The Molecular RNA Virology and Antiviral Strategies Laboratory (MARVAS) at Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS) focuses on antiviral therapeutics discovery and drug repurposing research against medically important positive-strand RNA viruses such as SARS CoV-2, human Enterovirus 71, mosquito borne viruses (dengue, Zika, West Nile, chikungunya and Mayaro) and avian influenza virus.

MARVAS has capabilities and resources within NUS which allows for the establishment of high throughput and high content bio-imaging technology platforms for both genomic and proteomic profiling and screening of antiviral compound libraries for drug repurposing. At present, our research employs cell-based, organoids and animal disease models to study mechanism(s) of therapeutics targets and interplay of virus-host interactions, which enabled us to facilitate the formulation of effective vaccine or therapeutic intervention against many of these medically important positive-strand RNA virus infections and possibly other newly emerging and re-merging viruses in both biosafety level (BSL) 2 and 3 lab settings.