About this Research Topic

Background

Currently, a majority of human viral diseases do not have Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drugs. The 21st century has witnessed numerous viral outbreaks (Chikungunya virus in 2004, Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus in 2012, Ebola virus in 2014, and Zika virus in 2015) and pandemics (H1N1 swine flu in 2009, and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 in 2019). Unfortunately, in 2022 alone, we have witnessed two new outbreaks: monkeypox and Sudan ebolavirus. On top of that, in 2018, the World Health Organization (WHO) annual review pressed the need for accelerated research and development for priority viral diseases due to a lack of countermeasures such as vaccines and effective drugs. These facts underscore the urgent need to develop antivirals for emerging and re-emerging viral pathogens.

To identify effective antivirals, we need to develop and optimize various tools such as reporter viruses, engineered cell lines, novel screening platforms such as image-based high-content screening assays, and improved in vitro assays to predict drug cytotoxicity and mechanisms of action. By developing these assays, we can be better prepared to implement well-defined scientific strategies to identify antiviral drugs when unknown viruses cause outbreaks or pandemics. This research topic is interested in capturing recent advancements in cell-based in vitro antiviral drug screening assays for emerging and re-emerging viral pathogens.

We welcome contributions to the following topics:

• Construction of reporter viruses and engineered cell lines to perform drug screening assays.

• Image-based high-content antiviral drug screening assays

• Phenotypic profiling of drugs to predict cytotoxicity and mechanisms of action.

• Novel drug screening platforms.

• High-throughput screening platforms.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Classification
• Clinical Trial
• Editorial
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Classification
• Clinical Trial
• Editorial
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: Antivirals, Assay development, High-content screening, High-throughput screening, Phenotypic profiling, Reporter viruses, Engineered cell lines

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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