immunity News and Research

RSS

Early-life farm environment increases number of regulatory T-lymphocytes

Immunological diseases, such as eczema and asthma, are on the increase in westernised society and represent a major challenge for 21st century medicine. A new study has shown, for the first time, that growing up on a farm directly affects the regulation of the immune system and causes a reduction in the immunological responses to food proteins.

9 Feb 2012

DNA sequencing can direct immune system to attack cancer

DNA sequences from tumor cells can be used to direct the immune system to attack cancer, according to scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

9 Feb 2012

Routine 4CMenB immunizations effective against meningococcal strains in infants

Administration of routine infant immunizations with a vaccine for serogroup B Neisseria meningitidis, a bacterium that is a cause of serious disease such as sepsis and meningitis, was effective against meningococcal strains and produced minimal interference with the response to the routine vaccinations, according to a study in the February 8 issue of JAMA.

8 Feb 2012

Clinical Cancer Research publishes results of Aduro's ANZ-100 and CRS-207 Phase 1 studies

Aduro BioTech, Inc. is pleased to announce the publication of two therapeutic cancer vaccine Phase 1 studies in Clinical Cancer Research. In the article, which was featured as one of the highlights of the issue, Dr. Dung Le et al. reported that intravenous administration of ANZ-100 and CRS-207 was well tolerated in subjects with advanced, treatment-refractory cancers.

7 Feb 2012

Worldwide malaria death figures - a gross underestimate, finds latest research

According to latest research malaria kills twice as many people every year as formerly believed, taking 1.2 million lives and causing the deaths not only of babies but also older children and adults.

3 Feb 2012

Natural resistance to flu could hold key to universal vaccine

Researchers have found that on infecting 41 healthy volunteers with different strains of flu virus, those with higher levels of a specific type of white blood cell were less likely to develop severe illness. Now the team of researchers hopes to mimic the natural resistance shown by some of the volunteers, by creating a vaccine that boosts levels of a particular subset of the 'T-cells'.

1 Feb 2012

Peptides linked with internal flu viral structures can help develop universal vaccine

Researchers at the University of Southampton, University of Oxford and Retroscreeen Virology Ltd have discovered a series of peptides, found on the internal structures of influenza viruses that could lead to the development of a universal vaccine for influenza, one that gives people immunity against all strains of the disease, including seasonal, avian, and swine flu.

1 Feb 2012

Study finds no link between BDV and psychiatric illness

Over the past 30 years, numerous studies have linked Borna disease virus (BDV) with mental illnesses such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, anxiety disorder and dementia. Genetic fragments and antibodies to this RNA virus, which causes behavior disorders in a range of mammals and birds, have been found to be prevalent in psychiatric patients, but study results have been inconsistent. Now, the first blinded, case-control study to examine this issue finds no association between the virus and psychiatric illness.

1 Feb 2012

Study investigates trade-off between sperm quality and immunity

A new study shows the production of sperm is more biologically taxing than previously thought, and expending energy on it has significant health implications.

31 Jan 2012

Experts to discuss controversial studies on avian flu virus at live event

On February 2 from 6pm to 8pm, the Emerging Infectious Diseases & Microbiology Discussion Group of the New York Academy of Sciences presents Dual Use Research: H5N1 Influenza Virus and Beyond, a discussion between scientists, publishers, and legal experts that will explore the myriad issues surrounding the impending publication of these two studies and measures that will need to be undertaken to ensure the security of future such research.

31 Jan 2012

Washington State Medical Association weighs in on legislation in Olympia

More than 140 physicians met with legislators to voice their opinions on several bills that could significantly impact patient access to care and patient safety. The Washington State Medical Association (WSMA), which held its annual Legislative Day this week, is working hard on legislation to preserve programs that are on the cutting block, and promote legislation that would benefit patients.

30 Jan 2012

Working 11 hours or more a day linked to depression

New research suggests that working for 11 hours or more a day may not only tire an individual but also raise the risk of depression.

29 Jan 2012

Chemicals in packaged food and textiles linked to low immunity in kids: Study

According to researchers children exposed to chemicals from food packaging and textile products may have compromised immune systems. They found kids with more perfluorinated compounds, or PFCs, in their blood stream were less likely to respond to routine vaccines.

26 Jan 2012

No whooping cough deaths in California in one whole year

The news comes after the state experienced a whooping cough epidemic in 2010 when 9,000 were infected. Most vulnerable to the disease are infants too young to be fully immunized. Ten babies died after exposure from adults or older children. The last year in which no one died was 1991, when the state recorded just 249 cases of pertussis.

24 Jan 2012

Duke team creates vaccine adjuvant of nanoparticles that target lymph nodes

Researchers at Duke University Medical Center have created synthetic nanoparticles that target lymph nodes and greatly boost vaccine responses, said lead author Ashley St. John, Ph.D., a researcher at Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School.

23 Jan 2012

Exercise fails to improve glucose metabolism in autophagy-deficient mice

The health benefits of exercise on blood sugar metabolism may come from the body's ability to devour itself, UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers report in the journal Nature.

21 Jan 2012

Scientists decode unknown mechanism of imiquimod in tumour defense

A research team from the Institute for Cancer Research at the MedUni Vienna has decoded a previously unknown mechanism of the active ingredient imiquimod in tumour defense. They have been able to prove that imiquimod transforms plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) into "tumour-killers" which can fight the tumour independently from other immune cells. This discovery could be an important step on the way to a more efficient treatment for cancer.

20 Jan 2012

PfSET10 molecule plays a crucial role in malaria infection

The discovery by researchers from the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of a molecule that is key to malaria's 'invisibility cloak' will help to better understand how the parasite causes disease and escapes from the defenses mounted by the immune system.

19 Jan 2012

Counterfeit malaria drugs endanger millions of lives

According to researchers fake and poor quality anti-malarial drugs are threatening efforts to control the disease in Africa and could put millions of lives at risk. These counterfeit medicines could harm patients and promote drug resistance among malaria parasites, warns the study, funded by the Wellcome Trust.

18 Jan 2012

Pevion announces further data from clinical study of PEV7 therapeutic Candida vaccine

Pevion Biotech AG today announced further data from the ongoing clinical study of its therapeutic Candida vaccine PEV7, demonstrating the generation of specific and functional B cell memory in 100% of vaccinees. Furthermore, the results again confirm the capability of Pevion's second generation virosomal vaccine platform to induce strong and long-lasting immunity in humans against otherwise weak antigens .

17 Jan 2012