Of the CRISPR-Cas9 tools created to date, base editors have gotten lots of attention because of their seemingly simple editing: they neatly replace one nucleic acid with another, in many cases all that should be needed to fix a genetic disease. Scientists have now determined the structure of the latest base editor as it swaps…

While gut microbiota play a critical role in the induction of adaptive immune responses to influenza virus infection, the role of nasal bacteria in the induction of virus-specific adaptive immunity is less clear. New research explores the role of nasal bacteria and provides clues to developing better intranasal vaccines for flu and COVID-19. «Our study…

Combining genetic and experimental data into models about the influenza virus can help predict more accurately which strains will be most common during the next winter, says a study published recently in eLife. The models could make the design of flu vaccines more accurate, providing fuller protection against a virus that causes around half a…

Researchers have found two genes that regulate the differentiation of stem cells in the small intestine, offering valuable insight into how the body develops and maintains a healthy gut. Cells in the lining of the small intestine are replaced around every five days, the quickest rate for any organ in the body. This fast replacement…

A significant proportion of hospitalized patients with influenza develop complications of acute respiratory distress syndrome. Investigators have found that treatment with an immune receptor blocker in combination with an antiviral agent markedly improves survival of mice infected with lethal influenza and reduces lung pathology in swine-influenza-infected piglets. Their research also provides insights into the optimal…

Researchers find personalized antibiotic prescriptions can reduce the emergence of antibiotic resistance. The paper, published today in Science, is a collaboration between research group of Professor Roy Kishony from the Technion — Israel Institute of Technology Faculty of Biology and the Henry and Marilyn Taub Faculty of Computer Science in collaboration with Professors Varda Shalev,…

Immune cells can be the body’s defenders and foes at the same time. Neutrophils are the most abundant white blood cells. Neutrophils identify and destroy harmful microorganisms that invade our body. Back in 2004, a research group led by Arturo Zychlinsky at the Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology discovered a special defense mechanism of…

A multidisciplinary team has devised a new approach to 3D imaging that captures DNA methylation, a key epigenetic change associated with learning in the brain. The scientists say their proof-of-concept study in pigs will easily translate to humans, as the new method relies on standard MRI technology and biological markers already in use in human…

Researchers showed, for the first time, that a single, higher dose of vaccination to a pregnant mouse safely protects both her and her fetus from the Zika virus. The researchers found that a single, less potent dose was not enough to protect the fetus. The researchers found that a single, less potent dose was not…

Researchers have developed a one-step method, which uses CRISPR/Cas9 technology, to produce mice with genetically engineered human B cell receptors in just a few weeks. «The time it takes to generate these specialized mice has been a major factor in delaying vaccine development,» says Facundo Batista, PhD, associate director of the Ragon Institute of MGH,…