Home
Categories
public health

public health

Illustration of a targeted virus over a world map

Martha Nelson | Jan 4, 2022 | 10+ min read

Dozens of researchers, including myself, worked for years to uncover that swine flu had leapt to humans from a pig in Mexico in 2009. We learned a lot about influenza evolution, pig farming, and outbreak risk along the way.

Illustration of a world map showing a truck going from the US to Mexico, a plane going from Europe to Mexico, and a pig surrounded by various viruses in Mexico

Infographic: How H1N1 Came to Spark a Pandemic in 2009

Martha Nelson | Jan 4, 2022 | 2 min read

The pathogen known as swine flu evolved in pigs in Mexico following imports of the livestock from the US and Europe.

Immuno-Oncology for Solid Tumors: Overcoming Barriers in the Tumor Microenvironment

The Scientist | 2 min read

The Scientist is bringing together a panel of experts to share their research and insights into what it may take to overcome the barriers in the tumor microenvironment.

An illustration with a world map, pigs, and viruses

Timeline: Investigating the Origins of the 2009 Pandemic

Martha Nelson | Jan 4, 2022 | 3 min read

Seven years of surveillance and research revealed the complex history of the H1N1 virus that leapt from pigs to humans and sparked the global swine flu outbreak.

a blood bag partially full of yellow liquid

Convalescent Plasma for COVID-19 Cuts Hospitalizations: Preprint

Shawna Williams | Dec 21, 2021 | 2 min read

Unlike studies of antibody-rich transfusions in hospitalized patients, which overall have not found clear benefits, a new randomized trial finds that early convalescent plasma treatment cuts hospitalizations in half.

Vector Laboratories: Is Your IHC as Easy as ABC?

The Scientist | 1 min read

With over 100K citations and counting, the avidin-biotin complex is the most popular immunhistochemistry method today.

An artist’s rendering of the Omicron variant portrays the virus as a lumpy blue sphere with several orange spike proteins jutting out of it.

Omicron Propagates 70 Times Faster than Delta in Bronchi: Study

Dan Robitzski | Dec 17, 2021 | 5 min read

A preprint reports that the new SARS-CoV-2 variant multiplies faster in human bronchial tissue but slower in lung tissue than the Delta variant, potentially explaining how it’s spreading from person to person so quickly.

images related to COVID-19 pandemic, including sign reading "please keep your distance," illustration of the virus, various pills, vaccine syringes

What We Learned About COVID-19 in 2021

Shawna Williams | Dec 16, 2021 | 3 min read

As Omicron induces a sense of deja vu at the close of the year, we look back at a few key ways in which our understanding has moved forward.

Systems Immunology: Understanding Responses to Vaccination and Infection

The Scientist | 1 min read

The Scientist is bringing together a panel of experts to discuss their research and experiences in using systems immunology to gain new insights into immune responses to infection through single-cell data analysis, and into innate immune dysfunction in HIV infection.

Omicron Appears to Evade Vaccines Better Than Other Variants

Jef Akst | Dec 14, 2021 | 3 min read

Preliminary studies suggest that existing vaccines falter in preventing symptomatic infections caused by the new coronavirus variant, but protection against severe disease is still high.

Cofounders and co-CEOs of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan

CZI Pledges Billions More Dollars in Science Funding

Catherine Offord | Dec 9, 2021 | 2 min read

Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg are dedicating a further $3.4 billion to biomedical and human health research on top of $3 billion invested several years ago, the organization announced this week.

Improving T-cell Function in the Solid Tumor Microenvironment using Advanced Immunotherapeutic Strategies

The Scientist | 1 min read

IsoPlexis invites you to join them for an educational webinar.

WHO Rejects Convalescent Plasma Treatment for COVID-19

Chloe Tenn | Dec 6, 2021 | 2 min read

Current evidence suggests the treatment does not improve survival or reduce the need for ventilation in COVID-19 patients, the World Health Organization says.

Sex Ratios at Birth Linked to Pollutants

Chloe Tenn | Dec 3, 2021 | 2 min read

A large, long-term study across the US and Sweden finds potential correlations between specific pollutants and the proportions of male and female babies born.