Immunology
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COVID-19 and Its Sequelae on the Gut-Brain Axis
Written by: Shruthi Aravindan Edited by: Esther Melamed COVID-19 infection is often characterized by a cytokine storm which contributes to the high levels of inflammation. While COVID-19 is most commonly a respiratory infection, there are often symptoms that manifest in other parts of the body and in conjunction with multiple organ failure in severe cases. One…
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New Frontiers in COVID-19 and Autoimmunity
Written by: Chumeng Wang Edited by: Esther Melamed Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers and clinicians have sought to determine predispositions that may put individuals at higher risk for severe disease. As the virus spread and information became available about typical recovery times, more questions arose as some patients reported symptoms of Long COVID,…
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A perspective: the COVID pandemic’s negative impact on our microbiome
Written by: Nadia Siles Edited by: Esther Melamed As we observe the first anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic and reflect on how the pandemic changed and continues to shape our lives. We need to carefully assess how the pandemic control measures implemented worldwide to reduce transmission and save lives: social distancing, lockdowns, 20-second handwashing, and mask-wearing;…
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Nucleocapsid Proteins Trigger Main Antibody-Mediated Immunity in COVID-19 Patients
Written by: Zohair Ahmed Edited by: Esther Melamed The genome of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, codes for structural and non-structural proteins (ex: proteins mediating the virus’ life cycle). The structural proteins include the envelope (E) protein, spike (S) protein, nucleocapsid (N) protein, and the membrane (M) protein. The S protein plays a critical role…
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The Gut Microbiota and COVID-19 Severity
Written by: Nadia Siles Edited by: Esther Melamed For years now, we have known that our gut microbiota, the millions of microorganisms that inhabit our digestive tract, is primarily shaped by our diet, environment, and genes. The numerous interactions between our microbiota and our body are complex and bidirectional, to say the least. And in the…