Team, Funding, PhD Theses
The +RNA virus Research team
Principal investigators:
Prof. Dr. Alexander Gorbalenya, Dr. Martijn van Hemert, Dr. Ir. Marjolein Kikkert, Prof. Dr. Eric Snijder
Senior researchers and Post-docs:
Dr. Peter Bredenbeek, Dr. Yvonne van der Meer, Dr. Sebenzile Myeni, Dr. Emmely Treffers, Dr. Mirjam Groenewold, Dr. Nadya Urakova.
PhD students:
Kristina Kovacikova, Natacha Lima Leite Ogando, Mariska van Huizen, Clarisse Salgado, Melissa Thaler, Xavier Vendrell, Vera van Vliet, Maria Soultsioti, Jo Duyvestyn, Tessa Nelemans, Georg Wolff (CCB), Thijs Steyaert, Eva Munnely.
Research technicians:
Linda Boomaars-van der Zanden, Tim Dalebout, Ali Tas, Jessika Zevenhoven-Dobbe, Shessy Torres Morales, Anouk Leijs, Patrick Wanningen, Brenda Bontes. Mark Tielemans, Mandy van der Toorn (CPM), Heidi de Gruyter (INZI).
External funding:
SARS-CoV-2 projects
- Swift Coronavirus Therapeutics response SCORE (EU H2020 project 1011003627)
- Corona Accelerated R&D in Europe CARE (EU-IMI project 101005077)
- EU H2020 Prevent nCoV
- HH Hybridize Pharma (FLoD)
- HH Protinhi (PanCoroNed)
- HH ImmuneTune/ISA (CoVax2)
- Research collaboration with Janssen Vaccines on SARS-CoV-2 vaccine development
- LUF SARS-CoV-2 project
- All these SARS-CoV-2 research projects will benefit from the recent expansion of LUMC’s Biosafety Level-3 laboratory space, which was supported by a crowd-funding initiative #wakeuptocorona.
Other projects:
-
NWO NWA OH-PACT project
- EU H202) Marie Curie Innovative Training Network INITIATE (project 813343)
- EU H2020 A global alliance for Zika virus control and prevention ZIKAlliance (project 734548)
- EU H2020-Marie Curie European Training Network ANTIVIRALS (project 642434)
- EU EFPIA (IMI) Zoonoses Anticipation and Preparedness Initiative – ZAPI (project 115760)
- MSD Animal Health
Completed:
- NWO-CW ECHO grant: Protein-directed ribosomal frameshifting: a novel mechanism of non-canonical translation (project 711.014.004)
- EU H2020-Marie Curie European Training Network ANTIVIRALS (project 642434)
- NWO-ALW ERASysApp: SysVirDrug: Translating Systems Virology data into broad-spectrum antiviral Drugs (project 832.14.002)
- NWO-CW TOP-GO grant: Viral RNA polymerases: the error paradox at the single-molecule level (project 700.10.352)
- EU FP7-HEALTH project SILVER (project 260644)
- EU FP7-Marie Curie Initial Training Network EUVIRNA (project 264286)
- EU FP6 project VIZIER (project 511960)
- EU FP6 project SARS-DTV (project 511064)
- NWO-ALW MEERVOUD grant: Ultrastructure and dynamics of +RNA virus replication complexes (M. Barcena; project 836.10.003)
- NWO-CW ECHO grant: Nidovirus deubiquitinating proteases: viral double edged swords (project 700.59.008)
- NWO-CW TOP grant: Hijacking membranes to accommodate viral RNA synthesis in the cytoplasm (project 700.57.301)
- NWO-CW TOP grant: Viral RNA-protein machineries: Coupling macromolecular processes during RNA virus reproduction (project 700.52.306)
- NWO-CW ECHO grant: Coronavirus RNA synthesis: how to handle errors, stops and jumps while replicating the largest RNA genome (project 700.55.002)
- NWO TopTalent subsidie: SARS-coronavirus RNA synthesis: understanding the core of a sophisticated complex (A.J. te Velthuis; project 021.001.037)

PhD theses:
- Dr. I.A. Albulescu (27 Nov 2019) - Targeting chikungunya virus replication (link to https://openaccess.leidenuniv.nl/handle/1887/80955 )
- Dr. R.C.M. Knaap (12 Mar 2020) - Marvellous ubiquitin : avenging the MERS-coronavirus papain-like protease (link to https://openaccess.leidenuniv.nl/handle/1887/85167)
- Dr. A. Gulyaeva (2 Jun 2020) - Comparative genomics of nidoviruses: towards understanding the biology and evolution of the largest RNA viruses (link to https://openaccess.leidenuniv.nl/handle/1887/85167)
- Dr. D. Oudshoorn (28 Nov 2017) - Wrapping up: Nidovirus membrane structures and innate immunity
- Dr. E.E. Treffers (16 Dec 2015) - A +RNA virus dyptich: Chikungunya virus-host interactions and arteriviral progammed ribosomal frameshifting
- Dr. F.E.M. Scholte (10 Dec 2015) - Host factors involved in Chikungunya virus replication
- Dr. K. Lehmann (23 Jun 2015) - Biochemistry and function of nidovirus replicase proteins
- Dr. P.B. van Kasteren (3 Dec 2014) - Arterivirus PLP2, an OTU deubiquitinase that counteracts innate immunity
- Dr. A.H. de Wilde (13 Nov 2013) - Host factors in nidovirus replication
- Dr. X. Jiang (6 Nov 2013) - Construction characterization and application of flavivirus infections
- Dr. C. Lauber (30 Oct 2012, cum laude) - On the evolution of genetic diversity in RNA virus species
- Dr. Ing. A.J.W. te Velthuis (16 May 2012, cum laude) - A biochemical portrait of the nidovirus polymerases and helicase
- Dr. P. Agostinho Gonçalves Costa da Silva (27 Jun 2011) - Functions and requirements of conserved RNA structures in the 3’ untranslated region of Flaviviruses
- Dr. K. Knoops (10 May 2011) - Nidovirus replication structures: hijacking membranes to support viral RNA synthesis
- Dr. J.M.P. Liefhebber (1 Dec 2010) - Hepatitis C virus intracellular host interactions
- Dr. D.D. Nedialkova (23 Jun 2010, cum laude) - Exploring regulatory functions and enzymatic activities in the nidovirus replicase
- Dr. D. van Aken (22 Oct 2008) - Arterivirus replicase processing: regulatory cascade or Gordian knot?
- Dr. G.A. Versteeg (21 May 2008) - Regulation of coronavirus-induced host responses
- Dr. Ir. E. van den Born (1 Feb 2006) - RNA structures regulating nidovirus RNA synthesis
- Dr. M.A. Tijms (12 May 2004) - Nsp1, a multifunctional regulator of the arterivirus life cycle
- Dr. A.O. Pasternak (8 Jan 2003) - Nidovirus transcription-regulating sequences
- Dr. R. Molenkamp (29 Nov 2000) - Nidovirus defective interfering genomes
- Dr. G. van Marle (11 Nov 1999) - Nidovirus transcription
- Dr. Ir. L.C. van Dinten (2 Nov 1999) - Equine arteritis virus replicative proteins
- Dr. J.A. den Boon (10 Oct 1996) - Equine arteritis virus, replication and transcription of a coronaviruslike virus
- Dr. R. van der Most (14 Sep 1994) - Coronavirus defective interfering RNAs, a tool to study replication, transcription and recombination
