QCRG Pandemic Response Program

The goal of this project is to develop drug-like inhibitors of coronavirus (CoV) and picornavirus (PV) replication by targeting essential proteases and polymerases encoded by the viruses. The molecular targets of the CoVs being pursued are the chymotrypsin-like cysteine protease (3CLPro), the papain-like protease (PLP), and the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp, Pol). While these are p[romising drug targets, the high mutation rate of RNA viruses can result in the evolution of antiviral resistance. The Hultquist lab is part of the Center for Pathogen Genomics and Microbial Evolution (CPGME) at Northwestern University, which specializes in pathogen whole genome sequencing for the identification of clinically relevant viral variants. This team will assist the QCRG team in identifying potential sites of antiviral drug resistance both in the laboratory and in clinical settings.