A Platform for New Antiviral Strategies

Context

Viral infections have an enormous impact on health, the social system, and the economy. Common human pathogen agents, such as the influenza virus, infect millions of people in the world each year. Moreover, new menaces are present in the form of emergent viruses such as Ebola or Zika, made infamous by their recent devastating attacks. To fight these viral infections, the development of new antiviral strategies in thus a crucial question.

Project

This project entails establishing a molecular identification platform of receptors of virus entry into the cell and constructing targeted therapies specific to each virus. It involves detailed knowledge of the virus, its replication cycle, its modes of infection, the molecular network of the host it is infecting and relying on to act.

project managers

Professor Laurent Kaiser, Division Head Physician, Infectious Diseases Division, Department of Medical Specialties, Geneva University Hospitals.

Professor Mirco Schmolke, Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, University of Geneva Faculty of Medicine.