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Re-Engineering the Immune System

Posted by kdawson on from the immunity-two-point-oh dept.

destinyland notes a microbiology professor describing "Immunity on Demand" (or "Immunity 2.0") and wonders whether we could genetically engineer all the antibodies we need. "...there's a good chance this system, or something like it, will actually be in place within decades. Caltech scientists have already engineered stem cells into B cells that produce HIV-fighting antibodies — and an NIH researcher engineered T cells that recognize tumors which has already had promising clinical trials again skin cancer. Our best hope may be to cut out the middleman. Rather than merely hoping that the vaccine will indirectly lead to the antibody an individual needs, imagine if we could genetically engineer these antibodies and make them available as needed?"

4 of 175 comments (clear)

  1. Re:I was under the impression by Rene+S.+Hollan · · Score: 1, Offtopic

    replying because of a wrong mod. Meant Informative, NOT Funny

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    In Liberty, Rene
  2. Re:I was under the impression by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    replying because of a wrong mod. Meant Informative, NOT Funny

    Not trying to be a jerk, but you could of just added to the conversation instead of adding to the clutter.

  3. Re:Hey, awesome... by NiteShaed · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    I wish I had mod points. I'm glad I don't though, because I'd really be torn between "Funny" and "Insightful"......

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    Some bring out the best in others, some the worst. Some bring out far more.
  4. Re:I was under the impression by Thiez · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    > It would be nice is Slashdot had an "undo mod" option, so one could remod. Make it cost something, so people don't change their mods willy-nilly, like the mod point you set incorrectly in the first place.

    Maybe if the undo would have to be done within 5 minutes and you would still lose the modpoint? That sounds reasonable.

    > Clutter? About as much as "MOD THIS UP!" I suppose, which isn't exactly worthless.

    Actually, I always slap those with '-1 offtopic', which means the chance that I'll have modpoints left for the post they responded to goes down. Of course the exact same thing will happen to this post (but the knowledge that this one contains more content than "MOD THIS UP!" will help me sleep tonight ;)).