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
Hedgehog coronaviruses may threaten cats more than humans, new study finds
Researchers have discovered how a group of coronaviruses circulating in hedgehogs invades host cells, a key to understanding their potential to jump between species and their risk of causing a pandemic in humans.
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NewsHow disease-causing E. coli quickly finds a new way to grip human cells—revealing a possible target for future treatments
A new study shows how a type of disease-causing E. coli can quickly adapt when it loses one of its main ways of attaching to the intestine. The bacteria either change shape or make small changes to a protein that strengthens their grip on human cells.
CareersHow a sceptic was won over: Charlotte Wilson on her internship with AMI
Fourth year PhD student Charlotte Wilson admits she was sceptical before she embarked on her PIPS internship with Applied Microbiology International’s Communications and Marketing Team - but here’s how it turned out.
NewsDangerous strings of bacteria use flow to spread colonies
Researchers have identified how certain dangerous bacteria are spread. They studied chain-like adherence pattern (CLAP) varieties of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), finding that single bacteria attach to a surface and elongate before dividing, producing chains without ever separating.
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News
Fertilizers and extreme heat are damaging coral reefs in the Gulf of Mexico
Scientists analyzing nitrogen isotopes in the calcareous skeletons of corals have discovered that the high levels of nitrogen in the northern Gulf originate from the Mississippi River and are attributable to the use of fertilizers.
NewsWhen antiviral defense and autoimmunity collide: New insights into lupus genetics
Researchers have found that a common lupus-associated genetic variant may strengthen antiviral immune responses while increasing the risk of autoimmunity.
NewsThese bacteria can change their diet to survive inside the body
The team have found that Staphylococcus aureus can adjust its diet depending on what sources remain available. The bacterium can adjust its inner workings in response to any one of a number of different sulfur-containing compounds — like cysteine, glutathione or thiosulfate.
NewsC. diff coordinates threat response to survive in gut
Researchers have discovered a unique system C. diff uses to simultaneously sense and respond to two different threats: host-mediated nutrient deprivation and a microbiota-produced antibiotic compound, suggesting new therapeutic options for preventing and treating C. diff infections.
NewsNew study details the finding of the first known live kissing bug in Europe
Students taking a Medical Entomology class donned their detective hats and helped investigate what appears to be the first documented live kissing bug in Europe.
NewsSuper-resolution imaging reveals details inside living cells
A new fluorescence microscopy technique that generates super-resolution images from a single camera exposure could help researchers study rapid movements within cells that are difficult to capture with existing methods.
NewsInternational Society of Microbiota, Nature Awards and Yakult join forces to connect global funding with Japanese microbiome research
A new collaboration at ISM–RIKEN Targeting Microbiota 2026 will bring the Global Grants for Gut Health programme to Tokyo, alongside a dedicated funding discussion and three Best Abstract Prizes.
NewsProbiotic and postbiotic treatments revive heat-stressed corals
Researchers have established that both live probiotic and inactivated postbiotic treatments improve coral health—while the animals are under thermal stress during a natural marine heatwave.
NewsBacterial nanoplatform targets spleen to reprogram immune cells and prevent cancer recurrence
Researchers have announced the development of an engineered nanoplatform named t-SMC, which precisely targets the spleen to reverse splenic myelopoiesis toward an antitumoral immune phenotype.
CareersTrusting in science: Vito Latorre reports back on Parliamentary Links Day
University of East Anglia PhD student Vito Latorre shares his experiences of representing Applied Microbiology International at the Parliamentary Links Day in Westminster earlier this summer.
NewsAn enzyme with potential: New type of plastic-degrading enzyme discovered in bacteria
Researchers have identified a new enzyme that can not only degrade certain polyesters and bioplastics, but also might provide bacteria with resistance to antibiotics. The discovery raises hopes that microorganisms can adapt to plastic degradation more rapidly than previously thought.
NewsAntifungal therapy shows potential for IBD patients with candida overgrowth
A commonly used systemic antifungal medication may help reduce symptoms in a subset of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) by restoring a healthier gut microbiome, according to a preliminary study.
NewsSmoky off-flavors in cocoa aren’t caused solely by smoke - overfermentation can be the cause
Researchers have shown that overfermentation of cocoa beans can cause smoky, leathery, and cheesy off-flavors. Smoky flavors, therefore, are not necessarily attributable to smoke contamination.
NewsLoss of kelp forests reverberates down to microbial level
As one moves north, Maine’s kelp forests are being overtaken by dense mats of carpet-like turf algae. The steady decline of kelp, and transition into this new state, is altering the ecosystem all the way down to the microbial level, according to a new study.
NewsSemen facilitates infection with mpox virus
Researchers have found that seminal fluid can facilitate infection of skin cells with the mpox virus. An analysis of the seminal fluid showed that certain naturally occurring protein fragments are responsible for this effect.
NewsAntarctica is home to microbes found nowhere else on Earth
Researchers have found evidence that specific microbes in Antarctica’s soils are endemic — located on the continent and nowhere else on Earth.
NewsHeat-tolerant corals may be more vulnerable to disease, study finds
Corals that partner with heat-tolerant algae may be better equipped to survive warming oceans but that resilience comes with an unexpected trade-off. Such corals keep their stress response system in a heightened state - and that can backfire.
NewsEven ancient bacteria possessed intercellular communication structures like humans today
Communication between cells in plants, animals and humans takes place via specialised connecting structures. Researchers have discovered how the regulation of very similar structures was already present in multicellular bacteria.
NewsInfluenza A infection under-reported during 2021 UK pandemic, researchers reveal
Influenza A infections were under-reported during the 2021 UK pandemic, according to research presented earlier this year at MLSFF 2026.