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Opinion
A pivotal moment for cultivated meat
Across Europe, concerns are being raised about the potential dangers of a burgeoning technology that allows scientists to grow animal tissue, without the need for slaughter, as Jake Bell explains.
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Opinion
Antimicrobial chemotherapy - which direction now?
The answer to antimicrobial resistance might not be the continual discovery of new antibiotics - but judicious use of the antibiotics and insights into antibiotic producing organisms we have already discovered.
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Opinion
Bacterial pathogens are like cancer, and should be treated as such – with precision
What lessons can be learned about AMR from the development of cancer treatments?
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Opinion
Temper the hype of human microbiome studies
As biotechnology has evolved, our understanding of the microbiome has also increased. However, there are still many unknowns and prevailing misconceptions awaiting further exploration.
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Opinion
Is climate change driving an increase in cases of anthrax?
The anthrax outbreak in Africa could be a harbinger of more to come, with climate change creating opportunities for the emergence of more cross-over strains capable of causing anthrax-like infections.
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Opinion
Catch-22: the FDA, probiotics, and preterm infants
As the FDA issues warning letters about probiotic products sold for use in hospitalized preterm infants, families of babies threatened by necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) now face a deadly Catch-22 situation.
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Opinion
Continuous work on flood prevention is necessary to prevent microbial contamination: a case study in Styria
Lessons learned from the greatest local flood of the century in a province of Austria.
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Opinion
Swimming with superbugs: the hidden threat in freshwater environments
AMI One Health Advisory Group member Elitsa Penkova delves into the growing antimicrobial resistance threat facing wild swimmers connecting with nature in rivers and lakes.
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Opinion
Much ado about microbes
A group of leading scientists has recently reviewed the benefits and risks of Gain of Function research and issued new consensus recommendations - Simon Wain-Hobson examines the report exclusively for The Microbiologist.
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Opinion
Has a viral contribution to Alzheimer’s disease been in front of our noses this whole time?
The concept that a viral infection may induce pathology in regions far from its active location is gaining traction. Could this phenomenon also be at play in Alzheimer’s disease?
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Opinion
Emerging risks in public health: is plastic pollution something to worry about?
Could plastic waste act as a vector for pathogens and contribute to the spread of infectious diseases?
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Opinion
How AI is being applied to improve microbiological research
How valuable is AI to the future of microbiology?
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Opinion
The role of AI in improving microbiology
What are the benefits and drawbacks of a technology that holds such promise?
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Opinion
New RSV vaccines on the way - so what do we do about vaccine hesitancy?
Not one, but two promising new vaccines are likely to be introduced to the UK, yet routine childhood vaccination rates have been decreasing for ‘old’ diseases like measles and polio - what’s going on?
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Opinion
Does the world need another antibiotic?
Barriers, opportunities and alternatives in the fight against AMR.
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Opinion
Me, my microbes and I: rethinking antimicrobial stewardship and personal health education
Research into, and therefore general understanding of women’s health and disease, has been under funded and taboo for a long time.
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Opinion
Emerging risks in public health: Is bottled water contamination something to worry about?
The UN-Water 2030 Strategy states that water and sanitation challenges are growing at an alarming rate, threatening people, planet, peace and prosperity.
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Opinion
Madonna, Mass Consumption and Microbes
Back in 1984, Madonna already knew we were ‘living in a material world’, and since then, things have only got worse.
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Opinion
Microbial hydrogen cycling - the good, the bad and the ugly
With global populations looking likely to top 10 billion by the year 2050, the practices that we use to grow food need to adapt in kind - and what better way is there but to harness the innate power of microbes!
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Opinion
Could deep sea mining destroy the treasure trove of biomedical compounds yet to be found?
The idea of DSM has been proposed, backed by countries such as the UK, France, Germany, Spain, USA and China in the search for metals such as iron, manganese, copper, zinc, lead, nickel and rare metals.