Immunology News and Research

RSS

Immunology is the study of the body's immune system.

Study investigates how Ebola virus adapts to bat and human cells

A new study by researchers from The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston uncovered new information on why the Ebola virus can live within bats without causing them harm, while the same virus wreaks deadly havoc to people.

19 Aug 2020

Study shows how viruses escape the immune system

Scientists from the University of Otago have gained a deeper understanding of how viruses work and escape the immune system. The team is presently using this finding to find out more about the COVID-19 pandemic.

18 Aug 2020

Protein produced by nervous system may be the key to treating inflammatory diseases

A Rutgers-led team may have found the key to treating inflammatory diseases like asthma, allergies, chronic fibrosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

From Rutgers University 18 Aug 2020

Study sheds light on genetic and molecular mechanisms involved in atopic dermatitis

The KIF3A gene contains common variants that raise the risk of a dysfunctional skin barrier and ultimately lead to a skin condition, called atopic dermatitis.

17 Aug 2020

NIH-supported research delineates how genetic variations cause atopic dermatitis

New research supported by the National Institutes of Health delineates how two relatively common variations in a gene called KIF3A are responsible for an impaired skin barrier that allows increased water loss from the skin, promoting the development of atopic dermatitis, commonly known as eczema.

17 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

Antibodies from natural controllers appear to play crucial role in eliminating hepatitis B virus

Infections in humans caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV) represent a major public health problem. Despite the availability of effective protective vaccines, more than 250 million individuals worldwide are chronically infected according to WHO estimates.

From Institut Pasteur 14 Aug 2020

Researchers develop new method to diagnose brain tumor without incisions

Brain tumors are typically diagnosed using MRI imaging, as taking a sample for a tissue biopsy is risky and may not be possible due to tumor location or a patient's poor health conditions.

10 Aug 2020

Study may point to new therapeutic options for COVID-19

Contrary to what has been generally assumed so far, a severe course of COVID-19 does not solely result in a strong immune reaction - rather, the immune response is caught in a continuous loop of activation and inhibition.

7 Aug 2020

Rutgers expert highlights the effects of climate change on allergies, autoimmunity and the microbiome

Climate change and disruption of the ecosystem have the potential to profoundly impact the human body. Xue Ming, professor of neurology at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, who recently published a paper in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health on the effects of climate change on allergies, autoimmunity and the microbiome -- the beneficial microorganisms that live on and inside the human body -- discusses how the delicate balance of the environment affects conditions such as allergies, autism and immune disorders.

6 Aug 2020

Researchers identify new mechanism of papillomavirus that tricks the human immune system

Certain antibodies are known to protect humans from viral infections—or perhaps not?

6 Aug 2020

Researchers discover genetic cause of severe auto inflammatory syndrome

Researchers from the Icahn School of Medicine used a novel genetic sequencing technology to identify the genetic cause of--and a treatment for--a previously unknown severe auto inflam-matory syndrome affecting an 18-year-old girl since infancy.

5 Aug 2020

Newly discovered biomarkers predict response to immunotherapy in Type 1 diabetes

Scientists at UCL have discovered new biomarkers, which may identify those people with Type 1 diabetes who would benefit from the immunotherapy drug Abatacept, a finding which could eventually help thousands manage the disease more effectively.

From University College London 4 Aug 2020

Old part of immune system may influence severity of COVID-19

One of the immune system's oldest branches may be influencing the severity of COVID disease, according to a new study from researchers.

4 Aug 2020

Researchers show how gut microbiomes change the nature of cancer mutations

It is a fact that has long baffled doctors: Cancer in the small intestine is quite rare, whereas colorectal cancer, a neighboring though much smaller organ, is one of the leading causes of cancer death for men and women. What is it about the colon that seems to "attract" cancer?

30 Jul 2020

CBT helps food allergic children with severe phobia of anaphylaxis

Imagine a young girl with a peanut allergy, so stricken by fear of anaphylaxis that she no longer takes part in everyday activities many children take for granted.

29 Jul 2020

Study may lead to new therapeutic approaches against coronaviruses

The immune system secretes an endogenous protein that can strongly suppress coronaviruses, the pathogen that is responsible for causing the current pandemic.

29 Jul 2020

Novel label-free imaging method can differentiate between quiescent and activated T cells

T cells are the immune soldiers at the frontlines of the battle with infiltrating pathogens that seek to cause disease. A new study published in Nature Biomedical Engineering describes a novel label-free imaging technique that can differentiate active T cells from those off duty.

28 Jul 2020

Rare gene mutation eliminates immune cell population

A study has allowed researchers to identify a rare human gene mutation that removes a population of immune cells, called mucosal-associated invariant T cells.

27 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.