Antiviral Drug Discovery, Development, and Repurposing: From Host–Virus Interactions to Clinical Translation

Dear Colleagues,

Emerging and re-emerging viral diseases remain a major challenge to global health. Changes in human populations, globalization, ecological disruption, climate and vector dynamics, zoonotic transmission, and viral evolution continue to facilitate the emergence of novel viruses and the resurgence or geographic expansion of previously recognized pathogens. Recent epidemics and pandemics have further demonstrated the importance of strengthening our ability to understand viral infection at the molecular and cellular levels and to rapidly translate this knowledge into effective strategies for diagnosis, prevention, and treatment.

Advances in molecular virology, immunology, genomics, bioinformatics, and experimental models have substantially improved our understanding of virus–host interactions and viral pathogenesis. At the same time, innovative diagnostic platforms, genomic surveillance, antiviral discovery, drug repurposing, host-directed therapies, vaccines, and immunotherapeutic approaches are creating new opportunities to translate fundamental discoveries into clinically relevant interventions. Integrating these complementary areas is essential for improving preparedness and responses to both established and newly emerging viral threats.

This Special Issue aims to present and disseminate recent advances in emerging and re-emerging viral diseases, with particular emphasis on the continuum from fundamental virus–host biology to translational and clinical applications. We invite original research articles, reviews, and other relevant contributions addressing molecular, cellular, immunological, epidemiological, diagnostic, preventive, and therapeutic aspects of viral infections. Studies that integrate basic and clinical research or provide new perspectives with potential translational relevance are particularly encouraged.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

• Virus–host interactions and host dependency factors;
• Viral replication, molecular biology, and pathogenesis;
• Innate and adaptive antiviral immunity and immune evasion;
• Molecular determinants and biomarkers of disease severity;
• Emerging, re-emerging, zoonotic, and vector-borne viruses;
• Viral evolution, molecular epidemiology, and genomic surveillance;
• Experimental models of viral infection and disease;
• Molecular, serological, and point-of-care diagnostics;
• Antiviral drug discovery and drug repurposing;
• Host-directed antiviral therapies;
• Antiviral resistance and viral escape;
• Vaccine development and correlates of protection;
• Monoclonal antibodies and other antiviral immunotherapies;
• Clinical manifestations, disease progression, and outcomes;
• Translational, computational, and precision approaches in virology;
• Viral outbreak preparedness, prevention, and control.

Prof. Dr. José Manuel Reyes-Ruiz
Dr. Luis Adrián De Jesús-González
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Viruses is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.