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This technology provides novel antibodies and methods for diagnostics and treatment of disorders arising from dysregulation of the immune system using antibodies directed against glucocorticoid-induced tumor necrosis factor receptor family-related receptor ligand (GITRL). Also available are hybridomas producing anti-mouse GITRL monoclonal antibodies (clone 5F1).

There is no vaccine for malaria, and there is growing resistance to existing anti-malarial drugs. Sexual stage-specific antigens are of interest as vaccine candidates because disruption of these antigens would reduce the fertility and, thus, the infectivity of the parasite.

This technology describes the use of novel mutated anthrax protective antigen (PA) protein variants to target tumor cells and tumor vasculature. NIH scientists have engineered two PA variants that selectively complement one another and combine to form active octamers that target tumor cells. This controlled oligomeric activation of the PA proteins makes the likelihood of toxicity to non-tumor cells very low since non-tumor tissue does not express certain cell-surface proteases required to activate the PA variants.

Due to the disorganized nature of blood vessels that run through tumors, chemotherapeutic agents often fail to penetrate tumors and kill cancer cells at the tumor’s center. This can lead to ineffective chemotherapeutic treatments, because tumors can quickly grow back if the entire tumor is not destroyed. NIH researchers have developed a therapeutic agent that solves this problem facing current chemotherapy treatments.

This technology relates to a malaria vaccine composed of a protein complex of Apical Membrane Antigen (AMA1) and rhoptry neck protein 2 (RON2) with an adjuvant. AMA1 is a crucial component of the Plasmodium invasion machinery and is a leading candidate for antimalarial vaccine development. AMA1-based vaccines have shown ability to block red cell invasion in in vitro assays, but protection has so far not translated to in vivo human infections.

This technology relates to the field of radioactive, isotopically-labeled calcofluor derivatives and uses of such compounds to detect a broad spectrum of filamentous fungi including pathogenic species such as Aspergillus and Mucorales, by diagnostic imaging methods such as positron emission tomography (PET) scanning.

Influenza virus is a major public health concern, causing up to 500,000 deaths annually. The current strategy of reformulating vaccines annually against dominant circulating strains leads to variable protective efficacy and is unlikely to protect against novel influenza viruses with pandemic potential. Thus, there is a great need for a vaccine that provides “universal” protection against influenza viruses.

Due to the disorganized nature of blood vessels that run through tumors, chemotherapeutic agents often fail to penetrate tumors and kill cancer cells at the tumor’s center. This can lead to ineffective chemotherapeutic treatments, because tumors can quickly grow back if the entire tumor is not destroyed. NIH researchers have developed a therapeutic agent that solves this problem facing current chemotherapy treatments.

Noroviruses are now recognized as the major cause of non-bacterial gastroenteritis in all age groups, and efforts are underway to develop an effective vaccine. The lack of a robust cell culture system for human noroviruses has complicated vaccine development. Hence, norovirus virus like particles (VLPs) have played an important role in the understanding of virus structure, immune response, antigenic diversity, and vaccine design.

Due to the disorganized nature of blood vessels that run through tumors, chemotherapeutic agents often fail to penetrate tumors and kill cancer cells at the tumor’s center. This can lead to ineffective chemotherapeutic treatments, because tumors can quickly grow back if the entire tumor is not destroyed. NIH researchers have developed a therapeutic agent that solves this problem facing current chemotherapy treatments.