Immunology News and Research

Latest Immunology News and Research

Hope on the horizon for hereditary angioedema sufferers

Although there is currently no treatment approved by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) for acute attacks of hereditary angioedema (HAE) - a genetic disease causing swelling of extremities, face and internal organs that can be life-threatening - hope is on the horizon according to a team of experts presenting the latest research at the Annual Meeting of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) in Dallas.

14 Nov 2007

La Jolla Institute for Allergy & Immunology to perform study on allergy molecular causes

A major study that will provide a new window into understanding and potentially treating allergies will be conducted by the La Jolla Institute for Allergy & Immunology (LIAI) under a $5 million federal contract.

14 Nov 2007

Two proteins may be survival markers in some breast cancers

New research suggests that the presence or absence of two proteins may be important markers for long-term survival in some breast-cancer patients.

13 Nov 2007

New target for MS treatment found using old drug

A drug currently used to treat high blood pressure and heart failure has been found to reduce the symptoms of multiple sclerosis in mice.

13 Nov 2007

Lexicon files investigational NDA for LX2931 in rheumatoid arthritis

Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has announced that it has submitted an investigational new drug (IND) application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for LX2931, an oral drug candidate for rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune conditions.

13 Nov 2007

Anti-inflammation molecule helps fight MS-like disease

An immune system messenger molecule that normally helps quiet inflammation could be an effective tool against multiple sclerosis (MS). Neurology researchers led by Abdolmohamad Rostami, M.D., Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Neurology at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University and the Jefferson Hospital for Neuroscience in Philadelphia, have found that the protein interkeukin-27 (IL-27) helped block the onset or reverse symptoms in animals with an MS-like disease.

13 Nov 2007

Managing asthma

The great majority of the nearly 23 million people with asthma, including 6.5 million children, can avoid serious symptoms and disability if they follow the latest guidelines to keep their disease under control.

13 Nov 2007

Potential new treatment for severe obesity

A team of researchers from the St Vincent's Campus in Sydney have developed a novel way to control the extreme weight loss, common in late stage cancer, which often speeds death.

6 Nov 2007

Scientists in Australia discover how to switch hunger on and off

Scientists in Australia have found how to switch hunger on and off and they say their discovery could be used to stop weight loss in terminally ill patients or produce weight loss in the morbidly obese.

6 Nov 2007

Gene, stem cell therapy only needs to be 50 percent effective to create a healthy heart

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and greatly affects the quality and length of life for individuals with specific forms of muscular dystrophy.

1 Nov 2007

Scripps design new type of vaccine that could one day be used in humans to block the onset of infection

In hopes of combating the growing scourge of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, in particular drug-resistant staph bacteria, a team of scientists from the Scripps Research Institute has designed a new type of vaccine that could one day be used in humans to block the onset of infection.

31 Oct 2007

Cancers successfully treated by targeting the viruses that cause them

Researchers at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have shown for the first time that cancers can be successfully treated by targeting the viruses that cause them.

31 Oct 2007

Relief for seasonal allergic rhinitis sufferers

The results of a new Creighton University study may soon spell relief for some of the estimated 40 million Americans who suffer from seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR) caused by pollens such as grass and ragweed.

29 Oct 2007

Ten tips to help asthma-proof your home

The onset of winter cold and flu season combined with colder, short days unfortunately all contribute to increased asthma symptoms for many children.

28 Oct 2007

Johns Hopkins details scientific breakthroughs in malaria prevention and treatment

"Breaking the Cycle" chronicles five years of scientific discovery conducted by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute (JHMRI).

24 Oct 2007

New understanding of vagus nerve's role in regulating inflammation

It used to be dogma that the brain was shut away from the actions of the immune system, shielded from the outside forces of nature.

24 Oct 2007

Zinc can help nursing home residents who are susceptible to pneumonia

When elderly nursing home residents contract pneumonia, it is a blow to their already fragile health.

22 Oct 2007

Genetic influence on HIV/AIDS progression

Viral load - the amount of virus in the blood of an HIV-infected person - has long been viewed as the chief indicator of how quickly someone infected with HIV infection progresses to AIDS.

22 Oct 2007

Stem cells from a person's own umbilical cord effectively treat blood and immune disorders, juvenile diabetes

Two separate data abstracts displayed at the annual scientific meeting of the AABB - an international association of medical professionals and institutions focused on transfusion, transplantation and cellular therapy - highlight the increasing therapeutic use of autologous (one's own) cord blood stem cells for transplant and regenerative medicine, including treatments for blood and immune disorders, juvenile diabetes and neurological repair.

22 Oct 2007

Gold-like drugs to treat arthritis

Scientists at Duke University Medical Center may have solved the mystery surrounding the healing properties of gold - a discovery they say may renew interest in gold salts as a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory diseases.

22 Oct 2007