Glutamine: why this amino acid matters for gut barrier integrity and the immune systemA study performed at Massachusetts General Hospital in 2021 found the link between intestinal permeability (aka ‘leaky gut’) and COVID-19 complications in children. Although SARS-CoV-2 infection is not serious for most children, there were rare cases who went on to develop a…
Spike protein and mast cell activation Perhaps one of the most puzzling aspects of COVID-19 is its dichotomy between asymptomatic/mild cases and an unusual (for a viral illness) hyper-inflammatory symptomatology of severe cases. Here, I would like to draw the connections between a triad of players, which may explain…
Welcome to Immunology for Daily Living!My generation of immunologists was taught that the immune system’s job is to react to foreign antigens and avoid reacting to self. And that’s basically it. For a long time, this outdated and utterly limited outlook has been creating a misperception that the utility of having an…
Vaccine Illusion Awareness MonthDid you know that this month marks a 10-year anniversary of my e-book Vaccine Illusion (published in February of 2012)? I wrote Vaccine Illusion to address a false belief that vaccination gives us immunity, where immunity implies being life-long and able to prevent infection and…
