Immunology | The Guardian

People assume that those with facial hair are more likely to harbour bacteria on their faces than the clean-shaven – but the truth is more tangled The idea that beards are dirtier than clean-shaven faces has been floating around for decades, says John Tregoning, professor of vaccine immunology at Imperial College London. There is even research that shows people perceive bearded men as less hygien…

Poolbeg Pharma to test the treatment in NHS hospitals and says it is also developing a GLP-1 weight loss pill A London-based startup is about to trial a drug at six NHS hospitals that could stop people on cancer immunotherapy getting a life-threatening side-effect. Poolbeg Pharma said its oral drug POLB 001 could make treatment for blood cancer safer by preventing cytokine release syndrome (CRS) …

Early trials of the drug VIR-5500 showed it shrinking tumours in some patients A new drug for advanced prostate cancer has shown promise in early trials experts have said, with the medication shrinking tumours in some patients. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men in many countries, including the US and UK. About 1.5 million men are diagnosed worldwide each year . Continue reading.…

It is one of the most infectious diseases around, and can cause blindness and hearing loss – and can also be fatal. Why are cases now soaring and what can be done about it? Saijal Ladd’s week in hospital remains a blur. The very worst days still feel like a fog, punctuated by two nightmarish memories. First, attempting to speak to a consultant to discuss if she should be rushed to ICU, but being …

Connection of near-ubiquitous EBV to autoimmune disease affecting about 1 in 1,000 people may spur hunt for vaccine A common childhood virus appears to be the trigger for the autoimmune disease lupus, according to groundbreaking research. The study suggests that Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), which for most people is harmless, can cause immune cells to “go rogue” and mistakenly attack the body’s own t…

Long-acting injection offers an alternative to daily pills taken to protect against the virus A “gamechanging” injection to prevent HIV is to be approved for use in England and Wales. The long-acting jab, administered every two months, will offer an alternative to the daily pills used to protect against the virus. Continue reading...

Sian Phillips and Aisling Spain respond to an article by Devi Sridhar Regarding Devi Sridhar’s article ( Colon cancer is on the rise among young people – and research points to one major culprit, 1 October ), I was diagnosed with colon cancer in February this year, at the age of 43. I do not dispute anything written by Prof Sridhar in her article, but in my particular case, the cancer was not a r…

Fred Ramsdell’s wife switched on her phone and screamed – it was full of messages congratulating her husband Out on a digital detox in the western US backcountry, scientist Fred Ramsdell was startled when his wife let out a yell. He feared she had spotted a grizzly bear, only to discover a far better surprise – he had won the Nobel prize in medicine. The Nobel committee had been unable to reach t…

The industry’s retreat from the UK reflects a deeper shift about how Beijing is rewriting the rules of innovation When Merck abruptly scrapped its billion-pound London research hub last week, critics blamed Britain’s lacklustre support for life sciences and a Scrooge-like grip on NHS drug prices. But one important factor may have been missed. That Merck, which is also cutting jobs elsewhere – 6,0…

Scientists use VR headsets to see how participants react to faces of people showing signs of viral infections Whether it’s the person brandishing a tissue on the train or the child with the telltale signs of chickenpox, the threat of an infection can be enough for us to beat a retreat. Now researchers using virtual reality avatars have shown that the mere sight of a potentially contagious person …

Feeling energised after a cold dip may just be your body’s shock response –and increased immune cell activity doesn’t always mean fewer infections ‘It’s a long-held belief that taking to the waters is good for your health,” says Mike Tipton, a professor of human and applied physiology at the University of Portsmouth. From Roman frigidariums to Thomas Jefferson’s foot baths, cold immersion has lon…

Global trial shows immunotherapy drug significantly lowers chance of cancer spreading or returning An immunotherapy drug can ward off head and neck cancers for twice as long as the standard treatment, in the biggest breakthrough in two decades. Pembrolizumab stimulates the immune system to fight cancer, targeting a specific protein that enables the drug to wipe out cancer cells. Continue reading.…