A Tribute to Richard Lerner (1938–2021) who Encouraged a Glycobiology Approach to a Broad‐Spectrum Antiviral

Abstract

AbstractRichard Lerner was a visionary polymath of the 20th century; a medical doctor, chemist, immunologist, inventor, and founder of new scientific fields. As a tribute to his life and scientific achievements, we discuss his connection with Oxford University and the Glycobiology Institute and we discuss our research data on the host glycoprotein folding pathway and how its inhibition can lead to broad spectrum antiviral drugs. This host targeting approach for developing antiviral therapies has the advantage of being effective against many viruses, therefore can be used to prevent new epidemics to become pandemics.