Immunology News and Research

Latest Immunology News and Research

Researchers explore pathways linking infant antibiotic use to childhood asthma

The use of antibiotics in the first year of life has been found to be a risk factor for the development of childhood asthma.

19 Nov 2024

New clinical trial offers hope for patients with rare immune disease IgG4-RD

A team led by Mass General Brigham researchers demonstrated that inebilizumab reduced the risk of symptoms by 87% in patients with the rare affliction known as immunoglobulin G4–related disease (IgG4-RD)

18 Nov 2024

Zinc deficiency linked to increased risk of lung infection

Dietary zinc deficiency promotes lung infection by Acinetobacter baumannii bacteria - a leading cause of ventilator-associated pneumonia, according to a new study published Nov. 15 in the journal Nature Microbiology.

15 Nov 2024

Research sheds light on Salmonella’s ability to escape gut defenses

A new UC Davis Health study has uncovered how Salmonella bacteria, a major cause of food poisoning, can invade the gut even when protective bacteria are present.

15 Nov 2024

Rare STAT6 gene variant provides protection against severe asthma

Scientists at deCODE genetics, a subsidiary of Amgen, and collaborators have published a study in Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology reporting a rare missense variant in STAT6 that protects against asthma.

15 Nov 2024

Customizable biological sensors activate cancer immunotherapy only in tumor environments

Most cancer treatments – from chemotherapies to engineered immune cells – have a host of side effects, in large part because they affect healthy cells in the body at the same time as targeting tumor cells.

15 Nov 2024

Study finds artemisinin resistance in African children with severe malaria

Mutations in malarial parasites linked to artemisinin-resistance in Southeast Asia have now been found in African children hospitalised for complicated malaria, according to a new study presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene (ASTMH).

15 Nov 2024

Study focuses on COPD progression in younger populations

Researchers are exploring how small airway abnormalities in younger smokers could help identify who is at risk of developing COPD and establish how the chronic lung disease progresses, according to a new article.

15 Nov 2024

Phase 3 study finds inebilizumab effective for immunoglobulin G4–related disease

An international, phase 3 clinical trial led by investigators at Mass General Brigham could improve the treatment of a rare disease that can cause debilitating symptoms.

14 Nov 2024

Leveraging genetic variations for more effective cancer therapies

By exploiting the genetic variation in cancer cells, an already approved cancer drug demonstrated enhanced effects against cancer cells in specific patient groups.

14 Nov 2024

Study finds weakness in drug-resistant tuberculosis pathogens

A University of Otago-led study has found highly vulnerable weakness in drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis, offering a new way to kill them.

13 Nov 2024

Georgia Tech researchers create lab-grown models of human immune systems

To better understand why some cancer patients struggle to fight off infections, Georgia Tech researchers have created tiny lab-grown models of human immune systems.

12 Nov 2024

New approach reinvigorates exhausted T cells to improve tumor control

As cancer cells grow, they pump out metabolic byproducts such as lactic acid into the tumor microenvironment. Exhausted T cells - which have lost their cancer-fighting oomph - consume this lactic acid, which further saps their energy, according to new research from the University of Pittsburgh and UPMC Hillman Cancer Center.

8 Nov 2024

MD Anderson launches new institute for advancing cell therapy

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center today announced the launch of its Institute for Cell Therapy Discovery & Innovation, which will build upon longstanding MD Anderson clinical and research expertise to lead the world in developing and advancing impactful cell therapies for patients in need.

8 Nov 2024

Researchers uncover metabolic blockade that impedes cancer treatment response

The immune system is a major target for cancer treatments. Immune checkpoint inhibitors and CAR-T cell therapy can dramatically improve outcomes for many cancers. But for about 70% of patients, these therapies don't work.

8 Nov 2024

SARS-CoV-2 hijacks host proteins to escape immune clearance

Researchers at the Medical University of Vienna and the Medical University of Innsbruck discovered that SARS-CoV-2 hijacks three important host proteins that dampen the activity of the complement system, a key component of early antiviral immunity.

8 Nov 2024

Preeclampsia and COVID-19 share pathophysiological similarities in pregnant women

During the COVID-19 pandemic, above all before vaccines were available, an alarm was sounded regarding a possible correlation between severe cases of COVID-19 in pregnant women and preeclampsia, a condition characterized by high blood pressure (hypertension) in the expectant mother and high levels of protein in her urine (proteinuria). It can entail dangerous complications for mother and baby.

7 Nov 2024