Cell Biology

Postdoctoral Researcher / Doctoral Researcher in the Functional Cancer Genomics Group job with UNIVERSITY OF HELSINKI | 297116 – Times Higher…

The Functional Cancer Genomics group led by Dr. Sakari Vanharanta at the Translational Cancer Medicine Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland, invites applications for the position of

POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHER / DOCTORAL RESEARCHER

The goal of our research is to understand how cancers develop and spread, and how this knowledge could be used for the development of new approaches for therapy. We study how cancer mutations activate oncogenic programs and how these programs lead to cancer progression and metastasis. Specifically, our aims are to understand (i) how normal transcriptional programs are co-opted for carcinogenesis, (ii) how these programs interact with genetically activated oncogenic pathways, (iii) what the critical pro-tumorigenic mechanisms of cancer mutations are, and (iv) whether cancer-specific cellular programs lead to molecular vulnerabilities that could be exploited for cancer therapy and patient benefit. Our research combines experimental cancer models and human cancer data sets with state-of-the-art genomics (e.g. chromatin and transcriptional profiling), mechanistic analysis using various methods of genetic perturbation, and unbiased functional genetic screens (e.g. CRISPR/Cas9 screens), as demonstrated by our recent work (Patel et al. Nature 2022).

The Functional Cancer Genomics group consists of biomedical scientists with diverse backgrounds and expertise. We have strong international connections and work in a collaborative manner towards shared goals. After eight years at the University of Cambridge, the team has recently moved to Helsinki, and is located at Biomedicum Helsinki within the Academic Medical Center Helsinki, which provides a multidisciplinary research environment for basic and translational research with state-of-the-art facilities, cutting-edge technologies and synergistic expertise of several research groups.

We are looking for highly motivated biomedical scientists with a strong background in molecular and cell biology, biochemistry, functional genomics, cancer biology, genetics, computational biology, bioinformatics, or other related disciplines. At the postdoctoral level a successful candidate should have a PhD degree in an appropriate biological subject and a demonstrated track record of peer-reviewed publications. At the pre-doctoral level, previous experience in biomedical research or bioinformatics is considered an advantage.

Candidates should be able to demonstrate abstract thinking as well as potential to develop and pursue scientific projects in the field of cancer biology. Excellent communication skills in English and organizational abilities are expected. The position is available as soon as the selected candidates are available. The project allows initially a three-year fixed-term position. Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience based on the University guidelines.

Please submit your application as a single PDF file through the Universitys electronic recruitment system. If you need technical support with the recruitment system, please contact recruitment@helsinki.fi.

The deadline for applications is 25 July 2022.

Please attach the following documents to your application as a single PDF file:

For more information on the positions and specific projects, please contact Dr. Sakari Vanharanta, sakari.vanharanta@helsinki.fi.

More information on the Translational Cancer Medicine Program can be found here.

For additional information about the application process, please contact the HR team at hr-ltdk@helsinki.fi.

Relevant publications:

Patel et al. The renal lineage factor PAX8 controls oncogenic signalling in kidney cancer. Nature (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-022-04809-8Patel et al. Genomic control of metastasis. Br J Cancer. (2021) Jan;124(1):3-12.Rodrigues et al. NF-kappaB-dependent lymphoid enhancer co-option promotes renal carcinoma metastasis. Cancer Discov. (2018), Jul;8(7):850-865

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Postdoctoral Researcher / Doctoral Researcher in the Functional Cancer Genomics Group job with UNIVERSITY OF HELSINKI | 297116 - Times Higher...

Cell Biology

3D Cell Culture Market by Type, Application, End-user and Region – Global Forecast to 2027 – GlobeNewswire

Dublin, June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "3D Cell Culture Market by Type (Hydrogel, ECM, Hanging Drop, Bioreactor, Microfluidics, Magnetic Levitation), Application (Cancer, Stem Cell, Toxicology, Tissue Engineering), End User (Pharma, Biotech, Research, Cosmetics), Region - Global Forecast to 2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global 3D cell culture market is valued at an estimated USD 1.3 billion in 2022 and is projected to reach USD 2.6 billion by 2027, at a CAGR of 15.6% during the forecast period.

The growth of this market is mainly driven by factors such as the increasing focus on developing alternative methods to animal testing, growing focus on personalized medicine, increasing incidence of chronic diseases, and the availability of funding for research. On the other hand, a lack of infrastructure for 3D cell-based research and the high cost of cell biology research are expected to restrain the growth of this market during the forecast period.

The scaffold-based 3D cell culture segment accounted for the highest growth rate in the 3D Cell culture market, by type, during the forecast period

In 2021, the scaffold-based 3D cell culture segment accounted for the highest growth rate. The advantages of scaffolds in 3D cell culture, such as structural rigidity, the availability of attachment points, and support, have greatly driven the preference for scaffold-based 3D cell cultures and ensured the large share of this segment.

Asia Pacific: The fastest-growing region in the 3D Cell culture market

The Asia Pacific market is estimated to record the highest CAGR during the forecast period. This is attributed to the presence of favorable regulatory guidelines, government support for cell culture-based vaccine production, low manufacturing costs, and the growing focus of global market players on emerging Asian countries.

Key Topics Covered:

1 Introduction

2 Research Methodology

3 Executive Summary

4 Premium Insights4.1 3D Cell Culture Market Overview4.2 North America: 3D Cell Culture Market, by Type and Country (2021)4.3 3D Cell Culture Market Share, by Application, 2022 Vs. 20274.4 3D Cell Culture Market Share, by End-user, 2021 (USD Million)4.5 3D Cell Culture Market: Geographic Growth Opportunities

5 Market Overview5.1 Introduction5.2 Market Dynamics5.2.1 Drivers5.2.1.1 Increasing Focus on Developing Alternatives to Animal Testing5.2.1.2 Growing Focus on Personalized Medicine5.2.1.3 Increasing Incidence of Chronic Diseases5.2.1.4 Availability of Funding for Research5.2.1.5 Growing Demand for 3D Cell Culture5.2.2 Restraints5.2.2.1 Lack of Infrastructure for 3D Cell-Based Research5.2.2.2 High Cost of Cell Biology Research5.2.3 Opportunities5.2.3.1 Emergence of Microfluidics-Based 3D Cell Culture5.2.3.2 Emerging Economies5.2.3.3 Regenerative Medicine as An Alternative to Organ Transplantation5.2.3.4 Risk of Pandemics and Communicable Diseases5.2.4 Challenges5.2.4.1 Lack of Consistency in 3D Cell Culture Products5.2.4.2 Plastic Waste Disposal5.3 Ranges/Scenarios5.4 Impact of the COVID-19 Outbreak on the 3D Cell Culture Market5.5 Pricing Analysis5.6 Technology Analysis5.7 Patent Analysis5.8 Value Chain Analysis5.9 Supply Chain Analysis5.10 Ecosystem Analysis of the 3D Cell Culture Market5.11 Key Conferences & Events in 2022-20235.12 Regulatory Analysis5.12.1 Regulatory Bodies, Government Agencies, and Other Organizations5.13 Porter's Five Forces Analysis5.14 Key Stakeholders and Buying Criteria

6 3D Cell Culture Market, by Type6.1 Introduction6.2 Scaffold-Based 3D Cell Cultures6.2.1 Hydrogels/Ecm Analogs6.2.1.1 Hydrogels/Ecm Analogs Dominate the Scaffold-Based 3D Cell Cultures Market6.2.2 Solid Scaffolds6.2.2.1 Solid Scaffolds Are Widely Adopted in Regenerative Medicine and Preclinical in Vitro Testing6.2.3 Micropatterned Surfaces6.2.3.1 Micropatterned Surfaces Enhance the Expression of Enzymes Levels and Drug Reactivity6.3 Scaffold-Free 3D Cell Cultures6.3.1 Low Attachment Plates6.3.1.1 Low Attachment Plates Are Expected to Grow at the Highest Rate in the Scaffold-Free 3D Cell Cultures Market6.3.2 Hanging Drop Plates6.3.2.1 Hanging Drop Plates Are Widely Used in Stem Cell Differentiation and Cytotoxicity Research6.3.3 3D Bioreactors6.3.3.1 3D Bioreactors Are Commonly Used in the Mass Production of Cells6.3.4 3D Petri Dishes6.3.4.1 Europe Will Witness the Highest Growth in the 3D Petri Dishes Market6.4 Microfluidics-Based 3D Cell Cultures6.4.1 Microfluidics-Based 3D Cell Cultures Will Grow at the Highest Rate in the 3D Cell Culture Market6.5 Magnetic & Bioprinted 3D Cell Cultures6.5.1 3D Cell Culture Can be Formed Without Media in Magnetic Levitation

7 3D Cell Culture Market, by Application7.1 Introduction7.2 Cancer & Stem Cell Research7.2.1 Rising Prevalence of Cancer is a Key Factor Driving the Growth of this Segment7.3 Drug Discovery & Toxicology Testing7.3.1 Increasing Adoption of Personalized Medicines to Support Market Growth7.4 Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine7.4.1 Increasing Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine Research to Drive this Market

8 3D Cell Culture Market, by End-user8.1 Introduction8.2 Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Companies8.2.1 Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Companies Are the Largest End-users of 3D Cell Culture Products8.3 Research Institutes8.3.1 Increasing Government Funding for Research & High Prevalence of Cancer Are Driving Market Growth8.4 Cosmetics Industry8.4.1 Focus on Developing Alternatives to Animal Testing is a Key Factor Driving Market Growth8.5 Other End-users

9 3D Cell Culture Market, by Region

10 Competitive Landscape10.1 Overview10.2 Key Player Strategies/Right to Win10.3 Market Share Analysis10.4 Revenue Share Analysis of the Top Market Players10.5 Company Evaluation Quadrant10.5.1 Stars10.5.2 Emerging Leaders10.5.3 Pervasive Players10.5.4 Participants10.6 Company Evaluation Quadrant: Start-Ups/Smes10.6.1 Progressive Companies10.6.2 Starting Blocks10.6.3 Responsive Companies10.6.4 Dynamic Companies10.7 Company Footprint Analysis10.7.1 Company Product Footprint10.7.2 Company Regional Footprint10.7.3 Competitive Benchmarking of Startup/Sme Players10.8 Competitive Scenario

11 Company Profiles11.1 Key Players11.1.1 Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc.11.1.2 Merck Kgaa11.1.3 Corning Incorporated11.1.4 Lonza Group Ag11.1.5 Tecan Trading Ag11.1.6 Avantor, Inc.11.1.7 Reprocell Inc.11.1.8 3D Biotek LLC11.1.9 Emulate, Inc.11.1.10 Cn Bio Innovations Limited11.1.11 Synthecon, Incorporated11.1.12 Insphero Ag11.1.13 Kirkstall Ltd.11.1.14 Mimetas Bv11.1.15 Tissuse Gmbh11.2 Other Players11.2.1 Hamilton Company11.2.2 Qgel Sa11.2.3 Lena Biosciences11.2.4 Cellendes Gmbh11.2.5 Uab Ferentis11.2.6 Greiner Bio-One International Gmbh11.2.7 Promocell Gmbh11.2.8 Advanced Biomatrix, Inc. (Part of Bico Group)11.2.9 Visikol, Inc. (Formerly Hurel Corporation)11.2.10 Synvivo Inc.

12 Appendix

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/v5sl9v

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3D Cell Culture Market by Type, Application, End-user and Region - Global Forecast to 2027 - GlobeNewswire

Cell Biology

OSU researchers study quorum sensing in a gram-negative bacterium that displays social behaviors – News-Medical.Net

Oregon State University scientists have identified proteins that prevent a bacterial cell from becoming misguided by its own messaging, allowing it to instead wait for collective communication from its group.

The research is important because understanding this type of signaling, known as quorum sensing and integral to bacterial pathogens, opens the door to potential new drugs that can disrupt it and thwart infection.

Findings were published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Martin Schuster, a professor in OSU's Department of Microbiology in the colleges of Science and Agricultural Sciences, and doctoral student Parker Smith study quorum sensing in the pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a gram-negative bacterium that displays a variety of social behaviors.

P. aeruginosa, a common cause of lung and wound infections among hospital patients and people with weakened immune systems, is a model organism for quorum sensing research with a well understood signaling circuit, the scientists said.

"Sometimes single-celled organisms need to work together with other cells," Schuster said. "Bacteria and other single-celled microbes can coordinate behaviors and act as a group via quorum sensing, in which cells produce and sense a small chemical signal that is shared within the population."

As the signal is released from cells and reaches a high enough concentration in their environment, a quorum is achieved certain genes are simultaneously activated and specific group behaviors are set in motion, Smith said.

It's a strength-in-numbers approach that allows bacteria to join forces to do things they could not do by themselves, like causing infection in animals and plants, acquiring certain nutrients and competing against other microbes.

"Bacterial infection often involves toxins that only harm the host at high levels, when produced by all bacterial cells at once," Smith said.

A major unresolved question about quorum sensing, the researchers said, has been why the signal that's produced inside an individual cell is not sensed by that same cell before it is released, spurring the cell into premature, solo action.

"In essence, what prevents signal 'short-circuiting' from happening?" Schuster said. "Our research addresses this question that's fundamental to our understanding of quorum sensing."

Smith and Schuster learned that a set of proteins called antiactivators are crucial for short-circuit prevention. The proteins work as a quorum sensing "tuner" by causing cells to be less sensitive to the quorum signal.

The researchers developed bacterial strains that lacked two different types of antiactivator proteins and then looked at quorum sensing behaviors in individual cells.

"We found that without antiactivators, a fraction of cells in a P. aeruginosa population engaged in 'self-talk,'" Smith said. "In these cells, signal short-circuiting had activated quorum-sensing-dependent behaviors at all times, irrespective of cell density and without any communication with other cells. Our research shows how bacteria put the brakes on quorum sensing to achieve true communication in a group."

In addition to helping the quest for new antibiotics that can inhibit quorum sensing in bacterial pathogens, the findings also provide background knowledge useful for the engineering of cells with new properties in a field called synthetic biology, Schuster said.

The study was funded by the National Science Foundation.

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Cell Biology

Scientists create nanoparticle that helps fight solid tumors – EurekAlert

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. June 14, 2022 Researchers from Wake Forest University School of Medicine have discovered a possible new approach in treating solid tumors through the creation of a novel nanoparticle. Solid tumors are found in cancers such as breast, head and neck, and colon cancer.

In the study,Xin Ming, Ph.D., associate professor of cancer biology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, and his team used a nanoparticle to deliver a small molecule called ARL67156 to promote an anti-tumor immune response in mouse models of colon, head and neck, and metastatic breast cancer, resulting in increased survival.

The study is published online in the journalScience Translational Medicine.

Immunotherapy has transformed cancer treatment, but unfortunately, only about 20% of patients respond to treatment.

Most solid tumors have a poor microenvironment that can make them unresponsive to conventional cancer therapeutics, including immunotherapy, Ming said. But this study demonstrates that nanoparticle therapeutics are promising.

According to Ming, the levels of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), an energy-carrying molecule, are high in tumors treated with anti-cancer therapies and quickly degraded into adenosine by a series of enzymes that are highly expressed in the tumors. The presence of adenosine in the tumor microenvironments can contribute to a poor therapeutic response. The compounds like ARL67156 are unable to enter solid tumors alone because of their poor physicochemical properties. However, the nanoparticles design does allow the accumulation and release of ARL67156 selectively in solid tumors.

In the study, scientists used the nanoparticle as a vehicle to deliver ARL67156, an enzyme inhibitor that prevents ATP degradation into adenosine. The nanoparticle was tested in several mouse tumor models.

We found that the nanomedicine substantially suppressed tumor growth and resulted in prolonged survival, Ming said.

Next, researchers tested how the nanoparticle worked in combination with an anti-PD-1 antibody, a common immunotherapy. Researchers noted that the treatment worked well and synergistically with anti-PD-1 therapy.

Finally, scientists evaluated the nanomedicine in a three-dimensional in-vitro model of tumors from patients with colon or breast cancers. Similar effects were observed enhanced tumor cell death through anti-cancer immune response.

Our study suggests theres potential translation of our nanoparticle therapeutic for treating human cancers and that it might also boost the effectiveness of existing treatments, Ming said. These findings warrant further evaluation.

Science Translational Medicine

Animals

8-Jun-2022

Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.

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Immunology

DE Shaw Research Licenses First-in-Class Therapeutic for Immunological Diseases to Lilly – PR Newswire UK

NEW YORK, June 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- D. E.Shaw Research (DESRES) today announced that it has entered into an exclusive global license agreement with Eli Lilly and Company (Lilly) for the clinical development and commercialization of DESRES's program of Kv1.3-targeted therapeutics for the treatment of various immunological and inflammatory diseases.

The lead compound, DES-7114, is an orally administered, highly selective small-molecule inhibitor of the ion channel protein Kv1.3. This first-in-class compound recently completed successful Phase 1 clinical trials in healthy volunteers and has demonstrated efficacy in preclinical models of several chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, including ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease and atopic dermatitis.

Under the terms of the agreement, Lilly will make an initial payment of $60 million to DESRES, with potential development and commercial milestone payments of up to $475 million, as well as royalties on worldwide sales.

The design of DES-7114 by DESRES was enabled by the use of proprietary special-purpose supercomputers that DESRES developed and constructed to perform ultra-high-speed, atomically detailed simulations of the three-dimensional motion of biologically and pharmaceutically significant molecules. A series of such simulations, in combination with experimental studies, resulted in DESRES's unique understanding of Kv1.3's structural, dynamic, and functional properties, leading to the design of compounds that bind strongly to the target protein while likely avoiding undesirable interactions with other ion channels.

"We're enthusiastic about DES-7114's potential, and are hopeful that it will ultimately have a meaningful impact on the lives of patients throughout the world," said DavidE.Shaw, Ph.D., chief scientist at DESRES. "We're also enthusiastic about teaming up with Lilly, which is one of the global leaders in therapeutics for immunological diseases, and is exceptionally well positioned to carry the compound forward through clinical development and commercialization."

"Kv1.3 inhibition represents a promising new approach in immunology," said AjayNirula, M.D., Ph.D., vice president of immunology at Lilly. "We are particularly excited about DESRES's discovery of DES-7114 because the molecule's properties could translate into significant advantages for addressing unmet patient needs."

About D. E. Shaw Research

D.E.Shaw Research (DESRES) uses advanced computational technologies to understand the behavior of biologically and pharmaceutically significant molecules at an atomic level of detail, and to design precisely targeted, highly selective drugs for the treatment of various diseases. Among its core technologies is a proprietary special-purpose supercomputer that it designed and constructed to perform molecular dynamics simulations more than 100 times faster than the world's fastest general-purpose supercomputers. DESRES uses these machines, together with machine learning methods and other computational techniques, in both internal and collaborative drug discovery programs. For more information, visit http://www.DEShawResearch.com.

ContactMadeleine WeingartenD. E. Shaw ResearchMadeleine.Weingarten@DEShawResearch.com

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1837394/DESRES_Logo.jpg

SOURCE D. E. Shaw Research

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DE Shaw Research Licenses First-in-Class Therapeutic for Immunological Diseases to Lilly - PR Newswire UK

Immunology

Dried samples of saliva and fingertip blood are useful in monitoring responses to coronavirus vaccines – EurekAlert

Based on an antibody study, dried samples of easily self-collected saliva and of blood drawn from the fingertip could be useful for monitoring peoples immune responses to vaccination.

In a study by the University of Helsinki and HUS Helsinki University Hospital, the levels of antibodies associated with the SARS-CoV-2 virus were analysed in more than 1,200 employees in the social welfare and healthcare sector to determine whether there were differences in different antibody classes according to viral exposure. Dried saliva and blood samples collected between January and March 2021 were utilised in the study. The exposure and background data were collected using a questionnaire.

Based on the results, immunoglobulin G (IgG) has a 99.5% sensitivity and 75.3% specificity to distinguish people with two vaccinations from non-exposed and exposed individuals, individuals with previous Covid-19 infection, and those with one vaccination. IgG measured from saliva also had an 85.3% sensitivity and 65.7% specificity in distinguishing people with two vaccinations from the other groups.

The results of the study have been published in the Medical Microbiology and Immunology journal.

The study attested to the exposure of social welfare and healthcare employees to coronavirus, visible in the results as elevated antibody levels. A total of 47.5% of nurses and 47.7% of doctors were seropositive due to either a previous infection, vaccination or exposure, whereas only 8.7% of dentists had been exposed to the virus. In addition to dentists, the lowest antibody levels were observed in administrative staff and social workers.

The highest antibody levels in both the blood and saliva were found in those who had both had Covid-19 and had been vaccinated. The lowest antibody levels were seen in individuals who had not been exposed to the virus, who had not had a previous infection and who had not received a vaccination.

Against our expectations, there have been fewer coronavirus infections and instances of exposure among dental care staff compared to, for example, hospital doctors, even though a lot of aerosol-producing procedures are carried out close to the patient in dental care, researcher Laura Lahdentausta says.

At the time of sample collection, the dental care staff had also received the lowest number of coronavirus vaccines, which was reflected in their antibody levels.

Another goal of the study was to develop research methods. In fact, the study provides important information on the use of saliva in the determination of antibody levels.

Based on the results, dried samples reliably reveal antibodies associated with the virus, says Professor Pirkko Pussinen.

The benefit of dried saliva and fingertip blood samples is that they are easy to collect. Samples can be taken at home outside laboratory conditions. Their collection is inexpensive and, in the case of saliva samples, non-invasive.

In the future, this assay technique based on dried spot samples could be effectively utilised to monitor both the immune response produced by vaccination and the need for vaccines in large patient populations, Pussinen adds.

Original article: Lahdentausta L, Kivimki A, Oksanen L, Tallgren M, Oksanen S, Sanmark E, Salminen A, Geneid A, Sairanen M, Paju S, Saksela K, Pussinen P, Pietiinen M. Blood and saliva SARS-Cov-2 antibody levels in self-collected dried spot samples. Medical Microbiology and Immunology. Doi 10.1007/s00430-022-00740-x

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Blood and saliva SARS-Cov-2 antibody levels in self-collected dried spot samples

13-Jun-2022

Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.

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Dried samples of saliva and fingertip blood are useful in monitoring responses to coronavirus vaccines - EurekAlert

Immunology

Antibodies in breast milk help shape infants’ gut bacteria and immunity | Cornell Chronicle – Cornell Chronicle

Researchers have known for some time that maternal breast milk provides critical nutrients for newborns, and antibodies from mothers vaccinated against a specific disease-causing bacterium or virus can be transferred via breast milk to babies. Now a new preclinical study by Weill Cornell Medicine investigators shows that one specific set of antibodies that is induced naturally by gut beneficial bacteria can be transferred from mothers to infants through breast milk and help infants defend against infection-induced diarrheal illness.

The study suggests boosting these naturally-produced antibodies in mothers might enhance infants immunity against bacterial pathogens that cause infectious gastrointestinal diseases.

In the study, published June 10 in Science Immunology, the team focused on a class of antibodies called IgG, which help rid the body of infectious bacteria and viruses.Little was known about how IgG antibodies that are naturally induced by gut bacteria influence infant gut immunity. So the investigators used a mouse model to determine how these IgG antibodies are transferred from a mothers blood to her breast milk and how they protect young mice from Citrobacter rodentium (equivalent to pathogenic E. coli in humans) that causes potentially dangerous intestinal infections.

We found that these IgG antibodies were protective against gut infection in the babies and that we could enhance this protection, said senior author Melody Zeng, an assistant professor of immunology in pediatrics within the Department of Pediatrics and a member of the Gale and Ira Drukier Institute for Childrens Research at Weill Cornell Medicine.

Just as antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 virus are detected in the breast milk of women who had been vaccinated with mRNA vaccines for COVID-19, the researchers sought to confer extra protection against intestinal infections in infants by inducing IgG antibodies that could be transferred this way. They developed a vaccine using a component found in gut bacteria, then immunized female mice with it before they became pregnant.

The same concept, in which vaccination enhances mothers IgG antibody levels and transfers this immunity to her babies, could protect human babies, Zeng said. This strategy could especially benefit premature babies, since they tend to be at much higher risk from diarrheal diseases.

Such infections pose significant dangers for young children in general. Diarrheal illnesses are the second leading cause of death among children under five, according to the World Health Organization.

In their experiments, the researchers, including co-first authors Katherine Sanidad and Mohammed Amir, both postdoctoral associates in the Zeng lab, first demonstrated that when passed to infant mice through breast milk, IgG prevented disease-causing bacteria from attaching themselves to the lining of infants intestines, an early step in infection.

They also studied how IgG interacted with another set of microbes beneficial bacteria that live in the gut to facilitate healthy development of gut bacteria in infants. Scientists are finding that these microbes contribute to the development and function of the immune system. For instance, helpful bacteria train the immune system to recognize their pathogenic relatives.

This study uncovered long-term effects of these protective IgG antibodies too. Mice that never received IgG from their mothers developed abnormal microbial communities within their guts, which led to changes to their immune systems. Specifically, the researchers found an increase in gut immune cells that produce IL-17, a proinflammatory cytokine that is linked to inflammatory diseases. As adults, the IgG-deprived mice were more susceptible to abnormal inflammation associated with inflammatory bowel disorder.

Our findings really underscore the benefits of breastfeeding, both immediately and for the long-term development of the immune system in the offspring, Zeng said.

Melody Zeng is a consultant for Guidepoint.

Wynne Parry is a freelance writer for Weill Cornell Medicine.

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Antibodies in breast milk help shape infants' gut bacteria and immunity | Cornell Chronicle - Cornell Chronicle

Immunology

3 summers of COVID and now monkeypox – you have questions, Vaneet has answers – WUKY

From UK Now:

Monkeypox has exploded into the news recently, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) closely tracking cases that have been recently reported in several countries that dont normally have monkeypox activity, including the U.S.

University of Kentucky immunology and virology expert Ilhem Messaoudi, Ph.D., answered our questions about the monkeypox virus. Messaoudi, chair of the College of Medicines Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, shares what you need to know about monkeypox including symptoms, risk and treatment.

Q: What is monkeypox?

A: Monkeypox is a disease caused by the monkeypox virus, which is a member of the orthopoxvirus genus within the Poxviridae family. It is in the same genus as variola virus, which causes smallpox.

Is Monkeypox the next COVID? No. Unlike SARS-CoV-2, monkeypox is contagious once the person has developed symptoms, and it is not easily transmitted between individuals. Vaccines against smallpox/monkeypox are available. We also have access to therapeutics in the form of antiviral and vaccinia immune globulins.

Q: What are the symptoms of monkeypox?

A: The incubation period is often seven to 14 days but can be as long as 21 days. Symptoms first start with chills, fever, aches and swollen lymph nodes. This is followed by the appearance of a rash that progresses to blisters.

Q: How does monkeypox spread?

A: Monkeypox is spread via close prolonged contact with body fluids/lesion materials, for example, by caring for or interacting closely with someone exhibiting symptoms, getting bit by an infected animal or manipulating sick animals, or handling contaminated materials. It can be spread via the respiratory route, mucosal route or through broken skin.

Q: As of now, how would you assess the risk for Kentuckians?

A: The risk for Kentuckians is pretty low. However, please note that there is a suspected case in Virginia. Given global travel and increased activities now that several COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted, and the potential of large gatherings at upcoming events, everyone should be vigilant.

Q: How can one best prevent or avoid monkeypox?

A: Practice good hand hygiene, which we should all be very good at by now. If you find yourself in an area where monkeypox has been detected, avoid contact with animals that are sick or found dead. For health care workers caring for monkeypox patients, PPE including respiratory protection and patient isolation are needed.

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3 summers of COVID and now monkeypox - you have questions, Vaneet has answers - WUKY

Immunology

A New Era: Creating Defenses Against Disease After COVID-19 – The University of Arizona Health Sciences |

As the vortex of the COVID-19 pandemic consumed the world in 2020, scientists worked at a frantic pace to understand the new virus sweeping the globe. The discoveries surrounding SARS-CoV-2 were impressive not only for the speed in which they took place, but also for the new pathways of research they opened.

To the average person, it looked as though scientists were making daily breakthroughs as spike proteins, antibodies and messenger RNA vaccines became topics of everyday conversation. But revolutionary discoveries are rarely Eureka! moments. Instead, scientific advances are almost always the culmination of research that occurs outside of the spotlight. In the realm of immunology, decades of research on the immune system, the human genome and a multitude of other viruses laid the foundation to quickly unravel the mysteries of SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19.

The immediate end goal was met when COVID-19 vaccines and treatments became available. But the impact of that research is far from over, according to Deepta Bhattacharya, PhD, keynote speaker at the inaugural University of Arizona Health Sciences Tomorrow is Here Lecture Series. He believes the lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic have the potential to change the future of science.

The pandemic has shown us that the tools are out there to make infectious disease far less burdensome, not only in the U.S., but globally, said Dr. Bhattacharya, professor of immunobiology in the UArizona College of Medicine Tucson and BIO5 Institute member. We've shown what our technology can do and what our responses can be, and I don't see any reason to accept the status quo anymore.

One of the pandemics biggest lessons, Dr. Bhattacharya said, is that the basics matter.

When people say the COVID-19 vaccines were developed in record time, they really weren't, Dr. Bhattacharya said. They were built on the backs of decades of research that allowed us to move quickly.

Three decades before an unknown virus surfaced in Wuhan, China, scientists were undertaking a massive endeavor known as the Human Genome Project. The intent was to sequence and map all of the genes 3 billion in total that make up the human genome.

In the beginning, the available technology was unreliable and slow, preventing researchers from sequencing more than a few hundred genes at a time. As technology improved, sequencing rates increased dramatically, and in April 2003, the Human Genome Project succeeded in reading the complete genetic blueprint of a human being.

We've shown what our technology can do and what our responses can be, and I don't see any reason to accept the status quo anymore.Deepta Bhattacharya, PhD

The Human Genome Project was criticized by people who asked, What are we really learning from this? What diseases have been cured by understanding and knowing the human genome sequence? Dr. Bhattacharya said. But it's important not to just focus on immediately translatable outcomes. Think about all of the outcomes that came as a result of that project, some of which undoubtedly were the sequencing technologies.

The same sequencing technologies that unraveled the mysteries of the human genome could be applied to viruses. Fast forward to January 2020, and within weeks of being confronted by an unknown pathogen, scientists sequenced and identified the novel coronavirus they dubbed SARS-CoV-2.

Some of the technologies people criticized for not necessarily having an immediate translational impact, now very obviously did, Dr. Bhattacharya said.

The Human Genome Project started in 1990, but the research that laid the foundation for the COVID-19 vaccines has an even longer history. As early as the mid-1970s, immunologists were studying common coronaviruses that affected other species, including mouse hepatitis virus.

It was, in some ways, thankless work. The researchers were asked, why are you studying this? This is a mouse coronavirus why do you care what disease it causes? Dr. Bhattacharya said. What the pandemic has shown us is that those studies taught us an awful lot in terms of preparedness. From these studies, it turned out that the immune response needed to be aimed at a particular protein that the virus makes called spike.

Identifying the viruss Achilles heel wasnt enough, though. Researchers needed to find a way to engineer the spike protein to create an immune response against the virus. That work happened at the National Institutes of Healths Vaccine Research Center. There, scientists were studying respiratory syncytial virus, which causes severe respiratory infections in children, and another common coronavirus that causes cold-like symptoms.

Once engineered, the spike protein needed to be safely delivered to the cells nucleus without killing the cell. Again, the answer came from research that was decades in the making in this case, messenger RNA (mRNA) research at the University of Pennsylvania.

All of that early work that sort of circuitous path science sometimes takes led us to figure out the perfect solution to generate vaccines and immune responses to emerging pathogens, said Dr. Bhattacharya.

On the scientific front, one of the biggest applications from the pandemic can be found in the immunology that led to the development of the highly effective COVID-19 vaccines.

I think structure-based vaccinology is the wave of the future, said Dr. Bhattacharya, whose primary research focuses on a family of viruses known as flaviviruses, which cause diseases including dengue, Zika, Japanese encephalitis, yellow fever and West Nile. The pandemic really showed the power of that particular approach to actually control the immune system and what it's aimed at. Some of the technologies that came from COVID-19 can absolutely be applied to the flaviviruses, as well.

Dr. Bhattacharya, who hopes to develop an effective vaccine for flaviviruses, says none of the flaviviruses have come close to causing the worldwide destruction perpetuated by SARS-CoV-2, though scientists were surprised by the spread of the Zika virus, which reached epidemic status in Brazil in 2016. Still, no one knows which virus could be the source of the next pandemic.

We don't really know what's going to come next, so that means studying families of not just viruses, but also bacteria and fungi, and building up that broad knowledge base and technology that allows us to move quickly, he said. Prevention and preparedness are worth many tons of cure for infectious diseases.

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A New Era: Creating Defenses Against Disease After COVID-19 - The University of Arizona Health Sciences |

Immunology

OSE Immunotherapeutics Appoints its International Scientific Advisory Board – StreetInsider.com

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NANTES, France, June 09, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- OSE Immunotherapeutics SA (ISIN: FR0012127173; Mnemo: OSE) today announces the appointment of six leading international experts to its newly formed Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) to guide the Company in its next phases of growth and scientific orientations.

We are proud to have gathered this team of independent world-renowned key-opinion leaders in immunology, immuno-oncology and inflammation, commented Nicolas Poirier, Chief Scientific Officer of OSE Immunotherapeutics. Since OSEs inception, it has been an incredible journey at the forefront of immunology for translating our scientific discoveries into first-in-class innovative immunotherapy treatments against cancers, autoimmune or inflammatory diseases. We will now benefit from their outstanding and highly complementary expertise to further develop our R&D capabilities and nurture the science developed by OSE.

Dominique Costantini, Chief Executive Officer of OSE Immunotherapeutics, adds: We are very pleased and honored to bring together experts with such scientific high level and strategic insight in immunology to guide the Company in its scientific orientations. Together with the OSE team, this Board will help addressing novel issues and challenges pertaining to our current and future research to prepare the Companys new phase of growth focused on bringing new entities into our portfolio and advancing our preclinical and diversified first-in-class products in immuno-oncology and immunology & inflammation.

The SAB, chaired by Pr. Wolf-Herv Fridman who will lead the Board's reflections and discussions, will comprise the followings:

Prof. Wolf-Herv Fridman, MD, ChairmanProfessor Emeritus of Immunology at the Universit de Paris Medical School in Paris, FranceDr. Fridmans research focused on the analysis of the tumor microenvironment. Since 2005, his studies have changed the paradigm of host/cancer interactions by demonstrating that the immune contexture, taking into account the functionality, the location and the density of the immune infiltrate in colorectal tumors, is the major prognostic factor for human cancers. He is involved in the development of bioinformatic tools to quantify cells of the tumor microenvironment which are being successfully applied to predict prognosis and immunotherapeutic responses in Renal Cell Cancers, Colorectal Cancers or Sarcomas. One major achievement is the establishment of an immune classification of soft tissue sarcoma tumors that allowed to demonstrate that Tertiary Lymphoid Structures (TLS) and B cell signatures, better than T cells, predicted favorable clinical outcome and therapeutic response to anti-PD- 1 therapy in patients. These findings were recently extended to other cancers treated with immune check-point blockers showing that plasma cells generated inside TLS produce anti-tumor antibodies associated with patients response to immunotherapy. They open the way for novel immune-based tools for efficient prognosis and therapy of cancers.

Dr. Sophie BrouardImmunologist and Doctor in veterinary sciences, Director of Research at the Institut National de la Sant et Recherche Mdicale (INSERM, National Institute for Health and Medical Research) in Nantes, France Dr. Sophie Brouard is Director of Research in the INSERM unit located in Nantes (France) and is working in immunology (auto-immune diseases and transplantation). She is an immunologist interested in fundamental and translational questions on the process of inflammation, chronicity, rejection and tolerance. Previously, she served as Director of the Centaure national RTRS (Rseau Thmatique de Recherche et de Soins) transplantation network in France. Dr. Brouard received the Bronze medal from the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) in 2004, the price from Medicine Academy in 2012, the medal of innovation of the CNRS in 2020 and the Trophe of Academy-Biotech partnership from the Nantes University in 2021. She funded three companies, TclandExpression, Effimune and BioMadvanced.

Dr. Brouard participates and is co-authors of 11 patents. She published around 200 scientific papers (h-factor = 43).

Bernard Malissen, PhDGroup Leader at Centre dImmunologie de Marseille-Luminy and Founding-Director of Center for Immunophenomics, Marseille, FranceDr. Bernard Malissen pioneered the use of gene transfer approaches to dissect the function of Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) molecules. He also succeeded reconstructing a full T cell antigen receptor (TCR) complex and demonstrated that the present-day signaling subunits associated with antigen receptors stem from a common primordial building block. He provided the first evidence for chromosomal inversion during TCR gene rearrangements.

His team was also the first to elucidate the atomic structure of an alloreactive TCR in complex with its peptide-MHC ligand, providing a molecular explanation for the basis of transplant rejection and TCR binding-degeneracy. His recent interests extend to dendritic cells and macrophages, leading him to disentangle their functional complexity primarily in the skin. To make sense of the complexity of the signal transduction networks involved in T cell activation, he recently used omic approaches to provide a systems level picture of the TCR signal transduction network and of its tuning by costimulatory and coinhibitory receptors.

Bernard Malissen published 400 scientific papers, (h-factor of 94) and ranked for the last 5 years among the most highly cited researchers in Immunology.

Dr. Myriam Merad, MD, PhDDirector of the Precision Immunology Institute at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York and the Director of the Mount Sinai Human Immune Monitoring Center (HIMC), USDr. Merad is an internationally acclaimed physician-scientist and a leader in the fields of dendritic cell and macrophage biology with a focus on their contribution to human diseases. Dr. Merad identified the tissue resident macrophage lineage and revealed its distinct role in organ physiology and pathophysiology. She established the contribution of this macrophage lineage to cancer progression and inflammatory diseases and is now working on the development of novel macrophage-targeted therapies for these conditions. In addition to her work on macrophages, Dr. Merad is known for her work on dendritic cells, a group of cells that control adaptive immunity. She identified a new subset of dendritic cells, which is now considered a key target of antiviral and antitumor immunity.

Dr. Merad leads the Precision Immunology Institute at the Icahn School of Medicine (PrIISM) to bring immunology discoveries to the clinic. PrIISM integrates immunological research programs with synergistic expertise in biology, medicine, technology, physics, mathematics and computational biology to enhance our understanding of human immunology. She also founded the Human Immune Monitoring Center at Mount Sinai, one of the worlds most sophisticated research centers, which uses cutting-edge single-cell technology to understand the contribution of immune cells to major human diseases or treatment responses.

Dr. Merad has authored more than 200 primary papers and reviews in high profile journals. Her work has been cited several thousand times. She receives generous funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for her research on innate immunity and their contribution to human disease, and belongs to several NIH consortia. She is an elected member of the American Society of Clinical Investigation and the recipient of the William B. Coley Award for Distinguished Research in Basic and Tumor Immunology.She is the President-elect of the International Union of Immunological Societies (IUIS). In 2020, she was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in recognition of her contributions to the field of immunology.

Prof. Charles N. Serhan, PhD, DScPr. Serhan is the Simon Gelman Professor of Anaesthesia (Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology) at Harvard Medical School, Professor of Oral Medicine, Infection and Immunity at Harvard School of Dental Medicine, USHe is Director of the Center for Experimental Therapeutics and Reperfusion Injury at Brigham and Womens Hospital and Co-Director of the Brigham Research Institute. Charles received a Bachelor of Science in biochemistry from Stony Brook University followed by a Doctorate in experimental pathology and medical sciences from New York University School of Medicine. He was a visiting scientist and postdoctoral fellow at the Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm with Professor Bengt Samuelsson (Nobel Laurate Medicine 82). In 1987, he joined the faculty at Harvard Medical School and in 1996 received the honorary degree from Harvard University.

Pr. Serhan has experience leading multidisciplinary research teams as PI/PD for several NIH supported Program Project Grants and a P-50 Center Grant. He is currently Program Director of the Program Project entitled Resolution Mechanisms in Acute Inflammation: Resolution Pharmacology (P01-GM095467).

He received several research awards including an NIH MERIT and recent international awards: 2016 Ross Prize in Molecular Medicine, International Eicosanoid Research Foundations 2017 Lifetime Achievement Award, the American Society of Investigative Pathology 2018 Rous Whipple Award, the 2018 British Pharmacology Societys Gaddum International Prize and Award Lecture, and the2019 Honorary Lifetime Award, Society for Leukocyte Biology, for excellence in leukocyte biology research.

His h-index is 172 in google scholar.

Dr. Jennifer Wargo,M.D., M.M.Sc.Professor of Genomic Medicine & Surgical Oncology, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, HoustonAfter completing her medical degree, she entered surgical residency training at the Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School where she became interested in the biology and treatment of cancer. During her training, she completed 2 fellowships in surgical oncology with a focus on immunotherapy for cancer.

Dr. Wargo was recruited to the Division of Surgical Oncology at Massachusetts General Hospital in July 2008 and had an active research laboratory focusing on melanoma tumorigenesis and immunotherapy for cancer. One exciting finding involved data describing the effect of BRAF-targeted therapy on tumor antigen expression in melanoma as a basis for combining targeted therapy and immunotherapy in the treatment of this disease. Dr. Wargo validated those findings in patients treated with BRAF inhibitors. She has continued critical studies to better understand the effects of BRAF inhibition on immune responses in melanoma and established a unique set of serial tumor biopsies and blood samples from patients enrolled in clinical trials on BRAF inhibitors. Through analysis of these samples, she contributed significantly to the world literature regarding resistance mechanisms and the effect of targeted therapy on anti-tumor immunity.

Dr. Wargo was recruited to MD Anderson Cancer Center in September 2013 to continue this work and to build a program to collect serial biopsies in patients with melanoma and other cancers on targeted therapy and immunotherapy, and to better understand responses to therapy and to develop novel strategies to combat resistance.

ABOUT OSE ImmunotherapeuticsOSE Immunotherapeutics is an integrated biotechnology company focused on developing and partnering therapies to control the immune system for Immuno-Oncology and Immuno-Inflammation. Its balanced first-in-class clinical and preclinical portfolio has a diversified risk profile:

Immuno-Oncology first-in-class products

Immuno-Inflammation first-in-class products

CoVepiT: a prophylactic second-generation vaccine activating cytotoxic T lymphocytes against COVID-19, developed using optimized epitopes from SARS-CoV2 viral proteins, epitopes non impacted by multi-variants. Shows good tolerance and very good level of T cell immune response. In clinical testing, a long-term memory response was confirmed at 6 months.

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Forward-looking statementsThis press release contains express or implied information and statements that might be deemed forward-looking information and statements in respect of OSE Immunotherapeutics. They do not constitute historical facts. These information and statements include financial projections that are based upon certain assumptions and assessments made by OSE Immunotherapeutics management in light of its experience and its perception of historical trends, current economic and industry conditions, expected future developments and other factors they believe to be appropriate.

These forward-looking statements include statements typically using conditional and containing verbs such as expect, anticipate, believe, target, plan, or estimate, their declensions and conjugations and words of similar import. Although the OSE Immunotherapeutics management believes that the forward-looking statements and information are reasonable, the OSE Immunotherapeutics shareholders and other investors are cautioned that the completion of such expectations is by nature subject to various risks, known or not, and uncertainties which are difficult to predict and generally beyond the control of OSE Immunotherapeutics. These risks could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed in or implied or projected by the forward-looking statements. These risks include those discussed or identified in the public filings made by OSE Immunotherapeutics with the AMF. Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. This press release includes only summary information and should be read with the OSE Immunotherapeutics Universal Registration Document filed with the AMF on 15 April 2022, including the annual financial report for the fiscal year 2021, available on the OSE Immunotherapeutics website. Other than as required by applicable law, OSE Immunotherapeutics issues this press release at the date hereof and does not undertake any obligation to update or revise the forward-looking information or statements.

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OSE Immunotherapeutics Appoints its International Scientific Advisory Board - StreetInsider.com