Centre for viral research

Catch and squeeze the virus to death. Put simply, this is the principle behind the antiviral drug being developed by Francesco Stellacci and his research group at Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne.

Professor Francesco Stellacci envisions a two-pronged approach to treating viral infections of any kind. In addition to a broad-spectrum “antivirotic”, he plans to develop tailor-made antiviral drugs that are effective against specific viruses. During the Covid-19 pandemic, he and his team at the Supramolecular Nano-Materials and Interfaces Laboratory at the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) were able to focus their energies on developing the antivirals – thanks to funding from the Werner Siemens Foundation. The researchers are also collaborating with virology and infectious disease specialists at the University of Geneva and the Geneva University Hospitals. The first experiments have yielded promising results, and if Stellacci’s innovative method is proven to work, he’ll receive additional funding from the Werner Siemens Foundation to establish a centre for viral research and put his approach to creating antivirals in action.