Center for Emerging Virus Research
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Center for Emerging Virus Research
Center Overview
The Emerging Virus Research Center aims to establish multifaceted technologies for the diagnosis, treatment, and immunoregulation of emerging and acute/chronic viral infectious diseases in order to protect citizens safe from diseases. Based on the established technologies, the center is operating a commercialization-linked system for product development using the secured candidates. In addition, with the goal of developing therapeutics for an emergency response to the pandemic of acute infectious diseases, such as COVID-19, the center supports effectiveness assessment research on therapeutic substances for high-risk pathogens that are difficult to conduct independently in the private sector.
Center for Emerging Virus Research
- Division of Emerging Virus and Vector Research
- Division of Acute Viral Diseases
- Division of Chronic Viral Diseases
- Division of Clinical Research
Organization
Research on emerging and acute/chronic viruses, and therapeutic clinical trials.
Vision System
Vision
To lead and provide full-cycle R&D support on national responds for viral infectious diseases
Goal
Establishment of core technologies and research capacities for the control of emerging and re-emerging viral infectious diseases
Key Tasks
1
Strengthen research competency for emerging and variant viruses, and in response to infectious diseases with unknown causes
- 1-1. Conduct studies for preemptive response, such as key technology development for therapeutics to overcome pending issues of COVID-19
- 1-2. Conduct research on key technology development for a emerging and variant viruses and infectious diseases with unknown causes
2
Strengthen technological power to control acute and chronic viral infections
- 2-1. Conduct studies on response to control acute viral diseases, such as influenza and SFTS
- 2-2. Conduct studies on technology development to overcome chronic viral infections, such as HIV and chronic infections
- 2-3. Establish, operate, and activate the cohort system for acute and chronic infectious diseases
3
Strengthen infrastructure for domestic and international research cooperation
- 3-1. Establish a full-cycle research cooperation system, such as through linkage to clinical and nonclinical trials, to commercialize research outcomes
- 3-2. Establish and expand the basis for domestic and international research cooperation to strengthen viral infection research
- 3-3. Provide full-time support for the effectiveness assessment of treatment and strengthen the related system to activate domestic treatment development
Division of Emerging Virus and Vector Research
Functions
- Conduct research on emerging respiratory viral infections
- Conduct research on high-risk viruses, such as viral hemorrhagic fevers
- Conduct research on infections of unknown causes
- Conduct research on diagnostic agents and therapeutics related to the above viral infections
Goals
- To support preemptive response research such as for core-technologies development in response to emerging and variant viral infectious diseases including COVID-19, and research on full-cycle technology development
- - (Therapeutics and Immuno-related Technologies) Establish various platform-based control technologies for broad-spectrum therapeutic and immune-regulatory agents against to variants of emerging infectious diseases
- - (Evaluation system) Development and enhancement advanced evaluation system of therapeutic agents including high-throughput screening assay, establishing preclinical model
- Strengthen research corresponding to high-risk viruses, such as of Lassa fever, and viral infectious diseases of unknown causes
- - (Response platform) Development of high-sensitive diagnostic system applicable for field and establishing research platform such as a therapeutic substance screening assay
- - (Domestic and International Cooperation) Secure research resources and advanced technologies, expand research infrastructure in field of emerging and variant virus through domestic and international collaboration, including internship program for personnel exchange and cooperative-network establishment
Key Operations
- Research and Support on development of therapeutic substances and characterization of emerging and variant respiratory viruses such as COVID-19
- Research for development and commercialization of therapeutic and immunoregulatory substances for emerging and variant viruses occurring in Korea, such as MERS-CoV
- Development of research platform and enhanced researches infrastructure via domestic and international cooperation in response to high-risk virus infections, such as Lassa fever
Acute Virus Research Department
Functions
- Conduct studies on influenza infections
- Conduct studies on human infection of avian influenza
- Conduct studies on measles and acute respiratory syndrome
- Conduct studies on viral respiratory infections
- Conduct studies on viral intestinal infections
- Conduct studies on viral infections of the nervous system and pathogens of the nervous system diseases
Goal
- To prepare a basis for the development of acute viral infection control technologies, such as against influenza and SFTS
Key Operations
- Development of influenza virus-vectored multivalent vaccine platform
- Research on development of RSV and SFTSV neutralizing antibodies using humanized immune mouse model
- Discover attenuated vaccine for SFTS recombinant virus and assess the effectiveness using reverse genetics system
- Develop genotype 5 antigen for the Japanese encephalitis virus and assess the effectiveness
- Operate the antiviral drug assessment hub lab
Chronic Virus Research Department
Functions
- Conduct studies on the acquired immune deficiency syndrome and human immunodeficiency virus
- Conduct research on chronic viral hepatitis
- Conduct studies on sexually transmitted viral infections
- Conduct studies on retrovirus infections
- Conduct studies on herpes virus infections
- Conduct studies on tolerance to antiviral drugs
Goal
- Strengthen development and commecilization support of core technologies for diagnosis, treatment, and management system to control chronic viral infections, such as HIV
- - (Therapeutics) Establish novel therapeutics platforms based promising convergence technologies and discover novel drug candidates for chronic viral infections
- - (Diagnostics) Develope candidates for antiviral drug tolerance detection and early disease diagnostics based on advanced convergence technologies
- - (Research Cooperation) Strengthen the basis for research cooperation in chronic viral infections through research resource sharing, advanced technology acquisition, and human reseource exchange by the joint research and cooperative network system with domestic and international research institutes
Key Operations
- Conduct research on the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
- - Develope the transcriptional activator candidates for HIV-1
- - Establish the high-throughput screening(HTS) method for developing the direct-acting molecules on HIV-1 transcriptome complex
- Conduct studies on viral infections
- - Develope the candidates for the HBV replication/transcription and the regulation of cccDNA
- - Establish the evaluation systems for therapeutic effect for HBV such as liver organoid
Therapeutic Clinical Study Department
Functions
- Plan and design the clinical trial policy for infectious disease treatment
- Conduct clinical studies on infectious disease treatment and candidates
- Conduct studies on the assessment and standardization of infectious disease treatment effectiveness
- Handle operations for therapeutic clinical trial support
- Handle operations for domestic and international therapeutic clinical trial cooperation
- Handle operations for the operation and management of the infectious disease cohort system
- Conduct transitional research on infectious disease cohorts
- Conduct studies on the assessment of antibiotic substances
Goals
- To strengthen the basis for clinical research for infectious diseases
- To support the development of therapies for swift response to infectious diseases
- To establish infectious disease prevention and management plans by activating transitional research
Key Operations
- Conduct investigative research on Long COVID
- Planning and support clinical research on infectious disease
- Operation and management of infectious disease cohorts & conducting translational research
- Evaluation of clinical effectiveness and support clinical trials for infectious disease treatments