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Texas Biomedical Research Institute tests promising new treatment for HBV infection

Research at the Southwest National Primate Research Center on the campus of Texas Biomedical Research Institute helped advance a new treatment now in human trials for chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection.

7 Nov 2017

Scientists better understand how rabies virus induces drastic changes in behavior

Scientists may finally understand how the rabies virus can drastically change its host's behavior to help spread the disease, which kills about 59,000 people annually.

11 Oct 2017

Component of fire ant venom shows promise as a psoriasis treatment

In a new study involving laboratory mice, researchers have found that solenopsin and similar compounds could be beneficial for psoriasis.

11 Sep 2017

Compounds derived from fire ant venom could lead to new anti-psoriasis therapy

Compounds derived from fire ant venom can reduce skin thickening and inflammation in a mouse model of psoriasis, Emory and Case Western scientists have shown.

11 Sep 2017

Ants can adapt their chemical profile over short evolutionary periods, say biologists

The bodies of ants and other insects are covered with a thin, wax-like layer that protects them from desiccation and enables them to exchange information, in social insects, for instance, to differentiate between enemies and nestmates.

14 Aug 2017

LSTM awarded £11 million by NIHR to establish new research unit and groups

LSTM has been awarded £11 million by the National Institute for Health Research as part of their latest UK-wide call for funding into Global Health Research Units.

14 Jul 2017

New scorpion-milking robot could replace traditional method to extract venom

A new scorpion-milking robot designed to extract venom could replace the traditional manual method. Scorpion venom is used in medical applications such as immunosuppressants, anti-malarial drugs and cancer research, but the extraction process can be potentially life-threatening.

3 Jul 2017

Insect venom shortage stings allergy sufferers this summer

As summer begins, signaling peak time for insect stings, allergists across the U.S. are warning of a shortage of a little-known but crucial product — honeybee, hornet and wasp venom extracts used in shots that prevent life-threatening reactions.

29 Jun 2017

Wasp venom provides clues to how genes take on new functions

Amid the incredible diversity of living things on our planet, there is a common theme. Organisms need to acquire new genes, or change the functions of existing genes, in order to adapt and survive.

22 Jun 2017

Australian scientists discover link between exhausted immune system and IBS

AUSTRALIAN scientists have discovered that exhausted immune cells point to a specific type of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

20 Jun 2017

UAB emergency medicine physician offers tips to deal with snakebite

Allison Davis never saw the snake. The Mountain Brook, Alabama, elementary school teacher was pulling weeds from a planter on her deck when she felt a sharp stab of pain in her left hand.

9 Jun 2017

New breakthrough offers hope for allergy sufferers

Scientists from The University of Queensland believe they have discovered a single treatment that could be a life-long cure for potentially fatal allergies such as asthma.

5 Jun 2017

Gene therapy could give protection from severe allergies

A single treatment giving life-long protection from severe allergies such as asthma could be made possible by immunology research at The University of Queensland.

2 Jun 2017

Major allergens strongly underrepresented in some immunotherapy against bee stings

Summer is approaching, and for many allergy sufferers this means it is time to start fearing bee stings. "Allergic reactions to insect venoms are potentially life-threatening, and constitute one of the most severe hypersensitivity reactions," explains PD Dr. Simon Blank, research group leader at the Center of Allergy & Environment, a joint undertaking by the Helmholtz Zentrum München and the TUM.

17 May 2017

Penn study sheds new light on mysterious powers of spider silk genes

They can be stronger than steel at a mere fraction of weight, and also can be tougher and more flexible. Spider silks also tend not to provoke the human immune system. Some even inhibit bacteria and fungi, making them potentially ideal for surgery and medical device applications.

2 May 2017

Tiny silica 'cages' could help store and transport vaccines without refrigeration

Vaccines and antibodies could be transported and stored without refrigeration by capturing them in tiny silica 'cages', a discovery which could make getting vital medicines to remote or dangerous places much easier, cheaper and safer.

24 Apr 2017

Study may provide useful insights for protecting against snake venom toxicity

New research may be useful for protecting against the toxic effects of snake venom. Investigators have identified the specific protein that's targeted by snake venom and causes cells to detach from each other and induce internal bleeding.

20 Apr 2017

Medical complications of brown recluse spider bites can be severe in children

Medical complications of brown recluse spider bites are uncommon but they can be severe, particularly in children, researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center reported today.

19 Apr 2017

UCI chemists develop cheap, effective way to neutralize deadly snake venom

Chemists at the University of California, Irvine have developed a way to neutralize deadly snake venom more cheaply and effectively than with traditional anti-venom -- an innovation that could spare millions of people the loss of life or limbs each year.

7 Mar 2017

Compound from snail's venom may offer alternative to opioids for pain relief

A tiny snail may offer an alternative to opioids for pain relief. Scientists at the University of Utah have found a compound that blocks pain by targeting a pathway not associated with opioids.

21 Feb 2017