Polymer Antivirals: Preparing for the next pandemic

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• Dr Sam Jones, University of Manchester
• Thursday 19 May 2022, 13:00-14:00
• Haworth 203 (and Zoom: https://bham-ac-uk.zoom.us/j/83939474587).

If you have a question about this talk, please contact Josh Makepeace.

Current response options for viral outbreaks leave us vulnerable to the catastrophic impacts of future pandemics. Virus-specific vaccines, antibodies and drugs, which are being developed for current epi- and pandemics, provide no protection against future viral outbreaks. Additionally, each takes too long to implement, allowing diseases to spread. Despite global action plans to contain viral outbreaks there is still a lack of rapid response options. Current rapid response options for viral outbreaks include, closing boarders, quarantine, and data sharing and yet these options alone are not enough to stop global spread, as we have seen. We urgently need a first response drug, equivalent to broad-spectrum antibiotics, to help control viral outbreaks. On account of the COVID -19 pandemic, everyone is acutely aware of most of the approaches used to deal with viral infections. This talk will introduce a new concept of biocompatible extracellular antivirals that have a virucidal mode of action. A range of materials will be discussed with a specific focus on the use of polymers as antivirals. We will explore the properties that lead to the most potent antivirals and present data that shows efficacious use against several viruses using both in-vitro and in-vivo models.

For more information on Sam Jones’s research: https://broadspectrumantivirals.com

This talk is part of the School of Chemistry Seminars series.

This talk is included in these lists:

• Haworth 203 (and Zoom: https://bham-ac-uk.zoom.us/j/83939474587)
• School of Chemistry Seminars

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