Vaccine News and Research

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A vaccine is a biological preparation that improves immunity to a particular disease. A vaccine typically contains an agent that resembles a disease-causing microorganism, and is often made from weakened or killed forms of the microbe. The agent stimulates the body's immune system to recognize the agent as foreign, destroy it, and "remember" it, so that the immune system can more easily recognize and destroy any of these microorganisms that it later encounters.

Cytokine storms in COVID-19 patients may prevent the development of long-term immunity

Shiv Pillai, MD, Ph.D., investigator in the Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard and professor at Harvard Medical School (HMS), recently published a paper in Cell showing that that high levels of some cytokines seen in COVID-19 patients, as part of a cytokine storm, may prevent the development of long-term immunity to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

20 Aug 2020

Study reveals a mechanism for lower-quality immune response in patients with severe COVID-19

The release of massive amounts of proteins called cytokines can lead to some of the most severe symptoms of COVID-19.

From Harvard Medical School 20 Aug 2020

Surface structure of SARS-CoV-2 virus offers insights for development of therapeutics

At the start of a COVID-19 infection, the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 docks onto human cells using the spike-like proteins on its surface. The spike protein is at the centre of vaccine development because it triggers an immune response in humans.

19 Aug 2020

Long-term opioid use in back-pain patients leads to production of anti-opioid antibodies

University of Wisconsin-Madison scientists have discovered that a majority of back-pain patients they tested who were taking opioid painkillers produced anti-opioid antibodies.

19 Aug 2020

Novel gene editing approach removes latent herpes simplex virus 1

Infectious disease researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center have used a gene editing approach to remove latent herpes simplex virus 1, or HSV-1, also known as oral herpes.

19 Aug 2020

Researchers detect robust T cell response in patients with mild COVID-19 infection

Mild cases of COVID-19 pandemic can activate strong responses from memory T cells, even when detectable virus-specific antibody responses are absent.

19 Aug 2020

Study reveals why immunity boost from seasonal flu vaccines is not long lasting

A study from Emory Vaccine Center provides insights into why the boost in immunity from seasonal flu vaccination lasts for months but not years, unlike some childhood vaccinations.

14 Aug 2020

Study identifies a protein that facilitates spread of SARS-CoV-2 virus through cells

Eric Ross and Sean Cascarina, biochemistry and molecular biology researchers at Colorado State University, have released a research paper identifying a protein encoded by SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, that may be associated with the quick spread of the virus through cells in the human body.

13 Aug 2020

TB vaccine research could benefit older people with type 2 diabetes

A study of older mice with type 2 diabetes has yielded highly promising results for researchers investigating potential new vaccines for tuberculosis (TB).

11 Aug 2020

COVID-19 Prevention Network announces two trials to evaluate monoclonal antibodies

The COVID-19 Prevention Network (CoVPN) today announced two Phase 3 trials to determine whether monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) can prevent SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

11 Aug 2020

Researchers are testing new way to deliver vaccines through microneedle skin patches

A revolutionary new way to give vaccines through microneedle skin patches is being tested at Swansea University, thanks to £200,000 of EU funding announced by the Welsh Government.

10 Aug 2020

New method targets hidden HIV viral reservoirs during antiretroviral therapy

Scientists at The Wistar Institute may have discovered a new way of identifying and targeting hidden HIV viral reservoirs during treatment with antiretroviral therapy (ART).

10 Aug 2020

NIH clinical study to evaluate potential new therapeutics for mild, moderate COVID-19

A Phase 2 clinical trial will evaluate the safety and efficacy of potential new therapeutics for COVID-19, including an investigational therapeutic based on synthetic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to treat the disease.

5 Aug 2020

Re-engineering antibodies to fight SARS-CoV-2 infection

With millions of COVID-19 cases reported across the globe, people are turning to antibody tests to find out whether they have been exposed to the coronavirus that causes the disease.

31 Jul 2020

Rapid drug development yields potential treatment for yellow fever

Yellow fever, a hemorrhagic disease that is common in South America and sub-Saharan Africa, infects about 200,000 people per year and causes an estimated 30,000 deaths.

From Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) 30 Jul 2020

New study shows how T cells function in atherosclerosis

High cholesterol kills. In fact, one in four Americans will die from the consequences of atherosclerosis, the buildup of plaques of fat and cholesterol in the arteries. Statins have helped reduce mortality, but millions are still at risk.

27 Jul 2020

Experimental mRNA-based vaccine protects animals against SARS-CoV-2

An experimental messenger RNA (mRNA)-based vaccine against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) elicits protective immune responses in mice and non-human primates, researchers report on July 23rd in the journal Cell.

27 Jul 2020

Humans are mutating SARS-CoV-2, but natural selection enables the virus to bounce back

Scientists investigating the evolution of the virus that causes Covid19 say that its mutation seems to be directed by human proteins that degrade it, but natural selection of the virus enables it to bounce back. The findings could help in the design of vaccines against the virus.

From University of Bath 23 Jul 2020

Hybrid virus infects cells, interacts with antibodies just like COVID-19 virus

Airborne and potentially deadly, the virus that causes COVID-19 can only be studied safely under high-level biosafety conditions.

22 Jul 2020

New tools developed to test the ability of antibodies to neutralize SARS-CoV-2

Researchers at The Rockefeller University in New York have developed new tools to rapidly test the ability of antibodies to neutralize SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic.

22 Jul 2020

Vaccine News and Research

Further Reading

Cytokine storms in COVID-19 patients may prevent the development of long-term immunity

Study reveals a mechanism for lower-quality immune response in patients with severe COVID-19

Surface structure of SARS-CoV-2 virus offers insights for development of therapeutics

Long-term opioid use in back-pain patients leads to production of anti-opioid antibodies

Novel gene editing approach removes latent herpes simplex virus 1

Researchers detect robust T cell response in patients with mild COVID-19 infection

Study reveals why immunity boost from seasonal flu vaccines is not long lasting

Study identifies a protein that facilitates spread of SARS-CoV-2 virus through cells

TB vaccine research could benefit older people with type 2 diabetes

COVID-19 Prevention Network announces two trials to evaluate monoclonal antibodies

Researchers are testing new way to deliver vaccines through microneedle skin patches

New method targets hidden HIV viral reservoirs during antiretroviral therapy

NIH clinical study to evaluate potential new therapeutics for mild, moderate COVID-19

Re-engineering antibodies to fight SARS-CoV-2 infection

Rapid drug development yields potential treatment for yellow fever

New study shows how T cells function in atherosclerosis

Experimental mRNA-based vaccine protects animals against SARS-CoV-2

Humans are mutating SARS-CoV-2, but natural selection enables the virus to bounce back

Hybrid virus infects cells, interacts with antibodies just like COVID-19 virus

New tools developed to test the ability of antibodies to neutralize SARS-CoV-2

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