Organoid-based platform enables precise evaluation of antibody and vaccine efficacy
A research team has successfully developed the world’s first nasal organoid-based SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibody evaluation platform.
Immunology
Scientists move toward developing vaccine against pathogenic Staphylococcus aureus
Antibiotics are the old medicine cabinet standby for treating infections caused by multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, but as antimicrobial resistance continues to mount globally, scientists say there’s a need for new strategies.
Incorrect penicillin allergy diagnosis linked to serious joint infection risk after knee surgery
A research team led by the Department of Medicine and the Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, under the School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine of the University of Hong Kong (HKUMed), has uncovered a serious risk of joint infectio…
Activated immune cells reveal hidden drivers of autoimmune diseases
By stimulating macrophages—a type of white blood cell—with biological factors that mimic infection, researchers have uncovered genetic drivers of complex diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), in one of the largest studies of its kind.
Metabolic insights from kidney ‘immune hubs’ point to new therapeutic concept
Researchers at Kyoto University have discovered that “immune hubs” in the kidney create a unique metabolic environment that could be targeted for new treatments. These clusters of immune cells, called tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs), show high leve…
Scientists map dendritic cell reactions to mRNA vaccines
Belgian scientists have uncovered new details about how the immune system responds to vaccines. Dendritic cells, which are key immune messengers that help kick-start the body’s defenses, show specific responses to lipid nanoparticles. These findings, p…
Immature neutrophils may help control inflammation by producing IL-10 during infection
Blood contains two types of neutrophils, a type of white blood cell: mature neutrophils and immature neutrophils. Under normal conditions, most neutrophils are mature and play a role in host defense by inducing inflammation in response to pathogens.
Recreating human thymus development in a dish using iPS cells
A team of researchers led by Professor Yoko Hamazaki and Assistant Professor Yann Pretemer (Department of Life Science Frontiers) has developed an in vitro model that faithfully recapitulates human thymic epithelial cell (TEC) development using iPS cel…
Kiss goodbye to deadly disease—antibodies neutralize Chagas parasite, offering hope for vaccine
Researchers have successfully produced antibodies that kill the parasite carried by the “kissing bug” that causes the potentially deadly Chagas disease. The research is a vital step toward the development of the first effective vaccine.
New recommendations on core datasets to be used in systemic lupus erythematosus care
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a complex and potentially life-threatening autoimmune disease. Part of the complexity stems from how it can differ from person to person—giving rise to marked heterogeneity in not only manifestations, but also in d…