Chronic diseases exhaust the body’s CD8 T cells, weakening their ability to fight infections and cancer. This research identifies CD7 as a key driver of T-cell exhaustion. Removing CD7 keeps T cells active, boosts cytokine production, and improves control of tumors and viruses—offering a promising new immunotherapy target.

This research introduces a computational method that detects up to one trillion RNA viruses hidden in standard RNA-sequencing data. By targeting protein signatures shared across all RNA viruses, the approach reveals viral RNA that previously went unnoticed. This enables large-scale viral discovery, tracking, and potential breakthroughs in understanding disease mechanisms.