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
Naval Research Lab Space Station study reveals key challenges and opportunities for microbial biomanufacturing in space
Scientists have completed a spaceflight biology investigation aboard the International Space Station (ISS) that reveals how microgravity fundamentally alters microbial metabolism, limiting the efficiency of biological manufacturing processes critical to future long-duration space missions.
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NewsScientists develop novel live-attenuated vaccine that blocks coronavirus transmission with a single intranasal dose
A research team at the LKS Faculty of Medicine, the University of Hong Kong (HKUMed), has developed a novel live-attenuated vaccine candidate, cb1, capable of generating broad immunity against a wide range of beta-coronaviruses with a single intranasal dose.
NewsResearchers discover a previously unknown bacterial component in kidney stone formation
In an unexpected finding, scientists have discovered that bacteria are present inside the most common type of kidney stone, revealing a previously unrecognized component involved in their formation. The findings point to a possible therapeutic target that could be used for prevention and treatment.
NewsStudy suggests link between viral infection and ALS
Researchers have made a potentially game-changing discovery about the development of devastating motor neuron diseases. They identified a specific type of mouse — the CC023 strain — that responds to a viral infection in a way that looks remarkably similar to humans with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
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More than just gut cohabitants: how gut bacteria control immune responses
Bacteria in the human gut can directly deliver proteins into human cells, actively shaping immune responses. The study reveals a new way in which the gut microbiome can influence the human body and may help explain how changes in gut bacteria contribute to inflammatory diseases.
NewsTracking antibiotic resistance in the environment gets a high tech upgrade
Antibiotic resistance is often framed as a hospital problem, but a growing body of evidence shows that the environment plays an equally critical role in the global spread of drug resistant bacteria. Rivers, soils, wastewater, and even the air can act as reservoirs for antibiotic resistance genes that may eventually ...
News3′UTR-derived small RNA couples acid resistance to metabolic reprogramming in Salmonella within macrophages
Salmonella expresses the arginine decarboxylase AdiA, which confers acid resistance by catalyzing an H+-consuming reaction. Researchers have discovered that the 3′-untranslated region (UTR) of adiA mRNA is processed by RNase E into a regulatory small RNA, AdiZ.
NewsDouble trouble: Tobacco use and Long COVID
Researchers investigating the relationship between Long Covid symptoms and smoking by tobacco type found that certain symptoms correlated with different forms of smoking.
NewsStudy identifies blood protein albumin as key defense against deadly fungal infection ‘mucormycosis’
A new study has identified albumin as a powerful and previously unrecognized defense against a rare but often fatal fungal infection. Patients with mucormycosis had markedly lower levels of albumin compared with patients suffering from other fungal infections.
NewsMore investigations needed into Wumei Pills-Lactobacillus Reuteri-intestinal stem cell axis for chemotherapy-Induced mucositis
A new letter appraising a recent study suggests the reported benefits of WMP and Lactobacillus reuteri in chemotherapy-induced mucositis are promising, but stronger causal and analytical foundations are needed.
NewsSourdough starters reveal a recipe for predicting microbial species survival
Scientists used microbes in bread dough to test a simple way to understand how species live together in nature.
NewsAncient DNA pushes back record of treponemal disease-causing bacteria by 3,000 years
Scientists have recovered a genome of Treponema pallidum from 5,500-year-old human remains in Sabana de Bogotá, Colombia. The research expands knowledge about the history of this infectious disease and its occurrence in human populations.
NewsNew research suggests gut bacteria may be linked to memory decline in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease
A new review is shedding light on the growing evidence that gut microbiome imbalances—known as dysbiosis—may play a key role in the development and progression of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer’s disease.
NewsTwo days of oatmeal reduce cholesterol level - thanks to impact on gut microbes
A short-term oat-based diet appears to be surprisingly effective at reducing the cholesterol level. The diet apparently influenced the composition of microorganisms in the gut. The metabolic products, produced by the microbiome, appear to contribute significantly to the positive effects of oats.
NewsExpert consensus on clinical applications of fecal microbiota transplantation for chronic liver disease
To assist clinicians in rapidly mastering and standardizing the clinical application of FMT for chronic liver disease, an expert consensus has been developed to address key aspects of FMT application and provide reference and guidance for clinical practice.
News‘Trojan horse’ may deliver toxic dose of copper to bacterial colonies, including drug-resistant MRSA infections
A research team is developing a drug that works in combination with copper to kill bacteria, including those that cause MRSA, a type of staph infection that is resistant to usual treatments.
NewsHow a single gene shapes gut health and IBD risk
Two recent studies highlight the role of a gene called PTPN2 in protecting the gut from harmful bacteria linked to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). When PTPN2 does not function properly, the gut becomes more vulnerable to infection and inflammation.
NewsEndogenous retroviruses promote early human zygotic development
New findings offer insight into why some embryos fail to develop past zygotic genome activation (ZGA), pointing to an unexpected root of human infertility.
NewsSecret of youth: New study shows gut microbiota directly regulates intestinal stem cell aging
A new study reveals that age-related changes in the gut microbiota directly impair intestinal stem cell (ISC) function and that restoring a youthful microbial environment can reverse this decline.
NewsScientists synthesize medicarpin in baker’s yeast
Scientists have developed a way to synthesize medicarpin in yeast. Like palitaxel in the 1990s, this tumor-attacking sustance has only limited natural quantitites and is considered difficult to synthesize.
OpinionListeria: the inconvenient truth that shaped our industry
Director General of the Chilled Food Association, Karin Goodburn MBE, who sits on AMI’s Food Security Advisory Group, reveals why the publication of new Listeria guidance for the UK food industry is regarded as a landmark moment.
NewsPIXL Max: Automated colony picker breaks records for speed and accuracy
With the latest innovation from the team at Singer Instruments, a new standard for speed and repeatability in microbial colony pickers has been achieved through the integration of cutting edge AI technologies.
NewsBreath carries clues to gut microbiome health
Researchers have shown that disease-associated bacteria in the gut can be detected through exhaled breath. They found that chemicals released by gut microbes and captured from the breath of children and mice can reveal the composition of the bacteria living in the intestines.