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.
News
Scientists use bacteria to produce muconic acid from plants
Researchers have engineered a soil bacterium to synthesize muconic acid, a valuable chemical in the manufacturing industry, from plant matter.
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NewsWealth and health aren’t the only indicators of national happiness – there are also cats. And their parasites!
National happiness is influenced by complex relationships beyond basic economic factors, according to a study that finds that cats and their parasites are strongly correlated with both positive and negative happiness scores worldwide.
NewsHoneybee silk could power smarter wound dressings
Recombinant honeybee silk can be bioengineered in a lab, allowing researchers to modify the protein sequence and potentially introduce new features into the materials, such as infection-sensing signals or targeted drug release.
NewsPortable device delivers rapid testing for mosquito-borne viruses
Researchers have created an inexpensive, quick and accurate handheld device that can detect seven mosquito-borne illnesses. Their design could help clinicians in low-resource or remote settings — from clinics in rural Haiti to farm animal veterinarians — diagnose patients without the need for a power supply, bulky equipment or extensive training.
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News
Scientists advance fungi-based upcycling of waste concrete
Scientists are investigating how fungi can be harnessed to transform demolished concrete into reliable, high-value materials for future infrastructure.
Scientists reveal tissue culture-free (“ex vitro”) transformation method for trees
This technology introduces a novel “ex vitro” transformation method that utilizes Agrobacterium rhizogenes to genetically modify the roots of woody plants without the necessity for tissue culture.
Nabsys announces first publication showcasing CRISPR/Cas9 mediated approach to expand the capabilities of electronic genome mapping
This study is the first to demonstrate the potential of combining Electronic Genome Mapping (EGM) with CRISPR/Cas9 to both characterize CRISPR/Cas9 activity and enhance the capabilities of genome mapping.
Scientists develop microbially produced adhesive materials from glucose instead of petroleum
Researchers have demonstrated the potential of using microorganisms to produce a bio-based alternative to petroleum-derived materials for hot-melt adhesives.Using Escherichia coli, the team produced a new polymer from glucose and demonstrated performance and properties that support its potential use as a hot-melt adhesive.
Local microbes persist in wine despite commercial yeast
A new study has demonstrated that regional microbial imprints can remain detectable under commercial winemaking conditions. The new research shows that inoculated fermentations do not “override” native microbial diversity and that vineyard management and environmental conditions matter in wine quality.
Researchers clear major obstacle in genetic engineering of proteins
An unexpected discovery about tRNAs leads to tool that can drive faster, safer production of new medicines.
Meet the future of fashion: Clothes made alive by fungi
Scientists develop a flexible living textile based on caterpillar fungus, which can be used to make self-colouring, self-cleaning and self-repairing clothes.
Sharpening an essential tool for biotechnology
Scientists develop a database of validated guide RNAs to improve engineering of microbes for manufacturing applications.
Green hydrogen production and storage using alcohols, iron, and baker’s yeast
A new recyclable system uses baker’s yeast to store H₂ in organic molecules and iron ions to release it when needed - offering a promising route toward more sustainable hydrogen production and storage.
Creating yeast strains that aren’t picky eaters
Scientists have engineered yeasts that can simultaneously use different sugars in biomass crops.
An oil-accumulating yeast could help make next-generation aviation fuels
New research suggests that bio-based advanced aviation fuels produced by yeast could help meet the demand for domestically produced aviation fuels.
Biochar as an “electron bridge” unlocks hidden power of energy‑saving wastewater treatment
New research reveals how a charcoal‑like material triples electron transfer capacity in ammonia‑removing microbes, cutting wastewater treatment costs by up to 90%.
Simple diet changes help microbes produce higher-quality biomaterials
Feeding bacteria a cheap agricultural by-product enables the production of high-value biomaterials with promising biomedical and industrial applications.
Modeling social inequality in epidemics
New study introduces a metric into disease-transmission models which quantifies the degree to which social determinants of health — like neighborhood, access to healthcare, or economic status — cause outbreaks.
Climate change predicted to drive changes in diarrheal disease prevalence in several countries in Africa
Researchers have identified key social and environmental factors that influence how climate change affects childhood diarrheal diseases in sub-Saharan Africa.
MIT engineers connect bacteria to create living transistors
Researchers have engineered bacteria in such a way as to build circuits that can perform complicated calculations.
Doctoral student aims to detect insect-borne viruses sooner
A biomedical engineering doctoral student at the University of Nebraska is developing generative foundation models to forecast the emergence of arboviruses before they spill over into humans.
New water freeze-drying sample preparation method allows for the capture of a near-native ultrastructure of bacteria
A collaborative research team has successfully applied Water Freeze-Drying method to bacterial specimens, allowing them to capture the ultrastructure of bacteria in near-native form via scanning electron microscopy.
Preventive TB treatment for individuals with HIV shown to be effective in real-world settings
A new study has evaluated the real-world impact of TB preventive treatment in six countries with high TB and HIV rates and highlights the importance of preventive treatment in reducing deaths caused by a curable disease.