ScienceAugust 9, 2026

priming

PRY-ming

Definition

The process of preparing a biological organism by exposing it to a stimulus so that it responds more effectively to a future, similar threat.

Etymology

Derived from the Middle English 'primen' and the Latin 'primus' (first), the term originally referred to filling a firearm with powder to prepare it for firing.

In the news

In this article, 'pathogen priming' describes a technique where corals are exposed to inactive pathogens to train their immune response, acting as a functional equivalent to a vaccine.

KAUST scientists discover corals can be trained to fight disease

Read the full article ↗

Arab News PK

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