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Tag: Immunology

  • Lauren G. Gross Named Chief Program and Policy Officer of The American Association of Immunologists

    Lauren G. Gross Named Chief Program and Policy Officer of The American Association of Immunologists

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    Newswise — ROCKVILLE, MD (July 17, 2023) — The American Association of Immunologists (AAI) is pleased to announce the appointment of Lauren G. Gross, J.D., as its new chief program and policy officer. With her deep knowledge of AAI and extensive experience in science policy and federal advocacy, Gross is exceptionally well qualified to lead and strengthen AAI’s excellent programs, including its educational offerings, scientific journals, policy efforts, and legislative activities.

    In her new position, Gross will apply her extensive knowledge and nuanced understanding of AAI, its members, and the needs of the immunology community broadly across her areas of responsibility, helping to integrate AAI’s programmatic functions and enhance the association’s educational and career offerings. She also will serve as an integral member of the newly established staff senior leadership team, working with her peers to advise AAI’s CEO Dr. Loretta Doan and to guide and implement strategic priorities to be established by the AAI Council.

    Gross has served AAI as director of public policy and government affairs for nearly 23 years. In that role, she led AAI activities on Capitol Hill and worked with officials from four presidential administrations. Gross has worked closely with numerous AAI presidents and the AAI Council, and in 2022 was appointed by then-AAI President Gary Koretzky, M.D., Ph.D., to head the interim leadership team that managed the association as it searched, successfully, for a new CEO.

    Prior to joining AAI, Gross was the director of health and economic policy for the American Nurses Association, where she led initiatives related to health care reform, access to care, and Medicare reform. She previously served as counsel to the Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee (now, the “Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee”) and legislative assistant to the late Senator Claiborne Pell (D-RI) for health and human services, civil rights, and judiciary. Gross is a former litigation attorney with the Boston law firm Nutter, McClennen & Fish.

    “I am beyond excited that Lauren has agreed to step into this role,” Doan said. “Her long history with the organization and deep understanding of members and their needs, coupled with her analytical yet empathetic approach to problem-solving, uniquely qualify her to help guide AAI through this pivotal moment. We will all benefit greatly from having Lauren’s insights as AAI moves with intention into its future. It will be essential to have the right staff leadership team in place so that we can bring to life the Council’s vision for the association; Lauren is an integral member of that team.”

    “I am thrilled to be able to serve AAI in a new way and to advise and support Dr. Doan in her efforts to address the needs and concerns of AAI members and the broader immunology community,” Gross said. “I look forward to continuing to work with the many wonderful AAI members I have come to know over the years and to working with the many more I have yet to meet.”

    Gross earned her J.D. from New York University School of Law and holds a bachelor’s degree from Yale University. She is a member of the bar of the District of Columbia and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

     

    Public Affairs Staff Promoted

    AAI is also pleased to announce the appointment of Jacob (Jake) Schumacher as director, government affairs, and of Emily Kansler, Ph.D., as senior science policy analyst.

    Schumacher has served AAI in various public affairs roles since 2009, most recently as senior manager of science policy and legislative affairs. Having worked closely with many AAI leaders and members over the years, and with extensive experience working with federal agency officials and Capitol Hill staff, Schumacher is uniquely qualified to seamlessly assume the position of director, leading the organization’s robust public affairs program and bringing a fresh take on efforts to advance AAI policy and legislative initiatives in an increasingly complex and challenging political environment. Prior to joining AAI, he served on Capitol Hill as a legislative correspondent to then-Senator Gordon Smith (R-OR). Schumacher is a graduate of the University of Oregon.

    Kansler joined AAI in 2021 as a science policy analyst, quickly establishing herself as an expert on federal scientific policies, particularly those issued by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), that affect immunologists and the broader biomedical research community. She closely analyzes and recommends action regarding relevant science policy issues, including those related to data management and sharing, public access to scholarly publication, peer review, and the trainee and postdoc ecosystem, enabling the Committee on Public Affairs to provide feedback to NIH on these and other topics. Kansler received her Ph.D. from the Louis V. Gerstner Jr. Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in the field of tumor immunology and her master’s degree of science in molecular microbiology and immunology, with a certificate in vaccine policy, from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Kansler’s scientific expertise has been critically important during the COVID-19 pandemic as AAI addressed issues related to vaccines and therapeutics.

    “With AAI’s increased focus on elevating the understanding of immunology across lay audiences, Jake and Emily are exactly the right team to guide us into new, impactful, externally facing policy issues, while also preserving the important work this team has always done on behalf of AAI members, immunology, and the greater biomedical research enterprise,” Doan said. “I am excited to embark on this new era for AAI public affairs and to see where this stellar team takes us.”

     

    About The American Association of Immunologists

    Founded in 1913, The American Association of Immunologists (AAI) (www.aai.org) is an association of professionally trained scientists from all over the world dedicated to advancing the knowledge of immunology and its related disciplines. AAI members have been responsible for some of the most significant immunological discoveries of the past century, including the development of cancer immunotherapies, monoclonal antibodies, transplant technologies, and dozens of life-saving vaccines. The organization counts 27 Nobel Laureates among its members. AAI owns and publishes The Journal of Immunology, the oldest and most established journal in the field, as well as ImmunoHorizons, an open-access, peer-reviewed journal dedicated to the science of immunology.

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    American Association of Immunologists (AAI)

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  • Innovative Approach to Chronic Sinusitis: Unconventional Infections

    Innovative Approach to Chronic Sinusitis: Unconventional Infections

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    “[…] in many cases [of chronic sinusitis] only symptom control is achieved.”

    Newswise — BUFFALO, NY- July 14, 2023 – A new research perspective was published in Oncoscience (Volume 10) on May 27, 2023, entitled, “Think outside the box – atypical infections in chronic sinusitis.”

    Inflammations of the paranasal sinuses represent a common clinical picture. The annual prevalence of chronic sinusitis in Europe is up to 10%. Sinusitis can be divided into acute and chronic forms. In particular, the chronic forms (>12 weeks duration) are often challenging in the context of therapy. 

    Generally, all ventilation disorders of the paranasal sinuses (concha bullosa, nasal septal deviations, etc.,) represent risk factors for the development of any form of sinusitis. In addition, an immune deficiency or systemic diseases relevant to the immune system predispose to infections with atypical pathogens. Most sinusitis are caused by viruses, sometimes bacteria and, in rare cases, fungal infections. Furthermore, sinusitis can be differentiated with regard to the affected paranasal sinuses. 

    In addition to conservative treatment options for chronic sinusitis (glucocorticoid nasal sprays, antibiotics, antimycotics, immunotherapy), surgical procedures (functional endoscopic sinus surgery) can also be considered. However, chronic sinusitis tends towards a high rate of recurrences. Therefore, in many cases only symptom control is achieved. In their recent research perspective, researchers Florian Dudde, Kai-Olaf Henkel and Filip Barbarewicz from the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at Army Hospital Hamburg discuss treatment refractory forms of chronic sinusitis with unclear etiology. The authors note that these cases require interdisciplinary diagnostics and treatment, which they were able to demonstrate clearly in their recently published article.

    “Fungal infections are a rare cause of sinusitis. A detailed anamnesis and clinical examination of the patient should be carried out, particularly in the case of therapy refractory forms of chronic sinusitis. It is also important to consider atypical causes and disease connections (root canal treatment, aspergilloma) when dealing with chronic sinusitis. Interdisciplinary diagnostics and therapy are crucial for the successful treatment of this rare entity.”

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    Impact Journals LLC

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  • Tip Sheet: Understanding cancer-related pain, newborn screening for deadly immune disorder — and new Fred Hutch leadership

    Tip Sheet: Understanding cancer-related pain, newborn screening for deadly immune disorder — and new Fred Hutch leadership

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    Newswise — SEATTLE — July 6, 2023 — Below are summaries of recent Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center research findings and other news.

    If you’re looking for resources who can comment on skin cancer awareness and skin protection during the summer months, see our list of experts and reach out to [email protected] to set up interviews.

    Cancer research and care

    Pinpointing pain: Is it cancer or cancer treatment? Distinguishing side effects of cancer treatment from potential metastatic recurrence can be difficult. In a Q&A, Dr. Hanna Hunter, medical director of cancer rehabilitation at Fred Hutch, s best practices on how doctors and patients can work together to manage pain symptoms.     

    American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting 2023 highlights: Fine-tuning cancer care Fred Hutch researchers at ASCO’s annual meeting d their latest findings in cellular immunotherapy, early detection cancer screening tests, interplays between the microbiome and genetics in colorectal cancer and more.    

    Cancer Health Equity Podcast: Nurses in cancer care The latest episode of Fred Hutch’s Office of Community Outreach and Engagement’s monthly podcast explores the role of nurses in cancer care and how they’re part of working toward health and well-being for everyone. Two Fred Hutch nurses on the blood and bone marrow transplant team — Arlyce Coumar and Jennifer Lynch — their stories of working with patients and families, as well as educating other nurses. They also discussed how nurses are getting more engaged in advocating for policies in health care. Fred Hutch community health educators Aden Afework, who works with African-American populations, and Snowy Johnson, who works with Indigenous populations, moderated the discussion.

    Severe combined immunodeficiency A new analysis published in The Lancet shows that newborn screening is the biggest factor in preventing deaths from the rare inherited disorder called severe combined immunodeficiency, also known as “bubble boy disease.” Babies born with SCID appear healthy at birth but are vulnerable to infections and usually die within the first two years of life unless they’re treated with immune-restoring treatment, such as stem cell transplant. Dr. Monica Thakar, pediatric bone marrow transplant physician, led the analysis which was published June 20. Read more in a National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease news release.

    Diversity, equity and inclusion

    Me Loving You: Themes of healing and moving forward Fred Hutch celebrated the start of Pride month with its fourth art installation as part of the Public Art & Community Dialogue Program featuring artist Ariadne Campanella. Initiated by Fred Hutch’s DEI Core, the program commissions artwork from artists representing diverse communities with the aim of engaging Fred Hutch employees and the broader community in conversations of solidarity with underrepresented groups. Campanella, a queer, non-binary trans woman and mixed media artist, was selected to create a piece focusing on LGBTQIA+ communities as they reflect on healing and moving from surviving to thriving.    

    New Fred Hutch leaders

    Dr. Sara Hurvitz joins Fred Hutch, University of Washington Breast oncologist Dr. Sara Hurvitz has been named the new senior vice president of the Clinical Research Division at Fred Hutch and head of the Division of Hematology and Oncology at the University of Washington Department of Medicine. She will begin her role Aug. 1. Currently at UCLA, Hurvitz is an international expert in breast oncology and a leader in clinical and laboratory-based oncology research, with extensive experience in leading clinical trials spanning all phases.   

    Fred Hutch announces new member, leadership on board of directors Fred Hutch announced one new member of its board of directors and its newly elected chair and vice chair. Pete Shimer, chief operating officer at Deloitte, will join the board. Leigh Morgan, chief strategy and operating officer at the Nia Tero Foundation, has been appointed the new chair of the board of directors, and Sean Boyle, chief operating officer at Omniva, has been appointed vice chair.    

    Awards and grants

    Dr. Mroj Alassaf named a 2023 Helen Hay Whitney Fellow Dr. Mroj Alassaf, postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Akhila Rajan’s lab, received a 3 year $215,000 Helen Hay Whitney foundation fellowship. Her work focuses on how mitochondrial components from fat can reach the brain and what influence they have on its health. A neurobiologist by training, Alassaf joined Rajan’s team after showing in her graduate work how a new mitochondrial protein contributes to neuronal health.    

    Dr. Sita Kugel receives V Foundation Translational Research Award Pancreatic cancer researcher Dr. Sita Kugel has received an inaugural Translational Research Award from the V Foundation for Cancer Research. The $800,000, four-year grant will allow Kugel to pursue an innovative Phase 1b clinical trial to translate from the lab to the clinic breakthroughs her group has made in developing a tailored treatment for a subtype of pancreatic cancer.    

    Dr. Cecilia Moens elected inaugural member of the Society for Developmental Biology Academy Developmental biologist Dr. Cecilia Moens joins nine other scientists elected to the newly created Society for Developmental Biology Academy. Moens work focuses on using zebrafish as a model to study the genes that control the brain’s early development. Her current research looks at how immature neurons make their connections to muscles and other neurons in the process of building functional circuits.    

    Lung cancer expert Dr. McGarry Houghton receives Satya and Rao Remala Family Endowed Chair Dr. McGarry Houghton, a pulmonary physician-scientist, studies the immune system’s role in cancer and lung cancer early detection. He was named the first recipient of the Satya and Rao Remala Family Endowed Chair, which provides support for a researcher working on both lung cancer and the promotion of equitable access to health and education. Houghton is pursuing a plasma-based diagnostic tool that would be used in conjunction with CT screening for lung cancer early detection.   

    Virus researchers Cohn and Blanco-Melo win coveted grants Drs. Lillian Cohn and Daniel Blanco-Melo are both early career scientists studying viruses and recently received support for their work through scholar programs. Cohn was named a biomedical scholar by the Pew Charitable Trust and Blanco-Melo was named a Searle scholar. Cohn’s research focuses on finding ways to cure HIV/AIDS by eradicating reservoirs of latently infected blood cells that persist despite continuous therapy with antiviral drugs. Blanco-Melo focuses on exploring how viruses evolve and how the human immune response to them changes over time.    

    Science spotlight Science Spotlight is a monthly installment of articles written by postdoctoral fellows at Fred Hutch that summarize new research papers from Fred Hutch scientists. If you’re interested in learning more or covering these topics, contact: [email protected]

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    Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center unites individualized care and advanced research to provide the latest cancer treatment options and accelerate discoveries that prevent, treat and cure cancer and infectious diseases worldwide.

    Based in Seattle, Fred Hutch is an independent, nonprofit organization and the only National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center in Washington. We have earned a global reputation for our track record of discoveries in cancer, infectious disease and basic research, including important advances in bone marrow transplantation, immunotherapy, HIV/AIDS prevention, and COVID-19 vaccines. Fred Hutch operates eight clinical care sites that provide medical oncology, infusion, radiation, proton therapy and related services and has network affiliations with hospitals in four states. Fred Hutch also serves as UW Medicine’s cancer program.

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    Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center

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  • Long Covid not caused by COVID-19 immune inflammatory response, new research finds

    Long Covid not caused by COVID-19 immune inflammatory response, new research finds

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    Newswise — Long Covid, which affects nearly two-million people in the UK1, is not caused by an immune inflammatory reaction to COVID-19, University of Bristol-led research finds.  Emerging data demonstrates that immune activation may persist for months after COVID-19.

    In this new study, published in eLife today [4 July], researchers wanted to find out whether persistent immune activation and ongoing inflammation response could be the underlying cause of long Covid.  

    To investigate this, the Bristol team collected and analysed immune responses in blood samples from 63 patients hospitalised with mild, moderate or severe COVID-19 at the start of the pandemic and before vaccines were available. The team then tested patients’ immune responses at three months and again at eight and 12 months post hospital admission. Of these patients, 79% (82%, 75%, and 86% of mild, moderate, and severe patients, respectively) reported at least one ongoing symptom with breathlessness and excessive fatigue being the most common.

    Dr Laura Rivino, Senior Lecturer in Bristol’s School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine and the study’s lead author, explained: “Long Covid occurs in one out of ten COVID-19 cases, but we still don’t understand what causes it.  Several theories proposed include whether it might be triggered by an inflammatory immune response towards the virus that is still persisting in our body, sending our immune system into overdrive or the reactivation of latent viruses such as human cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Epstein Barr virus (EBV).”

    The team found patients’ immune responses at three months with severe symptoms displayed significant dysfunction in their T-cell profiles indicating that inflammation may persist for months even after they have recovered from the virus. Reassuringly, results showed that even in severe cases inflammation in these patients resolved in time. At 12 months, both the immune profiles and inflammatory levels of patients with severe disease were similar to those of mild and moderate patients.

    Patients with severe COVID-19 were found to display a higher number of long Covid symptoms compared to mild and moderate patients. However, further analysis by the team revealed no direct association between long Covid symptoms and immune inflammatory responses, for the markers that were measured, in any of the patients after adjusting for age, sex and disease severity.

    Importantly, there was no rapid increase in immune cells targeting SARS-CoV-2 at three months, but T-cells targeting the persistent and dormant Cytomegalovirus (CMV) — a common virus that is usually harmless but can stay in your body for life once infected with it— did show an increase at low levels. This indicates that the prolonged T-cell activation observed at three months in severe patients may not be driven by SARS-CoV-2 but instead may be “bystander driven” i.e. driven by cytokines. 

    Dr Rivino added: “Our findings suggest that prolonged immune activation and long Covid may correlate independently with severe COVID-19. Larger studies should be conducted looking at both a larger number of patients, including if possible vaccinated and non-vaccinated COVID-19 patients, and measuring a larger range of markers and cytokines.  

    “Understanding whether inflammation and immune activation associate with long Covid would allow us to understand whether targeting these factors may be a useful therapy for this debilitating condition.”

    The study was supported by the Elizabeth Blackwell Institute (EBI) with funding from the University of Bristol’s alumni and friends and Southmead Hospital Charity.

    Paper

    ‘Prolonged T-cell activation and long COVID symptoms independently associate with severe COVID-19 at 3 months’ by Marianna Santopaolo, Michaela Gregorova, Laura Rivino et al. in eLife [open access]

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    University of Bristol

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  • Combination therapy effective against canine melanoma

    Combination therapy effective against canine melanoma

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    Newswise — A combination of radiotherapy followed by immunotherapy is a promising strategy for the treatment of oral malignant melanomas in dogs.

    Melanomas are the most common oral cancers in dogs. It is highly metastatic and conventional chemotherapy does not increase survival time. Canine oral melanomas are similar to human melanomas; thus, research is being conducted into adapting treatments developed for human melanomas for dogs.

    A particularly effective therapy for treating human melanomas is a combination of immune checkpoint inhibitors and radiotherapy. A team of researchers led by Professor Satoru Konnai at Hokkaido University has investigated the effects of this therapy in dogs. Their findings were published in the journal Cancers.

    “One of the means that tumors employ to protect themselves is by inducing overexpression of molecules that suppress the immune response, such as PD-1 and PD-L1,” explained Konnai. “Immunotherapy that targets these molecules and blocks their function has a response rate of 14.3% for canine oral malignant melanoma (OMM). Studies in humans have shown that combining anti-PD-L1 immunotherapy with radiotherapy—where the radiation is focused on the tumor—increases survival in humans, and we wanted to examine if this was true in dogs as well.”

    The team analyzed data from 39 canine patients with Stage IV pulmonary OMM treated with the anti-PD-L1 antibody c4G12 between March 2016 and September 2021. Of these, twenty had either never been treated with radiotherapy or had not received such treatment for at least 8 weeks; nine had received radiotherapy within 8 weeks prior to c4G12 treatment; and the remaining ten received c4G12 and radiotherapy concurrently.

    The most important metric the team measured was the overall survival time, the duration between the first dose of c4G12 and death. “The group that had received radiotherapy prior to c4G12 had better overall survival compared to the group that received just c4G12,” Konnai elaborated. “Concurrent treatment had no benefits compared to prior radiotherapy. We also observed that there was no statistical difference between the three groups in terms of side effects from treatment.” 

    This study shows that sequential treatment of canine pulmonary OMM with radiotherapy followed by c4G12 is a promising antitumor strategy. Future work will need to examine the validity of these findings in larger sample sizes, and will also focus on pinning down the optimal protocol (combination of timing, dose and fractionation of radiotherapy) to increase overall survival.

    Funding:
    This work was supported by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (16K15042, 19H03114, 19K15969, 19K23702, 21K1498301) and Grant-in-Aid for JSPS Fellows (15J01989); and by the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED; JP22ama121008, JP21am0101078).

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    Hokkaido University

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  • The Pet Shop: Calendar of events

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    Pet Adoption Special: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturdays, through Sept. 30, Burlington Animal Services, 221 Stone Quarry Road, Burlington. All dogs weighing more than 20 pounds and all cat adoptions are reduced to $20. Adoptions include…

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  • The Pet Shop: Calendar of events

    The Pet Shop: Calendar of events

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    Pet Adoption Special: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturdays, through Sept. 30, Burlington Animal Services, 221 Stone Quarry Road, Burlington. All dogs weighing more than 20 pounds and all cat adoptions are reduced to $20. Adoptions include…

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  • New Research Shows HIV Can Lie Dormant in the Brain

    New Research Shows HIV Can Lie Dormant in the Brain

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    Newswise — CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – As a part of its life cycle, the human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV) inserts a copy of its DNA into human immune cells. Some of these newly infected immune cells can then transition into a dormant, latent state for a long period of time, which is referred to as HIV latency.

    Although current therapies, such current antiretroviral therapy (ART), can successfully block the virus from replicating further, it cannot eradicate latent HIV. If treatment is ever discontinued, the virus can rebound from latency and reignite the progression of HIV infection to AIDS.

    Scientists from the HIV Cure Center at the UNC School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, Emory University, and University of Pennsylvania have been searching for where exactly these latent cells are hiding in the body. New research published in the Journal of Clinical Investigations confirms that microglial cells – which are specialized immune cells with a decade-long lifespan in the brain – can serve as a stable viral reservoir for latent HIV.

    “We now know that microglial cells serve as a persistent brain reservoir,” said first author Yuyang Tang, PhD, assistant professor of medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases and member of the UNC HIV Cure Center. “This had been suspected in the past, but proof in humans was lacking. Our method for isolating viable brain cells provides a new framework for future studies on reservoirs of the central nervous system, and, ultimately, efforts towards the eradication of HIV.”

    Latent HIV

    HIV is a tricky and unique virus to study. During infection, the virus specifically targets the key coordinators of the immune response, which are called CD4+ lymphocytes. Over time, the virus kills enough CD4+ cells to cause immunodeficiency. .

    Past research has shown that latent HIV can hide within a few of the surviving CD4+ T cells throughout the body and the bloodstream. However, other viral reservoirs have been suspected to hide within the central nervous system (CNS) in people with HIV receiving effective ART.

    Unlike peripheral blood cells, it is extremely difficult to access and analyze brain tissues for the study of HIV reservoirs. Since these types of cells cannot be safely sampled in people taking ART,he potential viral reservoir in the brain has remained an enigma for many years.

    Extracting Pure Brain Tissue

    The team first studied the brains of macaques with the simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV), a virus that is closely related to HIV, from the Yerkes National Primate Research Center at Emory University to get a better understanding of how to extract and purify viable cells from primate brain tissue.

    Researchers used physical separation techniques and antibodies to selectively remove cells that were expressing microglial surface markers. Then, they isolated and separated the highly pure brain myeloid cells from the CD4+ cells that were passing through the brain tissue.

    Using these techniques, researchers then obtained samples that were donated by HIV+ people who were enrolled in “The Last Gift” Study at the University of California San Diego (UCSD). As a part of this unique and important effort, altruistic HIV+ people, who aretaking ART but suffering from other terminal illnesses, will their bodies to further the HIV research project.

    “The samples are from people living with HIV, who are on therapy but facing a fatal disease of some kind,” said the co-author David Margolis, MD, the Sarah Kenan Distinguished Professor of Medicine, Microbiology & Immunology, and Epidemiology. “They were willing to not just donate their bodies to science, but also participate in the research program in the months leading up to their death. It’s an extraordinary program that made this critical research possible.”

    Now that the researchers know that latent HIV can take refuge in microglial cells in the brain, they are now considering plans to target this type of reservoir. Since latent HIV in the brain is radically different from the virus in the periphery, researchers believe that it has adapted special characteristics to replicate in the brain.

    “HIV is very smart,” said senior author Guochun Jiang, PhD, assistant professor in the UNC Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics and member of the UNC HIV Cure Center. “Over time, it has evolved to have epigenetic control of its expression, silencing the virus to hide in the brain from immune clearance. We are starting to unravel the unique mechanism that allows latency of HIV in brain microglia”.”

    NF-κB signaling is one of the critical signaling pathways that controls HIV expression elsewhere in the body. When NF-κB signaling is ”turned off”, HIV enters latency in the peripheral blood. However, it seems that latent HIV in the brain is not impacted by the activation of NF-κB signaling. Researchers are unsure why that is, but once an answer is found, they will be one step closer to knowing how to selectively target and eradicate the virus in the brain or peripheral blood.In addition to understanding the inner workings of the brain reservoir, the researchers are also trying to determine the true size of the latent HIV brain reservoir. 

    “It is very hard to know how big the reservoir is,” said Margolis, who is also the director of the UNC HIV Cure Center. “The problem with trying to eradicate HIV is like trying to eradicate cancer. You want to be able to get it all, so it won’t come back.”

    About UNC School of Medicine The UNC School of Medicine (SOM) is the state’s largest medical school, graduating more than 180 new physicians each year. It is consistently ranked among the top medical schools in the US, including 7th overall for primary care by US News & World Report, and 7th for research among public universities. More than half of the school’s 1,700 faculty members served as principal investigators on active research awards in 2021. Two UNC SOM faculty members have earned Nobel Prize awards.

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    University of North Carolina School of Medicine

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  • Long COVID patients endure lasting inflammation: study

    Long COVID patients endure lasting inflammation: study

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    Newswise — An overactive inflammatory response could be at the root of many long COVID cases, according to a new study from the Allen Institute and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center.

    Looking at proteins circulating in the blood, the scientists found a set of molecules associated with inflammation that were present only in a subset of patients with long COVID and were not seen in those who recovered from their disease. The researchers published an article describing their findings in the journal Nature Communications today.

    Out of 55 patients with long COVID, about two-thirds had persistently high levels of certain signals of inflammation. The scientists also looked at blood samples from 25 people who had COVID but recovered, and from 25 volunteers who had never had COVID to their knowledge. Those without long COVID did not show the same signs of inflammation in their blood.

    The patient volunteers in the new analysis are part of a larger, ongoing study based at Fred Hutch, the Seattle COVID Cohort Study, which is led by Julie McElrath, M.D., Ph.D., Senior Vice President and Director of Fred Hutch’s Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, and Julie Czartoski, ARNP, Research Clinician at the Hutch.

    Scientists have seen previous links between inflammation and long COVID, but the new study is the first to trace the persistence of these inflammatory markers over time in the same patients.

    There’s an obvious implication to these findings, said Troy Torgerson, M.D., Ph.D., Director of Experimental Immunology at the Allen Institute for Immunology, a division of the Allen Institute: Certain kinds of anti-inflammatory drugs might alleviate symptoms for some long COVID patients. But physicians need a way of telling which long COVID patients might benefit from which treatment — a form of precision medicine for a disease that so far remains maddeningly mysterious.

    “The big question was, can we define which long COVID patients have persistent inflammation versus those that don’t? That would be useful in terms of clinical trial planning and in terms of helping clinicians figure out targeted treatments for their patients,” said Torgerson, who led the Nature Communications publication along with McElrath, Aarthi Talla, Senior Bioinformatician at the Allen Institute for Immunology, Suhas Vasaikar, Ph.D., former Senior Bioinformatics Scientist (now a Principal Scientist at Seagen), and Tom Bumol, Ph.D., former Executive Vice President and Director.

    Specifically, the blood markers uncovered in this subset of patients with “inflammatory long COVID,” as the scientists call it, point to a flavor of inflammation similar to that seen in autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis. This kind of inflammation can be treated with an existing class of drugs called JAK inhibitors, at least in the case of rheumatoid arthritis (it has not yet been tested for long COVID).

    The scientists also hope to narrow down their molecular signature of “inflammatory long COVID” to a few markers that could be used in the clinic to sort this subset of long COVID patients out from the rest.

     

    Refining treatment options

    Launched in the spring of 2020, shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic shut down businesses and schools in the U.S., the Fred Hutch-led Seattle COVID Cohort Study was originally designed to follow immune responses over time in patients with mild or moderate COVID. The idea was to capture details of a “successful” immune response — one in which patients didn’t get too sick, didn’t need to be hospitalized, and recovered fully.

    But the team soon realized that even among those who didn’t get super sick, not everyone recovered. In their initial work in 2020 tracing the details of immune responses in 18 COVID patients, the scientists found a handful whose symptoms persisted, early examples of what would eventually be termed long-haul COVID, or just long COVID.

    In those early days of the study, the scientists saw that certain immune responses — namely inflammation — were consistently high in these few patients with long COVID. In the patients that got sick and then recovered fully, inflammation levels went up as their bodies fought off the illness, and then went back down as they got better. In those with long COVID, the levels never went back down.

    So the team decided to expand their study to look at more patients with long COVID, focusing on a panel of 1500 proteins circulating in the blood. These assays revealed different molecular “buckets” of long COVID, namely inflammatory and non-inflammatory long COVID. Understanding the molecular roots of the disease, or subsets of the disease, will help guide clinical trial design and ultimately treatment decisions, the scientists said.

    “The ultimate goal is to treat patients,” Talla said. “Although we call everything long COVID, what’s come out of this work shows us that we might not be able to give everyone the same kinds of therapies and we shouldn’t put everyone into one group for treatment purposes.”

    Those patients with non-inflammatory long COVID might be living with permanent organ or tissue damage from their disease, Torgerson said. That would require very different treatment from those with high levels of inflammation. The scientists also saw that these groups can’t be distinguished based on symptoms alone. If anti-inflammatory drugs prove effective in treating inflammatory long COVID, patients would first need to be screened to determine which form of long COVID they have.

    “We hope these findings provide features of long COVID that may guide potential future therapeutic approaches,” McElrath said.

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    Allen Institute

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  • Long COVID, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Share Biological Abnormalities

    Long COVID, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Share Biological Abnormalities

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    Newswise — Long COVID and myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome are debilitating conditions with similar symptoms. Neither condition has diagnostic tests or treatments approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and each cost the United States billions of dollars each year in direct medical expenses and lost productivity. Doctors and researchers have wondered what are the underlying biological abnormalities that may cause symptoms, and whether these abnormalities are similar in the two illnesses.

    A review article authored by senior investigators at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, and the Mailman School of Public Health and Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, addresses these questions. In it, the authors review 559 scientific publications. The authors compared the symptoms of both conditions, noting their great similarity, and then showed that very similar underlying biological abnormalities have been found in both conditions, abnormalities involving the brain, immune system, heart, lungs, gut, and energy metabolism.

    “By making a side-by-side comparison of what is known about each type of abnormality, in each of these two illnesses, our review serves as a ‘road map’ to identify areas that require further research,” said Anthony L. Komaroff, MD, senior physician in the Brigham Department of Medicine and professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.  “We hope that identifying those abnormalities for which the evidence is strongest will help focus the search for improved diagnostic tests and effective treatments.”

    Read more in Frontiers in Medicine.

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    Brigham and Women’s Hospital

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  • ASCO: Targeted therapy induces responses in HER2-amplified biliary tract cancer

    ASCO: Targeted therapy induces responses in HER2-amplified biliary tract cancer

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    ABSTRACT: 4008

    Newswise — CHICAGO ― HER2-targeted bispecific antibody zanidatamab demonstrated durable responses in patients with treatment-refractory HER2-positive biliary tract cancer (BTC), researchers from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center reported at the 2023 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting. The study results also were published today in The Lancet Oncology.

    In the first cohort of the global Phase II HERIZON-BTC-01 trial, which included 80 patients with HER2-positive tumors, the confirmed objective response rate (cORR) was 41% with a median duration of response (DOR) of 12.9 months at a median follow-up of 12.4 months. Among the 33 responders, 49% had ongoing responses and 82% had a response lasting more than 16 weeks. This is the largest study of a HER2-targeted drug in BTC.

    “Chemotherapy for patients with biliary tract cancers who have progressed on first-line therapy is usually associated with a 5% response rate,” said global trial lead Shubham Pant, M.D., professor of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology and Investigational Cancer Therapeutics. “These results provide evidence that zanidatamab can achieve durable responses and may offer a new treatment opportunity for patients who previously had limited options.”

    Patients with advanced BTC who progress after first-line treatment are offered standard-of-care therapies with limited clinical benefit and only modest improvement in survival. HER2-targeted therapies have improved survival in HER2-positive breast and gastric cancers, but there currently is no approved HER2-targeted therapy for BTC.

    Zanidatamab was first evaluated in a Phase I trial led by Funda Meric-Bernstam, M.D., chair of Investigational Cancer Therapeutics. The trial results supported HER2 as an actionable target in various cancer types, including biliary tract cancer. Based on those results, MD Anderson researchers advanced zanidatamab into this Phase II trial for patients with BTC.

    Biliary tract cancer, also known as cholangiocarcinoma, develops in the bile ducts, a series of thin tubes that run from the liver to the small intestine. There are three different types of BTC, whose names are based on the location where the cancer forms. According to the American Cancer Society, around 8,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed each year with BTC. However, the true count likely is higher because these cancers can be hard to diagnose and are often misclassified, Pant explained. The five-year survival rate for metastatic BTC is less than 5%, highlighting an urgent need for new treatments.

    This open-label, single-arm trial evaluated the anti-tumor activity of zanidatamab in patients with HER2-amplified advanced BTC, including intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and gallbladder cancer. The trial was conducted at 67 sites; patients were divided into two cohorts based on HER2 expression (positive or low/negative) by tumor immunohistochemistry. The primary endpoint was cORR in the HER2-positive cohort.

    The study enrolled 80 patients in the HER2-positive cohort and seven patients in the HER2-low/negative cohort. All patients had received one previous line of gemcitabine-containing therapy. The median age was 64 years and patients were 65.5% Asian, 28.7% white and 5.7% other. Of the trial participants, 52% had gallbladder cancer, 30% had intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, and 18% had extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.

    There were no responses to zanidatamab observed in the HER2-low/negative cohort. Across both cohorts, grade 3 treatment-related adverse events occurred in 18% of patients. Two patients (2.3%) discontinued zanidatamab due to an adverse event. No grade 4 or 5 treatment-related adverse events were reported.

    “Given this data, we believe strongly that there should be continued efforts to explore zanidatamab as a viable treatment option for HER2-positive biliary tract cancer,” Pant said. “We are encouraged by the potential impact of zanidatamab on improving patient outcomes.”

    Pant and his team still are evaluating progression-free survival and overall survival in these patients. Additionally, clinical trials are underway to further investigate the therapeutic potential of zanidatamab as a monotherapy and in combination with first-line chemotherapy for HER2-positive BTC.

    This study was funded by Zymeworks BC Inc. and BeiGene Ltd. Pant has worked in a consulting/advisory role for and received research support from Zymeworks. A full list of co-authors and their disclosures can be found here.

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    University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

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  • Multiple Sclerosis More Prevalent in Black Americans Than Previously Thought

    Multiple Sclerosis More Prevalent in Black Americans Than Previously Thought

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    Newswise — Multiple sclerosis has traditionally been considered a condition that predominantly affects white people of European ancestry. However, a new analysis conducted by a North American team led by University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) researchers suggests that the debilitating neurological condition is more prevalent in Black Americans than once thought. It is also far more prevalent in Northern regions of the country including New England, the Dakotas, and the Pacific Northwest.

    Findings from the new study were recently published in the journal JAMA Neurology.

    “We found a much higher prevalence of multiple sclerosis in Black Americans than previously thought,” said study corresponding author Mitchell Wallin, MD, MPH, Associate Professor of Neurology at UMSOM. “This helps to confirm the profound impact that healthcare inequities and lack of representation in clinical research have had in terms of driving misconceptions about the prevalence of this disease on historically underserved and underrepresented populations.”

    Multiple sclerosis (MS) causes the immune system to attack the central nervous system, specifically the protective layer of myelin that insulates nerve fibers. Symptoms include numbness, tingling, mood changes, memory problems, pain, fatigue, and, in severe cases, blindness or paralysis. In 2019, Dr. Wallin led a team that found the prevalence of multiple sclerosis (MS) in the U.S. to be nearly 1 million people, twice as many as previous estimates.

    In the current study, he and his colleagues evaluated three years’ worth of de-identified health insurance claims of 96 million adults to locate adults living with multiple sclerosis. They estimated in more detail how many individuals who are age 18 or older are living with MS in various states and the MS prevalence among people of different races or ethnicities living in specific regions.

    The study found strong evidence of a higher prevalence of MS in northern regions of the U.S. compared to southern regions. “Although we don’t know for certain why this is the case, it may have something to do with the spread of viruses in colder climates where people remain indoors more or lower vitamin D levels from less sun exposure,” said Dr. Wallin.

    Numerous observational studies have linked low vitamin D levels with an increased risk of MS and with more progressive disease. Other landmark research published in Science found that the common Epstein-Barr virus infection greatly increased the risk for developing MS with a new study out this week demonstrating that antibodies made by the body against the virus attack a vital protein in the brain and spinal cord.

    In terms of prevalence of MS within certain sub-groups of Americans, the researchers found a higher prevalence of MS in white people, followed by Black people, “other races,” and then people with Hispanic/Latinx ethnicity. MS occurs in about 4 in 1,000 white people, about 3 in 1,000 Black people, about 2 in 1,000 people of “other races” including Asians, Native Americans, Alaska natives and multi-race individuals, and about 1.5 in 1,000 people of Hispanic/Latinx origin.

    The study was funded by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

    William J. Culpepper, PhD, Adjunct Assistant Professor of Neurology at UMSOM and Associate Director of the Department of Veteran Affairs Multiple Sclerosis Center of Excellence, was a co-author of the study. Faculty at Stanford University School of Medicine, Southern California Permanente Medical Group, University of Manitoba, and University of Alabama also served as co-authors on this study.

    “The findings could have a significant impact on public policy makers to help them determine a more equitable allocation of resources towards populations that have been historically under-represented in MS research, and under-recognized when targeting prevention methods and treatment options,” said UMSOM Dean Mark T. Gladwin, MD, Vice President for Medical Affairs, University of Maryland, Baltimore, and the John Z. and Akiko K. Bowers Distinguished Professor. “Considering the very diverse patients that we care for across Maryland and in Baltimore, we also have a unique opportunity through the new UM Institute for Health Computing to bring new advances in MS treatment to African American patients who are eligible for the many new biological therapies available.”

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    University of Maryland School of Medicine

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  • USC Health System Board appoints Paul B. Rothman, MD, as board member

    USC Health System Board appoints Paul B. Rothman, MD, as board member

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    Newswise — LOS ANGELES — Paul B. Rothman, MD, has been appointed as a member of the USC Health System Board, which provides strategic oversight and governance over Keck Medicine of USC and university clinical services. 

    Rothman, former CEO of Johns Hopkins Medicine and retired dean of medical faculty for the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, brings his leadership acumen as well as clinical and scientific expertise in rheumatology and molecular immunology to this advisory role. 

    “Paul Rothman is a most-highly respected and accomplished physician-leader with a strategic vision, and we are honored to have him join the USC Health System Board,” said Steven D. Shapiro, MD, senior vice president for health affairs, University of Southern California. “His insight and experience leading one of the most preeminent academic health systems will be invaluable as we usher our innovative academic medical center into the future.”  

    In addition to his leadership experience, Rothman also is a member of the National Academy of Medicine, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Society for Clinical Investigation. He is a member of the Association of American Physicians and served as president in 2014. 

    “I look forward to working alongside the esteemed professionals of the USC Health System Board as we advance the mission of the health system to deliver cutting-edge care and groundbreaking research to Los Angeles and beyond,” said Rothman.  

    Rothman also previously served as dean of the College of Medicine at the University of Iowa and as head of medicine at the University of Iowa. Prior to this, he served as vice chairman for research and founding director of the Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, where he joined the faculty in 1990. 

    Rothman earned his Bachelor of Science in biology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and earned his medical degree from Yale University. He completed both an internal medicine residency and a rheumatology fellowship at New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center, as well as a postdoctoral biochemistry fellowship at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. 

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    For more information about Keck Medicine of USC, please visit news.KeckMedicine.org.   

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  • A New Strategy to Break Through Bacterial Barriers in Chronic Treatment-Resistant Wounds

    A New Strategy to Break Through Bacterial Barriers in Chronic Treatment-Resistant Wounds

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    Newswise — CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Chronic wounds are open sores or injured tissue that fail to heal properly. These types of wounds are notoriously challenging to treat because of bacterial infections like Staphylococcus aureus, or S. aureus. Additionally, bacterial infections that are highly resistant to antibiotics, such as methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), are one of the main causes of life-threatening infections in hospital patients.

    To defend itself from our immune system and other threats, S. aureus can band together, creating a slick, slimy forcefield – or biofilm – around itself. The biofilm barrier is so thick that neither immune cells nor antibiotics can penetrate through and neutralize the harmful bacteria.

    Researchers at the UNC School of Medicine and the UNC-NC State Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering have developed a new method that combines palmitoleic acid, gentamicin, and non-invasive ultrasound to help improve drug delivery in chronic wounds that have been infected with S. aureus.

    Using their new strategy, researchers were able to reduce the challenging MRSA infection in the wounds of diabetic mice by 94%. They were able to completely sterilize the wounds in several of the mice, and the rest had significantly reduced bacterial burden. Their results were published in Cell Chemical Biology.

    “When bacteria are not completely cleared from chronic wounds, it puts the patient at high risk for the infection recurring or of developing a secondary infection,” said senior author Sarah Rowe-Conlon, PhD, a research associate professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology. “This therapeutic strategy has the potential to improve outcomes and reduce relapse of chronic wound infections in patients. We are excited about the potential of translating this to the clinic, and that’s what we’re exploring right now.”

    Biofilms act as a physical barrier to many classes of antibiotics. Virginie Papadopoulou, PhD, a research assistant professor in the UNC-NCSU Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, was curious to know if non-invasive cavitation-enhanced ultrasound could create enough agitation to form open spaces in the biofilm to facilitate drug-delivery.

    Liquid droplets which can be activated by ultrasound, called phase change contrast agent (PCCA), are applied topically to the wound. An ultrasound transducer is focused on the wound and turned on, causing the liquid inside the droplets to expand and turn into microscopic gas-filled microbubbles, when then move rapidly.

    The oscillation of these microbubbles agitates the biofilm, both mechanically disrupting it as well as increasing fluid flow. Ultimately, the combination of the biofilm disruption and the increased permeation of the drugs through the biofilm allowed the drugs to come in and kill the bacterial biofilm with very high efficiency.

    “Microbubbles and phase change contrast agents act as local amplifiers of ultrasound energy, allowing us to precisely target wounds and areas of the body to achieve therapeutic outcomes not possible with standard ultrasound,” said Dayton, the William R. Kenan Jr. Distinguished Professor and Department Chair of the UNC-NCSU Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering. “We hope to be able to use similar technologies to locally delivery chemotherapeutics to stubborn tumors or drive new genetic material into damaged cells as well.”

    When the bacterial cells are trapped inside the biofilm, they are left with little access to nutrients and oxygen. To conserve their resources and energy, they transition into a dormant or sleepy state. The bacteria, which are known as persister cells in this state, are extremely resistant to antibiotics.

    Researchers chose gentamicin, a topical antibiotic typically ineffective against S. aureus due to widespread antibiotic resistance and poor activity against persister cells. The researchers also introduced a novel antibiotic adjuvant, palmitoleic acid, to their models.

    Palmitoleic acid, an unsaturated fatty acid, is a natural product of the human body that has strong antibacterial properties. The fatty acid embeds itself into the membrane of bacterial cells, and the authors discovered that it facilitates the antibiotic’s successful entry into S. aureus cells and is able to kill persister cells and reverse antibiotic resistance.

    Overall, the team is enthusiastic about the new topical, non-invasive approach because it may give scientists and doctors more tools to combat antibiotic resistance and to lessen the serious adverse effects of taking oral antibiotics.

    “Systemic antibiotics, such as oral or IV, work very well, but there’s often a large risk associated with them such as toxicity, wiping out gut microflora and C. difficile infection,” said Rowe-Conlon. “Using this system, we are able to make topical drugs work and they can be applied to the site of infection at very high concentrations, without the risks associated with systemic delivery.”

     

    About UNC School of Medicine

    The UNC School of Medicine (SOM) is the state’s largest medical school, graduating more than 180 new physicians each year. It is consistently ranked among the top medical schools in the US, including 5th overall for primary care by US News & World Report, and 6th for research among public universities. More than half of the school’s 1,700 faculty members served as principal investigators on active research awards in 2021. Two UNC SOM faculty members have earned Nobel Prize awards.

    About the Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering

    The Joint Department is ranked in the top 10 biomedical engineering programs in the US by the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research, top 20 biomedical engineering programs worldwide by the Shanghai Academic Ranking of World Universities, and is a top 5 institution for total bachelor’s degrees awarded in biomedical engineering (ASEE).

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    University of North Carolina School of Medicine

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  • The Pet Shop: Calendar of events

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    Pet Adoption Fair: 9 a.m.-noon May 21, Temple Emanuel, 1129 Jefferson Road, Greensboro. With Red Dog Farm Animal Rescue Network. 336-288-7006.

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  • The Pet Shop: Calendar of events

    The Pet Shop: Calendar of events

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    Pet Adoption Fair: 9 a.m.-noon May 21, Temple Emanuel, 1129 Jefferson Road, Greensboro. With Red Dog Farm Animal Rescue Network. 336-288-7006.

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  • New study finds COVID-19 mRNA booster vaccinations in early pregnancy did not increase miscarriage risk

    New study finds COVID-19 mRNA booster vaccinations in early pregnancy did not increase miscarriage risk

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    Newswise — HealthPartners Institute researchers have published new data in JAMA Network Open that shows monovalent COVID-19 booster vaccinations administered in early pregnancy (before 20 weeks’ gestation) were not associated with miscarriage. The research adds to the growing understanding about the safety of COVID-19 booster vaccinations among people who are pregnant.

    The researchers analyzed data from more than 100,000 pregnancies between six and 19 weeks’ gestation from eight large health systems participating in the Vaccine Safety Datalink (VSD). The data was collected between Nov. 1, 2021, and June 12, 2022. Researchers found, using a 28- or 42-day window, that receipt of a booster vaccination was not associated with miscarriage.

    “COVID infection during pregnancy increases risk of poor outcomes, yet many people who are pregnant or thinking about getting pregnant are hesitant to get a booster dose because of questions about safety. Our data supports the safety of booster vaccination in early pregnancy,” said Elyse Kharbanda, MD, MPH, senior investigator at HealthPartners Institute and lead author of the study.

    More safety data to support COVID-19 vaccination

    Separate research recently published in Obstetrics & Gynecology – also led by HealthPartners Institute – showed that COVID-19 booster vaccination at any point during pregnancy was not associated with increased risk for serious acute adverse events.

    In that study, researchers evaluated data from more than 80,000 pregnancies that occurred between September 23, 2021 and June 30, 2022. Booster vaccination in pregnancy did not increase risks for thrombocytopenia, myocarditis, venous thromboembolism, ischemic stroke, or other serious adverse events within 21 or 42 days after vaccination.

    “We continue to find that COVID-19 vaccinations in pregnancy are safe,” said Malini DeSilva, MD, MPH, investigator at HealthPartners Institute and lead author of the study. “Ongoing vaccine surveillance work is important because it provides reassurance and helps people feel confident in their vaccinations.”

    Data for both studies came from HealthPartners and seven other large health systems that make up the Vaccine Safety Datalink (VSD). VSD is a research network funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that conducts post-marketing surveillance of vaccines licensed and used in the United States. Both studies evaluated safety of the monovalent COVID-19 vaccine booster. Future studies will evaluate safety of the bivalent booster.

    About HealthPartners Institute 

    HealthPartners Institute is part of HealthPartners, the largest consumer governed nonprofit health care organization in the nation with a mission to improve health and well-being in partnership with our members, patients and the community. HealthPartners Institute supports this mission through research and education—advancing care delivery and public health around the globe. The Institute annually conducts more than 350 research studies and trains 700+ medical residents and fellows and 1,200+ medical and advanced practice students. Its integration with HealthPartners’ hospitals, clinics and health plan strengthens the Institute’s ability to discover and develop evidence-based solutions and translate them into practice. Visit healthpartnersinstitute.org for more information. 

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    HealthPartners Institute

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  • The Pet Shop: Calendar of events

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    Community Play Date: 5-7 p.m. May 19, Purina Bark Park, inside of Freedom Park, 121 N. Edgewood Road, Eden. The event will commence with a “ribbon tugging” ceremony and feature live performances from the Purina Incredible Dogs team as well…

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  • The Pet Shop: Calendar of events

    The Pet Shop: Calendar of events

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    Community Play Date: 5-7 p.m. May 19, Purina Bark Park, inside of Freedom Park, 121 N. Edgewood Road, Eden. The event will commence with a “ribbon tugging” ceremony and feature live performances from the Purina Incredible Dogs team as well…

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  • Study Uncovers Post-Vaccine Heart Inflammation Risks

    Study Uncovers Post-Vaccine Heart Inflammation Risks

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    Newswise — New Haven, Conn. — When new COVID-19 vaccines were first administered two years ago, public health officials found an increase in cases of myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle, particularly among young males who had been vaccinated with mRNA vaccines. It was unclear, however, what exactly was causing this reaction.

    In a new study, Yale scientists have identified the immune signature of these heart inflammation cases.

    These findings, published May 5 in the journal Science Immunology, rule out some of the theorized causes of the heart inflammation and suggest potential ways to further reduce the incidence of a still rare side effect of vaccination, the authors say.

    Myocarditis is a generally mild inflammation of heart tissue which can cause scarring but is usually resolved within days. The increased incidence of myocarditis during vaccination was seen primarily in males in their teens or early 20s, who had been vaccinated with mRNA vaccines, which are designed to elicit immune responses specifically to the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

    According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), among males aged 12 to 17, about 22 to 36 per 100,000 experienced myocarditis within 21 days after receiving a second vaccine dose. Among unvaccinated males in this age group, the incidence of myocarditis was 50.1 to 64.9 cases per 100,000 after infection with the COVID-19 virus.

    For the new study, the Yale research team conducted a detailed analysis of immune system responses in those rare cases of myocarditis among vaccinated individuals. The team was led by Carrie Lucas, associate professor of immunobiology, Akiko Iwasaki, Sterling Professor of Immunobiology, and Inci Yildirim, associate professor of pediatrics and epidemiology.

    They found that the heart inflammation was not caused by antibodies created by the vaccine, but rather by a more generalized response involving immune cells and inflammation.

    “The immune systems of these individuals get a little too revved up and over-produce cytokine and cellular responses,” Lucas said.

    Earlier research had suggested that increasing the time between vaccination shots from four to eight weeks may  reduce risk of developing myocarditis.

    Lucas noted that, according to CDC findings, the risk of myocarditis is significantly greater in unvaccinated individuals who contract the COVID-19 virus than in those who receive vaccines. She emphasized that vaccination offers the best protection from COVID-19-related disease.

    “I hope this new knowledge will enable further optimizing mRNA vaccines, which, in addition to offering clear health benefits during the pandemic, have a tremendous potential to save lives across numerous future applications,” said Anis Barmada, an M.D./Ph.D. student at Yale School of Medicine, who is a co-first author of the paper with Jon Klein, also a Yale M.D./Ph.D. student.

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    Yale University

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