All McMaster University articles
-
NewsMissing gut bacteria may prevent some people with celiac disease from fully benefiting from high-fiber supplements or diets
Many people with celiac disease are advised to eat more fibre to support digestion and manage symptoms, either through diet or prescribed fibre supplements. New research shows that the benefits of that fibre may depend on whether the right bacteria are present in the gut to break it down.
-
NewsBacteria found in mouth and gut may help protect against severe peanut allergic reactions
One of the big mysteries in food allergy is why two people with similar levels of peanut specific antibodies can react so differently. A new study shows for the first time how gut bacteria break down parts of an allergenic food and influence how a person reacts to peanuts.
-
NewsResearchers solve mystery behind rare clotting after adenoviral vaccines or natural adenovirus infection
Scientists have uncovered why a small number of people developed dangerous blood clots after either receiving certain COVID‑19 vaccines or experiencing a natural adenovirus infection - the answer lies in an unexpected case of misdirected targeting by the immune system.
-
NewsWhat drives food allergies? New study pinpoints early-life factors that raise risk - including microbiome
A new study involving 2.8 million children around the world has revealed the most important early-life factors that influence whether a child becomes allergic to food. Genetics alone cannot fully explain food allergy trends, pointing to interactions between genes, skin health, the microbiome, and environmental exposures.
-
NewsWhy don’t antibiotic-making bacteria self-destruct?
Scientists discovered a promising new antibiotic in a soil sample. The molecule, lariocidin, is produced by the microbe Paenibacillus and shows broad activity against pathogenic bacteria. Now, the researchers report how Paenibacillus avoids harm by its own antibiotic.
-
NewsDiscovery could lead to new treatments for drug-resistant fungal infections
Researchers have identified a molecule that may help turn the tide on fungal infections — butyrolactol A, a chemical compound that targets a deadly, disease-causing fungi called Cryptococcus neoformans.
-
NewsNew antibiotic targets IBD — and AI predicted how it would work before scientists could prove it
The new antibiotic, enterololin, attacks and kills only a specific group of disease-causing bugs, which includes the type of E. coli that drives Crohn’s disease. It is a promising new treatment option for people affected by Crohn’s and other IBD-related conditions.
-
NewsResearchers discover all-new antifungal drug candidate in university greenhouse
A research team at McMaster University has discovered a new drug class that could someday lead to breakthrough treatments for dangerous fungal infections. The new molecules, dubbed coniotins, were isolated from a plant-dwelling fungus called Coniochaeta hoffmannii — the samples of which were collected from the McMaster ...
-
NewsTrapping gut bacteria’s hidden fuel improves blood sugar and liver health, study shows
Scientists have discovered a surprising new way to improve blood sugar levels and reduce liver damage: by trapping a little-known fuel made by gut bacteria before they wreak havoc on the body. It could open the door to new therapies to treat metabolic diseases.
-
NewsNature’s toolkit: Scientists breed mushrooms to build versatile natural substitutes for commonly used materials
Scientists have shown that natural genetic variations in a common species of mushroom can be used to create new strains capable of making customized, biodegradable replacements for fabric, plastic, packaging and other environmentally harmful materials.
-
NewsHow the plague bacillus became less virulent, prolonging the duration of two major pandemics
Scientists have discovered that the evolution of a gene in the bacterium that causes bubonic plague, Yersinia pestis, may have prolonged the duration of two major pandemics. Modifying the copy number of a specific virulence gene increases the length of infection.
-
NewsFungi dwelling on human skin may provide new antibiotics
Researchers have uncovered a molecule produced by yeast living on human skin that showed potent antimicrobial properties against a pathogen responsible for a half-million hospitalizations annually in the United States.
-
NewsBreakthrough as researchers discover new class of antibiotics
Researchers have identified a strong candidate to challenge even some of the most drug-resistant bacteria on the planet: a new molecule called lariocidin.
-
NewsMcMaster leads Canada’s first-ever guidelines for Post COVID-19 Condition
A team of experts from McMaster University has led the creation of Canada’s first-ever comprehensive guidelines for diagnosing, managing, preventing, and treating post COVID-19 condition (PCC), more commonly known as long COVID.
-
NewsInhaled COVID vaccine study begins recruitment for phase-2 human trials
Researchers have started a phase-2 clinical trial on a next-generation, inhaled COVID-19 vaccine. Findings from the phase-1 trial indicate that the vaccine is more effective at inducing immune responses than traditional injected vaccines are.
-
NewsOvercoming resistance: McMaster researchers find new utility for old antibiotics
In a recent study, researchers found that zinc plays a vital role in how some of the world’s most dangerous bacteria resist antibiotics.
-
NewsResearchers develop a simple lab-free test to detect bacteria in fluids from water to urine
A novel new test for bacteria in fluids makes it as easy as observing a colour change to confirm the presence of disease-causing pathogens, promising much easier diagnostic tests and greater food safety.
-
NewsBacteria and fungi found on bat wings that could help fight deadly white-nose syndrome
Bacteria and fungi from the wings of bats could play a significant role in saving them from white-nose syndrome (WNS), a fungal disease affecting the skin of wings and muzzle, which has nearly wiped out vulnerable bat populations across North America.
-
NewsMajor antimicrobial power boost as phages form into surprising flower shapes
Researchers treated bacteria-eating viruses so they could be viewed alive under an electron microscope and coaxed them to join together into flower-like shapes - discovering that this made them 100 times more efficient.
-
NewsResearchers develop a way to make lifesaving phages accessible, transportable and much easier to use
Researchers have developed a simple new way to store, identify, and share phages, making them more accessible to patients who need them.