Averell H. Sherker

Averell H. Sherker serves as a Scientific Advisor for Viral Hepatitis and Liver Diseases, providing critical technical oversight and scientific validation for research and development acquisitions within the domain of infectious liver diseases. In this advisory capacity, he plays a pivotal role in shaping the agency’s procurement strategy by ensuring that contracted scientific efforts align with national public health priorities in virology and hepatology. His expertise guides the selection of high-impact R&D initiatives, particularly those involving diagnostic innovation, antiviral therapeutics, and epidemiological modeling. Sherker’s influence extends to the evaluation of proposal technical merit, protocol design, and clinical translation readiness, ensuring that funded projects meet rigorous scientific standards before contract award. While no specific contractor relationships are currently identifiable, Sherker’s advisory role typically engages a broad spectrum of research institutions, academic medical centers, and specialized biotech firms capable of delivering advanced scientific services in virology and liver pathology. His working relationships are characterized by collaboration with principal investigators, contract research organizations, and laboratories possessing deep domain expertise in viral replication mechanisms, immune response profiling, and non-invasive disease monitoring technologies. Sherker’s procurement patterns reflect a strong preference for open competition, with 100% of acquisitions classified as “No Set-Aside,” indicating a focus on scientific merit over socioeconomic categorization. This approach prioritizes technical capability and research excellence, ensuring that the most qualified entities—regardless of size or certification—are selected based on scientific rigor. His primary procurement focus lies within NAICS 541712, encompassing research and development in the life sciences. He routinely oversees contracts for preclinical studies, biomarker discovery, viral sequence analysis, and translational hepatology research, leveraging deep technical knowledge in hepatitis B and C virology, fibrosis progression, and liver cancer etiology.