Support Zika Virus Research

Help Purdue Researchers Develop a Treatment for Zika Virus

A team led by Purdue University researchers is the first to determine the structure of the Zika virus, which reveals insights critical to the development of effective antiviral treatments and vaccines. View an animation of the Zika virus structure by clicking here. 

The team also identified regions within the Zika virus structure where it differs from other flaviviruses, the family of viruses to which Zika belongs that includes dengue, West Nile, yellow fever, Japanese encephalitis and tick-borne encephalitic viruses.

Background on Zika Virus

Zika virus transmission has been reported in 33 countries. Of the countries where Zika virus is circulating 12 have reported an increased incidence of Guillain-Barré syndrome, and Brazil and French Polynesia have reported an increase in microcephaly, according to WHO. In February WHO declared the Zika virus to be “a public health emergency of international concern.”

Why Support? 

The research team plans to pursue further testing to evaluate the different regions as targets for treatment and to develop potential therapeutic molecules.

Kuhn and Rossmann have studied flaviviruses, the family of viruses to which Zika belongs, for more than 14 years. They were the first to map the structure of any flavivirus when they determined the dengue virus structure in 2002. In 2003 they were first to determine the structure of West Nile virus and now they are the first to do so with the Zika virus.

To learn more about the recent discovery read Purdue's news release here and view clips from the news conference here. 

If you're interested in learning more about making a major gift to this campaign, please contact Andrea Spahn-McGraw at 765-496-3525 or AMSpahn-McGraw@prf.org