Latest news
Deep-sea nodules harbour hidden animal communities threatened by mining
Polymetallic nodules are not just mineral-rich rocks on the deep seafloor. Researchers found that their cracks and cavities shelter distinct communities of tiny animals, raising concerns that deep-sea mining could permanently destroy habitats that take millions of years to form.
Long-term nitrogen fertilisation reshapes soil microbes and links to PAH fate
Long-term nitrogen fertilisation does more than change soil nutrients. A 15-year field study found that different application rates reshaped bacterial and fungal communities and altered their genetic potential for carbon, nitrogen and PAH metabolism, suggesting that fertiliser management and legacy pollution should be considered together.
‘Living medicine’ tackles drug-resistant biofilms growing on ventilation tubes
A ‘living medicine’ has thinned biofilms of antibiotic-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the lungs of pigs, a new study reveals. The experimental treatment involves inhaling a genetically modified bacterium designed to target layers of drug-resistant P. aeruginosa that grow on the surfaces of endotracheal tubes used in hospitals.
Little-known protein is a potential target for treating Chagas disease, study shows
Researchers have identified a protein that appears critical to the life cycle of Trypanosoma cruzi, the parasite that causes Chagas disease. Reducing production of IP6K impaired the parasite’s ability to develop into its infectious form inside human heart cells, highlighting a potential target for future treatments.
AMI President Professor Raquel Peixoto elected Fellow of The World Academy of Sciences
Applied Microbiology International (AMI) is delighted to announce that its President, Professor Raquel Peixoto, has been elected as a Fellow of The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), in recognition of her outstanding contributions to microbiology and marine conservation.
Dietary creatine shows little independent effect on the oral microbiome
Dietary creatine does not appear to have a meaningful independent effect on the oral microbiome. In a nationally representative study of more than 3,800 US adults, initial associations largely disappeared after researchers accounted for demographic factors and the wider diet.
Deep-sea nodules harbour hidden animal communities threatened by mining
Polymetallic nodules are not just mineral-rich rocks on the deep seafloor. Researchers found that their cracks and cavities shelter distinct communities of tiny animals, raising concerns that deep-sea mining could permanently destroy habitats that take millions of years to form.
Long-term nitrogen fertilisation reshapes soil microbes and links to PAH fate
Long-term nitrogen fertilisation does more than change soil nutrients. A 15-year field study found that different application rates reshaped bacterial and fungal communities and altered their genetic potential for carbon, nitrogen and PAH metabolism, suggesting that fertiliser management and legacy pollution should be considered together.
Little-known protein is a potential target for treating Chagas disease, study shows
Researchers have identified a protein that appears critical to the life cycle of Trypanosoma cruzi, the parasite that causes Chagas disease. Reducing production of IP6K impaired the parasite’s ability to develop into its infectious form inside human heart cells, highlighting a potential target for future treatments.
Perpetual Next signs agreement to accelerate the roll-out of standardized biomethanol plants
Perpetual Next have signed a License and Engineering Agreement with Air Liquide Engineering and Technologies for the supply of syngas-to-methanol technology for Perpetual Next’s first biomethanol facility, with an option to extend across other biomethanol sites.
AFYREN and Terrial renew their partnership for French-manufactured potash fertilizers
AFYREN and Terrial today announce the renewal of their strategic partnership with the signing of a new multi-year fertilizer supply contract, worth several tens of millions of euros This long-term contract strengthens both companies’ commitment to making French agriculture more sustainable and less dependent on international fertilizer markets.
Engineered Salmonella kills tumours. A salt-triggered gel keeps it from poisoning the mice
In mice with melanoma, the hydrogel matched free bacteria at shrinking tumours while cutting weight loss by 82% and reversing liver and spleen damage; it sets in seconds on sodium already present in the abdomen.
Tiny cracks and a nine-volt battery could help fight deadly superbugs
Scientists have uncovered an unlikely ally in the fight to prevent infections before they take hold. They have found that carefully controlled microscopic cracks can enhance the performance of an antibacterial coating, which helps destroy dangerous bacteria when activated with a small electrical charge.
AI tool CLARA accelerates the development of bioreactors
In large-scale industrial bioreactors, the smallest differences in temperature, pH value or oxygen content determine the success or failure of a process. Researchers have now presented the CLARA software toolbox, which can be used to simulate the processes in the reactors 10,000 times faster.
AMI President Professor Raquel Peixoto elected Fellow of The World Academy of Sciences
Applied Microbiology International (AMI) is delighted to announce that its President, Professor Raquel Peixoto, has been elected as a Fellow of The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), in recognition of her outstanding contributions to microbiology and marine conservation.
KAUST unveils landmark coral facility on the Red Sea, advancing Saudi scientific expertise and marine conservation
The KAUST Coral Restoration Initiative (KCRI) land-based nursery and research campus is now growing corals at scale. It is designed to produce up to 360,000 corals a year, to outplant more than two million corals across 100 hectares of reef at Shushah Island by 2030, and to establish a resilient reef ecosystem by 2040.
Ebola preparedness needs to move beyond a single virus species
Decades of Ebola preparedness have produced vaccines, diagnostics and treatments, but many were built primarily around Zaire ebolavirus. A new perspective argues that future preparedness should span the wider ebolavirus genus, combining broader diagnostics, multivalent vaccines, conserved therapeutic targets and continuous genomic surveillance.