Lungs of COVID-19 survivors teem with virus-fighting ‘memory’ cells
Even elderly survivors show a strong, persistent immune memory
Lab Sette
Moderna COVID-19 vaccine spurs lasting immune response
Immune system memory stays strong 6+ months post-vaccination, similar to responses in recovered COVID-19 patients
What you need to know about variants, vaccines, and breakthrough COVID cases
The CDC is reporting every severe breakthrough, but less is known about non-severe cases.
Can we stretch existing Covid vaccines to inoculate more people? Experts are divided
With the global supply of Covid-19 vaccine still woefully inadequate, vaccine makers are scouring the pharmaceutical landscape for partners to ramp up manufacturing
Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines prime T cells to fight SARS-CoV-2 variants
LJI researchers highlight the importance of T cell cross reactivity in stopping severe COVID-19 cases
In-Depth: San Diego’s most influential COVID-19 researchers
Throughout the pandemic, scientists in San Diego have made big contributions
LJI launches new global cancer immunology resource
National Cancer Institute support brings cancer researchers together to share key findings
In-Depth: La Jolla Institute takes comprehensive look at COVID-19 immunity
Study compares four vaccines and natural immunity
A COVID-fighter’s guide to T cells
New LJI review shows how T cells target more than 1,400 sites on SARS-CoV-2
Had Covid? You May Need Only One Dose of Vaccine, Study Suggests
People who have already been sick with Covid-19 should still be vaccinated, experts say, but they may experience intense side effects even after one dose.
Coronavirus mutations add urgency to vaccination effort as experts warn of long battle ahead
T cells can mount attacks against many SARS-CoV-2 targets—even on new virus variant
New LJI research gives detailed look at vulnerable sites on the novel coronavirus—beyond the receptor binding domain
COVID-19 immunity could be long term
New findings suggest that immune response to COVID-19 may be long-lasting.
Post-infection coronavirus immunity usually robust after 8 months, study shows
Protective immunity against SARS-CoV-2 could last eight months or more
Why declining antibodies don't spell disaster for long-lasting immunity
Covid- 19 – Good news on immunity
After infection or vaccination immunity to the virus may be long lasting
Inside the labs of three leading San Diego scientists
LJI Professors Shane Crotty, Ph.D., Bjoern Peters, Ph.D., and Alessandro Sette, Dr. Biol. Sci., were named “Highly Cited Researchers” this week by Clarivate.
The End of the Pandemic Is Now in Sight
A year of scientific uncertainty is over. Two vaccines look like they will work, and more should follow.
Athlerosclerosis
ATHEROSCLEROSIS Working in collaboration with LJI Professor Klaus Ley, the Sette Lab aims to help develop vaccines that target inflammatory factors as a means to reduce atherosclerotic plaque formation. The researchers have identified several peptides suitable for vaccinating humans. The…
Coronavirus immunity: It’s complicated
The body’s immune system is immensely intricate. A new study released in the UK is causing a stir because of what it says about possible limits to our immunity to COVID-19. Dr. Alessandro Sette talks with The World’s Marco Werman about what the study’s results mean for the possibility of a strong coronavirus vaccine.
Daniela Weiskopf Awarded $1.4 million to Study COVID-19 in Latino Americans
New funding from the National Cancer Institute will let scientists get “whole picture” of the immune response
T cells take the lead in controlling SARS-CoV-2 and reducing COVID-19 disease severity
Finding may help explain why people 65 and above face a higher risk of falling critically ill with COVID-19
LJI scientists receive $3.5 million to investigate role of immune cells in Parkinson’s disease
More than 930,000 Americans are living with Parkinson's disease
Forty percent of people with coronavirus infections have no symptoms. Might they be the key to ending the pandemic?
New research suggests that some of us may be partially protected due to past encounters with common cold coronaviruses
Why antibodies may not be the key to beating coronavirus
Worries over waning antibodies may be overblown, as growing evidence shows a role for T cells in the coronavirus immune response.
The Coronavirus Is New, but Your Immune System Might Still Recognize It
Convalescent plasma lowers COVID-19 death risk; exposure to common cold may limit disease severity
The following is a brief roundup of some of the latest scientific studies on the novel coronavirus and efforts to find treatments and vaccines for COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus.
Common cold viruses can spark response against the coronavirus, San Diego scientists report
Some people who’ve never been exposed to the novel coronavirus may have protection against it, but that is far from certain
Exposure to common cold coronaviruses can teach the immune system to recognize SARS-CoV-2
Researchers caution: It is too soon to say whether pre-existing immune cell memory affects COVID-19 clinical outcomes
Do some people have protection against the coronavirus?
We’re now more than seven months into the coronavirus pandemic that has upended the lives of most of Earth’s inhabitants.
Can You Get COVID-19 Twice? Scientists Say It’s Too Early to Tell
Recovery from the virus seems to stimulate protective immunity, but there’s not enough data to determine how long that protection lasts.
Immune Epitope Database and Analysis Resource Program
A collaboration with LJI Professor Alessandro Sette, Dr. Biol. Sci, to maintain and further develop the Immune Epitope Database (IEDB) and associated analysis resource. Previously awarded as HHSN26620040006C, and HHSN272201200010C. NIH/NIAID (75N93019C00001)
SARS-COV-2
Reactivity study: A collaboration between the Sette lab and Shane Crotty, Ph.D., to document acquired immunity to SARS-CoV-2 and help guide COVID-19 vaccine developers. Their May 2020 Cell study documents a robust antiviral immune response to SARS-CoV-2 in a group…
Tuberculosis
T cell responses to Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection and vaccination: Following completion of a massive epitope discovery effort (also supported by an NIH contract), current work on TB includes identifying T cell signatures and immune responses elicited by non-tuberculous mycobacteria, which…
Dengue Virus
The Sette lab’s previous large scale epitope identification efforts (supported by HHS contracts) have led to a deeper understanding of the role of T cells and HLA variants in the development of (or protection from) DENV disease. Current efforts (supported…
Allergy
Cockroach Allergy: The Sette lab is working to identify the sites on allergen molecules that trigger an inflammatory immune response. This effort includes research into cockroach allergy, which is a major contributor to asthma development in urban settings. As part…
Parkinson’s
The lab investigates T cell reactivity and disease progression in Parkinson’s disease. Findings suggest immune cells are responsible for disease onset. Early interference with T cell responses could prevent the disease from manifesting itself or progressing. Selected References Lindestam Arlehamn…
Pertussis
Immunological Basis of Differences in Protection Between Pertussis Vaccines: The recent increase in cases of whooping cough among teenagers in the US suggests that the protection conferred by the acellular Bordetella pertussis vaccine (aP) that became standard in the mid…
Other Diseases – Sette
Varicella Zoster Virus: Research into the longevity of vaccine-induced immunity to varicella zoster virus, the pathogen that causes chicken pox and shingles. Staphylococcus Aureus: Research into how to overcome recurrent Staphylococcus aureus infections, which are driven by differences in MHC-restricted…
Human Immune Profiling Consortium
The aim of this work, in collaboration with Bjoern Peters, Ph.D., and Pandurangan Vijayanand, M.D., Ph.D., is to characterize the immune response to dengue virus (DENV) and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB), both of which represent major global health challenges. Specifically, the…
Even in the worst COVID-19 cases, the body launches immune cells to fight back
International collaboration provides important piece of COVID-19 puzzle
First detailed analysis of immune response to SARS-CoV-2 bodes well for COVID-19 vaccine development
Study finds robust antiviral T cell response in humans with COVID-19 and detects substantial crossreactivity in unexposed individuals; in a piece of good news provides a benchmark for testing of vaccine candidates.
LJI scientists link immune cells to Parkinson’s Disease onset
New research gives further evidence that autoimmunity plays a role in Parkinson’s disease
LJI scientists awarded new funding to combat COVID-19
To aid vaccine design, researchers will investigate how a diverse population fights off viral attack
LJI scientists identify potential targets for immune responses to novel coronavirus
Their analysis provides essential information for vaccine design and the evaluation of diagnostics and vaccine candidates
Cellular culprit suspected of pushing dengue fever from bad to worse is cleared using advanced transcriptomics
The finding is important to both the basic understanding of this disease—the world’s most common mosquito-borne illness—and to the hunt for an effective vaccine for dengue.
AAAS and La Jolla Institute for Immunology announce 2019 Fellows
Professors Shane Crotty, Ph.D., and Alessandro Sette, Dr. Biol.Sci., of La Jolla Institute for Immunology have been named as AAAS Fellows
Global Highly Cited Researchers 2019 list reveals top scientific talent
This year’s list features four scientists at La Jolla Institute for Immunology
La Jolla Institute awarded renewal of NIH contract to continue its role as host of Immune Epitope Database
The IEDB gives biomedical researchers worldwide free access to a rapidly growing catalogue of epitopes—the specific, molecular structures that the immune system uses to tell friend from foe
LJI researcher successfully competes for Intersect Fellowship by the American Association of Immunologists
The fellowship specifically supports interdisciplinary training to encourage understanding between immunology researchers and computational scientists
