Initial virus-host interactions determine the fate of viral infections. Hence, the study of these interactions might shed insight into the mechanism of viral capture and entry by the host cell. It has been suggested that the viral and host cell glycocalyces might have profound implications in regulating these processes. However, a direct characterization of the role of glycans and glycoproteins in viral infections remain elusive due to the lack of non-invasive techniques. Advanced single molecule based fluorescence nanoscopy techniques have the capability of directly visualizing glycans and glycoproteins on the viral and host cell membrane on intact living cells at the relevant spatiotemporal scales.

In the lab, we are especially interested in the HIV virus and how the glycocalyx might potentially modulate the initial viral capture by the host cell. In this regard, we will specially focus on dendritic and T cells. To this end, we will apply a single molecule based imaging technique called HiDenMaps which is able to directly image multi-glycoproteins and glycans in a multi-color approach. This innovative technique will shed unprecedented insight into how multi-component interactions of the glycocalyces fine-tune HIV viral capture by the host cell. As such, this innovative approach might bring new concepts and ideas that might help in designing novel anti-viral therapies.