All University of North Carolina articles
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NewsResearchers discover method to combat antibiotic treatment failure
Researchers explored ways to alter our own immune cells to help antibiotics work more effectively. They identified a small molecule that alters the body’s immune cells, forcing them to ’wake up’ dormant bacteria and make them more vulnerable to antibiotic treatment.
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NewsNovel immunologic surveillance study provides new insights into post-pandemic return of respiratory viruses
Non-pharmaceutical interventions such as masking and distancing targeted towards SARS-CoV-2 during the pandemic also decreased circulation rates of and population immunity to common respiratory pathogens in children, a new study shows.
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NewsBat viruses similar to MERS have potential to jump to humans
A group of bat viruses closely related to the deadly Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) could be one small mutation away from being capable of spilling over into human populations and potentially causing the next pandemic.
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NewsScientists win award for bringing breakthrough HIV treatment lenacapavir into play
Three people have been awarded the AAAS Mani L. Bhaumik Breakthrough of the Year Award for their work on the first HIV drug to offer long-lasting protection from infection — eliminating the need for people to take a daily pill.
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NewsNew treatment for cryptococcal meningitis enters Phase II trial
Cryptococcal meningitis, the second-leading cause of HIV-related deaths, is expected to rise as access to care weakens and advanced HIV disease (previously called AIDS) increases.
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NewsDiabetes can drive the evolution of antibiotic resistance, study reveals
A new study shows that people with diabetes are more likely to develop antibiotic-resistant strains of Staph. The results show how the diabetic microbial environment produces resistant mutations, while hinting at ways antibiotic resistance can be combatted in this patient population.
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NewsScientists implicate a novel cellular protein in hepatitis A infection
Viruses have thrived in humans for tens of thousands of years, evolving to take advantage of the machinery of cells to replicate and survive inside us. Some can slip past our defenses and invade without even causing symptoms. Source: Shirasaki et al. (2024) (Left) Liver cells infected with ...
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NewsPublic health experts put out call for collaboration in antiviral therapeutics development coalition
Establishing a global therapeutics development coalition is a vital next step to invigorate the therapeutics pipeline and drive advocacy for increased investment and coordination of end-to-end therapeutics development, say a group of public health experts.
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NewsMutations of the spike gene do not predict the severity of variants of SARS-CoV-2
The two recent and prevalent strains of the virus that cause COVID-19 are not significantly better than their predecessor Omicron at evading immune responses and causing infections despite having a higher number of mutations.
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NewsU-M lands $6.5 million center to study links between Great Lakes algal blooms, human health
Great Lakes researchers at the University of Michigan have been awarded a $6.5 million, five-year federal grant to host a center for the study of links between climate change, harmful algal blooms and human health.
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NewsOral nucleoside antiviral is progressing toward future pandemic preparedness
Oral obeldesivir has been shown to reduce disease severity in mice infected with one of several different coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2 (which causes COVID-19), SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV.
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NewsBioinformatics professor discovers surprising evolutionary pattern in landmark yeast study
A new study challenges accepted frameworks within which yeast evolution is studied and provide access to an incredibly rich yeast analysis dataset that could have major implications for future evolutionary biology and bioinformatics research.
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NewsProbiotics in kombucha mimic fasting and reduce fat stores in worms
In a new study, researchers found that the microbes in kombucha tea make changes to fat metabolism in the intestines of a model worm species that are similar to the effects of fasting.
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News New trial highlights incremental progress towards a cure for HIV-1
A new clinical trial suggests that a combination of the drug vorinostat and immunotherapy can coax HIV-infected cells out of latency and attack them.
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NewsAntibiotic is cost-saving treatment for reducing maternal sepsis in developing countries
New findings suggest that giving an oral dose of azithromycin to pregnant women who deliver vaginally is a cost-saving treatment for reducing maternal sepsis, death or infection in developing countries.
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NewsMalaria parasites resistant to treatment and detection emerge in Ethiopia
Genomic surveillance by scientists has revealed mutations in malaria-causing parasites that will complicate efforts to eradicate the disease in Africa.
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NewsDiazotrophs show nitrogen fixation hotspots in Atlantic seaweed communities
A new study examining nitrogen fixation among diazotrophs – microorganisms that can convert nitrogen into usable form for other plants and animals – has found significant hotspots in sargassum communities.
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NewsNew research shows HIV can lie dormant in the brain
Researchers in the UNC School of Medicine extracted living brain tissue to conclude that specialized immune cells in the brain can harbour latent but replication-competent HIV.
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NewsBacterial species teams with Streptococcus to boost tooth decay
Researchers have discovered that a bacterial species called Selenomonas sputigena can have a major role in causing tooth decay.
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CareersUnearthing the secrets of living rocks
Working on a NASA-CSA project was a dream come true - and 13 years on, I’ve travelled the world unravelling the secret of contemporary microbialites.