Immune System News and Research

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Bioengineering technique that boosts protein production could lead to effective COVID-19 vaccine

A bioengineering technique to boost production of specific proteins could be the basis of an effective vaccine against the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19, new research suggests.

3 Sep 2020

Lysin-based antibacterial agent can help treat drug-resistant bacterial infections

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has prioritized finding effective treatment of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), one of the most common bacterial pathogens and the single most deadly drug-resistant bacteria in the United States.

3 Sep 2020

New approach can make immunotherapy effective against cancers

If cancer is a series of puzzles, a new study pieces together how several of those puzzles connect to form a bigger picture.

3 Sep 2020

Major UK study launched to assess the impact of COVID-19 on cancer patients

A new UK study has been launched to assess the impact of covid-19 on people with cancer.

2 Sep 2020

UC San Diego participates in second, massive clinical trial of COVID-19 vaccine

UC San Diego Health will be part of a second, massive clinical trial to assess the safety, efficacy and immunogenicity of a vaccine designed to protect against SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19.

2 Sep 2020

Combined point-of-care nucleic acid and antibody testing increases COVID-19 detection

A Cambridge hospital has piloted the use of combined rapid point-of-care nucleic acid and antibody testing for SARS-CoV-2 infection after researchers at the University of Cambridge showed that this approach was superior to virus detection alone for diagnosing COVID-19 disease.

2 Sep 2020

Scientists aim to find cortisone alternatives with fewer side effects

Many people use cortisone of a regular basis. It is used for treating rheumatism, asthma, multiple sclerosis, or even COVID-19.

2 Sep 2020

Study provides direct link between inflammation and Alzheimer’s plaque development

Alzheimer's disease is a neurodegenerative condition that is characterized by the buildup of clumps of beta-amyloid protein in the brain.

2 Sep 2020

Scientists identify potential blood-clotting mechanism in COVID-19

Why so many COVID-19 patients get blood clots (thrombosis) remains uncertain. But scientists at Uppsala University and the University Hospital have now identified a mechanism they believe to be implicated.

2 Sep 2020

Circadian rhythms help in brain's unique process of waste removal

New research details how the complex set of molecular and fluid dynamics that comprise the glymphatic system - the brain's unique process of waste removal - are synchronized with the master internal clock that regulates the sleep-wake cycle.

2 Sep 2020

Novel technique to detect the fungus responsible for causing severe pneumonia

Research staff of the University of Valencia and the Foundation for the Promotion of Health and Biomedical Research of the Valencian Community, among other institutions, have developed a very sensitive and fast in-vitro method for the diagnosis of infection by Pneumocystis jirovecii, a fungus that causes severe pneumonia.

2 Sep 2020

Durable IgG antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 from the Iceland experience

Now, a team of scientists at the Reykjavik-based deCODe Genetics, a subsidiary of the U.S. biotech company Amgen, and several universities and hospitals in Iceland, says that the antibodies developed to fight SARS-CoV-2 last for at least four months and do not fade quickly as previously thought.

2 Sep 2020

Exponential rise in COVID-19 hospitalization risk with age due to waning T cell immunity

The age-related increase in the risk of severe disease and death from COVID-19 mirrors earlier patterns seen with infections. Such trends may help understand the mechanisms underlying the clinical feature. A recent study published in the preprint server medRxiv* in August 2020 shows the effect of age and sex on COVID-19 hospitalization rates in the USA and helps understand how immune function is involved in this pandemic.

2 Sep 2020

Study: BIRC2 overexpression could be a key marker for immunotherapy resistance

Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers have added to evidence that a gene responsible for turning off a cell's natural "suicide" signals may also be the culprit in making breast cancer and melanoma cells resistant to therapies that use the immune system to fight cancer.

2 Sep 2020

Excessive immune response plays an important role in severe Covid-19

The team from Marien Hospital and the department of Virology of Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB) as well as the Clinic for Infectious Diseases, the Clinic of Anesthesiology and the Institute for Virology of University Medicine Essen studied specific antibodies and T cells occurring in recovered, seriously ill and deceased Covid-19 patients.

1 Sep 2020

BCG vaccine offers protection for elderly people against respiratory infections

The BCG vaccine has a broad, stimulating effect on the immune system. This gives it an effective preventive action against various infections - possibly also against COVID-19. New studies are investigating that.

1 Sep 2020

'Natural killer' cells could be a powerful weapon to fight against lung cancer

Immune cells called 'natural killer' (NK) cells could be a powerful weapon for fighting lung cancer, according to Australian researchers.

1 Sep 2020

Patients with cancer and COVID-19 infection can experience blood clots

UC researchers and physicians are learning that COVID-19 impacts more than just the lungs. The list of potential issues multiplies when doctors also consider its impact on patients with other underlying conditions or the medications used to treat those conditions.

1 Sep 2020

Unique antibody profile differentiates people with non-celiac gluten sensitivity

A new study of the antibodies produced by people with gluten sensitivity may lead to a better way to detect the condition and treat it.

31 Aug 2020

New insights into why people suffer from nickel allergy

The cause of the allergic reaction are T lymphocytes (T cells). These cells are part of the body's defences and normally react to viruses or bacteria in the skin.

31 Aug 2020