Immunology News and Research

Latest Immunology News and Research

First new guidelines in more than a decade for managing asthma during pregnancy

The report reflects new medications that have emerged and updates treatment recommendations for pregnant women with asthma based on a systematic review of data on the safety of asthma medications during pregnancy. An executive summary ("Quick Reference") of the guidelines is published in the January issue of the Journal of Allergy & Clinical Immunology.

12 Jan 2005

What makes an allergen an allergen?

An enduring mystery for allergy researchers has been the unpredictable distribution of allergens in plants. For example, being allergic to birch pollen can predispose a person to allergy from distantly related plant foods such as celery, apple or soy.

12 Jan 2005

Patient education on aerosol therapy key to effective asthma control

New evidence-based guidelines for the selection of aerosol medication devices conclude that health-care providers should avoid basing device selection exclusively on device efficacy. Instead, the choice should be based on other patient-related factors.

10 Jan 2005

Zinc treatment may help prevent esophageal and oral cancers

Cancer researchers at Jefferson Medical College and the Kimmel Cancer Center at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia have found that zinc treatment may help prevent esophageal and oral cancers in those individuals at high risk.

9 Jan 2005

Stevioside is an excellent choice for diabetics

Stevioside, the main sweet component in the leaves of the Stevia plant, tastes about 300 times sweeter than table sugar, which means only a small amount is needed for sweetening purposes.

23 Dec 2004

Evidence suggests that changes in the bacteria and fungi in the gastrointestinal tract can intensify the immune system's reaction to common allergens

If you want to avoid allergies or asthma, scientists at the University of Michigan Medical School suggest you start paying more attention to what's in your gut.

23 Dec 2004

Study finds new method can improve chemo survival

Seeking to find a way to lessen patients’ vulnerability to deadly infections following chemotherapy, researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine have figured out a way to boost the immune function in animals following such treatments.

21 Dec 2004

Key advance in understanding the proteins and mechanisms involved in the spread of Lyme Disease

Virginia Commonwealth University scientists have made a key advance in understanding the proteins and mechanisms involved in the spread of Lyme Disease, a finding that could lead to a vaccine against the tick-borne illness that affects thousands of people each year.

16 Dec 2004

Using precise, radioactively labeled genetic probes, researchers study cancer gene activity from outside the body

Using precise, radioactively labeled genetic probes, researchers at Jefferson Medical College have seen cancer gene activity from outside the body in laboratory mice. The probes, which work by attaching to genetic codes copied from an active cancer gene, may someday aid physicians and scientists in cancer detection and in determining the appropriate treatment for a cancer.

13 Dec 2004

Key molecular signal allows malarial parasites to target human red blood cells

Northwestern University researchers have identified a key molecular "signal" that allows malarial parasites to release virulence proteins inside human red blood cells.

13 Dec 2004

Thiazolidinedione (TZD) class of anti-diabetic drugs may be a potential targeted therapy for myeloma patients

In laboratory tests on multiple myeloma cells, University of Rochester researchers found that this type of cancer expresses a protein that makes it an easy target for an existing class of diabetes drugs. After more investigation, they hope the discovery will lead to a new, targeted therapy for myeloma patients.

8 Dec 2004

Majority of hospitalizations for asthma may be the result of people not taking their inhaled steroid medications

Inhaled steroids have become the standard in the treatment of persistent asthma. They have been shown to significantly improve asthma symptoms and reduce asthma complications. However, adherence to the prescribed inhaled steroids is poor among adult asthma patients.

6 Dec 2004

First live imaging of specialized immune system cells reveals new clues about body’s security system

To keep the body safe, the immune system enlists more than one form of protection. A circulating task force of immune system cells monitors the body’s periphery, and sends information back to field command centers — the lymph nodes — located at pivotal traffic points.

6 Dec 2004

Why our immune system worsens with age

Scientists at the Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute at Oregon Health & Science University have made a discovery that helps explain why our immune system worsens with age. The work was led by Janko Nikolich-Zugich, M.D., Ph.D., a senior scientist at the VGTI.

2 Dec 2004

Stress affects molecules believed to play a key role in cellular aging

There have been many studies that have shown that your health is greatly affected by how you react to stressful events in life-setbacks or deadlines at work, conflicts and losses at home.

29 Nov 2004

Study links a novel protein pathway to the aggressive progression of breast cancer

Cytogen Corporation today announced the publication of a study linking a novel protein pathway to the aggressive progression of breast cancer.

24 Nov 2004

Asthma study looks at genetic variation and influence response to microbial exposure

The "hygiene hypothesis" suggests that exposures to microbes early in life may drive immune system development in a way that reduces a person's susceptibility to asthma and other allergic diseases.

24 Nov 2004

Generic antipsychotic drugs can protect brain cells from progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy

Generic antipsychotic drugs can protect brain cells from a virus that causes a fatal nervous system disorder, according to research conducted at Brown University and Case Western Reserve University.

18 Nov 2004

Researchers find effective treatment for Unusual Fever Syndrome caused by cold exposure

Remember when Grandma used to say, "don’t go out in the cold; you’ll get sick”? It turns out that she was right for a small number of people who have a condition called familial cold autoinflammatory syndrome (FCAS)

16 Nov 2004

Vaccine provides new hope to the millions of people who suffer from food allergies

A team led by a researcher at the Stanford University School of Medicine has developed vaccines that vastly reduce or eliminate dogs' allergic reactions to three major food allergens: peanuts, milk and wheat. The vaccines' benefits lasted at least three months.

14 Nov 2004