Coronavirus spikes offer ideas for therapy design
UW Medicine researchers have been working around the clock on the novel coronavirus. David Veesler, assistant professor of biochemistry at the University of Washington School of Medicine, says his team, led by Lexi Walls and Young-Jun Park, was able to visualize the atoms of the spike glycoprotein in novel coronavirus. This spike aparatus is the entry and fusion tool that enables the virus to infect cells.
Determining that structure is the first step toward identifying a vaccine or therapy because it will help scientists understand how the virus works and how to target it.
"We are very happy these data will contribute to advancing the field of coronavirus research towards getting a vaccine in the near future," Veesler said.