New research identifies how viruses avoid the body’s immune system and cause infections and diseases.
Not all multiple sclerosis-like diseases are alike
Scientists say some myelin-damaging disorders have a distinctive pathology that groups them into a unique disease entity.
How to improve the pneumococcus vaccine
Pneumococcus kills 1 million children annually according to the World Health Organization. The key to the pathogen’s virulence is its thick sugar capsule, which is also the active ingredient in vaccines. Different strains have different capsules. Resea…
Releasing molecular ‘brake’ kick-starts immune cell function
The immune system’s ability to marshal specialized cells to fight off infection relies in part on tiny molecules called microRNAs, which act as a release for the ‘brakes’ that keep cells dormant until needed, according to a new study.
Mindfulness training shows promise for people with MS
New research suggests mindfulness training may help multiple sclerosis patients in two very different ways: regulating negative emotions and improving processing speed. People with MS who underwent the four-week mindfulness training not only improved m…
Antiviral drug can speed up recovery of COVID-19 patients, study shows
Research shows for the first time that interferon-alpha2b improves virus clearance and decreases levels of inflammatory markers in COVID-19 patients.
Detailed analysis of immune response to SARS-CoV-2 bodes well for COVID-19 vaccine
A new study documents a robust antiviral immune response to SARS-CoV-2 in a group of 20 adults who had recovered from COVID-19. The findings show that the body’s immune system is able to recognize SARS-CoV-2 in many ways, dispelling fears that the viru…
Designing vaccines from artificial proteins
Scientists have developed a new computational approach to create artificial proteins, which showed promising results in vivo as functional vaccines. This approach opens the possibility to engineer safer and more effective vaccines.
Arthritis drug may improve respiratory function in some patients with severe COVID-19
A small study in Greece found that the clinically approved anti-inflammatory drug anakinra, used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, improved respiratory function in patients with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Missing component of innate immune signaling identified
Scientists have identified a new key element of the multi-component machinery responsible for sorting out the nature and severity of the pathogen challenge. The new protein, named TASL, is indispensable for the signaling of so-called Toll-like receptor…