All articles by Linda Stewart
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NewsStudy finds ticks carrying Lyme disease moving into western NC
A new surveillance study reveals that the primary vector of the bacteria that cause Lyme disease, the blacklegged tick, has been spreading into areas previously considered low risk.
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NewsHPV integration: Moving from carcinogenesis mechanisms to clinical applications
The clinical significance of HPV integration into the host genome is substantial, particularly in cervical cancer screening programs. Integration testing has emerged as a valuable triage tool for detecting high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN III+).
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NewsIn the wild, chimpanzees likely ingest the equivalent of several alcoholic drinks every day
The first-ever measurements of the ethanol content of fruits available to chimpanzees in their native African habitat show that the animals could easily consume the equivalent of more than two standard alcoholic drinks each day.
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NewsScientists identify four ways our bodies respond to COVID-19 vaccines
Researchers tracked individuals’ antibody levels after vaccinations and identified four distinct patterns of immune response after the first booster, suggesting that monitoring how antibody levels change over time could assist in identifying individuals at greater risk of infection.
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NewsResearchers find a more precise way to edit the genome
A genome-editing technique known as prime editing holds potential for treating many diseases. However, the process carries a small chance of inserting errors that could be harmful - but researchers have now found a way to dramatically lower the error rate.
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NewsCoral reefs set to stop growing as climate warms, scientists warn
Most coral reefs will soon stop growing and may begin to erode – and almost all will do so if global warming hits 2°C, according to a new study in the western Atlantic.
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NewsDisease experts upgrade sentinel chicken system to create forecast for West Nile virus
An interdisciplinary team of experts have created a statistical model that accurately predicts the activity of West Nile virus in an area up to six months in advance. The model was trained using two decades of sentinel chicken data.
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NewsHow HIV enters the genome – researchers identify previously unknown mechanism
Researchers have decoded a previously unknown mechanism by which HIV-1 selects its integration targets in the human genome. A research team identified RNA:DNA hybrids (R-loops) as molecular signposts for the virus.
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NewsResearch reveals tropical rainforest soils may fuel climate change as the Earth warms
A new study suggests the Earth’s own tropical soils may contribute to climate change as global warming continues, releasing vast amounts of carbon dioxide (CO₂) as they warm and potentially accelerating a dangerous feedback loop.
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NewsWarming temps alone fail to trigger increased CO2 levels from soil
A study examining the effects of higher temperatures on soil shows that warming alone does not increase levels of carbon dioxide emitted from the soil. Instead, higher temperatures combined with more added carbon led to higher carbon dioxide levels released from the soil.
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NewsTargeted delivery of microRNA sponge short-hairpin RNA via VIR-inspired biotechnical vector
The Vir-inspired Biotechnical Vector (VIBV) is a novel hybrid platform that combines viral and non-viral elements with nanotechnology to enable personalized, tumor-specific gene therapy.
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NewsAI-powered CRISPR could lead to faster gene therapies, study finds
A new AI tool can help scientists better plan gene-editing experiments. CRISPR-GPT acts as a gene-editing “copilot” supported by AI to help researchers — even those unfamiliar with gene editing — generate designs, analyze data and troubleshoot design flaws.
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NewsNew CRISPR test could make tuberculosis screening as simple as a mouth swab
Researchers have developed an enhanced CRISPR-based tuberculosis test that works with a simple tongue swab, a potential breakthrough that could allow easier, community-based screenings for the world’s deadliest infectious disease.
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NewsClass of 25: Letters in Applied Microbiology’s first Junior Editors pass with flying colours
Applied Microbiology International’s first ever cohort of Junior Editors completed their two-year training programme on August 31 - and have passed with flying colours.
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NewsMicrobiotica announces completion of recruitment in its international phase 1b trial of microbiome co-therapy
Microbiotica, a clinical-stage biopharma company developing a pipeline of oral precision microbiome medicines called live biotherapeutic products (LBPs), announces that patient recruitment is complete in its advanced melanoma (MELODY-1) trial.
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NewsBout of cystitis may signal presence of urogenital cancers in middle-aged adults
A bout of the common bladder infection, cystitis, may signal the presence of urogenital cancers—which affect parts of the body involved in reproduction and excretion—in middle aged adults, suggests research. The risks seem to be especially high within 3 months of infection.
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NewsCan microbes be the good guys? New study reveals Hollywood’s blind spot
A new review shows how films — from French Kiss to The Martian — highlight microbes as allies in food, medicine, and even space exploration.
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NewsBlueberries can improve infants’ immunity and gut health, study finds
Feeding blueberries to infants as one of their first solid foods may help strengthen their immune systems, reduce allergy symptoms and support healthy gut development, according to new research.
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NewsScientists can decode wildlife movement to predict the next pandemic
By equipping wildlife with biologging devices that track movement and behavior in near-real-time, researchers can detect early signs of illness, monitor disease spread, and inform public health interventions before outbreaks reach crisis levels.
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NewsHerbs hit the sweet spot to extend shelf life of popular global drink
A team of food scientists has discovered a natural way to significantly extend the shelf life of sugarcane juice. By adding microwave-dried extracts of mint and coriander to the juice in the production process, its shelf life can be extended from three days up to 14 days.