Young Innovators & Early Career Research
Early career research is crucial for science, and in delivering applied microbiology to the world. This page is focused on showcasing innovations and research from early career researchers across the globe and provides a hub for the latest news, opinions, careers advice and research for early career scientists. Discover how interdisciplinary colleagues from around the world are making advancements in, and through, applied microbiology.
News
A universal toolkit for editing bacterial DNA
A major collaboration involving nine labs has transferred a particularly useful DNA editing system from E. coli into 14 new species of bacteria, spanning three major branches of the bacterial family tree.
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NewsHow AI can help us count the ‘good’ viruses used in biopharmaceuticals
Researchers have developed a new methodology that uses artificial intelligence (AI) tools to identify and count target viruses more efficiently than previous techniques. The new approach can be used in applications such as pharmaceutical biomanufacturing.
NewsResearchers deploy phage therapy in new frontier against antimicrobial resistant infectious diseases
A revelatory treatment for patients with life-threatening infectious diseases is being pioneered in Melbourne. VICPhage, a clinical partnership between The Alfred and Monash, is one of the first in Australia to offer end-to-end capacity in phage therapy to treat some of the most challenging infections.
NewsDetailed map of life-threatening Vibrio bacteria reveals new target for treatment
Scientists have mapped in unprecedented detail the structure of Vibrio bacteria, which can cause life-threatening infections linked to antibiotic resistance. The team behind the study say the finding could provide new targets for life-saving treatment.
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News
New study examines measles vaccination coverage after a postelimination outbreak
In 2022–2023, a large postelimination measles outbreak occurred in central Ohio. A study found that 20 months after the outbreak, MMR coverage across the entire primary care network (PCN) population remained well below herd immunity levels, with minimal gains.
NewsMen and women may differ in how fitness level Is linked to gut microbiome diversity
Aerobic fitness may be influenced by microbes in the gut, but men and women appear to show a different connection, according to a first-of-its-kind study.
NewsCosmetics from waste? New microbial discovery could enable more sustainable production of high-value chemical products
Researchers have made a key discovery about how certain bacterial strains produce a set of economically valuable chemicals — opening the door to new, more sustainable production methods. A family of molecules could be made via bacterial fermentation instead of from palm oil, as they are today.
NewsMicrobes contribute a surprisingly large array of proteins in fermented foods
A study examining the proteins found in fermented foods like yogurt, cheese and bread found that a surprisingly large number, and percentage, of microbial proteins contribute to their overall protein content.
NewsNew clues to hepatitis B species restriction could help build a novel model for studying infection and testing therapies
For decades, it was thought that the barrier to creating a workable mouse model for hepatitis B is an inability for the virus to gain a genetic foothold in the mouse due to its unique type of DNA. Now researchers have discovered that the problem is something different altogether—likely a misstep in the entry process.
CareersFrom one bench to another: Representing early-career scientists at Parliament’s Voice of the Future
Tyler Myers, an MPhil Candidate at the University of Cambridge, reports back from the Royal Society of Biology’s Voice of the Future event at Parliament, where he served as a guest panelist representing Applied Microbiology International.
NewsNew research reveals cell proteins that drive severe viral infections
Researchers have identified two human cell proteins, NUP98 and NUP153, that play a crucial role in how viruses such as tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), West Nile virus, and dengue virus replicate in the body.
NewsPlastic texturing kills viruses when they land
Researchers have developed a thin plastic film that tears apart viruses on contact, offering a promising new way to keep high touch surfaces such as smartphones and hospital equipment from spreading disease.
NewsScientists probe how neurons sense bacteria in the gut
Neural interaction with bacteria, e.g. in the gut microbiome, has important effects on brains of animals from worms to people. A new study investigates how neurons sense bacteria by revealing, in nematodes, the bacterial signals that a key neuron detects.
NewsEngineered dual-bacterial sensors turn chemical signals into electricity
Most bacterial information transmission is done via electricity. While electricity-emitting bacteria exist, manipulating them into useful sensors has been quite challenging. Researchers recently developed a flexible bioelectrical sensor system called electroactive co-culture sensing system.
NewsSleep deprivation disrupts gut microbiota, worsening colorectal cancer outcomes
Researchers have found that the gut microbiota drives changes to the immune system caused by chronic sleep loss. These changes promote cancer progression, disrupt circadian rhythm and weaken the effectiveness of chemotherapy.
NewsCyanobacteria surprise scientists with evolutionary shift
Researchers report a surprising new discovery—a system thought to separate DNA has developed to sculpt the shape of the cell in cyanobacteria instead. The results shed light on how protein systems evolve and how multicellularity emerged in this type of ecologically essential bacteria.
NewsHIV treatment reduces accelerated biological ageing by nearly four years, landmark study shows
A major study presented at ESCMID Global 2026 has found that antiretroviral therapy (ART) reduces accelerated biological ageing in people with HIV (PWH) by nearly four years, a finding that could transform how clinicians monitor HIV treatment and long-term health outcomes.
NewsMeasles vaccine gaps persist among ER patients
A study has found critical gaps in knowledge, vaccination status, and acceptance of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine among patients visiting emergency departments across the United States. It examines how misinformation and access barriers may contribute to declining vaccination rates.
NewsStudy finds warmer streams may weaken river food webs
Rising stream temperatures may be weakening the foundation of river food webs by altering how carbon moves through these watery ecosystems. When water temperatures increase, microbes and aquatic insects process fallen leaves, twigs and bark more rapidly, but a smaller fraction of that leaf litter supports their growth.
NewsLong-term cure rates for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis much better than expected
A new national cohort study from Latvia provides important insights into the treatment of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). The study shows that long-term disease-free survival rates are significantly higher than previous standard indicators suggest.
NewsViruses found in Antarctic air, including some new to science
It may seem stark and lifeless, but the air around the remote sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia contains viruses, including some that are new to science. Using metagenomics, researchers discovered that South Georgia harbours a diverse and dynamic airborne viral community.
NewsNovel research reveals the active role that skin cells play in rabies infection
A new study provides direct evidence that keratinocytes can support viral replication and transmit the rabies virus to neurons. The investigators offer a mechanistic explanation for how superficial skin exposures from scratches or minor bites by dogs and bats can lead to neuroinvasion.
NewsAs syphilis cases rise, study links infection with higher risk of stroke, heart attack and other serious cardiovascular problems
Adults with later-stage syphilis are more likely to develop major cardiovascular problems – including stroke, heart attack or aortic aneurysm – than similar patients without the infection. The increased risk is primarily found in those whose infection progressed longer than a year.