All Middle East & Africa articles
-
NewsAfrican wildlife poop sheds light on what shapes the gut ecosystem
A study of elephants, giraffes and other wildlife in Namibia’s Etosha National Park underscores the ways in which the environment, biological sex, and anatomical distinctions can drive variation in the gut microbiomes across plant-eating species.
-
NewsIUCN members choose science and ethics in landmark vote on synthetic biology
The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) has hailed the adoption of Motion 87, supporting the responsible, evidence-based use of synthetic biology, at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi as a historic milestone for global conservation policy.
-
NewsResearchers probe how malaria harms unborn babies
UK-based Wellcome has awarded over €2 million to an international research effort to uncover how malaria can injure developing babies.
-
NewsFreshwater snails are an overlooked reservoir of AMR, study reveals
Freshwater snails across Africa and the UK carry bacteria containing a wide range of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes, including those predicted to confer resistance against last-resort antibiotics, according to a new study led by AMI members.
-
NewsMaldives is first country to achieve ‘triple elimination’ of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, syphilis and hepatitis B
The World Health Organization has validated the Maldives for eliminating mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B, while maintaining its earlier validation for EMTCT of HIV and syphilis. This makes the Maldives the first country in the world to achieve ‘triple elimination’.
-
NewsScientist awarded $5 million to improve mental health and HIV care for adolescents in Uganda
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded Dr. Philip Kreniske $5,115,391 for a groundbreaking research project to improve mental health and antiretroviral treatment adherence among adolescents living with HIV in rural Uganda.
-
NewsNew one-hour, low-cost HPV test could transform cervical cancer screening in Africa and beyond
A team of researchers has developed a simple, affordable human papillomavirus (HPV) test that delivers results in less than an hour with no specialized laboratory required.
-
NewsGlobal Virus Network launches multi-country mpox diagnostic evaluation to close global preparedness gaps
The Global Virus Network has initiated one of the first coordinated, multi-country evaluations of rapid point-of-care mpox diagnostics, a critical step to prevent resurgence and ensure the world is better prepared for future epidemics.
-
NewsStudy models how human behavior, lockdowns and restrictions shaped COVID’s spread
Researchers employed computer modeling and large datasets to better understand how COVID-19 was transmitted in one community in South Africa during the course of the worldwide pandemic.
-
News NIH grant to UC Riverside supports research on dangerous emerging virus
Researchers have been awarded an NIH grant of about $3.4 million over five years to lead an international study focused on developing protective antibodies against Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV), a biosafety level 4 pathogen and a Category A bioterrorism agent.
-
FeaturesEnhancing Nigerian fermented foods for nutrition, health and sustainability
Fermented foods are integral to Nigerian cuisine and culture, providing sustenance, health benefits, and cultural heritage. These foods owe their unique flavours, textures, and health benefits to fermentation, a process driven by a diverse community of microorganisms, including bacteria, yeasts, and moulds.
-
NewsCholera vaccination campaign launched in Darfur to protect over 1.8 million people
A cholera vaccination campaign kicked off on 21 September 2025 in South Darfur, marking the start of a campaign that aims to reach 1.86 million people aged one year and older with oral vaccines in response to the ongoing outbreak.
-
NewsGulf of Aqaba corals survive record-breaking heatwaves, offering hope amid global coral crisis
A new study reveals that corals in the Gulf of Aqaba have withstood four consecutive and intensifying marine heatwaves, including the world’s most extreme 2024 event, without suffering mass bleaching — a resilience unmatched elsewhere.
-
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.
-
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.
-
NewsCoral-inspired pill offers a new window into the hidden world of the gut
Marine corals have evolved intricate, porous structures that shelter diverse microbial communities. Researchers have borrowed this biological blueprint to create an ingestible pill that can sample bacteria from one of the most inaccessible regions of the human body: the small intestine.
-
NewsDesert soils emit greenhouse gases in minutes — even without live microbes
A groundbreaking study reveals that desert soils can emit powerful greenhouse gases within minutes of being wetted—even in the absence of microbial life. It challenges long-standing assumptions that soil microbes are solely responsible for post-rain “pulse emissions” of gases like carbon dioxide (CO₂), nitrous oxide (N₂O), and nitric oxide (NO).
-
NewsUnder The Lens: Raquel Peixoto reveals how tourists armed with probiotics could save world’s coral reefs
A fascinating conversation between Applied Microbiology International President Professor Jack Gilbert and Professor Raquel Peixoto examines how understanding and leveraging coral microbiomes is leading to innovative probiotic solutions to boost coral resilience.
-
NewsBacteria survive dust storms and introduce new genetic traits into our air
Bacterial communities carried from Africa to Israel survive their airborne journey, arriving with genes that may affect human health and the environment, a new study reveals.
-
NewsNext-generation ‘molecular scissors’ may offer hope for chronic hepatitis B sufferers
Researchers have developed engineered precision ’molecular scissors’ that can permanently disable the genetic blueprint of the hepatitis B virus (HBV). The approach directly targets covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA), the stubborn viral reservoir.