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Understanding the role of ORF8 viral gene in COVID-19 infection and outcomes

A research team led by Jae Jung, PhD, Director of Cleveland Clinic's Global Center for Pathogen & Human Health Research, has uncovered the critical role a viral gene, ORF8, plays in infection and disease outcomes of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus that causes COVID-19.

8 Apr 2022

Rockefeller scientists reveal how a narrow-spectrum antibiotic selectively targets C. diff

Most antibiotics are double-edged swords. Besides killing the pathogen they are prescribed for, they also decimate beneficial bacteria and change the composition of the gut microbiome.

7 Apr 2022

Researchers employ CRISPR gene-editing technology in human blood to cure HIV

Northwestern Medicine researchers are employing recent developments in CRISPR gene-editing technology to discover novel biological method that could lead to longer-lasting treatments and new therapeutic tactics for the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).

5 Apr 2022

CAR-T cell treatment via implantable biotechnology more effective in combating cancer

Researchers from North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have developed an implantable biotechnology that produces and releases CAR-T cells for attacking cancerous tumors.

25 Mar 2022

Hybrid immunity generates improved cell response to fight SARS-CoV-2 infections

People who were infected with SARS-CoV-2 before being vaccinated generate an immune response more specific to fighting viral infections, and produce a broader antibody response, than do people whose only protection is the vaccine, according to researchers at the University of Washington School of Medicine.

25 Mar 2022

Salmonella strains in birds do not harbor antimicrobial-resistance genes, study finds

Although many wild birds carry Salmonella, the strains of the bacteria they convey usually do not harbor antimicrobial-resistance genes, according to Penn State researchers, who led a team conducting a new, nationwide study.

From Penn State University 24 Mar 2022

Study reveals novel mechanism used by infectious bacteria to survive stressful situations

A new study led by researchers at University of Utah Health details a novel mechanism that infectious bacteria use to quickly adjust to environmental stress. The discovery could help explain why certain types of common infections-;such as urinary tract and bloodstream infections like sepsis- are hard to get rid of.

From The University of Utah 24 Mar 2022

New discovery likely to result in cancer vaccine development

According to research published in eLife, researchers have developed a pipeline for detecting, prioritizing, and testing potential tumor antigens for the rapid development of cancer vaccines.

23 Mar 2022

Researchers study how trypanosomes change the predatory bug’s intestinal microbiota

In Central and South America, predatory blood-sucking bugs transmit the causative agent of the widely prevalent Chagas disease.

22 Mar 2022

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs help to enhance crop genome editing tools, study says

According to plant scientists at RIKEN, a class of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs might be useful for studying the molecular processes underlying plant immunity.

21 Mar 2022

Scientists use mRNA delivery to enhance muscle power

Mutations that cause muscle atrophy can be corrected using the CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing tool.

16 Mar 2022

Immunity to the SARS-CoV-2 virus likely to protect against omicron

People who developed immunity to SARS-CoV-2, either by vaccination or contact, are expected to get some protection against the pathogen’s omicron version.

16 Mar 2022

Improving the long-term effectiveness of TB vaccine in mice

Briefly blocking a key molecule when administering the only approved vaccine for tuberculosis vastly improves long-term protection against the devastating disease in mice, researchers from Texas Biomedical Research Institute report this week in the Journal of Immunology.

14 Mar 2022

Ancient DNA research tracks tuberculosis transmission chains

Tuberculosis is the second most common cause of death worldwide by an infectious pathogen after Covid-19, but many aspects of its long history with humans remain controversial.

From The Max Planck Institute 11 Mar 2022

Discovery provides new insights into the understanding of tolerance to endotoxic death

Sepsis is a high-mortality disease that arises when the body's immune reaction to pathogens causes multi-organ defects.

9 Mar 2022

Study identifies the role of three key molecules in the immune defense against porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus

Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV) is one of the most deadly diseases in the swine industry.

4 Mar 2022

Chlamydia and HPV co-infection causes a unique cellular reprogramming, study shows

Infections with several pathogens simultaneously increase the risk of cervical cancer—these results from a study conducted on artificial 3D tissue models.

25 Feb 2022

Study shows how two distinct groups of Tregs play different roles at different times

Every kind of T cell has a job to do. A healthy immune system makes sure no T cell oversteps.

22 Feb 2022

CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing is now feasible in ticks

Researchers have successfully used CRISPR-Cas9 to edit the genomes of the black-legged tick. To accomplish this feat, they developed an embryo injection protocol that overcame a major barrier in the field.

17 Feb 2022

Study reveals physico-chemical nature of xylem barriers that confer bacterial wilt resistance

A new work led by Núria Sánchez Coll, CSIC researcher at the Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics, elucidates how tomato plant varieties resistant to the bacterial wilt pathogen Ralstonia solanacearum have the ability to restrict bacterial movement in the plant.