Virus cell entry, an essential step in the HIV-1 infective process, requires the co-ordinated interaction of specific viral surface proteins, cell receptors, and a range of cellular protein and lipid components. Using HIV-1 as a model, I seek to better understand the dynamics of these interactions, the extent to which HIV perturbs normal cell membrane topology and organization in the process, as well as the actual cell entry pathways followed by HIV. Working between the Henriques and Marsh labs at the LMCB, I have access to emerging and rapidly developing super resolution imaging technologies, as well as complementary biochemical and analytical research tools, for the elucidation of the molecular interactions between viral particles and the host cell, and the role of various cellular factors in viral cell entry.