Fighting the Zika Virus with Computer-Assisted Approaches

Computer-assisted approaches should be used to support vaccine and drug development to fight the Zika virus, and predict possible emerging strains, according to a new editorial in Current Computer-Aided Drug Design.

The authors call for the use of computer-assisted approaches to search chemical databases to identify existing compounds that may be used to treat Zika, and then test those compounds using high-throughput screening—robotics capable of quickly testing thousands of chemicals.

Additionally, computer-aided vaccine design is recommended, as well as mathematical approaches to study the DNA/RNA of the virus to predict possible emerging strains.

Visit PCRM.org to learn more about computer-assisted approaches, high-throughput screening, and other modern, nonanimal test methods.