Immunology News and Research

Latest Immunology News and Research

Critical piece of puzzle in treatment of Spinal Muscular Atrophy

University of Missouri researchers believe they have found a critical piece of the puzzle for the treatment of Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) - the leading genetic cause of infantile death in the world. Nearly one in 6,000 births has SMA, and it is estimated that nearly one in 30 to 40 people have the trait that leads to SMA.

29 Sep 2010

Scientists discover way of shrinking tumours in cancers

Australian and American scientists have found a way of shrinking tumours in certain cancers - a finding that provides hope for new treatments.

29 Sep 2010

Children with food allergies experience bullying: Study

In the first ever study to assess the social impact of food allergies in children, Mount Sinai researchers have found that approximately 35 percent of children with food allergies, who are over the age of five, were reported to have experienced bullying, teasing, or harassment as a result of their allergies.

28 Sep 2010

Study: Genetic ancestry has no influence on how African-Americans with asthma respond to medication

Genetic ancestry has no discernible influence on how African American patients with asthma respond to medication, according to a Henry Ford Hospital study.

28 Sep 2010

IAVI investigators awarded grant to examine antibodies that neutralize HIV virus

A team of investigators headed by International AIDS Vaccine Initiative Investigator Pascal Poignard has been awarded a major grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases of the US National Institutes of Health to investigate the biological mechanisms underlying the generation of broadly neutralizing antibodies by HIV positive individuals.

28 Sep 2010

Sanofi Pasteur signs agreement to acquire VaxDesign

Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of the sanofi-aventis Group announced today that it has signed a binding agreement for the acquisition of VaxDesign, a privately held U.S. biotechnology company, based in Orlando, Florida, that develops, manufactures and markets in vitro models of the human immune system.

28 Sep 2010

UGA researcher receives NIH award for high-risk, high-reward carbohydrate research

The National Institutes of Health has awarded a prestigious EUREKA award to Robert Woods, a professor at the University of Georgia Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, to develop a new method for understanding how antibodies interact with large molecules known as glycans that are a major component of all cell surfaces.

27 Sep 2010

Signaling pathway inhibition enhances autologous bone marrow transplant: Research

Identification of a molecular communications pathway that influences the mobilization of hematopoietic (blood) stem cells could lead to targeted therapies for improving bone marrow transplant success rates.

27 Sep 2010

Mayo Clinic initiates enrollment in first U.S. clinical Hand Transplant Program

Mayo Clinic has initiated the first clinical Hand Transplant Program in the United States and is now enrolling patients. This program offers hand transplantation as a clinically available option for patients with bilateral hand injuries or amputations. This allows patients to embark on this option of reconstructive surgery without being required to enroll in experimental trials.

24 Sep 2010

Concerted effort yields significant progress in reducing depression, HIV/AIDS, and osteoporosis in women

A concerted effort to boost research on women's health over the last two decades has lessened the burden of disease and reduced deaths among women due to cardiovascular disease, breast cancer, and cervical cancer, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine. The effort has yielded less but still significant progress in reducing the effects of depression, HIV/AIDS, and osteoporosis on women, added the committee that wrote the report.

24 Sep 2010

Study: Non-stick coating substance in semen reduces HIV transmission

A non-stick coating for a substance found in semen dramatically lowers the rate of infection of immune cells by HIV a new study has found.

24 Sep 2010

Researchers discover molecular signature to predict TB infection

Dallas scientists recently discovered a molecular signature in the blood of patients with tuberculosis (TB) that may explain why some people develop an active TB infection, while others exposed to the bacteria which causes the dangerous respiratory virus do not.

24 Sep 2010

ASTMH recommends FDA to include neglected infections of poverty in orphan classification

Today, U.S. scientists committed to finding answers to reducing and eliminating what are known as neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) that plague the world's poorest people in developing countries, urged the FDA to include in its orphan classification the neglected infections of poverty that also affect Americans, and expressed support for stronger relationships with the FDA to ultimately halt these ancient scourges.

24 Sep 2010

New website offers real-life case studies and immunology breakthroughs on HIV

Amid a devastating HIV epidemic, some South African pediatricians treat as many as 100 children per day. With such overwhelming case loads, the physicians have little time to review the information they were offered in medical school on the topic of immunology. Recognizing the potential value of an understanding of up-to-date immunology in the treatment of HIV, immunologist Clive Gray developed Immunopaedia, a Web site that quickly and efficiently gives doctors a working knowledge of immunology through real-life case studies and news of immunology breakthroughs.

24 Sep 2010

CIC proposes criteria to improve endpoints for cancer immunotherapy trials

The Cancer Research Institute (CRI) Cancer Immunotherapy Consortium (CIC), the leading global initiative in advancing the emerging field of immuno-oncology, has proposed criteria for improved endpoints for cancer immunotherapy trials, which were published online on September 8 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

24 Sep 2010

AJMS journal provides research update on new infectious pathogens

Newly recognized disease-causing viruses, bacteria, and other infections are continually emerging around the world, posing difficult challenges for patient diagnosis and treatment and for public health responses. A special symposium section of the September issue of The American Journal of the Medical Sciences (AJMS), official journal of the Southern Society for Clinical Investigation, provides a research update on important new infectious pathogens.

24 Sep 2010

Immune-mediated disturbances of neurons contribute to MS: Research

Researchers in Germany have gained new insight into how the immune system causes damage associated with multiple sclerosis (MS), an incurable neuroinflammatory disorder.

24 Sep 2010

Interleukin Genetics announces clinical study data on osteoarthritis progression

Interleukin Genetics, Inc. and the Thurston Arthritis Research Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill announced today findings from a large clinical study to evaluate the role of genetic factors in osteoarthritis progression which showed patients with radiographic evidence of knee osteoarthritis who inherited a specific pattern of genetic variations in the interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) gene were almost twice as likely to progress to severe disease as other patients.

23 Sep 2010

Opinions: Genetically-modified crops can improve vaccines; MDG focus on women and girls; U.S. leadership for MDGs; Boosting access to drugs; Merits of bilateral development assistance

"The U.N. estimates that diarrheal diseases kill 1.8 million people every year. … So you might take it as good news that American company Ventria Bioscience says it has hit on an improvement to existing rehydration therapies, which could mean another tool in the fight against diarrhea," according to a Wall Street Journal editorial examining the delays the company has experienced since it first sought to have its product approved by the FDA back in 2004, even "[a]fter a panel of food, medicine, immunology, child nutrition and health experts had declared its product safe."

23 Sep 2010

Gen-Probe submits PMA to FDA for PROGENSA PCA3 assay

Gen-Probe announced today that the Company has submitted a Premarket Approval Application (PMA) to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its PROGENSA® PCA3 assay, a new molecular test that may help determine the need for repeat biopsies in men suspected of having prostate cancer.

22 Sep 2010

Immunology News and Research

Latest Immunology News and Research

Critical piece of puzzle in treatment of Spinal Muscular Atrophy

Scientists discover way of shrinking tumours in cancers

Children with food allergies experience bullying: Study

Study: Genetic ancestry has no influence on how African-Americans with asthma respond to medication

IAVI investigators awarded grant to examine antibodies that neutralize HIV virus

Sanofi Pasteur signs agreement to acquire VaxDesign

UGA researcher receives NIH award for high-risk, high-reward carbohydrate research

Signaling pathway inhibition enhances autologous bone marrow transplant: Research

Mayo Clinic initiates enrollment in first U.S. clinical Hand Transplant Program

Concerted effort yields significant progress in reducing depression, HIV/AIDS, and osteoporosis in women

Study: Non-stick coating substance in semen reduces HIV transmission

Researchers discover molecular signature to predict TB infection

ASTMH recommends FDA to include neglected infections of poverty in orphan classification

New website offers real-life case studies and immunology breakthroughs on HIV

CIC proposes criteria to improve endpoints for cancer immunotherapy trials

AJMS journal provides research update on new infectious pathogens

Immune-mediated disturbances of neurons contribute to MS: Research

Interleukin Genetics announces clinical study data on osteoarthritis progression

Opinions: Genetically-modified crops can improve vaccines; MDG focus on women and girls; U.S. leadership for MDGs; Boosting access to drugs; Merits of bilateral development assistance

Gen-Probe submits PMA to FDA for PROGENSA PCA3 assay

Immunology eBook

Clue's CEO Rhiannon White on the Future of Femtech and PCOS

Freezing Point Osmometry in Life Science Applications

Precision in every drop: Inside Hamilton’s syringe technology