LJI welcomes new faculty member Miguel Reina-Campos, Ph.D.

Cancer researcher Miguel Reina-Campos, Ph.D., has joined the faculty of La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) as an Assistant Professor to lead the Laboratory of Tissue Immune Networks. His laboratory at LJI aims to investigate the basis of CD8+ T cell tissue immunity to improve life-saving cancer immunotherapies.

Five Cutting-edge Advances in Biomedical Engineering and Their Applications in Medicine

Bridging precision engineering and precision medicine to create personalized physiology avatars. Pursuing on-demand tissue and organ engineering for human health. Revolutionizing neuroscience by using AI to engineer advanced brain interface systems. Engineering the immune system for health and wellness. Designing and engineering genomes for organism repurposing and genomic perturbations.

Army of specialized T cells may trigger asthma attacks in older men

LA JOLLA, CA—Scientists from La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) and The University of Southampton, UK, have uncovered a group of immune cells that may drive severe asthma. These cells, called cytotoxic CD4+ tissue-resident memory T cells, gather in the lungs and appear to possess the molecular weaponry to cause the most harm in men who developed asthma later in life.

Long COVID patients show distinct immune, hormone responses to virus

People suffering from long COVID symptoms show different immune and hormonal responses to the virus that causes COVID-19, according to a new study led by researchers at Yale School of Medicine. An estimated 7.5% of people infected with the SARS-CoV-2…

Researchers find potential way to tweak immune system to help it fight tuberculosis

Tuberculosis is old—ancient even. The infectious bacterial disease that plagued Old Testament Israelites and took down pharaohs was eventually stunted by vaccinations, antibiotics, and public health measures like isolation, but it hasn’t been cured yet. More than a million people around the world still die from TB every year.

Dr. Jaime Avila shares back-to-school tips that parents should know.

Jaime Avila, MD, at Baylor Scott & White McLane Children’s Medical Center, answers common patient questions and reacts to the latest medical research What can parents do to help ease back-to-school anxiety? (SOT@ :14, TRT :51) Some kids may not…

‘Tipping The Balance’ Of Immune Cells from Bad to Good Reverses Multiple Sclerosis Symptoms in Mice

According to the federal government’s National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, nearly 3 million people worldwide — with almost a third in the United States — are living with multiple sclerosis (MS), a disabling neurological disease in which the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks nerves feeding information to the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord). Although rarely fatal, MS can lead to long-term disabilities, and impair movement, muscle control, vision and cognition.

CHOP-led Study Identifies Two Different Regulatory T Cell Populations

A regulatory class of human T cells descends from two different origins, one that relates to autoimmunity and one that relates to protective immunity, according to a new study led by Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). The findings, published today in Science Immunology, could pave the way for new treatments for autoimmune diseases that target the immune system selectively.

20-Year Study May Upend Long-Held Theory About Chromosomes and Cancer

Johns Hopkins Medicine scientists say their 20-year study of more than 200 people with premature aging syndromes caused by abnormally short telomeres, or shortened repetitive DNA sequences at the ends of chromosomes, may upend long-held scientific dogma and settle conflicting studies about how and whether short telomeres contribute to cancer risk.

Chronic Alcohol Use May Increase Risk for SARS-CoV2 Infection, Study Suggests

A newly published animal study found that chronic alcohol consumption may create conditions in the body that can facilitate infection by SARS-CoV2, the virus that causes COVID-19 disease. The study, published in Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research, found that chronic alcohol use increased the levels of an enzyme that helps the virus enter the cells and, therefore, may increase the risk for COVID-19.

CUVET Successfully Developed the First Stem Cell Transplantation Technology to Treat Pet Diabetes

For the first time in Thailand, a research team from Chula’s Faculty of Veterinary Science (CUVET) is the first to have successfully developed a method to culture dog pancreatic cells from stem cells and cell transplantation technology. They aim to test the method in the lab and sick animals suffering from diabetes.

American Lung Association to Study New Treatment Approach for Lung Cancer

Sean P. Pitroda, MD, Assistant Professor of Radiation and Cellular Oncology at the University of Chicago, has received a Lung Cancer Discovery Award and been selected to join the American Lung Association Research Team for his work to improve treatment response in patients with metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (mNSCLC).

LJI Instructor Annie Elong Ngono, Ph.D., wins GVN support to advance infectious disease research

LJI Instructor Annie Elong Ngono, Ph.D., has spearheaded important studies into the immune response to deadly pathogens such as dengue virus. Now, this dedication to global health and virology has earned her acceptance to the Global Virus Network’s (GVN) highly selective Rising Star Mentorship Program.