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Newswise: A small mutation can make Zika virus even more dangerous
6-Apr-2022 5:05 PM EDT
A small mutation can make Zika virus even more dangerous
La Jolla Institute for Immunology

Researchers at La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) have found that Zika virus can mutate to become more infective—and potentially break through pre-existing immunity.

Newswise: Targeting a human protein may stop Ebola virus in its tracks
Released: 22-Mar-2022 12:15 PM EDT
Targeting a human protein may stop Ebola virus in its tracks
La Jolla Institute for Immunology

Ebola virus polymerase hijacks a cellular protein called GSPT1. An experimental drug that targets GSPT1 for degradation can also halt Ebola virus infection in human cells.

Newswise: Scientists uncover new targets for treating Parkinson's disease
18-Mar-2022 2:35 PM EDT
Scientists uncover new targets for treating Parkinson's disease
La Jolla Institute for Immunology

Scientists at La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) have found that people with Parkinson's disease have a clear "genetic signature" of the disease in their memory T cells. The scientists hope that targeting these genes may open the door to new Parkinson's treatments and diagnostics.

Newswise:Video Embedded promising-antibody-cocktail-takes-on-ebola-virus-and-its-deadly-cousin
VIDEO
15-Mar-2022 2:10 PM EDT
Promising antibody cocktail takes on Ebola virus—and its deadly cousin
La Jolla Institute for Immunology

The team's latest study, published in Cell, shows that two clever human antibodies can target two ebolavirus species at once: Ebola virus and Sudan virus. These two species are responsible for the biggest, deadliest outbreaks. The new report suggests researchers could combine these two potent antibodies to make a powerful antiviral therapy.

Newswise: LJI team uncovers new subsets of CD4+ 'helper' T cells
22-Feb-2022 2:40 PM EST
LJI team uncovers new subsets of CD4+ 'helper' T cells
La Jolla Institute for Immunology

Researchers at La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) have discovered new genes in CD4+ "helper" T cell subset that are linked to risk of autoimmune diseases. As they work to shed light on the exact functions of these CD4+ T cell subsets, the researchers have uncovered major differences between donors based on genetics and how the cells may function in men and women.

Newswise: The Conrad Prebys Foundation grants more than $1.5 million to support critical infrastructure—and a fascinating branch of immunology
Released: 22-Feb-2022 4:30 PM EST
The Conrad Prebys Foundation grants more than $1.5 million to support critical infrastructure—and a fascinating branch of immunology
La Jolla Institute for Immunology

The Conrad Prebys Foundation has given more than $1.17 million to support La Jolla Institute for Immunology's (LJI) Flow Cytometry Core and more than $415,000 to fuel infectious disease research led by LJI Instructor Julie Burel, Ph.D.

Newswise: Current vaccines teach T cells to fight Omicron
Released: 24-Jan-2022 11:55 AM EST
Current vaccines teach T cells to fight Omicron
La Jolla Institute for Immunology

Scientists at La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) have found that four COVID-19 vaccines (Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, J&J/Janssen, and Novavax) prompt the body to make effective, long-lasting T cells against SARS-CoV-2. These T cells can recognize SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern, including Delta and Omicron.

Newswise: Partial bone marrow transplant 'rescues' mice with cystic fibrosis
Released: 18-Jan-2022 1:35 PM EST
Partial bone marrow transplant 'rescues' mice with cystic fibrosis
La Jolla Institute for Immunology

Scientists at La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) have found they can dramatically improve survival of mice with cystic fibrosis through a partial bone marrow transplant. Their new study in the Journal of Immunology shows that a partial bone marrow transplant helps these mice by introducing a population of healthy immune cells called monocytes.

Newswise: La Jolla Institute renews longtime collaboration with Kyowa Kirin, Inc.
Released: 18-Jan-2022 10:00 AM EST
La Jolla Institute renews longtime collaboration with Kyowa Kirin, Inc.
La Jolla Institute for Immunology

La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) and Kyowa Kirin, Inc. (KKNA), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd (Kyowa Kirin, TSE: 4151), a global specialty pharmaceutical company, today announced the signing of a new collaboration agreement. The agreement marks another milestone in one of the most enduring industry-academic collaborations in the world.

Newswise:Video Embedded macrophages-in-the-artery-wall-smell-their-surroundings
VIDEO
10-Jan-2022 11:55 AM EST
Macrophages in the artery wall 'smell' their surroundings
La Jolla Institute for Immunology

An artery is not like a nose. Or is it? Scientists at La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) have discovered that immune cells in arteries can "sniff" out their surroundings and cause inflammation.

Newswise: LJI and Charles River Laboratories to collaborate on COVID-19 research
Released: 6-Jan-2022 6:00 AM EST
LJI and Charles River Laboratories to collaborate on COVID-19 research
La Jolla Institute for Immunology

Scientists at La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) and Charles River Laboratories International, Inc., are launching a new project to uncover exactly how different cells in the human immune system respond to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

Newswise: Strange DNA structures may drive cancer development
Released: 23-Dec-2021 10:45 AM EST
Strange DNA structures may drive cancer development
La Jolla Institute for Immunology

Scientists at the La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) have uncovered how loss of TET enzymes can lead to B cell lymphoma. Their research, published in Nature Immunology, could potentially open opportunities for designing drug treatment strategies to target malignant cells in many cancers.

Newswise: Once upon a BCG vaccine
Released: 13-Dec-2021 1:10 PM EST
Once upon a BCG vaccine
La Jolla Institute for Immunology

A long, long time ago, the BCG vaccine was approved for use against tuberculosis (TB), and it's still given to infants today. For generations, the vaccine has saved lives and prevented untold suffering.

Newswise: New vaccine ingredient shows promise
2-Dec-2021 8:05 PM EST
New vaccine ingredient shows promise
La Jolla Institute for Immunology

Scientists at La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), have found a possible way to improve the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines—and any vaccine.

Newswise: Suffering from psoriasis? Blame this trio of proteins
16-Nov-2021 6:15 PM EST
Suffering from psoriasis? Blame this trio of proteins
La Jolla Institute for Immunology

About 7.5 million Americans suffer from psoriasis, an autoimmune disease that shows up as patches of red, inflamed skin and painful, scaly rashes. Although there are effective treatments for psoriasis, not everyone responds to these therapies—and for many, the relief is temporary.

Newswise: COVID-19 case severity: How genetic differences leave immune cells at a disadvantage
18-Nov-2021 1:35 PM EST
COVID-19 case severity: How genetic differences leave immune cells at a disadvantage
La Jolla Institute for Immunology

New research shows how genetic variations linked to severe cases of COVID-19 affect our immune cells. The study is one of the first in-depth look at the connections between COVID-19 severity and gene expression in many types of immune cells. This work could guide the development of new COVID-19 therapies to boost immune cell function.

Newswise: From Alpha to Epsilon: Consortium study illuminates surfaces of Spike most resistant to antibody escape
Released: 23-Sep-2021 3:45 PM EDT
From Alpha to Epsilon: Consortium study illuminates surfaces of Spike most resistant to antibody escape
La Jolla Institute for Immunology

Scientists at La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) have published a detailed map of where human antibodies bind to SARS-CoV-2, a map that was generated by a global collaboration comparing nearly all leading clinical candidates. The new research will guide the development of more effective COVID-19 antibody therapies and help scientists develop effective vaccines to address emerging viral variants.

19-Jul-2021 3:30 PM EDT
C Is for Vitamin C—a Key Ingredient for Immune Cell Function
La Jolla Institute for Immunology

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) help control inflammation and autoimmunity in the body. Unfortunately, it has proven difficult to find the right molecular ingredients to induce stable iTregs. A new study reports that Vitamin C and TET proteins can work together to give Tregs their life-saving power.

15-Jul-2021 5:45 PM EDT
Preparing T Cells for the Long Haul
La Jolla Institute for Immunology

In a new Nature Immunology study, researchers at La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) report that T cells can be engineered to clear tumors without succumbing to T cell exhaustion.

Released: 1-Jul-2021 2:40 PM EDT
Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines prime T cells to fight SARS-CoV-2 variants
La Jolla Institute for Immunology

Researchers at La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) have found that T cells from people who have recovered from COVID-19 or received the Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines are still able to recognize several concerning SARS-CoV-2 variants.

Released: 25-Jun-2021 10:05 AM EDT
Hard-working Enzyme Keeps Immune Cells in Line
La Jolla Institute for Immunology

Researchers at La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) have shed light on a process in immune cells that may explain why some people develop cardiovascular diseases. Their research, published recently in Genome Biology, shows the key role that TET enzymes play in keeping immune cells on a healthy track as they mature. The scientists found that other enzymes do play a role in this process—but TET enzymes do the heavy lifting.

23-Jun-2021 1:45 PM EDT
Many Cancer Patients May Need a Sequential One-Two Punch of Immunotherapies
La Jolla Institute for Immunology

New research led by scientists at La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) and the University of Liverpool may explain why many cancer patients do not respond to anti-PD-1 cancer immunotherapies—also called checkpoint inhibitors. The team reports that these patients may have tumors with high numbers of T follicular regulatory (Tfr) cells.

Released: 2-Jun-2021 1:55 PM EDT
LJI launches new global cancer immunology resource
La Jolla Institute for Immunology

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) of the National Institutes of Health has granted over $4.2 million to launch the Cancer Epitope Database and Analysis Resource (CEDAR), led by La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) Professors Alessandro Sette, Dr. Biol. Sci., and Bjoern Peters, Ph.D.

Released: 27-May-2021 6:05 PM EDT
LJI and Synbal, Inc. partner to develop better COVID-19 models
La Jolla Institute for Immunology

The La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) is partnering with Synbal, Inc., a preclinical biotechnology company based in San Diego, CA, to develop multi-gene, humanized mouse models for COVID-19 research. The research at LJI will be led by Professor Sujan Shresta, Ph.D., a member of the Institute’s Center for Infectious Disease and Vaccine Research.

Released: 25-May-2021 12:15 PM EDT
A COVID-fighter’s guide to T cells
La Jolla Institute for Immunology

In a new paper, scientists from La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) bring together research findings from COVID-19 researchers around the world. The results are striking: human T cells can target more than 1,400 sites on the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Released: 14-Apr-2021 11:10 AM EDT
Shape-shifting Ebola virus protein exploits human RNA to change shape
La Jolla Institute for Immunology

In a new Cell Reports study, researchers at La Jolla Institute for Immunology demonstrate how Ebola virus has found a different way to get things done. The virus encodes only eight proteins but requires dozens of functions in its lifecycle. The new study shows how one of Ebola virus’s key proteins, VP40, uses molecular triggers in the human cell to transform itself into different tools for different jobs.

22-Mar-2021 8:20 AM EDT
A clue to how some fast-growing tumors hide in plain sight
La Jolla Institute for Immunology

Viruses churn out genetic material in parts of the cell where it's not supposed to be. Cancer cells do too. A new study shows that a tumor-suppressor enzyme called DAPK3 is an essential component of a multi-protein system that senses misplaced genetic material in tumor cells, and slows tumor growth by activating the fierce-sounding STING pathway.

Released: 16-Mar-2021 2:00 PM EDT
Erica Ollmann Saphire appointed president and CEO of La Jolla Institute for Immunology
La Jolla Institute for Immunology

Erica Ollmann Saphire, Ph.D., has been appointed President and CEO of La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI), the Institute announced today. Dr. Saphire will become La Jolla Institute’s fifth president when she formally begins her term on September 1, 2021. She will succeed current LJI President Mitchell Kronenberg, who has successfully led the organization for the past 18 years.

Released: 9-Mar-2021 11:40 AM EST
LJI research leads to promising combination therapy for type 1 diabetes
La Jolla Institute for Immunology

Translational research led by scientists at La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) has resulted in a promising combination therapeutic candidate for adults with recent-onset type 1 diabetes.

Released: 23-Feb-2021 1:55 PM EST
Leinco Technologies, Inc., and La Jolla Institute for Immunology announce license agreement
La Jolla Institute for Immunology

La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI), one of the leading research organizations dedicated to studying the immune system announced today that it has signed a licensing agreement with Leinco Technologies, Inc., a premier developer and manufacturer of leading-edge recombinant proteins, antibodies, and conjugates.

   
Released: 27-Jan-2021 12:45 PM EST
T cells can mount attacks against many SARS-CoV-2 targets—even on new virus variant
La Jolla Institute for Immunology

A new study led by scientists at La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) suggests that T cells try to fight SARS-CoV-2 by targeting a broad range of sites on the virus—beyond the key sites on the virus's spike protein. By attacking the virus from many angles, the body has the tools to potentially recognize different SARS-CoV-2 variants.

21-Jan-2021 12:55 PM EST
A closer look at T cells reveals big differences in mild vs. severe COVID-19 cases
La Jolla Institute for Immunology

A big question on people's minds these days: how long does immunity to SARS-CoV-2 last following infection? Now a research team from La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI), The University of Liverpool and the University of Southampton has uncovered an interesting clue. Their new study suggests that people with severe COVID-19 cases may be left with more of the protective "memory" T cells needed to fight reinfection.

Released: 6-Jan-2021 12:35 PM EST
Protective immunity against SARS-CoV-2 could last eight months or more
La Jolla Institute for Immunology

The findings, based on analyses of blood samples from 188 COVID-19 patients, suggest that responses to the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, from all major players in the "adaptive" immune system, which learns to fight specific pathogens, can last for at least eight months after the onset of symptoms from the initial infection.

Released: 21-Dec-2020 12:25 PM EST
New 3D maps reveal inner workings of immune cell gene expression
La Jolla Institute for Immunology

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted how our small genetic differences can have a tremendous effect on how our bodies respond to disease. Researchers have created 3D maps of how enhancer sequences and genes interact in several types of immune cells. Their new study opens the door to understanding individual risk for diseases from asthma to cancer.

Released: 4-Dec-2020 1:00 PM EST
Researchers discover new particle in the blood of septic patients
La Jolla Institute for Immunology

Researchers at La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) have found that people with sepsis have never-before-seen particles in their blood. The scientists are the first to show that these particles, called elongated neutrophil-derived structures (ENDS), break off of immune cells and change their shape as they course through the body.

Released: 11-Nov-2020 3:25 PM EST
New study points to a better way to ward off asthma triggers
La Jolla Institute for Immunology

While quick-acting inhalers and medications can reduce inflammation during an asthma attack, people with asthma have few tools to prevent the next attack from coming. Now researchers at La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) have discovered that blocking two immune molecules at the same time is key to preventing asthma attacks in a mouse model.

30-Oct-2020 1:35 PM EDT
Fighting Zika? Call in the T cells
La Jolla Institute for Immunology

In a new Science Advances study, Shresta and her colleagues at LJI report that the immune system's T cells have the power to prevent Zika infection in mice. This finding suggests that effective Zika vaccines need to activate T cells to work alongside antibodies.

12-Oct-2020 4:25 PM EDT
Diabetes researchers spot dangerous T cells in the pancreas—even in healthy people
La Jolla Institute for Immunology

It's long been thought that having "autoreactive" T cells in the pancreas was a sure sign of type 1 diabetes. Yet a new study led by scientists at La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) shows that even healthy people have these cells lurking in the pancreas—in surprisingly high numbers.

Released: 6-Oct-2020 2:40 PM EDT
Every COVID-19 case seems different. These scientists want to know why.
La Jolla Institute for Immunology

A new international study led by scientists at La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI), The University of Liverpool and the University of Southampton is the first to give a detailed snapshot of how the body's CD4+ T cells respond to the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Among the findings, their work suggests that early in the illness, patients hospitalized with severe cases of COVID-19 develop a novel T cell subset that can potentially kill B cells and reduce antibody production.

Released: 24-Sep-2020 3:35 PM EDT
A step toward helping patients breathe deeply
La Jolla Institute for Immunology

In a new study, researchers at La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) report that a protein called TL1A drives fibrosis in several mouse models, triggering tissue remodeling, and making it harder for lungs and airways to function normally.

Released: 16-Sep-2020 2:55 PM EDT
T cells take the lead in controlling SARS-CoV-2 and reducing COVID-19 disease severity
La Jolla Institute for Immunology

A multi-layered, virus-specific immune response is important for controlling SARS-CoV-2 during the acute phase of the infection and reducing COVID-19 disease severity, with the bulk of the evidence pointing to a much bigger role for T cells than antibodies.

Released: 15-Sep-2020 1:45 PM EDT
LJI scientists receive $3.5 million to investigate role of immune cells in Parkinson's disease
La Jolla Institute for Immunology

Scientists at the La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) have received $3.5 million as part of a team award from Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s (ASAP) to support a three-year study into how immune cells may contribute to Parkinson's disease.

Released: 27-Aug-2020 3:45 PM EDT
Beating HIV and COVID-19 may depend on tweaking vaccine molecules
La Jolla Institute for Immunology

In a new Immunity study, researchers at La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) show that one way to improve the body's immune response to vaccines is to factor in antigen valency. Valency refers to the number of antibody binding sites on an antigen.

23-Aug-2020 9:00 PM EDT
Blocking nerve signals to the pancreas halts type 1 diabetes onset in mice
La Jolla Institute for Immunology

Blocking nerve signals to the pancreas could stop patients from ever developing type 1 diabetes.

   
14-Aug-2020 5:45 PM EDT
LJI team gets first-ever look at a rare but vital stem cell in humans
La Jolla Institute for Immunology

Scientists at La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) have tracked down the rare stem cells that generate neutrophils in human bone marrow. This research, published August 18, 2020, in Immunity, gives researchers a potential path for intervening in diseases where neutrophil development goes awry.

Released: 4-Aug-2020 10:00 AM EDT
Exposure to common cold coronaviruses can teach the immune system to recognize SARS-CoV-2
La Jolla Institute for Immunology

A new study led by scientists at La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) shows that memory helper T cells that recognize common cold coronaviruses also recognize matching sites on SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

22-Jul-2020 8:05 PM EDT
T cells can shift from helping to harming in atherosclerosis
La Jolla Institute for Immunology

At La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) researchers are dedicated to finding a way to stop plaques from forming in the first place. In a new study, LJI scientists show that certain T lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell, that start out trying to fight the disease can end up increasing inflammation and making atherosclerosis cases even worse.

17-Jul-2020 2:20 PM EDT
Researchers track down metabolic enzyme that protects against inflammation
La Jolla Institute for Immunology

A new study from scientists at the La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) shows that a previously poorly understood enzyme actually inhibits inflammation in blood vessels. The research offers a potential path to treating DADA2, an inflammatory blood vessel disease in children that is similar to Kawasaki disease.

Released: 2-Jul-2020 12:05 PM EDT
From Wuhan to San Diego—How a mutation on the novel coronavirus has come to dominate the globe
La Jolla Institute for Immunology

Two variants of the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), called G614 and D614, were circulating in mid-March. A new study shows that the G version of the virus has come to dominate cases around the world. They report that this mutation does not make the virus more deadly, but it does help the virus copy itself, resulting in a higher viral load, or "titer," in patients.

Released: 29-Jun-2020 12:25 PM EDT
Even in the worst COVID-19 cases, the body launches immune cells to fight back
La Jolla Institute for Immunology

SHAREInternational collaboration provides important piece of COVID-19 puzzleLA JOLLA—A new study from researchers at La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) and Erasmus University Medical Center (Erasmus MC) shows that even the sickest COVID-19 patients produce T cells that help fight the virus. The study offers further evidence that a COVID-19 vaccine will need to elicit T cells to work alongside antibodies.


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