Autoimmune Life Blog

Community and news about autoimmune diseases, allergies and more.

Blog Main Image - Researcher Woman Pipetting Samples Blue
December 14, 2022

$3.5 Million to Study Down Syndrome and the Immune System

What goes wrong in the immune system that causes autoimmune disease or limits its ability to fight infections? That’s the question Bernard Khor, MD, PhD, started with 12 years ago. His search for answers led him somewhere unexpected: to people with Down syndrome. 

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December 14, 2022

Using AI and VR to Advance Research

Caroline Stefani, PhD, became fascinated with the immune system while pursuing her doctorate in microbiology. She loved using imaging tools to examine the worlds of cells and bacteria. But one thing frustrated her. 

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December 14, 2022

Immunology to Change Lives: Where We're Going in 2023

BRI was formed with a clear plan: First, answer key fundamental questions about the immune system. Then, build on those answers to change lives. This is a very exciting time because we’re reaching that second stage of the plan.

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Blog Main Image - T1D Diabetes Monitoring Blood Sugar Test
November 17, 2022

Teplizumab FAQ: Your Questions Answered About New Therapy to Delay T1D

Scientists at the Benaroya Research Institute (BRI) and TrialNet, a global type 1 diabetes (T1D) research consortium, have spent decades working to answer a bold question: Can we stop T1D before it starts?

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Blog Main Image - 3D Biological Cells Cancer
September 15, 2022

Paving the Way for New Colon Cancer Treatments

Steven Ziegler, PhD, still has questions about a protein called thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) — even after studying it for more than 30 years. The Ziegler Lab helped establish that TSLP plays a role in asthma, lupus and several cancers.

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Blog Main Image - 2D People Wearing Masks
September 14, 2022

Unmasking Lupus: The Great Masquerader

Hayley Waterman was in college when her mom was diagnosed with a mixed connective tissue autoimmune disease. “It’s similar to lupus but even more vague in definition,” Hayley says.

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Blog Main Image - Skin Closeup
September 14, 2022

Exploring New Frontiers of Skin Immunology

Immune cells perform different functions in different parts of the body. Some fight off infections in the skin. Others protect the lungs from pollutants. But how do these cells learn to do the right job in the right place? And why does that process sometimes go wrong?

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Blog Main Image - 2D Abstract Telemedicine Online Healthcare
September 14, 2022

Clues into Crohn's: Exploring Why the Immune System Attacks Beneficial Bacteria

Your gut is home to a huge community of bacteria called the microbiome. Some bacteria are good, some are bad — and some might hold the key to understanding an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) like Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

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Blog Main Image - 2D Abstract mRNA Vaccines Development
August 8, 2022

COVID-19 Hybrid Immunity Study: 3 Key Findings

As an immunologist focused on skin-related autoimmune diseases, Peter Morawski, PhD, never thought he’d study viruses. Then the pandemic hit. “It was this crazy, chaotic time. Everything came second to wanting to help,” he says.

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Blog Main Image - 3D Biological COVID Particles Blue Red
August 8, 2022

What does it mean for COVID-19 to be endemic?

As the next chapter of COVID-19 unfolds, we’re hearing that the virus will likely become endemic (in the northern hemisphere) — and it will be part of life for the foreseeable future.

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