All University of Pittsburgh articles
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NewsMaternal RSV vaccine cuts infant hospitalizations by 70%
A study has found that vaccination against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) during pregnancy reduced the risk of hospitalization in young infants by nearly 70%. It provides early real-world evidence from U.S. clinical care, showing that administering one dose of the maternal RSV vaccine (RSVpreF vaccine) reduces hospitalization related to RSV in young infants.
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NewsGladstone launches Center for PhAIge Therapy to harness AI in the fight against drug-resistant infections
Gladstone Institutes has received funding to establish the Center for PhAIge Therapy, a research center that will develop new phage-based treatments for antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections. The five-year grant makes Gladstone one of three institutions across the country selected to lead this coordinated effort.
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NewsGolden Gate method enables rapid, fully-synthetic engineering of therapeutically relevant bacteriophages
Researchers have described the first fully synthetic bacteriophage engineering system for Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In this method, researchers engineer bacteriophages synthetically using sequence data rather than bacteriophage isolates.
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NewsPhages with fully-synthetic DNA can be edited gene by gene
Scientists have developed a method to construct bacteriophages with entirely synthetic genetic material, allowing researchers to add and subtract genes at will.
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NewsNo-needle test can tell if flu/COVID vaccines are effective
A team of researchers has developed a skin patch that can detect antibodies associated with COVID and flu infections. It’s orders of magnitude more sensitive than existing tests, uses just a half volt of electricity, and can return results in 10 minutes.
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NewsBacterial protein therapy shows promise as first-ever antidote for carbon monoxide poisoning
Researchers have engineered a new molecule that appears promising as an effective antidote for carbon monoxide poisoning with fewer side effects than other molecules currently being tested.
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NewsImmunity to seasonal flu protects against severe illness from bird flu in ferrets
A study in ferrets — which have remarkably similar respiratory systems to humans — suggests that widespread immunity to H1N1 seasonal influenza virus may explain why exposure to H5N1 bird flu causes only mild symptoms in humans.
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NewsGut microbes key to understanding how exercise boosts cancer immunity
A new study shows how exercise improves cancer outcomes and enhances response to immunotherapy in mice by reshaping the gut microbiome. These benefits are driven by a specific compound called formate, which is produced by gut bacteria in exercised mice.
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NewsNew mRNA vaccine is more effective and less costly to develop, Pitt study finds
A new type of mRNA vaccine is more scalable and adaptable to continuously evolving viruses such as SARS-CoV-2 and H5N1, according to a study.
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NewsStudy uncovers how certain antibodies help fight tuberculosis
Researchers collected the largest library of monoclonal antibodies to Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) and identified specific antibody features that significantly limit its growth.
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CareersHow structural imaging is revolutionising vaccines
Dr. Peijun Zhang, Director of the Electron Bio-Imaging Centre (eBIC) at the UK’s national synchrotron facility Diamond Light Source, reveals how Cryo-ET is powering some of the most important advances in vaccine research.
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NewsPhage expert Graham Hatfull elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society
Graham Hatfull, Eberly Family Professor of Biotechnology and HHMI Professor in the University of Pittsburgh Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences, has been named a Fellow of the Royal Society.
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NewsHospital-based outbreak detection system saves lives
An infectious diseases detection platform has proved over a two-year trial that it stops outbreaks, saves lives and cuts costs. The results make the case for adoption in hospitals nationwide and the development of a national early outbreak detection database.
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NewsThe very first structural images of a tuberculosis-fighting virus
Scientists have used advanced imaging techniques to provide a detailed look at how a tiny virus, known as a phage, invades Mycobacteria. The research could pave the way toward phage-based treatments for antibiotic-resistant mycobacteria.
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NewsResearchers release phage images with unprecedented detail
Researchers have produced the most detailed image to date of a bacteriophage, that has allowed them to see for the first time the structural makeup of the part of the phage that directly attaches to its target Mycobacterium cell.
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NewsSome gut bacteria could make certain drugs less effective
Researchers discovered that gut bacteria can metabolize oral administered drugs that target G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) and potentially other chemicals and food compounds, leading to impacts on the effectiveness of medication to patients.
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NewsDeadly bacteria developed the ability to produce antimicrobials and wiped-out competitors
A drug-resistant type of bacteria that has adapted to health care settings evolved in the past several years to weaponize an antimicrobial genetic tool, eliminating its cousins and replacing them as the dominant strain.
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NewsImmunity against seasonal H1N1 flu reduces bird flu severity in ferrets, study suggests
Pre-existing immunity against seasonal H1N1 flu might help explain why most reported human cases of H5N1 bird flu in the U.S. have not resulted in lethal outcomes, suggests a new study.
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NewsAntibody treatment prevents severe bird flu in monkeys
A prophylactic antibody-based immune therapy protects monkeys against severe disease caused by H5N1 avian flu, a new study reports.
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NewsWhy you shouldn’t scratch an itchy rash: New study explains
New research uncovers how scratching aggravates inflammation and swelling in a mouse model of a type of eczema called allergic contact dermatitis.