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Immunology
Engineering CAR T cells to activate a bodily response to solid tumors
Engineering CAR T cells to activate a bodily response to solid tumors
A new Penn study shows that CAR T cells expressing RN7SL1, a naturally occurring RNA, can activate the body’s natural immune cells against difficult-to-treat cancers.
Clarifying T cell ‘exhaustion’
Clarifying T cell ‘exhaustion’
T cells, which are among the most powerful weapons in the immune systems of humans and other vertebrates, remain substantially programmed to stay exhausted even many weeks after exposure to a virus ended.
New cell therapy shows potential against solid tumors with KRAS mutations
New cell therapy shows potential against solid tumors with KRAS mutations
The new technology for cellular immunotherapy shows promising anti-tumor activity in the lab against hard-to-treat cancers driven the KRAS mutation.
Low on antibodies, blood cancer patients can fight off COVID-19 with T cells
Low on antibodies, blood cancer patients can fight off COVID-19 with T cells
T cells can step up to do the job when antibodies are depleted, suggests a new Penn Medicine study of blood cancer patients with COVID-19.
Cancer cell therapy pioneer Carl June receives the Sanford Lorraine Cross Award
Cancer cell therapy pioneer Carl June receives the Sanford Lorraine Cross Award
The Richard W. Vague Professor in Immunotherapy in the department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine in the Perelman School of Medicine and director of the Center for Cellular Immunotherapies at Penn’s Abramson Cancer Center received the award for his work in developing chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy.
Immune response in some children may influence COVID treatments for adults
Immune response in some children may influence COVID treatments for adults
A joint study from researchers at Penn and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia shows that T cell activation in children with multisystem inflammatory syndrome is more similar to adults with severe COVID-19.
Microbial transplants require key T cells for success
Microbial transplants require key T cells for success
Findings that certain immune cells are needed for fecal microbiota transplant success against C. difficile infections may be a clue to making this promising treatment work more broadly.
Five years later: CAR T therapy shows long-lasting remissions in non-Hodgkin lymphomas
Five years later: CAR T therapy shows long-lasting remissions in non-Hodgkin lymphomas
Findings represent the longest follow-up data to date for a personalized cellular therapy approved by the FDA for the treatment of aggressive lymphomas.
Charting a path forward with unifying definition of cytokine storm
Charting a path forward with unifying definition of cytokine storm
Penn Medicine researchers have developed a unifying definition of “cytokine storm” to provide a framework to assess and treat patients whose immune systems have gone rogue.
Novel Dual CAR T cell immunotherapy promising for targeting the HIV reservoir
Novel Dual CAR T cell immunotherapy promising for targeting the HIV reservoir
A new alteration to the way T cells are engineered has significant implications for using engineered T cells to fight both HIV and cancer.
In the News
Time
Scientists are racing to develop a new bird flu vaccine
Drew Weissman and Scott Hensley of the Perelman School of Medicine are testing a vaccine to prevent a strain of H5N1 bird flu in chickens and cattle.
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Fortune
California declares a state of emergency as a new severe bird flu case was discovered. What it means for the rest of the country
Scott Hensley of the Perelman School of Medicine says the latest H5N1 bird flu strain might have a greater potential to adapt and cause severe disease in humans.
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HealthDay
Keto diet supplement could boost a cancer treatment's effectiveness
A study by Perelman School of Medicine student Puneeth Guruprasad and postdoc Shan Liu suggests that a component of the keto diet could boost CAR T cell therapy to help treat cancer.
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Stat
Scientists confront a mystery: Why have U.S. bird flu cases been so mild?
Scott Hensley of the Perelman School of Medicine says that one or two mutations can greatly change the pathogenicity profile of current bird flu viruses.
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The Scientist
A beneficial bacterium helps wounds heal
Research by Ellen White of the Perelman School of Medicine and colleagues in Elizabeth Grice’s lab suggests that a bacterium found in chronic wounds can aid healing.
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ScienceFriday.com
CAR-T cell therapies show promise for autoimmune diseases
Daniel Baker, a Ph.D. student in Carl June’s lab at the Perelman School of Medicine, discusses the results of a study on donor CAR-T cell therapy.
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