The Immune System

Impressive new research has discovered a set of biomarkers that can predict when a pregnant woman will go into labor several weeks in advance. The breakthrough findings are hoped to be translated into a predictive blood test within the next few years.

A new study is offering novel insights into the effects of too much salt on certain immune cells. The research reveals how salt can dampen mitochondrial functions, disrupting normal immune cell activity and potentially promoting inflammation.

Researchers are reporting allergies that develop in a baby’s initial year of life could be predicted by analyzing their first poo after birth. The study claims one’s microbial make-up at birth can play a major role in early immune development.

As is the case with other types of livestock farming, antibiotics are widely used in aquaculture to prevent disease. There may soon be a healthier and more eco-friendly alternative though, in the form of seaweed added to existing fish food.

We all know exercise is good for us, but recently, scientific studies have started to shine a light on how regular physical activity can benefit human health in ways you might not expect. Let's take a look at some interesting examples.

UK researchers are set to re-infect a cohort of recovered COVID-19 patients to study how the immune system responds to a second encounter with SARS-CoV-2. This trial expands on an ongoing study infecting healthy subjects to test vaccine efficacy.

A unique study, published in the journal Science Advances, is suggesting antihistamines can blunt some of the beneficial effects of exercise. The research found histamine functioning may be vital to both the short and long-term benefits of exercise.

A study is questioning the safety of a food preservative found in hundreds of products that is suspected of impairing immune system activity. The research calls for greater surveillance of the immunological effects of food additives.

A new report from the CDC has found more than three-quarters of people presenting at a hospital with COVID-19 were either obese or overweight. The findings build on a convincing body of research linking disease severity with higher BMI.

A clinical trial run by the NIH exploring the efficacy of convalescent plasma in treating mild to moderate COVID-19 patients has been halted. In a similar conclusion to prior trials, the once-promising treatment was deemed unlikely to be of any benefit.

A new study, from the NIH, examining data from more than three million people suggests reinfection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is still quite rare. However, it is unclear how long this natural protection may last.

Inflammatory bowel diseases, including ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, are unpleasant, chronic conditions with few treatment options. Now, researchers may have found a way to potentially “switch on” the body’s natural tissue repair system.