VirusREvolution Has Launched!

 

In October 2026, our Collaborative Research Centre (CRC) 1768 VirusREvolution officially started, bringing together researchers from virology, photonics and bioinformatics to explore new approaches in virus research.

When a new virus is discovered, many questions arise. Which organisms does it infect? How does it interact with its hosts? And what makes it different from other viruses? Whether a virus infects humans, animals, or microorganisms, understanding its characteristics is essential for exploring viral diversity and responding to emerging viral threats. Yet, identifying and characterizing viruses remains challenging, particularly when little is known about them.

This is where VirusREvolution comes in. By combining expertise from different scientific disciplines, we aim to develop innovative methods and tools to detect, characterize and better understand both known and emerging viruses. Our research covers different aspects of virus biology, from interactions between viruses and their host cells to the analysis of individual virus particles. We combine computational approaches, artificial intelligence and advanced light-based technologies to gain new insights into viruses and their behaviour. Ultimately, we want to provide researchers with the tools and information they need to investigate viruses more efficiently, especially when time matters.

 

Connecting Data, Tools and Researchers

Virus research generates enormous amounts of valuable data. Yet, viral data and analytical tools are often scattered across different resources. This makes it difficult for researchers to access and combine existing information or apply new analytical methods to unfamiliar viruses.

As part of VirusREvolution, we are developing an open online platform that brings together viral data and analytical tools, making them accessible to researchers worldwide. The platform aims to connect different types of information, including viral genome sequences, structural and functional data, and microscopy images. By bringing these resources together, we want to make it easier for researchers to explore viral diversity, test new approaches and build on existing knowledge.

Importantly, the platform is not only about providing data. We also want to create a space where researchers can share their own analytical tools and make them available to the wider scientific community. This will allow others to apply these methods to new datasets, while increasing the visibility and use of the tools themselves.

Through this collaborative approach, we hope to connect researchers across disciplines and institutions and contribute to faster and more efficient virus research

 

Join the VirusREvolution!

VirusREvolution is just getting started, and we want to invite you to contribute your tools to the CRC platform!

Are you developing tools for virus research? Do you work with viral data? Or are you interested in collaborating with us?

Whether you work with viruses infecting bacteria, animals or humans, we would love to hear from you!

Get in touch at virusrevolution@uni-jena.de and become part of the VirusREvolution.

Let’s go viral!