Research

Ari Helenius has worked on many aspects of membrane biochemistry and cell biology with a central focus on animal viruses and their interaction with cells.

His early work on the mechanisms of detergent solubilization of membranes and membrane proteins had an important and lasting impact. He is best known for the analysis of virus entry pathways and mechanisms into the host cells. It provided conceptual breakthroughs in the understanding of virus-induced signaling, endocytosis mechanisms, membrane fusion, and nuclear transport.

Through his studies on the fielding and quality control of newly synthesized proteins in the living cell, and the role of glycans in protein maturation, he has also opened new and important fields of study.