https://www.nature.com/articles/nrd.2017.243 SUMMARY: Traditional ways of making vaccines include using antigens and weakened or dead pathogens. While these methods have worked for us in the past, their application is limited. They don’t work against cancers and tumors and they can be expensive to produce. Using mRNA vaccines is a new and versatile way to create vaccines.… Continue reading mRNA vaccines – a new era in vaccinology
Tag: immune system
Immune responses in COVID-19
Immune responses in COVID-19 and potential vaccines: Lessons learned from SARS and MERS epidemic SUMMARY: This article review looks at what is already known about SARS and MERS and uses the data and clinical studies to discuss potential vaccines and treatments for the new coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2. Compared to SARS-CoV and MERS, SARS-CoV-2 has a much… Continue reading Immune responses in COVID-19
Air Pollution, Early Life Microbiome, and Development
Air Pollution, Early Life Microbiome, and Development SUMMARY: This is a short review of how environmental factors during pregnancy could possibly affect the baby’s development after birth. Effects include being more prone to allergies, obesity, and autism. Many of the results turned out to be inconclusive. The authors give the following reasons: gut microbiota changes… Continue reading Air Pollution, Early Life Microbiome, and Development
Variation in the human immune system is largely driven by non-heritable influences
Variation in the human immune system is largely driven by non-heritable influences SUMMARY: This study was a twin study. The researchers looked at different elements of the immune system: T-cells, NK cells, B-cells, cytokines, etc. and saw that the development of these cells were influenced by non-heritable factors such as the environment and random epigenetic… Continue reading Variation in the human immune system is largely driven by non-heritable influences
Role of CRISPR in Pathogenic Bacteria
The Role of CRISPR-Cas Systems in Virulence of Pathogenic Bacteria SUMMARY: The introduction talks about the different types of CRISPR-Cas systems and the first section explains how these CRISPR systems were used in the past (mostly to see the genotypic relationship between bacteria). It wasn’t until 2013 that scientists discovered CRISPR was a type of… Continue reading Role of CRISPR in Pathogenic Bacteria
Human Gut Microbiome and Health
The Human Gut Microbiome - A Potential Controller of Wellness and Disease SUMMARY: This is a summary article of all the disorders and diseases that are correlated with gut microbiome disruption: Clostridium infections, inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease, obesity, colon cancer, and autism spectrum disorder. For each disorder, the authors summarize the research that has… Continue reading Human Gut Microbiome and Health
