Immunology News and Research

Latest Immunology News and Research

Researchers uncover new way to enhance function of immune cells to combat multiple myeloma

Researchers from Belgium led by Prof. Dirk Elewaut of the VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research and the team of Prof. Vanderkerken and Prof. Menu at the Hematology and Immunology lab of the VUB uncovered a new way to enhance the function of a specific type of immune cell that destroys tumors in multiple myeloma, a form of bone marrow cancer considered incurable.

1 Jun 2017

Food allergies: Understanding the causes and magnitude of the problem

Did you know 3.6% of the population has a documented food allergy and the most vulnerable population are females and Asians? This is what researchers have found trying to delve deeper into understanding food allergies.

1 Jun 2017

Brain's immune cells may play roles in neurodegenerative, psychiatric illnesses

Scientists have, for the first time, characterized the molecular markers that make the brain's front lines of immune defense--cells called microglia--unique.

31 May 2017

MGH scientists show how Shigella survives journey from mouth to the colon

Surviving the treacherous journey through the human body from the mouth to the colon takes a special kind of bacterial pathogen.

31 May 2017

New study documents prevalence of food allergies

Anecdotal evidence of food allergies abounds, but just how common are these allergies and intolerances? In a new study, investigators from Brigham and Women's Hospital combed through medical records from more than 2.7 million patients, identifying more than 97,000 with one or more documented food allergy or intolerance.

31 May 2017

Study finds epigenetic changes in women consuming tea

Epigenetic changes are chemical modifications that turn our genes off or on. In a new study from Uppsala University, researchers show that tea consumption in women leads to epigenetic changes in genes that are known to interact with cancer and estrogen metabolism.

31 May 2017

Scientists could be one step closer to developing vaccines against viruses

Scientists could be one step closer to developing vaccines against viruses such as Zika, West Nile or HIV, according to Penn State College of Medicine researchers.

31 May 2017

Scripps scientists make important advance in HIV vaccine design

Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have made another important advance in HIV vaccine design. The development was possible thanks to previous studies at TSRI showing the structures of a protein on HIV’s surface, called the envelope glycoprotein. The scientists used these structures to design a mimic of the viral protein from a different HIV subtype, subtype C, which is responsible for the majority of infections worldwide.

29 May 2017

Vitamin D supplements in pregnancy could help protect children against asthma

A new study published today in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology has found that taking Vitamin D supplements in pregnancy can positively modify the immune system of the newborn baby, which could help to protect against asthma and respiratory infections, a known risk factor for developing asthma in childhood.

26 May 2017

Scientists discover receptor protein that promotes chronic heart failure

Researchers in Japan have identified a receptor protein on the surface of heart cells that promotes chronic heart failure.

26 May 2017

Swiss scientists create artificial viruses to combat cancer cells

Swiss scientists from the University of Geneva, Switzerland, and the University of Basel have created artificial viruses that can be used to target cancer.

26 May 2017

Summer season offers increased opportunities for parasite infestations, says researcher

Memorial Day weekend – the traditional kick-off to the summer season – offers increased opportunities for parasite infestations, says an Indiana University School of Medicine researcher.

25 May 2017

Leica introduces new DMi8 S solution for fast, versatile microscopic imaging of living cells

Leica introduces the DMi8 S, a new complete solution designed to give researchers the ultimate tool for fast, versatile microscopic imaging of living cells allowing scientists to find, observe and interact with living cells like never before.

From Leica Microsystems GmbH 25 May 2017

Study establishes link between sedentary lifestyle and kidney, bladder cancer risk

A new study led by researchers at Roswell Park Cancer Institute establishes a connection between a sedentary lifestyle and risk of developing kidney or bladder cancer.

24 May 2017

Seattle Children’s opens first clinical trial to study IBD and GVHD in pediatric patients

In an effort to find new strategies to personalize treatment for pediatric patients, Seattle Children's has opened the first clinical trial applying next-generation T-cell receptor sequencing and single-cell gene expression analysis to better understand how the immune system drives both inflammatory bowel disease in pediatric autoimmunity patients and graft-versus host disease in pediatric bone marrow transplant patients.

From 10x Genomics, Inc. 23 May 2017

Study: Abnormal proteins in Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Huntington's diseases share similar feature

A Loyola University Chicago study has found that abnormal proteins found in Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and Huntington's disease all share a similar ability to cause damage when they invade brain cells.

23 May 2017

Scientists report promising approach to combat influenza and improve survival

The influenza virus turns infected lung cells into factories that churn out thousands of copies of the virus to spread the infection. St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists have reported a promising new approach that uses an investigational cancer drug to dial down viral production and dramatically increase survival of flu-infected mice.

23 May 2017

Study describes novel T cell population that recognizes and kills tumor cells

Scientists at the University of Basel in Switzerland have, for the first time, described a new T cell population that can recognize and kill tumor cells. The open access journal eLife has published the results.

23 May 2017

Experimental treatment tempers HLH, MS symptoms in mouse models, study shows

Immune diseases like multiple sclerosis and hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis unleash destructive waves of inflammation on the body, causing death or a lifetime of illness and physical impairment.

23 May 2017

Cancer drug may help treat food allergies

A cancer drug for patients with certain types of leukemia and lymphoma can also prevent reactions to some of the most common airborne allergies, according to a recent Northwestern Medicine study. The promising data from this pilot study could have greater implications for adults with food allergies.

22 May 2017