The immune system has a host of different defense mechanisms that respond when the body is under attack. One such mechanism is the production of antibodies. Antibodies are proteins, also known as immunoglobulins. Antibodies are produced by white blood cells known as plasma B cells...
As a PhD candidate at Leiden University in the Netherlands, Jolien Suurmond focused on the function of innate immune cells, such as mast cells and basophils, in Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), paying particular attention to how the responses of these cells in RA differ from their...
From a young age, Halima Moncrieffe recognized the pain caused by autoimmune conditions. A close friend spent every birthday for fifteen years in hospital suffering from the debilitating effects of Lupus. These experiences at an impressionable age impacted Dr. Moncrieffe deeply. They contributed to her...
Pain serves a purpose; it exists to alert us to potential or existing damage to the body. It can arise from injury or disease. After the brain has received and processed the pain message and coordinated a suitable response, pain has served its function. Endorphins,...
As a patient with an autoimmune condition it is likely that at some point in your care you have been asked to consider joining a clinical research trial or have investigated the possibility on your own. There is absolutely no requirement for a patient to...
We all know that exercise is key to building and maintaining our muscles and ensuring our overall health. We look to exercise to boost our fitness levels, decrease our waist line, and improve heart health. It should therefore not be surprising that exercise can also...
Scientists and physicians are working tirelessly to find ways to treat COVID-19. Currently under study are two related drugs – hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine. In a variety of studies, these drugs have exhibited antiviral activity, an ability to moderate the activity of the immune system, and...
Dr. Mattias Svensson obtained both his MS, in pharmacy and pharmacology, and PhD, in medicine, from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden. In 2014 he was recruited as a postdoctoral fellow to a laboratory at the La Jolla Institute for Immunology. In 2016 the head of...
These are only experimental efforts and none of these compounds are validated or sanctioned by health authorities for the treatment of COVID-19. As the COVID-19 pandemic rages on, the world is desperate for good news in regards to effective treatments. As of the first week of...
Dear partner, The novel coronavirus, COVID-19, has emerged as a global pandemic that impacts people and populations around the world. Many in our patient community have significant concerns whether immune-compromised, reliant on medications facing shortages, or of an age group considered especially vulnerable to respiratory illnesses....