High level research at the nanoscale

Topological materials are a promising platform for next-generation quantum and spintronic technologies because they host conducting edge states that are protected against defects and disorder. In this work, researchers from the University of Jyväskylä and Aalto University experimentally realized a two-dimensional topological crystalline insulator, a quantum state of matter that had remained elusive since its theoretical prediction more than a decade ago. The team fabricated an atomically thin bilayer of tin telluride (SnTe) on a niobium diselenide (NbSe₂) substrate and directly observed symmetry-protected topological edge states using low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy. The study further demonstrated that strain can be used to control these edge states, opening a route toward tunable quantum devices. Owing to the material's large electronic band gap, the topological properties are expected to remain robust even at room temperature, making the system a promising candidate for future spin-based electronics and nanoscale technologies.

L. Jing, M. Amini, A. O. Fumega, O. J. Silveira, J. L. Lado, P. Liljeroth and S. Kezilebieke."Strain-induced two-dimensional topological crystalline insulator in bilayer SnTe". Nat. Commun. 2026, 17, 817.

The cell nucleus is a highly dynamic structure whose mechanical properties influence essential cellular functions, yet little has been known about how viral infections alter its biomechanical behavior. In this study, researchers used advanced microscopy techniques, atomic force microscopy, and computational modeling to reveal that herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) infection dramatically softens the host cell nucleus. The team showed that viral replication creates large, low-density compartments within the nucleus while simultaneously reorganizing chromatin and modifying connections between the nucleus and the cytoskeleton. By combining experimental measurements with mechanical simulations, the researchers identified a reduction in cytoskeletal pulling forces and intranuclear osmotic pressure as the primary drivers of nuclear softening. These findings provide new insight into how viruses manipulate their cellular environment to support infection and replication. Beyond virology, the work advances our understanding of nuclear mechanobiology and may help develop new approaches for detecting virus-induced cellular changes and identifying early biomechanical signatures of infection.

A. Tervonen, V. Ruokolainen, S. Leclerc, K. Tieu, S. Lyonnais, H. Niskanen, J. H. Chen, A. Gupta, M. U. Kaikkonen, C. A. Larabell, D. Muriaux, S. Mattola, D. E. Conway, T. O. Ihalainen, V. Aho and M. Vihinen-Ranta."Nucleus softens during herpesvirus infection". PLoS Pathog. 2026, 22(1), e1013873.

Thiolate-protected gold nanoclusters are promising materials for applications ranging from catalysis and bioimaging to nanomedicine, but their behavior under realistic operating conditions has remained difficult to study because conventional simulations cannot reach the required timescales. In this work, researchers at the University of Jyväskylä combined machine learning and atomistic simulations to investigate the thermal dynamics of the benchmark gold nanocluster Au₁₄₄(SR)₆₀ over record-long timescales. The simulations revealed how increasing temperature drives structural changes layer by layer, starting from the protective gold-thiolate shell, leading to the formation of dynamic chain- and ring-like surface structures and exposing catalytically active sites. The study also captured the complete fusion of two gold nanoclusters into a larger particle whose composition and core structure closely matched experimentally observed systems. By bridging simulations and experiments, the work provides unprecedented insight into how nanoclusters evolve, fragment, and merge under thermal stress. These findings open new opportunities for designing nanomaterials with tailored properties and for understanding the atomistic mechanisms that govern catalytic activity, stability, and particle growth.

M. Sabooni Asre Hazer, S. Malola and H. Häkkinen."Thermal dynamics and coalescence of Au144 (SR)60 clusters from a machine-learned potential". Nat. Commun. 2026, 17, 971.

The nucleolus is best known as the cellular site of ribosome production, but it also plays important roles in regulating cell growth, division, and stress responses. Researchers at the University of Jyväskylä have now shown that canine parvovirus profoundly remodels both the structure and function of this essential nuclear compartment. Using advanced imaging methods, including expansion microscopy and cryo-soft X-ray tomography, together with molecular and biochemical analyses, the team revealed that infection redistributes key nucleolar proteins and ribosomal RNA, reorganizes nucleolus-associated chromatin, and alters the architecture of low-density channels within the nucleolus. These structural changes were accompanied by disruptions in pre-ribosomal RNA processing, indicating that ribosome biogenesis is slowed during infection. The study also identified interactions between the viral NS2 protein and host nucleolar factors involved in nucleolar organization and ribosome production. By uncovering how an autonomous parvovirus manipulates one of the cell’s most important regulatory centers, the work advances understanding of virus-host interactions and provides new insight into the links between viral infection, nucleolar homeostasis, and cellular function.

M. Huttunen, S. Hakanen, V. Aho, S. Leclerc, A. Soenmez, S. Kapishnikov, A. Zannotti, V. Ruokolainen, K. Salokas, M. Varjosalo, L. Latonen, C. R. Parrish, K. Fahy, S. Mattola, D. L. J. Lafontaine and M. Vihinen-Ranta."Canine parvovirus infection affects host cell nucleolar organization and ribosome biogenesis". Commun. Biol. 2026, 9, 10.

Viruses rely heavily on host cell machinery, yet many of the cellular structures they exploit remain poorly understood. Researchers from the University of Jyväskylä and Bar-Ilan University have now demonstrated that nuclear speckles, dynamic compartments involved in messenger RNA processing, play a central role in the progression of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infection. Using advanced imaging and molecular approaches, the team showed that viral immediate-early messenger RNAs accumulate in nuclear speckles before being exported from the nucleus, revealing a previously unrecognized pathway essential for viral gene expression. The study further found that infection remodels nuclear speckle architecture, including changes in the long non-coding RNA MALAT1 and the behavior of key speckle proteins. Importantly, disrupting nuclear speckles severely impaired viral mRNA export and blocked subsequent stages of infection. The findings identify nuclear speckles as regulatory hubs that coordinate both viral and host mRNA expression, providing fundamental insight into virus-host interactions and highlighting potential new targets for antiviral strategies aimed at limiting viral replication and disease progression.

S. Nadav-Eliyahu, C. Bohrer, A. Boocholez, N. Kinor, V. Aho, J. I. C. Benichou, S. Mattola, S. Salminen, H. Niskanen, M. U. Kaikkonen, M. Vihinen-Ranta and Y. Shav-Tal. "Nuclear speckles are regulatory hubs for viral and host mRNA expression during HSV-1 infection". Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 2026, 123, e2511555123.

Capturing sulfate ions in water is a longstanding challenge because sulfate strongly prefers to remain surrounded by water molecules rather than bind to synthetic receptors. Researchers at the University of Jyväskylä have now overcome this obstacle by designing a new class of mechanically interlocked molecules known as Solomon links, in which two molecular rings are intricately entangled to create a highly effective binding cavity. The study demonstrated that these receptors bind sulfate in water with exceptionally high affinity, rivaling the performance of natural protein binding sites and exceeding that of most existing synthetic systems. By exploiting mechanical entanglement to create binding sites that are both preorganized and adaptable, the researchers showed for the first time that multiply entangled molecular architectures can be engineered for practical functions rather than serving merely as structural curiosities. The work opens exciting opportunities for water purification, environmental monitoring, and chemical sensing, while also establishing a new design strategy for molecular recognition in complex aqueous environments relevant to biological and environmental applications.

K. K. Geyl, A. Belyaev, D. Pál, R. M. Gomila, A. Frontera and F. B. L. Cougnon. "Multiply entangled receptors for high-affinity anion recognition in water". Chem 2026, 12, 102936.

Producing green hydrogen efficiently and affordably is a major challenge for the clean energy transition. Researchers at the University of Jyväskylä have now uncovered a previously unknown mechanism that enables semiconductor electrodes to drive hydrogen production more effectively. Combining advanced atomic-scale simulations with cutting-edge spectroelectrochemical experiments, the team demonstrated that applying an electrode potential to titanium dioxide (TiO₂) creates localized charge centers known as polarons on the semiconductor surface. These polarons act as highly active catalytic sites that promote the hydrogen evolution reaction, a key step in hydrogen generation from water. Importantly, the study showed that the process is reversible and can be controlled directly through the applied potential. The findings provide a new understanding of how semiconductor electrodes operate under realistic conditions and reveal a pathway to overcome fundamental limitations that constrain conventional metal-based catalysts. This knowledge could accelerate the development of lower-cost, earth-abundant materials for green hydrogen production and other sustainable energy technologies, supporting future large-scale clean energy solutions.

T. Wu, X. Guo, G. Zhang, Y. Zhang, L. Song, Z. Liu, H. Zhang, S. Shi, L. Liu, M. M. Melander and K. Honkala. "Potential-dependent polaron formation activates TiO2 for the hydrogen evolution reaction". Nat. Commun. 2026, 17, 2104.

Detecting disease biomarkers rapidly and selectively remains a major challenge in biomedical diagnostics. Researchers at the University of Jyväskylä have demonstrated through an extensive computational study that chiral ligand-protected gold nanoclusters can selectively recognize small chiral biomolecules, opening new possibilities for future biosensing technologies. The team investigated nearly one hundred combinations of gold nanoclusters and biomolecules using molecular dynamics simulations and electronic structure calculations, revealing that only specific cluster-biomolecule pairs interact strongly enough to alter the clusters’ chiral optical response. Because many biologically important molecules, including amino acids and DNA-related structures, are inherently chiral, this selective recognition capability could provide a powerful new route for identifying disease-associated biomarkers directly in complex biological environments such as blood samples. The findings show how the helical surface structure of atomically precise gold nanoclusters can be exploited for molecular recognition, advancing both fundamental understanding of nanoscale interactions and the development of highly sensitive diagnostic sensors for healthcare and biomedical applications.

S. M. Hosseini, P. Miettinen, E. Hulkko and H. Häkkinen. "Chiral Ligand-Protected Gold Nanoclusters as Biosensors for Small Chiral Biomolecules: A Computational Study". ACS Nano 2026, 20, 7743–7757.

Precise control over where thin films grow is a major challenge in advanced materials manufacturing. Researchers from the University of Jyväskylä and Aalto University have developed a new approach that enables metal-organic thin films to be deposited selectively, one molecular layer at a time, on predefined regions of graphene and other two-dimensional materials. By combining femtosecond laser-induced surface modification with atomic/molecular layer deposition, the team created localized nucleation sites that direct film growth with high spatial precision and selectivity. The method was demonstrated using europium-organic thin films, producing well-defined photoluminescent heterostructures with submicron resolution and strong optical emission. This advance extends the capabilities of conventional atomic layer deposition beyond thickness control to include precise patterning of molecular materials. The ability to tailor film placement, composition, and functionality opens new opportunities for designing next-generation optoelectronic devices, sensors, and hybrid materials, while providing a versatile platform for engineering material properties at the molecular scale.

A. V. Emelianov, K. K. Mentel, A. Ghazy, J. Pekkanen, Y.-H. Wang, A. Johansson, M. Karppinen and M. Pettersson. "Area-Selective Atomic/Molecular Layer Deposition of Europium-Organic Thin Films on Graphene and Other 2D Materials for Photoluminescent Heterostructures". ACS Nano 2026, 20, 10062-10073.

Designing efficient catalysts for sustainable technologies requires understanding processes that span from atomic-scale reactions to industrial-scale reactor operation. Researchers at the University of Jyväskylä have presented a comprehensive framework for multiscale modeling of heterogeneous thermo- and electrocatalysis, highlighting how modern computational methods can bridge these vastly different length and time scales. The perspective shows how density functional theory (DFT) can be combined with models of solvent effects, electrode potentials, reaction kinetics, and mass transport to predict catalyst performance under realistic operating conditions. By connecting atomistic insights with microkinetic and kinetic Monte Carlo simulations, the approach enables more reliable evaluation of catalytic materials and reaction mechanisms. The work also emphasizes the importance of incorporating realistic reaction environments and critically assessing modeling assumptions, rather than treating computational tools as “black boxes.” By providing a roadmap for integrating advanced computational methods across scales, the study strengthens the foundation for rational catalyst design and supports the development of cleaner energy technologies, including hydrogen production and carbon dioxide conversion.

M. M. Smith, L. Treps, M. M. Melander, V. Apaja and K. Honkala. "DFT-Based Multiscale Modeling of Heterogeneous (Electro)Catalytic Reactions". ACS Catal. 2026, 16, 5229-5247.

Researchers at University of Jyväskylä advance understanding of gold nanocluster behavior at elevated temperatures using machine learning-based simulations. These hybrid nanomaterials have promising applications in nanomedicine, bioimaging, and catalysis. They conducted ML-driven simulations extending up to 0.12 microseconds—achieving timescales five orders of magnitude longer than conventional quantum chemical methods allow—successfully capturing rare molecular events that would otherwise remain unobservable with such methods. Remarkably, the simulations captured two Au₁₄₄(SR)₆₀ clusters merging at 550 K, producing a larger cluster Au₂₃₉(SR)₆₉ with composition matching previously synthesized experimental results. This breakthrough opens new possibilities for rational design of nanomaterials with tailored properties for catalysis and other applications.​ The research was published in Nature Communications. The publication was recognized as an Editors' Highlight in the Inorganic and Physical Chemistry section of Nature Communications.​

M. Sabooni Asre Hazer,S. Malola, and H. Häkkinen. "Thermal dynamics and coalescence of Au144(SR)60 clusters from a machine-learned potential." Nat Commun. 2026, 17, 971.​

Cell wall, especially its peptidoglycan (PG), is the first line of defense for Gram-positive bacteria including multidrug resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Coordinated action of PG synthetases and hydrolases is vital for bacterial growth and viability. While function of several PG synthetases and hydrolases is well understood, the function, regulation, and mechanism of action of PG hydrolases characterized as lysostaphin-like endopeptidases have remained elusive. Many of these M23 family members can hydrolyze glycyl-glycine peptide bonds and show lytic activity against Staphylococcus aureus whose PG contains a pentaglycine bridge, but their exact substrate specificity and hydrolysed bonds are still vaguely determined. In this study, the researchers at NSC have employed NMR spectroscopy to study both the substrate specificity and the bond cleavage of the bactericide lysostaphin and the S. aureus PG hydrolase LytM. Yet, they provide substrate-level evidence for the functional role of these enzymes. Their results show that the specificities of these structurally highly homologous enzymes are similar, but unlike observed earlier both LytM and lysostaphin prefer the D-Ala-Gly cross-linked part of mature peptidoglycan. However, while lysostaphin is genuinely a glycyl-glycine hydrolase, LytM can also act as a D-alanyl-glycine endopeptidase.

L. Antenucci, S. Virtanen, C. Thapa, M. Jartti, I. Pitkänen, H. Tossavainen, and P. Permi. "Reassessing the substrate specificities of the major Staphylococcus aureus peptidoglycan hydrolases lysostaphin and LytM" eLife, 2024, 13:RP93673.

Figure: Representative examples of real-time NMR monitoring of substrate hydrolysis. Quantitative ¹H spectra at selected time points in the hydrolysis reactions of peptide 2 by lysostaphin (LSS) (A) and LytM (B). In hydrolysis by LSS peaks of Ala Hα in products KdAG and KdAGG gradually appear as a function of time, whereas in LytM reaction KdA and KdAG are formed. Time points are given in minutes next to the spectra. Peak assignments in the reference spectrum are the following: 1 Ala Hα, 2 Gly₁-Gly₄ Hα, 3 Lys Hα, 4 Gly₅ Hα, 5 Lys Hε, 6 Lys Hβ, 7 Lys Hδ, 8 Lys Hγ, 9 Ala Hβ. Asterisk marks the peak of the buffer. The alanine Hα quartets of substrate (4.373 ppm) and KdAGG (4.365 ppm) partially overlap. (C, D) On the left, concentrations in function of reaction time derived from NMR peak integrals from a typical reaction setup with 0.4 mM peptide and 2 μM LSS or 50 μM LytM. On the right, relative product concentrations at reaction end points for the studied peptidoglycan (PG) fragments. This figure was created using BioRender.com.

Researchers at the Nanoscience Center have leveraged machine learning and supercomputer simulations to predict how gold nanoparticles interact with blood proteins. This innovative approach combines extensive molecular dynamics simulations with graph theory and neural networks to identify the most favorable binding sites on proteins such as serum albumin, apolipoprotein E, immunoglobulin E, immunoglobulin G, and fibrinogen. The study revealed that machine learning models, trained on atom-scale simulation data, can accurately predict nanoparticle-protein interactions. This breakthrough opens new avenues for the design of gold nanoparticles as targeted drug delivery systems in precision nanomedicine. The methodology was validated through long-timescale atomistic simulations, confirming its reliability. In a recent computational study, the team demonstrated the potential of functionalized gold nanoparticles to selectively target over-expressed proteins on cancer cell surfaces. This finding underscores the promise of gold nanoparticles in enhancing the efficacy of cancer therapies. The research, supported by the EuroHPC funding program and utilizing the LUMI and Mahti supercomputers, marks a significant step forward in the field of nanomedicine. Future projects will continue to explore the dynamic interactions at the nano-bio interface, aiming to develop advanced diagnostic and therapeutic applications.

M. F. Matus and H. Häkkinen, "Rational Design of Targeted Gold Nanoclusters with High Affinity to Integrin αvβ3 for Combination Cancer Therapy" Bioconjugate Chem. 2024, 35, 10, 1481–1490.

A. Pihlajamäki, M. F. Matus, S. Malola and H. Häkkinen, "GraphBNC: Machine Learning-Aided Prediction of Interactions Between Metal Nanoclusters and Blood Proteins" Adv. Mater. 2024, 2407046.

Researchers have investigated how strong light-matter coupling affects ultra-fast photochemical reactions, specifically the excited-state intra-molecular proton transfer (ESIPT) in 10-hydroxybenzo[h]quinoline (HBQ). Strong coupling between HBQ molecules and confined light modes in optical cavities leads to the formation of polaritons, which can alter photochemistry. However, the origin of this effect remains unclear. Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations and spectroscopic experiments showed that the rate of ESIPT in coupled HBQ molecules was the same as in uncoupled ones, contradicting theoretical predictions. The disorder among HBQ molecules at room temperature means that the simple model of one-dimensional systems with altered potential energy surfaces is not valid. Instead, the cavity mode is distributed over all eigenstates of the molecule-cavity system, with molecular excitations dominating these states. The results suggest that polaritons act as gateways, funneling excitation from optically bright states into molecular states. This implies that the excitation spectra of HBQ-cavity systems can be predicted by combining the absorption spectrum of the HBQ cavity and the density of molecular states. Experimental confirmation showed that the efficiency of the reaction is controlled by the overlap between bright polaritons and molecular dark states. In conclusion, while strong coupling leads to characteristic Rabi splitting in absorption spectra, thermal disorder smears out the cavity mode excitation, preventing significant perturbation of the potential energy surface and affecting reaction dynamics. These findings provide new insights into the possibilities and limitations of altering chemistry with strong coupling.

A. Dutta, V. Tiainen, I. Sokolovskii, L. Duarte, N. Markešević, D. Morozov, H. A. Qureshi, S. Pikker, G. Groenhof and J. J. Toppari. "Thermal disorder prevents the suppression of ultra-fast photochemistry in the strong light-matter coupling regime." Nat. Commun. 2024, 15, 6600.

Figure: A Potential energy profiles evaluated for intra-molecular proton transfer in the electronic ground state (S₀, black), first electronic excited state (S₁, purple), in the lower polariton (LP), when 256 (orange dashed), 512 (magenta dashed-dotted) or 1024 (blue dotted) identical HBQ molecules are strongly coupled to a single confined light mode of an optical cavity that is resonant with the S₀ → S₁ transition in HBQ. The Rabi splittings are listed in the upper right corner. The energy barrier for proton transfer in the LP state with the highest Rabi splitting is indicated by the double-arrow. B Contribution of the cavity mode to the eigenstates of the coupled HBQ-cavity system with 512 molecules. CSchematic illustration of the cavity geometry (not to scale).

Molecular electronics explores how electrons move through single molecules and how they can be used in electronic circuits. There has been a challenge in aligning the fast time scales used in theoretical models with the slower, more practical time scales seen in experiments. Using a new modeling technique, we studied a setup where a benzenedithiol molecule is connected to copper electrodes and interacts with light in a cavity. Our findings show that this setup produces noticeable light emission and high harmonic generation. Interestingly, the way these effects happen is more similar to what we see in solid-state materials, and the symmetry of the driving field can either suppress or enhance certain light frequencies.

R. Tuovinen and Y. Pavlyukh. Nano Letters 24, 9096 (2024).

Bacteria often sense and respond to their environment by applying sensor histidine kinase proteins. One group of these proteins is bacteriophytochromes, which respond to red/far-red light. They are especially suitable model systems for studying histidine kinase signaling and for optogenetic applications. An international collaboration between the groups of Dr. Heikki Takala from the University of Jyväskylä and Prof. Andreas Möglich from the University of Bayreuth have revealed key details on the regulation of histidine kinase activity. By applying modifications in their bacteriophytochrome-based pREDusk tool, they showed how the delicate balance between two competing enzymatic activities is fine-tuned in histidine kinases. Importantly, they revealed that certain deletions in a so-called ‘linker helix’ within the protein can even reverse its enzymatic activity. The process led to development of an inverted pDERusk tool that, unlike its predecessor, can activate bacterial gene expression under red light.

S.S.M. Meier, E. Multamäki, A.T. Ranzani, H. Takala, and A. Möglich, ”Leveraging the histidine kinase-phosphatase duality to sculpt two-component signaling”, Nat Commun 2024, 15: 4876.

Heat engines are key devices that convert thermal energy into usable energy. Traditional semiconductor-based thermoelectric heat engines freeze out at low temperatures, but in this work we show how a hybrid nanoelectronic system composed of thin layers of ferromagnetic insulators, superconductors, and ferromagnetic metals can operate as a heat engine with a non-vanishing power output even at temperatures below one degree above the absolute zero. Such spintronic heat engines could be used for example as radiation detectors, for deep-space energy harvesting or as a low-temperature thermoelectric memory device.

C. I. Levartoski de Araujo, P. Virtanen, M. Spies, C. González-Orellana, S. Kerschbaumer, M. Ilyn, C. Rogero, T. T. Heikkilä, F. Giazotto and E. Strambini. "Superconducting spintronic heat engine". Nat. Commun. 2024, 15, 4823.

Some viruses, such as the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, can get passed from person to person via contaminated surfaces. But are some surfaces able to reduce the risk of this type of transmission without the help of household disinfectants? As reported in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, wood has natural antiviral properties that can reduce the time viruses persist on its surface — and some species of wood are more effective than others at reducing infectivity. Researchers from NSC and University of Eastern Finland looked at how long viruses remained infectious on different species of wood and found that some are promising candidates for sustainable, natural antiviral materials. The publisher also acknowledged the publication by issuing a press release: Wooden surfaces may have natural antiviral properties.

S. Shroff, A. Perämäki, A. Väisänen, P. Pasanen, K. Grönlund, V. H. Nissinen, J. Jänis, A. Haapala, and V. Marjomäki. "Tree Species-Dependent Inactivation of Coronaviruses and Enteroviruses on Solid Wood Surfaces". ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 2024, 16, 23, 29621–29633. JYU Press Release.

The manipulation of 2D materials, such as graphene and transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), is crucial for the advancement of next-generation electronic, photonic, quantum, and sensor technologies. These materials exhibit unique properties, including high electrical conductivity, mechanical flexibility, and tunable optical characteristics. Traditional processing methods, however, often lack the necessary precision and can introduce thermal damage. This is where ultrafast laser processing comes into play, offering unprecedented control over the material properties at the nanoscale.

Recent advancements in the field of light-matter interactions have paved the way for the transformative use of ultrafast laser processing in 2D materials. A new study conducted by Aleksei Emelianov, Mika Pettersson from the University of Jyväskylä (Finland), and Ivan Bobrinetskiy from Biosense Institute (Serbia), recently published in Advanced Materials as a perspective paper, explores the remarkable potential of ultrafast laser techniques in manipulating 2D layered materials and van der Waals (vdW) heterostructures toward novel applications.

A.V. Emelianov, M. Pettersson and I Bobrinetskiy. "Ultrafast Laser Processing of 2D Materials: Novel Routes toAdvanced Devices" Adv. Mater. 2024, 2402907

Researchers at the University of Jyväskylä and the University of Helsinki have developed a new dissolution approach to recover gold, silver and copper from waste electrical and electronic equipment, and a theoretical model to understand and predict the dissolution process from the atomic scale. The development of new chemical methods is more important than ever because various industrial processes produce waste that cannot be recycled. The experimental work demonstrated the efficiency of the sequential dissolution approach, but it remained unclear how and why different metals are dissolved in a given solvent-oxidant mixtures. The researchers at the Department of Chemistry at the University of Jyväskylä developed a theoretical model, which could explain the experimental results.

A. Zupanc, J. Install, T. Weckman, M. M. Melander, M. J. Heikkilä, M. Kemell, K. Honkala and T. Repo. "Sequential Selective Dissolution of Coinage Metals in Recyclable Ionic Media" Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2024, 63, e202407147. JYU Press Release.

In a groundbreaking study, researchers at the NSC together with their international collaborators have discovered that herpesvirus infection instigates a comprehensive remodeling of mitochondrial organization and metabolism within the host cell. This transformation is characterized by significant structural changes, including the emergence of thinner and rougher mitochondria, and functional alterations, such as the thickening and shortening of mitochondrial cristae. The infection also induces a notable increase in the number and area of contact sites between mitochondria and the endoplasmic reticulum, alongside a rise in mitochondrial calcium ion content and proton leak. These findings shed light on the intricate interaction between herpesvirus and host cells, providing valuable insights that could be harnessed for the development of viral treatments.

S. Leclerc, A. Gupta, V. Ruokolainen, J.-H. Chen, K. Kunnas, A. A. Ekman, H. Niskanen, I. Belevich, H. Vihinen, P. Turkki, A. J. Perez-Berna, S. Kapishnikov, E. Mäntylä, M. Harkiolaki, E. Dufour, V. Hytönen, E. Pereiro, T. McEnroe, K. Fahy, M. U. Kaikkonen, E. Jokitalo, C. A. Larabell, V. Weinhardt, S. Mattola, V. Aho, M. Vihinen-Ranta. "Progression of herpesvirus infection remodels mitochondrial organization and metabolism." PLOS Pathogens 20(4): e1011829. JYU Press Release.

The question on the possibility of tuning chemical reactions with the cavity vacuum field has been puzzling physicists and chemists in the recent years. According to most models, the effect seems to vanish due to entropic reasons when a large number of molecules are coupled to the single vacuum field. In the new work, we show how collective effects may after all conspire to go around this effect. Under certain particular conditions, the molecules want to bunch to the same chemical state, leading to a spontaneous symmetry breaking between reactant and product states within the molecular system, and thus the long-time limit of such a stochastic system depends strongly on the initial conditions. We describe the corresponding bifurcation dynamics of the molecular ensemble, and discuss artificial systems beyond molecules, such as collectively coupled flux qubits and cold atom systems, where the effect can be observed."

Kalle S. U. Kansanen and Tero T. Heikkilä, SciPost Phys. 16, 025 (2024)

Our theoretical research shows how junctions between superconductors exhibit a non-reciprocal microwave response, where small signals move differently in forward and backward directions. This non-reciprocity appears due to the presence of bound states in systems with more than two superconductors joining together in a small area called a weak link. Our work lays the basis of evaluating the microwave properties of such bound states and shows the conditions for obtaining a strong non-reciprocal response. Such response is of special interest in quantum signal processing where signal from qubits needs to be routed to the measurement circuit without the corresponding measurement noise coupling back to the qubits. Previously this task has been accomplished with bulky macroscopic scale circulators. We propose such circulators to be replaced by tiny on-chip multiterminal superconducting junctions with much smaller footprint. 

Pauli Virtanen and Tero T. Heikkilä, Physical Review Letters 132, 046002 (2024)

Marjomäki group is currently developing anti-viral surfaces to decrease the spread of infectious diseases. A study published now in Microbiology spectrum found that a resin ingredient is effective against coronaviruses and strongly decreases their infectivity on plastic surfaces. The functionalized surface was effective against both the seasonal human coronavirus and the SARS-CoV-2 virus within 15 min time whereas un-functionalized plastic allowed viruses stay infective at least for 2 days. Structural and biochemical studies showed that the leaching resin component prevented fusion of the virions inside cellular structures. The research is part of the BIOPROT project (Development of bio-based and antimicrobial materials and use as protective equipment) funded by Business Finland and has been done in collaboration with the Finnish company Premix Oy.

S. Shroff, M. Haapakoski, K. Tapio, M. Laajala, M. Leppänen, Z. Plavec, A. Haapala, S. J. Butcher, J. Ihalainen, J. J. Toppari, V. Marjomäki, Microbiology Spectrum, 16.1.2024