BA.2.12.1, BA.4 and BA.5 escape antibodies elicited by Omicron infection. Cao Y, et al. in Nature, June 17, 2022 pH sensing controls tissue inflammation by modulating cellular metabolism and endo-lysosomal function of immune cells. Chen X, et al.

Autoreactive CD8+ T cells are restrained by an exhaustion-like program that is maintained by LAG3. Grebinoski S, et al. in Nature Immunology, May 26, 2022 Mapping the developing human immune system across organs. Suo C, et al.

Uno champions Nowrin Chowdhury and Matt Jenkins challenged each other to a game of Uno while we asked them some questions about their graduate student experience....Click the image to the left to watch!

Brad Reinfeld, PhD is a part of the Vanderbilt Medical Scientist Training Program. He was a member of the Kim Rathmell lab and recently defended his dissertation, "Deciphering Cell Specific Metabolic Programs in the Tumor Microenvironment." He is now finishing his medical training at the Vanderbilt School of Medicine. Matt Madden, PhD is a also part of the Vanderbilt Medical Scientist Training Program. He was a member of the Jeff Rathmell lab and recently defended his dissertation, "Glucose and Glutamine in the Tumor Microenvironment and CD8 T Cell Function." He is now finishing his medical training at the Vanderbilt School of Medicine.....Click the image on the left to continue reading.

Multivalent designed proteins neutralize SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern and confer protection against infection in mice. Hunt A, et al. in Science Translational Medicine, April 12, 2022 Intramuscular AZD7442 (Tixagevimab– Cilgavimab) for Prevention of Covid-19. Levin MJ, et al.

Dr. Danyvid Olivares-Villagómez and graduate student Kathleen McClanahan show off their paper snowflake-making abilities while we asked them some questions about their research... Click the image to the left to watch!

FDA Approval of Vaccines and EUA - All vaccines distributed in the USA are under regulation of the FDA. There is a Standard Process that researchers will use to go through clinical trials and vaccine approval. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the FDA utilized a Fast-Track method that helped vaccines be tested more quickly without compromising on safety goals. Additionally, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the FDA also was granting Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) so that the vaccines could be administered to the public more quickly. It’s important to note that the FDA was working on modernizing clinical trials, including creating guidance for adaptive designs, back in 2018. The COVID-19 pandemic created the need for this “fast-track” to be implemented.... Click the image to the left to continue reading.

Interferon gamma constrains type 2 lymphocyte niche boundaries during mixed inflammation. Cautivo K, et al. in Immunity, February 8, 2022 Immunosuppression broadens evolutionary pathways to drug resistance and treatment failure during Acinetobacter baumannii pneumonia in mice. Huo W, et al.

Dr. Brent Ferrell and graduate student Matt Jenkins challenged each other to a game of Uno while we asked them some questions about their research... Click the image to the left to watch!

Structure of a bacterial Rhs effector exported by the type VI secretion system. Gunther P, et al. in PLOS Pathogen, January 5, 2022 Maternal inflammation is hard for offspring to stomach. Zengeler KE, Lukens JR.