Development of photoactivated drugs

Liposomes

Efficient drug delivery to the intended target is one of the biggest challenges facing the pharmaceutical industry today. Together with researchers from the Faculty of Pharmacy, we are trying to develop drugs that can be activated by pulses of light in different tissues. See more in the article by
Paasonen, L. Sipilä, T., Subrizi, A., Laurinmäki, P., Butcher, S.J., Rappolt, M., Yaghmur, A., Urtti, A., Yliperttula, M. (2010) Gold-embedded photosensitive liposomes for drug delivery: triggering mechanism and intracellular release. J. Controlled Release 147:136-143

Common causes of childhood illness: human parechovirus

Human parechovirus

Human parechovirus is just one of the many causes of childhood infections. By examining the structure of the virus in complex with a protein from human cells, we can understand more about the first stages of the infection. In order to start an infection, the virus has to get into a host cell. It does this by attaching to human proteins on the outside of the cell, in this case big molecules called integrins. The integrins then drag the virus into the cell where it can start to replicate. See the article for more details
Seitsonen, J., Susi, P., Heikkilä, O., Sinkovits, R.S., Laurinmäki, P., Hyypiä, T., Butcher, S.J. (2010). Interaction of αVβ3 and αVβ6 integrins with Human parechovirus 1. J. Virol 84:8509 – 8519

Structural insights into hantavirus

Structure of hantavirus

Hantaviruses are borne by rodents such as voles. They are spread in the droppings of the animal, and can infect humans who come into contact with the droppings, especially farm workers and gardeners. Some hantaviruses can cause severe haemorraghic fever which can lead to death. We studied a non-pathogenic hantavirus called Tula virus, as a useful model to understand hantavirus structure and assembly. We discovered the organisation of the major proteins that interact with the host during entry, and this could help to drive development of drugs to prevent, or relieve hantavirus infection. See the article:
Huiskonen, J.T., Hepojoki, J., Laurinmäki, P., Vaheri, A., Lankinen. H., Butcher, S.J., Grunewald, K. (2010) Electron cryo-tomography of tula hantavirus suggests a unique assembly paradigm for enveloped viruses. J. Virol. 84:4889 – 4897