B. Vanmechelen

Development and optimization of biologically contained Marburg virus for high-throughput antiviral screening

This paper develops a biologically contained Marburg virus system for high-throughput antiviral screening and validates its safety and utility.

The substitutions L50F, E166A and L167F in SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro are selected by a protease inhibitor in vitro and confer resistance to nirmatrelvir

This paper identifies three substitutions in SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro that confer resistance to nirmatrelvir and other 3CLpro inhibitors in vitro.

The characterization of multiple novel paramyxovirus species highlights the diverse nature of the subfamily Orthoparamyxovirinae

This study identifies fifteen new orthoparamyxovirus species from rodents and shrews, revealing novel genome structures and evolutionary relationships within the subfamily.

Considerable escape of SARS-CoV-2 variant Omicron to antibody neutralization

This study shows that the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 is resistant to most monoclonal antibodies and vaccine-induced antibodies, with reduced neutralization compared to Delta.

Identification of novel Ebola virus inhibitors using biologically contained virus

This study screens over 4,200 small-molecule compounds against biologically contained Ebola virus to identify novel inhibitors.

Reservoir host studies of Lloviu virus: first isolation, sequencing and serology in Schreiber's bats in Europe

This study isolates and characterizes Lloviu virus from Schreiber's bats in Europe, showing its ability to infect human and monkey cells and suggesting potential spillover risks.

Exploration of the Ixodes ricinus virosphere unveils an extensive virus diversity including novel Coltiviruses and other reoviruses

This study explores the virosphere of Ixodes ricinus ticks in Belgium, revealing diverse viruses including novel Coltiviruses and reoviruses, with evidence of genetic reassortment in one strain.

Development and optimization of a novel T7 polymerase-independent Marburg virus minigenome system

The paper develops a T7 polymerase-independent MARV minigenome system using native RNA polymerase II, showing improved performance in difficult cell lines and enabling high-throughput screening.

Hymenoptera associated eukaryotic virome lacks host specificity

The study identifies a diverse virome in honey bees and finds that many viruses are shared across Hymenoptera species, suggesting a lack of host specificity.

A phylodynamic workflow to rapidly gain insights into the dispersal history and dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 lineages

This paper introduces a phylodynamic workflow to analyze SARS-CoV-2 lineage dispersal, showing external introductions were key in Belgium and lockdowns had limited impact on transmission.

STAT2 signaling as double-edged sword restricting viral dissemination but driving severe pneumonia in SARS-CoV-2 infected hamsters

This study shows that STAT2 signaling both restricts SARS-CoV-2 spread and causes severe pneumonia in infected hamsters.