Immunology News and Research

Latest Immunology News and Research

'Chaperone protein' protects against autoimmune diseases, mice study shows

Like a parent of teenagers at a party, Mother Nature depends on chaperones to keep one of her charges, the immune system, in line so that it doesn't mistakenly attack normal cells, tissues and organs in our bodies.

15 Apr 2020

Chronic stress can influence the efficacy of radiation therapy, study suggests

Radiation is one of the oldest and most common therapies for cancer, and typically is delivered locally, or to specific targeted sites in the body.

15 Apr 2020

New blood test for antibodies in COVID-19 infected

The COVID-19 disease pandemic is raging across the world, costing tens of thousands of lives. Many countries have enforced widespread, if not universal lockdowns, to prevent the spread of the virus to new areas, carried by infected travelers.

14 Apr 2020

Molecular pathway that controls immunosuppression in tumors identified

An active immune system plays an important role in stopping cancer progression by identifying tumor cells and targeting them for destruction. Any deviation in the normal activities of the immune system could lead to accelerated tumor growth.

14 Apr 2020

Temple researchers receive NIAID grant to study immunological synapse formation

Switching immune cells on is a critical step in combating infection. In the case of T cells, which are key players in immunity, this happens when dormant T cells circulating in the blood encounter a suspicious agent on the surface of specialized antigen-presenting cells.

14 Apr 2020

Tumors commandeer cell death pathway to avoid immune system attack after radiation

Cancer cells avoid an immune system attack after radiation by commandeering a cell signaling pathway that helps dying cells avoid triggering an immune response, a new study led by UTSW scientists suggests.

13 Apr 2020

Ebola drug effective against key enzyme of coronavirus that causes COVID-19

Scientists at the University of Alberta have shown that the drug remdesivir is highly effective in stopping the replication mechanism of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, according to new research published today in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.

13 Apr 2020

Toxic cell atlas can guide discovery of new drugs for neurodegeneration

A common thread in many inflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases, including multiple sclerosis (MS), is damage caused by oxidative stress. Oxidative stress occurs when cells produce toxic substances known as reactive oxygen species, which are damaging nerve cells and other cells in the body.

13 Apr 2020

Novel coronavirus attacks and destroys T cells, just like HIV

The immune system has many components that work together in protecting the body from foreign invaders. One of the most important types of immune cells is T lymphocytes or T cells, a type of white blood cell that acts as the core of adaptive immunity, the system that modifies the immune response to specific pathogens.

13 Apr 2020

Missing COVID-19 antibodies suggest mystery immune response

Researchers at Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center have made important discoveries about the immune response among patients who have recovered from mild COVID-19 disease that could help to inform prevention and treatment methods, as well as improve the efficacy of community testing.

13 Apr 2020

Molecular pathway responsible for TNBC's progression and spread identified

Immunotherapies have revolutionized treatment for people with a variety of cancers. But when given to those with triple-negative breast cancer, a particularly aggressive form of the disease, less than 20% respond.

13 Apr 2020

Rockefeller and SNF announce $3 million expansion of partnership for COVID-19 research

The Rockefeller University and the Stavros Niarchos Foundation today announced a $3 million expansion of their longstanding partnership for research and medicine, bolstering Rockefeller's round-the-clock research initiatives related to COVID-19 and the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes it.

13 Apr 2020

Researchers reveal novel player in obesity-related breast cancer

It is widely accepted that higher levels of body fat increase the risk of developing breast cancer, as well as other cancers.

13 Apr 2020

UMSOM launches new initiative to expand COVID-19 testing

University of Maryland School of Medicine Dean E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, announced today the launch of a large-scale COVID-19 Testing Initiative that will significantly expand testing capability over the coming weeks, enabled by new funding of $2.5 million from the State of Maryland.

12 Apr 2020

Risks and benefits of separating infants from COVID-19-positive mothers

In a new commentary, Alison Stuebe, MD, President of the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine, addresses the risks and benefits of separating infants from COVID-19-positive mothers following birth.

12 Apr 2020

Metastatic bladder cancer significantly slowed by treating with immunotherapy after chemotherapy

Using immunotherapy immediately after chemotherapy in patients with metastatic bladder cancer slowed cancer progression.

9 Apr 2020

Improper cellular cleanup during neurodevelopment may cause lifelong behavioral issues

Improper removal of faulty brain cells during neurodevelopment may cause lifelong behavioral issues, new research from the University of Virginia School of Medicine suggests.

9 Apr 2020

Philadelphia Eagles owner contributes $1 million to Penn Medicine to fight COVID-19 pandemic

Philadelphia Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie today announced a $1 million contribution to Penn Medicine to establish the COVID-19 Immunology Defense Fund, laying the foundation for the world's foremost experts to fight the novel coronavirus pandemic.

8 Apr 2020

UCF researchers seek novel mask material to catch and kill COVID-19

Masks that protect doctors and nurses from COVID-19 only block the virus before it reaches their faces, but UCF researchers are working to create a protective coating that would include a novel mask material that would catch the virus and kill it within seconds.

8 Apr 2020

Cancer-causing mutation also promotes inflammation

Analyses of cell signals provide insight into the origin of severe inflammatory symptoms that appear in various types of blood cancer and point to possible therapeutic approaches: In around one-fourth of patients suffering from juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia, there is evidence of mutations in the so-called KRAS gene in the leukemia cells.

8 Apr 2020