The initial work for this project has focussed on establishing the advanced microscopy based technique required for the observation of single molecule dynamics inside VCCs of living cells of the immune system as well as optimising the cell culture and labelling conditions to ensure the acquisition of high quality data. The project has successfully achieved this goal and the platform for these observations was established utilising the equipment available at the collaborator’s laboratory. The project then focussed on the acquisition of the microscopy data for investigation of the behaviour of lipid and protein molecules on VCCs and to compare it with the behaviour of the same molecules at cell surface. The project has successfully acquired data indicating that behaviour of these lipid molecules is very distinct from the rest of the cell. Finally, the project assessed the possibility to exploit the existence to this distinct behaviour to interfere with VCC formation by the use of lipid behaviour modulating drugs. The results have shown that drugs that alter behaviour of lipid membranes in cells appear to reduce the ability of infected cells to form VCCs. While the progress of the project has been negatively impacted by the ongoing SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and associated lockdowns the project has managed to achieve most of its research objectives. The results of this project will be disseminated via scientific publications and conferences and its results may provide a possible future avenue for the design of new therapies that target the issue of HIV-1 persistence in infected person’s body
Aside from scientific goals this project has also focussed on the creation of public engagement opportunities to provide accessible and engaging information on how scientists utilise advanced microscopes to study viruses. To this end the project has created Virtual Reality based interactive educational activity (
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6sdHp1T388) that will be disseminated as a stand-alone product as well as used at future science festivals and open days to provide a novel interactive and education experience. Moreover, the project has conducted a series of webinars and live on line demonstrations on the use of advanced microscopy for virus research as part of the University of Vic Science Week (
https://youtu.be/vXdh6SBEUtQ) as well as Catalan Researchers’ Night (part of EU Researchers’ Night) (
https://youtu.be/743dvynmhZM).