All University of Cambridge articles
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NewsSilent dengue infections may hold clues to future vaccine design, study finds
Researchers report the first single-cell immune atlas of asymptomatic dengue, offering a rare look at how the immune system can defeat the virus without triggering illness. The work could help guide the design of safer and more effective dengue vaccines.
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NewsVolcanic eruptions set off a chain of events that brought the Black Death to Europe
Researchers have used a combination of climate data and documentary evidence to paint the most complete picture to date of the ‘perfect storm’ that led to the deaths of tens of millions of people, as well as profound demographic, economic, political, cultural and religious change.
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NewsSingle-cell movies reveal how host physiology sets phage success - and how to time therapies
A new study outlines how an innovative imaging platform can be used to help uncover the reasons why phages succeed or fail when used to target bacterial infections.
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NewsLargest study of nose microbiome helps highlight those at risk of staph aureus infection
People who persistently carry Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) in their nose have fewer species of other bacteria, while certain bacteria may help to prevent S. aureus colonisation, according to the findings of the largest-ever study of the nasal microbiome.
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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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NewsA new gateway to global antimicrobial resistance data
To support global AMR research, EMBL’s European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI) has launched the AMR portal, a central hub that connects bacterial genomes, resistance phenotypes, and functional annotations, all in one place. The AMR portal ensures long-term availability, standardisation, and reusability of AMR data.
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NewsResearch finds higher rare risk of heart complications in children after COVID-19 infection than after vaccination
A whole-population study showed that although these conditions were rare, children and young people were more likely to experience heart, vascular or inflammatory problems after a COVID-19 infection than after having the vaccine — and the risks after infection lasted much longer.
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NewsResearchers probe how malaria harms unborn babies
UK-based Wellcome has awarded over €2 million to an international research effort to uncover how malaria can injure developing babies.
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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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NewsNew genomic study reveals key drivers of strangles transmission in UK horses
A novel study has revealed new insights into how the highly contagious disease strangles spreads amongst horses in the UK. It marks a significant step forward in understanding how to more effectively manage and prevent outbreaks of this devastating equine disease.
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NewsTiny soil microbes turn detective to uncover the timeline of oil spill contamination
Scientists in Belfast and Nigeria have developed a diagnostic tool that deploys microbes to uncover the timeline of crude oil contamination in soils.
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NewsModel can calculate the often hidden costs of fungicide resistance
An international research team has developed a mathematical model that can be used to calculate the economic and often hidden costs of fungicide resistance. They used a model that can be used to calculate the spread of fungal diseases in several fields.
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NewsLarge-scale DNA study maps 37,000 years of disease history
A new study maps infectious diseases across millennia and offers new insight into how human-animal interactions permanently transformed our health landscape.
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NewsStudies probe how novel inhibitors can switch efflux pumps off in TB bacteria
Two new studies aim to both identify and understand how novel inhibitors can switch efflux pumps off in the bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
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NewsStrongest hints yet of biological activity outside the solar system
Astronomers have detected the chemical fingerprints of dimethyl sulfide (DMS) and/or dimethyl disulfide (DMDS), in the atmosphere of the exoplanet K2-18b. On Earth, these are only produced by life, primarily microbial life such as marine phytoplankton.
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NewsCyanobacterium study reveals how circadian clocks maintain robustness in changing environments
New research has uncovered how a simple circadian clock network demonstrates advanced noise-filtering capabilities, enhancing our understanding of how biological circuits maintain accuracy in dynamic natural environments.
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NewsMulti-virus wastewater surveillance shows promise at smaller, site-specific scales
In a new study, wastewater surveillance for multiple pathogens at five different sites identified local trends that were not captured in larger surveillance programs, and some sites used the data to inform efforts to prevent disease spread.
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NewsCambridge initiative to address risks of future engineered pandemics
Management strategies are initiated by University of Cambridge to address the challenges and preventive measures required in response to a potential engineered pandemic threat in the future.
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NewsNew 3D imaging approach reveals intricate steps of virus assembly
A new integrated 3D imaging approach combines cryo-light microscopy and cryo-soft X-ray tomography to reveal the intricate ultrastructure of herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) assembly.
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NewsFeeding your good gut bacteria through fibre in diet may boost body against infections
Researchers who used computational approaches to analyse the gut microbiome composition of over 12,000 peoplefrom their stool samples found that a person’s microbiome ‘signature’ can predict whether their gut is likely to be colonised by Enterobacteriaceae.