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New host protease determinants facilitating the infection of SARS-CoV-2 identified

Researchers from Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, the University of Hong Kong (HKUMed), has identified novel host protease determinants, that facilitate the infection of SARS-CoV-2, including the Omicron variant, which provided new targets for combating the pandemic.

22 Feb 2023

Lung immunity in neonates is influenced by the mother’s microbiota

A recent study led by Bruno Silva Santos, Group Leader and Vice-Director at the Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, found that a specific subset of white blood cells called γδ T cells affects the transfer of the mother’s microbiota during childbirth and breastfeeding and affects the infants’ lung immune response.

15 Feb 2023

A protein in the lung forms a natural protective barrier against SARS-CoV-2 infection

University of Sydney scientists have discovered a protein in the lung that blocks SARS-CoV-2 infection and forms a natural protective barrier in the human body.

10 Feb 2023

Macrophages as new therapeutic target to address obesity-related diseases

Macrophages are immune system cells that control inflammation and tissue function in addition to being crucial in the early response to microbial infection. Since it aids in the repair of damaged tissue, inflammation is a natural physiological response.

6 Feb 2023

Study sheds light on why lung tumors do not respond well to immunotherapy

Immunotherapy -; drug treatment that stimulates the immune system to attack tumors -; works well against some types of cancer, but it has shown mixed success against lung cancer.

6 Feb 2023

Investigating the molecular mechanisms that govern cilia force sensing

Although the human body is superficially symmetric along the left–right axis, most internal organs, including the heart, lungs, liver, stomach, and brain, have noteworthy left–right asymmetries in their structure and placement.

6 Jan 2023

The potential of cellular “glue” in regenerative medicine

Scientists at UC San Francisco have created molecules that function as “cellular glue,” enabling them to precisely control how cells adhere to one another. The discovery is a significant step toward regenerative medicine’s long-term goal of creating new tissues and organs.

14 Dec 2022

Role of VWF in triggering inflammation

The blood clotting protein von Willebrand Factor (VWF) has a new function that has been identified by researchers at RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences.

4 Nov 2022

DNA-based nanotransporters could improve treatment of cancers, other diseases

A team of Canadian researchers from Université de Montréal has designed and validated a new class of drug transporters made of DNA that are 20,000 times smaller than a human hair and that could improve how cancers and other diseases are treated.

2 Nov 2022

Molecular responses of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to hydroquinine

Researchers investigating the effects of an organic compound on drug-resistant bacteria found how it can impede and destroy a germ that causes significant illness or even death in some situations.

1 Nov 2022

Innovative method opens myriad new avenues for understanding the biology behind COVID-19

A highly innovative method using the latest technology has generated a comprehensive list of SARS-CoV-2 viral and human proteins that interact with each other, with one such interaction showing the virus directly influencing proteins that regulate the human immune system.

18 Oct 2022

Prolonged longevity in mice with gene clusters

Numerous candidate genes that affect longevity have recently been found, according to research from the Interventions Testing Program, which is supported by the National Institute on Aging (NIA).

14 Oct 2022

Broadening the scope of CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing systems

A group of Northwestern University researchers has created a novel gene editing platform that might influence the future application of a nearly infinite library of CRISPR-based therapeutics.

7 Oct 2022

Genomic research helps in tackling the fatal complications of fungal infections

An important genetic discovery made by a research team led by a University of Massachusetts Amherst scientist sheds new light on the application of the drug caspofungin to treat the deadly fungal infection Aspergillus fumigatus, which claims the lives of about 100,000 severely immunocompromised individuals every year.

7 Oct 2022

Special blood vessels may protect whales from brain damage while swimming

Special blood vessels in whale brains may protect them from pulses, caused by swimming, in their blood that would damage the brain, new UBC research has suggested.

23 Sep 2022

Native 3D structure of the ciliary base witnessed for the first time

Because flaws in the cilia transport system can result in, for example, blindness or cystic kidneys, findings reported in Science offer new understandings of the molecular basis for different diseases.

20 Sep 2022

New study supports bradykinin storm theory of COVID-19's viral pathogenesis

A new paper published in Nature Communications adds further evidence to the bradykinin storm theory of COVID-19's viral pathogenesis -; a theory that was posited two years ago by a team of researchers at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

19 Sep 2022

Chromatin displays different dynamics in cells during organ-formation

Recent research from the School of Medicine has illuminated the development of the liver, lungs, and digestive system. This result may have significant ramifications for the comprehension of cancer.

30 Aug 2022

Unconventional T cells migrate and influence immune responses

There are 600 to 800 lymph nodes in the human body, which are specialized organs that cause immunological reactions. Lymph nodes are connected to the various organs by lymph vessels, allowing them to receive information about infections in the body.

25 Aug 2022

Engineers develop the world's smallest EEG caps for mini brains

It could be the world's tiniest EEG electrode cap, created to measure activity in a brain model the size of a pen dot. Its designers expect the device to lead to better understanding of neural disorders and how potentially dangerous chemicals affect the brain.

18 Aug 2022