Young Innovators & Early Career Research
Early career research is crucial for science, and in delivering applied microbiology to the world. This page is focused on showcasing innovations and research from early career researchers across the globe and provides a hub for the latest news, opinions, careers advice and research for early career scientists. Discover how interdisciplinary colleagues from around the world are making advancements in, and through, applied microbiology.
News
How Mtb safeguards itself from foreign DNA
Researchers have discovered how a key protein in the tuberculosis bacterium helps protect it from the influence of foreign DNA inserted into its genome. Understanding how this protein – called Lsr2 – functions could help develop drugs that target it, thereby aiding in the fight against TB.
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NewsA single gene underlies begomovirus resistance in eggplant
Researchers identified a gene in eggplant (Solanum melongena) that provides resistance to begomovirus infection. The work reveals a previously unknown defense mechanism and highlights clear biological differences between virus-resistant and virus-susceptible plants.
NewsA new ally against tooth decay: Arginine offers sweet relief
A new human clinical trial finds arginine can prevent caries due to bacterial plaques by reducing the acidity, altering the plaque structure and reducing harmful bacteria in the plaques.
NewsMicrobes in breast milk help populate infant gut microbiomes
A new study provides one of the most detailed portraits yet of how different combinations of bacteria in human milk contribute to the assembly of infants’ gut microbiomes.
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News
Cooperation: A costly affair in bacterial social behaviour?
A new study reveals that population bottlenecks can fundamentally reshape how cooperation evolves and persists in complex microbial societies. Researchers explored how repeated bottlenecks affect cooperative traits of Myxococcus xanthus, a model social bacterium.
NewsDiscovery could lead to new treatments for drug-resistant fungal infections
Researchers have identified a molecule that may help turn the tide on fungal infections — butyrolactol A, a chemical compound that targets a deadly, disease-causing fungi called Cryptococcus neoformans.
NewsDeep ocean earthquakes drive Southern Ocean’s massive phytoplankton blooms, study finds
Researchers have uncovered evidence that deep underwater earthquakes can spur the growth of massive phytoplankton blooms at the ocean surface. The new findings point to a previously unknown relationship between the ocean floor and life at the surface.
NewsFlour choice shapes sourdough microbial communities
Researchers analyzed sourdough starters to understand how the type of flour shaped the microbial community. They found that strains in the genus Kazachstania, a common sourdough yeast, to be most abundant in all the starters, but the bacterial composition varied by flour varieties.
CareersScientific Event Travel Grant: how the Safepork conference surpassed my expectations
Shan Goh from the University of Hertfordshire reports back on the International Symposium on the Epidemiology and Control of Biological, Chemical and Physical Hazards in Pigs and Pork held in Rennes, France, in October. Shan was supported with a Scientific Event Travel Grant awarded by AMI.
NewsNew method accelerates resistance testing in urinary tract infections
Researchers have developed two methods that allow urine samples to be tested directly for antibiotic susceptibility. Because the procedures do not require standardized bacterial suspensions, the time to result is reduced by up to 24 hours compared to conventional testing.
NewsWho is more likely to get long COVID?
Scientists have identified the key genetic drivers behind long COVID, revealing why some people continue to experience debilitating symptoms long after their initial infection.
NewsStudy uncovers new drug target for huge class of viruses
A study reveals how enteroviruses—including pathogens that cause polio, encephalitis, myocarditis, and the common cold—initiate replication by hijacking host-cell machinery.
NewsNew method means contaminated bathing water easier to detect
A new method can provide both faster and more complete answers on whether the water is safe for swimming or not. The innovation has been successfully tested in Helsingborg, where the response time has been reduced from several days to just a few hours.
CareersSummer studentship: Harini searches South Asian fermented foods for microbes that can tackle fruit browning
Harini Satkunarasa reports back on her AMI-sponsored summer studentship which explored South Asian fermented foods as a source of microorganisms for tyrosinase inhibition, with the wider aim of finding natural ways to decrease fruit browning in foods.
NewsNovel kirkovirus may be associated with colitis in horses
In a pilot study, researchers have found a novel kirkovirus that may be associated with colitis – and potentially small colon impactions – in horses. The study could offer a route to new therapies for horses with colitis symptoms from unknown causes.
NewsStudy links gut bacteria to bloodstream infections in newborns within sub-Saharan Africa for the first time
New research has shown gut and bloodstream infections are caused by the same bacteria giving hope of better prevention and diagnosis of deadly neonatal sepsis.
NewsUnique bond identified as key to viral infection speed
Viruses are typically described as tiny, perfectly geometric shells that pack genetic material with mathematical precision, but new research reveals a deliberate imbalance in their shape that helps them infect their hosts.
NewsResearchers discover how Ebola and Marburg disrupt the gastrointestinal tract
A new study sheds light on the mechanisms behind the damage caused by Ebola (EBOV) and Marburg virus (MARV) to the gastrointenstinal tract. TIt found that both viruses are capable of infecting and replicating within human gut epithelial cells and that the viruses interfere with the cells’ ability to regulate fluid secretion, mirroring the severe symptoms observed in patients.
NewsPandemic ‘beneath the surface’ has been quietly wiping out sea urchins around the world
Over the last four years, an unrecognized pandemic that has been wiping out sea urchins around the world has hit the Canary Islands. The consequences on marine ecosystems aren’t yet fully known, but likely profound.
NewsStudy reveals promising gut-targeted therapy for C. difficile infections
Researchers have uncovered how the body’s bile acids bind to block C. diff’s most dangerous toxin. The research has informed the development of a new compound that can protect against C. diff in preclinical models, offering hope for safer, more effective treatments.
CareersSummer studentship: Lucy creates a synthetic microbiome to study mosquito-borne diseases at different life stages
Lucy Ella Malvern reports back on her AMI-sponsored summer studentship which investigated microbiome assembly in mosquitoes across developmental stages.
NewsInside the gut: What our poo could tell us about our diet, gut microbes and health
Researchers have found that molecules in stool samples can accurately reflect what people eat and how their gut microbiome responds, offering a potential new tool to study nutrition and its impact on health.
NewsDeep sea microbes yield up their engineering secrets
A biomatrix of tiny tubes of protein, known as cannulae, link cells of the thermal vent-dwelling archaeon Pyrodictium abyssi together into a highly stable microbial community. A study reveals new details about the elegant design of the cannulae and their method of construction.