In the context of the ZIKAlliance consortium, the KU Leuven Laboratory of Virology, led by Prof. Johan Neyts, will join forces with the Leuven Centre for Drug Design & Discovery (CD3) led by Dr. Patrick Chaltin to develop highly potent and safe antiviral drugs to treat or prevent infections with the Zika virus. The team led by Prof. Catherine Verfaillie will be involved in the study of infection of brain cells with the Zika virus, using stem-cell derived neuronal cultures. The teams of Prof. Anne-Mieke Vandamme, Prof. Philippe Lemey, and Prof. Jelle Matthijnssens will join forces to investigate the genetic diversity, molecular evolution, and geographic migration of Zika viruses and to assess whether other viral (co-)infections affect Zika virus-associated diseases.
Through its Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme, the EU is investing in research to combat the Zika virus outbreak. The funding will support research to develop treatments, diagnostics and vaccines, and to make a better risk assessment. KU Leuven is a partner institution in ZIKAlliance and ZikaPLAN, two of the research consortia involved.
The Zika virus is transmitted by mosquitoes and is related to the viruses that cause dengue and yellow fever. The virus has already affected people living in 73 countries and territories – mostly in Latin America and the Caribbean. While infection typically results in mild symptoms, there is now scientific consensus that the virus causes microcephaly in new-borns and may also result in the Guillain-Barré syndrome.
As part of Horizon 2020, researchers from Europe, Brazil, other Latin American countries and the Caribbean will join forces to fill the knowledge gaps on Zika virus infections and its consequences for pregnant women, new-born babies, and adults. The teams will also develop improved diagnostic tests and investigate options for treatment and prevention of the infection.
ZIKAlliance
The multidisciplinary research consortium ZIKAlliance receives €12 million for a 3-year project. The multidisciplinary consortium includes 52 partners – including KU Leuven – in 18 countries and 4 continents.
In the context of the ZIKAlliance consortium, the KU Leuven Laboratory of Virology, led by Prof. Johan Neyts, will join forces with the Leuven Centre for Drug Design & Discovery (CD3) led by Dr. Patrick Chaltin to develop highly potent and safe antiviral drugs to treat or prevent infections with the Zika virus. The team led by Prof. Catherine Verfaillie will be involved in the study of infection of brain cells with the Zika virus, using stem-cell derived neuronal cultures. The teams of Prof. Anne-Mieke Vandamme, Prof. Philippe Lemey, and Prof. Jelle Matthijnssens will join forces to investigate the genetic diversity, molecular evolution, and geographic migration of Zika viruses and to assess whether other viral (co-)infections affect Zika virus-associated diseases.
ZikaPLAN
Together with the Institute for Tropical Medicine (ITG) in Antwerp, the KU Leuven laboratory of Prof. Johan Neyts is a partner in the ZikaPLAN consortium as well. The 25 partners of ZikaPLAN – short for Zika Preparedness Latin American Network – receive €11.5 million.
ZikaPLAN aims to tackle the Zika threat by addressing the knowledge gaps and needs in the current Zika outbreak and by building a sustainable response capacity in Latin America for Zika and other emerging infectious diseases.
In this context, the KU Leuven laboratory of Prof. Neyts will focus on the sexual transmission of the Zika virus as well as transmission from mother to foetus. To that end they will be able to rely on the unique Zika virus models they developed earlier.
