iNEXT-Discovery

Covid19-NMR: NMR Structural Biology of SARS-CoV-2

The aim of the international project Covid19-NMR is to determine the 3D structures, in particular of all RNAs, and of all proteins of SARS-CoV-2, or exploit existing structures for subsequent search of drugs guided by these structures. The project is coordinated by Prof. Harald Schwalbe who is a member of the iNEXT-Discovery Executive Board, and will be making use of facilities that particate in the iNEXT-Discovery project.

The consortium aims to perform studies to enable the fast screening of libraries containing drug-like molecules and thus support pharmacological research for new medication by rational, structure-based drug discovery. Due to the relatively large genome and the given high conservation of genomic information within SARS-coranaviruses, there is substantial evidence that our research design remains valid beyond the current pandemic crisis. Covid19-NMR, coordinated by Prof. Harald Schwalbe, Goethe-University Frankfurt, has brought together an international consortium of scientists from ten countries, possessing key expertise for targeting virus-mRNAs.

The research progress is rapid and will communicated via the dedicated platform of Covid19-NMR. The combination of rational structure-based drug discovery and ligand screening and the simultaneous investigation of viral proteins, viral mRNA and RNA-protein-complexes relevant for viral replication is the unique strength of the consortium Covid19-NMR.