The researchers discovered that inflammatory immune cells, called CD4+ T cells, mistakenly target certain proteins that are part of the nervous system in people with ALS. This kind of "self-attack" is the defining feature of autoimmune disease.

The University of Cincinnati Cancer Center’s Joan Garrett, PhD, has received a two-year, approximately $162,000 National Cancer Institute grant to study a new combination approach to treat KRAS-mutated colorectal cancers.

People with Alzheimer’s disease are far less likely to develop cancer, and MUSC Hollings Cancer Center researchers may have uncovered a reason why. A protein that harms brain cells in Alzheimer’s disease appears to boost the immune system’s cancer-fighting power. By studying how this protein and a natural molecule called fumarate affect immune cell energy, the team discovered new ways to “recharge” aging immune cells. Their work could open the door to innovative therapies that not only fight cancer but also slow immune aging and possibly inform future treatments for Alzheimer’s.