Advancing antiviral preparedness through host and conserved viral targets

Emerging and re-emerging viral infections continue to pose substantial global health challenges, particularly because effective therapies remain unavailable or insufficient for many pathogens. Conventional antivirals typically target virus-specific proteins, which can restrict their activity to a narrow range of viruses and promote the development of drug resistance. Host-targeted approaches instead exploit cellular factors and pathways required for viral replication, while broad-spectrum strategies seek to act on conserved viral or virus–host mechanisms shared across multiple pathogens. Recent advances in molecular virology, systems biology, pharmacology, drug repurposing, phenotypic screening, computational drug discovery, and artificial intelligence have improved the identification of candidate targets and therapeutic compounds. Nevertheless, uncertainties remain regarding target validation, antiviral selectivity, toxicity, resistance, activity across viral families, and translation from experimental models to clinical application. Integrated investigations are therefore needed to establish safe, effective, and rapidly deployable antiviral strategies for future outbreaks.This Research Topic aims to advance the discovery, characterization, and translation of host-targeted and broad-spectrum antiviral interventions against emerging and re-emerging viral threats. It will examine how shared mechanisms of viral replication, host dependency factors, conserved viral targets, and virus–host interactions can be exploited to develop therapies with activity across multiple viruses or viral families. Contributions may address the effectiveness, mechanisms of action, pharmacological properties, resistance profiles, and translational potential of antiviral candidates. The Research Topic also seeks to evaluate how drug repurposing, combination therapy, computational methods, and artificial intelligence can accelerate antiviral preparedness and improve the likelihood that promising discoveries will progress toward preclinical and clinical development.To gather further insights into host-targeted and broad-spectrum antiviral discovery and translation, with a focus on emerging and re-emerging viruses and on evidence from molecular, cellular, computational, preclinical, and clinical research, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:• Host dependency factors and druggable cellular pathways• Host-targeted antiviral therapies• Broad-spectrum, pan-genus, and pan-family antiviral agents• Conserved viral targets for antiviral development• Virus–host interactions supporting viral replication• Drug repurposing and combination antiviral strategies• Antiviral mechanisms involving cellular metabolism, trafficking, autophagy, or immune pathways• High-throughput, phenotypic, and functional antiviral screening• Computational drug discovery, virtual screening, and artificial intelligence• Antiviral resistance and approaches to increase the barrier to resistance• Pharmacological optimization, selectivity, and toxicity assessment• Preclinical validation of host-targeted and broad-spectrum antivirals• Translational strategies for antiviral preparedness against emerging and re-emerging virusesAppendix — accepted article types:• Brief Research Report• Case Report• Classification• Clinical Trial• Editorial• FAIR² Data• General Commentary• Hypothesis and Theory• Methods• Mini Review Topic editors: José Manuel Reyes-Ruiz, Moises Leon Juarez Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/85719/advancing-antiviral-preparedness-through-host-and-conserved-viral-targets