The Department of Virology, which was established in 1958, is one of the major bases for the R&D of anti-viral drugs in China. Research Professors Hong-Shan Chen, Pei-Zhen Tao, and Jian-Dong Jiang have taken charge of the Director of the Department of Virology successively. In more than 60 years, the Department of Virology has established more than 50 in vitro and in vivo models for the R&D of anti-viral drugs. These models serve as systematic and normative pre-clinical platforms for the efficacy evaluation of anti-HBV, anti-HCV, anti-respiratory virus, anti-enterovirus, and anti-herpesvirus drugs. Until now, the Department of Virology has completed efficacy evaluation for more than 210 anti-viral drug candidates for pharmaceutical companies both domestic and abroad, as well as for institutes and colleges, which cover the majority of clinically used anti-viral drugs in China. Authorized by the National Office for New Drug Evaluation and Chinese Pharmacological Society, the Department of Virology has made a guideline for the research of the efficacy of anti-viral drugs. In recent years, the Department of Virology has expanded the research field to the pathogenesis of cancer and the R&D of metabolic disease drugs.

The members of the Department of Virology had taken charge of a series of scientific projects, which included the 863 program, 973 program, science and technology key projects, national science and technology support projects, the National S&T Major Special Project on Major New Drug Innovation, and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (creative group project, outstanding youth project, excellent youth project, major project, international collaborative project, general project, youth project). The Department of Virology had also taken charge in the "Major Global Health Challenge Program" (NIH/Gates Foundation of USA) and the international cooperation programs of the Ministry of Science and Technology. It also established a well collaborative relationship with several pharmaceutical companies, research foundations, and institutes in America and Sweden. Some new research findings of overcoming drug resistance of viruses and treating metabolic diseases have been obtained and been used in clinical practice.

In recent years, as corresponding authors, the members of the Department of Virology had published about 100 SCI papers in famous international journals such as Nat Med, Hepatology, and PNAS. Until now, there are 3 new drugs have entered the stage of clinical study. In addition, more than 20 patents were authorized in China as well as in USA (PCT). The members of the Department of Virology have obtained more than 20 awards such as the second prize of the "National Science and Technology Progress Award", the second prize of the “State Natural Science Award”, first prize of the "Wu Jieping Medicine-Paul Janssen Pharmaceutical Award", and first prize of the "DeBio CCRF China Prize”.

Now the Department of Virology has established an integrated expert echelon, which includes principal investigators of the creative group of National Science Foundation, outstanding youth members, the Chang Jiang Scholars, the Chinese chief representative of the Cooperative Organization for Anti-Drug Resistant Infections of G20 countries, the Chinese contact expert for the WHO Committee of Anti-Drug Resistant Bacteria, the excellent youth members, the scientific and technological innovation leading person and top young talent for the National “Ten Thousand People Plan”, the scientific and technological innovation leading talent of middle age and young for the Ministry of Science and Technology, New Century Excellent Talents for the Ministry of Education, novel star of science and technology of Beijing municipality, as well as other research members, technicians, and graduate students.

In summary, the ultimate goals of the Department of Virology are the finding of new drugs and driving them for clinical application, publication of high-impact papers, training of outstanding talents, and serving for the R&D of new drugs.