Master Project: Nature-inspired Virucidal Antivirals – Design and Mechanism
This project addresses key challenges in antiviral research, including the limitations of virucidal and virustatic compounds. While virucidal compounds are highly effective at killing viruses, they are often associated with toxicity, whereas virustatic compounds inhibit viral growth but fail to translate effectively in vivo. Additionally, most current antiviral designs are narrow-spectrum, targeting specific viruses and proving ineffective against others. Another challenge lies in stoichiometry and core design, as the antiviral activity of compounds depends on a precise balance in their structure, yet variations in stoichiometry complicate accurate predictions. Our goal is to synthesize broad-spectrum antiviral compounds that are cost-effective, easy to produce, readily available, highly effective, and derived from natural cores, with the aim of converting virustatic compounds into virucidal ones.
Who we are looking for:
We are looking for MSc students with a background in:
- Disciplines: Materials science, chemistry, physics, or biology.
- Skills: Knowledge of organic compound synthesis and characterization.
- Preferred Experience: Familiarity with virology is an advantage.
Learning Outcomes:
As a part of this project, you will:
- Synthesize antiviral compounds based on natural cores.
- Gain hands-on experience in physicochemical characterization techniques, including ITC, NMR, conductivity assays, and UV-Vis spectroscopy.
- Conduct biological assays such as dose-response studies, immunofluorescence, and virucidal assays (depending on your experience).
- Potentially contribute to academic publications, depending on the project’s progress.
Contact and supervision:
- Tran Thi Hien | Email: [email protected]
- Dr. Ong Khac Quy | Email: [email protected]
- Prof. Francesco Stellacci | Email: [email protected]