Professor
prof.dr. Eric Snijder
About my research
Viruses are highly specialized in exploiting the host cell’s infrastructure and metabolism to support their own replication. A detailed understanding of viral replication mechanisms and evolutionary processes is essential for the development of novel antiviral strategies—an effort that is critical for preparedness against future viral outbreaks. Together with my team, I have studied coronaviruses and other nidoviruses for more than 40 years, focusing on their replication cycles, virus–host interactions, and evolutionary history. Following the emergence of several (potentially) lethal coronaviruses over the past two decades—including SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and SARS-CoV-2—our research has expanded to include the identification and characterization of coronavirus drug targets and the development of antiviral therapies. These efforts are embedded in extensive collaborative projects conducted within multiple European research consortia.
About me
I am a molecular biologist specializing in the replication, evolution, and virus–host interactions of positive-stranded RNA viruses, particularly coronaviruses and related nidoviruses. I obtained my PhD in virology (cum laude) from Utrecht University in 1991 and subsequently joined the Department of Medical Microbiology at Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC).
In 2000, I received the LUMC C.J. Kok Prize in recognition of my sustained contributions to research on positive-strand RNA virus replication. I was appointed Professor of Molecular Virology at LUMC in 2007 and have (co)supervised approximately 40 PhD students. My research has been supported mainly by funding from the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO) and the European Union.
I have authored or co-authored more than 280 scientific publications and book chapters (h-index: 86) and have served as Editor or Editorial Board member for several virology journals. At LUMC, I (co)coordinate MSc and PhD courses in Molecular Virology and Infection & Immunity and contribute to a broad range of other teaching activities.
Publications
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Structures and functions of coronavirus replication-transcription complexes and their relevance for SARS-CoV-2 drug design.
Brandon Malone, Nadya Urakova, Eric J Snijder, and Elizabeth A Campbell.
Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol. 2022; 23(1):21-39. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41580-021-00432-z PMID: 34824452.
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Structure-function analysis of the nsp14 N7-guanine methyltransferase reveals an essential role in Betacoronavirus replication.
Natacha S Ogando, Priscila El Kazzi, Jessika C Zevenhoven-Dobbe, Brenda W Bontes, Alice Decombe, Clara C Posthuma, Volker Thiel, Bruno Canard, François Ferron, Etienne Decroly, Eric J Snijder.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2021; 118(49):e2108709118. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2108709118 PMID: 34845015
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A molecular pore spans the double membrane of the coronavirus replication organelle
Georg Wolff, Ronald WAL Limpens, Jessika C Zevenhoven-Dobbe, Ulrike Laugks, Shawn Zheng, Anja WM de Jong, Roman I Koning, David A Agard, Kay Grünewald, Abraham J Koster, Eric J Snijder, Montserrat Bárcena.
Science. 2020; 369(6509):1395-1398. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abd3629 PMID: 32763915
