The beginning of 2020 have witnessed the emergence of  COVID-19escalating to a world pandemic. This virus have claimed more than 100,000 death reported by WHO, 10 times more than the seasonal flu does. Since the severity of the virus is becoming crystal clear, it is essential to grasp related knowledge to prepare us for self-protection and future drug development. Faculty in School of Pharmaceutical Sciences Tsinghua University, partnering with the Global Health Drug Discovery Institute (GHDDI) has been rapidly organizing to set up this curriculum – drug discovery in prevention and treatment of COVID-19 – in order to provide information about virus detection and our ways of fighting against the ongoing outbreak.

This curriculum includes research into fundamental knowledge of clinical diagnosis, prevention and treatment of COVID-19. Different strategies for drug development targeting this virus, the specific virus-host interaction of COVID-19 and how artificial intelligence (AI) contributes to the drug discovery will also be introduced during our lessons. In addition, Tsinghua University now open free access to researchers, clinicians and policymakers, hoping to offer some insights to responders around the world to be better equipped.