New super-pure silicon chip opens path to powerful quantum computers

super-pure silicon

New super-pure silicon chip opens path to powerful quantum computers: Researchers at the Universities of Melbourne and Manchester have invented a breakthrough technique for manufacturing highly purified silicon that brings powerful quantum computers a big step closer. The new technique to engineer ultra-pure silicon makes it the perfect material to make quantum computers at scale […]

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First human trial of new Zika vaccine

zika

The first participant has received a dose of a new Zika virus vaccine being trialled by the University of Liverpool at the Clinical Research Facility within the Royal Liverpool University Hospital. Although now not as prevalent as during its peak in 2016, Zika remains an ongoing threat, with thousands of cases of the mosquito-borne virus […]

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Malaria vaccines need modern logistics

malaria

As we approach World Malaria Day on April 25, it is important to consider the issues and solutions in the fight against this deadly disease. Real advances in vaccines have been made, but the logistics of storing and transporting these temperature- and light-sensitive vaccines in the hot countries of Africa is a real challenge. Each […]

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First-line defences short-lived

first-line

First-line immune defences against COVID-19 are short-lived and may explain reinfection. A new study finds that antibodies produced in the nose decline nine months after COVID-19 infection, while antibodies found in the blood last at least a year. Antibodies in the nasal fluid (known as immunoglobulin A, or IgA) provide first-line defence against COVID-19 by […]

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Potential for Mugwort allergy vaccine

mugwort

Potential for Mugwort allergy vaccine: Researchers have discovered key mechanisms of allergy to pollen from the common weed mugwort, thereby also laying the foundation for the development of the world’s first vaccine. Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) poses a serious problem for allergic individuals in our latitudes from July through to September. Currently, the symptoms, which often […]

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University of Queensland partners with Moderna

Moderna

University of Queensland partners with Moderna: The University of Queensland has been selected as one of the first launch institutions in the world to partner with biotechnology company Moderna to research and develop vaccines to tackle the world’s greatest global public health threats.The partnership, brokered by two of the University’s leading researchers Professor Mark Walker and Professor Paul Young, […]

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Growing flu viruses in specialised cells

viruses

A new study published in npj Vaccines has shown that growing influenza viruses in specialised cell lines, rather than chicken eggs, improves the likelihood they will match circulating influenza viruses, potentially resulting in more effective seasonal flu vaccines. Influenza vaccines are used each year to combat seasonal and potential pandemic influenza viruses. As influenza viruses mutate and […]

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Oral hookworm vaccine could save millions around the world

hookworm

Oral hookworm vaccine could save millions around the world: There’s been a significant breakthrough in the development of a vaccine to prevent hookworm infection – a parasite which causes serious disease in tens of millions of people globally. Trials of the vaccine candidate in mice, led by researchers at The University of Queensland, indicate that […]

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Cell-based vaccine for children and adolescents

cell-based

A cell-based influenza vaccine has effectively provided protection against the flu in children and adolescents, according to a new study. The research found the cell-based quadrivalent influenza vaccine (QIVc) produced a sufficient immune response in children aged two to 18 years. The lead investigator on the study was Professor Terry Nolan, head of the Vaccine and […]

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Cancer Treatment influences vaccine response

vaccine

The type of cancer treatment influences vaccine response: Cancer patients are at increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe COVID-19 courses. Coronavirus vaccination is generally recommended for cancer patients, but so far little is known about how well they respond to the vaccine. In a study now published in the high-ranking journal JAMA Oncology (Impact […]

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