All University of Utah articles
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NewsBacteria may hold a cancer treatment clue
A review argues that tumors with reproducibly poor prognosis outcomes may share an overlooked feature: bacterial infection within the tumor microenvironment. These bacteria may weaken treatment by altering local immunity, damaging tissue structure, and even inactivating chemotherapeutic drugs.
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NewsNew kind of CRISPR could treat viral infection and cancer by shredding sick cells’ DNA
A new technology uses a relative of the CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing system to kill target cells. When activated by a specific, programmable genetic target, the Cas12a2 protein rips a cell’s genome apart. Researchers programmed Cas12a2 to kill virus-infected cells or cancer cells while leaving healthy cells untouched.
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NewsIn mice, viruses gain virulence in some individuals, depending on genetics and sex
New research demonstrates that some hosts appear to serve as “evolutionary accelerators” that could enable viruses to gain virulence more quickly.
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NewsMillions-of-years-old insect symbioses are surprisingly fragile
An introduced bacterium displaces the sawtoothed grain beetle’s symbiotic partner, leading to the complete collapse of a previously stable symbiosis within a few generations.
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NewsThe gut bacteria that put the brakes on weight gain in mice
Research has identified a specific type of gut bacteria, called Turicibacter, that improves metabolic health and reduces weight gain in mice on a high-fat diet. People with obesity tend to have less Turicibacter, suggesting that the microbe may promote healthy weight in humans as well.
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NewsAI tool beats humans at detecting parasites in stool samples, study finds
Scientists have developed an artificial intelligence (AI) tool that detects intestinal parasites in stool samples more quickly and accurately than traditional methods, potentially transforming how labs diagnose parasitic infections around the world.
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NewsHow a pyrite-oxidizing microbe helps preserve atmospheric oxygen in sulfate
Research shows that O₂ in sulfate deposits, coupled with geochemical clues, could help identify microbial activity in Earth’s rock record and even in Martian sediments.
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NewsYeast proteins reveal the secrets of drought resistance
A new study in Cell Systems helps explain how organisms can come back from desiccation (the removal of water or moisture) while others fail by looking at the cell’s proteins. In the first survey of its kind, a team of researchers profiled thousands of proteins at once for their ability to survive dehydration and rehydration.
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NewsCould a fungus provide a blueprint for next-gen hydrogels?
New research finds one fungal species, Marquandomyces marquandii, shows promise as a potential building block for new biomedical materials. It can grow into hydrogels, materials that hold lots of water and mimic the softness and flexibility of human tissues.
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NewsScholars take a new look at controversial Stateville prison malaria research 75 years ago
Medical ethicists are shining a light on a buried part of the malaria research conducted on inmates at Illinois’ Stateville Penitentiary 75 years ago.
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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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NewsBroader antibiotic use could change the course of cholera outbreaks, research suggests
Disease modeling research suggests that, for some cholera outbreaks, prescribing antibiotics more aggressively could slow or stop the spread of the disease and even reduce the likelihood of antibiotic resistance.
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NewsResearch uncovers hidden spread of one of the most common hospital-associated infections
By tracking Clostridium difficile through the hospital environment, rather than on patients alone, scientists have uncovered previously undetected movement of bacteria through hospital settings.
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NewsFungal structures could be deployed in aerospace industry
Manufacturing a material that mimics mushrooms and other fungal structures could provide opportunities in any number of areas, ranging from aerospace engineering to clothing production.
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NewsSeemingly ‘broken’ genes in coronaviruses may be essential for viral survival
Some coronaviruses, including Covid-19 have extra ‘accessory’ genes in addition to the usual minimal viral set and researchers have found that some of these viral genes have stuck around even though they don’t produce a working protein.
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NewsWhat microscopic fossilized shells tell us about ancient climate change
New research pairs sea surface temperatures with levels of atmospheric CO2 during the end of the Paleocene, showing the two were closely linked.
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NewsScientists map DNA of Lyme disease bacteria
Scientists have produced a genetic analysis of Lyme disease bacteria that may pave the way for improved diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of the tick-borne ailment.
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NewsHospital awarded $12m to study best approach to treat mild pneumonia in young children
Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, in partnership with University of Utah Health, has been approved for $12 million in research funding for a study that will compare two ways to use antibiotics in young children with mild pneumonia.
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NewsPlant bacteria deploy phage elements to wipe out the competition
A new study has found that plant bacterial pathogens are able to repurpose elements of their own phages to wipe out competing microbes, suggesting such elements could someday be harnessed as an alternative to antibiotics.
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NewsNovel virus identified in zebrafish from the pet trade causes disease in laboratory fish
Zebrafish in the pet trade are asymptomatic carriers of previously undescribed microbes, including a novel virus that causes hemorrhaging in infected laboratory fish, new research has revealed.