The ongoing Ebola virus disease outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is one of the many examples of emerging virus infections that may spread and evolve into a global pandemic. The 2015-2016 Zika virus epidemic is the most recent such example. Dengue virus infection has become the worst mosquito-borne disease in tropical countries, affecting 390 million people each year. If any of the above has just been a warning, we now begin to realize to which extent a real viral global pandemic like COVID-19 can harm public health and damage our community. Members of MCVD are dedicated to identify the causes of the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and other emerging viruses into humans, determine host genetic factors underpinning their pathogenesis in, define host immune responses, and discover solutions to prevention and treatment.