Gold nanoparticles help develop new method for tracking viruses

Researchers at the Nanoscience Center (NSC) of the University of Jyväskylä in Finland have developed a novel method for the study of enterovirus structures and their functions. The method will help in obtaining new information on virus trafficking in cells and tissues as well as on the mechanisms of virus opening inside cells. This new information is important, for example, for developing new antiviral drugs and vaccines. The study was published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on 13 January 2014 (1). The research was funded by the Academy of Finland and Tekes’ FiDiPro project NOVAC (Novel methods for vaccination and virus detection). Enteroviruses are pathogenic viruses infecting humans. The group consists of polioviruses, coxsackieviruses, echoviruses and rhinoviruses. Enteroviruses are the most common causes of flu, but they also cause serious symptoms such as heart muscle infections and paralysis. Recently, enteroviruses have been linked to chronic diseases such as diabetes. The...