Viruses found in Antarctic air, including some new to science
It may seem stark and lifeless, but the air around the remote sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia contains viruses, including some that are new to science. Using metagenomics, researchers discovered that South Georgia harbours a diverse and dynamic airborne viral community.
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Clinical considerations for the next pandemic: challenges facing Japan and strategic preparedness
Multiple global pandemics over the past century – the Spanish influenza (1918), Asian influenza (1957), Hong Kong influenza (1968), H1N1 influenza (2009), and COVID‑19 (since 2019) – have increasingly underscored the necessity for healthcare systems worldwide to be resilient, rapidly responsive, and forward‑facing.
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Clear but not clean: the hidden life of drinking water in Nigeria
In many communities across Nigeria, clear water is assumed to be safe. Transparency, both literal and visual, has become shorthand for purity. My recent research in Ede, southwestern Nigeria, began with a simple but uncomfortable question: what are people actually drinking?
Can we make a vaccine against the next Disease X in 100 days?
The COVID-19 pandemic was one of the deadliest events in modern history. Estimated to have killed over 25 million people worldwide and caused trillions of dollars in economic damage, the devastation caused by this virus was both astronomical and unforgettable.
A journey to run a polymerase chain reaction in the kitchen
Did you know an air fryer can thermocycle?
Under the Lens video series
The Microbiologist: Under the Lens | Episode 3
Is raw milk safe to drink? Prof Emmanuel Adukwu is joined by Prof Nicola Holden and Dr Gil Domingue for a conversation on the societal, scientific, and health implications of this pertinent question.
The Microbiologist: Under the Lens | Episode 2
In our second episode, Dr Callum Cooper joins Professor Emmanuel Adukwu to talk about all things bacteriophage, from alternatives to antibiotics, social impact, and regulation.
The Microbiologist: Under the Lens | Episode 1
In our first episode, Professor Raquel Peixoto joins Professor Jack Gilbert for a deep dive into coral reefs, microbes, and the future of our planet.
The Microbiologist: Under the Lens | Episode 3
The Microbiologist: Under the Lens | Episode 2
The Microbiologist: Under the Lens | Episode 1
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Why chromogenic media matters when testing for invasive pathogens: Could the cheapest plate be an expensive decision?
Chris Armstrong, President of Microbiology, Thermo Fisher Scientific, argues that laboratories should stop judging fungal culture media on unit price alone.
Disease X and the limits of voluntary multilateralism
Disease X is less a biological uncertainty than a governance stress test. The real question is whether the WHO Pandemic Agreement has corrected the failures exposed during COVID-19.
Listeria: the inconvenient truth that shaped our industry
Director General of the Chilled Food Association, Karin Goodburn MBE, who sits on AMI’s Food Security Advisory Group, reveals why the publication of new Listeria guidance for the UK food industry is regarded as a landmark moment.
Life is a rollercoaster: AMI Global Ambassador Chris Greening opens up on his ADHD journey
It can be the quiet moments that give you time to pause, ponder and sort through your tangled thoughts. For Professor Chris Greening, that moment came during a long bike ride last August that led to a ‘classic ADHD moment’.
Introducing AMI’s Diversity & Inclusion Strategy
Just over a month ago, AMI launched its first Diversity & Inclusion Strategy — the culmination of almost two years spent brainstorming, drafting, discussing, editing, and reviewing our role, responsibility, and ambitions within this vital space. Now that our strategy is live and visible to all, we’re proud to share the vision we’ve been building behind the scenes.
Summer Studentship: novel antivirals and host-virus interactions
Jessica Harris reports back on her Summer Studentship at De Montfort University, and her research into how plant-derived compounds affect viruses, and whether combining these antivirals might increase viral inhibition.
Engineered dual-bacterial sensors turn chemical signals into electricity
Most bacterial information transmission is done via electricity. While electricity-emitting bacteria exist, manipulating them into useful sensors has been quite challenging. Researchers recently developed a flexible bioelectrical sensor system called electroactive co-culture sensing system.
Sleep deprivation disrupts gut microbiota, worsening colorectal cancer outcomes
Researchers have found that the gut microbiota drives changes to the immune system caused by chronic sleep loss. These changes promote cancer progression, disrupt circadian rhythm and weaken the effectiveness of chemotherapy.
Antibiotic resistance genes found in newborns within hours of birth, study shows
Antibiotic resistance genes can be present in newborns within the first hours of life. The study analysed meconium samples from 105 infants admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) within the first 72 hours of life between July 2024 and July 2025.
Food security
Graphitized biochar rewires soil microbes to accelerate pollutant breakdown in rice paddies
A new study reveals that a specially engineered form of biochar can dramatically enhance the natural ability of soil microbes to break down pollutants in rice paddies, offering a promising strategy for cleaner and more sustainable agriculture.
Clean Water
Engineered dual-bacterial sensors turn chemical signals into electricity
Most bacterial information transmission is done via electricity. While electricity-emitting bacteria exist, manipulating them into useful sensors has been quite challenging. Researchers recently developed a flexible bioelectrical sensor system called electroactive co-culture sensing system.
Andes volcanoes – the missing link between algae blooms, whales and climate millions of years ago
Record volcanic eruptions in the Andes could explain the mysterious death of dozens of whales about 5 to 8 million years ago, according to a study. A significant increase in volcanic activity in the Andes peaking between eight and four million years ago likely delivered a significant pulse of nutrients to the Southern Ocean.
