A lot of nuggets in here that took persistence and hard work to figure out. Congratulations, Gretchen!🎉
How is immunological research transforming the fight against chronic disease? Join us on March 18 for a Congressional Briefing on the new era of autoimmune therapies. Learn how we’re closing the gap for 31M+ Americans living with autoimmunity: https://ow.ly/RJUn50YrwL8. #AAIadvocacy
This work is also important as it reveals that like BCL6, SIPR2 is expressed on activated B cells prior to GC entry and marks cells that will go on to become optimally responsive IgM+ MBCs. It also reveals that CD4-Cre BCL6-floxed CD4+ T cells are still capable of migrating to the T-B border. ⤵️
Herein, she reveals that the differentiation of these important memory B cells depends upon the expression of BCL6, but does not depend on BCL6-expressing Germinal Center T Follicular Helper cells, suggesting GC-independence. ⤵️
Take a deep breath.
A decade ago we showed that T-dependent IgM+ memory B cells (MBCs) that express CD80 and CD73 rapidly respond to a secondary Plasmodium infection (Krishnamurty, Immunity, 2016). Since then, post-doc Gretchen Harms Pritchard has been working out the cues that lead to the formation of these cells. ⤵️
1. #Measles update:
The total confirmed cases so far this year has risen to 1362 as of 3/12. Key context: The 2026 total to date is 60% of the 2025 total for the entire year.
#CDC reports that among cases with known vax status, 92% weren't vaxed.
There've been 14 new outbreaks this year.
1. Time for a #flu & #measles update.
Six more kids have died from flu, bringing the year-to-date total to 66. Sadly there will be more deaths reported but hopefully this year doesn't approach last year's dreadful pediatric death toll. #CDC estimates ~90% of these kids weren't vaccinated.
I am reviewing a simply amazing paper from a relatively young US-based lab, which is in danger of shutting its doors later this year. My emotions are all over the place.
The fact that this does not uniquely identify the lab I’m referring to just deepens the tragedy of this moment in US science.
1. #CDC posted new #flu data today. A 🧵
Another pediatric death was reported in the 2024-25 flu season, making it the deadliest flu season for kids since CDC started collecting this data point 20 years ago. 2024-25 has surpassed the 2009 H1N1 pandemic.
9 kids have died from flu so far this year.
