• International e-Learning Award, International e-Learning Association (2016)
• Early Career Faculty Travel Grant, American Association of Immunologists Annual Meeting (2016)
• Outstanding Postdoctoral Poster, Drexel University College of Medicine Discovery Day
• Trainee Travel Grant Award, American Association of Immunologists Meeting (2011)
• Outstanding Young Peruvian Living Abroad Awardee, Peruvian Government (2010)
• Dan H. Moore Endowed Molecular Medicine Scholarship in Microbiology and Immunology for Excellence in Graduate Studies, Drexel University College of Medicine (2008)

Dr. Bernui serves as principal and co-investigator for both clinical and basic research studies in the Departments of Medicine and Microbiology & Immunology. She is the laboratory lead for the NIH-funded IMPACC multicenter study, which analyzes COVID-positive samples to understand T and B cell function, as well as antibody and cytokine production at different stages of SARS-CoV-2 infection. She also oversees the COVID-19 Serology Study, a prospective study that follows vaccinated individuals to determine their early and late immunological responses to immunization for the next five years. Dr. Bernui is as co-investigator in the Phase 3 CLOVER Trial, a placebo-controlled, randomized, blinded study that evaluates the efficacy, safety and tolerability of Pfizer’s Clostridium difficile vaccine in adults 50 years and older. She is also co-investigator in the HOPE study, a multicenter clinical trial that aims to determine safety and tolerability of kidney and liver transplants from HIV+ donors to HIV+ recipients.

As clinical research manager within the Department of Medicine, Dr. Bernui works to increase the clinical team's participation in national and global clinical trials, and to expand clinical research within the department by pursuing trials that would benefit from the expertise of the clinical team. She also manages multi-disciplinary teams and oversees day-to-day operations at the Clinical Research Unit.

“Apigenin modulates dendritic cell functions and curbs inflammation by RelB inhibition in the context of neuroinflammatory diseases”
Ginwala R, Bernui M, Jain P
Neuroimmune Pharmacology. Accepted, June 2020

“CCR10 expression is required for the adjuvant activity of the mucosal chemokine CCL28 when delivered in the context of an HIV-1 Env DNA vaccine"
Gary E, Bernui M, Kutzler M
Vaccines, 2020 Mar 4;38(11):2626-2635

“A pilot study of immune activation and rifampin absorption in HIV-infected patients: a short report"
Cinnard C, Bernui M, Kutzler M
Tuberculosis Research and Treatment. 2017 Dec 21, 2017:2140974

“Genome-wide fitness profiling reveals adaptations required by Haemophilus in coinfection with Influenza A virus in the murine lung.”
Bernui M, Wong SM, Shen H, Akerley BJ
Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 2013 Sept 17, 110(38)15413-8

“Age-associated defects impair the optimal development of a protective immune response to Clostridium difficile recurrent infections”
American Society for Microbiology Microbe Conference, New Orleans, Louisiana, June 3, 2017
American Association of Immunologists Annual Meeting, Seattle, Washington, May 13-17, 2016

“From a brick and mortar classroom to online biomedical science curriculum: The odyssey of a Master of Science bacteriology course”
Drexel e-learning Conference, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, March 24, 2016

“Age-associated defects impair the optimal development of a protective immune response to Clostridium difficile in the context of infection and vaccination in an aged murine model”
9th Vaccine and ISV Congress, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, October 26-28, 2014
American Association of Immunologists Annual Meeting, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, May 2-6, 2014

“Protecting against highly lethal secondary bacterial pneumonia following the flu”
15th International Congress of Immunology, Milan, Italy, August 22-27, 2013

“Secondary bacterial pneumonia following flu infection: Pathogenesis and Protective Immunity”
Infection and Immunity Forum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, June 1, 2012