Economic Equality
Across the globe there are huge disparities in access to basic services such as healthcare, education, and economic resources, with the UN estimating over 98 million people live on less than $1.90 a day. It is vital for microbial research to identify those areas which actively maintain cycles of poverty and disparity. In recognising the interconnected nature of human financial systems and environmental health, microbial research can be a leader in working toward Economic Equality.
Careers
My autistic academic maze - and my advice to neurodiverse PhD students
In Neurodiversity Celebration Week, PhD student Joshua Yates reveals the challenges of pursuing a career in microbiology with autism and dyslexia - and his advice to others.
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NewsClove oil yields new Pickering emulsion formulation with enhanced antibacterial properties
Researchers developed a sustainable Pickering emulsion using carbon quantum dots (CQDs), promising solid particles for food applications, derived from clove essential oil residue. They found that CQDs with 40% ethanol demonstrated the highest emulsifying efficacy.
NewsNew study links sleep debt and night shifts to increased infection risk among nurses
A new study examining the effects of sleep patterns and shift work on the immune system has found that sleep debt and night shifts increase the risk of several common infections in nurses.
NewsPackets of freeze-dried bacteria grow biocement on demand
Researchers report a freeze-drying approach that preserves biocement-producing bacteria, potentially allowing construction workers to use powder out of a packet to quickly make tiles, repair oil wells or strengthen the ground for makeshift roads.
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News
Researchers see breakthrough in efficient biofuel production
Researchers have found ways to limit the toxicity to microbes generated by the biofuel butanol through fermentation of plant biomass, by manipulating the structure of microbe cell membrane at atomic level.
A new test will make it possible to detect the parasite responsible for trichomoniasis more quickly and inexpensively
A sensitive, cheap and rapid test is developed to detect the parasite, Trichomonas vaginalis, which causes one of the world’s most common sexually transmitted infections, using an innovative approach that targets highly specific molecules with short nucleic acid sequences.
New method developed to dramatically enhance bioelectronic sensors
In a breakthrough that could transform bioelectronic sensing, researchers have developed a new method to dramatically enhance the sensitivity of enzymatic and microbial fuel cells using organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs).
Scientists build robot to track plant-fungal trade networks, revealing nature’s underground supply chains
New research uses advanced robotics to track the hyper-efficient supply chains formed between plants and mycorrhizal fungi as they trade carbon and nutrients across the complex, living networks that help regulate the Earth’s atmosphere and ecosystems.
New paper-based device boosts HIV test accuracy from dried blood samples
Scientists have trialled a more precise medical device to measure HIV viral loads by engineering a paper device with wax-printed patterns that create precise channels and collection spots, ensuring it consistently collects the same volume of blood.
New study calls for ethical framework to protect Indigenous genetic privacy in wastewater monitoring
Researchers have called for new ethical frameworks to protect Indigenous communities’ genetic privacy in the growing field of wastewater surveillance. The study examines how analysis of community wastewater raises significant privacy concerns for Indigenous populations.
Study calls for better measures of poverty to strengthen tuberculosis research
A new review examines existing methods for assessing socioeconomic status in TB studies and highlights their shortcomings. The authors call for better, standardized poverty metrics to improve research and policy.
Scottish bio-tech company secures £3.4m investment
Scottish biotech engineering company uFraction8 has secured £3.4m in new investment following the completion of a funding round led by Foresight Group.
1 in 5 older adults get infections after heart surgery, and women have a 60% higher risk
One in five older adults gets an infection up to six months after heart surgery, with women far more likely to develop one, according to two studies which examined thousands of cases of coronary artery bypass grafting.
Researchers ID key immune differences that make one West African ethnic group less susceptible to malaria
Researchers have uncovered how genetic and lifestyle factors influence immune responses to malaria in children from two large West African ethnic groups. Children showed key differences in immune cell activity offering greater protection.
Transforming HIV diagnosis: a low-cost, point-of-care detection solution
A team of researchers has developed an innovative handheld device for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) detection that combines paper-based sample preparation with real-time isothermal amplification.
Rapid diagnostic tests improve diagnosis access to indigenous Paraguayan community for Chagas disease
A study has shown that combining rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) with conventional serological tests proves to be a useful strategy for diagnosing Chagas disease in an indigenous community in the Paraguayan Chaco with its higher prevalence of the disease.
Scientists unveil novel anti-CRISPR protein mechanism
Apart from their counter-defensive function, anti-CRISPR proteins hold great promise for enabling more precise control over CRISPR technologies. Researchers have now further elucidated the function of an important yet so far uncharacterized anti-CRISPR protein.
Monitoring approach could help snuff out Legionella outbreaks
Routine, relatively low-cost monitoring of several factors influencing water safety could ward off Legionnaires’ disease outbreaks in hospitals, nursing homes and other health care settings, a new study suggests.
Researchers engineer biological reaction crucibles to rapidly produce proteins
Biomedical engineers have demonstrated a new synthetic approach that turbocharges bacteria into producing more of a specific protein, even proteins that would normally destroy them, such as antibiotics.
Flexible and resilient: remarkable cell functions of newly discovered algae species
A new species of algae, demonstrating its incredible resilience to extreme environmental conditions including cold and light, is identified in the Baltic Sea and Arctic tundra. Its unique property could be applied to potential cosmetic product manufacturing.
Bacteria, brains, and sugar: scientists uncover new connections
Using a new method to study how carbohydrates modify proteins, scientists have discovered that gut bacteria can alter molecular signatures in the brain.
Study tracks algae species interactions to help predict harmful algae blooms
A study yields new insights into how algae species interact with each other and their environment in coastal waters, aiming to understand how harmful algal species interact with other phytoplankton and environmental factors like temperature and salinity.
Global sisterhood seeks to understand what makes a healthy vaginal microbiome
A study shares insights gleaned from a ’sisterhood’ of thousands of citizen scientists, illuminating gaps in knowledge about the vaginal microbiome, including which bacteria are helpful or harmful and whether microbiomes look different for people across the globe.