The strain of influenza virus H3M2 strain. This 3D illustration shows surface glycoprotein spikes hemagglutinin (orange) and neuraminidase (green). (Image: Shutterstock) Scientists have known for decades that a flu virus in a human body can be a lot different than viruses grown in a lab. As opposed to the uniform, spherical, textbook-style viruses in a petri dish, in humans they vary in shape and composition — particularly the abundance of certain proteins — even if they are genetically very similar. It has been difficult however, to study the exact number and location of these proteins on any individual virus. The...