Category Archives: Immunology

Immunology

Applications of Flow Cytometry in Veterinary Science – News-Medical.Net

What is flow cytometry?Uses of flow cytometry in veterinary scienceLimitations and future outlookReferencesFurther reading

The last few decades have completely transformed veterinary sciences; for example, the life expectancy of both cats and dogs has increased to a higher level than ever before. Veterinary science not only improves the health and well-being of animals but can also be critical to human health by monitoring and controlling zoonotic diseases. One technique that has been gaining popularity is flow cytometry, especially in assessing animal immunological state and development.

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Flow cytometry is a widely used technique in assessing quantitative and qualitative aspects of cells, particularly in hematology and immunology. Flow cytometry uses lasers to produce signals detected and converted into data, giving insight into the analyzed cells. Flow cytometry uses expensive equipment and requires highly trained individuals.

Over the past 30 years, there have been significant advancements in flow cytometry that have allowed it to be more widely used and easier to navigate. It has also become a more reliable and effective tool, making it a more attractive technique in biochemical analysis. This has led to its increasing use in veterinary medicine.

Flow cytometry is used in many parts of veterinary medicine; immunology, oncology, diagnosing autoimmune diseases, quantitation of reticulocytes, drug monitoring, and rabies.

Flow cytometry has played a critical role in evaluating immune function, especially in canines. Through flow cytometry, a subset of suppressive CD4+ T cells was discovered. Some animals that expressed higher levels of suppressive T cells were less likely to develop autoimmune disorders. This discovery led to the conclusion that these cells are pertinent in the mechanism involved in self-tolerance, as they would regulate and limit the immune system, preventing it from over-activating and attacking self-cells. This greater understanding of the role of immune cells is vital in treating different conditions.

One new use for flow cytometry is the pharmacodynamic monitoring of drugs. In some life-threatening conditions getting the correct treatment sooner significantly increases the chance of survival, hence the need for a reliable drug monitoring technique.

Image Credit: Babul Hosen/Shutterstock.com

Cyclosporine, a powerful drug that inhibits T cell production, is used in veterinary medicine to treat inflammatory and autoimmune conditions. Cyclosporine prevents the formation of immune cytokines, such as IFN-Y and IL2, lessening the immune response. Pharmacodynamic monitoring involves observing the effects of drugs and ensuring that it is within therapeutic levels.

One research group has developed a cyclosporin assay to measure its effects on dog tissues and observed two points from those assays; at low doses, the drug suppressed IFN-Y, whereas, at higher doses, it suppressed both IFN-Y and IL2. In this assay, flow cytometry was able to ensure the effectiveness of the drug and identify new markers.

Flow cytometry uses are not limited to treatment but can also be used in diagnosing conditions such as parasitemia (a parasitic blood infection) in dogs. Currently, two main methods are being used to diagnose this; looking at a blood smear and PCR (polymerase chain reaction).

Using blood smears can be difficult as many parasites would be required for the test to give a positive result, therefore; resulting in many false-negative results. PCR, as a technique, is very sensitive; even a few parasitized red blood cells would result in a false-positive result. Flow cytometry is a middle ground between these techniques and allows for a more reliable result.

A new approach to detecting intracellular rabies virus antigens involves using flow cytometry. One of the advantages of using flow cytometry in this field would be the decrease in time taken to confirm a viral infection. Therefore this technique could be critical for industries currently trying to produce rabies vaccines or antiviral drugs.

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Flow cytometry has a promising future in oncology. Acute leukemia in dogs is rarely cured and has a poor prognosis; this is also due to the poor differentiation of lineages of the cells. Classification of acute leukemia into the different lineages would improve prognosis. The traditional methods currently used in characterizing cell lineages are subjective in interpretation and difficult to quantify; therefore, flow cytometry would allow for more developments in this field. Flow cytometry can assess multiple features of large numbers of cells with comparatively objective criteria.

Even though flow cytometry has a hopeful future in many parts of veterinarian science, it has its own set of challenges that need work. Some of the limitations include the high cost of the instruments and the need for highly trained personnel. Flow cytometry also requires single-celled suspensions as aggregates would give false results. However, when looking at the limitations, one must not overlook the uses, and importance flow cytometry still holds. Some information gained from flow cytometry has been used to improve and refine a more quantitatively robust reverse transcriptase PCR assay; this exhibits the vast array of uses for flow cytometry and its significance in future scientific research.

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Applications of Flow Cytometry in Veterinary Science - News-Medical.Net

Immunology

Aspect Biosystems Appoints Three New Board Members – Business Wire

VANCOUVER, British Columbia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aspect Biosystems, a biotechnology company pioneering the development of bioprinted tissue therapeutics to transform how we treat disease, is pleased to announce the appointment of three new members to its Board of Directors: Dr. Nancy Krieger, Dr. Don Haut, and Dr. Devyn Smith.

I am excited to extend a warm welcome to Nancy, Don, and Devyn as they join Aspects Board of Directors, said Tamer Mohamed, Chief Executive Officer, Aspect Biosystems. Each of them brings substantial experience in regenerative medicine and we are thrilled to have them join our mission as we move towards the next stage of growth.

About Aspects New Board Members

Dr. Nancy Krieger is the Chief Medical Officer of Talaris Therapeutics, a recently public late-clinical stage cell therapy biotech. She has over 18 years of global experience in the biopharmaceutical industry, including leadership positions at Bristol Myers Squibb and Novartis in areas spanning solid organ and stem cell transplantation, immunology, rare disorders, and chronic kidney and liver diseases. Before joining industry, Dr. Krieger had an active practice in liver transplantation as well as a basic science laboratory. She completed her transplant fellowship at the University of Wisconsin and general surgical residency at Stanford University, including a postdoctoral fellowship in Stanfords immunology department. Dr. Krieger earned her MD at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.

I am thrilled to be joining the Board of Aspect Biosystems, said Dr. Nancy Krieger. As a transplant surgeon I am passionate about the tremendous potential of Aspects 3D bioprinting technology for regenerative cellular therapies, with the ultimate possibility of replacing organ transplants without the need for life-long immunosuppression.

Dr. Don Haut is currently the CEO of Carmine Therapeutics, a discovery-stage, non-viral gene therapy company with operations in Boston and Singapore. Throughout his career, Dr. Haut has completed transactions exceeding $8 billion. As Chief Business Officer of AskBio, he led the firms business development activities and spearheaded AskBios $4 billion acquisition by Bayer AG. Originally trained as a molecular biologist before joining McKinsey, Dr. Haut has since held senior business roles at 3M Company, Smith & Nephew, The Medicines Company, Promedior, Histogenics, Sherlock Bio, and AskBio. He earned his PhD in Molecular Biology from the Medical School at the University of Missouri-Columbia, and an MBA from Washington Universitys Olin School of Business.

When I first learned about what Aspect Biosystems was doing, my first thought was Wow! said Dr. Don Haut. My second thought was it would be great to work with those folks they are really onto something. So, I am delighted to be joining Aspect the team, the technology, and the mission are all outstanding."

Dr. Devyn Smith joined Arbor Biotechnologies as CEO in 2021 after concluding his role as COO of Sigilon Therapeutics. Prior to Sigilon, Dr. Smith worked in a variety of roles at Pfizer Inc., including COO of the UK-based Neusentis Unit focused on discovering and developing cell therapies. He received his PhD in Genetics from Harvard Medical School. He is an inventor on multiple patents and has published in leading scientific journals throughout his career. Dr. Smith is a board member and officer for the Alliance for Regenerative Medicine, the leading international advocacy organization dedicated to realizing the promise of regenerative medicines and advanced therapies.

I am excited to join the board of Aspect Biosystems, said Dr. Devyn Smith. I look forward to partnering with Tamer and the talented team at Aspect to build a successful company that delivers novel cellular therapies to patients with high unmet needs.

For full list of board members, visit http://www.aspectbiosystems.com/about.

About Aspect Biosystems

Aspect Biosystems is a biotechnology company creating bioprinted tissue therapeutics to transform how we treat disease. Aspect is combining its proprietary bioprinting technology, therapeutic cells, biomaterials, and computational design to create a pipeline of allogeneic tissues that replace or repair damaged organ functions. The company is also partnering with leading researchers and industry innovators worldwide to tackle the biggest challenges in regenerative medicine. Learn more at aspectbiosystems.com.

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Aspect Biosystems Appoints Three New Board Members - Business Wire

Immunology

Corbus Presents First Pre-Clinical Data for CRB-913 at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes 2022 Annual Conference – PR Newswire

NORWOOD, Mass., Sept. 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Corbus Pharmaceuticals Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: CRBP) ("Corbus" or the "Company"), an immunology company, announced that preclinical data for CRB-913 are being presented today in an oral presentation at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes 2022 Annual Conference taking place in Stockholm, Sweden.

The data show that in the diet-induced obesity (DIO) mouse model, CRB-913 monotherapy demonstrated a reduction in body weight, body fat content, food consumption, liver triglycerides, and liver fat deposits as well as improvements in insulin resistance and leptinemia. Combining CRB-913 with the incretin analogues liraglutide, semaglutide, or tirzepatide demonstrated significant additive effects across all these outcomes.

"The data presented today are exciting as they demonstrate that CRB-913 is a differentiated CB1 inverse agonist with improved pharmacokinetic properties compared to the first generation of these drugs while still retaining the same efficacy," commented Rachael Brake, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer of Corbus. "Furthermore, potentially combining CRB-913 with an incretin analogue into a single therapy could meaningfully enhance the current standard of care as well as expand the number of patients who could benefit from anti-obesity drug therapy."

The EASD presentation is available on the company's website at: 58th European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) presentation on CRB-913 (CB1 Inverse Agonist).

About Corbus

Corbus is an immunology company committed to helping people defeat serious illness by bringing innovative scientific approaches to well understood biological pathways. Corbus' current pipeline includes anti-integrin monoclonal antibodies that block activation of TGF and small molecules that activate or inhibit the endocannabinoid system. Corbus is headquartered in Norwood, Massachusetts. For more information on Corbus, visit corbuspharma.com and connect on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Private Securities Litigation Reform Act, as amended, including those relating to the Company's restructuring, trial results, product development, clinical and regulatory timelines, market opportunity, competitive position, possible or assumed future results of operations, business strategies, potential growth opportunities and other statement that are predictive in nature. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections about the industry and markets in which we operate and management's current beliefs and assumptions.

These statements may be identified by the use of forward-looking expressions, including, but not limited to, "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "believe," "estimate," "potential," "predict," "project," "should," "would" and similar expressions and the negatives of those terms. These statements relate to future events or our financial performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, including the potential impact of the recent COVID-19 pandemic and the potential impact of sustained social distancing efforts, on our operations, clinical development plans and timelines, which may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such factors include those set forth in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Prospective investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

INVESTOR CONTACT:

Corbus Investor Relations[emailprotected]

SOURCE Corbus Pharmaceuticals

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Corbus Presents First Pre-Clinical Data for CRB-913 at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes 2022 Annual Conference - PR Newswire

Immunology

KSQ Therapeutics Announces Leadership and Board Additions – Business Wire

LEXINGTON, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--KSQ Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing therapies to treat cancer and autoimmune diseases using its proprietary, integrated discovery CRISPRomics platform, today named Micah Benson, PhD as the new Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) and announced the addition of a new Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Tom Leitch, to the KSQ leadership team. Dr. Benson previously served as Senior Vice President, Immunobiology for KSQ and has been a catalyst for the companys adaptive cell therapy programs. He will succeed Frank Stegmeier, PhD, who served as KSQ's founding CSO, who is leaving to pursue a new opportunity. Dr. Stegmeier will join KSQ's Board of Directors. Board member Pearl Huang, PhD, is stepping down from the board.

"Micah's work leading our Immunobiology Team has been invaluable in advancing our engineered TIL (eTIL) programs, and his appointment as CSO comes at a critical time, as we move those programs towards the clinic. We're also thrilled to have Tom on board as our new CTO, as he brings deep experience in cell & gene therapy, manufacturing sciences, CMC strategy development, manufacturing operations, quality, and supply chain," said Qasim Rizvi, Chief Executive Officer of KSQ Therapeutics. "I would also like to thank Frank for his contributions to KSQ since the companys founding. Frank's scientific leadership has shaped and guided KSQ into the company it is today, and we're thrilled he will remain an advisor and member of our Board of Directors. Similarly, I would like to thank Pearl for her guidance over the last three years. I wish her the best in future endeavors."

"KSQ's CRISPRomics platform has the potential to change the foundation of how we treat a wide variety of cancers and autoimmune diseases and has already generated multiple high impact programs that are either in or nearing clinical trials. I look forward to continuing to advance our science and leading our fantastic team," said Dr. Benson.

KSQ has made great strides advancing its CRISPRomics platform, identifying important disease targets and pioneering therapies to target them. Im impressed by the tenacity and incredible hard work of this team, and Im energized to work closely with them to realize our goal of developing transformative therapies for the patients that we all serve, said Leitch.

Micah Benson, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer

Micah has over 15 years of academic and industry experience as an immunologist and drug hunter. Prior to joining KSQ, Micah served as Head of Tolerance Therapeutics in the Immunology and Inflammation Research Unit at Pfizer, Inc. He earned his PhD in Immunology from Dartmouth Medical School and was a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard Medical School. He has authored several patents and published extensively in top-tier scientific journals.

Tom Leitch, Chief Technology Officer

Tom brings more than 20 years of leadership experience in cell and gene therapy, biologics, and vaccines. His experience spans manufacturing sciences, CMC strategy development, internal and external manufacturing operations, quality, engineering, tech transfer, and supply chain across a broad range of leading biopharmaceutical companies.

Leitch came to KSQ from bluebird bio, where, as head of Manufacturing, he led the development and execution of the company's manufacturing strategy during a period of rapid growth that expanded the network to include more than ten internal and external manufacturing sites around the world. Before bluebird, Tom held roles at Alexion and Merck. He holds M.S. and B.S. degrees in engineering from Virginia Tech.

About KSQ Therapeutics

KSQ Therapeutics is advancing a pipeline of tumor- and immune-focused drug candidates to treat cancer and autoimmune disease across multiple drug modalities, including targeted therapies, adoptive cell therapies, and immunotherapies. KSQ's proprietary CRISPRomics discovery engine enables genome-scale, in vivo validated, unbiased drug discovery across broad therapeutic areas. For more information, please visit the company's website at http://www.ksqtx.com and follow @ksq_tx on Twitter.

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KSQ Therapeutics Announces Leadership and Board Additions - Business Wire

Immunology

University of Kentucky Equine Research Hall of Fame announces awardees – DVM 360

Esteemed award is an international forum celebrating noteworthy achievements in equine research and individuals who have significantly impacted equine health

The University of Kentucky (UK) Gluck Equine Research Center unveiled the 2022 inductees to the Equine Research Hall of Fame. The winners include Lisa Fortier, DVM, PhD, DACVS; Katrin Hinrichs, DVM, PhD; Jennifer Anne Mumford, DVM; and Stephen M. Reed, DVM.

The scientists were nominated by their fellow peers and past awardees. Nominees may be living or deceased, active in or retired from the field of equine research.

In research, we always stand on the shoulders of those who go before us with great discoveries. This years recipients have made substantial contributions that will ensure an excellent future for equine research, expressed Nancy Cox, UK vice president for land-grant engagement and College of Agriculture, Food and Environment dean, in a university release.1

The success of Kentuckys horse industry is inseparable from the decades of hard work by outstanding equine researchers, added Stuart Brown, chair of the Gluck Equine Research Foundation. Though impossible to measure, it is a unique privilege to recognize the impact made by these four scientists in advancing the health and wellbeing of the horse and, on behalf of the entire equine community, show our appreciation.

Below are the details of each awardee1:

Throughout the past 30 years, Fortier has been renowned for her substantial contributions in equine joint disease, cartilage biology, and regenerative medicine. Her research focuses on early diagnosis and treatment of equine orthopedic injuries to prevent permanent damage to joints and tendons. She is most well-known for her work in regenerative medicine, spearheading the use of biologics such as platelet rich plasma, bone marrow concentrate, and stem cells for use in horses and humans. Additionally, Fortiers lab has been key in strides associated with cartilage damage diagnosis and clinical orthopedic work.

Fortier achieved her bachelors degree and doctor of veterinary medicine degree from Colorado State University. She finished her residency at Cornell, where she also earned a PhD and was a postdoctoral fellow in pharmacology. Currently, she serves as the James Law Professor of Surgery at Cornells College of Veterinary Medicine. She is the editor-in-chief of the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association and serves on the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority Racetrack Safety Standing Committee.

Hinrichs dedicates her career to research mainly in equine reproductive physiology and assisted reproduction techniques. Her focus has consisted of equine endocrinology, oocyte maturation, fertilization, sperm capacitation, and their application to assisted reproduction techniques.

Her 40 years of research have resulted in various notable basic and applied research accomplishments. The applied achievements include generating the first cloned horse in North America and creating the medical standard for effective intracytoplasmic sperm injection and in vitro culture for equine embryo production. She has mentored over 85 veterinary students, residents, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows in basic and applied veterinary research. Her laboratories have hosted about 50 visiting scholars worldwide.

Hinrichs achieved her bachelors degree and doctor of veterinary medicine degree from the University of California, Davis. She finished residency training in large animal reproduction at the University of Pennsylvanias New Bolton Center and received a PhD at the University of Pennsylvania.

Mumford is a posthumous inductee who received international respect as among the most prominent researchers of equine infectious diseases, specifically equine viral diseases. Her career at the Animal Health Trust, Newmarket, United Kingdom, began when she was deemed the first head of the newly established equine virology unit. Her work focused on the leading causes of acute infectious respiratory disease in the horse, mainly equine herpesvirus and equine influenza virus, and to a lesser extent,Streptococcus equi.

Mumford impacted several of these realms, including developing enhanced vaccines, diagnostics, and international surveillance. Additionally, she helped create research groups in the related fields of equine genetics and immunology.

Throughout Mumfords over 30 year-career, she helped the Animal Health Trust be recognized as one of the worlds leading centers for the study of the biology, epidemiology, immunology and pathology of diseases.

Reeds nominators deemed his as the last word in equine neurology. He is known as among the most prominent equine neurologists worldwide. His list of 180 peer-reviewed publications feature important contributions to equine medicine, neurology, physiology and pathophysiology. He has shared in his accomplishments as a mentor and role-model for hundreds of aspiring equine practitioners.

Reed received his bachelors degree and doctor of veterinary medicine degree from The Ohio State University. He finished his internship and residency training in large animal medicine at Michigan State University.

The UK Gluck Equine Research Foundation will induct the 4 winners into the UK Equine Research Hall of Fame October 26, 2022 at Kroger Field in Lexington, Kentucky.

Reference

Wiemers H. UK Equine Research Hall of Fame inductees announced. UK College of Agriculture, Food and Environment. News release. September 13, 2022. Accessed September 20, 2022. https://news.ca.uky.edu/article/uk-equine-research-hall-fame-inductees-announced-1

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University of Kentucky Equine Research Hall of Fame announces awardees - DVM 360

Immunology

Everything to know about the Monkeypox vaccine | Health – Red and Black

In May 2022, the United States confirmed the first monkeypox case in Massachusetts. As of Sept. 24, there have been 24,846 confirmed cases in all 50 states, including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.

Monkeypox virus is a part of the same family as the variola virus, the virus that causes smallpox. Individuals who are infected may experience a milder version of smallpox symptoms, according to the CDC.

The most common symptoms are rashes that initially may look like pimples or blisters, and can appear on various parts of the body such as the face, inside the mouth, hands, feet and genitals, the CDC said.The lesions are often described as painful until the healing phase. The illness normally lasts 2-4 weeks. The virus is rarely fatal.

Monkeypox can be spread to anyone through close contact with a person that is infected. The virus can be transmitted through intimate physical contact such as sex, kissing, hugging or direct contact with infectious rashes, scabs or fluids.

Jeff Hogan, an animal health researcher at the University of Georgias Department of Infectious Diseases, said once a person is infected with monkeypox, the virus begins to slowly replicate to where it spreads systemically in the body. This means that after the rashes appear on the skin, the virus will spread through the circulatory system, which deals with pumping blood through the body, and to the internal organs such as the spleen and liver.

When it comes to creating the vaccine for monkeypox, the process in which the virus is repeatedly grown causes it to be diluted and not as harmful as it originally was, Hogan said. Later on, the weakened live virus is injected into a person as the vaccine.

Once an individual has been vaccinated, the virus will replicate in the body, Hogan said. With the presence of the virus in the body, white blood cells respond against the virus by creating antibodies.

The immune system would recognize that vaccine as something foreign, generating the antibodies response, said Jarrod Mousa, a UGA assistant professor in the Department of Infectious Diseases. The antibodies would then create a long lasting protection against monkeypox and smallpox.

With the shortage of vaccine availability, the vaccines are given with a decrease in the dosage.

Overall, the decrease in dosage may be beneficial to the individual getting vaccinated as it also decreases the number of adverse effects, Hogan said, but the person needs to have enough of the virus particles in order for the antibodies to be created.

The decrease in dosage has led to the monkeypox vaccine being administered two different ways: subcutaneously, where the vaccine is inserted in a layer of fat between the skin and muscle, and intradermally, where the vaccine is injected into the top layer of the skin, according to the CDC.

Rama Amara, a professor at Emory Universitys vaccine center and department of microbiology and immunology, said injecting the vaccine into the skin and giving a lower dose of it could produce an immune response. There are different kinds of cells in the skin that trigger the white blood cells to make antibodies.

In comparison to the COVID-19 virus, the monkeypox vaccine is a live virus while the COVID-19 dealt with an mRNA vaccine, Mousa said. The COVID-19 vaccine uses messenger RNA as its genetic material but the vaccines are only the instructions for making a part of the virus, meaning that the live virus is not injected.

According to Mousa, with monkeypox, once the individual is vaccinated, the DNA of the live virus gives instructions to the cells on how to make more of it. The virus has proteins on its surface and contains DNA on the inside to store its genetic material.

For individuals who are planning to get vaccinated, it is important to look at risk factors, Amara said. We need to think about people with HIV [and who had a] transplant; these are more vulnerable people. So we need to see if we are going to see an increased infection among these people, Amara said.

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Everything to know about the Monkeypox vaccine | Health - Red and Black

Immunology

expert reaction to JCVI advice on COVID-19 vaccines for the autumn booster programme – Science Media Centre

August 15, 2022

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has published its advice on which COVID-19 vaccines should be used in this years autumn booster programme.

Prof Deborah Dunn-Walters, Chair of the British Society for Immunology COVID-19 Taskforce and Professor of Immunology at the University of Surrey, said:

Over the last year, researchers have been working hard to assess how we can best protect people from COVID-19 going forwards through the use of COVID-19 booster vaccines. The results from these multiple studies have been provided to the JCVI for careful analysis to decide which vaccines should be given as a booster, when this should happen and which people should receive one.

Booster vaccines do as their name suggests they provide a boost to your immune system to increase the levels of antibodies and T cells that you have to protect you against falling seriously ill with COVID-19. Previous research shows that individuals who are older or who have a weakened immune system are particularly at risk of becoming very ill if they contract COVID-19, but that vaccination does provide significant protection to them. Therefore, it is good to see these individuals, and the people they come into regular contact with, prioritised in this booster programme.

In line with previous years, we expect to see levels of circulating SARS-CoV-2 increase during the winter months. Vaccination is still the safest and most effective way to protect yourself from becoming very ill with COVID-19. Once available, it is important to take up the offer of a COVID-19 booster vaccine if you are offered it.

Prof Beate Kampmann, Professor of Paediatric Infection & Immunity and Director of the Vaccine Centre, LSHTM, said:

Availability of a bi-valent vaccine is good news but how much of a difference it would actually make remains to be seen. The currently discussed bi-valent vaccines were developed with Omicron variant BA.1 antigens in mind, and will only deliver very partial protection against BA.4 and 5. How much difference such bi-valent vaccine can actually make remains to be seen and the bi-valent vaccines have not yet been widely tested in large heterogeneous population groups. In essence, I think it is wise not to recommend a personalized vaccination approach but to go with the wider entirely pragmatic public health message that boosters are an important intervention for the winter period and should be taken up across age groups, as recommended, with the most vulnerable to be first in line.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/jcvi-publishes-advice-on-covid-19-vaccines-for-autumn-booster-programme

All our previous output on this subject can be seen at this weblink:

http://www.sciencemediacentre.org/tag/covid-19

Declared interests

Prof Deborah Dunn-Walters: No conflict of interests to declare.

Prof Beate Kampmann: No declarations of interest.

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expert reaction to JCVI advice on COVID-19 vaccines for the autumn booster programme - Science Media Centre

Immunology

Degrees of the Future 2022: Immunology & Virology – Gizmodo

Immunology and virology respectively study the strengths and weaknesses of our bodys immune system, and some of the most dangerous threats to them: viruses. As new viral outbreaks emerge and familiar viruses mutate into new threats, its crucial to know how our bodies can adapt.

Five years ago, you may not have thought that much about your own immune system or the ancient, forgotten viruses thawing out of glaciers in rural Tibet. But were in a brave new world now, one where masking is more commonplace and concerns about how our bodies will handle new illnesses. Virologists and immunologists help protect humans from future pathogens. While many immunologists and virologists have PhDs in their field, theyre not necessarily required.

The Degrees of the Future 2022 top Immunology & Virology programs are:

How did Gizmodo determine this years honorees? Check out the methodology or return to the full Degrees of the Future 2022 list.

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Degrees of the Future 2022: Immunology & Virology - Gizmodo

Immunology

CDI Laboratory Identifies Critical Regulators Controlling T-Cell Homeostasis Which Could Improve Cancer Therapies, Vaccines of the Future – Hackensack…

To see the Xue Lab's findings in action, watch this animation here.

A new publication in a major journal by scientists from the Hackensack Meridian Center for Discovery and Innovation (CDI) could hold the key to better modulating the human immune system to fight cancer and produce vaccines of the future.

The laboratory of Hai-Hui Howard Xue at the CDI published the findings of the complex and cascading molecular interactions modulating T-cell immunology in the August issue of the journal Nature Immunology.

This is our second Nature Immunology paper from the CDI this year. The initial observation was made eight years ago, and Drs. Qiang Shan (the first author) and Weiqun Peng (our collaborators at the George Washington University) have continuously pursued mechanistic insights since then, said Xue, Ph.D., a member of the CDI.

It seeks to understand how T cell homeostasis is regulated beyond the known classical pathways, added Xue. The findings indicate that T cells can be induced to cycling while maintaining their naive status. This could change the way we harness the power of T cells heading forward.

The Xue lab in the two successive Nature Immunology publications has focused on a key dynamic of T-cell immunology: the Tcf1 transcription factor and its far-reaching molecular complexity.

Tcf1 is crucial to the immune systems memory in recognizing threats it has already faced before.

The Tcf1 transcription factor essentially preprograms a particular type of memory CD8+ T cells, called T central memory (Tcm) cells, prepping them to respond quickly and robustly to known threats, i.e., pathogens that the immune system has seen before, according to the paper earlier this year in the same journal.

That first paper pointed toward a way to improve the memory of these cells meaning potentially improving vaccines and boosting immune responses in future encounters with the same pathogens.

The new paper brings the results a step further in complexity. The scientists found that Tcf1 and Lef1 (an homologue of Tcf1) are critical in recruiting the CCCTC-binding factor (known as CTCF), a well-characterized architectural protein and a versatile transcription regulator, to key parts of the genome of the CD8+ T-cells. By so doing, Tcf1 fosters key chromatin interactions - and associated crucial gene expression programs of the CD8+ T-cells.

Xue and colleagues proved how central the Tcf1 was by knocking out the transcription factors in animal models. In so doing, it compromised the ability of CD8+ T cells to respond to two key interleukin cytokines that drive cell cycle progression to maintain a steady pool size and sustain immune competence.

By perfoming genome-wide analyses in the T cells, the scientists found significant overlap in both the Tcf1 and the CTCF binding on the CD8+ genome, thereby further demonstrating their cooperativity in multiple cellular processes.

Ultimately, they found that Tcf1 and Lef1, in working with the CTCF, provide constant supervision of this genomic architecture and confer flexibility. Together, they translate cytokine-derived signals into protein synthesis and DNA replication that underlie homeostatic proliferation of CD8+ T cells.

The prevalent overlap between Tcf1 and CTCF is unusual, and most importantly, the access of CTCF to the CD8 T-cell genome depends on Tcf1 at critical locations, said Xue. Also important to the biology side of things: both factors controlled the same set of genes regulating homeostatic proliferation.

This signifies Tcf1 and CTCF as important targets to modulate so as to amplify T cells in their nave state, which will have real implications in where science goes to harness the power of T cells in cellular therapy, Xue added.

This work has great promise, and we are thrilled to support the trailblazing work of the Xue Lab and others into new horizons of T-cell immunology, said David Perlin, Ph.D., chief scientific officer and senior vice president of the CDI.

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CDI Laboratory Identifies Critical Regulators Controlling T-Cell Homeostasis Which Could Improve Cancer Therapies, Vaccines of the Future - Hackensack...

Immunology

Gould Fellowship in Cancer Immunology job with UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON | 304380 – Times Higher Education

Cancer Sciences

Location: Southampton General HospitalSalary: 40,931 to 51,805Full Time Fixed TermClosing Date: Tuesday 06 September 2022Interview Date: To be confirmedReference: 1933522CM

An exciting opportunity presents itself for a new research fellowship to be established in the Centre for Cancer Immunology, within the School of Cancer Sciences at the Southampton General Hospital site. The centre, opened in 2018, builds on a 40-year history of pioneering immunology and cancer research at Southampton, and represents the first dedicated cancer immunology centre in the UK. The activities in the centre span from pioneering discovery science to applied research and pre-clinical modelling and, crucially, onto first-in-human clinical trials and beyond. The centre houses world-class research facilities, including state-of-the-art scientific laboratories and a clinical trials unit all within the same building to facilitate the most efficient translation of our findings into improved treatments for Cancer patients.

This position is associated with significant resources, up to 150k/year, to enable the appointee to develop an independent research programme. The position is expected to lead to success of the appointee in obtaining extramural funding on the pathway to independence. The appointee will be highly motivated and excited by the challenges involved in working collaboratively with the existing research groups in the centre, whilst building their own identifiable research themes. Current research programmes involve antibody engineering, immunotherapy, immune receptor biology and antigen presentation related to the treatment of cancer (www.southampton.ac.uk/youreit/meet-the-team). Ongoing activities also include mechanistic studies of therapies for autoimmunity. Research in the centre is highly interdisciplinary, and include bioinformatics, advanced microscopy and close interactions with clinicians as well as a wide group of collaborating scientists across the University (www.southampton.ac.uk/youreit/cancer-scientists)

The appointee is expected to have an outstanding research background, including high quality publications, in any area related to cancer immunology. Typically, it is expected that the appointee will have successfully completed several years of post-doctoral research, but outstanding candidates with less experience will also be considered.

The post-holder will possess relevant academic qualifications and work experience, in addition to good IT skills. Non-UK citizens are also encouraged to apply.

The position is initially fully funded for two years. Availability of funds for a third year will be dependent on satisfactory progress.

Informal queries can directed to: Professor Sally Ward (E.S.Ward@soton.ac.uk)

You should submit your completed online application form at https://jobs.soton.ac.uk. The application deadline will be midnight on the closing date sated above. If you need any assistance, please call Jane Sturgeon (Recruitment Team) on +44 (0) 23 8059 2750 or email recruitment@soton.ac.uk. Please quote reference 1933522CM on all correspondence.

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Gould Fellowship in Cancer Immunology job with UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON | 304380 - Times Higher Education