immunology

SARS-CoV-2 remains a relevant topic for bio database development. According the the NAR database compendium , and our research, at least 25 SARS-CoV-2 data resources are available to the public. Their Immunoprofiling: How it works specialized topics include immunology, genomics, RNA, proteins, drugs, and SARS-CoV-2 / COVID-19 literature. This post explores the CoV-AbDab database as a resource for studying how antibodies neutralize the virus to protect against serious disease. Read more

Immuno-biotechnology an important field of biotechnology. With the advent of advanced DNA sequencing, and other technologies, immuno-biotechnology has significantly increased the use of computing technologies to decipher the meaning of large datasets and predict interactions between immune receptors (antibodies / T-Cell receptors / MHC) and their targets. Progress toward developing an immuno-bioinformatics course with Shoreline Community College is summarized in the attached presentation.

In early April 2019, the Institute for Systems Biology (ISB, Settle WA) hosted its 18th annual symposium. This year's theme focused on translational biology, which is the practice of commercializing research discovery. Over the two-day symposium, the audience was informed about the latest in the research and development of new products for fighting cancer with immunotherapy and combating research to improve global health.

One of ISB's strong values is communicating science to public. This meeting was no exception; much of it ... Read more

Bioinformatics is full of unexpected adventures. Some are related to data discoveries, but many more are related to navigating the maize of software needed to implement a solution.

DNA sequencing-based immunoprofiling quantitatively measures AR diversity in samples by determining the sequences of V(D)J junctions. AR receptor diversity is vast due to a combinatorial rearrangement process that inserts a variable number of random DNA bases at each junction. In the sequencing process V(D)J junctions are amplified with V and J gene specific primers and, to be quantitative, differences in amplification rates that are due to primer sequences must be factored into each assay.

Immunoprofiling is the quantitative measurement of antigen receptors (ARs; antibodies or T-cell receptors) in a sample and is a hot area in biotechnology. Immunoprofiling is used to assess the diversity of antigen receptors (ARs: antibodies and T-Cell receptors) and how this diversity changes in response to allergens, infections, or vaccines. In cancer therapy, Immunoprofiling is used to develop biomarkers and understand how an individual’s immune cells fight tumors, and predict individuals' response to immunotherapy.

BCRs (antibodies) and TCRs (T cell receptors) are the recognition molecules of our immune system; the molecules they bind are called antigens. BCRs and TCRs are similar in many ways, but their differences form the core of how self and non-self are recognized.

Immuno-bioinformatics is a fast growing subdiscipline of immuno-biotechnology. New technologies like immune-profiling and targeted cancer therapies are leading to job growth and demands for new skills and knowledge in biomanufacturing, quality systems, informatics, and cancer biology.

Lately I’ve been thinking about immunology, and not just because it is flu season, it is because Digital World Biology (DWB) is collaborating with Shoreline Community College to design a five-week bioinformatics course that will be component of their one year immuno-biotechnology certificate (1).

An aspect of the course will cover the ways in which industry studies and utilizes components of the immune system from vaccines to making antibodies to measuring T-Cell Receptor (TCRs) repertoires as biomarkers. In the classes, bioinformatics methods will be used to to ... Read more