worldwide and imposed enormous costs on healthcare systems. These threats are magnified among vulnerable populations with underlying immunosuppression due to cancer, transplantation, premature birth, HIV/AIDS, diabetes, and other debilitating conditions. Drug resistance has become particularly acute among hospital- and community-associated Gram-negative and Gram-positive ESKAPE pathogens, sexually transmitted infections such as Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and invasive fungal pathogens including Candida species and Aspergillus fumigatus. In the United States alone, antibiotic-resistant infections affect at least 2.8 million people annually, causing over 35,000 deaths and adding billions of dollars in healthcare costs. Addressing these global health emergencies requires innovative diagnostics, novel therapeutic and vaccine strategies, and a deeper mechanistic understanding of disease pathogenesis.
For more than three decades, the Perlin Laboratory has been at the forefront of efforts to prevent and overcome life-threatening bacterial, viral, and fungal infections through the development of first-in-class anti-infectives and advanced molecular diagnostics. Dr. Perlin leads an NIH-designated national Center of Excellence in Translational Research (CETR) focused on discovering novel antibiotics to combat drug-resistant bacterial infections, and co-leads a second CETR with National Academy of Sciences member Dr. Arturo Casadevall to develop transformative therapeutic and diagnostic solutions for drug-resistant fungal diseases. In addition, he co-leads—together with Nobel Laureate Dr. Charles Rice of Rockefeller University—the Metropolitan Antiviral Drug Accelerator (MAVDA), one of nine national centers within the NIH AViDD program, dedicated to developing small-molecule antivirals against coronaviruses and other pandemic viruses. The Perlin laboratory has also played a leading role in elucidating the microbial and host-driven mechanisms of drug tolerance and resistance that underlie therapeutic failure, providing critical insights to inform next-generation interventions.
Recent and Ongoing Grants
U19AI189168-01 | Perlin (PI)
06/20/2025 – 05/31/2030
NIH/NIAID
Center for accelerated development of drug candidates targeting high threat bacterial infections
1U19AI189183-01 | Casadevall (PI) Perlin (PI)
8/01/25 -7/31/2030
Accelerator for the rapid development of countermeasures targeting drug resistant fungal pathogens
1U19AI1714010 | Perlin (co-PI), Rice (co-PI)
05/17/2022 – 5/16/2027
NIH/NIAID
Metropolitan AntiViral Drug Accelerator
2 R01 AI109025-11 | Perlin (PI)
07/01/2023 – 06/30/28
NIH/NIAID
Critical Factors Influencing Echinocandin Resistance in Candida glabrata.
1U19AI142731-01 | Perlin (PI)
4/01/19 – 3/31/24
NIH/NIAID
Center to develop innovative therapeutics to multidrug resistant high-threat bacterial agents
1 R01 AI138986-01 | Perlin (PI)
05/01/2018 – 5/31/2023
NIH/NIAID
Novel bi-specific immunoprophylactics against multi drug resistant Gram-negative bacterial infections.
1 R01 AI141183-01 | Perlin (PI)
12/01/2018 – 11/30/23
NIH/NIAID
Novel bi-specific immunotherapeutic against high-threat Gram-negative pathogens
3U19AI142731-02S1 | Perlin (PI)
08/25/2020 – 04/30/2024
NIH/NIAID
A CETR-based partnership accelerator for rapid drug development targeting SARS-CoV-2 and pan-CoVs