Immune System News and Research

RSS

La Jolla Institute scientist wins Malpighi Medal for pioneering work in heart disease

Klaus Ley, M.D, a scientist at the La Jolla Institute for Allergy & Immunology, was recently awarded the prestigious Malpighi Medal at the World Congress for Microcirculation in Paris, France. A lifetime achievement award presented by the European Society for Microcirculation, Dr. Ley received the honor in recognition of his pioneering endeavors in vascular immunology, a scientific discipline that he helped to pioneer, which looks at novel immune-based approaches to combating heart disease. He is only the 17th recipient of the biennial award worldwide.

26 Oct 2010

Salk discovers potential new target for MS

Scientists are closer to solving one of the many mysteries of multiple sclerosis and other demyelinating diseases, thanks to a recent study conducted at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies. The research revealed a previously unknown connection between two ion channels, which, when misaligned, can cause the many bizarre symptoms that characterize the condition.

26 Oct 2010

Study reveals two enzymes help immune cells deploy pathogen-killing traps

A new study reveals that two enzymes help immune cells deploy pathogen-killing traps by unraveling and using the chromatin (DNA and its associated proteins) contained in the cells' nuclei to form defensive webs. The study appears online on October 25 in The Journal of Cell Biology.

26 Oct 2010

Pathogenic listeria tricks intestinal cells to cause sickness

Pathogenic listeria tricks intestinal cells into helping it pass through those cells to make people ill, and, if that doesn't work, the bacteria simply goes around the cells, according to a Purdue University study.

26 Oct 2010

Study looks at long-term consequences of heavy smoking on dementia

Heavy smoking in midlife is associated with a 157 percent increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and a 172 percent increased risk of developing vascular dementia, according to a Kaiser Permanente study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

26 Oct 2010

Inviragen commences Phase 1 clinical trial of DENVax dengue vaccine in Colombia

Inviragen, a company developing vaccines to protect against infectious diseases worldwide, and the Program for the Study and Control of Tropical Diseases (PECET), jointly announced the initiation of a Phase 1 clinical trial of DENVax™ in Colombia. DENVax is an investigational vaccine designed to provide protection against all four dengue virus serotypes. The trial will measure the safety of DENVax as well as the immune responses induced by the vaccine in healthy adults in Rionegro, Colombia.

25 Oct 2010

Immune Network enters letter of intent to acquire Immunitor oral vaccine technology

Immune Network Ltd. advises that a clinical trial of V5 Immunitor oral vaccine was published earlier this month demonstrating an unexpected powerful effect against tuberculosis, including multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) and tuberculosis that is complicated by co-infection with HIV and hepatitis C (HCV).

25 Oct 2010

Childhood allergies and asthma linked to development in the womb

A child's chances of developing allergies or wheezing is related to how he or she grew at vital stages in the womb, according to scientists from the University of Southampton.

25 Oct 2010

Antigenics expands HSPPC-96 Phase 2 clinical study in glioma

Antigenics, Inc. today announced the expansion of a phase 2 clinical study of HSPPC-96 (Oncophage® vaccine; vitespen), Antigenics' personalized therapeutic cancer vaccine, in patients with newly diagnosed glioma.

25 Oct 2010

Researchers publish effects of doctor-designed formula against breast cancer

Researchers at Indiana University and Methodist Research Institute have published the dramatic effects of a natural formula against breast cancer. The impressive results are found in the most recent publication of Integrative Cancer Therapies.

25 Oct 2010

FlexBone shows potential replacement for current bone transplantations

With a failure rate as high as 50 percent, bone tissue grafts pose a significant obstacle to orthopedic surgeons attempting to repair complex fractures or large areas of bone loss, such as those often caused by trauma and cancer. Current synthetic substitutes rarely possess the bone-like properties needed for successful grafting and are often difficult for surgeons to manipulate in the operating room. In response to these challenges, researchers at UMass Medical School have developed an easy-to-produce, inexpensive, synthetic bone material called FlexBone.

25 Oct 2010

Inovio announces publication of minimally-invasive intradermal device in journal Gene Therapy

Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. a leader in the development of therapeutic and preventive vaccines against cancers and infectious diseases, announced today that a peer-reviewed research article describing the development of a new intradermal, minimally-invasive DNA vaccine delivery device was published in the prestigious journal Gene Therapy.

25 Oct 2010

Intercell's IC43 Phase II trial against Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections meets primary endpoint

Intercell AG today announced results from a Phase II clinical trial involving the company's investigational nosocomial vaccine candidate (IC43) against infections with the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a leading cause of hospital-acquired infections with increasing antibiotic resistance and hence a very high unmet medical need.

25 Oct 2010

UCLA researchers receive grant to develop medical products against radiation exposure

Researchers in the Radiation Oncology Department at UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center have received a $14 million grant to develop countermeasures that will help treat damage caused by radiological or nuclear threats such as a dirty bomb attack.

25 Oct 2010

Two researchers receive European Research Council Starting Grants

Two European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grants worth almost one and a half million euros each over the next five years have been awarded to two researchers from the Max Delbr-ck Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) Berlin-Buch and the Charit Universit-tsmedizin, Berlin in Germany.

25 Oct 2010

Researchers discover microglia cells originates prior to birth during embryonic life

Mount Sinai researchers have discovered that microglia, the immune cells that reside in the brain, have a unique origin and are formed shortly after conception. It was previously thought that microglia originated at the same time as macrophages, which are other immune cells that are thought to develop at birth. This groundbreaking discovery has the potential to lead to future treatments of degenerative brain diseases such as Alzheimer's and autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis. The study is published online October 21 in Science Express.

25 Oct 2010

Scorpion’s toxins can reduce heart bypass failures: Research

A toxin found in the venom of the Central American bark scorpion (Centruroides margaritatus) could hold the key to reducing heart bypass failures, according to research from the University of Leeds.

22 Oct 2010

Altogen Biosystems releases PEG-Liposome siRNA In Vivo Transfection Kit

Altogen Biosystems announced the release of its second generation of in vivo RNAi transfection reagent in the company's popular in vivo delivery product line: PEG-Liposome siRNA In Vivo Transfection Kit. This reagent is also compatible for in vivo transfection of other negatively charged molecules – RNA, DNA, and small proteins.

22 Oct 2010

Scientists discover new cell that may limit inflammation in CNS

Scientists at Barrow Neurological Institute have recently made discoveries about a type of cell that may limit inflammation in the central nervous system - a finding that could have important implications in the treatment of brain disorders such as multiple sclerosis. The research, led by Barrow's Fu-Dong Shi, MD, PhD, was published in the August 2010 issue of The Journal of Experimental Medicine, and simultaneously highlighted in Nature.

22 Oct 2010

NIH awards three new SBIR grants to Taiga

Taiga Biotechnologies, Inc. today announced that the company has received three new Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grants from the National Institutes of Health, totaling $1.7 million. This adds to the two previous grants awarded to Taiga for various applications of its proprietary technology platforms, for a total in NIH funding to date of over $2.1 million.

22 Oct 2010