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In contrast to what has been previously believed, development of blood stem cells to mast cells, a type of specialised immune cell, does not depend on a growth factor called stem cell factor. This has been demonstrated in a new collaborative study by researchers at Karolinska Institutet and Uppsala University, and published in the scientific journal Blood. The results could pave the way for new treatments for certain types of blood diseases.

Glioblastomas exert an influence on the microglia, immune cells of the brain, which causes them to stimulate cancer growth rather than attacking it. In a study published in the journal Nature Immunology, an international research team led from Karolinska Institutet now explains the molecular mechanisms behind this action.

A special variant of a sugar molecule in the human nose might explain why pneumococcal infections are more common in humans than in other animals, researchers from Karolinska Institutet report in a study published in the journal Cell Host & Microbe. The discovery can help in the search for a broader vaccine able to protect against all types of pneumococci.

Benedict Chambers and Berit Carow left the world of elite sports to concentrate on their careers as immunologists at Karolinska Institutet. They are now returning to the limelight to help contestants in this summer’s Olympic Games in Rio avoid infection.

A new study published in the research journal PLOS Pathogens, shows for the first time the essential role of the molecule SOCS3 in the control of Tuberculosis. This could have impact on the future development of a vaccine.