Immunology Explained

10/08/2026

We are excited to be participating in the Autoimmune Community Summit organized by Autoimmune Association. This free, virtual event brings together leading experts, researchers, clinicians, patient advocates, and fellow community members to deliver trusted information, practical tools, and meaningful support, all in one convenient place.

Dr. Edward Doherty, an immunologist at Yale University, School of Medicine, who studies the immune system and its role in autoimmune disease will be there on October 14 from 11:00am-4:00pm ET to answer your questions. Will we see you there?

Register at https://autoimmune.org/resource-center/autoimmune-summit/.

10/07/2026

CAR-T cell therapy has been a game-changer for patients with blood cancers, helping many achieve long-lasting remission. So, scientists have been researching how this therapy could be applied to other cancers and autoimmune diseases. Unfortunately, this research has revealed some serious adverse events that are making headlines lately. Understanding these side-effects is important for scientists as they continue to research how CAR-T cell therapy can be used beyond blood cancers.

To learn more about cancer research, autoimmune disease, and immunotherapy, visit ImmunologyExplained.org

10/06/2026

What is immune memory? When your body sees a virus or bacteria for the first time, your immune system has to study it, recognize it, and build a response. During this response, some immune cells become memory cells. Kannan explains how it all works in 60 seconds! To learn more about how the immune system works, visit ImmunologyExplained.org

10/01/2026

In the latest installment of our Understanding Autoimmunity series, immunologist and science communicator Dr. shares her personal experience living with Crohn's disease, an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that affects millions worldwide.

Her story is a powerful reminder that behind every diagnosis is a person navigating challenges that are often invisible to others.

Want to learn more about the science behind Crohn's disease and how the immune system contributes to it?

Read the full article here: https://immunologyexplained.aai.org/news/the-invisible-battle-within-crohns-disease-explained/

10/01/2026

Dr. Gordon explains how she can develop mouse models to look directly at whether different immune signals cause Sjogren's disease. This kind of research is key to understanding the disease and developing more targeted treatments. to when we presented at the Virtual Sjogren's Summit by Kara Wada MD .

To learn more about Sjogren's and the Immune System, visit ImmunologyExplained.org.

09/29/2026

What is inflammation? And is inflammation good or bad? Inflammation is the immune system's response to infection, injury, or damage. Short-term inflammation can protect you. But if inflammation lasts too long or happens when it should not, it can damage healthy tissue. This kind of long-term inflammation is linked to many diseases.

To learn more about how the immune system impacts all aspects of health, visit the link in ImmunologyExplained.org.



Video contains AI-generated content for concept and visual use.

09/28/2026

This is why immunologists do what they do—to find new cures and treatments that help people like Sean Terwilliger. Immunology research helps increase our understanding of disease in ways that are changing outcomes for patients with Alzheimer’s disease.

Immunology Explained is developed by the The American Association of Immunologists - AAI and their expert members to connect immunology to overall health—including Alzheimer’s disease. To learn more, visit the link in bio.

UsAgainstAlzheimer’s

09/24/2026

September is prostate cancer awareness month. Thanks to immunology research, prostate cancer was the first cancer to be treated with a cancer vaccine. This vaccine uses a patient’s own immune cells, collected and modified in a lab to better recognize prostate cancer. Immunology research is continuing to improve our understanding of prostate cancer and all cancers.

To learn more, visit ImmunologyExplained.org

09/22/2026

What is an antigen-presenting cell or APC? APCs are cells that act like messengers. They capture small pieces of germs and show those pieces to immune cells called T cells so the body can recognize and fight infections. To learn more about how the immune system works, visit ImmunologyExplained.org

09/16/2026

Most of us think of antibodies as the immune system's protectors. They help defend us against infections by recognizing and targeting harmful invaders.

But in lupus, some antibodies mistakenly target the body's own molecules. These autoantibodies are produced by B cells that have escaped the normal safeguards that usually prevent the immune system from attacking itself.

In our latest article, we explore:
✅ How B cells normally protect us
✅ Why some B cells become "rogue" in lupus
✅ How autoantibodies contribute to inflammation and organ damage
✅ How researchers are developing therapies that target harmful B cells while preserving healthy immune defenses

Read the full article: https://immunologyexplained.aai.org/news/b-cells-gone-rogue-how-autoantibodies-develop-in-lupus/

In lupus, some antibodies do something very different: they recognize the body’s own molecules. These are called autoantibodies.