. >> when viruses jump species, it's called zoouno sis, and transmission is more common. researchers believe that patient zero, for the outbreak of ebola, was a 2-year-old in guinea, and came in contact with bats, while playing in a hollow tree. the director of tissue imaging, and a microbiologist who species. >> we want to develop tools to understand the evolution of these pathogens, what signals might there be that says the virus is acquiring the ability to infect different species. >> reporter: in order to study how the pathogens evolve he uses recombatant technology. genes from jelly fish are fused with the viruses. >> that gene makes a protein which whenever we shine a light on it, a blue light, it blows bright green. that allows us to sensitively detect where that virus is from the minute it infects a cell and produces genetic material. >> this is a single cell infected. see the spikes. it sticks nice and tightly to the cell. you can go in really, really close >> reporter: even in the still you can see what is happening. >> we understand the bits of the cell that th