Chris Lauber appointed as chair of the ICTV's Nidovirales Study Group

Bioinformatician and virus evolution researcher Prof. Chris Lauber was recently appointed chair of the Nidovirales Study Group of the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV). In this role, he will work with international experts over the coming years to signifi-cantly advance the taxonomic classification of known and newly discovered nidoviruses. Nidoviruses (order Nidovirales) comprise more than a dozen virus families, including the coronaviruses. They are characterised by particularly large RNA genomes and complex rep-lication mechanisms. 

The ICTV is the globally recognised authority that determines the systematic classification of all viruses according to their evolutionary relationship. The ICTV comprises specialised study groups for each virus order or family. ‘The Nidovirales Study Group decides, for example, whether two nidoviruses belong to the same species, the same genus or completely new families,’ says Lauber. As chair, he is now responsible for evaluating and integrating new nidovirus sequence data, developing and updating classification guidelines, coordinating in-ternational expert networks, and publishing taxonomy updates in ICTV reports and scientific journals.

The correct taxonomic classification of viruses is crucial not only for basic research, but also for clinical diagnostics, vaccine development and global health monitoring. Virus taxonomy forms the basis for clear scientific communication, enabling researchers to refer to viruses in a standardised manner.

‘I am honoured to take on the leadership of the Nidovirales Study Group. In recent years, we have made significant contributions to the rapid and broad identification of novel nidoviruses and the analysis of their genomes to determine evolutionary relationships,‘ says Lauber. ’I look forward to working with colleagues worldwide to advance the classification of nidoviruses."

The appointment underscores the international reputation of the Computational Virology working group and expands TWINCORE's network through close collaboration with the ICTV and other leading virologists. The work on taxonomy also provides valuable data for the de-velopment of new bioinformatic tools and models and is thus directly applicable to ongoing projects.