This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"A major turning point for tumor immunotherapy was the discovery of immune checkpoint proteins, which suppress immunity to facilitate tumor growth. The discovery prompted the development of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) that can help fight even metastatic and chemoresistant cancers. ICIs that target the proteins CTLA-4, PD-1, and PD-L1 are particularly promising for cancer treatment. These drugs can be used either alone or with other therapies to enhance treatment efficacy. For example, they can be combined with traditional chemotherapy, radiotherapy, antiangiogenic therapy, and cancer vaccines to improve outcomes. In addition, combinations of CTLA-4- and PD-1-blocking ICIs can be used to treat cancers like melanoma. However, despite the encouraging results in some studies, many patients fail to respond to ICIs. ICIs can also exert various immune-related adverse effects on the skin, colon, liver, lungs, kidneys, and heart, and some tumors can become resistant to the drugs..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.

This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"The scavenger receptors (SRs) are a group of surveillance proteins that play important roles in immune defense. These proteins are divided into 12 classes (A–L) on the basis of their diverse structures and functions. Their differences enable SRs to interact with a vast array of pathogenic factors, such as bacteria, to induce appropriate responses. Multiple SR types can bind to the same pathogenic signals, and an individual SR can bind multiple signal types. Furthermore, SRs can reversibly interact with co-receptor proteins to launch various responses, highlighting the complex and dynamic nature of SR-related defense. In general, SRs control the recruitment and activation of immune cells that eat harmful substances, and they can either induce or suppress inflammation depending on the conditions. Many SRs have both membrane-bound and soluble forms that accomplish their scavenging functions, while one potential SR, ACE-2, appears to scavenge only in its soluble form..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.

This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"The beneficial microbes that live in and on us play many important roles in our health. In mammals, these microbial communities are assembled after birth, particularly before weaning. Intestinal microbes do more than just help digest food or produce metabolites. They also contribute to the development of organ structures and the immune system. To better understand this process, researchers used mice with a specifically constructed, simplified gut microbiome. Mice without a microbiome, called germ-free, have significantly impaired immunity, but giving these adult mice a simple microbiome of 14 strains was enough for them to establish an immune response. The addition of microbes stimulated maturation of the intestinal blood vessel system and activated both innate and adaptive immunity..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.

This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the virus SARS-CoV-2, has spread rapidly since 2019. COVID-19 symptoms are mild in some patients but severe and even life-threatening in others and there are still no reliable treatments for severe COVID-19. In a recent study, researchers investigated the factors related to COVID-19 severity in hospitalized patients with mild or severe illness. Specifically, they investigated the patients’ immune characteristics and signaling pathways involving immune proteins called IFN-Is. Compared with healthy controls, patients with COVID-19 had lower counts of many types of immune cells but higher counts of Th17 cells in their blood and the differences were more drastic in patients with severe disease. In addition, individuals with severe COVID-19 had much lower levels of IFN-I signaling molecules than healthy controls..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.

Students modify a provided App Inventor code to design their own diseases. This serves as the evolution step in the software/systems design process. The activity is essentially a mini design cycle in which students are challenged to design a solution to the modification, implement and test it using different population patterns The result of this process is an evolution of the original app.

T cells are long lived and are involved in cell mediated immunity. Functionally they are divided by the expression of CD4+ or CD8+ markers. CD4+ T helper cells recognise antigens bound to MHC II complexes and are involved with the control of intracellular and extracellular pathogens; they can interact with CD8+, NK and dendritic cells or with B cells. Cytotoxic CD8+ T cells recognise the MHC I complex and destroy infected or neoplastic cells.

This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"Lymphotoxin β receptor (LTβR) is a key regulator of the immune response. Its signaling cascades control the development and maintenance of secondary lymphoid organs and immune cell development. Although many aspects of its signaling have been characterized, one important aspect remains unclear. After ligand binding, LTβR is internalized via endocytosis – but the precise mechanisms involved have not yet been characterized. A recent study investigated the contribution of LTβR internalization to its signaling potential. Researchers found LTβR localized to endocytic vesicles and the Golgi apparatus. After ligand binding, LTβR was trafficked via endosomes to lysosomes for degradation, downregulating signaling. Multiple entry pathways – clathrin-mediated, dynamin-dependent, and clathrin-independent – were used for receptor internalization, and without clathrin and dynamin, cells had elevated signaling through the NF-κB pathway..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), immunizations are one of the public health’s most cost-effective inventions. The United Nations (UN) created several sustainable development goals to ensure a sustainable future for all. One of these goals focuses on good health and well-being at all ages. Vaccinations play a vital role in achieving this goal. In 1803, Edward Jenner coined the term vaccination, from the Latin word “Vacca” which means cow. Vaccines are substances that consist of weakened, dead, or incomplete portions of pathogens or antigens. Vaccines help prevent diseases and are one of the most important achievements of mankind. Research shows that vaccines help prevent a million deaths per year worldwide, increase average life span, and help eradicate infectious diseases such as smallpox. The current unit, targeted to high school students, dives into the history of infectious diseases and vaccinations, different types of immunity and how they are acquired, a brief overview of how vaccinations help produce antibodies that combat disease-causing agents and briefly discuss the vaccination delivery systems that are currently used worldwide. This unit could be taught over a period of 3-4 weeks, the unit introduces the Design Thinking Process where students embrace empathy, work collaboratively, create “human-centric” solutions to problems.

This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"The body’s response to cancer is complex, and boosting it requires strategy. White blood cells known as effector T cells are programmed to infiltrate tumors and control or kill tumor cells. But the microenvironment around a tumor can inhibit T cells, preventing an effective anti-tumor response. Although immune checkpoint blockade therapies can restore anti-tumor immunity, these treatments aren’t effective for everyone, and innovative approaches combining multiple pathways are needed. Now, researchers have identified a new potential target for anti-tumor therapy. Orphan nuclear receptor NR2F6 inhibits T cell activation. A recent study combined deletion of NR2F6 in T cells with conventional immune checkpoint therapy in mice. Researchers deleted NR2F6 in T cells using CRISPR/ Cas9 technology and reintroduced them into mice. NR2F6-deleted T cells in combination with checkpoint therapy allowed mice to survive injection of tumor cells, while checkpoint therapy alone did not..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.