immunity News and Research

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Scientists identify breakthrough cases of SARS-CoV-2’s delta variant in fully vaccinated individuals

In a recent study conducted at the Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, USA, scientists have identified six vaccine breakthrough cases caused by the delta variant of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

5 Jul 2021

Varenicline blocks SARS-CoV-2 infection in cells and animal models

A new paper released on the bioRxiv* preprint server suggests that the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nACHR) agonist, varenicline tartrate, has antiviral activity against the virus.

5 Jul 2021

Exposure to beneficial microorganisms is not affected by targeted hygiene or cleaning

The theory that modern society is too clean, leading to defective immune systems in children, should be swept under the carpet, according to a new study by researchers at UCL and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.

5 Jul 2021

Scientists identify natural SARS-CoV-2 super immunity against 23 variants

The antibodies are capable of neutralizing a wide range of SARS-CoV-2 variants even at sub-nanomolar concentrations. In addition, the combinations of these antibodies reduce the risk of generating escape mutants in vitro. The study is published in the journal Science.

5 Jul 2021

Rapid quantification of SARS-CoV-2 Spike-specific T cells by direct peptide stimulation of whole peripheral blood

To understand both the correlates of protection induced by vaccinations and the necessary immune responses to manage the COVID-19, researchers from Singapore used an alternative method to closely evaluate the kinetics and magnitude of specific T cell responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Their work was posted to the bioRxiv* preprint server while awaiting peer review.

5 Jul 2021

Janssens’ COVID-19 vaccine effective against SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant

Researchers in the Netherlands have conducted a study showing that Janssen’s Ad26.COV2.S coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) vaccine was effective against variants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) among eight individuals.

4 Jul 2021

COVID-19 vaccination induces highly variable immunity among the immunocompromised

Researchers in the United States have conducted a study showing that the humoral (antibody) immunity induced by vaccination against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) – the agent that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) – varies significantly among immunocompromised individuals.

4 Jul 2021

UCLA professor honored for contributions to the field of hematology

Dr. Elizabeta Nemeth, professor of medicine and director of the Center for Iron Disorders at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, has been awarded the 2021 William Dameshek Prize by the American Society of Hematology (ASH) for her contributions to the field of hematology.

2 Jul 2021

Structure-guided T cell vaccine design could offer broad protection SARS-CoV-2 variants

Gaurav Gaiha, MD, DPhil, a member of the Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, studies HIV, one of the fastest-mutating viruses known to humankind.

2 Jul 2021

Salivary markers of oxidative stress during severe COVID-19

An interesting study from researchers at the University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, presents evidence that an elevated level of expression of oxidant molecules may be correlated with severe infection and lung injury.

2 Jul 2021

B cell depleting agents can cause altered immune responses to COVID-19 vaccines, suggests study

A new preprint, available on the medRxiv* server, describes altered responses to the use of the highly effective messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines from Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna in patients with multiple sclerosis on anti-CD20 (MS-aCD20) monotherapy.

2 Jul 2021

What role did the SARS-CoV-2 delta variant play in India’s devastating second wave?

A detailed report, available on the preprint server medRxiv*, describes the various facets of the second wave that set it apart from the first. The report also contains the findings of an extended SIR model that explored the potential effects of intervention at various time points in the second wave.

2 Jul 2021

Replication of SARS-CoV-2 in nasal ciliated cells could provide a new vaccination target

Researchers have found that nasal ciliated cells are targeted at the onset of COVID-19 infection, which may help to establish nasal mucosal immunity.

2 Jul 2021

New PET imaging method tracks immunotherapeutic efficacy in mouse models

Several cancer tumors grow through immunosuppression; that is, they manipulate biological systems in their microenvironments and signal to a specific set of immune cells--those that clear out aberrant cells--to stop acting. It is no wonder that immunotherapy designed to re-establish anti-tumor immunity is rapidly becoming the treatment of choice for these cancers.

2 Jul 2021

Immunity to SARS-CoV-2 could last longer than originally believed

One year after infection by SARS-CoV-2, most people maintain anti-Spike antibodies regardless of the severity of their symptoms, according to a study with healthcare workers co-led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), the Catalan Health Institute (ICS) and the Jordi Gol Institute (IDIAP JG), with the collaboration of the Daniel Bravo Andreu Private Foundation.

2 Jul 2021

Vaccines grown in eggs can lead to an off-target antibody response

Over years of studying antibody responses against the flu in the Wilson lab at the University of Chicago, researchers kept coming up with a strange finding: antibodies that seemed to bind not only to the flu virus but to every virus the lab could throw at them.

2 Jul 2021

Research associates prior encounter with seasonal coronavirus to milder COVID-19 symptoms

A study by Stanford University School of Medicine investigators hints that people with COVID-19 may experience milder symptoms if certain cells of their immune systems "remember" previous encounters with seasonal coronaviruses -- the ones that cause about a quarter of the common colds kids get.

2 Jul 2021

Engineered T cells prevent translational shutdown in SARS-CoV-2 infected cells

In a paper recently uploaded to the preprint server bioRxiv* by Schamel et al. (June 25th, 2021) engineered T cells against SARS-CoV-2 are tested against a range of cells in vitro, finding that the treatment could be used to restore cellular immune function and suppress SARS-CoV-2.

1 Jul 2021

Study highlights the importance of T cell cross reactivity in stopping severe COVID-19 infections

Researchers at La Jolla Institute for Immunology have found that T cells from people who have recovered from COVID-19 or received the Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines are still able to recognize several concerning SARS-CoV-2 variants.

1 Jul 2021

Scientists uncover features of T cells that distinguish fatal COVID-19 from non-fatal cases

While vaccines are doing a remarkable job of slowing the COVID-19 pandemic, infected people can still die from severe illness and new medications to treat them have been slow to arise.

1 Jul 2021

immunity News and Research

Scientists identify breakthrough cases of SARS-CoV-2’s delta variant in fully vaccinated individuals

Varenicline blocks SARS-CoV-2 infection in cells and animal models

Exposure to beneficial microorganisms is not affected by targeted hygiene or cleaning

Scientists identify natural SARS-CoV-2 super immunity against 23 variants

Rapid quantification of SARS-CoV-2 Spike-specific T cells by direct peptide stimulation of whole peripheral blood

Janssens’ COVID-19 vaccine effective against SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant

COVID-19 vaccination induces highly variable immunity among the immunocompromised

UCLA professor honored for contributions to the field of hematology

Structure-guided T cell vaccine design could offer broad protection SARS-CoV-2 variants

Salivary markers of oxidative stress during severe COVID-19

B cell depleting agents can cause altered immune responses to COVID-19 vaccines, suggests study

What role did the SARS-CoV-2 delta variant play in India’s devastating second wave?

Replication of SARS-CoV-2 in nasal ciliated cells could provide a new vaccination target

New PET imaging method tracks immunotherapeutic efficacy in mouse models

Immunity to SARS-CoV-2 could last longer than originally believed

Vaccines grown in eggs can lead to an off-target antibody response

Research associates prior encounter with seasonal coronavirus to milder COVID-19 symptoms

Engineered T cells prevent translational shutdown in SARS-CoV-2 infected cells

Study highlights the importance of T cell cross reactivity in stopping severe COVID-19 infections

Scientists uncover features of T cells that distinguish fatal COVID-19 from non-fatal cases

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

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