EUVIRNA

European Training Network on (+)RNA Virus Replication and Antiviral Drug Development

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 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'Virus infections remain a major cause of disease, with dramatic costs in mortality, morbidity, and economic loss worldwide. There is an unmet need for potent antiviral drugs, in particular against viruses with a ()RNA genome which include many important pathogens of humans and animals.

Antiviral drug development requires a detailed understanding of virus replication and effective translation of this knowledge into drug discovery. Europe needs well-trained experts with multidisciplinary skills to advance this field. However, few, if any, European training institutes have the broad know-how required to provide such a comprehensive training programme. The EUVIRNA partnership aims to fill this gap with the proposed EUVIRNA training programme.

The EUVIRNA partnership consists of six outstanding European academic partners and four industrial partners (one pharmaceutical R&D company and three SMEs), and an associated partner (SME specialized in education). All EUVIRNA partners are recognized leaders in their field, ensuring state-of-the-art training possibilities, and their skills are highly complementary. Three Visiting Researchers will complement the expertise of the partners.

EUVIRNA aims to introduce 18 ESR’s and 2 ER’s to state-of-the-art knowledge and technology applied in molecular virology and antiviral therapy, with both local and network-wide training activities. Individual research projects, research training workshops and intersectoral secondments will be supplemented with complementary skills courses to improve career development and perspectives. The industrial partners are actively involved in the entire programme, and will furthermore organize a 1-week industry-oriented conference aimed at further bridging the gap between academia and industry.

Thus, EUVIRNA offers talented researchers a multidisciplinary and intersectoral training programme and prepares them for a future leading role in European molecular virology research and antiviral dru'

Introduzione (Teaser)

Viruses containing an RNA genome (e.g. those that cause diseases such as influenza, hepatitis C, dengue and SARS) continue to pose important clinical and economic burden on our society. Training individuals in the field of molecular virology could be the key to developing the next generation of antiviral drugs.

Descrizione progetto (Article)

Antiviral drug development requires a detailed understanding of virus replication followed by effective translation of this knowledge into drug discovery. To advance the field, experts with multidisciplinary skills are urgently required by the pharmaceutical industry and academia.

The EU-funded 'European training network on (+)RNA virus replication and antiviral drug development' (http://www.euvirna.eu (EUVIRNA)) partnership aims to fulfil this need by providing a comprehensive training programme on molecular virology and drug development. The EUVIRNA consortium consists of six outstanding European academic partners, three industrial partners and an associated partner that is specialised in education. The aim is to train high-potential young individuals in the partners' state-of-the-art facilities to become scientists and entrepreneurs with a scientific network.

A total of 20 fellows have been recruited for the project. The long-term goal is either to provide trainees with a PhD degree and/or to improve their career prospects. So far, they have attended various research training and skills workshops to understand the multidisciplinary nature of viral replication and antiviral drug research.

As part of their training, scientists are performing research projects focused on the molecular mechanisms of replication of a group of medically and economically important RNA viruses. Trainees have shown considerable progress in their research work and multidisciplinary skills, with most of them presenting their data in international journals and conferences.

The EUVIRNA consortium envisions the next generation of molecular virologists. The knowledge these scientists will obtain is expected to help them design future antiviral strategies and somehow bridge the gap between academia and the drug market.