Analysing West Nile Virus protein NS3 for druggability

• Grant number: 25/12926-2
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: January 01, 2026
• End date: December 31, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology
• Agreement: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft
• Principal Investigator: Carsten Wrenger
• Grantee: Carsten Wrenger
• Principal researcher abroad: Bernhard Ellinger
• Institution abroad: Fraunhofer-Institut für Translationale Medizin und Pharmakologie , Germany
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• City of the host institution: São Paulo
• Associated researchers: Edison Luiz Durigon
• Associated research grant: 23/07746-0 - Drug discovery against human viral infectious diseases, AP.TEM

Abstract

Infectious diseases are a significant burden on public health and economic stability of societies all over the world. The threat posed by infectious diseases is further deepened by the continued emergence of new, unrecognized, and old, re-emerging infectious diseases. This became even more prominent by the continuously increasing air traffic and the resulting possible global dissemination of infectious diseases as has recently been shown very impressively in the spread of SARS-CoV-2. Over the past decades various new infectious agents affecting humans have emerged, most of which are zoonotic and their origins have been shown to correlate significantly with socioeconomic, environmental, and ecological factors. Within this project we will focus on the highly pathogenic arbovirus causing West Nile Fever. The West Nile Virus (WNV) has the potential to spread across countries since its hosts are birds and the virus is present in France. So far neither a potent vaccine nor chemotherapeutics are present which will warrant treatment of infected people. Drug discovery will be applied to the key-protein, NS3, which is warranting proliferation of the virus in humans. (AU)