The unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated the importance of antiviral drug discovery. Vaccine development is not necessarily always successful, as demonstrated by the difficulties encountered with vaccines against HIV, HCV and dengue virus. This project aims to advance the development of broad-spectrum antiviral drugs for current and emerging viral infectious diseases. The replication cycle of RNA viruses in the human host cell has one common Achilles heel, the viral protease. We have established protease inhibition assays for 15 viral proteases in our laboratory, allowing us to identify new drug candidates. This project will design, synthesise and evaluate molecules as new lead compounds against viral infectious diseases. You may explore “warheads” such as alpha-ketoamides and Michael acceptors to inactivate the proteases by covalent modification of its active site.