With the ongoing epidemic, Zika virus remains an ominous diagnosis for pregnant mothers. Since little was known about this disease prior to the outbreak, scientists are working quickly to close the research gap. Neurologist Arnold Kriegstein of the University of California, San Francisco recently identified a molecular bridge that could allow Zika to enter a baby’s brain from the bloodstream. Before, Zika’s use of this channel was mainly hypothetical.

"But now, we do have access to the virus from Brazil, and we are actually doing these experiments. We’re taking these live cells and we’re exposing them to the virus."

Kriegstein and his team will look at a variety of cell types, including developing neurons known as radial glial cells.

"We’re also looking not just at the radial glial cells, which we expect will be infected, but other cell types, some of which we don’t expect to be infected. If we can understand the mechanism of how the virus is invading the brain, how it’s causing microcephaly that may provide some therapeutic targets that you could use to block the infection at some level."