Latest news
Gut health home-testing kit outcomes vary between kits and manufacturers
Results and health assessments from gut microbiome home-testing kits vary whether they are produced by the same or different manufacturers. The findings on testing kits from seven providers highlight the need for caution when interpreting or acting on test results, according to the authors.
Source or sink? Trees with heart rot disease emit more methane, upending forest carbon models
New research suggests that upland forests harboring trees with a common and incurable fungal disease known as heart rot could actually be emitting more methane than they take in, therefore releasing more greenhouse gases than previously thought.
People’s gut bacteria worse in areas with higher social deprivation
Living in a poorer neighbourhood in the UK could impact the make-up of your gut microbiome, potentially leading to worse health. New research found that people living in areas of higher social deprivation have a less diverse range of bacteria in their gut.
Will melting glaciers slow climate change? A prevailing theory is on shaky ground
In what researchers describe as the most accurate measurement of iron inputs from a glacier in Antarctica, marine scientists have discovered that meltwater from an Antarctic ice shelf supplies far less iron to surrounding waters than once thought.
How recycled sewage could make the moon or Mars suitable for growing crops
Scientists are investigating how a solution of recycled sewage interacts with simulated lunar and Martian regolith to see if the result provides a suitable medium to grow crops. Bioregenerative life support systems consist of a series of bioreactors and filters that transform sewage into a nutrient-dense solution.
Scientists identify key protein that stops malaria parasite growth
An international team of scientists have identified a unique protein essential for the malaria parasite’s survival and transmission. Aurora-related kinase 1 (ARK1) acts as a ‘traffic controller’ during the parasite’s unusual cell division and growth process.
Gut health home-testing kit outcomes vary between kits and manufacturers
Results and health assessments from gut microbiome home-testing kits vary whether they are produced by the same or different manufacturers. The findings on testing kits from seven providers highlight the need for caution when interpreting or acting on test results, according to the authors.
Source or sink? Trees with heart rot disease emit more methane, upending forest carbon models
New research suggests that upland forests harboring trees with a common and incurable fungal disease known as heart rot could actually be emitting more methane than they take in, therefore releasing more greenhouse gases than previously thought.
People’s gut bacteria worse in areas with higher social deprivation
Living in a poorer neighbourhood in the UK could impact the make-up of your gut microbiome, potentially leading to worse health. New research found that people living in areas of higher social deprivation have a less diverse range of bacteria in their gut.
Huayunuo approval positions China at forefront of viral hepatitis innovation, says GlobalData
Huahui Health has recently secured conditional approval from China for Huayunuo (Libevitug Injection), marking it as the first domestically developed monoclonal antibody (mAb) drug for chronic hepatitis D virus (HDV) infection in adults with or without compensated cirrhosis.
Scaling up: Fungus plays key role in crafting spalted wood
A new standardized, scalable process deploys a fungal pest of deciduous trees to create a unique woodworking product - spalted wood, with its distinctive etched black markings.
Valneva provides update on recommendations for use of IXCHIQ® in UK
Valneva SE has announced that following a review of the benefits and risks of the Company’s single-dose chikungunya vaccine, IXCHIQ® , the United Kingdom’s (UK) Commission on Human Medicines (CHM) has updated its recommendations for use of the vaccine.
Self-repairing biohybrid system uses sunlight to purify uranium-contaminated water
The efficiency of microbial remediation technologies is often limited by the slow electron transfer rate of microorganisms themselves. Scientists have successfully constructed a novel, self-regenerating “bacteria-mineral” biohybrid system that can utilize light like a solar cell, greatly enhancing the purification efficiency of uranium pollution.
Researchers engineer bacteria capable of consuming tumours from the inside out
A research team is developing a novel tool to treat cancer by engineering hungry bacteria to literally eat tumours from the inside out. They added a gene to the organism from a related bacterium that can better tolerate oxygen and found a way to activate the oxygen-resistant gene at just the right time.
New single-cell transcriptomic clock reveals intrinsic and systemic T cell aging in COVID-19 and HIV
Scientists developed a new single-cell transcriptomic clock called T immune cell transcriptomic clock (Tictock) to measure aging in specific immune cells. They found that in patients with acute Covid-19, the infection increased the biological age of naïve CD8 T cells.
Three women named Britain’s Brightest Young Scientists, each winning ‘unrestricted’ £100,000 Blavatnik Awards prize
The Blavatnik Family Foundation and The New York Academy of Sciences has announced the three 2026 Laureates of the Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists in the United Kingdom, who each receive £100,000 – the nation’s largest unrestricted prize for science.
Biocodex Microbiota Foundation announces open call for projects for $50,000 2026 USA Microbiome Research Grant
The Biocodex Microbiota Foundation, an independent organization founded by Biocodex, has opened applications for its 2026 USA research grant. The $50,000 grant will be awarded to a U.S.-based investigator studying the gut microbiota and its relationship to human health and disease.
World Water Day 2026: Book your free place on our Gender Equality and Water webinar
Applied Microbiology International will hold a free webinar on ‘Gender Equality and Water’ to mark World Water Day 2026 - March 18 2026. We’ll be joined by Professor Jiménez Cisneros, an expert in water management, sanitation and sustainable development, and Professor Lyla Mehta, an expert on water, sanitation, gender and development.