Category Archives: Immunology

Immunology

Coronavirus: Indian-origin researcher Arinjay Banerjee among scientists who isolated COVID-19 – Livemint

TORONTO (CANADA) :Indian-origin postdoctoral researcher Arinjay Banerjee was part of a team of Canadian scientists that managed to isolate the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the agent responsible for the outbreak of COVID-19 that has infected more than 200,000 globally.

Banerjee is a postdoctoral researcher at McMaster University, with research interests in innate immunology, virology, emerging infections, molecular biology, among others.

He was part of the team from the Sunnybrook Research Institute, the University of Toronto, and McMaster University, which was able to culture the virus from two clinical specimens in a Level 3 containment facility, as per a release by the Sunnybrook Research Institute.

"Now that we have isolated the SARS-CoV-2 virus, we can share this with other researchers and continue this teamwork," Banerjee said. "The more viruses that are made available in this way, the more we can learn, collaborate and share."

The achievement will help researchers in Canada and across the world develop better diagnostic testing, treatments, and vaccines, and gain a better understanding of SARS-CoV-2 biology, evolution and clinical shedding.

"We need key tools to develop solutions to this pandemic. While the immediate response is crucial, longer-term solutions come from essential research into this novel virus," said Dr Samira Mubareka, microbiologist and infectious diseases physician at Sunnybrook.

Across the world, the virus has infected more than 207,000 people in 166 countries and killed 8,657, as per the latest data available on the World Health Organisation website.

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Coronavirus: Indian-origin researcher Arinjay Banerjee among scientists who isolated COVID-19 - Livemint

Immunology

When will a Covid-19 vaccine be available in New Zealand? – RNZ

Vaccines for Covid-19 could be at least 12 to 18 months away from wide distribution according to the world's leading scientists, but that doesn't mean they aren't moving at breakneck speed trying to develop them.

The timeframe of 12 to 18 months could theoretically be accelerated, but people must plan for at least an 18-month wait. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone

Right now there is no vaccine available for Covid-19 - a new coronavirus disease - which means that scientists around the world trying to develop vaccines are starting from scratch.

New Zealand's foremost experts in viral immunology are working closely together, and with other countries, to combine their knowledge and resources, yet Auckland University immunologist Rod Dunbar said people's expectations may need to be tempered.

"We all feel incredibly responsible to do all we can, however, in terms of our actual work, we are hesitant at this stage to share too much detail because we don't want to over promise," Dunbar said.

He said the timeframe of 12 to 18 months could theoretically be accelerated, but people must plan for at least an 18-month wait.

"You just can't predict what clinical trials are going to tell you, and early vaccines that aren't thoroughly tested can come with side-effects or potentially make the virus worse - so we have to be careful."

Graham Le Gros is the research director of the Malaghan Institute - a world-leading biomedical research institute based in Wellington - and fears 18 months may be a conservative prediction. Some vaccines can take more than a decade to safely develop.

"We really are blind on this one. I think 18 months is quite optimistic," he said.

"But it's just a virus. We'll get this thing. Obviously, it's a great challenge, but there are wonderful technologies now that means something will come up."

Trials around the world are slowly shifting into gear.

In Seattle this past week, 45 healthy volunteers began taking part in a six-week human trial against Covid-19, but it will be many months to know if this vaccine, or others in development, are effective.

But the good news is that Dunbar said vaccine development is far from resembling a "space race".

"There are some commercial imperatives, such as companies wanting to sell vaccines - so they won't share everything they know, but in terms of work being done targeting the virus, we're looking at an unprecedented speed and international collaboration. The fact that China has shared information has been incredible," he said.

"Information is being shared in academic publications, but without any barriers to access. There is a massive coordination effort."

He said the vaccine that comes first is likely to be the one that is both safe and effective, but also able to be "scaled up". In other words, which vaccine allows for the quick production of doses for massive global communities.

Read more about the Covid-19 coronavirus:

Le Gros expects multiple different vaccines to be produced and distributed. Certain vaccines may only be effective for certain people. As of a week ago, the World Health Organisation's website listed 41 candidate vaccines in development.

His Malaghan Institute, which started to look closely at Covid-19 about three weeks ago, has applied for a grant from the Health Research Council and hopes to put together a programme of its own. The institute can assist in vaccine development via its ability to test on mice.

"We've been living for almost 100 years in some sort of vaccine-protected world and we haven't really had any infectious agents that we are completely susceptible to, like this, for a long time," he said.

There is research showing that those who recover from Covid-19 are protected from reinfection for a long time, although this assumption isn't yet backed by definitive evidence.

"The fact that there are reports that most people who are recovering are now well, is good, and those people are effectively super-charged against the virus," Dunbar said.

But even if infection rates drop, the importance of developing a vaccine is still crucial.

"We don't yet know enough about this virus - we may not have lifelong immunity - and that's why vaccines can be effective down the track. Viruses like these are designed to survive," Le Gros said.

"If the virus changes every year, we may end up having a coronavirus season every year and different immunity shots will be needed."

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When will a Covid-19 vaccine be available in New Zealand? - RNZ

Immunology

Easy Remedies That Can Help Relieve Allergy Suffering – 24/7 Wall St.

Special Report

Easy Remedies That Can Help Relieve Allergy Suffering

Hristina Byrnes

As the world concentrates on fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, spring is fast approaching. Trees will soon be in bloom, spring flowers will decorate parks, and green grass will make everything look more pleasant. Most people cannot wait to see signs of spring. For the 50 million Americans who suffer from seasonal allergies, the sixth leading cause of chronic illness in the United States, excitement about spring is accompanied by a feeling of dread.

24/7 Tempo reviewed information by the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, and other health-focused sites to compile a list of ways to relieve seasonal allergies symptoms.

Spring allergies, which go by other names such as hay fever, or the more medical name such as allergic rhinitis, can cause sneezing, stuffy and runny nose, watery eyes, as well as itchy nose, eyes, and mouth, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. These symptoms are due to an allergic sensitivity to pollen from trees, grass, weeds, or airborne mold spores.

An allergy is the immune systems hypersensitivity reaction to usually harmless substances in the environment. If the body is allergic to food, most symptoms occur around the mouth, throat, or stomach. If the allergen is something a person breathes in, the symptoms are then likely to affect the eyes, nose, and lungs here are 16 symptoms you may not know are allergic reactions.

Click here for easy allergy relief that isnt medication.

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Easy Remedies That Can Help Relieve Allergy Suffering - 24/7 Wall St.

Immunology

Janssen Submits Ponesimod New Drug Application to the US FDA for Treatment of Adults with Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis | Small Molecules | News…

DetailsCategory: Small MoleculesPublished on Thursday, 19 March 2020 13:23Hits: 346

TITUSVILLE, NJ, USA I March 18, 2020 I The Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) today announced the submission of a New Drug Application (NDA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for ponesimod for the treatment of adult patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS).

Ponesimod is an investigational selective sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 1 (S1P1) modulator that inhibits S1P protein activity and in so doing is believed to reduce the number of circulating lymphocytes that can cross the blood-brain barrier. In patients with MS, the movement of immune cells into the brain damages myelin, the protective sheath that insulates nerve cells. Damage to myelin slows or halts nerve conduction, producing the neurologic signs and symptoms of MS.i

"Nearly 1 million people over the age of 18 in the U.S. live with MSii, and approximately 85 percent of people with the condition are initially diagnosed with relapsing MS.iiiDespite new advancements and treatments coming to market, a number of unmet needs still remain leaving patients struggling to manage often-debilitating symptoms," said Mathai Mammen, M.D., Ph.D., Global Head of Janssen Research & Development, LLC. "In the coming months, we'll work closely with the FDA to bring ponesimod one step closer to the MS patient community and remain encouraged by its superior efficacy profile specifically in reducing new inflammatory lesions and disability accumulation in comparison to a leading therapy on the market."

The NDA is based on the head-to-head OPTIMUM Phase 3 study, which showed superior efficacy of ponesimod 20 mg on the primary endpoint of reduced annualized relapse rate (ARR), as well as most secondary endpoints, compared to Aubagio (teriflunomide) 14 mg in adults with relapsing MS.

At week 108, a highly statistically significant reduction of 30.5 percent on ARR was observed with ponesimod when compared to Aubagio. Additionally, a statistically significant reduction of fatigue symptoms and a 56 percent reduction on combined unique active lesions (CUALs) in the brain were observed with ponesimod compared to Aubagio. The safety profile observed for ponesimod was consistent with previous studies of ponesimod and the known safety profile for other S1P receptor modulators.

"What's interesting about MS is that symptoms are not always visible. Fatigue is one of the most common and debilitating symptoms of MS and yet, it's one of the most challenging to manage and treat," saidHusseini Manji, M.D., F.R.C.P.C., Global Therapeutic Area Head for Neuroscience at Janssen Research & Development, LLC. "We were thrilled to see improvement in fatigue-related symptoms as part of the Phase 3 OPTIMUM trial as we know the profound impact it may have on a person's daily life. The improvement in fatigue, coupled with reduction in ARR, demonstrate great promise for ponesimod with patients seeking a more targeted treatment option."

The clinical study data that supports this filing was presented in September 2019 at the 35th Congress of The European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis Conference (ECTRIMS) in Stockholm, Sweden. More information may be found here.

About Multiple Sclerosis (MS)MS is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory disease of the central nervous system affecting 2.3 million people worldwide,iv with females more impacted than males.v The disease is characterized by demyelinationii and axonal loss leading to neurological impairment and severe disability.vi Relapsing forms of MS, which make up 85 percent of all MS cases, include clinically isolated syndrome, relapsing-remitting MS and active secondary progressive MS.vii In addition to the debilitating neurological symptoms of the disease, patients often also suffer from "hidden symptoms," namely fatigue and depression, both of which are major contributors to the reduced quality of life.viii Fatigue is one of the most common symptoms of MS, occurring in about 80 percent of people.ix

Relapses are defined as new, worsening or recurrent neurological symptoms that last for more than 24 hours with the absence of fever or infections. Relapses may be fully resolved over days or weeks or lead to persistent residual deficits and accumulation of disability.x

About the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & JohnsonAt Janssen, we're creating a future where disease is a thing of the past. We're the Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, working tirelessly to make that future a reality for patients everywhere by fighting sickness with science, improving access with ingenuity, and healing hopelessness with heart. We focus on areas of medicine where we can make the biggest difference: Cardiovascular & Metabolism, Immunology, Infectious Diseases & Vaccines, Neuroscience, Oncology, and Pulmonary Hypertension.

Learn more at http://www.janssen.com. Follow us at http://www.twitter.com/JanssenGlobal. Janssen Research & Development, LLC is part of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson.

*Aubagio(teriflunomide) is a registered trademark of Sanofi Socit Anonyme France.

iNational Multiple Sclerosis Society. What is Myelin? Available at: https://www.nationalmssociety.org/What-is-MS/Definition-of-MS/Myelin. Accessed July 22, 2019.iiNational Multiple Sclerosis Society. Multiple Sclerosis FAQs. Available at: https://www.nationalmssociety.org/What-is-MS/MS-FAQ-s#question-How-many-people-have-MS. Accessed November 20, 2019.iiiNational Multiple Sclerosis Society. Relapsing-Remitting MS (RRMS). Available at: https://www.nationalmssociety.org/What-is-MS/Types-of-MS/Relapsing-remitting-MS. Accessed February 12, 2020.ivNational Multiple Sclerosis Society. Multiple Sclerosis FAQs. Available at: https://www.nationalmssociety.org/What-is-MS/MS-FAQ-s. Accessed April 23, 2019.vNational Multiple Sclerosis Society. Who Gets MS. Available at: https://www.nationalmssociety.org/What-is- MS/Who-Gets-MS. Accessed April 24, 2019.viNational Multiple Sclerosis Society. Immunology of MS. Available at: https://www.nationalmssociety.org/What-is-MS/Definition-of-MS/Myelin. Accessed July 22, 2019.viiNational Multiple Sclerosis Society. What is MS? Types of MS. Available at: https://www.nationalmssociety.org/What-is-MS/Types-of-MS. Accessed July 22, 2019. viiiBiernacki T, Sandi D, Kincses ZT, et al. Contributing factors to health-related quality of life in multiple sclerosis. Brain Behav. 2019;00:e01466. https://doi.org/10.1002/brb3.1466. ixNational Multiple Sclerosis Society. Fatigue. Available at: https://www.nationalmssociety.org/Symptoms-Diagnosis/MS-Symptoms/Fatigue. Accessed February 25, 2020.xMultiple Sclerosis Association of America. What is an MS relapse? Available at: https://mymsaa.org/publications/ms-relapse-toolkit/what-relapse/. Accessed July 22, 2019.

SOURCE: Janssen

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Janssen Submits Ponesimod New Drug Application to the US FDA for Treatment of Adults with Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis | Small Molecules | News...

Immunology

Research interrupted: Lab groups find their way together – Cornell Chronicle

When Mariana Wolfner, a Cornell geneticist and molecular biologist,learned March 15she needed to suspend all noncritical research as part of the universitys effort to stem thecoronavirus outbreak, she had two main concerns.

The first was how best to help her students.

Everyone is just stunned ..., obviously because of the coronavirus, but also because of their research suddenly stopping or slowing down, said Wolfner,the Goldwin Smith Professor of Molecular Biology and Genetics in the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S). She has emphasized staying in contact with her lab virtually, to create a sense of community and support.

Ciro Cordeiro, a postdoc in Scott Emrs lab in Weill Hall, organizes frozen cell samples.

The other thing thats been hard has been trying to figure out what to shut down without forgetting something critical to maintain, said Wolfner, a Stephen H. Weiss Presidential Fellow.

She and other researchers on campus have found that people are making extra efforts to help each other.

Everyone is working together, pitching in to find solutions to problems as they arise, saidScott Emr,the Frank Rhodes Professor of Molecular Biology and Genetics in A&S and director of the Weill Institute for Cell and Molecular Biology. The atmosphere in the lab is very collegial and supportive.

With universities across the country also suspending research, scientists have offered transition strategies on social media. Students in Wolfners lab also consulted friends at other institutions.

Using that, weve come up with a plan, Wolfner said. Her students canvassed lab members to determine what experiments were absolutely critical. A postdoctoral researcher made a shift schedule for the lab.

Laura Harrington, a professor of entomology whose research seeks to understand mosquito biology and use that knowledge to prevent them from spreading disease, has noticed small but meaningful acts of kindness. Students have made their own hand sanitizer and made it available. Entomology graduate students circulated a list of people willing to provide a room in their homes for students who had no place to go.

I was really touched by people reaching out, she said.

Another major consideration for researchers has been what to do with stocks of animals or cultures that are invaluable for their research.

Avery August, professor of immunology and vice provost for academic affairs, said maintaining animal models used in his lab will be essential for when lab members return to work.

We work a lot with animals, he said, adding that animals used in research can take months and even years to develop. Along with maintenance, research animals must continue to be bred. A lab member will come in regularly to make sure the animals are cared for, so that we dont lose six to nine months if we just stopped everything, August said.

Harrington and her lab colleagues are in a race to complete an essential research project theyve been working on for the last two years, on the acoustic behavior of disease-carrying Anopheles mosquitoes, a key for understanding how males hone in on females for mating. Weve got a whole bunch of really valuable mosquito strains that we need to maintain, she said.

Wolfners lab does pioneering work with fruit flies, which must be maintained and bred. One students entire doctoral thesis is based on a strain of flies the student created. To keep all the flies alive, a team is working at the lab in shifts, so theres only one person in the lab at a time.

Perhaps the biggest task for faculty has been supporting and guiding students during this transition.

A lot of people are upset, said Colin Parrish, the John M. Olin Professor of Virology at the Baker Institute for Animal Health. The students are trying to figure out what theyre going to do to finish their research projects, finish their theses.

Postdocs in Scott Emr's lab in Weill Hall work to freeze down cell samples to preserve the labs research.

Parrish has been helping his students come up with solutions ways they can be productive remotely, read papers and write. One of his students who was scheduled to travel for a job interview will now be interviewing online.

Its been especially hard for senior undergraduate students, because they are graduating, Harrington said.

One of her seniors was upset she was not able to finish her honors project research. I just told her, Youve done the best you can with the lab work, but it really is the experience that is the educational component rather than the end product, Harrington said.

Emrs group held a pre-graduation ceremony and celebration March 17, complete with a decorated sheet cake with an inscription, for two graduating seniors who feared they wouldnt have a graduation ceremony.

A one-hour pause in our day that made us all feel good, Emr said, especially the two seniors in my lab who are likely saying a final goodbye to Cornell when they leave Ithaca in the next three days.

As people leave campus, most lab groups have plans to stay in touch via regular Zoom meetings. Wolfners group has already held a Zoom lab meeting where they discussed a journal article just to do something normal, and it made us relax, she said. They plan to meet virtually three times a week.

Harringtons lab had its first virtual meeting on March 16. We tried to laugh about things, you know, talk to each other and share ideas, support each other, she said.

As a community, everyones done a great job, Parrish said. People are doing what they can to make it a smooth transition, and hopefully, in a month or two, when things settle down, well be able to start moving things in the other direction.

Research and lab work are being scaled down across Cornell Universitys campus to stem the spread of COVID-19. In Scott Emrs molecular biology and genetics lab, postdoctoral associates are putting most research on ice.

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Research interrupted: Lab groups find their way together - Cornell Chronicle

Immunology

Coronavirus: The Most Essential People To Follow On Twitter During The COVID-19 Outbreak – Forbes

(Photo by Giannis Alexopoulos/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Whats true, and whats not? Who should you believe, and who shouldnt you? The coronavirus outbreak has much of America asking itself these questions. Heres a list of doctors, officials and researchers who have answers, facts and stiff upper lips. And where we could, we asked them to suggest more like-minded people to follow. Well update as their responses come in.

If you want to follow them en masse, go to this Twitter list built through my Twitter account.

(H/T to my colleagues Alex Knapp and Leah Rosenbaum for helping put this roster together.)

A.K.A.: @bogochisaac

Bonafides: Clinician investigator, Toronto General Hospital Research Institute

Who He Follows: @mackayIM, @aetiology, @adamjkucharski

Retweetable Tweet:

A.K.A.: @SueDHellmann

Bonafides: Former CEO, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Retweetable Tweet:

A.K.A.: @DrTomFrieden

Bonafides: President and CEO, Resolve to Save Lives; former CDC director

Retweetable Tweet:

A.K.A.: @DrTedros

Bonafides: Director general, World Health Organization

Retweetable Tweet:

A.K.A.: @ScottGottliebMD

Bonafides: Former FDA commissioner

Retweetable Tweet:

Tom Inglesby

A.K.A.: @T_Inglesby

Bonfides: Director, Center for Health Security at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

Who He Follows: @mlipsitch, @trvrb, @cmyeaton, @kakape, @HelenBranswell, @ScottGottliebMD,

Retweetable Tweet:

A.K.A.: @ashishkjha

Bonafides: Director, Harvard Global Health Institute

Retweetable Tweet:

A.K.A.: @JeremyKonyndyk

Bonafides: Senior policy fellow, Center for Global Development

Retweetable Tweet:

A.K.A.: @florian_krammer

Bonafides: Professor, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Retweetable Tweet:

A.K.A.: @mlipsitch

Bonafides: Director, Harvards Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics

Retweetable Tweet:

A.K.A.: @DrNancyM_CDC

Bonafides: Director, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases

Retweetable Tweet:

A.K.A.: @michaelmina_lab

Bonafides: Assistant professor, epidemiology and immunology, Harvard School of Public Health

Retweetable Tweet:

A.K.A.: @profvrr

Bonafides: Assistant professor, epidemiology and immunology, Harvard School of Public Health

Who He Follows: @Baric_Lab, @MattFrieman, @DenisonLab, @drSteveMorse, @weisssr,

Retweetable Tweet:

A.K.A.: @chngin_the_wrld

Bonafides: Associate dean of global health, University of California San Diego

Who She Follows: @Laurie_Garrett, @sciencecohen, @CarlosdelRio7, @DrNeeltje, @arimoin, @aslavitt, @UWVirology, @angie_rasmussen, @trvrb, @MackayIM, @VirusesImmunity

Retweetable Tweet:

A.K.A.: @aetiology

Bonafides: Professor, Kent State University

Retweetable Tweet:

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Coronavirus: The Most Essential People To Follow On Twitter During The COVID-19 Outbreak - Forbes

Immunology

Saturday night, everything’s closed, what to do? Curl up with this video about the coronavirus! – Morristown Green

Saturday night. The pandemic has shut down theaters, concerts and bars. Patrons cleaned out the librarys DVD rack. You have exhausted your Netflix binge-list.

What to do for entertainment?

Pour yourself a tall glass of your favorite beverage after thoroughly wiping down the bottle and scrubbing your hands and chill with a video about

the coronavirus!

Coronovirus Biology: Separating Fact from Fiction is an hour-long talk by Brianne Barker, assistant professor of biology at Drew University in Madison.

Video: Drew biology professor Brianne Barker on the coronavirus:

Barker, host of the podcast This Week in Virology, has a biology degree from Duke University and a PhD in immunology from Harvard. Shes an expert on HIV/AIDS, the immune system, infectious diseases, inflammation and vaccines.

Her crisp presentation, moderated by Drew President MaryAnn Baenninger on Thursday, traces what is known and unknown about the novel coronavirusfrom its name (its not about beer!), family tree (cousins MERS and SARS) and likely origins (what the heck is a pangolin, anyway?), to why Tamilflu wont work, and which drugs might.

Barker demystifies the soap vs. sanitizer debate, offers data suggesting how long the coronavirus can live on various surfaces, and shares life-and-death lessons about social distancing learned from the 1918 influenza pandemic.

Why are children under 10 at little risk for COVID-19 the disease caused by the novel coronaviruswhile octogenarians are in serious peril? How, precisely, is this virus transmitted?

Mortality rates, mutations and immunity are explained, and Barker ends the video by fielding questions from students.

We give this movie four stars. But lets hope there arent too many sequels.

MORE COVERAGE OF THE CORONAVIRUS

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Saturday night, everything's closed, what to do? Curl up with this video about the coronavirus! - Morristown Green

Immunology

Store shelves wiped clean? Heres how you can make homemade hand sanitizer – WITI FOX 6 Milwaukee

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) Store shelves across the country are being wiped clean of disinfectant products in the midst of the rapid spreading COVID-19 virus, including products like hand sanitizer.

We got advice from Dr. James Palmieri, the Associate Professor for Microbiology and Immunology at the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VT Campus), about creating homemade hand sanitizer with common household items that are also obtainable in pharmacies or supermarket chains.

WHAT YOU NEED:

PROCEDURE:

Dr. Palmieri still recommends washing your hands 20 times a day and use the isopropyl alcohol to wipe down your keyboard and cell phones. He also suggests buying baby wipes to clean surfaces.

37.540725-77.436048

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Store shelves wiped clean? Heres how you can make homemade hand sanitizer - WITI FOX 6 Milwaukee

Immunology

Looking to the future with Dr. Francis Collins – UAB News

In a talk at UAB on March 6, the NIH director shared his thoughts on exceptional opportunities for science and young scientists and highlighted several exciting UAB projects.

NIH Director Francis Collins, M.D., Ph.D., visited UAB on March 6. In addition to his public talk, Collins had breakfast with UAB medical students and met with groups of young researchers and other investigators across campus.Speaking to a packed University of Alabama at Birmingham audience March 6, Francis Collins, M.D., Ph.D., director of the National Institutes of Health, shared his picks of 10 areas of particular excitement and promise in biomedical research.

In nearly every area, UAB scientists are helping to lead the way as Collins himself noted in several cases. At the conclusion of his talk, Collins addedhis advice for young scientists. Here is Collins top 10 list, annotated with some of the UAB work ongoing in each area and ways that faculty, staff and students can get involved.

I am so jazzed with what has become possible with the ability to study single cells and see what they are doing, Collins said. They have been out of our reach now we have reached in. Whether you are studying rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes or the brain, you have the chance to ask each cell what it is doing.

Single-cell sequencing and UAB:Collins noted that Robert Carter, M.D., the acting director of the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, was a longtime faculty member at UAB (serving as director of the Division of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology). For the past several years, UAB researchers have been studying gene expression in subpopulations of immune cells inpatients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Join in:Researchers can take advantage of the single-cell sequencing core facility in UABsComprehensive Flow Cytometry Core, directed by John Mountz, M.D., Ph.D., Goodwin-Blackburn Research Chair in Immunology and professor in the Department of Medicine Division of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology.

Learn more:Mountz and other heavy users of single-cell sequencing explain how the techniqueslet them travel back in time and morein this UAB Reporter story.

The NIHsBRAIN Initiativeis making this the era where we are going to figure out how the brain works all 86 billion neurons between your ears, Collins said. The linchpin of this advance will be the development of tools to identify new brain cell types and circuits that will improve diagnosis, treatment and prevention of autism, schizophrenia, Parkinsons and other neurological conditions, he said.

Brain tech and UAB:Collins highlighted thework of BRAIN Initiative granteeHarrison Walker, M.D., an associate professor in the Department of Neurology, whose lab has been developing a more sophisticated way to understand the benefits of deep brain stimulation for people with Parkinsons and maybe other conditions, Collins said.

Join in:UABs planned new doctoral program in neuroengineering would be the first of its kind in the country.

Learn more:Find out why neuroengineering is asmart career choicein this UAB Reporter story.

Researchers can now take a blood cell or skin cell and, by adding four magic genes, Collins explained, induce the cells to become stem cells. These induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells can then in turn be differentiated into any number of different cell types, including nerve cells, heart muscle cells or pancreatic beta cells. The NIH has invested in technology to put iPS-derived cells on specialized tissue chips. Youve got you on a chip, Collins explained. Some of us dream of a day where this might be the best way to figure out whether a drug intervention is going to work for you or youre going to be one of those people that has a bad consequence.

iPS cells at UAB:Collins displayed images of thecutting-edge cardiac tissue chipdeveloped by a UAB team led by Palaniappan Sethu, Ph.D., an associate professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering and the Division of Cardiovascular Disease. The work allows the development of cardiomyocytes that can be used to study heart failure and other conditions, Collins said.

Join in:UABs biomedical engineering department, one of the leading recipients of NIH funding nationally, is a joint department of the School of Engineering and School of Medicine. Learn more about UABsundergraduate and graduate programs in biomedical engineering, and potential careers, here.

Learn more:See howthis novel bioprinterdeveloped by UAB biomedical researchers is speeding up tissue engineering in this story from UAB News.

We have kind of ignored the fact that we have all these microbes living on us and in us until fairly recently, Collins said. But now it is clear that we are not an organism we are a superorganism formed with the trillions of microbes present in and on our bodies, he said. This microbiome plays a significant role not just in skin and intestinal diseases but much more broadly.

Microbiome at UAB:Collins explained that work led by Casey Morrow, Ph.D., and Casey Weaver, M.D., co-directors of theMicrobiome/Gnotobiotics Shared Facility, has revealed intriguing information abouthow antibiotics affect the gut microbiome. Their approach has potential implications for understanding, preserving and improving health, Collins said.

Join in:Several ongoing clinical trials at UAB are studying the microbiome, including a studymodifying diet to improve gut microbiotaand an investigation of the microbiomes ofpostmenopausal women looking for outcomes and response to estrogen therapy.

Learn more:This UAB News storyexplains the UAB researchthat Collins highlighted.

Another deadly influenza outbreak is likely in the future, Collins said. What we need is not an influenza vaccine that you have to redesign every year, but something that would actually block influenza viruses, he said. Is that even possible? It just might be.

Influenza research at UAB:Were probably at least a decade away from a universal influenza vaccine. But work ongoing at UAB in the NIH-fundedAntiviral Drug Discovery and Development Center(AD3C), led by Distinguished Professor Richard Whitley, M.D., is focused on such an influenza breakthrough.

Join in:For now, the most important thing you can do to stop the flu is to get a flu vaccination. Employees can schedule afree flu vaccination here.

Learn more:Why get the flu shot? What is it like? How can you disinfect your home after the flu? Get all the information atthis comprehensive sitefrom UAB News.

The NIH has a role to play in tackling the crisis of opioid addiction and deaths, Collins said. The NIHs Helping to End Addiction Long-term (HEAL) initiative is an all-hands-on-deck effort, he said, involving almost every NIH institute and center, with the goal of uncovering new targets for preventing addiction and improving pain treatment by developing non-addictive pain medicines.

Addiction prevention at UAB:A big part of this initiative involves education to help professionals and the public understand what to do, Collins said. The NIH Centers of Excellence in Pain Education (CoEPE), including one at UAB, are hubs for the development, evaluation and distribution of pain-management curriculum resources to enhance pain education for health care professionals.

Join in:Find out how to tell if you or a loved one has a substance or alcohol use problem, connect with classes and resources or schedule an individualized assessment and treatment through theUAB Medicine Addiction Recovery Program.

Learn more:Discover some of the many ways that UAB faculty and staff aremaking an impact on the opioid crisisin this story from UAB News.

We are all pretty darn jazzed about whats happened in the past few years in terms of developing a new modality for treating cancer we had surgery, we had radiation, we had chemotherapy, but now weve got immunotherapy, Collins said.

Educating immune system cells to go after cancer in therapies such as CAR-T cell therapy is the hottest science in cancer, he said. I would argue this is a really exciting moment where the oncologists and the immunologists together are doing amazing things.

Immunotherapy at UAB:I had to say something about immunology since Im at UAB given that Max Cooper, whojust got the Lasker Awardfor [his] B and T cell discoveries, was here, Collins said. This is a place I would hope where lots of interesting ideas are going to continue to emerge.

Join in:The ONeal Comprehensive Cancer Center at UAB is participating in a number of clinical trials of immunotherapies.Search the latest trials at the Cancer Centerhere.

Learn more:Luciano Costa, M.D., Ph.D., medical director of clinical trials at the ONeal Cancer Center, discusses the promise ofCAR-T cell therapy in this UAB MedCast podcast.

Assistant Professor Ben Larimer, Ph.D., is pursuing a new kind of PET imaging test that could give clinicians afast, accurate picture of whether immunotherapy is workingfor a patient in this UAB Reporter article.

The All of Us Research Program from NIH aims to enroll a million Americans to move away from the one-size-fits-all approach to medicine and really understand individual differences, Collins said. The program, which launched in 2018 and is already one-third of the way to its enrollment goal, has a prevention rather than a disease treatment approach; it is collecting information on environmental exposures, health practices, diet, exercise and more, in addition to genetics, from those participants.

All of Us at UAB:UAB has been doing a fantastic job of enrolling participants, Collins noted. In fact, the Southern Network of the All of Us Research Program, led by UAB, has consistently been at the top in terms of nationwide enrollment, as School of Medicine Dean Selwyn Vickers, M.D., noted in introducing Collins.

Join in:Sign up forAll of Usat UAB today.

Learn more:UABs success in enrolling participants has led to anew pilot study aimed at increasing participant retention rates.

Rare Disease Day, on Feb. 29, brought together hundreds of rare disease research advocates at the NIH, Collins said. NIH needs to play a special role because many diseases are so rare that pharmaceutical companies will not focus on them, he said. We need to find answers that are scalable, so you dont have to come up with a strategy for all 6,500 rare diseases.

Rare diseases at UAB: The Undiagnosed Diseases Network, which includes aUAB siteled by Chief Genomics Officer Bruce Korf, M.D., Ph.D., is a national network that brings together experts in a wide range of conditions to help patients, Collins said.

Participants in theAlabama Genomic Health Initiative, also led by Korf, donate a small blood sample that is tested for the presence of specific genetic variants. Individuals with indications of genetic disease receive whole-genome sequencing. Collins noted that lessons from the AGHI helped guide development of the All of Us Research Program.

Collins also credited UABs Tim Townes, Ph.D., professor emeritus in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, for developing the most significantly accurate model of sickle cell disease in a mouse which has been a great service to the [research] community. UAB is now participating in anexciting clinical trial of a gene-editing technique to treat sickle cellalong with other new targeted therapies for the devastating blood disease.

Join in:In addition to UABs Undiagnosed Diseases Program (which requires a physician referral) and the AGHI, patients and providers can contact theUAB Precision Medicine Institute, led by Director Matt Might, Ph.D. The institute develops precisely targeted treatments based on a patients unique genetic makeup.

Learn more:Discover how UAB experts solved medical puzzles for patients by uncovering anever-before-described mutationandcracking a vomiting mysteryin these UAB News stories.

We know that science, like everything else, is more productive when teams are diverse than if they are all looking the same, Collins said. My number one priority as NIH director is to be sure we are doing everything we can to nurture and encourage the best and brightest to join this effort.

Research diversity at UAB:TheNeuroscience Roadmap Scholars Programat UAB, supported by an NIH R25 grant, is designed to enhance engagement and retention of under-represented graduate trainees in the neuroscience workforce. This is one of several UAB initiatives to increased under-represented groups and celebrate diversity. These include several programs from theMinority Health and Health Disparities Research Centerthat support minority students from the undergraduate level to postdocs; thePartnership Research Summer Training Program, which provides undergraduates and especially minority students with the opportunity to work in UAB cancer research labs; theDeans Excellence Award in Diversityin the School of Medicine; and the newly announcedUnderrepresented in Medicine Senior Scholarship Programfor fourth-year medical students.

Join in:The Roadmap program engages career coaches and peer-to-peer mentors to support scholars. To volunteer your expertise, contact Madison Bamman atmdbamman@uab.eduorvisit the program site.

Learn more:Farah Lubin, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Neurobiology and co-director of the Roadmap Scholars Program,shares the words and deeds that can save science careersin this Reporter story. In another story, Upender Manne, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Pathology and a senior scientist in the ONeal Comprehensive Cancer Center, explains how students in the Partnership Research Summer Training Program gethooked on cancer research.

In answer to a students question, Collins also shared his advice to young scientists. One suggestion: Every investigator needs to be pretty comfortable with some of the computational approaches to science, Collins said. Big data is here artificial intelligence, machine-learning. We can all get into that space. But its going to take some training, and it will be really helpful to have those skills.

Join in:UAB launched aMaster of Science in Data Scienceprogram in fall 2018.

Learn more:Discover how UAB researchers areusing machine-learning in their labsand toimprove cancer treatment. Those looking for a free introduction cantake advantage of the Data Science Clubfrom UAB IT Research Computing.

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Looking to the future with Dr. Francis Collins - UAB News

Immunology

Coronavirus: Restrictions imposed on people returning from Spain and Italy – The Irish Times

All people coming back from Spain and Italy from today will be asked to restrict their movements for the next two weeks, which includes not going to work, the Minister for Health Simon Harris has said.

The decision was made following a meeting last night of the National Public Health Emergency Team.

Anyone returning from Italy and Spain will be met by environmental health workers on their return at the airport and told to restrict their movements. They will be asked not quite to self isolate, but to restrict their movements, he told RT radios Morning Ireland.

The Department of Foreign Affairs is advising Irish citizens to avoid non essential travel to Spain while citizens are advised not to travel to Italy at all.

On its website the department advises that a significant number of cases of novel coronavirus (Covid-19) have been confirmed in Spain. The highest incidences are in Madrid, Vitoria and Labastida in the Basque Country, Catalonia and the Rioja region. For the moment, we recommend that non essential travel to Spain be avoided. For those who are already in Spain, the department advises people to monitor developments regularly and follow the advice of local authorities.

Spain has over 2,000 cases and its government reported 84 deaths on Friday morning, up from 47 on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Irish racing enthusiasts returning from the Cheltenham festival will be interviewed at airports in the context of preventing the spread of coronavirus.

The Tnaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney said the government planned to introduce new health interviews at airports and ports in a bid to control the virus.

He told Primetime on Thursday night that if Cheltenham was being held in Ireland it would not be on quite frankly but it is.

Asked about the huge numbers of punters who would be returning from the festival in coming days he said: We have committed today in government that we are going to introduce new health interviews if you like in our airports and ports so that people who are coming into Ireland will effectively be informed and have a health conversation around Covid-19 before they enter the country including the people coming back from Cheltenham.

He said the Governments plan, announced on Thursday, to try and stop the spread of the virus which will include closing schools and limiting mass gatherings, had been worked on in the Department of Health until 3am.

Kingston Mills, Professor of Experimental Immunology, School of Biochemistry and Immunology at TCD said nearly all the cases of Covid-19 so far in the Republic had been imported, primarily from Northern Italy or were connected to those who returned from the region. He believed the State should have stopped travel from Northern Italy earlier than we did. And he was concerned we are still not controlling the travel.

Its all very well to delay the spread within a country but if you continue to allow people to come into that country from other countries such as now France, Germany, Spain where there is high level of disease and you dont put any ... I think it now needs to be more stringent. For example Israel has a population of 8 million people, they have 100 cases, they have asked everybody who comes into the country to self quarantine for 14 days, he said.

Mr Coveney stressed that Israel was not in the EU and said he had issued travel advice now essentially telling people not to go to Italy or to Spain except for essential travel.

Asked if it had been a mistake to allow Italians travel to Ireland at the same time as the Ireland-Italy rugby match was cancelled recently, he said the advice from the World Health Organisation was and is that we should not be shutting down aviation between countries. We as ever in facing this challenge have followed the advice of our public health professionals, he said.

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Coronavirus: Restrictions imposed on people returning from Spain and Italy - The Irish Times