All University of Birmingham articles
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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.
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NewsClean air policies inadvertently boost wetland methane emissions by up to 34m tonnes
A new study suggests that the decline of global sulphur emissions as the result of clean air policies, coupled with the warming and fertilization effects of carbon dioxide emissions lifts a lid on wetland methane production, resulting in increased emissions.
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NewsHealthy gut bacteria that feed on sugar analyzed for the first time
A microbe found in the lower part of the gut that is associated with good health has been comprehensively analysed and found to have a focused diet breaking down sugars locked away in mucus.
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NewsFreshwater alga could be the next superfood that feeds the world, reveals AMI award winner
A green alga that grows in lakes and rivers could be the next ‘superfood’ - helping scientists to tackle global food security challenges while promoting environmental sustainability, a new study reveals.
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NewsDr Helen Onyeaka named as winner of Basil Jarvis Food Security and Innovation Award 2024
Dr Helen Onyeaka, an industrial microbiologist at the University of Birmingham, has been named as the newest winner of the Basil Jarvis Food Security and Innovation Award.
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NewsWinners of Applied Microbiology International Horizon Awards 2024 announced
The winners of the Applied Microbiology International Horizon Awards 2024 have been announced.
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NewsPhages could replace harmful pesticides with a cleaner, greener alternative
Use of phage therapy in farming could be valuable in replacing chemical pesticides with a safer and greener alternative, helping to address climate change, according to a new review in Sustainable Microbiology.
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NewsA chemical cocktail of micropollutants amplified the effect of algal toxins causing mass fish mortality on the River Oder
Researchers investigating summer 2022’s environmental disaster on the River Oder, which killed up to 60 per cent of fish biomass, have been able to detect more than 120 organic micropollutants in the water samples.
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NewsNatural probiotic discovered in UK newborns’ microbiomes
Newborn babies have one of three pioneer bacteria in their gut shortly after birth, one of which could be used to develop new personalised infant therapeutic probiotics, researchers show.
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NewsTrees reveal climate surprise – bark microbes remove methane from the atmosphere
Tree bark surfaces play an important role in removing methane gas from the atmosphere, according to a new study.
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NewsNew FAIRY rapid method determines virus infectivity
A new method that can rapidly determine whether a virus is infectious or non-infectious could revolutionise the response to future pandemics.
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NewsMothers have lower risk of caesarean births after COVID vaccination
Pregnant women who have been vaccinated against Covid-19 are less likely to have a caesarean section or experience hypertension, according to a study.
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NewsEpstein-Barr Virus and brain cross-reactivity: possible mechanism for multiple sclerosis unveiled
The role that Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) plays in the development of multiple sclerosis (MS) may be caused by a higher level of cross-reactivity, where the body’s immune system binds to the wrong target, than previously thought.
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NewsStatisticians call for rigour and transparency in the evaluation of diagnostic tests
Recommendations designed to reframe the evaluation of in vitro diagnostic tests have been published - intended to help prevent future scenarios in which IVDs are marketed widely, but later attract serious concerns about the standards applied to their evaluation.
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NewsA third Covid vaccine dose improves defence for some clinically extremely vulnerable patients
A major clinical trial has found that an additional COVID 19 vaccine dose led to the majority of clinically extremely vulnerable people mounting defensive antibodies against Covid-19.
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NewsDengue fever infections have negative impacts on infant health for three years, study reveals
Dengue infections in pregnant women may have a negative impact on the first years of children’s lives, new research has found.
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NewsBirmingham Drug Discovery Hub creates an investment-ready ‘drug library’
A novel approach to drug discovery is enabling University of Birmingham researchers to overcome the ‘valley of death’, where projects fail due to the funding gap between original research and commercial investment.
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NewsDetection kit homes in on pathogen in baby formula
Researchers have unveiled a novel bioinformatics-based detection kit for identifying Cronobacter sakazakii in powdered infant formula, offering a more effective approach to detecting this pathogen, commonly linked to severe infant illnesses.