Pieter Leyssen

Papers

Total Citations

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About

Pieter Leyssen is a virologist and antiviral drug discovery researcher whose work sits at the intersection of high-throughput screening technology and infectious disease therapeutics. He has made significant contributions to the development of innovative assay platforms designed to accelerate the identification of antiviral compounds against some of the world's most pressing viral threats. His research has focused particularly on flaviviruses and emerging respiratory pathogens, with notable work addressing dengue virus and SARS-CoV-2. Among his most impactful contributions is the development of a dengue type 2 reporter virus assay utilizing high-content imaging and the fluorescent protein mCherry, providing a powerful tool amenable to large-scale drug screening — a study that has garnered 21 citations since its 2020 publication. Building on this expertise, Leyssen's team further developed a dual-reporter high-throughput screening assay for SARS-CoV-2 antiviral discovery, published in 2022 and already accumulating 14 citations, demonstrating his rapid response to emergent public health crises. His work has meaningfully equipped the global research community with validated, robust screening tools, helping to bridge the critical gap between viral pathogen biology and the practical pipeline of therapeutic drug development.