Associate Professor
dr. Martijn van Hemert
Curriculum Vitae
Martijn van Hemert (1971) obtained a MSc degree (cum laude) in molecular biology and a PhD from Leiden University in 2001. After postdoctoral research on a family of adapter proteins in cellular signaling, Martijn joined prof Eric Snijder’s group at LUMC in 2004 to study nidovirus (SARS-CoV) replication complexes. In 2009 Martijn started his own research group on mosquito-borne alphaviruses and orthoflaviviruses (e.g. chikungunya and Zika virus), focusing on replication, virus-host interactions and antivirals. Besides research, Martijn also enjoys interactions with students and he has supervised ~10 PhD students and numerous BSc and MSc students. Martijn contributes to various LUCID courses, and is one of the coordinators of the FOS course Molecular Virology of RNA viruses. He is also involved in management of the BSL-3 facility and activities related to data management, GRP and knowledge security.
Research
We study virus replication, virus-host interactions and antivirals. Originally, we focused on mosquito-borne viruses with epidemic potential, but since 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, are also working on SARS-CoV-2 and other coronaviruses. Our research is often part of large collaborative European projects on emerging RNA viruses and antivirals. Our work includes (semi)-automated screening of compounds for antiviral activity, and a variety of biochemical, molecular virological and cell biological approaches to study virus replication, host interactions and mode of action of antiviral compounds. By quantitative proteomics (collaboration CPM) and functional genomics-based approaches we study virus-host interactions to identify targets for novel therapeutic strategies. We also have reverse genetics systems available for our viruses. Highly pathogenic viruses are handled in our state-of-the-art BSL-3 facilities.
Publications
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A small-molecule SARS-CoV-2 inhibitor targeting the membrane protein.
Van Damme E, Abeywickrema P, Yin Y, Xie J, Jacobs S, Mann MK, Doijen J, ….., Neyts J, Peeters D, Baric RS, van Kuppeveld FJM, Snijder EJ, van Hemert MJ, Monshouwer M, Sharma S, Draghia-Akli R, Koul A, Van Loock M.
Nature. 2025 640(8058):506-513. doi: 0.1038/s41586-025-08651-6.
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Epi-Cyclophellitol Cyclosulfate, a Mechanism-Based Endoplasmic Reticulum α-Glucosidase II Inhibitor, Blocks Replication of SARS-CoV-2 and Other Coronaviruses.
Thaler M, Ofman TP, Kok K, Heming JJA, Moran E, Pickles I, Leijs AA, van den Nieuwendijk AMCH, van den Berg RJBHN, Ruijgrok G, Armstrong Z, Salgado-Benvindo C, Ninaber DK, Snijder EJ, van Boeckel CAA, Artola M, Davies GJ, Overkleeft HS, van Hemert MJ.
ACS Cent Sci. 2024 10(8):1594-1608. doi: 10.1021/acscentsci.4c00506.
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The alphavirus nonstructural protein 2 NTPase induces a host translational shut-off through phosphorylation of eEF2 via cAMP-PKA-eEF2K signaling.
Treffers EE, Tas A, Scholte FEM, de Ru AH, Snijder EJ, van Veelen PA, van Hemert MJ.
PLoS Pathog. 2023 19(2):e1011179. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011179.
