When I think of vaccines, I think of the MMRV (measles, mumps, rubella and varicella) vaccines which help our bodies establish immunity against diseases that used to kill. Now, there are vaccines being created for cancer. The rise of cancer vaccines According to Dr. Nora Disis, an oncologist and researcher in cancer vaccines at the...
Category: <span>Immunology</span>
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A ‘homing system’ targets therapeutic T-cells to brain cancer
A multi-institution international team led by researchers at Baylor College of Medicine has developed a new strategy to overcome one of the main obstacles to the treatment of brain cancer—access to the tumor. Under the influence of cancer, the blood-brain barrier diverts immune T cells that attempt to enter the brain to fight the tumor....
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Killer cell Immunotherapy offers potential cure for advanced pancreatic cancer
A new approach to treating pancreatic cancer using ‘educated killer cells’ has shown promise, according to a new study by UNSW medical researchers. Researchers from UNSW Sydney and the California Institute of Biomedical Research (CALIBR) have demonstrated the success of a new, cell-based immunotherapy for pancreatic cancer. The treatment led to mice being completely cancer-free,...
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Single-dose drug can shorten flu symptoms by about a day, studies suggest
No significant side effects noted in pair of clinical trials in U.S., Japan UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA HEALTH SYSTEM IMAGE: FREDERICK HAYDEN, MD, IS A RESEARCHER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA SCHOOL OF MEDICINE. A single dose of a new influenza drug can significantly shorten the duration of the illness in teens and adults, according to a...
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Beating cancer after 13 years of struggles
Michael English, from Surrey, was told to prepare for the end after 13-year battle He was first diagnosed with aggressive stage 3/4 prostate cancer back in 2005 Doctors tried various treatments, but the stubborn cancer always returned Now, he’s been given the all-clear after ten doses of controversial new treatment Michael English is living evidence...
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Discovery of long-lived macrophages in the intestine
New prospects in the fight against neurodegenerative conditions KU LEUVEN Macrophages are specialized immune cells that destroy bacteria and other harmful organisms. KU Leuven scientists, Belgium, have come to the surprising conclusion that some macrophages in the intestines of mice can survive for quite some time. Most importantly, these long-lived macrophages are vital for the...
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Random fraction of specialized immune cells leads the charge in battling invaders
Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) are a rare type of immune cells that secrete large quantities of type 1 interferon (I-IFN), a key driver of immunity to infectious invaders and cancer. However, the mechanisms that control the I-IFN secretion are still poorly understood. Researchers from Eindhoven University of Technology and Radboud University Nijmegen have developed a groundbreaking, high-throughput...
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New cancer treatment uses enzymes to boost immune system and fight back
UT Austin Engineers develop new way to treat cancer using enzyme therapy UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN AUSTIN, Texas — Researchers at The University of Texas at Austin have developed a new approach to treating cancer using enzyme therapy. The enzyme, PEG-KYNase, does not directly kill cancer cells but instead empowers the immune system to...
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Discovery could lead to higher immunotherapy response rates for bladder cancer patients
THE MOUNT SINAI HOSPITAL / MOUNT SINAI SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (New York, NY – August 29, 2018) — Mount Sinai researchers have discovered that a particular type of cell present in bladder cancer may be the reason why so many patients do not respond to the groundbreaking class of drugs known as PD-1 and PD-L1 immune checkpoint...
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Failing immune system ‘brakes’ help explain type 1 diabetes in mice
Immune reactions are usually a good thing–the body’s way of eliminating harmful bacteria and other pathogens. But people also rely on molecular “brakes,” or checkpoints, to keep immune systems from attacking their own cells and organs and causing so-called autoimmune disease. Now, working with mice, Johns Hopkins researchers have discovered that in the rodent form...