29. A conversation on research related to Biological nanoparticles, Virus infections and Vaccine development

Why are surface analytical tools useful when scrutinizing virus infections and when trying to figure out ways to tackle them? And what makes research successful?

In this episode, we talk to Prof. Fredrik Höök, Professor of Nano and Biophysics, at the Department of Physics at Chalmers University of Technology, about his research and work related to biological nanoparticles, virus infections, and vaccine development.

This inspiring and intriguing conversation covered multiple facets of academic life - from the bigger perspectives, drivers, and challenges of a career in science, to the quest for solutions to long-lasting problems and discussion on specific scientific detail. We talked about the ‘what’, ‘why’ and ‘how’ of Prof. Hook’s research and work, and what he and his team are striving to achieve. He also revealed a question that did keep him awake at night for decades, but to which he now finally found the answer. We talked about model systems and instrumentation, and what surface analytical tools they are using in their work. We also discussed more philosophical aspects of life in science, such as what makes research successful, and what pieces of the puzzle must come together for everything to fall into place.

Thanks for listening! If you are interested in surface and interface science and related topics, you should check out our blog - the Surface Science blog