All Harvard University articles
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NewsRule-breaking tuberculosis bacteria challenge growth norms
The rod-shaped tuberculosis (TB) bacterium is the first single-celled organism ever observed to maintain a consistent growth rate throughout its life cycle, a new study reports, hinting at why the pathogen so readily outmaneuvers our immune system and antibiotics.
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NewsClimate change responsible for 19% of today’s rising dengue burden - but Wolbachia offers hope
Climate change is having a massive global impact on dengue transmission, accounting for 19% of the current dengue burden, with a potential to spark an additional 40%-60% spike by 2050 — and by as much as 150%-200% in some areas.
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NewsMicrobes: atmospheric methane increase during pandemic due primarily to wetland flooding
A new analysis of satellite data finds that the record surge in atmospheric methane emissions from 2020 to 2022 was driven by increased inundation and water storage in wetlands, combined with a slight decrease in atmospheric hydroxide (OH).
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NewsWyss Institute selected to develop biologically engineered broad-spectrum antimicrobial therapeutic
The Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University received a contract for up to $12M from the new SHIELD program which aims to develop a prophylactic treatment that can rapidly clear multiple bloodborne bacterial and fungal pathogens.
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NewsStudy identifies protein that helps COVID-19 virus evade immune system
Discovery of a new viral evasion mechanism, and of a monoclonal antibody that subverts it, is an advance in immunotherapy that offers the prospect of effective host-directed treatment to combat infections.
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NewsGenome research reveals the global march of malaria
Researchers have reconstructed ancient Plasmodium genome-wide data from 36 malaria-infected individuals spanning 5,500 years of human history on five continents, reconstructing the worldwide spread of malaria and its historical impact.
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NewsHuman cervix modeled in microfluidic organ chip helps target bacterial vaginosis
Engineered cervix with in vivo-like mucus production, hormone sensitivity, and associated microbiome creates novel testbed for bacterial vaginosis therapeutics and other treatments.
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NewsMimicking infection in pregnant mice provokes persistent changes in juvenile brains
No parent wants to risk their child having a serious infection, least of all while still in the womb, but did you know that the immune response to a viral infection during pregnancy could also affect the development of the unborn offspring? Scientists from Harvard University in ...
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NewsMarine plankton behaviour could predict future marine extinctions, study finds
Marine communities migrated to Antarctica during the Earth’s warmest period in 66 million years long before a mass-extinction event.
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NewsFermentation may have driven human brain evolution
While some have theorized that the use of fire and the invention of cooking gave our ancestors enough nourishment for our larger-brained ancestors to become dominant, a new theory points to a different spark - fermentation.
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NewsMicrobes in gastrointestinal tracts may foretell Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s
Researchers have found that healthy, anti-inflammatory gut bacteria are less abundant among people who are diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
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NewsGermicidal UV lights could be producing indoor air pollutants, study finds
While useful for killing pathogens including SARS-CoV-2, the lights may cause unwanted chemical reactions and should be used with ventilation, researchers say.
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NewsResearchers track yeast population dynamics in fuel bioethanol production
Despite the presence of invasive strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, all of them belong to the ethanol fermentation environment, keeping the industrial process stable, a new study reveals.
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NewsPuppeteer fungus directs ‘summiting’ of zombie flies
Scientists have uncovered the molecular and cellular underpinnings behind the ability of the parasitic fungus Entomophthora muscae’s ability to manipulate the behaviour of fruit flies.
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NewsMicrobes that “eat together” may benefit from a shared immunological memory
A new study examines viruses that infect microbes in the deep sea and finds evidence that viruses interact with a far more diverse set of hosts than was previously thought.
