Virology & Mycology
Open Access

Host-directed broad-spectrum antiviral drugs

9^th International Virology Congress and Expo

March 13-14, 2017 London, UK

Juana Diez

Pompeu Fabra University, Spain

Scientific Tracks Abstracts: Virol Mycol

Abstract :

Viruses completely depend on cellular factors to multiply. In spite of their unique coding features, different viruses have been shown to depend on some common host factors. Consequently, it should be possible to develop broad-spectrum antivirals by targeting them. In the presentation, the author will give an overview of the concept of host-targeting, broad-spectrum antiviral drugs and our work on natural products. The author will specially focus on metabolites isolated from myxobacteria, one of the top producers of natural products with host-targeting properties.

Biography :

Juana Díez is a Professor of Microbiology and Head of the Molecular Virology Laboratory in the Department of Experimental and Health Sciences (University Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain). She obtained her PhD on Virus-Cell Coevolution (University Autónoma of Madrid) and moved to the Institute of Molecular Virology (Madison, USA) for her Post-doctorate to study host factors supporting positive-strand viral RNA replication. The main focus of her group is to decipher key host-virus interactions and to use this knowledge for development of broad-spectrum antivirals.

Email: juana.diez@upf.edu