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T cell responses in inflammatory bowel disease patients on immune-modifying agents after mRNA COVID-19 vaccination

Researchers characterized humoral and SARS-CoV-2 S-specific T cell responses in IBD patients who received two-dose mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccination series.

25 Feb 2022

Response of peripheral immune cells to ex vivo SARS-CoV-2 exposure compared to SARS-CoV

Researchers characterized the responses of the PBMCs at the individual cell and cell type levels against SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV ex vivo.

18 Feb 2022

Gut enzymes open a gateway to create universal blood-type donor organs

A study published in Science Translational Medicine performed at the Latner Thoracic Surgery Research Laboratories and UHN's Ajmera Transplant Centre has proved that it is possible to convert blood type safely in donor organs intended for transplantation.

16 Feb 2022

Human nose organoids provide better understanding of the first steps toward SARS-CoV-2 infection

Preclinical models that recapitulate aspects of human airway disease are essential for the advancement of novel therapeutics and vaccines.

16 Feb 2022

Novel combination therapeutic approach could increase survival of pancreatic cancer patients

A novel combination treatment approach extended survival in mice with pancreatic cancer, demonstrating a potential second-line therapy for patients, according to findings published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

15 Feb 2022

Study tests efficacy of molnupiravir against SARS-CoV-2 VOCs in various animal models

A study published on the bioRxiv* preprint server evaluates molnupiravir against a panel of relevant VOCs using three efficacy models: primary human airway epithelium organoids, a ferret model of upper respiratory disease, and a Roborovski dwarf hamster model for severe COVID-19.

9 Feb 2022

Exploring the high incidence of croup in children during the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron wave

In a new study, researchers observed that the incidence of pediatric croup was higher during the latest surge of COVID-19 infections driven by the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant.

8 Feb 2022

Innate and adaptive immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 in convalescent children and adults

In a new study, researchers explored the systemic immune responses during the acute and convalescent phases of SARS-CoV-2 in children and adults with the same disease severity.

3 Feb 2022

SARS-CoV-2 omicron variant shown to replicate less efficiently in human lungs

A new study revealed that the omicron variant replicates more effectively in the human bronchus than other SARS-CoV-2 variants, yet this new variant has lower replication competence in the lungs.

2 Feb 2022

Study shows enduring T-cell immunity up to at least 1-year after SARS-CoV-2 infection

A new study assesses SARS-CoV-2 antigen-specific cytokine responses in a cohort of SARS-CoV-2 infected individuals with varying levels of disease.

26 Jan 2022

Evaluation of cross-reactive T cell responses between SARS-CoV-2 and common-cold human coronaviruses

A new study investigated SARS-CoV-2 spike protein responses targeted by cross-reactive T cells that were isolated from convalescent COVID-19 individuals along with previously uninfected donors.

25 Jan 2022

Omicron found to have higher environmental stability among SARS-CoV-2 variants

A new study compared the SARS-CoV-2 Wuhan strain and all the variants of concern (VOCs) - Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants for their survivability and infectivity.

21 Jan 2022

Exploring the interactions between multiple respiratory viruses

A recent report explores the dynamics of viral interference between various respiratory viruses in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

19 Jan 2022

SARS-CoV-2 interacts with heparan sulfate to activate the alternative pathway

A new study discusses the activation of the complement system to determine its role in COVID-19-related deaths.

17 Jan 2022

Researchers engineer enucleated cells to deliver therapeutics precisely to diseased tissues

Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine and Moores Cancer Center at UC San Diego Health report successfully removing the nucleus out of a type of ubiquitous cell, known as enucleation, then using the genetically engineered cell as a unique cargo-carrier to deliver therapeutics precisely to diseased tissues.

17 Jan 2022

Topical antiseptic Acriflavine inhibits SARS-CoV-2 and other betacoronaviruses

A new study, published in the journal Cell Chemical Biology, has reported the discovery of acriflavine (ACF), an effective inhibitor of SARS-CoV-2. This drug is a mixture of trypaflavines (3,6-diamino-10-methylacridinium chloride and 3,6-diamino-3-methylacridinium chloride) and proflavine (3,6-diaminoacridine).

16 Jan 2022

Virus-like particles as delivery vehicles for gene-editing

Scientists deliver gene-editing proteins through the use of engineered virus-like particles, which mediated efficient base editing both in vitro and in vivo.

13 Jan 2022

The impact of Comirnaty vaccination on the levels of PEG specific antibodies

Researchers observe an increase in PEG antibodies following vaccination with the SARS-CoV-2 mRNA lipid nanoparticle vaccine.

12 Jan 2022

A common cold may boost the immune system against COVID-19

A recent groundbreaking research paper published in the journal Nature Communications reveals the association of circulating SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells at exposure with lack of infection – implying the protective role for cross-reactive immune T cells in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and opening the door for second-generation vaccines that could circumvent spike-antibody immune escape variants.

11 Jan 2022

Withdrawing steroid treatment found to boost SARS-CoV-2 vaccine-induced immunity in kidney transplant recipients

In a new study, a team of researchers investigated the impact of the fourth dose of a vaccine against COVID-19 in kidney transplant recipients, who had not mounted a humoral immune response to three doses of vaccine.