immunity News and Research

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Combination therapy may reduce influenza-associated morbidity and mortality

A significant proportion of hospitalized patients with influenza develop complications of acute respiratory distress syndrome, driven by virus-induced cytopathic effects as well as exaggerated host immune response.

16 Mar 2021

SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater may pose risks to marine mammals

Endangered marine mammals — seals, dolphins, whales, and otters — are almost as vulnerable as humans in becoming infected from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Researchers from the Dalhousie University in Canada published a study in Science of The Total Environment that found human wastewater as a potential mode of coronavirus transmission to animals.

16 Mar 2021

Study explores how SARS-CoV-2 mutations produce antibody resistance and enhanced transmissibility

An interesting new study deals with the effects of the natural mutations in the spike antigen of the SARS-CoV-2, the pathogen that is responsible for the ongoing coronavirus disease pandemic.

16 Mar 2021

The role of RNA capping of SARS-CoV-2 in immunity evasion

The SARS-CoV-2 pathogen successfully uses multiple immune evasion mechanisms to achieve infection within its host. An intriguing new study describes one such process, which may help develop drugs to counteract the virus more effectively.

16 Mar 2021

New study tests how mutations in SARS-CoV-2 affect antibody neutralization

Using pseudoviruses with single amino acid substitutions, researchers found that mutations in SARS-CoV-2 reduce monoclonal antibody neutralization differently. However, convalescent sera samples did not lose neutralization potency many and were also effective against the B.1.1.7 (UK-derived) strain.

16 Mar 2021

Engineered mouse Intestine Chip platform can help study host-microbiome interactions

Trillions of commensal microbes live on the mucosal and epidermal surfaces of the body and it is firmly established that this microbiome affects its host's tolerance and sensitivity of the host to a variety of pathogens.

16 Mar 2021

Chimeric vaccines may provide universal protection against viruses like SARS-CoV-2

Researchers in the United States have developed “chimeric” vaccines that provided cross-protection against different strains of sarbecovirus in mice, including the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

15 Mar 2021

New Phase 1 study evaluates prime/boost HIV-1 vaccine formulated with combinations of adjuvants

A new Phase 1 vaccine study began today that will evaluate experimental prime/boost HIV-1 vaccine regimens formulated with combinations of different adjuvants, including one from the Army Liposome Formulation (ALF) family of adjuvants developed by scientists with the U.S. Military HIV Research Program at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research.

15 Mar 2021

HPSE protein found to be a key regulator of cells’ innate defense mechanisms

Researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago have discovered that heparanase, HPSE, a poorly understood protein, is a key regulator of cells' innate defense mechanisms.

15 Mar 2021

What is a protective neutralizing antibody titer against SARS-CoV-2 infection?

A new study describes a predictive model of protective immunity against SARS-CoV-2 infection that could help evolve optimal vaccination strategies to maintain protection and reduce the death rate.

15 Mar 2021

Why does convalescent plasma therapy for severe COVID-19 show mixed success?

A surprising new preprint, released on the medRxiv* server, suggests that the beneficial effects of convalescent plasma (CP) in this disease stem not only from the presence of neutralizing antibodies, but also the immunomodulatory effects of this plasma that shapes the host immune response.

15 Mar 2021

Which biomarkers can help predict severe COVID-19?

The ability to detect potentially fatal illness early on in the course of the disease would enable a swift prioritization of these high-risk individuals for treatment. A new preprint on the medRxiv* server presents an array of biomarkers that may help achieve this laudable goal.

15 Mar 2021

Research looks at inflammatory nature of lipid nanoparticle component in mRNA vaccines

In a recent bioRxiv preprint research paper, Botond Z. Igyártó and colleagues from Thomas Jefferson University demonstrated the inflammatory nature of the lipid nanoparticles (LNPs).

15 Mar 2021

Dual-action monoclonal antibodies from an original SARS survivor show promise against COVID-19

A recent study, currently available on the bioRxiv preprint server, indicates that a pair of dual-action monoclonal antibodies derived from an original 2003 SARS survivors could play an important role in the fight against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) due to their broadly neutralizing activity and the engagement of the immune system via effector function capabilities.

14 Mar 2021

Study maps crucial component of long-term immune response to SARS-CoV-2

Researchers in the United States have found that protective antibodies generated against the original strain of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)– the agent that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) – also protect against viral variants.

14 Mar 2021

Researchers investigate digital contact tracing's ability to reduce the spread of COVID-19

Informing how COVID-19 response plans may incorporate digital contact tracing, a model of COVID-19 spread within a simulated French population found that if about 20% of the population adopted a contact tracing app on their smartphones, an outbreak could be reduced by about 35%. If more than 30% of the population adopted the app, the epidemic could be suppressed to manageable levels.

13 Mar 2021

New vaccination method aims at comprehensive protection against all known influenza mutations

One shot, protected forever: This would be a dream come true regarding influenza vaccinations. So far, vaccination against influenza did not provide a lasting protection.

13 Mar 2021

Neutralizing antibodies induced by COVID-19 vaccines less effective against new variants

SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, has mutated throughout the pandemic. New variants of the virus have arisen throughout the world, including variants that might possess increased ability to spread or evade the immune system.

13 Mar 2021

SARS-CoV-2 did not change much when it jumped from bats to human hosts

How much did SARS-CoV-2 need to change in order to adapt to its new human host? In a research article published in the open access journal PLOS Biology Oscar MacLean, Spyros Lytras at the University of Glasgow, and colleagues, show that since December 2019 and for the first 11 months of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic there has been very little 'important' genetic change observed in the hundreds of thousands of sequenced virus genomes.

13 Mar 2021

Could horse-derived antibodies promote immunity against SARS-CoV-2 infection?

Researchers based in India have demonstrated that horses inoculated with an inactivated dosage of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are able to produce large amounts of strong antibodies that can neutralize multiple variants

12 Mar 2021

immunity News and Research

Combination therapy may reduce influenza-associated morbidity and mortality

SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater may pose risks to marine mammals

Study explores how SARS-CoV-2 mutations produce antibody resistance and enhanced transmissibility

The role of RNA capping of SARS-CoV-2 in immunity evasion

New study tests how mutations in SARS-CoV-2 affect antibody neutralization

Engineered mouse Intestine Chip platform can help study host-microbiome interactions

Chimeric vaccines may provide universal protection against viruses like SARS-CoV-2

New Phase 1 study evaluates prime/boost HIV-1 vaccine formulated with combinations of adjuvants

HPSE protein found to be a key regulator of cells’ innate defense mechanisms

What is a protective neutralizing antibody titer against SARS-CoV-2 infection?

Why does convalescent plasma therapy for severe COVID-19 show mixed success?

Which biomarkers can help predict severe COVID-19?

Research looks at inflammatory nature of lipid nanoparticle component in mRNA vaccines

Dual-action monoclonal antibodies from an original SARS survivor show promise against COVID-19

Study maps crucial component of long-term immune response to SARS-CoV-2

Researchers investigate digital contact tracing's ability to reduce the spread of COVID-19

New vaccination method aims at comprehensive protection against all known influenza mutations

Neutralizing antibodies induced by COVID-19 vaccines less effective against new variants

SARS-CoV-2 did not change much when it jumped from bats to human hosts

Could horse-derived antibodies promote immunity against SARS-CoV-2 infection?

Exploring Strategies for Targeting Kinases in Innate Immunity eBook

How ELRIG Is Helping Mid-Career Scientists Navigate Leadership, Career Change and Redundancy

The role of UV-Vis in biopharma QC

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