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3D illustration of a tapeworm infestation in a human intestine
Return of the Worms
Catherine Offord | Dec 1, 2021 | 10+ min read
Immunologists and parasitologists are working to revive the idea that helminths, and more specifically the molecules they secrete, could help treat allergies and autoimmune disease.
December 2021 - Gut Guests - Infographic
Infographic: How Worms that Reside in the Gut Could Influence Health
Catherine Offord | Dec 1, 2021 | 3 min read
Research in animals and people supports a range of mechanisms by which the parasites affect physiology and immune responses.
Thwarting a Pandemic: COVID-19 Vaccine Strategies
The Scientist | 1 min read
Download this poster to learn about promising vaccine candidates for COVID-19!
oil in water
Stress-Induced Molecular Globs Boost Bacterial Fitness
Ruth Williams | Oct 21, 2021 | 4 min read
Liquid conglomerations of molecules that form in bacterial cells in response to stress promote the cells’ survival, a study finds.
The Role of Mom’s Microbes During Pregnancy
Carolyn A. Thomson and Kathy D. McCoy | Aug 1, 2021 | 10+ min read
Bacteria in the gut influence the production of antibodies and themselves secrete metabolites. In a pregnant woman, these compounds may influence immune development of her fetus.
A scanning electron micrograph of a coculture of E. coli and Acinetobacter baylyi. Nanotubes can be seen extending from the E. coli.
What’s the Deal with Bacterial Nanotubes?
Sruthi S. Balakrishnan | Jun 1, 2021 | 10+ min read
Several labs have reported the formation of bacterial nanotubes under different, often contrasting conditions. What are these structures and why are they so hard to reproduce?
Pink background with menstrual products off to the right
No Proof COVID-19 Vaccine Affects Menstruation or Fertility
Lisa Winter | Apr 27, 2021 | 2 min read
Following vaccination, some women claim their periods have changed, leading to rumors about how the shots affect recipients’ reproductive systems, and even others’ by proxy.  
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Ebola, virus, Guinea, West Africa, outbreak
Ebola Outbreak in Guinea Originated from Past Epidemic
Asher Jones | Mar 15, 2021 | 2 min read
Genetic analyses suggest that the virus came from a patient who survived the 2013–2016 West African outbreak.
COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, coronavirus, pandemic, vaccine, vaccine trials, combination, mix and match, immunity, antibodies, T cells, Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, clinical trials
COVID-19 Vaccine Combos Aim to Boost Immunity
Asher Jones | Mar 9, 2021 | 6 min read
Mix-and-match shots could simplify vaccine rollout and stimulate more-robust immune responses. Ongoing clinical trials will soon give answers.
COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, pandemic, research, reverse genetics, toolkit, antibodies, RNA
Q&A: A Molecular Toolkit to Build SARS-CoV-2 Research Capacity
Asher Jones | Mar 3, 2021 | 6 min read
Sam Wilson discusses a user-friendly set of resources that he and his collaborators developed to aid labs pivoting to study COVID-19.
Sex Differences in Immune Responses to Viral Infection
Catherine Offord | Mar 1, 2021 | 10+ min read
Stronger interferon production, greater T cell activation, and increased susceptibility to autoimmunity are just some of the ways that females seem to differ from males.
New Bacterium Linked to Chimp Deaths
Asher Jones | Feb 3, 2021 | 2 min read
The newly discovered microbe seems to be responsible for a mysterious neurological disease that has killed dozens of critically endangered Western chimpanzees.
Feeling the Foundation
Bob Grant | Feb 1, 2021 | 2 min read
This year has started out in a fashion that is sadly similar to the way 2020 unspooled. But the steady pace of scientific discovery helps maintain our sense of hope.
Retrons Help Bacteria Defend Themselves from Phages: Study
Catherine Offord | Feb 1, 2021 | 2 min read
The mysterious DNA sequences appear to help bacterial cells spot when they’ve been infected with viruses—and prompt those cells to self-destruct.
red blood cell rbc ipsc induced pluripotent stem cell blood tranfsuion bioreactor
New Protocol Advances Toward Lab-Made Universal Red Blood Cells
Diana Kwon | Dec 17, 2020 | 4 min read
Researchers report a new way of generating the cells from induced pluripotent stem cells in hopes they will one day be used in blood transfusions.
furin spike protein sars-cov-2 covid-19 coronavirus pandemic
Scientists Probe Blockers for the Coronavirus Spike Protein
Anthony King | Nov 5, 2020 | 6 min read
SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, taps into human proteases such as furin to enter cells. Temporarily inhibiting those enzymes might stymie infection.
Alterations in Immune Genes Make Bats Great Viral Hosts
Abby Olena, PhD | Oct 27, 2020 | 3 min read
Bat species use different strategies to dampen immune activation in response to viruses.
SARS-CoV-2 Disables Key Components of Human Cells’ Defense System
Catherine Offord | Oct 22, 2020 | 4 min read
Researchers detail how viral proteins interact with host RNA to disrupt the cell’s ability to fight back against infection.
Decoy Cells Trick SARS-CoV-2, Reduce Cytokines In Vitro
Max Kozlov | Oct 14, 2020 | 4 min read
Genetically engineered cells that overproduce ACE2, the receptor the novel coronavirus uses to enter cells, neutralize infection in vitro and mop up inflammatory cytokines in mice.
Stomach Acid & Heartburn Drugs Linked with COVID-19 Outcomes
Ashley Yeager | Oct 7, 2020 | 6 min read
While sick with COVID-19, President Trump is taking an antacid. Doctors have been exploring whether these medicines can treat SARS-CoV-2 infections, and the results are mixed.
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