Immune System News and Research

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Commonly used type of bone marrow stem cell may help treat sepsis, new study suggests

A new study from researchers in Ottawa and Toronto suggests that a commonly used type of bone marrow stem cell may be able to help treat sepsis, a deadly condition that can occur when an infection spreads throughout the body. The study, published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, shows that these cells can triple survival rates in an experimental model of sepsis.

1 Jul 2010

PIKAMAB secures exclusive rights to issued U.S. patent from UABRF

PIKAMAB, a biopharmaceutical company specializing in stratified medicine, announced today that it has secured exclusive rights to an issued U.S. patent (US 6,986,987) from the UAB Research Foundation. This patent pertains to the discovery that the functional polymorphism (Ser/Gly248) in the cytoplasmic domain of Fc alpha receptor determines the proinflammatory potential of serum IgA autoantibodies through cell signaling and production of cytokines such as TNF-alpha, IL-6, and IL-1β in an allele-dependent manner.

1 Jul 2010

Bortezomib may offer hope for treating inflammatory diseases: New research

Those looking for a new treatment for a range of inflammatory diseases like arthritis, multiple sclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease, and lupus may need to look no further than a drug already available for treating cancer. In a research report published in the July 2010 print issue of the Journal of Leukocyte Biology, Japanese scientists use mice to show that bortezomib, currently used to treat cancers that affect white blood cells, induces cell death only in harmful (active and proliferating) T cells, leaving the rest unharmed.

1 Jul 2010

Antibacterial ingredient in honey identified

Sweet news for those looking for new antibiotics: A new research published in the July 2010 print edition of the FASEB Journal explains for the first time how honey kills bacteria. Specifically, the research shows that bees make a protein that they add to the honey, called defensin-1, which could one day be used to treat burns and skin infections and to develop new drugs that could combat antibiotic-resistant infections.

30 Jun 2010

ERC awards VIB-K.U.Leuven scientists 3 million euros in research grants

VIB landed two research grants worth 1.5 million euros each. The prestigious grants are courtesy of the European Research Council (ERC) and are aimed at giving talented young scientists the opportunity to develop their own research team. The honor fell to Adrian Liston and Patrik Verstreken, both recently transferred to VIB-K.U.Leuven from abroad.

30 Jun 2010

Data published in Cancer Research demonstrates proof of concept for Mirna's tumor suppressor miRNAs

Mirna Therapeutics announced today publication of new results in the journal Cancer Research demonstrating proof of concept that the systemic delivery of tumor suppressor microRNAs (miRNA) inhibits tumor growth by restoring the proper regulatory pathways required for cell cycle arrest and apoptosis.

30 Jun 2010

Qigong and Tai Chi offer physical and mental health benefits

An across-the-board review of the health effects of Qigong and Tai Chi finds these practices offer many physical and mental health advantages with benefits for the heart, immune system and overall quality of life.

30 Jun 2010

Original viral genetic sequences still present months after initial infection, says study

Scientists have been surprised to learn that, despite thousands of changes that viruses like HIV undergo in rapid fashion to evade the body's immune system, the original version that caused the infection is still present in the body months later.

30 Jun 2010

FDA grants IND regulatory clearance for Phase I/II clinical trial of AAT in type 1 diabetics

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Investigational New Drug (IND) regulatory clearance to initiate a Phase I/II clinical trial evaluating Alpha-1 Antitrypsin (AAT) in type 1 diabetics, based on research by Dr. Eli Lewis of Israel's Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.

30 Jun 2010

BBD reports analyze effectiveness and safety of statin use

A series of new reports from Consumer Reports Best Buy Drugs (BBD) caution that the benefits of statin use by children and some women may not outweigh the risks. Drugs to lower cholesterol - including statins - are the most commonly prescribed drugs in the U.S. and garnered more than $14 billion in sales last year.

29 Jun 2010

Individual cells react differently to complex signals: Study

Using new technology that allows scientists to monitor how individual cells react in the complex system of cell signaling, Stanford University researchers have uncovered a much larger spectrum of differences between each cell than ever seen before.

29 Jun 2010

Ovarian transplant procedure increases lifespan, restores fertility in aging mice

Scientists have discovered that when they transplant ovaries from young mice into aging female mice, not only does the procedure make the mice fertile again, but also it rejuvenates their behaviour and increases their lifespan. The question now is: could ovarian transplants in women have the same effect?

29 Jun 2010

LEAPS vaccine technology generates dendritic cells to stimulate immune system to fight viral illnesses

CEL-SCI Corporation and researchers at the Northeastern Ohio Universities Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy (NEOUCOM) jointly announced today that a LEAPS-based vaccine (Ligand Epitope Antigen Presentation System) study has demonstrated the technology's potential using dendritic cells to stimulate the immune system to fight viral illnesses and other diseases.

29 Jun 2010

Study implicates cytokine molecule IL-17 in low back pain associated with herniated discs

An immune cell known to cause chronic inflammation in autoimmune disorders has been identified as a possible culprit in low back pain associated with herniated discs, according to doctors at Duke University Medical Center.

29 Jun 2010

Rare human antibodies protect mice from lethal strains of influenza

Scientists have identified a new, highly conserved molecular target on the influenza A virus and demonstrated that human antibodies against this target are protective in animal models of seasonal and highly-pathogenic avian influenza. The work was conducted by researchers at Theraclone Sciences, with collaborators at University of Wisconsin-Madison, University of Tokyo and Johns Hopkins University; and is reported this week in the online Early Edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

29 Jun 2010

Scancell, immatics collaborate to develop ImmunoBody vaccines for colorectal cancer

Scancell Holdings Plc,, the developer of therapeutic cancer vaccines, today announces a research collaboration with immatics biotechnologies GmbH to explore the development of novel ImmunoBody® vaccines for colorectal cancer.

29 Jun 2010

Researchers use neonatal piglet model to study infant brain development

Events occurring during the development of an infant's brain can leave behind fingerprints. And researchers at the University of Illinois are interested in learning how these fingerprints can predict future behavioral problems such as cognitive deficits, anxiety disorders, depression, and even autism.

29 Jun 2010

Avila's AVL-292 demonstrates disease-modifying effects in prophylactic, therapeutic models of rheumatoid arthritis

Avila Therapeutics™, Inc., a biotechnology company developing targeted covalent drugs that treat diseases through protein silencing, today announced results of preclinical studies demonstrating that its clinical candidate, AVL-292, potently inhibits B cell receptor signaling, and demonstrates efficacy in a rodent model of rheumatoid arthritis. These new data were presented Saturday, June 26, 2010 at the Federation of Clinical Immunology Societies (FOCIS) 2010 annual meeting in Boston, MA.

29 Jun 2010

MGH, Iacocca Foundation complete Phase I BCG clinical trial in type 1 diabetes

Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and the Iacocca Foundation announce today the completion of the Phase I BCG clinical trial in type 1 diabetes, as well as the submission of all safety reports to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the MGH data safety monitoring boards. Plans for the Phase II clinical study, which will continue the investigation of bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccination as a treatment for people with existing type 1 diabetes, are actively underway.

29 Jun 2010

UB study: Vietnam veterans exposed to Agent Orange are more likely to develop Graves' disease

Vietnam War-era veterans exposed to Agent Orange appear to have significantly more Graves' disease, a thyroid disorder, than veterans with no exposure, a new study by endocrinologists at the University at Buffalo has shown.

29 Jun 2010

Immune System News and Research

Commonly used type of bone marrow stem cell may help treat sepsis, new study suggests

PIKAMAB secures exclusive rights to issued U.S. patent from UABRF

Bortezomib may offer hope for treating inflammatory diseases: New research

Antibacterial ingredient in honey identified

ERC awards VIB-K.U.Leuven scientists 3 million euros in research grants

Data published in Cancer Research demonstrates proof of concept for Mirna's tumor suppressor miRNAs

Qigong and Tai Chi offer physical and mental health benefits

Original viral genetic sequences still present months after initial infection, says study

FDA grants IND regulatory clearance for Phase I/II clinical trial of AAT in type 1 diabetics

BBD reports analyze effectiveness and safety of statin use

Individual cells react differently to complex signals: Study

Ovarian transplant procedure increases lifespan, restores fertility in aging mice

LEAPS vaccine technology generates dendritic cells to stimulate immune system to fight viral illnesses

Study implicates cytokine molecule IL-17 in low back pain associated with herniated discs

Rare human antibodies protect mice from lethal strains of influenza

Scancell, immatics collaborate to develop ImmunoBody vaccines for colorectal cancer

Researchers use neonatal piglet model to study infant brain development

Avila's AVL-292 demonstrates disease-modifying effects in prophylactic, therapeutic models of rheumatoid arthritis

MGH, Iacocca Foundation complete Phase I BCG clinical trial in type 1 diabetes

UB study: Vietnam veterans exposed to Agent Orange are more likely to develop Graves' disease

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