One health
Communicable diseases remain one of the major causes of mortality worldwide. There are disparities in the numbers of individuals affected by disease between low-and-middle-income countries and those in developed nations. Microbes will play in important role in drug discovery: producing anticancer drugs and antimicrobials. Applying One Health principles, to understand the interaction of pathogens and the human host, development of diagnostics, treatments, and disease prevention, applied microbiologists can shape global health and wellbeing outcomes.
News
Microplastics pose a human health risk in more ways than one
A new study shows that microplastics in the natural environment are colonised by pathogenic and antimicrobial resistant bacteria. The study team calls for urgent action for waste management and strongly recommends wearing gloves when taking part in beach cleans.
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NewsStaphylococci compete with other bacteria for biotin in the nasal cavity
A recently published study reveals that competition plays a major role in the nutrient-poor habitat of the human nose. There’s an active contest between S. aureus and nasal commensals for the vitamin biotin, which affects the fitness of S. aureus.
NewsExperimental mRNA therapy shows potential to combat antibiotic-resistant infections
Researchers have reported early success with a novel mRNA-based therapy designed to combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria. In preclinical studies, the therapy slowed bacterial growth, strengthened immune cell activity, and reduced lung tissue damage in models of multidrug-resistant pneumonia.
NewsPesticides and other common chemical pollutants are toxic to our ‘good’ gut bacteria
A large-scale laboratory screening of human-made chemicals has identified 168 chemicals that are toxic to bacteria found in the healthy human gut. These chemicals stifle the growth of gut bacteria thought to be vital for health.
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Dr José Luis Balcazar named as winner of John Snow Public Health Innovation Prize
Dr José Luis Balcazar, Senior researcher at the Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA-CERCA), Spain, has been named as the newest winner of the John Snow Public Health Innovation Prize.
NewsMalaria parasites move on right-handed helices
After penetrating the skin, the malaria parasite moves with helical trajectories, almost always turning toward the right. Researchers demonstrated that the pathogen uses these right-handed helices to control its motion as it transitions from one tissue compartment to another.
NewsPrebiotic in diet linked to less impulsivity in gambling rats with traumatic brain injury
Using a prebiotic to influence bacterial activity in the gut after a traumatic brain injury may help reduce impulsive behavior, one of the common symptoms to follow a moderate blow to the head, a new study in rats suggests.
NewsGut microbiome connects obesity to cancer, impacting public health
A new review highlights growing scientific evidence that imbalances in gut bacteria can influence metabolism, trigger inflammation, and increase cancer risk. These insights offer new possibilities for disease prevention, early detection, and personalized health care.
NewsCircadian rhythms as a modulator of gut microbiota-tumor microenvironment crosstalk
A new review examines how circadian disruption modifies the diversity and metabolic functions of gut microbiota, resulting in alterations of microbial metabolites, including short-chain fatty acids and secondary bile acids.
NewsNew study identifies key mechanism driving HIV-associated immune suppression
Using humanized mouse models and blood samples from people living with HIV, resarchers found that reducing overactive plasmacytoid dendritic cells helped restore antiviral T cell function and shrink the viral reservoir.
NewsHospital bug jumps from lungs to gut, raising sepsis risk
A hospital-acquired bacterium that causes serious infections can move from the lungs to the gut inside the same patient, raising the risk of life-threatening sepsis, new research reveals.
NewsFive new phages discovered in university’s Botanical Gardens
Five new bacteriophages have recently been discovered in the ponds of Lund University’s Botanical Gardens. Phages thrive wherever bacteria are found, which often means ponds and watercourses that are rich in organic material.
NewsEmerging human and canine leptospirosis in New South Wales shows separate transmission pathways
A geospatial study of leptospirosis outbreaks in New South Wales suggests that humans and dogs may have largely independent transmission pathways.
OpinionWe couldn’t get people interested in science - until we started speaking their language
In 2020, Puerto Rico faced a misinformation crisis. Melanie Ortiz Alvarez De La Campa reveals how five STEM undergraduates created a sci-comm organization that helped pass legislation, educated thousands, and created an inclusive database of Caribbean scientists.
NewsSnakebites: COVID vaccine tech could limit venom damage
The same technology used in COVID-19 vaccines could help prevent muscle damage from snakebites, according to scientists who say it could be even more useful for other conditions where toxins cause harm gradually, such as blocking harmful toxins produced by bacteria during infections.
News‘FluWarning’ system raises early alerts for virus spillovers
How can we monitor the cross-species transmission of avian flu? The answer is FluWarning, a digital system that reports abnormal changes in flu viruses. It analyses their genetic code, looking for subtle but significant changes that could indicate cross-species transmission.
NewsNew vaccine against a deadly virus acts fast and protects for over a year
A research team has developed a vaccine made from a non-infectious version of the Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus that protects quickly and provides long-lasting immunity.
NewsNatural, non-engineered bacterium selectively targets colorectal cancer
Scientists have demonstrated that the marine bacterium Photobacterium angustum exhibits potent antitumor effects against colorectal cancer. The natural bacterium requires no genetic modification yet selectively accumulates in tumor tissues with minimal impact on healthy organs.
NewsScientists uncover how COVID-19 variants outsmart the immune system
Researchers have created the most comprehensive map to date showing how antibodies attach to the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19, and how viral mutations weaken that attachment.
NewsGlobal Virus Network awards pandemic preparedness grants to advance global surveillance and early detection of viral threats
The Global Virus Network (GVN) is awarding pandemic preparedness research grants, totaling $160,000, to scientists across four continents, supporting innovative, investigator-led projects designed to enhance viral surveillance, early detection, and scientific preparedness.
NewsNew research confirms HPV vaccination prevents cervical cancer
Two new Cochrane reviews show strong and consistent evidence that HPV vaccines are effective in preventing cervical cancer and pre-cancerous changes, especially when given to young people before they are exposed to the virus.
NewsResearchers subvert plasmids to combat antibiotic resistance
Scientists have devised a way to track the evolution and spread of antibiotic resistance in individual bacteria by measuring competition among plasmids. Plasmids evolve independently but also help drive bacterial evolution, including the development of resistance to antimicrobial compounds. They are the primary way that resistance can jump from one type of bacteria to another.
NewsToxic gut bacteria may drive ulcerative colitis by killing protective immune cells
A toxin-secreting gut bacterium may fuel ulcerative colitis by killing protective immune cells that maintain intestinal homeostasis, according to a new study. The findings suggest potential for new treatment strategies.