All Harvard Medical School articles
-
NewsTeam simulates a living cell that grows and divides
By simulating the life cycle of a minimal bacterial cell — from DNA replication to protein translation to metabolism and cell division — scientists have opened a new frontier of computer vision into the essential processes of life.
-
NewsBiocodex Microbiota Foundation announces open call for projects for $50,000 2026 USA Microbiome Research Grant
The Biocodex Microbiota Foundation, an independent organization founded by Biocodex, has opened applications for its 2026 USA research grant. The $50,000 grant will be awarded to a U.S.-based investigator studying the gut microbiota and its relationship to human health and disease.
-
NewsHow genes influence the microbes in our mouths
A new study has found human genetic factors that influence the oral microbiome and may increase risk of cavities and tooth loss in some people. Analysis of the now largest collection of oral microbiome profiles reveals interactions between human and bacterial DNA.
-
NewsResearchers subvert plasmids to combat antibiotic resistance
Scientists have devised a way to track the evolution and spread of antibiotic resistance in individual bacteria by measuring competition among plasmids. Plasmids evolve independently but also help drive bacterial evolution, including the development of resistance to antimicrobial compounds. They are the primary way that resistance can jump from one type of bacteria to another.
-
NewsScientists develop novel gene therapy for hereditary hearing loss
Scientists have introduced an innovative gene therapy method to treat impairments in hearing and balance caused by inner ear dysfunction. The treatment holds promise for treating a wide range of mutations that cause hearing loss.
-
NewsUnlocking the hidden patterns of the gut microbiome with association rule mining
A new study introduces Association Rule Mining (ARM) as a powerful tool to uncover higher-order microbial interactions. The data mining technique allows researchers to identify frequent microbial patterns and their potential health implications.
-
NewsEconomically disadvantaged patients at greater risk for long COVID
A study found that people with social risk factors including economic instability and food insecurity at the time of COVID-19 infection were at greater risk for long COVID.
-
NewsIn hard-to-treat form of tuberculosis, shorter, gentler therapy shows unequal benefit
A first-ever clinical trial exclusively conducted among people with a hard-to-treat form of tuberculosis known as pre-extensively drug-resistant TB shows many patients benefit from shorter, simpler regimens.
-
NewsNew research reveals how octopus uses arms to sense chemical clues from microbes
A new study reveals what the octopus is feeling when it ‘tastes’ the seafloor— biochemical information from the microbial world. The animal uses its arms to determine whether prey is safe to eat or whether unhealthy eggs should be ejected from the nest.
-
NewsPredictive AI model can help build vaccines for future versions of a virus
Researchers have created an AI tool called EVE-Vax that can predict and design viral proteins likely to emerge in the future. For SARS-CoV-2, panels of these “designer” proteins triggered similar immune responses as real-life viral proteins that emerged during the pandemic.
-
NewsMolecules that fight infection also act on the brain, inducing anxiety or sociability
New research on a cytokine called IL-17 adds to growing evidence that immune molecules can influence behavior during illness.
-
NewsHow a small number of mutations can fuel outbreaks of western equine encephalitis virus
New research shows how small shifts in the molecular makeup of a virus can profoundly alter its fate. These shifts could turn a deadly pathogen into a harmless bug or supercharge a relatively benign virus, influencing its ability to infect humans.
-
NewsA surprising link between Crohn’s disease and the Epstein-Barr virus
A longitudinal study has revealed strong and surprising evidence showing that exposure to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) can lead to a higher risk of Crohn’s disease. Researchers are now trying to find out the mechanistic actions in their associations.
-
NewsNeonatal HSV infections may lead to long-term cognitive impairment
A study has demonstrated that maternal vaccination against herpes simplex virus (HSV) could ameliorate neurological impairment from infected offspring in mice, providing insights for human clinical trials and other neurodegenerative disorders.
-
NewsStudy finds three new safe, effective ways to treat drug-resistant tuberculosis
An international clinical trial has found three new safe and effective drug regimens for tuberculosis that is resistant to rifampin, the most effective of the first-line antibiotics used to treat TB.
-
NewsScientists uncover structure of critical component in deadly Nipah virus
Through the structural and functional study of the deadly Nipah virus, a research team has identified a crucial viral component, viral polymerase complex, within its multiplication machinery, with which a part of the enzyme could potentially serve as a therapeutic target.
-
NewsResearchers develops metagenomic profiling method
Researchers have developed a new k-mer sketching metagenomic profiler, called sylph, that allows scientists to analyze genomic data more quickly and precisely than other profilers.
-
NewsNewly discovered cyanobacteria could help sequester carbon from oceans and factories
Strains specialized to live in high-CO2 oceanic environments have evolved traits that are useful for decarbonization and bioproduction.
-
NewsStudy reveals the hidden complexity of bacterial biofilms
Research reveals insights into the development of bacterial biofilms, highlighting how these communities adapt to environmental stress through complex interactions between physical and biological processes occurring in the surrounding environment.
-
NewsCan a drug-free nasal spray protect against deadly respiratory infections?
A novel nasal spray for preventing respiratory infections works by forming a protective coating on the nasal cavity, which captures airborne respiratory droplets and acts as a physical barrier against viruses and bacteria, while effectively neutralizing them.