Speaker: Prof. Stephan Urban,  German Center for Infection Research (DZIF) - Heidelberg Partner Site, Heidelberg, Germany

Professor Stephan Urban is head of the Translational Virology unit at the Department of Infectious Diseases, Molecular Virology at Heidelberg University Hospital. Between 2008 and 2012 he was Project coordinator of the BMBF-network “Innovative Therapies” and is now coordinating the Hepatitis D project within the German Center for Infection Research (DZIF) TTU Hepatitis.

Background: Hepatitis B (HBV) and Hepatitis D Virus (HDV) infection requires the interaction of the shared envelope proteins with the hepatocyte specific receptor sodium taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide (NTCP). This species-specific interaction is mediated by an evolutionary adaptation of an essential sequence (the receptor binding domain (RBD)) within the myristoylated preS1-domain of the HBV large surface protein (L-protein) to NTCP. Following the concept that chemically synthesized lipopeptides representing this RBD are potent inhibitors of hepadnaviral infection, both the identity of the long-sought HBV receptor was uncovered and the first approved entry inhibitor for HBV/HDV infection (bulevirtide/Hepcludex) was developed

Host: Dr. Tomàs Pumarola, Head of Microbiology Department. Vall d’Hebron University Hospital (Barcelona) - Dr. María Francesca Cortese, Main researcher Microbiology -Vall Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR)

Online attendance: https://gencat.zoom.us/j/85247866153