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Mary  Kearney, Ph.D.

Mary F. Kearney, Ph.D.

  • Center for Cancer Research
  • National Cancer Institute
Senior Scientist
Head, Translational Research Section
CCR Deputy Director

RESEARCH SUMMARY

Dr. Kearney conducts research on the emergence of HIV drug resistance, the persistence of HIV during antiretroviral treatment (ART), and the sources of rebound viremia after stopping ART.  Her studies have demonstrated that a diverse population of HIV-infected cells persist during ART, that some infected cells proliferate despite ART, and that residual viremia results from viral expression of cells infected prior to ART.  Dr. Kearney heads the Translational Research Section, which aims to understand the genetics, evolution, and persistence of HIV and other RNA viruses and to design new approaches toward targeting and killing infected cells.  Currently, she also serves as Chair of the NIH Women Scientists Advisors (WSA). The WSA identify issues affecting women scientists and design and implement strategies to address them. Dr. Kearney was appointed as HIV DRP Deputy Director of Translational/Clinical Research in 2021 and as CCR Deputy Director of Basic Research in 2023.

Areas of Expertise

Drug Resistance
Viral Persistence
HIV Residual Viremia
Viral Evolution

Publications

Selected Key Publications

Early emergence and long-term persistence of HIV-infected T-cell clones in children

Bale MJ, Katusiime MG, Wells D, Wu X, Spindler J, Halvas EK, Cyktor JC, Wiegand A, Shao W, Cotton MF, Hughes SH, Mellors JW, Coffin JM, Van Zyl GU, Kearney MF
mBio. 12: e00568-21, 2021. [ Journal Article ]

Combined HIV-1 sequence and integration site analysis informs viral dynamics and allows reconstruction of replicating viral ancestors

Patro SC, Brandt LD, Bale MJ, Halvas EK, Joseph KW, Shao W, Wu X, Guo S, Murrell B, Wiegand A, Spindler J, Raley C, Hautman C, Sobolewski M, Fennessey CM, Hu WS, Luke B, Hasson JM, Niyongabo A, Capoferri AA, Keele BF, Milush J, Hoh R, Deeks SG, Maldarelli F, Hughes SH, Coffin JM, Rausch JW, Mellors JW, Kearney MF
Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 116: 25891-25899, 2019. [ Journal Article ]

HIV infected T cells can proliferate in vivo without inducing expression of the integrated provirus

Musick A, Spindler J, Boritz E, Pérez L, Crespo-Vélez D, Patro SC, Sobolewski MD, Bale MJ, Reid C, Keele BF, Capoferri A, Shao W, Wiegand A, Simonetti FR, Mellors JW, Hughes SH, Coffin JM, Maldarelli F, Kearney MF
Front Microbiol. 10: 2204, 2019. [ Journal Article ]

HIV-1 in lymph nodes is maintained by cellular proliferation during antiretroviral therapy

McManus WR, Bale MJ, Spindler J, Wiegand A, Musick A, Patro SC, Sobolewski MD, Musick VK, Anderson EM, Cyktor JC, Halvas EK, Shao W, Wells D, Wu X, Keele BF, Milush JM, Hoh R, Mellors JW, Hughes SH, Deeks SG, Coffin JM, Kearney MF
J. Clin. Invest. 130: 126714, 2019. [ Journal Article ]

Single-cell analysis of HIV-1 transcriptional activity reveals expression of proviruses in expanded clones during ART

Wiegand A, Spindler J, Hong FF, Shao W, Cyktor JC, Cillo AR, Halvas EK, Coffin JM, Mellors JW, Kearney MF
Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 114: E3659-E3668, 2017. [ Journal Article ]

Job Vacancies

We have no open positions in our group at this time, please check back later.

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Team

Photo of Shadab
Postdoctoral Fellow (Visiting)
Shadab Parvez, Ph.D.
Postbaccalaureate Fellow
Victoria Neer, B.S.
Photo of Tolu
Postdoctoral Fellow
Toluleke Famuyiwa, Ph.D.
photo of shahinur
Postdoctoral Fellow (Visiting)
Shahinur Akter, Ph.D.
Photo of Alana Thomas
Postbaccalaureate Fellow
Alana Thomas, B.S.

News

Kearney lab are Green!

Members of the Kearney lab won The NIH 2023 Silver-level Green Lab Certificate, which is considered the gold standard for laboratory sustainability best practices around the world. 

Kearney Lab - Silver Certificate-Green

Adam Capoferri publishes in PNAS

Adam Capoferri, Ann Weigand, Jonathan Spindler, Andrew Musick, and Wei Shao publish in the journal PNAS showing that HIV-1 control in vivo is related to the number but not the fraction of infected cells with viral unspliced RNA (2024).

Poster Presentation at the International AIDS Conference 

Adam Capoferri presented a poster at the 2024 International AIDS Conference, Munich, Germany.

NIH Fellows Awards for Research Excellence

Shadab Parvez won a 2025 NIH Fellows Award for Research Excellence (FARE) for to support his work. This award is used to attend and present his work at a scientific meeting in the U.S.  This award, which acknowledges outstanding scientific research performed by intramural postdoctoral fellows, is sponsored by the NIH Fellows Committee, Scientific Directors, and Office of Intramural Training and Education and is funded by the Scientific Directors.  FARE awards are based on scientific merit, originality, experimental design, and overall quality/presentation of the abstracts. Previous winner, Adam Capoferri (2023) and Jennifer Groebner (2022).

Congratulations Wei Shao!

After 18 years as a bioinformatician at NCI, Wei Shao retired! We wish you all the best.

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Members of the HIV DRP Kearney lab having a meal together 2024

Photo of Kearney lab

Federal Technology Transfer Award 2024

Wei Shao receives a 2024 Federal Technology Transfer Award (FTTA).

The awards are for those employees who contribute their skills, energy, and expertise to the advancement of the public health and science through technology transfer.

Members of the Kearney Lab 2024

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Photo of Kearney Lab 2024 outside HIV DRP building

Photo of Kearney Lab Summer 2024. Top row, left to right: Wei Shao, Tolueke Famuyiwa, Jason Rausch, Adam Capoferri, Shadab Parvez. Bottom row, left to right: Shaniur Akter, Victoria Neer, Angel Boardley, Mary Kearney, Shivalee Duduskar. Missing: Ann Weigand, Jon Spindler, and Alana Thomas. 

Mary Kearney receives NCI Director's Award For Emerging Leader (2024)

New Investigator Scholarships, Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections

Adam Capoferri presented his poster at the 2024 Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI). Joshua Gluck and Victoria Neer were awarded a New Investigator Scholarships to attend CROI and present posters. 

Previous CROI scholarship awardees include Jennifer Groebner in 2021, Adam Capoferri in 2021, Sean Patro and Jenna Hasson in 2020, Mary Grace Katusiime in 2019, Andrew Musick in 2017 and 2018, and Chad Coomer in 2014.

Diversity Career Development Program

Congratulations to Shadab Parvez and Toluleke Famuyiwa who were selected for the 2024 Diversity Career Development Program. The goal of DCDP is to provide postdoc fellows from diverse backgrounds with leadership skills and tools to achieve their full potential at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and advance in their careers.

Mary Kearney appointed CCR Deputy Director of Basic Research in 2023

Jason W. Rausch received 2023 Federal Technology Transfer Award

Jason W. Rausch received a 2023 Federal Technology Transfer Award for developing an Oxford Nanopore library prep protocol and companion Python demultiplexing script to sequence PCR amplicons derived from HIV-1 proviruses in high throughput.

Intramural AIDS Research Fellowships

Intramural AIDS Research Fellowship (IARF) awards from the Office of AIDS Research, Office of Intramural Research, and Office of Intramural Research & Training in the National Institutes of Health include full stipend support to successful candidates who demonstrate outstanding scientific potential through both an imaginative and thoughtful research plan and a well thought out career development plan.

Adam Capoferri received an IARF award in 2023 to support his research. Adam Capoferri also received this award in 2022.

Mary Kearney Received 2021 NIH Director's Award

Mary Kearney received a 2021 NIH Director's Award with other members of the CCR Women Scientists Advisors (WSAs) for "demonstrating extraordinary initiative, leadership, and creativity to assess and respond to career development and workplace issues in the wake of the pandemic."

Mary Kearney Appointed as a Deputy Director in HIV Dynamics and Replication Program

In October 2021, Mary Kearney was appointed as HIV DRP Deputy Director of Translational/Clinical Research.

Mary Kearney Selected to Receive NCI Director's Award

Mary Kearney was been nominated by CCR Director, Tom Misteli, and selected to receive an individual 2021 NCI Director's Award for Workplace Wellness in recognition of her initiative and accomplishments to improve workplace wellness through exemplary leadership and mentoring.

Alumni

Elizabeth Anderson, Ph.D.
2011-2013
Predoctoral Fellow
Michael Bale, M.S.
2018-2020
Postbaccalaureate Fellow
Cailyn Barthlow, B.S.
2019-2022
Prebaccalaureate Fellow (CRTA)
Neeru Bhardwaj, Ph.D.
2014
Special Volunteer
Valerie Boltz, M.S.
2001-2023 (retired)
Research Biologist
Angel Boardley
Summer 2024
Cristina Ceriani, Ph.D.
2018
Special Volunteer
Charles Coomer, M.Sc.
2012-2014
Summer Student
Joshua Gluck, B.S.
2022-2024
Monica Gouzoulis, B.S.
2013-2014
Summer Student
Jennifer Groebner, Ph.D.
2018-2021
Postdoctoral Fellow
Jenna Hasson, B.A.
2018-2023
Postbaccalaureate Fellow
Nicholas Johnson
2014-2015
Summer Student
Lina Josefsson, Ph.D.
2009-2010
Special Volunteer
Mary Grace Katusiime, Ph.D.
2020-2023
Postdoctoral Fellow
William McManus, M.S.
2016-2018
Postbaccalaureate Fellow
Helene Mens, M.D., Ph.D.
2007-2011
Guest Researcher
Andrew Musick, M.S.
2015-2024
Research Associate II (Contr)
Victoria Musick, B.S.
2017
Summer Student
Aurelie Niyongabo, M.S.
2018-2020
Postbaccalaureate Fellow
Alex Scheltema
2010
Summer Student
Wei Shao, Ph.D.
2006-2024 (retired)
Bioinformatics Analyst IV (Contractor)
Rachel Sklutuis, B.S.
2019-2022
Postbaccalaureate Fellow (CRTA)
Tyler Snoots, B.S.
2010-2011
Summer Student
Anuradha Sreedhara
2017
Summer Student
Sloane Yu, M.D., M.B.A.
2008-2009
Postbaccalaureate Fellow