VirusBank Platform Vision
‘Towards a world free of viral epidemics and pandemics’
A test platform to aid in the development of therapeutic and preventive measures
vision
‘There is also a plethora of human viral diseases against which no therapy or vaccines are available, yet urgently needed’
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VirusBank Platform Vision
Aiming for a world prepared to efficiently control future epidemics or pandemics
- Despite the fact that only a limited number of viruses have been identified today, it is anticipated that the next epidemic/pandemic virus will belong to a known viral family
- This allows to develop test systems and new biopharmaceutical strategies in ‘peace’ time, enhancing society’s preparedness
vision
‘Despite the fact that only a limited number of viruses have been identified today, it is anticipated that the next epidemic/pandemic virus will belong to a known viral family’
VIRUSBANK PLATFORM MISSION
Our Mission
Maximize societal preparedness against future epidemics and pandemics by developing a state-of-the-art assay toolbox for relevant virus families to facilitate the development of new preventive and therapeutic measures.
VirusBank Platform Objectives
Our Objectives
To support the development of novel prophylactic and therapeutic strategies, the VirusBank Platform consists of a rationalized, strategic collection of viruses that accurately represent each of the virus families with high epidemic/pandemic potential together with an associated extensive toolbox of methods and model systems for each virus to investigate the viral replication cycle and test new antiviral measures.
The VirusBank Platform comprises also large libraries of drug-like small-molecules that are essential to discover novel druggable targets in the replication cycle of viruses as well as to facilitate drug discovery and development efforts.
- Assembly of a rationalized strategic repository of viruses that are representative for each of the viral genera/families of concern
- Continuous development or improvement of reporter viruses
- Establishment of a wide array of new or improved relevant human cell lines and cell culture models (including reporter lines and transgenic lines) as well as relevant organoid systems, in which panels of the respective viruses grow efficiently
- Development for each of the viral genera/families relevant robust infection models in small laboratory animals
- Establishment of assays (including multiplex/multicolor) facilitating antiviral phenotypic high-throughput screening (HTS)
- Validation of these antiviral assays with existing drug collections and conducting/supporting antiviral HTS campaigns
- Supporting large-scale drug discovery and development efforts
- Possibility to create test systems tailored to our partners´ needs
