Background

Many viral pathogens have been living with us for millions of years, but a complete facebook of these pathogens remains unclear.

Website scope

We will focus on known viruses (e.g. HIV, HBV, HCV, HSV, CMV, RSV, VZV) and emerging viruses (e.g. Ebola).

Our aim

This platform will provide an integrated picture to study the beauty of viruses, regarding their genomes, proteins, life cycle, protein interactions, as well as the development of antiviral inhibitors and vaccines. We will share software and database, create original pictures and movies, communicate with a broad population of scientisits and readers to understand the mystery of viruses.

Our team


M.D. Ph.D. Erik De Clercq

M.D. Ph.D. Erik De Clercq is a professor emeritus at the KU Leuven, Belgium, and a visiting professor at the University of South Bohemia in the Czech Republic. His research interests are embraced within the broad areas of microbiology, virology, molecular biology and antiviral research, focusing on HIV, HBV, HCV, influenza, VZV, herpesvirus and merging viruses (e.g. Ebola, Dengue, Chikungunya). Over a period of five decades, he has developed new antiviral medicines include nucleotide analogues (e.g. tenofovir), and he has co-invented several approved antiviral drugs such as BVDU (brivudin), amino acyl esters of acyclovir (e.g. valaciclovir), acyclic nucleoside phosphonates (ANPs, cidofovir, adefovir, tenofovir), non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, HEPT and TIBO derivatives leading to rilpivirine for the treatment of AIDS. Since the start of his academic career in 1967, Prof. Erik De Clercq has published more than 2800 research articles.

My curriculum vitae (CV)

My Publications

Current address: Rega Institute for Medical Research, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium

Email: Erik.DeClercq@rega.kuleuven.be

Ph.D. Guangdi Li

Guangdi Li received his Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences from the Faculty of Medicine, KU Leuven, Belgium, 2014. His research interests are focused on the genome-wide diversity, coevolution and interaction of HIV, HBV and HCV, as well as the development of antiviral drugs and vaccines. Since 2013, he has published more than 10 research articles.

My curriculum vitae (CV)

My Publications

Current address: Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China

Email: liguangdi.research@gmail.com


Title: Current therapy for chronic hepatitis C: The role of direct-acting antivirals

Authors: Guangdi Li, Erik De Clercq (†: co-corresponding authors).

Journal: Antiviral Research, 2017, 142:83-122. doi: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2017.02.014

Sources: [PDF Download] [Google Scholar] [Journal website] [PubMed]

Teaching slides: [PPT slides]

Highlights:We presented the first overview of the efficacy of approved HCV drugs in clinical trials.

This article is highlighted as the cover paper of Antiviral Research (March 2017)!.


Title: Approved Antiviral Drugs over the Past 50 Years

Authors: Erik De Clercq, Guangdi Li(†: co-corresponding authors)

Journal: Clinical Microbiology Reviews. Jul;29(3):695-747. doi: 10.1128/CMR.00102-15.

Sources: [PDF Download] [Google Scholar] [Journal website] [PubMed]

Highlights: We presented the first overview of 90 antiviral drugs approved over the past 50 years.

This article is highlighted as the cover paper of Clinical Microbiology Reviews (July 2016) !


Title: HIV Genome-Wide Protein Associations: a Review of 30 Years of Research

Authors: Guangdi Li, Erik De Clercq (†: co-corresponding authors)

Journal: Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews. 80(3):679-731. doi: 10.1128/MMBR.00065-15

Sources: [PDF Download] [Google Scholar] [Journal website] [PubMed]

Highlights: We presented the first overview of HCV genome-wide protein associations discovered over the past 30 years.

This article is highlighted as the cover paper of Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews (June 2016) !


(1) Course Title: Prospects of anti-HIV therapy and prophylaxis

Author: Prof. Erik De Clercq

Free Download: [PPT slides]

Highlights: In this course, Prof. Erik De Clercq presents a comprehensive overview of current HIV drugs, including (i) nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs); (ii) nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NtRTIs); (iii) non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs); (iv) protease inhibitors (PIs); (v) fusion inhibitors (FIs); (vi) co-receptor inhibitors (CRIs);(vii) integrase inhibitors (IIs); (viii) acyclic nucleoside phosphonates (ANPs);(ix) highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART); (x) prophylaxis of HIV infections.


(2) Course Title: The Acyclic Nucleoside Phosphonates (ANPs): Antonín Holý’s Legacy

Author: Prof. Erik De Clercq

Free Download: [PPT slides]

Highlights: In this course, Prof. Erik De Clercq presents an interesting story about the legacy of Antonín Holý, including six sections: (i) Antonín Holý’s legacy; (ii) Acyclic nucleoside phosphonates; (iii) Antiviral agents for HIV infections;(iv) Antiviral agents for HBV infections; (v) Acyclic (and cyclic) nucleoside phosphonates; (vi) Gilead Science, Antonín Holý and me.


(4) Course Title: The Pre-History of Antiviral Drugs

Author: Prof. Erik De Clercq

Free Download: [PPT slides]

Highlights: In this course, Prof. Erik De Clercq presents an interesting story about how antiviral drugs were developed duirng the early period of antiviral research.


(5) Course Title: Antiviral drugs for the treatment of herpesvirus infections

Author: Prof. Erik De Clercq

Free Download: [PPT slides]

Highlights: In this course, Prof. Erik De Clercq gives an interesting presentation about the discovery of antiviral compounds to treat herpesvirus infections.


(6) Course Title: The Pre-History of Antiviral Drugs

Author: Prof. Erik De Clercq

Free Download: [PPT slides]

Highlights: In this course, Prof. Erik De Clercq presents an interesting story about how antiviral drugs were developed duirng the early period of antiviral research.


(7) Course Title: Antiviral drugs for the treatment of herpesvirus infections

Author: Prof. Erik De Clercq

Free Download: [PPT slides]

Highlights: In this course, Prof. Erik De Clercq gives an interesting presentation about the discovery of antiviral compounds to treat herpesvirus infections.


(8) Course Title: Current therapy for chronic hepatitis C: The role of direct-acting antivirals

Author: Prof. Guangdi Li and Prof. Erik De Clercq

Free Download: [PPT slides]

Highlights: In this course, we present the latest development of direct-acting antivirals against chronic hepatitis C.


(1) Basic software for Research

Highlights: In this presentation, Dr. Guangdi Li presented basic skills for how to write papers using common software such as Endnote, Word, PowerPoint, Google Scholar, ResearchGate, 1Check etc.

Free Download: [PPT slides][Software package]


(1) HIV protein movies (Click here!)

Highlights: In this collection, we present 3D movies of all HIV proteins. See details in our publication: Guangdi Li, Erik De Clercq, HIV Genome-Wide Protein Associations: a Review of 30 Years of Research, Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews. 80(3):679-731, 2016. [PDF Download]


(2) HCV drug resistance mutations (Click here!)

Highlights: In this collection, we present 3D movies to highlight the known drug resistance mutations in HCV proteins (NS3/4A, NS5A, NS5B). See details in our publication: Lize Cuypers, Francesca Ceccherini Silberstein, Kristel Van Laethem, Guangdi Li, Anne-Mieke Vandamme, Jürgen Kurt Rockstroh. Impact of HCV genotype on treatment regimens and drug resistance: a snapshot in time: HCV genotyping for treatment and drug resistance, Reviews in Medical Virology, Nov;26(6):408-434, 2016.[PDF Download]


(3) Approved antiviral compounds (Click here!)

Highlights: In this collection, we present 3D movies to highlight all FDA-approved antiviral compounds. See details in our publication: Erik De Clercq, Guangdi Li,Approved Antiviral Drugs over the Past 50 Years ,Clinical Microbiology Reviews. Jul;29(3):695-747, 2016 [PDF Download]


(4) Mechanisms of drug actions of approved antiviral drugs (Click here!)

Highlights: In this collection, we present 3D movies to highlight mechanisms of drug actions in which approved antiviral drugs take part. See details in our publication: Erik De Clercq, Guangdi Li,Approved Antiviral Drugs over the Past 50 Years ,Clinical Microbiology Reviews. Jul;29(3):695-747, 2016[PDF Download].


(5) Sequence diversity of HIV-1 subtype G protease (Click here!)

Highlights: In this collection, we present 3D movies to highlight the sequence diversy of HIV-1 subtype G protease.

Sources: [PDF Download]