All Virginia Tech articles
-
NewsBacteria’s mysterious viruses can fan flames of antibiotic damage, according to new model
Researchers built a model that allows them to diminish phage communities from a mouse gut microbiome — and then bring them back — without affecting the bacteria. A test run found evidence that phages may increase gut bacteria’s sensitivity to antibiotics.
-
NewsDeadly rodent-borne hantavirus is an emerging disease with pandemic potential
Researchers have found three hotspots of hantavirus circulation in wildlife in the US – Virginia, Colorado, and Texas – and identified 15 rodent species as carriers, including six species that had not previously been identified as hosts of the virus.
-
NewsStudy assesses virulence of Cryptococcus strains, laying groundwork for improved treatment
A research group has just completed a six-year study to examine the virulence of 38 clinical isolates from various strains of Cryptococcus, taking us a step closer towards improved treatment of the fungal pathogen.
-
NewsSewage surveillance proves powerful in combating antimicrobial resistance
A study is using sewage surveillance as a vital strategy in the fight against diseases that spread through the water such as legionella and shigella.
-
NewsNative fungus could offer biocontrol for invasive autumn olive
Researchers are studying a native fungus that potentially could kill the invasive autumn olive with minimal human interaction.To remove the autumn olive currently, the plant needs to have its underground root system removed in addition to the destruction of the plant itself, but this fungus could make this process much easier.
-
NewsResearchers to deploy fungus to combat devilishly invasive tree-of-heaven
Researchers are examining if a natural fungus that kills the highly invasive tree-of-heaven could be spread to other trees-of-heaven by the spotted lanternfly, in turn reducing populations of this pest insect as well.
-
NewsHumanities and health sciences join forces for infectious disease coursework
The key to better understanding the spread of infectious diseases may lie where the humanities and the health sciences meet.
-
NewsX.J. Meng receives prestigious MERIT Award to study hepatitis E virus
The Meng Lab will receive about $2 million over the next five years with the opportunity to seek approval to renew without undergoing regular peer review for five more years for up to $2.4 million, as the lab continues its cutting-edge research on hepatitis E virus.
-
NewsNew research illuminates the impact of surface properties on bacteria movement
A new study reveals the key role surface properties play in either enabling or preventing twitching motility, the process by which bacteria move across surfaces, allowing them to rapidly colonize new surfaces including those of tissues and medical implants.
-
NewsIncreased ventilation not effective in reducing influenza virus spread in play-based model
Increasing ventilation in child-care settings may not always be effective at preventing flu virus spread, according to a new study.
-
NewsVirus that causes COVID-19 is widespread in wildlife
Six out of 23 common wildlife species showed signs of SARS-CoV-2 infections in an examination of animals in Virginia, as revealed by tracking the virus’s genetic code.
-
NewsHibernation status matters when white-nose syndrome pathogen infects bats
The fungal pathogen that causes white-nose syndrome (WNS) in bats uses different cell entry strategies depending on the host’s hibernation status – cold and inactive, or warm and active.
-
NewsResearchers use microbes to create biodegradable bioplastics from food waste
Researchers are developing biodegradable bioplastics from food waste to give those materials a new – and useful – life.
-
NewsResearchers show viral infections pose early heart risks
Myocarditis is often triggered by the body’s immune response to a viral infection, but a new study shows that the virus itself creates potentially dangerous conditions in the heart before inflammation sets in.
-
NewsResearchers discover that blocking an essential nutrient inhibits malaria parasite growth
Researchers have found that by preventing the malaria parasite from scavenging fatty acids, a type of required nutrient, it can no longer grow.
-
NewsReverse metabolomics method finds biomarker for inflammatory bowel disease
Scientists develop a groundbreaking approach to microbiome research, improving its ability to explain and treat disease.
-
NewsResearchers secure $2 million grant to develop airborne pathogen-monitoring technology
Scientists have received a $2 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to continue their fight against airborne pathogens by developing engineered living systems for indoor air monitoring.
-
NewsResearcher awarded $1.9m to develop model to test phages in the gut
Bryan Hsu, an assistant professor of biological sciences at Virginia Tech, has received a five-year $1.9 million award to develop a model to test the role of lytic bacteriophages, or phages as they are commonly called, in the mammalian gut.