Infection and Immunity nieuws
May 29: Research into the use of corona self-tests when secondary schools reopen
UMC Utrecht has been commissioned by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW) to investigate the use of corona self-tests in secondary schools in the Netherlands. They have calculated what effects on infections in schools can be expected when education takes place with complete physical presence in the class room. It was examined whether the use of frequent self-testing and vaccination could counteract an increase in infections.
Read moreMay 10: Immunotherapy for high-risk neuroblastoma affects fighting capacity of the immune system
In children with high-risk neuroblastoma, immunotherapy results in both stimulatory and inhibitory effects on the immune system. This finding by researchers from UMC Utrecht and the Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology in Utrecht provides new insights for improvement of therapy timing as well as new therapy strategies enhancing immune cell fighting capacity.
Read moreMay 3: Microbiome compositional changes may precede the development of inflammatory bowel disease
The gut microbiome of people at increased risk of developing inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) displays IBD-like signatures. The presence of such IBD-like microbiome signatures might precede the onset of IBD. This was concluded from a study, recently published in Gastroenterology, investigating the intestinal microbiome in IBD-discordant and IBD-concordant twin pairs coordinated by UMC Utrecht in collaboration with the UMC Groningen, Netherlands Twin Register and a consortium of Dutch IBD centers.
Read moreApr 28: Marc Bonten elected as a new member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences
The Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) has announced today that it has elected prof. dr. Marc Bonten as a new member. Members of the KNAW are leading scientists from all disciplines and are chosen based on their scientific achievements. The KNAW has about 550 members. A membership is for life. Together with Marc Bonten, 22 other new members have been elected. The new Academy members will be installed on September 13.
Read moreApr 14: Intestinal bacteria predict risk of diarrhea from Clostridium bacteria
The bacterial composition in the colon can be used to recognize patients at increased risk of infection with the bacterium Clostridium difficile after a course of antibiotics. This was concluded by researchers from UMC Utrecht in collaboration with the University of Antwerp, University of Cologne and the French company Da Volterra on the basis of a study executed in 34 European hospitals affiliated with the COMBACTE consortium. The results were published today in Nature Communications in a back-to-back publication.
Read moreApr 8: Update BRACE study: follow-up visits ongoing, trial well on track
In the BRACE study, the possible benefits of the BCG vaccine to protect healthcare professionals against COVID-19 are determined. With the first follow-up visits taking place, the progress of the trial, which started in the spring of 2020, is well on track.
Read moreApr 1: RSV illness is prevalent in older adults but rarely causes severe disease
Studies under leadership of the RSV Research Group at UMC Utrecht show that infection with the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is also prevalent in older adults, with an overall prevalence of 5.7 percent in Europe. In contrast to infants, the infection rarely causes severe disease in home-dwelling adults ≥60 years. Nevertheless, a watchful waiting approach to identify patients that are at risk of severe disease is justified when RSV is the suspected pathogen.
Read moreLex Eggermont appointed as professor of Immunotherapy at UMC Utrecht
Scientific director of the Princess Máxima Center, Lex Eggermont, has been appointed professor of Clinical and Translational Immunotherapy at the Faculty of Medicine of Utrecht University.
Read moreMar 29: Multiomics and machine learning can predict optimal therapy in rheumatoid arthritis
Machine learning models based on molecular signatures (also named multiomics) of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) accurately predict the individual clinical response to the biological TNF inhibitors adalimumab and etanercept. This innovative approach is expected to pave the way toward personalized anti-TNF treatment in RA patients, as was concluded by Weiyang Tao (UMC Utrecht) in his PhD thesis that he will defend on March 30.
Read moreMar 26: UMC Utrecht is looking for 20,000 participants for wrist device to detect COVID-19
This month, a study was started in UMC Utrecht to see whether a "smart" bracelet can help in the fight against corona. The "smart" bracelet continuously measures changes in physiological parameters such as temperature, heart rate and respiration. A change in these indicators may indicate contamination with COVID-19. For example, the bracelet could signal an infection, perhaps days before the wearer develops symptoms.
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