Camel VHH Nanobodies Bind the S2 Subunit of SARS-CoV-2 and Broadly Neutralize Variants including Omicron

Since its emergence in 2019, COVID-19 infected over 600 million people and over 6 million people have died from the disease. COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Neutralizing antibodies have been developed to bind to the receptor binding domain (RBD) on the spike (S) protein. Blocking the interaction of the RBD and the ACE2 receptor, is critical in neutralizing the virus. However, the S2 subunit, is also critical for viral infection and entry into human cells.

Generating Conditional and Reverse Conditional Loss-of-Function Alleles in Mouse Casq2

Summary:

 The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) is seeking potential licensees interested in further developing or utilizing these Casq2 mouse strains. As a research tool, patent protection is not being pursued for this technology. More information to access these strains can be found here: https://www.jax.org/strain/036291 and https://www.jax.org/strain/036290.

Nanobodies Neutralizing Lassa Virus

Lassa Hemorrhagic Fever (LHF) is a serious disease caused by infection with Lassa virus (LASV) – highly prevalent in West Africa and spreading globally. LASV is associated with high morbidity and mortality rates, annually infecting 100,000 to 300,000 individuals and causing 5,000 deaths. Developing prophylactics and treatment for LASV is difficult due to challenges in inducing neutralizing antibodies and producing their target, the LASV glycoprotein trimer (GPC).

A Key Advancement for Human Norovirus Research and Reverse Genetics

The HEK293T/T7 cell line is a novel development in virology research, particularly for studying human noroviruses. This cell line expresses the T7 RNA polymerase, a key enzyme used in reverse genetics systems. Unlike existing technologies, the HEK293T/T7 cell line offers the unique advantage of being able to produce functional T7 RNA polymerase, which is essential for driving transcription from T7 promoters.

New Heterocyclic Scaffold-Based Inhibitors of the Polo-Box Domain of Polo-like Kinase 1 for the Treatment of Cancer

Polo-like kinase 1 (Plk1), a member of the Polo-like kinase family, plays a critical role in regulating mitosis and cell cycle progression. Aberrant expression of Plk1 has been observed in a variety of human cancers, and it is known to be associated with tumorigenesis as well as poor prognosis in cancer patients. Unlike normal cells, some cancer cells are dependent on augmented Plk1 levels to remain viable and are killed when Plk1 function is attenuated.

Innovative Antibody Conjugates for Targeted Therapy

This advanced technology introduces innovative antibody conjugates that redefine the possibilities of targeted therapy. By coupling therapeutic agents to engineered antibodies with highly specific binding sites, these conjugates deliver treatments directly to diseased cells while sparing healthy tissues. The result is a powerful increase in treatment efficacy, accompanied by a meaningful reduction in side effects.

Rabbit Antisera to Various Matrix, Matricellular, and Other Secreted Proteins

The extracellular matrix (ECM) is composed of a group of proteins that regulate many cellular functions, such as cell shape, adhesion, migration, proliferation, and differentiation. Deregulation of ECM protein production or function contributes to many pathological conditions, including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, arthrosclerosis, and cancer. Scientists at the NIH have developed antisera against various ECM components such as proteoglycan, sialoprotein, collagen, etc.. These antisera can be used as research tools to study the biology of extracellular matrix molecules.