All University of Copenhagen articles
-
NewsFrom soil to outer space: our interview with JAM Systems Microbiology Lead Editor Janet Jansson
We get to know Janet Jansson, who has been appointed as new Lead Editor in Systems Microbiology at the Journal of Applied Microbiology.
-
NewsAmazonian ‘zombie’ fungus harbors a hidden stage inside forest mosses, new study reveals
Researchers have found evidence that the “zombie-ant” fungus, globally known for controlling ant behavior and forcing infected ants to bite onto plants before dying, also lives hidden inside mosses in the Amazon rainforest.
-
NewsNew framework to reveal how microbial modulators can work alongside agricultural practices to boost plant performance
Scientists have proposed a new framework for understanding how microbes, soil fauna, viruses and compounds in the soil can be used alongside agricultural practices to reshape the native plant microbiome and boost plant performance.
-
NewsMicrobes frozen in ancient rubbish heaps help reconstruct ancient Greenlanders’ farms, seal hunts, and toilets
The microbiome of ancient middens in Greenland sheds new light on the daily life of Paleo-Inuit and old Norse communities. Researchers say the middens in the cold Arctic acted like long-term natural experiments, with human- and animal-associated bacterial signals remaining detectable many centuries later.
-
NewsWarming oceans can disrupt coral oxygen supply and trigger coral death
A new study shows that marine heatwaves can disrupt microscopic moving structures on the surface of reef-building corals that support their oxygen uptake.
-
NewsBird flu risk to Danish cattle – new tool can warn farmers before infection spreads
Researchers have developed a tool that can predict where and when the risk of infection is highest. The tool is based on infection data from the U.S. outbreaks and adapted to a Danish context.
-
NewsNew single-cell transcriptomic clock reveals intrinsic and systemic T cell aging in COVID-19 and HIV
Scientists developed a new single-cell transcriptomic clock called T immune cell transcriptomic clock (Tictock) to measure aging in specific immune cells. They found that in patients with acute Covid-19, the infection increased the biological age of naïve CD8 T cells.
-
NewsWetlands do not need to be flooded to provide the greatest climate benefit
Contrary to expectations, wetlands do not need to be completely flooded to provide the greatest climate benefit. Instead, the water table should be below the soil surface and remain stable, according to a new study.
-
NewsResearchers warn: Climate change could expand habitats for malaria mosquitoes
A new study shows that future climate change could create more favourable conditions for malaria mosquitoes, exposing millions of people across large parts of Africa to more dangerous mosquito bites.
-
NewsGlobal platform for pandemic preparedness to be established at DTU National Food Institute
A new global online infrastructure aims to prevent disease outbreaks from developing into pandemics. DTU National Food Institute in Denmark will serve as the focal point for the new infrastructure. Work to build the platform will begin on 1 January 2026.
-
NewsImportant algal phenomenon discovered in the Arctic – could boost marine life
The shrinking sea ice in the Arctic Ocean is, overall, a disaster. But paradoxically, the melting of the ice can also fuel the engine of the Arctic food chains: algae. A new study indicates there will probably be more of it in the future than previously thought.
-
NewsScientists revive almost forgotten Balkan yoghurt recipe that deploys bacteria, acids - and ants
Researchers recreated a nearly forgotten yogurt recipe that was once was once common across the Balkans and Turkey—using ants. The team shows that bacteria, acids, and enzymes in ants can kickstart the fermentation process that turns milk into yogurt.
-
NewsKiss goodbye to deadly disease – new research finds ‘Pac-Man’ antibodies for killer parasite
Researchers have successfully produced antibodies that kill the parasite carried by the ‘kissing bug’ that causes the potentially deadly Chagas disease. The research is a vital step towards the development of the first effective vaccine.
-
NewsMicrobiome breakthrough: Gut bacterium may hold key to future treatments for widespread chronic diseases
Scientists have identified a common specific gut bacterial strain that may open the door to a new class of therapeutics. This bacterium produces two proteins that influence the body’s hormonal balance and affect weight, bone density, and blood sugar levels.
-
NewsBacteria from cows show promising results in treating MRSA infections
Cows carry a bacterium, Staphylococcus simulans, that could become an effective weapon against increased antibiotic resistance. Signaling molecules from this bacterium can treat infections caused by MRSA bacteria as effectively as antibiotics.
-
NewsEmerging viral threats combatted by a potent new dual lipid kinase inhibitor
Lipid kinases play a critical role in cell signalling and membrane trafficking by phosphorylating lipid molecules in the body. The inhibition of two of these lipid kinases, PIKfyve and PIP4K2C, could be beneficial in the treatment of diseases, particularly emerging viruses.
-
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.
-
NewsVaccine disguised as a virus tricks the body into stronger immunity
A simple addition to mRNA vaccines can significantly enhance their effectiveness. Scientists have shown that mice develop a stronger and longer-lasting immune response when the mRNA vaccine is disguised as virus-like particles.
-
NewsBiosynthetic pathway discoveries mean we can halve the price of costly cancer drug
Researchers have identified the enzymes responsible for the two critical final steps in the biosynthetic pathway that makes the chemotherapy drug Taxol active as a drug, potentially opening it up to biotech based production.
-
NewsBacteria use ancient war trick to outsmart viruses – and it could help us fight superbugs
Scientists have discovered a new type of immune defense in E. coli bacteria that turns viral infection machinery against the virus itself. They’ve named it Kongming after the Chinese military strategist who famously used enemy weapons to defeat his foes.