Immunology

Lonza Announces High-Quality Cryopreserved Leukopaks for More Flexibility in Immunology and Cell Therapy Research – BioSpace

Quote from Andrew Winner, Product Manager, Lonza Bioscience:"The short viability window of fresh Leukopaks means researchers are at the mercy of donor and shipping schedules and any logistical delays can wreak havoc on project costs and the quality of research results. By offering cryopreserved Leukopaks, we are expanding our ability to deliver high-viability cell products internationally, and the rapid availability of stored cryopreserved Leukopaks means our customers are better able to adhere to uncompromising research timelines."

Basel, Switzerland, 28 January 2021 Lonza has expanded its renowned human primary cell offerings with the launch of fully customizable, high-quality cryopreserved Leukopaks. The frozen Leukopaks will enable long-distance shipping of leukapheresis products without the concern of reduced cell viability encountered with fresh Leukopaks. Being suitable for long-term storage in research labs, the cryopreserved Leukopaks will also allow immediate access to viable cells for greater convenience and workflow flexibility. The cryopreserved Leukopaks come in a range of sizes, and multiple donor characteristics and testing options are available through a unique costing structure that allows customers to only pay for the customization that they need.

A Leukopak is an enriched leukapheresis-derived product containing high concentrations of peripheral blood mononuclear cells like T cells, B cells and monocytes. Such cells are a critical raw material in immunotherapy research and for optimizing cell therapy process development before progressing to full clinical manufacture. However, fresh Leukopaks can be hard to access and must be used rapidly to avoid cell degradation. International transportation options are thus severely limited, and logistical delays or donor cancellations can have catastrophic impacts on research costs and quality. Cryopreserved Leukopaks allow reliable global shipping while maintaining cell viability and functionality, and the ability to thaw cryopreserved Leukopaks when needed means researchers are better able to plan ahead for more cost-efficient therapy development.

Lonzas cryopreserved Leukopaks are available in a range of sizes, including packs of 2.5, 5 and 9.5 billion cells, which can be subdivided into separate smaller bags for greater convenience. Specific donor characteristics like age, gender and Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) type are also available, with a wide range of recallable donors and several product testing options. Customization follows a unique, tailored pricing structure, where customers only pay for the customization they require. Customers will also have access to Lonzas globally renowned technical support services to facilitate optimized product usage and greater research success.

To find out more about Lonzas cryopreserved Leukopak offerings, please clickhere.

About LonzaLonza is the preferred global partner to the pharmaceutical, biotech and nutrition markets. We work to prevent illness and enable a healthier world by supporting our customers to deliver new and innovative medicines that help treat a wide range of diseases. We achieve this by combining technological insight with world-class manufacturing, scientific expertise and process excellence. These enable our customers to commercialize their discoveries and innovations in the healthcare sector.

Founded in 1897 in the Swiss Alps, today Lonza operates across three continents. With approximately 14,000 full-time employees, we are built from high-performing teams and of individual talent who make a meaningful difference to our own business, as well as to the communities in which we operate. The company generated sales of CHF 4.5 billion in 2020 with a CORE EBITDA of CHF 1.4 billion. Find out more atwww.lonza.com

Follow @Lonza onLinkedInFollow @LonzaGroup onTwitter

Lonza Contact Details

Dr. Sanna FowlerHead of External CommunicationsLonza Group LtdTel +41 61 316 8929sanna.fowler@lonza.com

Dirk OehlersInvestor RelationsLonza Group LtdTel +41 79 421 1609dirk.oehlers@lonza.com

Additional Information and DisclaimerLonza Group Ltd has its headquarters in Basel, Switzerland, and is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange. It has a secondary listing on the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Limited ("SGX-ST"). Lonza Group Ltd is not subject to the SGX-STs continuing listing requirements but remains subject to Rules 217 and 751 of the SGX-ST Listing Manual.

Certain matters discussed in this news release may constitute forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations and estimates of Lonza Group Ltd, although Lonza Group Ltd can give no assurance that these expectations and estimates will be achieved. Investors are cautioned that all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainty and are qualified in their entirety. The actual results may differ materially in the future from the forward-looking statements included in this news release due to various factors. Furthermore, except as otherwise required by law, Lonza Group Ltd disclaims any intention or obligation to update the statements contained in this news release.

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Lonza Announces High-Quality Cryopreserved Leukopaks for More Flexibility in Immunology and Cell Therapy Research - BioSpace

Immunology

Assistant/Associate Professor in Immunology job with UNITED ARAB EMIRATES UNIVERSITY | 243125 – Times Higher Education (THE)

Job Description

The Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences (CMHS), UAE University, seeks candidates for a faculty position at the rank of Assistant/Associate Professor in Immunology. Outstanding candidates working in all areas of immunology are invited to apply. We are particularly looking for an innovative investigator with a strong research productivity who has an established, or a clear potential to establish, an independent research program.

Candidates with experience in translational immunology research and with a strong background in computational and systems biology, genomics or bioinformatics will be preferred. Screening of applications will continue until the position is filled. The College of Medicine operates an internationally recognized, integrated, problem/team-based learning curriculum and provides excellent research facilities. English is the language of instruction. Areas of research within the Department include integrative immunology approaches to study cancer immunity and immunotherapy, mechanisms of autoimmune disorders, molecular epidemiology of human bacterial pathogens and antibiotic resistance, development of retroviral vectors for gene therapy, EBV and its role in the pathogenesis of human diseases and public health, neuroimmune regulatory pathways, and host-pathogen interactions.

Minimum Qualification

The successful candidate must have a PhD or MD/PhD from an accredited institution. The candidate should have a strong track record of research in immunology. It is expected that the appointee will also have experience in teaching medical and postgraduate students. Importantly, candidates must demonstrate the potential to establish an independent and sustained research program in their area of expertise and be able to obtain peer-reviewed internal and external funding.

Preferred Qualification

As above.

Division College of Medicine&Health ScienceDepartment Microbiology - (CMHS)Job Close Date open until filledJob Category Academic - FacultySalary 30000-40000 UAE Dirhams per month, based on experience

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Assistant/Associate Professor in Immunology job with UNITED ARAB EMIRATES UNIVERSITY | 243125 - Times Higher Education (THE)

Immunology

Immunology, immunopathogenesis and immunotherapeutics of COVID-19; an overview – DocWire News

This article was originally published here

Int Immunopharmacol. 2021 Jan 5;93:107364. doi: 10.1016/j.intimp.2020.107364. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection which is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has led to a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC). The infection is highly contagious, has a high mortality rate, and its pathophysiology remains poorly understood. Pulmonary inflammation with substantial lung damage together with generalized immune dysregulation are major components of COVID-19 pathogenesis. The former component, lung damage, seems to be at least in part a consequence of immune dysregulation. Indeed, studies have revealed that immune alteration is not merely an association, as it might occur in systemic infections, but, very likely, the core pathogenic element of COVID-19. In addition, precise management of immune response in COVID-19, i.e. enhancing anti-viral immunity while inhibiting systemic inflammation, may be key to successful treatment. Herein, we have reviewed current evidence related to different aspects of COVID-19 immunology, including innate and adaptive immune responses against the virus and mechanisms of virus-induced immune dysregulation. Considering that current antiviral therapies are chiefly experimental, strategies to do immunotherapy for the management of disease have also been reviewed. Understanding immunology of COVID-19 is important in developing effective therapies as well as diagnostic, and prophylactic strategies for this disease.

PMID:33486333 | DOI:10.1016/j.intimp.2020.107364

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Immunology, immunopathogenesis and immunotherapeutics of COVID-19; an overview - DocWire News

Immunology

Scientists Find Key Function of Molecule in Cells Crucial for Regulating Immunity – Newswise

Newswise CHAPEL HILL, NC Many molecules in our bodies help our immune system keep us healthy without overreacting so much that our immune cells cause problems, such as autoimmune diseases. One molecule, called AIM2, is part of our innate immunity a defense system established since birth to fight pathogens and keep us healthy. But little was known about AIM2s contribution to T cell adaptive immunity defenses developed in response to particular pathogens and health problems we develop over the course of our lives.

Now, UNC School of Medicine scientists co-led by Jenny Ting, PhD, the William Kenan Distinguished Professor of Genetics, and Yisong Wan, PhD, professor of microbiology and immunology, discovered that AIM2 is important for the proper function of regulatory T cells, or Treg cells, and plays a key role in mitigating autoimmune disease. Treg cells are a seminal population of adaptive immune cells that prevents an overzealous immune response, such as those that occurs in autoimmune diseases.

Published in Nature, the research shows that AIM2 is actually expressed at a much higher level in Treg cells of the adaptive immune system than in innate immune cells.

Our study unveils an unexpected and previously unappreciated role for AIM2 in Treg cells in adaptive immunity, which is independent of AIM2s classic function in the innate immunity, said Ting, co-senior author of the study, member of the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, and director of the Center for Translational Immunology.

Wan, co-senior author and member of the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, added, Because Treg cells are well-known players in a broad range of diseases including autoimmunity, inflammation, and cancers, our findings will help us identify new molecular targets and develop new therapeutic strategies to test against debilitating and fatal diseases.

Normal immune responses are carried out by both innate immunity and adaptive immunity to fight pathogens and maintain biological stability. But these responses need to be regulated so they do not escalate and cause a whole host of different health problems aside from what the pathogen originally caused. Distinct cell types and molecules play discrete roles in the down-regulation of innate immunity and adaptive immunity. This work shows that AIM2, in Treg cells, is one of them. Treg cells dampen over-exuberant immune responses, and so they are critical for the check-and-balance of the immunity system.

Impaired function of Treg cells often perturbs immune system stability and can trigger autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.

In lab experiments led by first author Wei-Chun Chou, PhD, research associate in the Ting Lab, the UNC scientists found that AIM2 was expressed at a much higher level in Treg cells than in innate immune cells, in both mice and humans.

This suggests a big role for AIM2 in Treg cells, Chou said. We found that AIM2 is important to maintain the normal function of Treg cells, which could not effectively protect mice from developing autoimmune encephalomyelitis and inflammatory colitis without AIM2.

Those two conditions are models of the human diseases multiple sclerosis and colitis.

We conducted further molecular and biochemical analysis to reveal a new, cellular signaling pathway of protein molecules in Treg cells called the AIM2-RACK1-PP2A-AKT pathway which regulates the metabolism and function of Treg cells to mitigate autoimmune disease.

Co-first author Zengli Guo, PhD, a research associate at the UNC Lineberer Comprehensive Cancer Center and in the UNC Department of Microbiology and Immunology, added, Essentially, AIM2 restrains AKT phosphorylation, an important biological process but one that needs to be regulated.

As a result of these studies, these investigators hope to modulate the expression or function of molecules in the AIM2 signaling pathway in human Treg cells to eventually affect the outcome of diseases such as cancer or autoimmune disorders.

Other authors are: Xian Chen, Maureen Su, Song Zhang, Leslie Freeman, Meng Deng, W. June Brickey, Stephanie Montgomery, Yan Wang, Elena Eampanelli, Sara Gibson, Zianming Tan, Ling Xie, Kaixin Liang, Ge Zhang, Liang Chen, and Hao Guo.

Funding for this research: National Institutes of Health, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, UNC Lineberger, and a Yang Family Biomedical Scholar Award to Yisong Wan.

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Scientists Find Key Function of Molecule in Cells Crucial for Regulating Immunity - Newswise

Immunology

Orange County native and lead scientist for Moderna vaccine honored by county – The Daily Tar Heel

One of the lead scientists who developed Moderna's coronavirus vaccine is a UNC alumna and an Orange County native.

Kizzmekia Corbett is a graduate of Orange High School and UNC's doctoral program in microbiology and immunology.

It goes without saying that this is home, Corbett said at a Jan. 19 Orange County Board of Commissioners meeting, where she was honored by the board declaring Jan. 20 "Dr. Kizzmekia S. Corbett Day." Corbett was also honored by the towns of Hillsborough and Carrboro.

Early life

During her time at Orange High School, Corbett trained as a junior researcher in UNC's Kenan Laboratories while in theProject SEED program.

She went on to attend the University of Maryland-Baltimore County as a Meyerhoff Scholar, receiving a bachelor's degree in biological sciences. While attending UMBC, Corbett studied respiratory syncytial virus and focused on why vaccines had not been effective against it.

From 2006 to 2007, Corbett worked as a lab tech in Susan Dorseys lab at the University of Maryland's School of Nursing.

What we always say is you cant train passion for research, Dorsey said. I can train you to do anything, but that passion and that dedication, that resilience, is not trainable. We all saw that very early on and we thought, The skys the limit."

After receiving her bachelors degree, Corbett attended UNC, where she got her doctorate in microbiology and immunology. While at UNC, Corbett studied dengue fever, a virus that had proved difficult to create a vaccine for.

She also worked with professor Ralph Baric, someone Corbett described as one of the best coronavirus virologists in the world.

He studied coronavirus evolution, and it was very clear even in 2014 when I left UNC that coronaviruses had this potential to cause pandemics, Corbett said at the Jan. 19 BOCC meeting.

The U.S. government wasnt paying enough attention to coronaviruses, she said, which is why she decided to join the Vaccine Research Center at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

Baric said there is hope the vaccine developed by Corbett and others at the Vaccine Research Center will make a difference.

She has a real sense for not only the basic science part of what we do, but the personal side of how infectious diseases really impact people on the ground at all social levels, Baric said. Thats a rare insight that many of us dont get to achieve.

COVID-19 pandemic

In January 2020, Moderna announced it would be partnering with the National Institute of Health to develop a coronavirus vaccine in the Vaccine Research Center. Clinical trials for the vaccine began in March.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and a prominent scientist during the pandemic, praised Corbett in a conference hosted by the National Urban League last December.

Kizzy is an African American scientist who is right at the forefront of the development of the vaccine, Fauci said. So the first thing you might want to say to my African American brothers and sisters is that the vaccine you are going to be taking was developed by an African American woman, and that is just a fact.

Since the Moderna vaccine was given emergency use authorization by the FDA in December, Corbett has been raising public support for the vaccine, especially within Black communities that have been historically marginalized for the sake of science.

Chapel Hill may be seeing more of Corbett in the future, as she revealed at the meeting that she is being recruited by UNC to become a professor. She has not yet announced whether she will be accepting the position.

For now, Corbett can be found on Twitter, where she posts regular vaccine updates often accompanied by a GIF.

@trevorwmoore

@DTHCityState | city@dailytarheel.com

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Orange County native and lead scientist for Moderna vaccine honored by county - The Daily Tar Heel

Immunology

Cross Reactivity Seen Between SARS-CoV-2 and Antibodies to 2003 SARS Outbreak Virus – Technology Networks

A new study demonstrates that antibodies generated by the novel coronavirus react to other strains of coronavirus and vice versa, according to research published today by scientists from Oregon Health & Science University.

However, antibodies generated by the SARS outbreak of 2003 had only limited effectiveness in neutralizing the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Antibodies are blood proteins that are made by the immune system to protect against infection, in this case by a coronavirus.

The study published today in the journal Cell Reports.

Our finding has some important implications concerning immunity toward different strains of coronavirus infections, especially as these viruses continue to mutate, said senior author Fikadu Tafesse, Ph.D., assistant professor of molecular microbiology and immunology in the OHSU School of Medicine.

Given the speed of mutations estimated at one to two per month its not surprising that an antibody generated from a virus 18 years ago provides a meager defense against the new coronavirus. Nonetheless, Tafesse said the findings suggest more work needs to be done to determine the lasting effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines.

I dont think there is any one size-fits-all vaccine, he said. Although the vaccines coming out now may break the momentum of the virus and end the pandemic, they may not be the end game.

Tafesse noted that researchers used individual antibody clones to test cross-reactivity, and that a bodys normal immune system will generate many antibodies that are more likely to neutralize a wider series of targets on the mutating virus.

Im not personally terribly concerned, said lead author Timothy Bates, a fourth-year molecular microbiology and immunology graduate student in the OHSU School of Medicine. Emerging mutant viruses may have some propensity to escape certain antibodies raised by previous infection or vaccine.

Every individual has a different immune system that will make a unique repertoire of different antibodies that bind to different places on the virus, so the chance of any one SARS-CoV-2 variant escaping from all of them is quite low.

The study also suggests that efforts to accurately discern a previous COVID-19 infection, by analyzing antibodies in blood, may be confounded by the presence of antibodies reacting to other strains of coronavirus including the common cold. Although this complicates diagnosis of older infections, researchers say the finding actually expands scientists ability to study the biology and disease-causing effects of the SARS-CoV-2 virus since they know it reacts to antibodies of multiple strains of coronaviruses.

It provides more tools to study the biology of this virus because we have very limited reagents available right now for SARS-CoV-2, Tafesse said.

ReferenceBates TA, Weinstein JB, Farley S, Leier HC, Messer WB, Tafesse FG. Cross-reactivity of SARS-CoV structural protein antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. Cell Reports. Published online January 2021:108737. doi:10.1016/j.celrep.2021.108737

This article has been republished from the following materials. Note: material may have been edited for length and content. For further information, please contact the cited source.

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Cross Reactivity Seen Between SARS-CoV-2 and Antibodies to 2003 SARS Outbreak Virus - Technology Networks

Immunology

Nirogy Therapeutics Launches with $16.5 Million Series A FinancingProceeds to support the development of small-molecule drugs that modulate the…

BOSTON, Jan. 26, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nirogy Therapeutics Inc., a privately-held biotechnology company developing novel small molecules to target cellular transporters, today announced the closing of a $16.5 million Series A financing. The financing was co-led by Sant Ventures and Sporos. In conjunction with the financing, Dennis McWilliams of Sant and Joseph Kekst of Sporos will join Nirogys board of directors, and Casey Cunningham, Ph.D. will join Nirogys scientific advisory board.

Nirogy plans to use the proceeds to advance its drug discovery platform to generate a pipeline of small-molecule drugs designed to target the solute carrier family of transporter proteins (SLCTs) embedded in the cell membrane. SLCTs are gatekeepers of essential physiological functions, including nutrient uptake and metabolite disposal, which are aberrantly altered in many diseases. Enabled by its proprietary small-molecule compound library and rapid development strategies, Nirogy is developing first-in-class medicines with an initial focus on oncology and autoimmune diseases.

Cellular transporters, which are central to many aspects of cell biology and dysregulated in myriad diseases, have not been effectively targeted due to the complex structures of SLCTs. Our teams strength in computational modeling, medicinal chemistry and cancer biology has enabled us to overcome the challenge of drugging these critical untapped targets, said Vincent Sandanayaka, Ph.D., founder, president and chief executive officer of Nirogy Therapeutics. We are fortunate to have a world-class scientific advisory board, highly committed investor partners and a dedicated team with proven scientific and drug development expertise.

Nirogys lead program targets lactate transporters for the treatment of cancer and is expected to enter human clinical trials in 2022. Unlike normal cells, cancer cells consume large amounts of glucose and excrete a huge excess of lactic acid to the tumor microenvironment via lactate transporters for their rapid growth and survival. Lactate-rich tumors create a hostile environment for immune cells to survive, thus suppressing anti-tumor immunity. Nirogys lactate transport inhibitors have shown robust anti-tumor efficacy in preclinical models, either as monotherapy or combination therapy. Nirogys pipeline also includes a second transporter target in cancer and a third program in immunology.

Dennis McWilliams, partner at Sant Ventures, said: We recognize the potential of the Nirogy team and its proprietary drug discovery engine in SLCTs, which could yield over 450 potential druggable targets and open up new treatment modalities for a number of life-threatening diseases.

Ronald DePinho, M.D., Nirogy co-founder and chair of the Sporos strategic advisory board, added: It is a privilege to work with this incredible team thats focused on revealing the mysteries of cellular transport biology and converting such insights into medicines for our patients in need.

ABOUT NIROGY

Nirogy Therapeutics is a biotechnology company based in Boston, MA developing novel small molecules to target cellular transporters. The company is currently advancing a class of small molecules intended to disrupt metabolic and immune mechanisms operative in the tumor microenvironment. Follow-on platform programs are targeting additional disease pathways in oncology as well as autoimmune diseases.

For more information, please visitnirogytx.com.

ABOUT SANTE VENTURES

Founded in 2006, Sant Ventures is a specialized healthcare and life sciences investment firm with over a half-billion dollars in capital under management. The firm invests in early-stage companies developing innovative new medical technologies, biotechnologies, and digitally enabled healthcare services. Recent Sant successes include Claret Medical (Boston Scientific), TVA Medical (Becton Dickinson), Millipede Medical (Boston Scientific), Molecular Templates (MTEM), AbVitro (Celgene), and Explorys (IBM Corp). Sant invests nationally and has offices inAustin, TX andBoston, MA.For more information, please visitsante.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Grace FotiadesLifeSci Communications+1. 646.876.5026gfotiades@lifescicomms.com

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Nirogy Therapeutics Launches with $16.5 Million Series A FinancingProceeds to support the development of small-molecule drugs that modulate the...

Immunology

BioAesthetics and Tulane awarded grant to develop new advanced wound-care graft – News from Tulane

BioAesthetics founder and CEO Nick Pashos, PhD, and Dr. Lisa Morici, PhD, associate professor of microbiology and immunology at Tulane University School of Medicine.

The National Science Foundation has awarded a $250,000 grant to BioAesthetics Corp. todevelop a new advanced wound-care product for treating bed sores or pressure ulcers. The product will be testedat Tulane University.

TheSmall Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I award will fund initial testing and development of a skin graft that combines the companys tissue regeneration technology with infection-fighting drugs to better promote healing.

BioAesthetics founder and CEO Nick Pashos, PhD, and COO Billy Heim, are both Tulane alumni. BioAesthetics was spawned at Tulane in 2015 to commercialize a pioneering tissue graft Pashos, a Tulane student at the time, developed to regenerate a nipple and areola in breast reconstruction surgery after a mastectomy.

Lisa Morici, PhD, associate professor of microbiology and immunology at Tulane University School of Medicine, will lead testing for the study at Tulane.

Severe bed sores are particularly difficult to heal and primarily affect the elderly or those who are bed-ridden. These pressure ulcers are open wounds on the skin, commonly in bony areas like the hip, back or ankles, caused by prolonged pressure on the skin from staying in the same position. The condition affects more than 2.5 million a year.

Current treatment options involve surgical reconstruction with skin or skin substitute grafts, which can fail to heal the pressure ulcer because of infection or because the graft was not strong enough. TheBioAesthetics graft is stronger,releases medication at the surgical site to fight infection, and is designed to accelerate wound healing.

Like the companys product for breast reconstruction, the new graft uses decellularized tissue that acts as a collagen scaffold for new cells to easily grow into as the wound heals.

The underlying technology of the proposed solution can be used to make novel grafts for treatment of numerous wound types, improving healing and patient quality of life, Pashos said.

Researchers at Tulane will test the acellular biologic graft, which is strengthened with a polymer hydrogel, to see how effectively it releases the medication over a 14-day period. The study will measure the drug release and bioactivity in vitro and, using a mouse model, assess its efficacy against a common antibiotic-resistant bacterium.

Adding a biocompatible polymer to an acellular biologic graft for therapeutic applications is a unique approach that hasnt been done before, Morici said. The goal is to have a regenerative graft that can also prevent the most common complications during wound healing.

The National Science Foundations STTR program focuses on transforming scientific discovery into products and services with commercial potential and/or societal benefit. Unlike fundamental research, the program supports startups and small businesses in the creation of deep technologies, getting discoveries out of the lab and into the market.BioAesthetics is developing new products for use in reconstructive surgeries through its mission to transform lives through advancements in biomaterials.

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BioAesthetics and Tulane awarded grant to develop new advanced wound-care graft - News from Tulane

Immunology

Some Experts Claim Covid-19 Reinfections Are Not A Huge ProblemBut Nobodys Tracking The Numbers – Forbes

Doctor hand holding positive Covid-19 rapid test

Dr. Daniel Griffin, an infectious disease physician in New York, is certain hes seen multiple cases of Covid-19 reinfections. The problem is, hes just not sure how many. Were seeing a lot of people that we took care of back in the early spring returning to the hospitals with Covid-19 symptoms, he says. Other physicians that hes spoken to agree that theyve seen what seem to be Covid-19 reinfections on a regular basis, but their evidence is only anecdotal.

Krutika Kuppalli, an infectious disease physician who also treats Covid-19 patients, also believes she has seen multiple cases of reinfections. Ive had patients that Ive suspected, but theres no way to test, she says. Reinfections are definitely happening, she says, we just dont know on what scale.

According to Alessandro Sette, an immunobiologist at the La Jolla Institute for Immunology, at this point, reinfections are not a huge problem. Sette is a coauthor on a recent study published in the journal Science which suggests that a majority of patients remain immune to Covid-19 reinfection at least eight months after diagnosis.

But as the world looks forward to Covid-19 vaccines and reliable treatments to recover from nearly a year of locking down, those missing numbers could be hiding the true story about how long vaccinations will last, and whether the pandemic can be brought under control as the virus evolves more contagious strains.

The number of patients suffering Covid-19 reinfections is likely a small percentage of the hundreds of thousands of new infections diagnosed worldwide daily, immunologists suggest. The only place that seems to be even attempting to track reinfections is a Dutch news site that has counted over 9,000 cases of suspected reinfection. But to know for sure would require a genetic sequence of the virus in both the first and second diagnosis to compare whether the new infection is a genetically distinct virus or the same from the original infection. Countries such as Australia and Taiwan are doing routine sequencing, which could teach scientists more about the Covid-19 immunity as well as new, more contagious variants of Covid-19. On the U.S. frontlines however, most doctors just dont have the time or resources to be sequencing thousands of viral genomes each day. Were swamped, Griffin says, were trying to keep people alive.

Currently, the U.S. ranks as 43rd worldwide when it comes to genomic sequencing of Covid-19. The United States is not doing enough, says Jessica Malaty Rivera, the communications lead for The COVID Tracking Project. Rivera says that she doesnt believe states are tracking it on a local level, and there is no central database where physicians across the country can report suspected or confirmed cases of reinfections. The only way to properly track reinfections is to do much more genomic sequencing than were doing, she says. Only then will the true scope of Covid-19 reinfections be made clear.

Sette says that reinfections are likely to be mild cases compared to initial cases of the disease though thats not always true. An article published in medical journal the Lancet last October detailed a case of Covid-19 reinfection of a 25-year old man in Nevada whose second infection was more severe than his first. Griffin says he has also personally seen at least one case of reinfection where the first infection was beaten at home, but the patient had to be hospitalized to treat the second infection. This is where better data would reveal the true story.

Tracking reinfections would also teach scientists more about the new, more contagious variants of Covid-19 that are currently circulating the globe. Current data indicates that some of these SARS-CoV2 lineages might have a higher capacity to reinfect people, says Ramon Lorenzo Redondo, a professor of infectious diseases at Northwestern. But more research is needed. Of particular concern is a Covid-19 variant, first discovered in South Africa and now in more than 30 countries, including the U.S. which may prevent patients from developing immunity. But, he says, I dont believe that any of the initial concerns about reinfections have amounted to much so far.

It will matter down the road, however. Knowing how many reinfections are actually occurring provides valuable clues to how long natural immunity to Covid-19 actually lasts. Stanley Perlman, a coronavirus researcher at the University of Iowa, expects that immunity to Covid-19 begins to wane anywhere from between 6 months to a year. Reinfections would be a key indicator of that, he notes, adding I think what one can say is its not permanent immunity.

This article was updated at 6:30pm ET on 1/29/21 for clarity

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Some Experts Claim Covid-19 Reinfections Are Not A Huge ProblemBut Nobodys Tracking The Numbers - Forbes

Immunology

Science inquiry series addresses ‘Vaccines in the Age of COVID-19’ – Belgrade News

How do vaccines work, how have Montanans helped, and what are the implications for COVID-19? Dr. Mark Jutila, MSU Regents professor of microbiology and immunology, will offer insights into these questions in the second virtual presentation of the Winter/Spring 2021 Science Inquiry Series.

The talk will be presented online via Zoom on Wednesday, Feb. 17, at 7 p.m. The event is sponsored by the Gallatin Valley Friends of the Sciences (http://www.gallatinscience.org/), and co-sponsored by the nonprofit community service organization Hopa Mountain and the Museum of the Rockies.

The series explores cutting edge science topics, their latest developments, and their relevance to society through speaker presentations followed by questions from the audience. The talks are free to the public.

In his presentation Vaccines in the Age of COVID-19, Jutila will discuss how vaccines work and Montanas role in vaccine development, including the impact of Maurice Hilleman, a Montana native and MSU graduate. He will conclude with an emphasis on the immune response to the current SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) virus and vaccine development and implementation in COVID-19.

A Bozeman native, Dr. Jutila holds a Ph.D. in immunology/veterinary science from Washington State University, and was awarded a post-doctoral fellowship in immunology at Stanford University before joining the MSU faculty in 1989. His current research focuses on understanding and improving immune responses in the body. He currently heads MSUs Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and is a member of the National Academy of Inventors.

The Zoom presentation will be followed by a question-and-answer period via the Zoom chat function; the event will last approximately an hour.

To access the Zoom link for the talk, go to the Gallatin Valley Friends of the Sciences web site at http://www.gallatinscience.org.

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Science inquiry series addresses 'Vaccines in the Age of COVID-19' - Belgrade News