HIV, Ebola and most recently, COVID-19 viruses have had an enormous impact on our societies world-wide. All these viruses are "enveloped viruses," viruses that have an exterior envelope that surrounds them largely composed of their host's cells. This envelope increases the virus's ability to hide from its host's immune system and to access the host's cells. It also, however, gives researchers a target, an opportunity to interrupt viral transmission.
