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UrduYale School of Medicine immunobiologist Akiko Iwasaki, PhD, will receive the 2024 Nakaakira Tsukahara Memorial Award from the Brain Science Foundation of Japan.
Tag: Immunity
A gene mutation associated with a rare neurological disorder and increased susceptibility to viral infections may be treatable with oleic acid
A mutation in a protein regulating natural killer (NK) cells’ function is at the root of immune deficiency in some people with a rare genetic condition characterized by cognitive and developmental delay, seizures, and other manifestations. The findings also have broader implications for immunity and cell therapies.
Short On Time? A 15-minute Workout May Help Boost Your Immune System
Exercising at moderate intensity for just 15 minutes may be all that is needed to boost immunity by increasing levels of natural killer (NK) cells. Researchers will present their work this week at the American Physiology Summit in Long Beach, California.
Turbocharging CRISPR to Understand How the Immune System Fights Cancer
Harvard Medical School scientists develop new CRISPR-based tool to study the immune function of genes.
New gene-editing approach could optimize how scientists study the immune system’s role in cancer and other immune-mediated diseases.
Plant receptors that control immunity and development share a common origin
Plants are continuously evolving new immune receptors to ever-changing pathogens.
Joint IAFNS-USDA Webinar Series Tackles Gut Health, Immune Function
Collaborative webinars to focus on key scientific trends and findings related to gut microbiome and nutrition, and the interaction of diet, stress and immune function.
Distinct immune, hormone responses shed light on mysteries of long COVID
People who have experienced brain fog, confusion, pain, and extreme fatigue for months or longer after being infected with the COVID-19 virus exhibit different immune and hormonal responses to the virus than those not diagnosed with long COVID.
Immunity to COVID-19 reduces contagiousness
One in three people exposed to SARS-CoV2 is infected, and as many as two in five with the Omicron variant. In the case of immunity — conferred by vaccination, infection or a combination of the two — this rate drops to one in ten.
Immune cells move more independently than previously thought
Human immune cells are capable of coordinating their own movement more independently than previously thought.
Chula Faculty of Medicine Released Research Results that “Wang Nam Yen” Thai Herbal Tea Can Stimulate Lactation in Mothers after Childbirth Similar to Modern Medicine
Chula Faculty of Medicine, in collaboration with the Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine, has released the results of their research on “Wang Nam Yen” herbal tea formula to stimulate lactation in mothers after childbirth, especially those who have had a caesarean delivery, to solve their problem of scarce breast milk. The herbal tea yielded as good results as modern medicine. The team aims at expanding to commercial production and export.
Penn Research Provides Better Understanding into How Genes Make Us Prone To Allergies
New research is bolstering scientific understanding behind why some people are more prone to allergies than others. Researchers in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania identified how genetic differences that alter a specific protein called ETS1 can affect our body’s response to allergies. They found that small changes in ETS1 in an animal model can lead to an increased likelihood for allergic reactions that cause inflammation. The findings were published recently in Immunity.
A healthy microbiome may prevent deadly infections in critically ill people
Twenty to 50 per cent of all critically ill patients contract potentially deadly infections during their stay in the intensive care unit or in hospital after being in the ICU – markedly increasing the risk of death.
COVID vaccine induces robust T cell responses in blood cancer patients
Researchers found that, despite being heavily immunocompromised, haematology patients generate strong cellular immune responses against SARS-CoV-2 after vaccination, on par with that of healthy individuals.
Memory B cell marker predicts long-lived antibody response to flu vaccine
In a study published in the journal Immunity, researchers describe a distinct and novel subset of memory B cells that predict long-lived antibody responses to influenza vaccination in humans.
Paxlovid associated with lower risk of hospital admission
A Kaiser Permanente study confirms the benefit of nirmatrelvir-ritonavir, also known as Paxlovid, as an early-stage treatment to prevent hospitalization for people with mild to moderate COVID-19, regardless of prior immunity or age. The study was published March 15, 2023, in Lancet ID.
Too little sleep could make vaccination less effective
Sleeping fewer than six hours per night around the time of vaccination was associated with a robust decrease in antibody response, researchers found.
UC Davis study uncovers age-related brain differences in autistic individuals
Differences in genes involved in inflammation, immunity response and neural transmissions begin in childhood and evolve across the lifespan in brains of people with autism, a UC Davis MIND Institute has found.
Skipping Breakfast May Compromise the Immune System
Mount Sinai study shows fasting can trigger a negative effect on fighting infection on a cellular level in mouse models
Mechanisms Underlying Autoimmunity in Down Syndrome Revealed
Scientists at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York have identified which parts of the immune system go awry and contribute to autoimmune diseases in individuals with Down syndrome.
Review finds that vitamin D does not reduce risk of asthma attacks
Taking vitamin D supplements does not reduce the risk of asthma attacks in children or adults, according to an updated Cochrane review.
Mucosal antibodies in the airways provide durable protection against SARS-CoV-2
High levels of mucosal IgA antibodies in the airways protect against SARS-CoV-2 infection for at least eight months. Omicron infection generates durable mucosal antibodies, reducing the risk of re-infection.
First-line immune defences against COVID-19 are short-lived and may explain reinfection
A new study finds that antibodies produced in the nose decline nine months after COVID-19 infection, while antibodies found in the blood last at least a year.
Say Goodbye to Fish Vaccine Injection with “FLAVO INNOVAC” Nano Vaccine for Immersion : The Effective Solution for Prevention of Bacterial Gills Diseases in Fish caused by Flavobacterium spp.
A lecturer and his research team from Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, have developed “FLAVO INNOVAC” nanovaccine for the prevention of bacterial gills diseases in freshwater fish species such as Tilapia and freshwater Asian sea bass. This nanovaccine is an effective solution that reduces the risk of death from diseases and the limitations of vaccine injections.
Bacterial Bullseye
The study findings suggest possibilities for developing new drugs that replicate or build on A. muciniphila’s immuno-modulatory activity.
The work provides a model for using traditional techniques to pinpoint how other members of the gut microbiome act on the body.
Your body remembers common cold coronaviruses from childhood. How can you get the same immunity to COVID-19?
For a glimpse into the future of SARS-CoV-2 immunity, scientists at La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) are investigating how the immune system builds its defenses against common cold coronaviruses (CCCs).
Milk boost: Research shows how breastfeeding offers immune benefits
When infants breastfeed, they receive an immune boost that helps them fight off infectious diseases, according to recent research from Binghamton University, State University of New York.
Pineapple Jelly Probiotics Health Drink for Elderly Adults that Can Help Fix Farmers’ Problems
A team of researchers from Chula Faculty of Science in cooperation with the Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University has developed the “Jelly Nata Probiotics” jelly drink made from pineapple to benefit the mental wellbeing of the elderly, add value to pineapple while also solving the oversupply of pineapples.
COVID-19 vaccination activates antibodies targeting parts of virus spike protein shared between coronaviruses
Could the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine reawaken previous antibody responses and point the way to a universal coronavirus vaccine? A new analysis of the antibody response to a COVID-19 vaccine suggests the immune system’s history with other coronaviruses, including those behind the common cold, shapes the patient’s response, according to a recently published study published in Cell Reports.
Mount Sinai Researchers Develop a Rapid Test to Measure Immunity to COVID-19
Mount Sinai researchers have developed a rapid blood assay that measures the magnitude and duration of someone’s immunity to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. This test will allow large-scale monitoring of the population’s immunity and the effectiveness of current vaccines to help design revaccination strategies for vulnerable immunosuppressed individuals, according to a study published in Nature Biotechnology in June.
HKIAS Senior Fellow Professor George Fu Gao was elected Foreign Member of The Royal Society and conferred an honorary doctorate by the City University of Macau
Professor George Fu Gao, HKIAS Senior Fellow and the Director-General of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention in China, was recently elected a Foreign Member of the Royal Society for his contributions in the field of infection and immunity, particularly relating to emerging viral infections, have helped to improve our understanding of major threats to human health.
In Covid-19 Vaccinated People, Those with Prior Infection Likely to Have More Antibodies
In what is believed to be one of the largest studies of its kind, Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers have shown that antibody levels against SARS-CoV-2 (the COVID-19 virus) stay more durable — that is, remain higher over an extended period of time — in people who were infected by the virus and then received protection from two doses of messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine compared with those who only got immunized.
Florida Governor Makes Misleading Claim About COVID-19 Vaccine and Immunity
“These mandates, this is not about science,” the Republican governor said during a press conference in Alachua County. “Because if it was about science, you would recognize the infection conferred immunity.”
With Time and Without Masks, COVID-19 Vaccines Wane in Protection
A study measured effectiveness of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines among health workers, most notably during the emergence of delta virus variant and coincident with end of state’s mask mandate, finding protection waned over time, dropping sharply 6-8 months after full vaccination.
World-first COVID vaccine booster randomized clinical trial in transplant patients proves third shot is very effective
The study enrolled 120 transplant patients between May 25th and June 3rd. None of them had COVID previously and all of them had received two doses of the Moderna vaccine. Half of the participants received a third shot of the vaccine (at the 2-month mark after their second dose) and the other half received placebo.
The primary outcome was based on antibody level greater than 100 U/ml against the spike protein of the virus. In the placebo group – after three doses (where the third dose was placebo), the response rate was only 18% whereas in the Moderna three-dose group, the response rate was 55%.
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Researchers Identify Approach for Potential Nontypeable Haemophilus Influenzae Vaccine
Scientists at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) have identified two proteins that could be used for a potential vaccine against nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi). Working in a mouse model, the investigators found that administering two bacterial adhesive proteins that play a key role in helping the bacteria to latch on to respiratory cells and initiate respiratory tract infection stimulated protective immunity against diverse NTHi strains, highlighting the vaccine potential.
Research provides a roadmap to HIV eradication via stem cell therapy
A groundbreaking study found that stem cells reduce the amount of virus causing AIDS, boost the body’s antiviral immunity, and restore the gut’s lymphoid follicles damaged by HIV. It provided a roadmap for multi-pronged HIV eradication strategies.
UCI-led study finds that cancer immunotherapy may self-limit its efficacy
Irvine, Calif., June 21, 2021 — Cancer immunotherapy involving drugs that inhibit CTLA-4 also activates an unwanted response that may self-limit its efficacy in fighting tumors, according to a new study led by Francesco Marangoni, Ph.D., assistant professor of physiology & biophysics and member of the Institute for Immunology at the University of California, Irvine.
Collaboration controls killers
St. Jude immunologists are researching how effector and killer T cells can be controlled to destroy cancer cells that resist treatment.
Story Tips from Johns Hopkins Experts on COVID-19
NEWS STORIES IN THIS ISSUE:
-Physician and Musician: Johns Hopkins Doctor Brings Passion for Music to Medicine During Pandemic
-Rapid, At-Home Blood Test Could Confirm COVID-19 Vaccination in Minutes
-What to Expect and Prepare for As You Return to Regular Health Care Appointments
-Study Suggests Sudden Hearing Loss Not Associated with COVID-19 Vaccination
-Vaccination May Not Rid COVID-19 Risk for Those with Rheumatic, Musculoskeletal Diseases
Low on Antibodies, Blood Cancer Patients Can Fight off COVID-19 with T Cells
Antibodies aren’t the only immune cells needed to fight off COVID-19 — T cells are equally important and can step up to do the job when antibodies are depleted, suggests a new Penn Medicine study of blood cancer patients with COVID-19 published in Nature Medicine.
Research Uncovers How ‘Non-professional’ Cells Can Trigger Immune Response
Researchers are finding new details on the complex dynamics involved in how organisms sense an infection from pathogens. The researchers found that worms can sense changes in their metabolism in order to unleash protective defenses, even if they don’t directly sense an incursion from pathogens.
Australia accelerates new COVID-19 vaccine to fight mutant strains
A leading South Australian immunologist has been awarded $3 million from the Federal Government to accelerate work on a locally developed Covid-19 vaccine, in what’s anticipated to be the second line of defence against the virus.
Higher Pollen Levels Correlated With Increased Coronavirus Infection Rates
New Brunswick, N.J. (March 9, 2021) – Rutgers University–New Brunswick allergy specialist Leonard Bielory is available for interviews on a study he co-authored that correlates higher airborne pollen concentrations with increased SARS-CoV-2 infection rates. High-risk individuals should wear particle filter…
Researchers map metabolic signaling machinery for producing memory T cells
Discovery of a metabolic pathways that inhibit memory T cell production has potential for enhancing the immune system’s ability to fight infections and cancers.
The Original Antigenic Sin: How Childhood Infections Could Shape Pandemics
A child’s first influenza infection shapes their immunity to future airborne flu viruses – including emerging pandemic strains. But not all flu strains spur the same initial immune defense, according to new findings published today by University of Pittsburgh virologists.
New study finds reinfection by SARS-CoV-2 in healthy young adults is common
MEDIA ADVISORY Paper title: SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity and subsequent infection risk in healthy young adults: a prospective cohort study Corresponding Author: Stuart C. Sealfon, MD, Professor of Neurology, Neuroscience and Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Bottom Line: Although…
Healthy sleep and immune response to COVID-19 vaccination
Healthy sleep is integral to a strong immune system, and as COVID-19 vaccines are distributed, it’s important that people continue to get sufficient sleep for optimal immune response. Sleep loss is associated with changes in several immune processes. Poor sleep…
Antibiotics for C-sections Effective After Umbilical Cord Clamped
Antibiotics for cesarean section births are just as effective when they’re given after the umbilical cord is clamped as before clamping – the current practice – and could benefit newborns’ developing microbiomes, according to Rutgers co-authored research. The study, by far the largest of its kind and published in the journal Antimicrobial Resistance & Infection Control, challenges current recommendations for antibiotic use. Administering antibiotics after clamping does not increase the risk of infection at the site of C-section incisions, the study concludes.
Pre-existing influenza immunity impacts antibody quality following seasonal infection and vaccination
New research by scientists at the University of Chicago suggests a person’s antibody response to influenza viruses is dramatically shaped by their pre-existing immunity, and that the quality of this response differs in individuals who are vaccinated or naturally infected. Their results highlight the importance of receiving the annual flu vaccine to induce the most protective immune response.
COVID-19 Immunity May Last Six Months or More
People who have recovered from coronavirus can make potent antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 that evolve in the months after infection. These antibodies may be evolving in response to residual viral antigen hidden in the gut.