immunity News and Research

RSS

Illustrating the dystopic nature of people’s approach to COVID-19

Are we "Waiting for Godot"- A Metaphor for Covid-19 "Waiting for Godot", one of the greatest works of the Theater of the Absurd is used to illustrate the dystopic nature of our approach to COVID-19.

4 Aug 2020

How COVID-19 lockdown affected the heart

A new study published on the preprint server medRxiv in August 2020 shows that heart rate variability assessments, used to evaluate the health of the heart and blood vessels, are useful in identifying changes in health and well being throughout lockdown related to COVID-19.

4 Aug 2020

Five alternative methods of SARS-CoV-2 suppression

The current pandemic has proved to be challenging to control without stringent and comprehensive non-pharmacological interventions (NPIs), relying mostly on isolation and contact tracing of cases, along with social distancing. However, strategies like these have a huge human cost in terms of restriction of social interactions, resulting in depressive tendencies, disruption of economic activity, and loss of educational resources.

3 Aug 2020

Zika virus mutation responsible for quick spread, birth defects uncovered

A multidisciplinary team from The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston has uncovered a Zika virus mutation that may be responsible for the explosive viral transmission in 2015/2016 and for the cause of microcephaly (babies with small heads) born to infected pregnant women.

3 Aug 2020

A new platform to provide information on SARS-CoV-2 immunity or seroprevalence

Who has overcome an infection with the virus without noticing, and how many people have already produced protective antibodies against the new coronavirus? Various antibody studies are now under way that will provide information on immunity or seroprevalence in the population.

3 Aug 2020

Study uncovers how schistosome worms trick the host's immune system

Researchers uncovered in a new study how schistosomes, parasitic flatworms that infect more than 200 million people in the tropics, trick the host's immune system and continue producing eggs for decades.

3 Aug 2020

New biomarkers may identify Type 1 diabetes patients who could benefit from immunotherapy

Scientists at UCL have discovered new biomarkers, which may identify those people with Type 1 diabetes who would benefit from the immunotherapy drug Abatacept, a finding which could eventually help thousands manage the disease more effectively.

3 Aug 2020

Study shows high SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence, but low death rate in Malawi's health care workers

A study by researchers from Malawi and United Kingdom reveals a significant discrepancy between predicted coronavirus disease (COVID-19) mortality in the observed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) seroprevalence rates in health care workers and reported deaths in urban Malawi in southeastern Africa, indicating early exposure, but a slow progression of the outbreak. Their findings are currently available on the medRxiv preprint server.

3 Aug 2020

Stabilized prefusion spike vaccine candidate induces powerful immune response

A new research paper by scientists at Janssen Vaccines & Prevention BV, in the Netherlands and published on the preprint server bioRxiv* is based on the assumption that an effective vaccine against these infections will induce neutralizing antibodies and an immune response favoring Th1 immunity.

3 Aug 2020

School children unlikely to play a significant role in COVID-19 spread, says Finnish study

A study conducted by researchers in Finland suggests that children who are exposed to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in schools are unlikely to transmit the virus further and play any significant role in the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

2 Aug 2020

New bivalent vaccine delivers robust cell-mediated and humoral immunity against SARS-CoV-2

In a groundbreaking bioRxiv study, US researchers demonstrate the capability of next-generation bivalent human adenovirus serotype 5 (hAd5) vaccine for inducing both cellular and humoral immunity against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) – using both an S protein sequence optimized for cell surface expression and a conserved nucleocapsid antigen designed to be transported to the endosomal subcellular compartment.

2 Aug 2020

FDA authorizes first two COVID-19 serology tests

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized the first two COVID-19 serology tests that display an estimated quantity of antibodies present in the individual's blood.

1 Aug 2020

Meta-analysis shows 57% mortality reduction with convalescent plasma in COVID-19

Now, a new study published on the preprint server medRxiv in July 2020 reports that an older treatment modality, namely, the use of convalescent antibody-rich plasma, brings down the mortality rate in hospitalized COVID-19 patients by an astonishing 57%. This adds evidence for the use of convalescent plasma in the treatment of high-risk patients.

1 Aug 2020

Research suggests New York City may have reached coronavirus herd immunity threshold

A new study by researchers at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Brookhaven National Laboratory and published on the preprint server medRxiv in July 2020 discusses the effect of a factor called persistent contact heterogeneity on the final epidemic size of COVID-19.

31 Jul 2020

Mandatory BCG vaccination correlates with flattening of the curve in COVID-19 spread

Scientists have found that countries with mandatory Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination until at least the year 2000 tended to exhibit slower infection and death rates during the first 30 days of the outbreak of COVID-19 in their country.

31 Jul 2020

UOttawa's Faculty of Medicine awards 58 clinical research chairs to top clinician-scientists

The Faculty of Medicine has awarded 58 clinical research chairs to top clinician-scientists in a five-year, $40 million investment to drive clinical research excellence and enhance health and patient care.

30 Jul 2020

Researcher uses in silico analysis of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein to fast-track passive immunity

With millions of COVID-19 cases reported across the globe, people are turning to antibody tests to find out whether they have been exposed to the coronavirus that causes the disease. But what are antibodies? Why are they important? If we have them, are we immune to COVID-19? And if not, why not?

30 Jul 2020

immunity News and Research

Illustrating the dystopic nature of people’s approach to COVID-19

How COVID-19 lockdown affected the heart

Five alternative methods of SARS-CoV-2 suppression

Zika virus mutation responsible for quick spread, birth defects uncovered

A new platform to provide information on SARS-CoV-2 immunity or seroprevalence

Study uncovers how schistosome worms trick the host's immune system

New biomarkers may identify Type 1 diabetes patients who could benefit from immunotherapy

Study shows high SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence, but low death rate in Malawi's health care workers

Stabilized prefusion spike vaccine candidate induces powerful immune response

School children unlikely to play a significant role in COVID-19 spread, says Finnish study

New bivalent vaccine delivers robust cell-mediated and humoral immunity against SARS-CoV-2

FDA authorizes first two COVID-19 serology tests

Meta-analysis shows 57% mortality reduction with convalescent plasma in COVID-19

Research suggests New York City may have reached coronavirus herd immunity threshold

Mandatory BCG vaccination correlates with flattening of the curve in COVID-19 spread

UOttawa's Faculty of Medicine awards 58 clinical research chairs to top clinician-scientists

Researcher uses in silico analysis of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein to fast-track passive immunity

Multiple, intertwined cell death systems to prevent the spread of 'intracellular' bacteria

Study shows how chronic psychological stress leads to sickle cell crises

Immunosuppressive steroids help tumors to evade the immune system

Industry Focus eBook - Cell biology (5th edition) eBook

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

The role of UV-Vis in biopharma QC

Applications Engineer

Latest News