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Scientists develop new, improved method to find and isolate the strongest cancer-fighting immune cells

A new method called ATTACH identifies strong interactions between T cells and cancer-specific proteins to isolate effective tumor-reactive T cells. This approach overcomes key challenges in immunotherapy development, offering a rapid and accessible way for isolating rare immune cells.

SourceUniversity of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center·JournalJournal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer·DateJul 8, 2026

Louse-borne relapsing fever: How the pathogen evades the immune system

Researchers identified five immunomodulatory proteins in Borrelia recurrentis that prevent activation of the human complement system, allowing the pathogen to survive in the human body. These Chi proteins also convert plasminogen into active plasmin, giving Borrelia recurrentis a significant advantage in spreading after infection.

SourceGoethe University Frankfurt·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 10, 2026

Researchers identify blood-based biomarker for cancer risk in people with Lynch Syndrome

A new blood-based biomarker has been discovered to help identify individuals at higher risk of developing cancer in people with Lynch Syndrome. The biomarker uses immune signatures detected in blood samples to provide unique characteristics that can detect cancer risk, allowing for early detection and personalized surveillance.

SourceUniversity of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center·JournalNature Communications·DateApr 6, 2026

Changing the paradigm on hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome: Connective tissues don’t tell the whole story

A recent study from Medical University of South Carolina research team challenges the notion that hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome is an isolated connective tissue disorder. The studies reveal a genetic variant associated with the disease and disruption of the immune system, which may be the underlying cause. This new understanding a...

SourceMedical University of South Carolina·JournalImmunoHorizons·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 16, 2025

Nasal drops fight brain tumors noninvasively

Researchers developed a noninvasive approach using nasal drops to deliver potent tumor-fighting medicine to the brain, boosting the immune response and eradicating glioblastoma tumors in mice. The nano-sized medicine successfully activated the STING pathway and armed the immune system to fight the cancer.

SourceWashU Medicine·TypeExperimental study·DateNov 21, 2025

Ancient immune defense system plays an unexpected role in cancer, MSK researchers find

Recent studies by MSK researchers show that the innate immune system helps maintain genome stability during DNA replication, and chronic activation can contribute to tumor development. The findings also suggest that problems with a protein complex called Mre11 can create an environment where cancer is more likely to occur.

SourceMemorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center·JournalGenes & Development·DateNov 5, 2024

USC Stem Cell mouse study sheds light on the secret to maintaining a youthful immune system

A USC Stem Cell mouse study identifies a small subset of blood stem cells as the primary driver of immune aging. The researchers found that this subset overproduces innate immune cells, leading to an age-associated imbalance and increased disease risk. By targeting this subset, the study suggests a potential therapy to delay immune agi...

SourceKeck School of Medicine of USC·JournalCellular and Molecular Immunology·TypeExperimental study·DateOct 23, 2024

How the coronavirus defeats the innate immune response

The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 has an enzyme that counteracts the innate defense mechanism against viruses, allowing it to evade the innate immune system and become more infectious. Understanding this mechanism may lead to the development of new antiviral drugs and treatments.

SourceKobe University·JournalJournal of Virology·TypeExperimental study·DateOct 22, 2024

Natural killer cell cellular-based therapeutic options to manage acute myeloid leukemia: prospects and challenges

Natural Killer (NK) cell-based therapies have shown promise in preclinical and clinical studies for treating Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), offering a potential cure with minimal prior antigen sensitization. However, the dysfunction of NK cells in AML patients poses a significant challenge that must be overcome to unlock their full ther...

SourceXia & He Publishing Inc.·JournalOncology Advances·DateSep 30, 2024

Common respiratory infections may have protected children from COVID-19, study suggests

Researchers found that frequent respiratory infections in children may have elevated their innate immune activity, protecting them from severe COVID-19 symptoms. The study suggests that childhood exposure to common cold viruses and bacteria boosted the kids' immune systems, allowing them to better fight off SARS-CoV-2.

SourceRockefeller University Press·JournalJournal of Experimental Medicine·DateJul 1, 2024

Small protein plays big role in chronic HIV infection

A study published in Brain, Behavior, and Immunity found that normal levels of interferon-β are required for normal memory function, and its absence changes nerve cell components in a sex-dependent fashion. The research also showed that higher or lower than normal levels of interferon-β affect the brain in a sex-dependent manner.

SourceUniversity of California - Riverside·JournalBrain Behavior and Immunity·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 4, 2024

Sting operation out of gas

Researchers question whether micronuclei activate the cGAS-STING pathway, a key innate immune response to foreign nucleic acids. The study found that MN more commonly recognizes DNA during cell division without triggering STING activation.

SourceKyoto University·JournalLife Science Alliance·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 11, 2024

Faulty DNA disposal system causes inflammation

Scientists discovered a novel mechanism for removing mtDNA from mitochondria, which can initiate an immune response promoting inflammation. The discovery reveals new targets for therapeutics to disrupt the inflammatory pathway and mitigate inflammation during aging and diseases.

SourceSalk Institute·JournalNature Cell Biology·DateFeb 8, 2024

New technology to study virus infections

Scientists at Max Delbrück Center have developed a tool to screen drugs that can help treat viral diseases like COVID-19 by analyzing the immune response of lung epithelial cells. The technology uses synthetic locus control region (sLCR) DNA sequences that glow red when triggered, enabling researchers to identify potential treatments.

Cryo-EM structures show how Trypanosomes escape the human innate immune response

Researchers at IOCB Prague have determined the first cryo-EM structures of a surface receptor of Trypanosoma brucei gambiense in complex with human complement factor C3. This discovery sheds light on how the parasite avoids clearance from the human bloodstream and survives within the immune system.

Fats help tag medical implants as friend or foe

Researchers discovered that lipid deposition on medical implant surfaces can signal to the immune system whether to attack or ignore the implant. This knowledge could help develop biomaterials that deflect host immune aggression, reducing malfunction rates for devices like pacemakers and surgical mesh.

SourceRice University·JournalAdvanced Materials·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 14, 2023

Poxvirus proteins enable early strike on immune defences

A new study identifies pox virus proteins that directly interfere with the body's innate immune system, allowing it to evade the host's defense mechanisms. The research team has discovered five 'redox' proteins that interact with Reactive Oxygen Species, which play a key role in destroying pathogens identified by the immune system.

SourceUniversity of Birmingham·JournalPLOS Pathogens·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 14, 2022

Newly developed radio-labeled molecule enables real-time imaging of innate immune activity

Researchers at University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center developed a novel PET imaging tool to selectively monitor inflammation and innate immune activity. The new radio-labeled molecule, [18F]4FN, is more specific and robust than existing agents, offering potential for early biomarker detection of immune-related adverse events.

SourceUniversity of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center·JournalNature Biotechnology·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 21, 2022

Experimental treatment with enzyme protects mice from lethal anthrax infection

Scientists have developed an enzyme that degrades the capsule surrounding the bacterium that causes anthrax, reducing virulence and protecting mice from infection. The treatment, known as PEG-CapD-CPS334C, is a promising avenue for treating multidrug-resistant anthrax and other bacterial infections.

SourceUS Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases·JournalScience Translational Medicine·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 8, 2021