Induction of type I interferon (IFN) signaling is critical for host defense against most viruses; however, for some pathogens, including the parasite that causes malaria, induction of type I IFN-mediated pathways enhances host susceptibility to dise...
Published May 12, 2014

Chronic itch is a common symptom and complaint for many dermatological patients. While some patients find relief with antihistamines, many do not, and the underlying pathways responsible for itch are poorly understood. In this episode, Martin Steinh...
Published May 8, 2014

Broadly neutralizing antibodies (BnAbs) represent a promising strategy for targeting rapidly mutating viruses, such as HIV-1. BnAbs recognize conserved epitopes and display unique characteristics that suggest that their development may be limited by...
Published March 10, 2014

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most deadly forms of cancer, primarily due to the resistance of PDAC tumors to current therapeutic strategies. Several lines of evidence suggest that ineffective delivery of chemotherapy agents t...
Published March 10, 2014

Familial Alzheimer's disease (FAD) is an early on-set, hereditary form of neurological disease with variable pathophysiology that is often associated with loss of cerebellar function and amyloid plaque formation. Diego Sepulveda-Falla and collea...
Published March 3, 2014

Vitamin A and its active metabolite retinoic acid (RA) are essential for lung formation, though it is not clear if prenatal vitamin A deficiency influences postnatal lung development and function. In this episode, Wellington Cardoso provides evidenc...
Published February 3, 2014

Nonsense mutations that lead to PAX6 haploinsufficiency cause congenital aniridia, a panocular condition that results in severe vision defects. Cheryl Gregory-Evans and colleagues hypothesized that suppression of nonsense mutations could in...
Published December 20, 2013

In order to protect the body from viruses and cancer, T cells must perform multiple functions, a feature that is often lost during chronic infection. Jonathan Schneck and colleagues examined the molecular mechanisms that maintain T cell polyfunction...
Published December 2, 2013

Damage to the glomerulus, which mediates the kidney's filtering function, causes plasma protein to spill into the urine, a sign of kidney failure and cardiovascular disease. Calcium influx into the podocytes, the cells that form the filtration b...
Published November 15, 2013

Results from early-phase clinical trials have indicated that recombinant adeno-associated viruses (rAAV) could potentially be used for gene therapy. In each trial, however, patients have developed T cell-mediated immune responses that may interfere ...
Published November 15, 2013