Adi Idris - Queensland University of Technology

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Gene Center Seminar Series in cooperation with the NUCLEATE Cluster

Abstract:

RNA biologics are now emerging as realistic and achievable clinically translatable treatment modalities for a range of human diseases. Importantly, viruses are amenable to gene therapy-based targeting. There is an urgent need to bring new antivirals against respiratory viruses to the market. We have been exploring the use of RNA interference (RNAi) to directly target respiratory viruses and show that RNAi is an effective approach to reducing, or even eliminating viral replication in animals. We were the first to develop a direct-acting RNA-based antiviral against COVID-19 and demonstrate the use of engineered extracellular vesicles (EVs) to deliver long antisense RNAs (asRNAs) payloads for antiviral therapy. Our approach will not only result in the ushering in of an entirely new cost-effective and rapidly deployable RNA platform technology but also could deliver the first in class RNA drugs suitable for any new RNA respiratory viruses of concern.

Host:

Thomas Michler

Location:

Gene Center Munich
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
Lynen Lecture Hall (A 0.75)
Feodor-Lynen-Straße 25
81377 Munich
Germany