Immunosuppression News and Research

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Immunosuppression involves an act that reduces the activation or efficacy of the immune system. Some portions of the immune system itself have immuno-suppressive effects on other parts of the immune system, and immunosuppression may occur as an adverse reaction to treatment of other conditions.

New subtype of bladder cancer shares molecular signatures with breast cancer

Bladder cancer is the fourth most common cancer among men in the United States. While low-grade tumors have a very favorable prognosis, muscle-invasive and metastatic tumors have poorer survival rates.

17 Mar 2016

Biomarkers may provide novel approaches to monitoring immunosuppressive therapy in organ transplant patients

Recently discovered biomarkers may provide valuable new approaches to monitoring immunosuppressive drug therapy in organ transplant recipients--with the potential for individualized therapy to reduce organ rejection and minimize side effects, according to a special article in the April issue of Therapeutic Drug Monitoring, official journal of the International Association of Therapeutic Drug Monitoring and Clinical Toxicology.

17 Mar 2016

Many kidney transplant patients may benefit from lower-than-standard dose of CNIs

The kidney is the most commonly transplanted organ in the United States, with more than 17,000 transplants performed each year. Following kidney transplant, patients are routinely placed on a regimen of immunosuppressant medications to prevent organ rejection, which often includes calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs) as the backbone medication of this regimen.

16 Mar 2016

Elsevier launches new open access journal: Transplantation Reports

Elsevier, a world-leading provider of scientific, technical, and medical information products and services today announces the launch of Transplantation Reports, a new online-only open access journal covering all areas of transplantation.

12 Feb 2016

Using acidity to detect cancer

Normally, tissues demonstrate a slightly acidic intracellular pH (pHi) and slightly alkaline extracellular pH (pHe). However, proliferating tissues demonstrate transient pH Gradient Reversal i.e. alkalinization of pHi and acidification of pHe.

26 Jan 2016

Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae: an interview with Dr. Michael Dudley

Enterobacteriaceae refer to the family of bacteria such as E. coli and Klebsiella that are bacterial pathogens most frequently associated with hospital-acquired infections

25 Jan 2016

AGA issues six new clinical practice guidelines

In 2015, the American Gastroenterological Association issued six clinical practice guidelines, all published in AGA's official journal Gastroenterology, offering current, evidence-based point-of-care recommendations to guide physicians at the bedside.

17 Dec 2015

Researchers partner to help personalize cancer care

Researchers at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry are partnering with a private company to develop computer simulations that can help personalize cancer care by predicting how a patient will respond to a drug treatment.

7 Dec 2015

Six-month markers predict long-term cGVHD outcomes

Researchers have identified measures early in the course of chronic graft-versus-host disease that predict long-term prognosis in haematopoietic cell transplantation recipients.

27 Nov 2015

Risk of developing visceral leishmaniasis much higher in transplant patients

Researchers from Spain have analysed the prevalence of leishmaniasis among the population of organ transplant recipients. The findings of this study, published in the journal 'PLoS Neglected Tropical Disease', confirm that the risk of developing visceral leishmaniasis ‑the most severe form of the disease which can pose life-threatening complications‑ is more than one hundred times greater in transplant patients living in areas of disease outbreak.

25 Nov 2015

Asterias’ Phase 1/2a study evaluates dose escalation of AST-OPC1 for cervical spinal cord injury

Asterias Biotherapeutics, Inc. (NYSE MKT: AST), a biotechnology company focused on the emerging field of regenerative medicine, today announced that its Data Monitoring Committee has reviewed the initial safety data from all three patients in the first cohort and has recommended dose escalation to the second cohort.

20 Oct 2015

Antibiotic resistance potentially threatens the safety and efficacy of surgical procedures and immunosuppression therapies

This week The Lancet Infectious Diseases journal published the strongest evidence to date that increasing antibiotic resistance could have disastrous consequences for patients undergoing surgery or cancer chemotherapy. Based on a review of published literature, researchers predict that a 30% reduction in the efficacy of the prophylactic antibiotics routinely given when these procedures are performed could result in 120,000 more infections and 6300 infection-related deaths every year in the USA alone.

16 Oct 2015

Study suggests combination of MMF and CNIs can protect against rare lymphoma

16 Oct 2015

Researchers link organ transplant drug to rise in rare lymphoma

A study led by Johns Hopkins researchers has linked the immunosuppressive drug mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) to an increased risk of central nervous system (CNS) lymphoma in solid organ transplant patients. But the same study also found that another class of immunosuppressive drugs, called calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs), given alone or in combination with MMF, appears to protect transplant patients against this rare form of lymphoma.

15 Oct 2015

Skin cancer rates higher among gay and bisexual men, UCSF-led study finds

Gay and bisexual men were up to six times more likely than heterosexual men to take part in indoor tanning, and twice as likely to report a history of skin cancer, including nonmelanoma and melanoma, according to a study led by UC San Francisco researchers.

8 Oct 2015

Influenza-related pneumonia hospitalizations could be prevented through influenza vaccination

More than half of hospitalizations due to influenza pneumonia could be prevented by influenza vaccination, according to a study led by investigators at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, published this week in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

7 Oct 2015

Novel portable device counts white blood cells in real time

A novel way to count white blood cells without a blood test, simply by applying a small device on the fingertip, is being developed by a team of young bioengineers. The technology, that combines an optical sensor with algorithms, has already three prototypes on the go and is specially designed to be used on chemotherapy patients, who could know their immune system levels in real time. It could also serve to detect serious infections.

30 Sep 2015

Researchers extend innovative research towards a cure for type I diabetes

Associate Professor Shane Grey, of Sydney's Garvan Institute of Medical Research, together with collaborators from the Westmead Millennium Institute for Medical Research and the Children's Hospital at Westmead, have been awarded $3.3 million to extend their innovative research towards a cure for type I diabetes.

23 Sep 2015

Ex-vivo lung perfusion technique can reduce risk of transplant rejection

University of Manchester researchers have used a new technique to recondition poorly functioning lungs and remove donor white blood cells in an attempt to increase the number of lungs available for transplant, and at the same time reduce the risk of acute rejection.

15 Sep 2015

Better treatment could be on the horizon for Myasthenia Gravis

Myasthenia Gravis (MG) is a debilitating and potentially deadly disease that can afflict anyone, characterized by severe muscle weakness, affecting control of facial expressions, arm and leg movements, chewing, swallowing, coughing and breathing. There is no cure, only treatment.

14 Sep 2015