All University of Birmingham articles
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NewsTrees and microbes team up to improve nitrogen nutrient processes in future CO2 conditions
Researchers studying how a 180-year-old oak woodland responded after exposure to the CO₂ levels expected in the future discover that microbes “mine” soil nutrients, supplying 30% more available nitrogen to help trees sustain carbon capture.
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NewsScripps Research scientists awarded $2M to advance global disease surveillance
Two Gates Foundation grants will expand wastewater surveillance and AI-driven disease monitoring to support faster public health responses worldwide.
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NewsOrdinary enzyme evolves into a ‘control switch’ revealing a new weak spot in tuberculosis
A protein that acts as a ‘control switch,’ preventing Mycobacterium tuberculosis from accessing the energy sources it needs to survive, has been identified by researchers. The discovery points to a specific vulnerability in the bacterium that could be targeted by new TB treatments.
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NewsE. coli and ‘good’ bacteria balanced by breastmilk in baby gut microbiomes
Sugars contained exclusively in breast milk are helping to feed an important balance of bacteria in babies’ developing gut microbiomes, according to a study that describes how babies who are breastfed maintain a mutually beneficial co-existence of E. coli and Bifidobacterium.
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NewsMpox immune test validated during Rwandan outbreak
An antibody test for the infectious disease Mpox was successfully developed during the new clade 1b outbreak in Rwanda, the first time that an assay of its kind has been validated within this setting.
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NewsUltrasound-activated ‘nanoagents’ kill superbugs hiding in biofilms
Scientists have designed nanoagents that act like smart drug‑delivery capsules – carrying an antibiotic deep into bacterial infection sites and releasing it only when activated by gentle ultrasound.
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NewsRoot microbes could help oak trees adapt to drought
Microbes could help oak trees cope with environmental change. A study observing oaks growing in a natural woodland found that the trees’ above- and below-ground microbiomes were resilient to drought, nutrient scarcity, and exposure to pathogenic beetles and bacteria.
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NewsGut bacteria changes at the earliest stages of inflammatory bowel disease
People newly diagnosed with the most common IBD subtypes, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, lose beneficial anaerobic bacteria that help with digestion of complex carbohydrates. Patients instead experience a rise in oxygen-tolerant bacteria from the mouth that travel in the gut.
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CareersScientific Event Travel Grant: Hannah returns with renewed motivation and new ideas
Dr Hannah Trivett, University of Birmingham, reports back from EMBL Human Microbiome Conference held in Heidelberg, Germany, where she presented her research with the support of AMI’s Scientific Event Travel Grant.
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News‘Good’ gut bacteria boost placenta for healthier pregnancy
Research has found the first clear evidence that the ‘good’ gut bacteria Bifidobacterium breve in pregnant mothers regulates the placenta’s production of hormones critical for a healthy pregnancy. Pregnant mice without Bifidobacterium breve in their gut had a higher rate of complications, and increased fetal loss.
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NewsPlant-derived compound has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects against periodontal disease
Morin-based powder, extracted from guava leaves, apple peel, and figs, can be slowly released with the help of polymers and serve as an alternative to antibiotics.
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NewsDecoding the blue: Advanced technology realizes potential in harmful algal bloom monitoring
Researchers have developed a powerful new method to detect harmful blue-green algae in freshwater lakes. Their method can identify toxin producing blue-green algae before they become damaging in recreational waters and pose threat to public health.
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NewsForest trees and microbes choreograph their hunt for a ‘balanced diet’ under elevated CO2
Oak trees change their fine roots and ‘energise’ soil microbes by supplying them with a cocktail of small organic compounds, all to supplement the trees’ supply of essential nutrients when exposed to higher levels of carbon dioxide.
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NewsScientists uncover ‘superfamily’ of bacterial predator proteins
Scientists have identified a new type of protein in bacteria that could change our understanding of how these organisms interact with their environments. It focuses on a protein called PopA, found in the bacterial predator Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus.
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NewsNominations for the 2025 Horizon Awards now open
Applied Microbiology International has announced the launch of nominations for the 2025 Horizon Awards, which celebrate the brightest minds in the field and promote the research, group, projects, products and individuals who help shape the future of applied microbiology.
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NewsGut bacteria may hold key to unlocking better cancer treatment
Scientists have discovered a range of microbial ‘biomarkers’ that could help to improve detection and treatment of gastrointestinal diseases (GIDs) such as gastric cancer (GC), colorectal cancer (CRC), and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
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NewsResearch advances on ‘displacing’ antibiotic resistance gene from bacteria
Scientists have identified essential genetic code for a method called plasmid curing, which aims to ‘displace’ antibiotic resistance genes from bacteria.
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NewsDeadly antibiotic-resistant ‘superbug’ bacteria spreading in Malaysian hospital
A virulent strain of antibiotic-resistant ‘superbug’ that causes severe disease has been found circulating in a Malaysian hospital - posing significant challenges to global public health, a new study reveals.
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NewsGastric bacteria ‘leaking across stomach lining’ could indicate risk of gastric cancer
A new discovery in the roles of gastric microbiota bacteria and Helicobacter pylori across the stomach lining during pre-cancerous stage of gastric cancer development could be the missing link for engineering future therapeutic intervention.
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NewsFungus ‘hacks’ natural immune system causing neurodegeneration in fruit flies
A fungus, called Beauveria bassiana, is found to manipulate the innate immunity of the fruit flies to attack their own brain cells, causing the penetration into the blood-brain barriers and eventually neurodegeneration.