The Chung Lab

About

The research of the Chung Lab explores the interface between small molecules and emerging RNA viruses, focusing on discovering new therapeutic candidates. We target emerging RNA virus diseases like coronaviruses, alphaviruses (e.g., Eastern/Western/Venezuelan equine encephalitis, chikungunya), flaviviruses (Zika, Dengue, West Nile), and bunyaviruses. 

Our primary interest is on viral RNA helicases, crucial enzymes in the viral replication process, which have long been recognized as challenging antiviral targets. We aim to understand their role in viral replication and develop helicase-targeting antiviral therapeutics. 

Previously we have identified novel antivirals inhibiting alphavirus helicase, now in development as potential treatments for encephalitic alphaviruses. We have recently discovered novel anti-SARS-CoV-2 inhibitors targeting the viral helicase. Using these molecules as probes, we als study the mechanistic role of helicases in viral replication. 

Our lab employs advanced drug discovery techniques (high-throughput screening, DEL-Tec, AI-guided approaches), structural biology (X-ray crystallography, cryo-electron microscopy), and computational modeling in collaboration with experts. We also create and utilize animal models to test the efficacy of our drug candidates and investigate the pathogenic mechanisms of emerging viruses. 

Key Research Areas

• Emerging RNA viruses
• Antiviral drug discovery
• Viral replicase complex
• Viral helicase
• Infectious diseases
• Animal models
• Small molecular screen and evaluation 

Current Projects

• Anti-encephalitic alphavirus drug discovery
• SARS-CoV2 drug discovery targeting viral helicase
• Zika virus drug discovery targeting viral helicase
• Zika virus drug discovery targeting viral replicase complex
• Mechanism and resistance of viral RNA mutagen
• Novel alphavirus vaccine development
• Novel animal models for arthritic alphaviruses 

Recent Publications

• Otsuka, Y., Kim, E., Krueger, A., Shumate, J., Wang, C., Bdiri, B., Ullah, S., Park, H., Scampavia, L., Bannister, T.D., Chung, D., Spicer, T.P., 2024. High Throughput Screening for SARS-CoV-2 Helicase Inhibitors. SLAS Discovery 100180. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.slasd.2024.100180
• Tretyakova, I., Joh, J., Gearon, M., Kraenzle, J., Goedeker, S., Pignataro, A., Alejandro, B., Lukashevich, I.S., Chung, D., Pushko, P., 2024. Live-attenuated CHIKV vaccine with rearranged genome replicates in vitro and induces immune response in mice. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 18, e0012120. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0012120
• Cao, X., Yang, D., Parvathareddy, J., Chu, Y., Kim, E.J., Fitz-Henley, J.N., Li, X., Lukka, P.B., Parmar, K.R., Temrikar, Z.H., Dhole, P., Adcock, R.S., Gabbard, J., Bansal, S., Lee, J., Zalduondo, L., Hayes, E., Stabenow, J., Meibohm, B., Fitzpatrick, E.A., Bailey, K., Campos, R.K., Julander, J.G., Rossi, S.L., Chung, D., Jonsson, C.B., Golden, J.E., 2023. Efficacy of a brain-penetrant antiviral in lethal Venezuelan and eastern equine encephalitis mouse models. Sci. Transl. Med. 15, eabl9344. https://doi.org/10.1126/scitranslmed.abl9344
• Rouchka, E.C., Chariker, J.H., Alejandro, B., Adcock, R.S., Singhal, R., Ramirez, J., Palmer, K.E., Lasnik, A.B., Carrico, R., Arnold, F.W., Furmanek, S., Zhang, M., Wolf, L.A., Waigel, S., Zacharias, W., Bordon, J., Chung, D., 2021. Induction of interferon response by high viral loads at early stage infection may protect against severe outcomes in COVID-19 patients. Sci Rep 11, 15715. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-95197-y
• Kim, J., Alejandro, B., Hetman, M., Hattab, E.M., Joiner, J., Schroten, H., Ishikawa, H., Chung, D.-H., 2020. Zika virus infects pericytes in the choroid plexus and enters the central nervous system through the blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier. PLoS Pathog 16, e1008204. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1008204

Team 

• Eunjung Kim, Lab manager
• Deepak Singh, Post doctoral fellow
• Adrian Centers, Research assistant III
• Reece Tomlinson, Research assistant II
• Koji Barnaby, Research assistant III
• Ava Pignatoro, Research assistant III
• Jeffrey Miller, Student assistant