thescientist--2020-07-29--Scientists Awaken Deep Sea Bacteria After 100 Million Years

ABOVE : Team members look over deep sea sediment cores .
IODP USIO Microbes extracted from deep sea sediments that settled during the age of the dinosaurs have been revived in the lab after eons spent in a dormant state .
Despite needing oxygen to survive , the bacteria were able to make do with only trace amounts and almost no food for more than 100 million years .
Once reanimated , most of the microbes were able to feed and multiply with seemingly no ill effects attributed to their long period of rest .
“ The most exciting part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shows that there is no limit to life in the old sediments of Earth ’ s oceans , ” Steven D ’ Hondt , an oceanographer at the University of Rhode Island and a coauthor of the study , tells Reuters .
“ Maintaining full physiological capability for 100 million years in starving isolation is an impressive feat.
” The endeavor , described Tuesday ( July 28 ) in Nature Communications , shows just how little is known about the physiological limits of life on Earth , the authors report .
Researchers have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most extreme corners to study the limits of life , including the deep sea , and lead author Yuki Morono , a geomicrobiologist at the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology , wanted to know just how high a tolerance bacteria have for conditions that would prove fatal for other organisms .
Morono collected sediment cores during a research cruise in 2010 aboard the JOIDES Resolution , a floating lab that operates 24 hours a day during scientific voyages .
The team targeted the South Pacific Gyre off the east coast of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because it lacks the nutrients needed to support even most plankton .
As a result , very little organic matter falls to the seafloor more than three miles below .
Across the length of the roughly 250-foot cores , the team collected samples of clay spanning a deposition period between 13 million years ago and almost 102 million years ago .
With the samples in the lab , they added nutrients such as nitrogen and carbon—food to jump start any life inside .
For up to 557 days after , Morono would extract @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in water , searching for living cells .
While a sample of sediment taken from a more oxygen-rich layer of the sea floor might contain more than 100,000 cells per cubic centimetre of mud , Science reports , these deep sea samples might initially only have 1,000 cells in that same volume .
Over time , the microbes began to multiply , a finding Morono initially attributed to “ some mistake or a failure in the experiment , ” he tells The Guardian .
They ruled out contamination from other sources of seawater @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what they were seeing was real .
In many samples , as many as 99 percent of the microbes were revived .
After 68 days , the total number of cells had increased by four orders of magnitude , up to 1 million cells per cubic centimetre .
A genetic analysis showed that the microbes were fairly diverse , representing 10 major groups of bacteria , some of which are widespread throughout other parts of the ocean .
Kenneth Nealson , an environmental microbiologist retired from the University of Southern California who was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Science this finding “ suggests that learning to survive under conditions of extreme energy limitation is a widespread ability , ” a useful trick for microbes when food is scarce .
The relatively slow accumulation of sediments in the South Pacific Gyre ended up being key to the cells ’ survival , The Guardian reports .
When sediment builds up quickly , the pressure pushes out any oxygen that might otherwise linger between the grains to keep aerobic microbes alive .
The authors report that if sediment accumulates at a rate of no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1 million years , it can remain oxygenated enough to support bacteria .
Some researchers are now pointing to what these findings might mean for the search for life on other planets , as they broaden what environments can be considered amenable to life .
Speaking to Science , Andreas Teske , a microbiologist at the University of North Carolina , Chapel Hill , who was also not involved with the new study , says that even if a planet ’ s surface looks barren , “ it may be holding out in @ @ @ @

“The most exciting part of this study is that it basically shows that there is no limit to life in the old sediments of Earth’s oceans,” Steven D’Hondt, an oceanographer at the University of Rhode Island and a coauthor of the study, tells Reuters . “Maintaining full physiological capability for 100 million years in starving isolation is an impressive feat.”The...
Microbes extracted from deep sea sediments that settled during the age of the dinosaurs have been revived in the lab after eons spent in a dormant state. Despite needing oxygen to survive, the bacteria were able to make do with only trace amounts and almost no food for more than 100 million years. Once reanimated, most of the microbes were able to feed and multiply with seemingly no ill effects attributed to their long period of rest.
Researchers have long looked to the Earth’s most extreme corners to study the limits of life, including the deep sea, and lead author Yuki Morono, a geomicrobiologist at the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, wanted to know just how high a tolerance bacteria have for conditions that would prove fatal for other organisms.
See “Microbes Thrive in Deepest Ocean”
Morono collected sediment cores during a research cruise in 2010 aboard the JOIDES Resolution, a floating lab that operates 24 hours a day during scientific voyages. The team targeted the South Pacific Gyre off the east coast of Australia, often called an ocean desert because it lacks the nutrients needed to support even most plankton. As a result, very little organic matter falls to the seafloor more than three miles below.
Across the length of the roughly 250-foot cores, the team collected samples of clay spanning a deposition period between 13 million years ago and almost 102 million years ago. With the samples in the lab, they added nutrients such as nitrogen and carbon—food to jump start any life inside. For up to 557 days after, Morono would extract small chunks of sediment and dissolve them in water, searching for living cells. While a sample of sediment taken from a more oxygen-rich layer of the sea floor might contain more than 100,000 cells per cubic centimetre of mud, Science reports, these deep sea samples might initially only have 1,000 cells in that same volume.
Over time, the microbes began to multiply, a finding Morono initially attributed to “some mistake or a failure in the experiment,” he tells The Guardian. They ruled out contamination from other sources of seawater in the lab, ultimately confirming that what they were seeing was real. In many samples, as many as 99 percent of the microbes were revived. After 68 days, the total number of cells had increased by four orders of magnitude, up to 1 million cells per cubic centimetre.
These bacteria, glowing green in this microscopy image, were revived from deep sea sediment more than 100 million years old. JAMSTEC
A genetic analysis showed that the microbes were fairly diverse, representing 10 major groups of bacteria, some of which are widespread throughout other parts of the ocean. Kenneth Nealson, an environmental microbiologist retired from the University of Southern California who was not involved in the study, tells Science this finding “suggests that learning to survive under conditions of extreme energy limitation is a widespread ability,” a useful trick for microbes when food is scarce.
The relatively slow accumulation of sediments in the South Pacific Gyre ended up being key to the cells’ survival, The Guardian reports. When sediment builds up quickly, the pressure pushes out any oxygen that might otherwise linger between the grains to keep aerobic microbes alive. The authors report that if sediment accumulates at a rate of no more than three to six feet every 1 million years, it can remain oxygenated enough to support bacteria.
Some researchers are now pointing to what these findings might mean for the search for life on other planets, as they broaden what environments can be considered amenable to life. Speaking to Science, Andreas Teske, a microbiologist at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, who was also not involved with the new study, says that even if a planet’s surface looks barren, “it may be holding out in the subsurface.”


thescientist--2020-07-29--The Scientist Speaks Podcast - Episode 7

In this month ’ s episode , brought to you by The Scientist and sponsored by Molecular Devices , we @ @ @ @ @ a new set of tools for studying previously intractable diseases by differentiating and growing stem @ @ @ @ @ called organoids .
Niki Spahich from The Scientist ’ s Creative Services team spoke with @ @ @ @ @ of Psychiatry at Stanford University to learn how he uses brain organoids to understand neurological @ @ @ @ @ spectrum disorder .
The Scientist Speaks is a podcast produced by The Scientist ’ s @ @ @ @ @ podcast is by scientists and for scientists .
Once a month , we will bring @ @ @ @ @ molecular biology research .

Researchers are developing a new set of tools for studying previously intractable diseases by differentiating and growing stem cells into 3D organ-like structures called organoids. In this month’s episode, we discuss using brain organoids to understand neurological conditions, such as autism spectrum disorder. Niki Spahich from The Scientist’s Creative Services team spoke with Sergiu Pasca from the Department of Psychiatry at Stanford University and the Uytengsu Director of the Stanford Brain Organogenesis Center, to learn more.
The Scientist Speaks is a podcast produced by The Scientist’s Creative Services Team. Our podcast is by scientists and for scientists. Once a month, we bring you the stories behind news-worthy molecular biology research.
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to The Scientist Speaks on your favorite podcast platform.


thescientist--2020-07-28--Molecular Imaging Pioneer, Sanjiv "Sam" Gambhir, Dies at 57

Sanjiv “ Sam ” Gambhir , a giant in molecular imaging , died on July 18 of cancer at the age of 57 .
He was a professor and department head at Stanford University and is best known for his work developing tracers to identify abnormal cell activity using positron emission tomography ( PET ) .
“ Sam was a true visionary and a scientist of the highest caliber .
His research and innovations have , with no uncertainty , founded modern medicine ’ s approach to early disease diagnostics and will continue to guide the future of precision health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lloyd Minor says in a statement .
“ Sam ’ s contributions to Stanford , to human health , to the science of diagnostics and to the many lives he has touched and impacted throughout his career have been immeasurable.
” Born in India , Gambhir immigrated to Arizona as a young child and graduated from Arizona State University with a degree in physics at age 20 .
From there , he attended the University of California , Los Angeles ( UCLA ) , getting his medical degree as well as a PhD @ @ @ @ @ @ @ joined the UCLA lab of Michael Phelps , codeveloper of PET .
Looking back on their time together , Phelps recounts to Stanford University that Gambhir was so “ relentless ” that he would sometimes sleep in the PET scanner .
Through Gambhir ’ s research , the field began to identify “ reporter genes , ” which would find cells with abnormal activity .
Gambhir joined the staff at Stanford Medical School in 2001 .
He remained until his death , having served as the division chief of the molecular imaging program @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s research in early cancer detection took on an unexpected personal meaning when his son , Milan , was diagnosed with the same type of cancer he had been studying : glioblastoma .
After nearly two years , his son succumbed to the disease in 2015 at the age of 16 .
“ What motivates me is knowing if he ’ d been born 100 years from now , the tools of precision health could [ have ] possibly allowed him to live much , much longer , ” Gambhir later said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stanford .
“ I remain optimistic that the fundamental basic science that we all continue to do [ will ] lead to new technologies that will help reengineer our own bodies so that we can detect disease early.
” In recent years , Gambhir focused on minimally invasive diagnostic techniques , aiming to find specific biomarkers that could identify disease early on , including a 2015 proof-of-concept study that identified tumors using microbubble biomarkers .
Throughout his career , he authored more than 650 papers and dozens of patents .
He mentored students @ @ @ @ @ @ @ journals , such as Science Translational Medicine , and received scores of awards and accolades from colleagues and professional organizations .
Most recently , he was given the 2019 Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers ( IEEE ) Marie Sklodowska-Curie Award for excellence in nuclear plasma sciences and engineering .
“ He was easily the most highly accomplished alum I have ever met , but also a completely modest and unassuming person , ” Peter Bennett , chair of the physics department at ASU , tells ASU Now .
“ We at ASU @ @ @ @ @ @ @ colleague , while the world has lost a truly exceptional scientist.
” He is survived by his wife , Aruna Gambhir .

“Sam was a true visionary and a scientist of the highest caliber. His research and innovations have, with no uncertainty, founded modern medicine’s approach to early disease diagnostics and will continue to guide the future of precision health,” Stanford School of Medicine Dean Lloyd Minor says in a statement . “Sam’s contributions to Stanford, to human health, to the science of diagnostics and to the many lives he has touched and impacted throughout his career have been immeasurable.”
Sanjiv “Sam” Gambhir, a giant in molecular imaging, died on July 18 of cancer at the age of 57. He was a professor and department head at Stanford University and is best known for his work developing tracers to identify abnormal cell activity using positron emission tomography (PET).
“Sam was a true visionary and a scientist of the highest caliber. His research and innovations have, with no uncertainty, founded modern medicine’s approach to early disease diagnostics and will continue to guide the future of precision health,” Stanford School of Medicine Dean Lloyd Minor says in a statement. “Sam’s contributions to Stanford, to human health, to the science of diagnostics and to the many lives he has touched and impacted throughout his career have been immeasurable.”
Born in India, Gambhir immigrated to Arizona as a young child and graduated from Arizona State University with a degree in physics at age 20. From there, he attended the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), getting his medical degree as well as a PhD in biomathematics.
After graduating, he joined the UCLA lab of Michael Phelps, codeveloper of PET. Looking back on their time together, Phelps recounts to Stanford University that Gambhir was so “relentless” that he would sometimes sleep in the PET scanner. Through Gambhir’s research, the field began to identify “reporter genes,” which would find cells with abnormal activity.
Gambhir joined the staff at Stanford Medical School in 2001. He remained until his death, having served as the division chief of the molecular imaging program and a professor of radiology.
Gambhir’s research in early cancer detection took on an unexpected personal meaning when his son, Milan, was diagnosed with the same type of cancer he had been studying: glioblastoma. After nearly two years, his son succumbed to the disease in 2015 at the age of 16.
“What motivates me is knowing if he’d been born 100 years from now, the tools of precision health could [have] possibly allowed him to live much, much longer,” Gambhir later said at a health conference, according to Stanford. “I remain optimistic that the fundamental basic science that we all continue to do [will] lead to new technologies that will help reengineer our own bodies so that we can detect disease early.”
In recent years, Gambhir focused on minimally invasive diagnostic techniques, aiming to find specific biomarkers that could identify disease early on, including a 2015 proof-of-concept study that identified tumors using microbubble biomarkers.
Throughout his career, he authored more than 650 papers and dozens of patents. He mentored students, served on editorial boards of high-profile journals, such as Science Translational Medicine, and received scores of awards and accolades from colleagues and professional organizations. Most recently, he was given the 2019 Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Marie Sklodowska-Curie Award for excellence in nuclear plasma sciences and engineering.
“He was easily the most highly accomplished alum I have ever met, but also a completely modest and unassuming person,” Peter Bennett, chair of the physics department at ASU, tells ASU Now. “We at ASU and Stanford have lost a friend and colleague, while the world has lost a truly exceptional scientist.”
He is survived by his wife, Aruna Gambhir.


thescientist--2020-07-28--Masks Lower Wearers’ Exposure to Viruses, Experts Propose

ABOVE : A face mask might protect the person wearing it as well as others , studies suggest .
© ISTOCK.COM , LEGNA69 Wearing a face mask may stave off severe infection with SARS-CoV-2 , the virus that causes COVID-19 , or could prevent infection entirely , a growing body of research suggests .
Masks “ really are protective of you as an individual , ” Monica Gandhi , an infectious disease physician at the University of California , San Francisco , tells NPR .
That physical barrier—while not impervious to viral penetration—blocks some viral particles from getting into the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ amount of exposure could allow the immune system to neutralize the invaders , potentially resulting in a milder infection or no infection at all .
She and colleagues present the idea and supporting evidence from animal studies and observational COVID-19 reports in more detail in a paper slated to appear next week in the Journal of General Internal Medicine .
See “ How Face Masks Can Help Prevent the Spread of COVID-19 ” This connection between wearing a mask and milder COVID-19 disease is still correlational and has not been shown as causative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Columbia University who wasn ’ t involved in the work , tells The New York Times .
But it “ reiterates what we say about masks , ” she says .
“ It ’ s not just a selfless act.
” In other words , masks don ’ t just protect those around the wearer from exposure .
Gandhi and her colleagues describe past studies that show that the higher the dose of a virus a mouse receives , the more likely that animal is to die .
The team also describes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ levels of flu virus into the noses of human volunteers .
The higher dose of the flu in the spray , the more likely the volunteer was to develop an infection and become ill. See “ Could Tolerating Disease Be Better than Fighting It ?
” And it appears masks can reduce the dose of the virus that enters the body .
Recently , a study in hamsters showed that a barrier made of surgical mask material between animals infected with SARS-CoV-2 and healthy hamsters tamped down the spread of the virus .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ masked they were less likely to get infection , and then even if they got infection they got mild infection , ” Gandhi tells Fox Television Stations .
Data from viral outbreaks on cruise ships and poultry plants align with the findings of the hamster study .
An analysis of infections of passengers and crew on a cruise ship that departed from Argentina in March showed that after the first reported case of COVID-19 , all 217 passengers and crew were given masks , and of the 128 people who eventually contracted the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ higher proportion than expected .
About 40 percent of cases are usually asymptomatic , Gandhi tells The Washington Post .
In their paper , Gandhi and colleagues cite several other examples of masks correlating to higher rates of asymptomatic cases , indicating masks are protective not only of others but also the person wearing the mask .
“ It ’ s been a real deficiency in the messaging about masking to say that it only protects the other , ” Charles Haas , an environmental engineer and expert in risk assessment at Drexel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ latest work , tells the Times .
“ From the get go , that never made sense scientifically .
”

Masks “really are protective of you as an individual,” Monica Gandhi, an infectious disease physician at the University of California, San Francisco, tells NPR . That physical barrier—while not impervious to viral penetration—blocks some viral particles from getting into the body, she says. Reducing the amount of exposure could allow the immune system to neutralize the invaders, potentially resulting in a milder infection or no infection at all. She and colleagues present the idea and supporting evidence from animal studies and observational COVID-19 reports in more detail in a paper slated to appear next week in the Journal of General Internal Medicine....
Wearing a face mask may stave off severe infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, or could prevent infection entirely, a growing body of research suggests.
This connection between wearing a mask and milder COVID-19 disease is still correlational and has not been shown as causative, Tsion Firew, an emergency physician at Columbia University who wasn’t involved in the work, tells The New York Times. But it “reiterates what we say about masks,” she says. “It’s not just a selfless act.” In other words, masks don’t just protect those around the wearer from exposure.
Gandhi and her colleagues describe past studies that show that the higher the dose of a virus a mouse receives, the more likely that animal is to die. The team also describes an experiment in which researchers sprayed varying levels of flu virus into the noses of human volunteers. The higher dose of the flu in the spray, the more likely the volunteer was to develop an infection and become ill.
And it appears masks can reduce the dose of the virus that enters the body. Recently, a study in hamsters showed that a barrier made of surgical mask material between animals infected with SARS-CoV-2 and healthy hamsters tamped down the spread of the virus.
“If [the hamsters] were masked they were less likely to get infection, and then even if they got infection they got mild infection,” Gandhi tells Fox Television Stations.
Data from viral outbreaks on cruise ships and poultry plants align with the findings of the hamster study. An analysis of infections of passengers and crew on a cruise ship that departed from Argentina in March showed that after the first reported case of COVID-19, all 217 passengers and crew were given masks, and of the 128 people who eventually contracted the virus, 81 percent were asymptomatic—a much higher proportion than expected. About 40 percent of cases are usually asymptomatic, Gandhi tells The Washington Post. In their paper, Gandhi and colleagues cite several other examples of masks correlating to higher rates of asymptomatic cases, indicating masks are protective not only of others but also the person wearing the mask.
“It’s been a real deficiency in the messaging about masking to say that it only protects the other,” Charles Haas, an environmental engineer and expert in risk assessment at Drexel University who was not involved in the latest work, tells the Times. “From the get go, that never made sense scientifically.”


thescientist--2020-07-28--SP Industries Announces Partnership Agreement with Ecodyst to Distribute Single Sample Evaporation S

SP Industries Announces Partnership Agreement with Ecodyst to Distribute Single Sample Evaporation Systems

In making the announcement Larkin stated , “ This new partnership enables our SP Genevac brand to be the comprehensive , one-stop-shop for all evaporation solutions .
Ecodyst ’ s revolutionary single sample evaporator line complements our SP Genevac world-renowned centrifugal evaporators for parallel sample evaporation and together lets us work with customers more effectively to help streamline and accelerate the drug discovery process.
” George Adjabeng , CEO of Ecodyst commented , “ Ecodyst is passionate about the innovative devices that we bring to the laboratory equipment industry and have emerged as an innovative leader and creator of high @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This new partnership with SP is a significant milestone for Ecodyst and it will enable us to make these products available to more customers worldwide.
’ ’ During sample preparation , evaporation is used if samples need to be dried prior to analysis .
If there is just one sample , a single sample evaporation system is used , and Ecodyst offers a full range of single sample evaporators from benchtop to industrial models , all offering their self-cooling condenser technology for maximum efficiency , sample quality and lower environmental impact .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Genevac parallel centrifugal evaporators eliminate the solvent drying bottleneck in the drug discovery and synthetic organic chemistry laboratory .
These systems , which come equipped with Genevac Dri-Pure patented anti-bumping technology , range from bench-top to high throughput scale and have been proven capable of removing even the most difficult solvent mixtures without compromising sample purity or integrity .
Larkin added : “ We are excited to partner with a like-minded organization that approaches product design with a keen understanding of the needs and challenges facing today ’ s customers .
Having a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is particularly relevant for those engaged in pharmaceutical and cannabis sample preparation workflows .
The SP team is looking forward to working with our customers to provide them with the best solution for their requirements in conjunction with the unparalleled service and lifetime applications support that have led to SP Genevac being the recognized market leader .
”

In making the announcement Larkin stated, “This new partnership enables our SP Genevac brand to be the comprehensive, one-stop-shop for all evaporation solutions. Ecodyst’s revolutionary single sample evaporator line complements our SP Genevac world-renowned centrifugal evaporators for parallel sample evaporation and together lets us work with customers more effectively to help streamline and accelerate the drug discovery process.”
George Adjabeng, CEO of Ecodyst commented, “Ecodyst is passionate about the innovative devices that we bring to the laboratory equipment industry and have emerged as an innovative leader and creator of high quality, high capacity single evaporator technology. This new partnership with SP is a significant milestone for Ecodyst and it will enable us to make these products available to more customers worldwide.’’
During sample preparation, evaporation is used if samples need to be dried prior to analysis. If there is just one sample, a single sample evaporation system is used, and...


thescientist--2020-07-28--New England Scientific Associates (NESA) partners with Allentown, LLC. for exclusive representation

New England Scientific Associates (NESA) partners with Allentown, LLC. for exclusive representation in the New England & upstate New York areas.

NESA ’ s team of experienced scientists and engineers have a long and established history of serving New England research institutions , biotechnology companies , and pharmaceutical leaders .
They specialize in technical knowledge and custom solutions for customers in all facets of the research world including a deep understanding of vivarium layouts , design and equipment .
Allentown is a leading global provider in Life Science solutions .
In over 50 years of operation the company is proud to have played a part in heroic research that continues to save lives around the world every day , earning the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by providing critical services with integrity and care .
“ In our unending desire to seek out leading innovative partners within the biomedical research community and to expand NESA ’ s s long-standing tradition of serving the New England area , Allentown is an exemplary addition to our portfolio , ” said Kiersten Owen , NESA ’ s Research and Lab Equipment Specialist .
Effective June 15 , 2020 , the team of NESA professionals will dramatically increase Allentown ’ s coverage in the New England and upstate New York areas by representing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all Allentown products , including washing and contamination control equipment .
See detailed list below for specific areas of coverage .

NESA’s team of experienced scientists and engineers have a long and established history of serving New England research institutions, biotechnology companies, and pharmaceutical leaders. They specialize in technical knowledge and custom solutions for customers in all facets of the research world including a deep understanding of vivarium layouts, design and equipment.
Allentown is a leading global provider in Life Science solutions. In over 50 years of operation the company is proud to have played a part in heroic research that continues to save lives around the world every day, earning the highest trust of the biomedical research community by providing critical services with integrity and care.
“In our unending desire to seek out leading innovative partners within the biomedical research community and to expand NESA’s s long-standing tradition of serving the New England area, Allentown is an exemplary addition to our portfolio,” said Kiersten Owen, NESA’s Research and...


thescientist--2020-07-27--Introducing The Scientist Social Club

Introducing The Scientist Social Club

The Scientist is excited to announce the establishment of The Scientist Social Club .
In these trying times , escaping into the pages of a good book , a beautifully crafted film , or other works of art has become more important than ever .
And convening to discuss these cultural elements reminds us that we are all in this together .
We hope to connect with readers and with the life science community on a regular basis , using books , movies , music , and more as touchstones and conversation starters .
Our first activity is a book @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s 1925 novel Arrowsmith , which follows the career of physician/researcher Martin Arrowsmith as he navigates the realities of the medical profession and a disease outbreak , and discuss it as we go .
Those of you interested in participating in the book club can join The Scientist Social Club Facebook Group , where we ’ ll be posting questions , engaging in conversations , and posting important news and updates over the coming weeks .
Then , on September 25 , we ’ ll host a webinar-style discussion of the book to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a Sinclair Lewis scholar at Illinois State University , and David Eisenman , a professor of otolaryngology at the University of Maryland .
Eisenman recently wrote a commentary in JAMA about the echoes between Arrowsmith and the current COVID-19 pandemic .
Members of the book club are invited to ask Parry and Eisenman questions , share observations , and learn more about the importance of the novel in the context of our current crisis .
Please get your copy of the book and then make your way to The Scientist Social Club @ @ @ @ @ @ @ club .
Stay tuned for details on the September 25 event .

The Scientist is excited to announce the establishment of The Scientist Social Club. In these trying times, escaping into the pages of a good book, a beautifully crafted film, or other works of art has become more important than ever. And convening to discuss these cultural elements reminds us that we are all in this together. We hope to connect with readers and with the life science community on a regular basis, using books, movies, music, and more as touchstones and conversation starters.
Our first activity is a book club, centered on Sinclair Lewis’s 1925 novel Arrowsmith, which follows the career of physician/researcher Martin Arrowsmith as he navigates the realities of the medical profession and a disease outbreak, and discuss it as we go.
Those of you interested in participating in the book club can join The Scientist Social Club Facebook Group, where...


thescientist--2020-07-27--A New Molecular Mechanism for Metastasis

Tumor growth accompanied by increased migratory capabilities leads to cancer cell extravasation and metastasis .
The underlying mechanisms for these @ @ @ @ @ but Denis Wirtz at Johns Hopkins University believes that cytokines play a key role .
@ @ @ @ @ , Wirtz and his team investigated the role of cell density on cancer cell secretory @ @ @ @ @ proteomic adaptations led to an increase in cell migration .
Download this research summary to @ @ @ @ @ secretome revealed a new mechanism for cell density-mediated metastasis .

Tumor growth accompanied by increased migratory capabilities leads to cancer cell extravasation and metastasis. The underlying mechanisms for these phenotypic changes is unclear, but Denis Wirtz at Johns Hopkins University believes that cytokines play a key role. Using IsoPlexis’ functional proteomics, Wirtz and his team investigated the role of cell density on cancer cell secretory behavior and how these functional proteomic adaptations led to an increase in cell migration.
Download this research summary to find out how analyzing the secretome revealed a new mechanism for cell density-mediated metastasis.


thescientist--2020-07-27--Flu and Pneumonia Vaccines Linked to Reduced Risk of Alzheimer's

Two studies presented Monday ( July 27 ) at this year ’ s virtual Alzheimer ’ s Association International Conference have demonstrated that flu and pneumococcal vaccines are linked with a lower risk of Alzheimer ’ s disease .
In both studies , individuals who had received at least one vaccination—a flu shot in one study , and a pneumonia vaccine with or without a flu shot in the second—were less likely to be diagnosed with Alzheimer ’ s later in life .
While the studies are slightly different , their similar conclusions suggest that vaccines may play a broader @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lifelong resistance to some diseases .
“ This is an encouraging finding that builds upon prior evidence that vaccination against common infectious diseases—such as the flu—is associated with a reduced risk for Alzheimer ’ s and a delay in disease onset , ” Richard Isaacson , a neurologist at Weill Cornell Medical Center who was not involved in either study , tells CNN .
The first study stemmed from an exploratory analysis of millions of medical records to broadly identify factors that might influence a person ’ s risk for conditions such as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In this initial sweep , Albert Amran , a medical student at the University of Texas Health Science Center , observed that flu shots were correlated with a lower incidence of the disease .
Amran next went looking for this relationship in more than 9,000 people over age 60 , comparing Alzheimer ’ s diagnoses in those who had received a flu shot after turning 60 to those who had not .
Within each group , they included a nearly equal mix of people with potentially confounding risk factors such as smoking status @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , education , age , and income .
What they found , Amran tells NPR , was that “ more vaccinations meant less Alzheimer ’ s. ” People who had gotten at least one flu shot after age 60 were 17 percent less likely to receive a subsequent diagnosis of Alzheimer ’ s , and those who got a flu shot each year saw their risk drop by a further 13 percent .
The sooner after 60 that someone received a flu shot , the stronger the benefit .
While Amran is buoyed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fully assessing a possible benefit of vaccination “ is something that needs to be quantified with a more intensive study.
” See “ Can the Flu and Other Viruses Cause Neurodegeneration ?
” The second study , presented by researchers at Duke University and the University of North Carolina , studied the relationship between the pneumococcal vaccine , with and without an accompanying flu shot , and the risk of Alzheimer ’ s .
The team analyzed the medical records of more than 5,000 people over age 65 , controlling for the effects @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , education , and smoking .
Some individuals included in the study also had a known genetic risk factor for Alzheimer ’ s , the rs2075650 G allele in the TOMM40 gene involved in the permeability of the blood-brain barrier that protects the brain from infection .
Svetlana Ukraintseva , a geneticist at Duke University and coauthor on the study , reported that getting a pneumococcal vaccine between the ages of 65 and 75 was tied to a reduced risk of developing Alzheimer ’ s , by 25 percent to 30 percent .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ rs2075650 G allele , the risk was as much as 40 percent lower if they ’ d been immunized .
“ Pneumonia vaccination appears to be protective for older adults , ” Ukraintseva tells NPR .
Both teams are working to determine the biological mechanisms that explain their findings , but they do have some preliminary thoughts .
Ukraintseva , speaking to MedPage Today , proposes that because so many different types of pathogens have been implicated in Alzheimer ’ s , including viruses , bacteria , and fungi , vaccines could provide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the more general wear and tear of life .
“ Some vaccines show beneficial off-target effects on health that span beyond the protection against specific disease .
This could be because they may improve immunity on a broad scale , ” she says .
The brain ’ s immune system has long been implicated in the onset of Alzheimer ’ s—specifically , a disruption in the brain ’ s microglial cells—and general immune system health could therefore be an important mediator of cognitive decline .
Similarly , because both the flu and pneumonia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brain , reducing the amount of times one is exposed to them over the course of a life would keep the immune systems primed and protective for longer .
Maria Carrillo , chief science officer of the Alzheimer ’ s Association who was not involved in either study , tells NPR , “ every time you have one of these infections you may experience a challenge to your memory and thinking.
” Dallas Anderson , a neuroepidemiologist at the National Institute on Aging who was not involved in either study , agrees that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ preventing the flu , ” but he urges the need for further study .
While both teams attempted to control for confounding factors , there could be other commonalities between people who get vaccinations that would explain the results .
“ Observational studies can never show definitively that getting flu shots will prevent Alzheimer ’ s disease or dementia , ” he says to MedPage Today .
“ The evidence will be suggestive at best .
”

“This is an encouraging finding that builds upon prior evidence that vaccination against common infectious diseases—such as the flu—is associated with a reduced risk for Alzheimer’s and a delay in disease onset,” Richard Isaacson, a neurologist at Weill Cornell Medical Center who was not involved in either study, tells CNN...
In both studies, individuals who had received at least one vaccination—a flu shot in one study, and a pneumonia vaccine with or without a flu shot in the second—were less likely to be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s later in life. While the studies are slightly different, their similar conclusions suggest that vaccines may play a broader role in strengthening a person’s lifelong resistance to some diseases.
The first study stemmed from an exploratory analysis of millions of medical records to broadly identify factors that might influence a person’s risk for conditions such as Alzheimer’s, NPR reports. In this initial sweep, Albert Amran, a medical student at the University of Texas Health Science Center, observed that flu shots were correlated with a lower incidence of the disease.
Amran next went looking for this relationship in more than 9,000 people over age 60, comparing Alzheimer’s diagnoses in those who had received a flu shot after turning 60 to those who had not. Within each group, they included a nearly equal mix of people with potentially confounding risk factors such as smoking status, obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, education, age, and income. What they found, Amran tells NPR, was that “more vaccinations meant less Alzheimer’s.”
People who had gotten at least one flu shot after age 60 were 17 percent less likely to receive a subsequent diagnosis of Alzheimer’s, and those who got a flu shot each year saw their risk drop by a further 13 percent. The sooner after 60 that someone received a flu shot, the stronger the benefit. While Amran is buoyed by the results, he adds that fully assessing a possible benefit of vaccination “is something that needs to be quantified with a more intensive study.”
The second study, presented by researchers at Duke University and the University of North Carolina, studied the relationship between the pneumococcal vaccine, with and without an accompanying flu shot, and the risk of Alzheimer’s. The team analyzed the medical records of more than 5,000 people over age 65, controlling for the effects of factors such as sex, race, education, and smoking. Some individuals included in the study also had a known genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s, the rs2075650 G allele in the TOMM40 gene involved in the permeability of the blood-brain barrier that protects the brain from infection.
Svetlana Ukraintseva, a geneticist at Duke University and coauthor on the study, reported that getting a pneumococcal vaccine between the ages of 65 and 75 was tied to a reduced risk of developing Alzheimer’s, by 25 percent to 30 percent. Among those who did not have the rs2075650 G allele, the risk was as much as 40 percent lower if they’d been immunized. “Pneumonia vaccination appears to be protective for older adults,” Ukraintseva tells NPR.
Both teams are working to determine the biological mechanisms that explain their findings, but they do have some preliminary thoughts. Ukraintseva, speaking to MedPage Today, proposes that because so many different types of pathogens have been implicated in Alzheimer’s, including viruses, bacteria, and fungi, vaccines could provide benefits simply by keeping people protected from the more general wear and tear of life. “Some vaccines show beneficial off-target effects on health that span beyond the protection against specific disease. This could be because they may improve immunity on a broad scale,” she says. The brain’s immune system has long been implicated in the onset of Alzheimer’s—specifically, a disruption in the brain’s microglial cells—and general immune system health could therefore be an important mediator of cognitive decline.
Similarly, because both the flu and pneumonia are known to have effects on the brain, reducing the amount of times one is exposed to them over the course of a life would keep the immune systems primed and protective for longer. Maria Carrillo, chief science officer of the Alzheimer’s Association who was not involved in either study, tells NPR, “every time you have one of these infections you may experience a challenge to your memory and thinking.”
Dallas Anderson, a neuroepidemiologist at the National Institute on Aging who was not involved in either study, agrees that “there may be health effects beyond preventing the flu,” but he urges the need for further study. While both teams attempted to control for confounding factors, there could be other commonalities between people who get vaccinations that would explain the results. “Observational studies can never show definitively that getting flu shots will prevent Alzheimer’s disease or dementia,” he says to MedPage Today. “The evidence will be suggestive at best.”


thescientist--2020-07-25--Infographic: Meet R, the Shaky Metric Guiding Pandemic Forecasts

ABOVE : VARIOUS © ISTOCK.COM ; THE SCIENTIST STAFF The reproductive number R describes the average number of individuals that a person infected with a particular pathogen infects .
It depends on how that pathogen is transmitted as well as how often people come into contact with each other—factors that could vary depending on a pathogen ’ s strain and on the time and location of an outbreak .
Scientists typically distinguish between R0 , the basic reproductive number that describes disease transmission at the very beginning of an outbreak in a fully susceptible population , and Re , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ measures such as social distancing or vaccination campaigns have been introduced .
Re is typically much lower than R0 .
Researchers across the world have developed countless epidemiological models to project the future of the COVID-19 pandemic , and the effect of different public health policies on the spread of the causative virus , SARS-CoV-2 .
Most , but not all , models being used today give the two versions of R—R0 and Re—a central role .
The basic reproductive number R0 describes the spread of a disease at the beginning of an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effective ” version of the metric , describes spread later on .
Statistical techniques can predict the likely trajectory of an outbreak based on observed data .
For example , an early iteration of a model developed by the University of Washington ’ s Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation ( IHME ) , which helped inform the White House ’ s response to the pandemic , works by characterizing the curve of death numbers in Wuhan and a number of European cities , and projecting those curves onto US data .
Relationship @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t typically use R , but are sometimes used to make quick estimates for R. Performance : Statistical techniques can be useful for making very short-term predictions , but they do not capture the dynamics of disease transmission or changing contact rates between people due to social distancing measures .
Likely for these reasons , early predictions of the IHME model were off .
As of early May , IHME has been using a new “ hybrid ” model that uses both statistical and susceptible-infectious-recovered ( SIR ) modeling techniques .
SIR models @ @ @ @ @ @ @ susceptible , ” “ infectious , ” or “ recovered , ” and sometimes other compartments such as “ exposed but not yet infectious , ” “ asymptomatic , ” or “ dead.
” Data on cases , hospitalizations , or deaths can inform estimations of the sizes of those compartments , and equations describe the speed at which people move from one compartment to the next .
Relationship with R : SIR models calculate R using several parameters , including the probability of infection , contact rate , and the period over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calculated , R helps determine how quickly susceptible people become infected , and thus shapes how fast a disease spreads across a population .
Performance : SIR-type models capture the fundamental dynamics of disease transmission and the effects of public health interventions , but they are often criticized for ignoring differences in contact rates across a population .
More-refined SIR-type models , however , do account for varying contact rates , and some correctly predicted the fade-out of the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak in Wuhan earlier this year .
Agent-based models simulate individuals—or “ agents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can estimate the spread of disease as these agents come into contact with others .
Such simulations are often based on activity surveys , census data , de-identified mobile phone location data , and information from public transportation or airlines .
Relationship with R : Some researchers compute R separately and then plug it into their agent-based models , while others use these models to generate estimates of R and predict how R changes based on different interventions .
In both cases , agent-based models typically calculate R per agent , unlike SIR-type @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or demographics .
Performance : Several research groups prefer using agent-based models because they can simulate human behavior more accurately than SIR-type models and can predict how individuals ’ decisions , such as staying at home , lead to collective or aggregate behavior , and thereby affect disease spread .
However , such models require a lot of detailed data about human movement , and an enormous amount of computing power .

Researchers across the world have developed countless epidemiological models to project the future of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the effect of different public health...
The reproductive number R describes the average number of individuals that a person infected with a particular pathogen infects. It depends on how that pathogen is transmitted as well as how often people come into contact with each other—factors that could vary depending on a pathogen’s strain and on the time and location of an outbreak. Scientists typically distinguish between R0, the basic reproductive number that describes disease transmission at the very beginning of an outbreak in a fully susceptible population, and Re, the effective reproductive number that describes transmission once measures such as social distancing or vaccination campaigns have been introduced. Re is typically much lower than R0.
Statistical models
Statistical techniques can predict the likely trajectory of an outbreak based on observed data. For example, an early iteration of a model developed by the University of Washington’s Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), which helped inform the White House’s response to the pandemic, works by characterizing the curve of death numbers in Wuhan and a number of European cities, and projecting those curves onto US data.
various © istock.com; The Scientist Staff VARIOUS © ISTOCK.COM; THE SCIENTIST STAFF
Relationship with R: Such models don’t typically use R, but are sometimes used to make quick estimates for R.
Performance: Statistical techniques can be useful for making very short-term predictions, but they do not capture the dynamics of disease transmission or changing contact rates between people due to social distancing measures. Likely for these reasons, early predictions of the IHME model were off. As of early May, IHME has been using a new “hybrid” model that uses both statistical and susceptible-infectious-recovered (SIR) modeling techniques.
Susceptible-Infectious-Recovered (SIR) models
SIR models subdivide populations into compartments such as “susceptible,” “infectious,” or “recovered,” and sometimes other compartments such as “exposed but not yet infectious,” “asymptomatic,” or “dead.” Data on cases, hospitalizations, or deaths can inform estimations of the sizes of those compartments, and equations describe the speed at which people move from one compartment to the next.
various © istock.com; the scientist staff various © istock.com; the scientist staff
Relationship with R: SIR models calculate R using several parameters, including the probability of infection, contact rate, and the period over which an individual is infectious. Once calculated, R helps determine how quickly susceptible people become infected, and thus shapes how fast a disease spreads across a population.
Performance: SIR-type models capture the fundamental dynamics of disease transmission and the effects of public health interventions, but they are often criticized for ignoring differences in contact rates across a population. More-refined SIR-type models, however, do account for varying contact rates, and some correctly predicted the fade-out of the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak in Wuhan earlier this year.
Agent-based models
Agent-based models simulate individuals—or “agents”—interacting in various social settings and can estimate the spread of disease as these agents come into contact with others. Such simulations are often based on activity surveys, census data, de-identified mobile phone location data, and information from public transportation or airlines.
various © istock.com; the scientist staff various © istock.com; the scientist staff
Relationship with R: Some researchers compute R separately and then plug it into their agent-based models, while others use these models to generate estimates of R and predict how R changes based on different interventions. In both cases, agent-based models typically calculate R per agent, unlike SIR-type models that calculate R over whole populations or demographics.
Performance: Several research groups prefer using agent-based models because they can simulate human behavior more accurately than SIR-type models and can predict how individuals’ decisions, such as staying at home, lead to collective or aggregate behavior, and thereby affect disease spread. However, such models require a lot of detailed data about human movement, and an enormous amount of computing power.
Read the full story.


thescientist--2020-07-24--The Search for Immune Responses that Stop COVID-19

ABOVE : Antigen presenting cells ( APCs ) recruit T and B cells during a viral infection DESIGNED BY BIORENDER IN COLLABORATION WITH DR. AKIKO IWASAKI .
ORIGINAL IMAGE CREATED IN BIORENDER AND CAN BE DOWNLOADED AT https : //app.biorender.com/ When COVID-19 began spreading like wildfire in the Northeast United States this spring , critical care doctor Nuala Meyer could barely believe what she was seeing .
“ The number of patients who were presenting with critical illness all at the same time was staggering , ” remembers Meyer , a professor of medicine at the Hospital of the University @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t just that these patients were really sick—it was that they were sick in a startling variety of ways .
Some had cardiac issues .
Others had blood clots in their legs .
Then there were those who developed pneumonia and related respiratory problems .
Organ failure affected some .
The list went on and on .
When Meyer and colleagues profiled the ways in which hospitalized patients ’ bodies had tried to combat the virus , they found a variety of different immune responses .
T and B cells were highly activated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ instance .
Their work joins a swath of recent publications aiming to decipher the role of these crucial cells in fending off SARS-CoV-2 .
To understand how vaccines and long-term immunity function , scientists say , they ’ ll need to uncover how T and B cells fight this most challenging of infections .
In pursuit of this goal , Meyer and her colleagues examined immune responses in a sample of 125 patients .
Their findings were published in Science July 15 .
The researchers found that some patients had very unbalanced immune @ @ @ @ @ @ @ manifest in multiple ways .
For instance , some produced lots of CD4+ T cells—helper cells that assist other parts of the immune system to block or destroy the virus—but very few CD8+ T “ killer ” cells , which destroy infected cells in the body .
Meanwhile , some patients generated lots of B cells , which churn out antibodies , but not in concert with the two main types of T cell .
Getting these cells to work together is important , explains coauthor Michael Betts , an immunologist at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ helps fight infection on several fronts at once .
Some T cells , for instance , help B cells to produce antibodies—it ’ s a joint effort .
In some patients studied by the group , there was a worrying lack of T and B cells in general .
Severely ill patients , notably , experienced “ the spectrum ” of responses , says Betts—from hardly any T and B cell activation to excessive amounts .
He says it ’ s still not clear what drives severe illness in many patients .
Scientists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what kind of T and B cell response occurs in patients who have mild or no symptoms .
See “ SARS-CoV-2-Reactive T Cells Found in Patients with Severe COVID-19 ” “ It ’ s a very nice paper , ” says Akiko Iwasaki , an immunologist at Yale University .
She says that while antibodies have been much talked about , it ’ s important to recognize that for people to retain immunity to the virus over time , good T and B cell responses are necessary .
There are indeed signs that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through having neutralizing antibodies circulate in their blood for years .
Rather , it will likely be provided by those T and B cells .
A study published June 18 in Nature Medicine showed how , in a cohort of 74 symptomatic and asymptomatic COVID-19 patients , antibodies waned dramatically in most of these people after just a few months .
Those individuals may well be able to produce antibodies quickly again if they get infected , however , thanks to their T and B cells .
It ’ s a bit like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on—that way , you don ’ t need the firemen always hanging around on site just in case a blaze breaks out .
“ The fact that antibody levels are falling doesn ’ t mean we haven ’ t got a memory response , ” says Sheena Cruickshank , an immunologist at the University of Manchester in the UK who was not involved in the study .
This is why , when multiple groups working on vaccines announced the results of early phase clinical trials lately , there was excitement over the fact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ responses in trial participants .
Among those reporting results was the team at the University of Oxford that has developed a vaccine based on a chimpanzee adenovirus .
The adenovirus is modified to harbor the gene that encodes the SARS-CoV-2 spike ( S ) protein .
The group ’ s results , published July 20 in The Lancet , show that the vaccine did not provoke serious side effects in a sample of around 1,000 healthy adults aged 18–55 and it also produced what appears to be a desirable immune response involving both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Another group at biotech firm Moderna reported results from a Phase 1 trial of its vaccine in the New England Journal of Medicine on July 14 .
In 45 healthy adults aged 18–55 , neutralizing antibodies and T cells were stimulated , including CD8+ killer T cells .
“ Those T cell responses reported from the vaccine trials looked pretty impressive , ” says Iwasaki .
All vaccines currently in development still need to undergo further tests to show that they are safe in a broader group of people and that they do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out that there will be differences between the immune response to a natural infection and the response provoked by a successful vaccine .
As of yet , scientists are still not sure what the ideal response in either case looks like .
But one thing vaccine researchers will look for , Betts notes , is a T and B cell response that can maintain some degree of immunity over a significant period of time .
“ As with other vaccines , it is possible , even likely , that the vaccine won ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may greatly reduce severity , ” he says in an email .
It is possible that some people have gained T cell–based immunity to the SARS-CoV-2 virus from other previous infections .
On July 15 , a study in Nature described evidence of immunity to SARS-CoV-2 in 23 patients who had previously contracted the original SARS virus 17 years ago .
This was based on the fact that those individuals retained long-lasting CD4+ and CD8+ T cells that the authors showed produced a protein called interferon-gamma when exposed to the SARS-CoV-2 virus ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This suggests that those people ’ s T cells were primed to help fend off SARS-CoV-2 .
See “ Seeking an Early COVID-19 Drug , Researchers Look to Interferons ” The authors even found SARS-CoV-2–specific T cells in 37 other patients who had no history of SARS , COVID-19 , or contact with people who had had those diseases .
While it ’ s difficult to be certain about those individuals ’ medical histories , based on the study ’ s results , cross-reactivity—when the immune system is able to fend off one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after another—has possibly been at work in people who have experienced mild or no symptoms following SARS-CoV-2 infection , the authors speculate .
The list of things to investigate about COVID-19 doesn ’ t stop at T and B cells .
In fact , scientists are uncovering a string of immunological mysteries associated with the disease .
Iwasaki says that two key types of antibody seem to be generated in an unusual order after infection .
With COVID-19 , IgG antibodies are often generated very quickly and then followed by a rise in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That ’ s kind of puzzling because that ’ s not a typical textbook way in which the antibodies are generated , ” says Iwasaki .
And in some patients , B cells begin reacting as though the person were experiencing an allergic reaction , producing IgE antibodies .
This too is , so far , unexplained .
Betts and Meyer also noticed that some patients in their study produced high volumes of plasmablasts—B cells converted into immature plasma cells that produce antibodies .
“ We normally think of something like Ebola infection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ These plasmablast responses that we see in severe COVID are actually larger than the ones we see in Ebola.
” It ’ s unusual to see such a strong plasmablast response that lasts for days , confirms Meyer .
Eventually , answers to the many questions around COVID-19 immunity may emerge .
Scientists already know far more than they did just a few months ago .
But as Meyer says , “ We have a lot of work to do .
”

“The number of patients who were presenting with critical illness all at the same time was staggering,” remembers Meyer, a professor of medicine at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. But it wasn’t just that these patients were really sick—it was that they were sick in a startling variety of ways. Some had cardiac issues. Others had blood clots in their legs. Then there were those who developed pneumonia and related respiratory problems. Organ failure affected some. The list went on and on.
When COVID-19 began spreading like wildfire in the Northeast United States this spring, critical care doctor Nuala Meyer could barely believe what she was seeing.
ABOVE: Antigen presenting cells (APCs) recruit T and B cells during a viral infection DESIGNED BY BIORENDER IN COLLABORATION WITH DR. AKIKO IWASAKI. ORIGINAL IMAGE CREATED IN BIORENDER AND CAN BE DOWNLOADED AT https://app.biorender.com/ biorender-templates/t- 5f178d344f5fad00a7792332
In pursuit of this goal, Meyer and her colleagues examined immune responses in a sample of 125 patients. Their findings were published in Science July 15.
The fact that antibody levels are falling doesn’t mean we haven’t got a memory response. —Sheena Cruickshank, University of Manchester
The researchers found that some patients had very unbalanced immune cell activity and that this imbalance could manifest in multiple ways. For instance, some produced lots of CD4+ T cells—helper cells that assist other parts of the immune system to block or destroy the virus—but very few CD8+ T “killer” cells, which destroy infected cells in the body. Meanwhile, some patients generated lots of B cells, which churn out antibodies, but not in concert with the two main types of T cell. Getting these cells to work together is important, explains coauthor Michael Betts, an immunologist at the Penn Institute for Immunology, because it helps fight infection on several fronts at once. Some T cells, for instance, help B cells to produce antibodies—it’s a joint effort. In some patients studied by the group, there was a worrying lack of T and B cells in general.
Severely ill patients, notably, experienced “the spectrum” of responses, says Betts—from hardly any T and B cell activation to excessive amounts. He says it’s still not clear what drives severe illness in many patients. Scientists also don’t yet know precisely what kind of T and B cell response occurs in patients who have mild or no symptoms.
“It’s a very nice paper,” says Akiko Iwasaki, an immunologist at Yale University. She says that while antibodies have been much talked about, it’s important to recognize that for people to retain immunity to the virus over time, good T and B cell responses are necessary.
There are indeed signs that people won’t gain long-term immunity through having neutralizing antibodies circulate in their blood for years. Rather, it will likely be provided by those T and B cells. A study published June 18 in Nature Medicine showed how, in a cohort of 74 symptomatic and asymptomatic COVID-19 patients, antibodies waned dramatically in most of these people after just a few months. Those individuals may well be able to produce antibodies quickly again if they get infected, however, thanks to their T and B cells. It’s a bit like having a fire department available to call on—that way, you don’t need the firemen always hanging around on site just in case a blaze breaks out.
Role of T cells in COVID-19 vaccines
“The fact that antibody levels are falling doesn’t mean we haven’t got a memory response,” says Sheena Cruickshank, an immunologist at the University of Manchester in the UK who was not involved in the study.
This is why, when multiple groups working on vaccines announced the results of early phase clinical trials lately, there was excitement over the fact that they reported T and B cell responses in trial participants.
Among those reporting results was the team at the University of Oxford that has developed a vaccine based on a chimpanzee adenovirus. The adenovirus is modified to harbor the gene that encodes the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein.
The group’s results, published July 20 in The Lancet, show that the vaccine did not provoke serious side effects in a sample of around 1,000 healthy adults aged 18–55 and it also produced what appears to be a desirable immune response involving both antibodies and T and B cells.
Another group at biotech firm Moderna reported results from a Phase 1 trial of its vaccine in the New England Journal of Medicine on July 14. In 45 healthy adults aged 18–55, neutralizing antibodies and T cells were stimulated, including CD8+ killer T cells.
“Those T cell responses reported from the vaccine trials looked pretty impressive,” says Iwasaki.
Scientists are uncovering a string of immunological mysteries associated with the disease.
All vaccines currently in development still need to undergo further tests to show that they are safe in a broader group of people and that they do indeed prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Betts points out that there will be differences between the immune response to a natural infection and the response provoked by a successful vaccine. As of yet, scientists are still not sure what the ideal response in either case looks like. But one thing vaccine researchers will look for, Betts notes, is a T and B cell response that can maintain some degree of immunity over a significant period of time.
“As with other vaccines, it is possible, even likely, that the vaccine won’t prevent you from catching COVID but may greatly reduce severity,” he says in an email.
“Puzzling” immune responses to SARS-CoV-2
It is possible that some people have gained T cell–based immunity to the SARS-CoV-2 virus from other previous infections.
On July 15, a study in Nature described evidence of immunity to SARS-CoV-2 in 23 patients who had previously contracted the original SARS virus 17 years ago.
This was based on the fact that those individuals retained long-lasting CD4+ and CD8+ T cells that the authors showed produced a protein called interferon-gamma when exposed to the SARS-CoV-2 virus’s nucleocapsid (N) protein. This suggests that those people’s T cells were primed to help fend off SARS-CoV-2.
The authors even found SARS-CoV-2–specific T cells in 37 other patients who had no history of SARS, COVID-19, or contact with people who had had those diseases. While it’s difficult to be certain about those individuals’ medical histories, based on the study’s results, cross-reactivity—when the immune system is able to fend off one type of infection thanks to immunity acquired after another—has possibly been at work in people who have experienced mild or no symptoms following SARS-CoV-2 infection, the authors speculate.
The list of things to investigate about COVID-19 doesn’t stop at T and B cells. In fact, scientists are uncovering a string of immunological mysteries associated with the disease.
Iwasaki says that two key types of antibody seem to be generated in an unusual order after infection. With COVID-19, IgG antibodies are often generated very quickly and then followed by a rise in IgM antibodies—the wrong way round.
“That’s kind of puzzling because that’s not a typical textbook way in which the antibodies are generated,” says Iwasaki. And in some patients, B cells begin reacting as though the person were experiencing an allergic reaction, producing IgE antibodies. This too is, so far, unexplained.
Betts and Meyer also noticed that some patients in their study produced high volumes of plasmablasts—B cells converted into immature plasma cells that produce antibodies.
“We normally think of something like Ebola infection being pretty awful,” says Betts. “These plasmablast responses that we see in severe COVID are actually larger than the ones we see in Ebola.”
It’s unusual to see such a strong plasmablast response that lasts for days, confirms Meyer.
Eventually, answers to the many questions around COVID-19 immunity may emerge. Scientists already know far more than they did just a few months ago. But as Meyer says, “We have a lot of work to do.”


thescientist--2020-07-24--Foreign Researchers Accused of Hiding Links to Chinese Military

Update ( July 27 ) : Juan Tang has since been taken into custody by the US Marshals Service and will be appearing in court today to face charges of alleged visa fraud , the Associated Press reports .
Three Chinese nationals working in research laboratories in California and Indiana have been arrested and charged with lying about their affiliations to the Chinese military , while a fourth person has sought refuge inside the Chinese consulate in San Francisco in an attempt to avoid arrest .
Kaikai Zhao , a graduate student at Indiana University studying artificial intelligence ; Juan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the University of California ( UC ) , Davis ; Xin Wang , a visiting researcher at the University of California , San Francisco ( UCSF ) ; and Chen Song , a visiting neurologist at Stanford University , are all alleged to have supplied false information when applying for visas to travel to the US for work .
Zhao and Tang deny ever having been affiliated with the People ’ s Liberation Army ( PLA ) , while Wang and Song provided false dates as to when their involvement had ended , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Justice ( DOJ ) .
Zhao , Wang , and Song have all been arrested and charged with visa fraud .
In court documents filed July 20 in Song ’ s trial , US attorneys stressed that the case “ is not an isolated one , but instead appears to be part of a program conducted by the PLA .
.
.
to send military scientists to the United States on false pretenses with false covers or false statements about their true employment , ” the lawyers wrote .
“ There exists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases of a military scientist copying or stealing information from American institutions at the direction of military superiors in China.
” In addition , the documents alleged that the Chinese government may have actively instructed researchers to destroy evidence ahead of helping them leave the country .
The charges come at a time of escalating tensions between the United States and China .
On Tuesday ( July 21 ) , two Chinese citizens were charged with hacking into private companies to steal information on COVID-19 vaccines , while the US State Department ordered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a day later , The New York Times reports , after accusing diplomats of aiding the theft of trade secrets .
The DOJ memo detailing the arrests also revealed that the FBI had conducted additional interviews in 25 cities with visa holders suspected of having hidden affiliations with the Chinese military .
In this latest round of arrests , Wang failed to disclose that he was an active technician at a military university lab even after he traveled to California in March 2019 .
In a June 7 interview with the FBI , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in China to observe the layout of the UCSF lab and to retrieve copies of National Institutes of Health––funded work carried out by his colleagues with the intention of duplicating them in China .
Song is also alleged to have lied about her employment by the PLA .
When FBI agents seized her computers , they were able to retrieve several documents that had been deleted .
In a deleted letter to the Chinese consulate in New York , Inside Higher Ed reports , she admitted that the Beijing hospital she listed as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ a false front , ” and she subsequently tried to mail classified documents to China asking to extend her time in the US .
In Tang ’ s case , she is alleged to have answered “ no ” to the question of whether she had ever served in the military when applying for a non-immigrant visa last fall , the Davis Enterprise reports .
After beginning her work as a visiting scholar at UC Davis , the FBI found photos online of Tang in a military uniform .
During an FBI @ @ @ @ @ @ @ June 20 , Tang said that she had never served in the military and was not a member of the Communist party .
But after the FBI seized her passport and computers , they found an additional photo of Tang in a similar uniform , and articles online listed her employer as the PLA ’ s Air Force Military Medical University .
Before she could be arrested , Tang fled to the consulate in San Francisco , where she has remained .
The Chinese government has approached US officials about Tang ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anonymous DOJ official says , “ we made the Chinese government aware that she is a charged individual , so it [ is ] unquestionable that they know the defendant is a fugitive.
” Minyao Wang , a lawyer who has previously worked on intellectual property theft cases related to China , stressed how unusual a case it is .
Chinese diplomats rarely rely on their immunity to shield someone accused of federal crimes and typically avoid associations with suspects .
“ Sheltering a defendant in a criminal case by using the diplomatic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ true , is really extraordinary , ” Wang says to Axios .

Kaikai Zhao, a graduate student at Indiana University studying artificial intelligence; Juan Tang, a visiting cancer researcher at the University of California (UC), Davis; Xin Wang, a visiting researcher at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF); and Chen Song, a visiting neurologist at Stanford University, are all alleged to have supplied false information when applying for visas to travel to the US for work. Zhao...
Three Chinese nationals working in research laboratories in California and Indiana have been arrested and charged with lying about their affiliations to the Chinese military, while a fourth person has sought refuge inside the Chinese consulate in San Francisco in an attempt to avoid arrest.
Update (July 27): Juan Tang has since been taken into custody by the US Marshals Service and will be appearing in court today to face charges of alleged visa fraud, the Associated Press reports.
Zhao, Wang, and Song have all been arrested and charged with visa fraud. In court documents filed July 20 in Song’s trial, US attorneys stressed that the case “is not an isolated one, but instead appears to be part of a program conducted by the PLA . . . to send military scientists to the United States on false pretenses with false covers or false statements about their true employment,” the lawyers wrote. “There exists evidence in at least one of these cases of a military scientist copying or stealing information from American institutions at the direction of military superiors in China.” In addition, the documents alleged that the Chinese government may have actively instructed researchers to destroy evidence ahead of helping them leave the country.
The charges come at a time of escalating tensions between the United States and China. On Tuesday (July 21), two Chinese citizens were charged with hacking into private companies to steal information on COVID-19 vaccines, while the US State Department ordered China to close its Houston consulate just a day later, The New York Times reports, after accusing diplomats of aiding the theft of trade secrets. The DOJ memo detailing the arrests also revealed that the FBI had conducted additional interviews in 25 cities with visa holders suspected of having hidden affiliations with the Chinese military.
In this latest round of arrests, Wang failed to disclose that he was an active technician at a military university lab even after he traveled to California in March 2019. In a June 7 interview with the FBI, he admitted to receiving orders from superiors in China to observe the layout of the UCSF lab and to retrieve copies of National Institutes of Health––funded work carried out by his colleagues with the intention of duplicating them in China.
Song is also alleged to have lied about her employment by the PLA. When FBI agents seized her computers, they were able to retrieve several documents that had been deleted. In a deleted letter to the Chinese consulate in New York, Inside Higher Ed reports, she admitted that the Beijing hospital she listed as an employer on her visa application was “a false front,” and she subsequently tried to mail classified documents to China asking to extend her time in the US.
In Tang’s case, she is alleged to have answered “no” to the question of whether she had ever served in the military when applying for a non-immigrant visa last fall, the Davis Enterprise reports. After beginning her work as a visiting scholar at UC Davis, the FBI found photos online of Tang in a military uniform. During an FBI interview with Tang in her home on June 20, Tang said that she had never served in the military and was not a member of the Communist party.
But after the FBI seized her passport and computers, they found an additional photo of Tang in a similar uniform, and articles online listed her employer as the PLA’s Air Force Military Medical University. Before she could be arrested, Tang fled to the consulate in San Francisco, where she has remained.
The Chinese government has approached US officials about Tang’s case. Speaking to Axios, an anonymous DOJ official says, “we made the Chinese government aware that she is a charged individual, so it [is] unquestionable that they know the defendant is a fugitive.”
Minyao Wang, a lawyer who has previously worked on intellectual property theft cases related to China, stressed how unusual a case it is. Chinese diplomats rarely rely on their immunity to shield someone accused of federal crimes and typically avoid associations with suspects. “Sheltering a defendant in a criminal case by using the diplomatic immunity of a consular building, if true, is really extraordinary,” Wang says to Axios.


thescientist--2020-07-24--Study: Mask-Wearing Moms with COVID-19 Can Safely Nurse Babies

There are incalculable benefits to prolonged close contact and breastfeeding for a mother and new baby .
But that close contact has raised questions about the safety surrounding an infected mother interacting with her newborn .
According to a new study published Thursday ( July 23 ) in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health , mothers diagnosed with COVID-19 who took the precaution of wearing a surgical mask and washing their hands safely breastfed their babies and did not transmit the virus to them over a two-week period .
The study followed 116 mothers infected with SARS-CoV-2 at the time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were swabbed and tested for the virus 24 hours after birth , and most were tested two more times , at five to seven days and at two weeks , with a telemedicine checkup at one month .
All of the tests came back negative , and none of the babies were symptomatic .
The babies who did not undergo the additional testing remained asymptomatic during the observation period .
“ We hope our study will provide some reassurance to new mothers that the risk of them passing COVID-19 to their babies is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Salvatore , the chief of pediatric infectious disease at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center , explains in a statement .
While in the hospital , nearly all of the babies stayed in an enclosed incubator within the mother ’ s room .
New mothers donned surgical masks and washed their hands before feeding , cuddling , or changing diapers .
Once home , these hygiene standards were discontinued after 14 days , aside from a few parents who were still wearing masks after one month .
“ [ Maternal ] infection does not appear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Marian Knight , a professor of maternal and child population health at the University of Oxford ’ s National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit who was not involved with the study , tells the BBC .
“ This small US study also indicates transmission of infection from mother to baby is uncommon with simple precautions such as the wearing of face masks by mums with Covid-19.
” The authors acknowledge the modest sample size and state that more research on modes of mother-to-newborn transmission is needed .
“ At least so far , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that babies are getting the virus from the mother after birth and showing up at the hospital horribly sick , ” Karen Puopolo , a neonatologist at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine who was not involved with the study , tells Science News .
Puopolo was the lead author on the newest guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics ( AAP ) , which call for masks and hand hygiene , and was developed independently of this study .
Previously , the AAP recommended that infected mothers pump breastmilk until @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than directly feeding the baby .

The study followed 116 mothers infected with SARS-CoV-2 at the time of delivery. All of the newborns were swabbed and tested for the virus 24 hours after birth, and most were tested two more times, at five to seven days and at two weeks, with a telemedicine checkup at one month. All of the tests came back negative, and none of...
There are incalculable benefits to prolonged close contact and breastfeeding for a mother and new baby. But that close contact has raised questions about the safety surrounding an infected mother interacting with her newborn. According to a new study published Thursday (July 23) in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health , mothers diagnosed with COVID-19 who took the precaution of wearing a surgical mask and washing their hands safely breastfed their babies and did not transmit the virus to them over a two-week period.
The study followed 116 mothers infected with SARS-CoV-2 at the time of delivery. All of the newborns were swabbed and tested for the virus 24 hours after birth, and most were tested two more times, at five to seven days and at two weeks, with a telemedicine checkup at one month. All of the tests came back negative, and none of the babies were symptomatic. The babies who did not undergo the additional testing remained asymptomatic during the observation period.
“We hope our study will provide some reassurance to new mothers that the risk of them passing COVID-19 to their babies is very low,” lead author Christine Salvatore, the chief of pediatric infectious disease at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, explains in a statement.
While in the hospital, nearly all of the babies stayed in an enclosed incubator within the mother’s room. New mothers donned surgical masks and washed their hands before feeding, cuddling, or changing diapers. Once home, these hygiene standards were discontinued after 14 days, aside from a few parents who were still wearing masks after one month.
“[Maternal] infection does not appear to cause severe illness in these babies,” Marian Knight, a professor of maternal and child population health at the University of Oxford’s National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit who was not involved with the study, tells the BBC. “This small US study also indicates transmission of infection from mother to baby is uncommon with simple precautions such as the wearing of face masks by mums with Covid-19.”
The authors acknowledge the modest sample size and state that more research on modes of mother-to-newborn transmission is needed.
“At least so far, we don’t have any evidence that babies are getting the virus from the mother after birth and showing up at the hospital horribly sick,” Karen Puopolo, a neonatologist at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine who was not involved with the study, tells Science News.
Puopolo was the lead author on the newest guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), which call for masks and hand hygiene, and was developed independently of this study. Previously, the AAP recommended that infected mothers pump breastmilk until they were no longer contagious, rather than directly feeding the baby.


thescientist--2020-08-12--Last Chance to Enter Our Annual Top 10 Innovations Contest

The Scientist ’ s annual Top 10 Innovations competition showcases the most clever and useful advances in life science techniques and products .
From disruptive sequencing technology to transformational tweaks on tried-and-true methods , each year ’ s winners represent the future of biomedical research .
We want to hear from you : whether you are an individual tinkering away at the bench or a company with a dedicated R & D team .
What have you brought to market in the past year that could benefit the life sciences ?
Submit your product or technique for consideration in this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ window will close Friday , August 21 , so enter now !
We started the Top 10 Innovations competition more than a decade ago , and over the years we ’ ve feted some pretty neat products .
Last year , our independent panel of expert judges chose a new technology called mass photometry , which researchers use to simultaneously analyze biomolecules within a solution , a novel system that improves multiplexed antibody detection , and eight other impressive products for their list of winners .
As we ’ ve witnessed in years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make a splash when they come on the scene , they tend to have a long-lasting and profound effect on research .
We ’ re eager to see what products you bring to our attention .
Just make sure that the product you ’ re entering was released after October 1 , 2019 , and complete a brief questionnaire .
To learn more about the history of our Top 10 Innovations competition , read all about previous winners .

The Scientist’s annual Top 10 Innovations competition showcases the most clever and useful advances in life science techniques and products. From disruptive sequencing technology to transformational tweaks on tried-and-true methods, each year’s winners represent the future of biomedical research. We want to hear from you: whether you are an individual tinkering away at the bench or a company with a dedicated R&D team. What have you brought to market in the past year that could benefit the life sciences?
Submit your product or technique for consideration in this year’s competition. The submission window will close Friday, August 21, so enter now!
We started the Top 10 Innovations competition more than a decade ago, and over the years we’ve feted some pretty neat products. Last year, our independent panel of expert judges chose a new technology called mass photometry, which researchers use to simultaneously analyze biomolecules within a solution, a novel system that improves multiplexed antibody detection, and eight other impressive products for their list of winners. As we’ve witnessed in years past, winners don’t just make a splash when they come on the scene, they tend to have a long-lasting and profound effect on research.
We’re eager to see what products you bring to our attention. Just make sure that the product you’re entering was released after October 1, 2019, and complete a brief questionnaire.
To learn more about the history of our Top 10 Innovations competition, read all about previous winners.


thescientist--2020-08-05--Detecting SARS-CoV-2 with qPCR

Detecting SARS-CoV-2 with qPCR

SARS-CoV-2 has put unprecedented pressure on medical professionals , public health organizations , and the general public .
The accurate and timely diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection is paramount to controlling the spread of this virus .
This , in turn , relies on the establishment of well-validated testing and detection measures to ensure rapid result dissemination without sacrificing sensitivity and specificity .
This virtual symposium , brought to you by The Scientist , will explore the limitations and challenges of current SARS-CoV-2 qPCR-based testing approaches , their root causes , and what can be learned for the future .
11:00 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by RT-qPCR Stephen Bustin , PhD qPCR data needs to be validated in a standardized manner .
In this talk , Dr. Bustin will address qPCR sensitivity , specificity , and efficiency , as well as comment on data robustness and how to best analyze qPCR-derived data for SARS-CoV-2 testing .
11:40 AM – Current standards and validations for SARS-CoV-2 testing Jim Huggett , PhD SARS-CoV-2 arrived in the different regions of the world at different times and in differing magnitudes .
As such , SARS-CoV-2 testing responses have been somewhat varied .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ QA/QC standards for qPCR-based SARS-CoV-2 testing , discuss the limitations and challenges that have been encountered with regard to testing validation and standardization , and explore the root causes for these issues .
12:20 PM – Learning from a pandemic : How do we do it better ?
Mikael Kubista , PhD SARS-CoV-2 may be unparalleled in impact , but it is far from the first—or last—pandemic to afflict the world .
Here , Dr. Kubista will discuss the lessons to be learned from the preparations and responses to SARS-CoV-2 made by various @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across the world , as well as the necessary preparations for future waves of SARS-CoV-2 and for future pandemics .
Bustin , Huggett , and Kubista will be joined by colleagues Jo Vandesompele and Michael Pfaffl in an open question and answer session where they will address questions posed by the audience .
Stephen A. Bustin , PhD Professor of Molecular Medicine Faculty of Health , Education , Medicine and Social Care Anglia Ruskin University Jim F. Huggett , PhD Senior Lecturer , Analytical Microbiology School of Biosciences and Medicine University of Surrey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Biotechnology Czech Academy of Sciences Founder and Chairman of the Board TATAA Biocenter Jo Vandesompele , PhD Professor Department of Biomolecular Medicine Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences Ghent University Michael W. Pfaffl , PhD Professor of Molecular Physiology Animal Physiology & Immunology School of Life Sciences Technical University of Munich

qPCR data needs to be validated in a standardized manner. In this talk, Dr. Bustin will address qPCR sensitivity, specificity, and efficiency, as well as comment on data robustness and how...
SARS-CoV-2 has put unprecedented pressure on medical professionals, public health organizations, and the general public. The accurate and timely diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection is paramount to controlling the spread of this virus. This, in turn, relies on the establishment of well-validated testing and detection measures to ensure rapid result dissemination without sacrificing sensitivity and specificity. This virtual symposium, brought to you by The Scientist, will explore the limitations and challenges of current SARS-CoV-2 qPCR-based testing approaches, their root causes, and what can be learned for the future.
11:40 AM – Current standards and validations for SARS-CoV-2 testing
Jim Huggett, PhD
SARS-CoV-2 arrived in the different regions of the world at different times and in differing magnitudes. As such, SARS-CoV-2 testing responses have been somewhat varied. Dr. Huggett will speak on the current QA/QC standards for qPCR-based SARS-CoV-2 testing, discuss the limitations and challenges that have been encountered with regard to testing validation and standardization, and explore the root causes for these issues.
12:20 PM – Learning from a pandemic: How do we do it better?
Mikael Kubista, PhD
SARS-CoV-2 may be unparalleled in impact, but it is far from the first—or last—pandemic to afflict the world. Here, Dr. Kubista will discuss the lessons to be learned from the preparations and responses to SARS-CoV-2 made by various nations, governments, and health entities across the world, as well as the necessary preparations for future waves of SARS-CoV-2 and for future pandemics.
1:00 PM – Open Panel Q&A Session
Bustin, Huggett, and Kubista will be joined by colleagues Jo Vandesompele and Michael Pfaffl in an open question and answer session where they will address questions posed by the audience.
Register Now
Meet the speakers:
Stephen A. Bustin, PhD
Professor of Molecular Medicine
Faculty of Health, Education, Medicine and Social Care
Anglia Ruskin University
Jim F. Huggett, PhD
Senior Lecturer, Analytical Microbiology
School of Biosciences and Medicine
University of Surrey
Mikael Kubista, PhD
Head, Institute of Biotechnology
Czech Academy of Sciences
Founder and Chairman of the Board
TATAA Biocenter
Jo Vandesompele, PhD
Professor
Department of Biomolecular Medicine
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences
Ghent University
Michael W. Pfaffl, PhD
Professor of Molecular Physiology
Animal Physiology & Immunology
School of Life Sciences
Technical University of Munich
Symposium sponsors