Vaccine News and Research

Latest Vaccine News and Research

Memory B cells indicate durable immunity in COVID-19

Now a new study by researchers at SUNY Upstate Medical University and published recently on the preprint server medRxiv in September 2020 shows that memory B cells are upregulated in convalescent COVID-19 patients, correlating with a better immune response and shorter symptom duration.

8 Sep 2020

Scientists develop a rapid, reliable and low-cost COVID-19 antibody test

Robust and widespread antibody testing has emerged as a key strategy in the fight against SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic.

8 Sep 2020

Tel Aviv University receives philanthropic grant from 3M for COVID-19 vaccine research

Science-based technology company 3M has awarded a significant philanthropic research grant of $400,000 to the Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research at Tel Aviv University to advance scientific knowledge in the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

8 Sep 2020

With schools starting online, vaccinations head for recess

As co-director of school-based health centers at Bassett Healthcare Network, the pediatrician oversees about 21 school-based health clinics across the region — a poor, rural area known for manufacturing and crippled by the opioid epidemic.

8 Sep 2020

Study finds strong T cell responses in patients recovered from COVID-19

Oxford University researchers have found that natural infection with COVID-19 produces a robust T cell response, including inducing T cell ‘memory’ to potentially fight future infections.

8 Sep 2020

Scientists describe various dynamic structures of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein

Early in the pandemic, scientists uncovered the role of the ACE2 receptor in SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike protein and the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptors act as a lock and key for cell infection.

7 Sep 2020

Consortium compiles recommendations for measuring HIV reservoir size in cure-directed studies

Spearheaded by scientists at The Wistar Institute, top worldwide HIV researchers from the BEAT-HIV Martin Delaney Collaboratory to Cure HIV-1 Infection by Combination Immunotherapy compiled the first comprehensive set of recommendations on how to best measure the size of persistent HIV reservoirs during cure-directed clinical studies.

7 Sep 2020

Important research on SARS-CoV-2 proteins using proximity labeling

A team of Canadian scientists has recently discovered a wide-range interaction between severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and host proteins using proximity-dependent biotinylation approaches.

7 Sep 2020

Novel RNA vaccine from Arcturus Therapeutics protects mice against SARS-CoV-2

A new study published on the preprint server bioRxiv in September 2020 reports a novel RNA vaccine platform that shows robust protection against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in mice and performs much better than a conventional mRNA vaccine. This could allow single-dose immunization, allowing progress towards global vaccination.

6 Sep 2020

Seasonal influenza and COVID-19 risk

In a new study published on the preprint server medRxiv, researchers from Laval University and McGill University in Canada reviewed evidence from 18 relevant studies on a possible interaction between influenza vaccines on non-influenza respiratory disease (NIRD).

6 Sep 2020

Study shows SARS-CoV-2 cell receptor is a novel target of the gamma-secretase enzyme complex

Based on structural similarities with other targets of the gamma-secretase system, researchers from Columbia University Irving Medical Center in the United States show that the SARS-CoV-2 receptor for cell entry may be affected by its proteolytic activity. Their results are currently freely available in a bioRxiv preprint paper.

6 Sep 2020

Antibody responses against seasonal common cold coronaviruses may protect against SARS-CoV-2

With the use of an accurate high throughput assay, researchers from the Weizmann Institute of Science and Magen David Adom Blood Services in Israel showed substantial inter-individual variability and antibody cross-reactivity against seasonal coronaviruses upon SARS-CoV-2 infection, with important implications for immune surveys and vaccines. The study is currently available on the medRxiv* preprint server.

6 Sep 2020

Early-phase Russian trials reveal safety and immunogenicity of two formulations of a two-part vaccine

Results from two early-phase Russian non-randomised vaccine trials (Sputnik V) in a total of 76 people are published today in The Lancet, finding that two formulations of a two-part vaccine have a good safety profile with no serious adverse events detected over 42 days, and induce antibody responses in all participants within 21 days.

5 Sep 2020

Extra priority should be given to worst-off countries in COVID-19 vaccine allocation, says expert

In contrast to WHO´s and other expert´s advice, the worst-off countries should be extra prioritised when it comes to COVID-19 vaccine allocation, according to Professor Ole Frithjof Norheim at the University of Bergen.

4 Sep 2020

Will Labor Day weekend bring another holiday COVID surge? Jury’s out.

Hopefully, summer won’t end the way it began. Memorial Day celebrations helped set off a wave of coronavirus infections across much of the South and West. Gatherings around the Fourth of July seemed to keep those hot spots aflame.

4 Sep 2020

As threat of valley fever grows beyond the Southwest, push is on for vaccine

One New Year's Day, Rob Purdie woke up with a headache that wouldn't quit. Vision problems, body aches and a slight fever followed. At the emergency room, the Bakersfield, California, resident was given antibiotics, which didn't touch his symptoms.

4 Sep 2020

In legislative shuffle, California prioritizes safety gear and sick leave during crisis

California lawmakers convened this year with big plans to tackle soaring health care costs, expand health insurance coverage and improve treatment for mental health and addiction.

4 Sep 2020

Spike-based priming leads to high neutralizing activity in animal models

A new report by researchers at the University of Melbourne and published on the preprint server bioRxiv in September 2020 reports on the use of a two-protein two-dose vaccine regimen and its immunogenicity in two animal models.

4 Sep 2020

D614G spike mutation increases infectivity of SARS-CoV-2 and neutralization susceptibility

As the COVID-19 pandemic progresses, it is crucial to track the viral changes in order to link the clinical and epidemiological features of the disease with these mutations. A new study published on the preprint server bioRxiv* in September 2020 reports on a common severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) mutation, D614G, and its effects on the virus.

4 Sep 2020

Research compares T cell responses to SARS-CoV-2 and influenza

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to grow, scientists are focusing on understanding how the host immune system responds to the virus in order to better shape public health responses and develop effective vaccines. A new study published on the preprint server medRxiv in September 2020 reports the T cell memory response to the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, recombinant nucleocapsid protein, and other pooled peptides derived from convalescent patients.

3 Sep 2020