Policy and Politics
Science Policy, Intellectual Property, Funding, Government, Politicization of Science
Cultivating Early Immune System Ontogeny across a Shifting Landscape (Infographic)
(image) The human body has been bombarded by environmental insults since conception. The prenatal immune system facilitates the generation of tissues and organs and is a versatile medium for communication with the outside world, which largely constitutes endogenous maternally-derived solutes. As the fetus matures, characterized by an elaboration of physical and chemical barriers, this prepares...
Beyond Nourishment: Breastfeeding versus Formula and its immunological effects
Since the beginning of Homo sapiens as a species, breastfeeding has been the main feeding practice for newborns. The earliest documented cases of neonatal breastfeeding date as far back as 2000 BC, and the importance of this practice has been well understood for centuries as a primary source of nutrition for infants. Alternative feeding practices...
Vaccinating children: evidently not a walk in the park
Four years ago in March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) a global pandemic. Nations scrambled to develop and secure vaccines against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) – competing for supplies, intensifying political rivalries, and hoarding in the name of nationalism. As adults engaged in this frenetic...
Navigating the Hormonal Highway: What Has Puberty Taught Us About the Sex-Bias in Autoimmunity?
Growing pains, painful acne, menstruation, pubic hair, and voice cracks – these are some of the physical changes many of us can remember as we unavoidably stepped into teenhood. Puberty marks a crucial period in sexual maturation characterized by alterations in the composition and levels of our sex hormones which drive sex-specific changes in physical...
Your fur baby: an early immune system’s best friend?
Have you ever met a devoted cat-owner that is simultaneously allergic to that same cat? While 10-20% of the world’s population is allergic to cats or dogs, a 2020 survey of cat owners by the Human Animal Bond Research Institute found 23% of cat owners lived with an allergy to cats. 84% of those allergic...
Book Review: The Baby and the Biome: Nurturing Nature’s Connection
In her book “The Baby and the Biome,” Meenal Lele, a mother of two children, invites readers on a deeply personal journey as she navigates the complexities of caring for her son Leo, who suffers from severe allergies. Drawing from her own maternal experiences and extensive research, Lele goes beyond the conventional scope of managing...
Pediatric immunology: A journey of discovery with Dr. Dilan Dissanayake
For many families and their children, the discipline of immunology offers the potential of innovative therapeutics in the ever-changing environment of pediatric healthcare. From deciphering the intricacies of the immune system, to harnessing its power for therapeutic interventions, researchers in pediatric immunology are at the forefront of changing the lives of young patients suffering with...
Impact of the microbiome on immune system development – Cesarean vs vaginal birth
The development of a newborn’s immune system is a complex process influenced significantly by the early-life microbiome. This critical phase of immune system maturation is affected by various factors, including the maternal immune system, microbial metabolites during pregnancy, microbial transfer at birth, and the transfer of microorganisms, maternal immune factors, and metabolites via breastfeeding. Among...
Letter from the Chair, Dr. Jennifer Gommerman – Volume 12 Issue 1, 2024
“One of the luckiest things that can happen to you in life is, I think, to have a happy childhood.” Agatha Christie Surely we are all convinced of that. But this issue of IMMpress Magazine should also convince us that a childhood with the right pre- and post-natal exposures is key to a happy immune...
