Bladder cancer discovery leads to potential new treatment pathway
Researchers from University of Queensland’s Frazer Institute have discovered the mechanism that bladder cancer uses to suppress the immune system’s natural killer (NK) cells.
Medical Xpress
Research pinpoints how early-life antibiotics turn immunity into allergy
Researchers at the University of British Columbia have shown for the first time how and why the depletion of microbes in a newborn’s gut by antibiotics can lead to lifelong respiratory allergies.
T helper cells may be the key to improving annual influenza vaccines
Scientists at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine have discovered why the flu vaccine can perform poorly. They found that a specific type of immune cell, called T follicular helper cells, indirectly contro…
New vector vaccine against COVID-19 provides long-term protection
The protective effect of established COVID-19 vaccines is initially very robust, but wanes relatively quickly. This limitation imposes a need for periodic booster shots, which drives vaccine hesitation.
New anti-CKAP4 antibodies deliver hope for pancreatic cancer treatment
Pancreatic cancer is an aggressive disease with few available treatments. Thankfully, researchers are hard at work to improve treatment options, and researchers from Japan have now unveiled something promising.
Targeting cancer with precision: Neoantigen vaccines show promise
The saga of cancer treatment is marked by a relentless pursuit of effectiveness against a disease characterized by complexity and adaptability. While immunotherapy has opened new frontiers, the challenges posed by tumor diversity and immune evasion cal…
Low cortisol and hair-trigger stress response in the brain may underlie long COVID, study finds
Proteins left behind by COVID-19 long after initial infection can cause cortisol levels in the brain to plummet, inflame the nervous system and prime its immune cells to hyper-react when another stressor arises, according to new animal research by Univ…
Platelets under control: Protecting the heart and brain more effectively after an infarction
An unhealthy lifestyle, diseases or injuries, genetic predisposition, and increased coagulation tendency can promote the formation of thrombi in blood vessels. These clots obstruct the flow of blood to vital organs, which may lead to life-threatening i…
Study shows macrophages form in eye before birth, offering hope for diabetic retinopathy treatment
Macrophages, also known as scavenger cells, are part of our immune system. They destroy invading pathogens and are found in the organs and the bloodstream. Led by Prof. Dr. Peter Wieghofer, professor of cellular neuroanatomy, researchers at the Faculty…
Circadian rhythms appear to influence vulnerability to malaria parasites
A discovery by McGill-affiliated researchers could lead to more effective treatment of malaria and other parasitic diseases.