immunity News and Research

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A high-throughput pipeline for identifying nanobodies that target and neutralize SARS-CoV-2

Researchers in the United States have developed a cost-effective, high-throughput pipeline for identifying effective nanobodies that target and neutralize severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) – the agent that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

26 Oct 2021

Extending COVID-19 vaccinations to adolescents and children may lower the overall disease burden

A recent study by researchers from the Netherlands highlights that the introduction of vaccination programs against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) to adolescents and children may reduce infection rates and severe disease outcomes – both in these age groups and in the population as a whole. The paper is currently available on medRxiv* preprint server while it undergoes peer review.

26 Oct 2021

Model suggests longer protection from SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibody response

A new study discusses the durability of the immune response following natural infection or vaccination.

26 Oct 2021

Effectiveness of mRNA BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccine in immunocompromised individuals

Israeli researchers evaluate the antibody response in ICPs to assess antibody-mediated immunity following vaccination with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

26 Oct 2021

High and increasing SARS-CoV-2 infection prevalence amongst school-aged children in England

The latest round of the REACT-1 study indicates SARS-CoV-2 continues to spread among children.

26 Oct 2021

Study identifies how cancer cells transform macrophages into supporters of their growth

A Ludwig Cancer Research study has identified a means by which cancer cells engineer the conversion of immune cells known as macrophages from destroyers of tumors to supporters of their growth and survival.

26 Oct 2021

Sexually dimorphic placental antibody transfer during SARS-CoV-2 infection

In a paper recently published in the journal Science Translational Medicine by Bordt et al. (October 19th, 2021), maternal SARS-CoV-2 infections are studied with particular regard to maternal-fetal antibody transfer and virus-induced placental interferon responses, finding a sexually dimorphic response that results in lesser antibody transfer to the male fetus.

26 Oct 2021

Immune response to mRNA COVID vaccines delayed in pregnant women

Researchers in the United States have conducted comprehensive profiling of humoral immune responses in pregnant, lactating, and non-pregnant women following coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccination to probe differences in vaccine-induced immunity.

25 Oct 2021

Researchers investigate SARS-CoV-2 specific immunity in young Swedish adults

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden have analyzed the presence of SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies and memory cells of the immune system in young adults.

25 Oct 2021

Development of light-based tool for the inactivation of SARS-CoV-2

Researchers from EMIT bio have developed a biological light unit that can sterilize surfaces, killing SARS-CoV-2.

25 Oct 2021

Molecular features of SARS-CoV-2 variant receptor binding

Researchers have been investigating the changes in receptor binding in these variants that increase the danger they pose.

25 Oct 2021

How pregnancy influences SARS-CoV-2 immune response

A focus article published in Science Translational Medicine highlighted two recently published studies that investigated the response of pregnant women to natural infections and COVID-19 vaccines.

25 Oct 2021

Study suggests seropositive individuals produce anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies with improved potency and breadth

Researchers isolated single cells among individuals with and without prior infection with the SARS-CoV-2 vaccinated with BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine and compared the nature of the neutralizing antibody response against the original Wuhan virus and the subsequent variants.

25 Oct 2021

Cancer patients have impaired antibody responses to COVID-19 mRNA vaccines

A new study posted to the medRxiv* preprint server studies the neutralizing antibody response in cancer patients diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), lung cancer, breast cancer, and various non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas (NHL), post-reception of two doses of messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines.

25 Oct 2021