European Training Network on (+)RNA Virus Replication and Antiviral Drug Development

Abstract

Antiviral drug development requires a detailed understanding of virus replication and effective translation of this knowledge into drug discovery. Europe needs well-trained experts with multidisciplinary skills to advance this field. However, few, if any, European training institutes have the broad know-how required to provide such a comprehensive training programme. The EUVIRNA partnership aims to fill this gap with the proposed EUVIRNA training programme, which is a Marie Curie Initial Training Network (ITN) funded by EC FP7 (FP7-people-2010-ITN). The EUVIRNA partnership consists of six outstanding European academic partners and four industrial partners (Tibotec-Virco, Pike Pharma GmbH, Riboxx GmbH, and Okapi Sciences NV), and an associated partner specialized in education (Virology Education). All EUVIRNA partners are recognized leaders in their field, ensuring state-of-the-art training possibilities, and their skills are highly complementary. EUVIRNA aims to introduce 17 Early Stage Researchers (PhD students) and 3 Experienced Researchers (postdoctoral researchers) to state-of-the-art knowledge and technology applied in molecular virology and antiviral therapy, with both local and network-wide training activities. Individual research projects, research training workshops and intersectoral secondments will be supplemented with complementary skills courses to improve career development and perspectives. The industrial partners are actively involved in the entire programme, and will furthermore organize a 1-week industry-oriented conference aimed at further bridging the gap between academia and industry. Thus, EUVIRNA offers talented researchers a multidisciplinary and intersectoral training programme and prepares them for a future leading role in European molecular virology research and antiviral drug development.