Infection and Immunity nieuws
Feb 8: Towards a new immune therapy against neuroblastoma
Today Lotte Spel defends her thesis in which she states that neuroblastoma childhood cancer often does not properly dispose of the tumor cells, resulting in that these children have a relatively large risk of dying. Because a certain protein, which is essential for alarming the immune system, is barely on the outside of the cancer cells, the cancer cells in the nervous system are not well recognized.
Read moreJan 19: Special enzymes modulate joint infection
The blood and organs contain special enzymes (granzymes) that may determine the extent of damage in some chronic inflammatory diseases such as SLE and rheumatoid arthritis. This conclusion is drawn by Ellen Kok in the study on which she obtained her doctorate in Utrecht on 18 January 2018.
Read moreJan 12: More scientific research needed to SLE in children
Noortje Groot obtained her PhD yesterday on her research into the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of systematic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in children. The current recommendations for diagnostics and treatment, drawn up by European experts in the field of SLE in children, is primarily supported by studies from adults with SLE. Noortje Groot hopes that this is a good starting point for new scientific studies in SLE in children.
Read moreJan 2: RS virus provides crowded intensive care units
Since November, dozens of children have been admitted to the UMC Utrecht with pneumonia due to the RS virus. This virus, respiratory syncytial virus, causes overcrowded intensive care units in the Netherlands every year. In our country the disease can be treated well, but in developing countries each day around 700 children die due to the infection. After malaria, the virus is the leading cause of death for infants and the second cause of death among young children.
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