One health
Communicable diseases remain one of the major causes of mortality worldwide. There are disparities in the numbers of individuals affected by disease between low-and-middle-income countries and those in developed nations. Microbes will play in important role in drug discovery: producing anticancer drugs and antimicrobials. Applying One Health principles, to understand the interaction of pathogens and the human host, development of diagnostics, treatments, and disease prevention, applied microbiologists can shape global health and wellbeing outcomes.
News
Engineered macrophages gain enhanced bacteria-targeting ability
A novel membrane interface engineering strategy enables immune cells to specifically recognize, capture and eliminate pathogenic bacteria without genetic modification.
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NewsResearchers identify rapidly spreading genetic variants that make parasites resistant to malaria treatment
New genetics study helps explain declining malaria drug susceptibility and highlights the urgent need to track mutations and improve current therapies.
NewsAlbumin is prevented from crossing the placenta – opening opportunities for design of long-acting biologic medicines
Researchers have uncovered that the placenta distinguishes between antibodies and albumin, a finding that may reshape the future design of biologic medicines with reduced fetal exposure.
NewsCell ‘invisibility cloaks’ could offer side-effect-free diabetes treatment
New research suggests manufacturing cells an “invisibility cloak” out of a jelly-like material known as hydrogel, may offer an easier, less damaging treatment pathway for people with diabetes undergoing cell therapy.
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News
UC San Diego receives $12.3 million grant to study the intersection of HIV and methamphetamine use
A newly funded programme aims to use a multidisciplinary approach focused on improving the clinical care and brain health of people with HIV who also have an active methamphetamine use disorder.
NewsStable RNA elements open new possibilities for mRNA therapeutics
New research has discovered compact viral RNA elements that can make mRNA more stable, and could provide a simple way to develop longer-lasting and more efficient mRNA technologies for vaccines and other RNA-based therapeutics.
NewsCells use a little-known molecule to protect themselves from iron overload
New research shows that cells rely on an unexpected protector against elevated iron levels: small molecules called polyamines. These small molecules act like storage lockers for iron, safely holding the metal in a non-reactive state until cells need it.
NewsCould beneficial bacteria help prevent the body from absorbing lead?
New funding supports early-stage research at Worcester Polytechnic Institute that aims to show how pieces of genetic code produced in the gut by healthy bacteria could block lead exposure.
NewsNovel AI model accurately detects key gene mutations and predicts biomarkers across 32 cancer types
Researchers have developed a novel AI model capable of predicting cancer subtypes, specific genetic mutations, and survival outcomes across 32 different cancers.
NewsImmune molecules play a limited role in ALS progression
New research indicates that immune-related molecules change in motor neurons affected by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), but they do not appear to be major drivers of disease progression.
NewsPregnancy increases immune burden on women with arthritis and lupus
New research finds that the immune system of women with autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus react very differently to pregnancy: rheumatoid arthritis patients often experience an improvement in symptoms, while lupus patients have an elevated risk of deterioration.
NewsCould preventing shingles also help prevent dementia?
A new study finds that older adults who received a shingles vaccine had a 24% lower risk of developing dementia over four years. The findings add to growing evidence that preventing shingles may also protect against neurological disease.
NewsVanderbilt health evaluating vaccine for C. difficile for people 65 and older
Investigators are enrolling participants in a Phase 3 clinical trial testing an investigational vaccine against Clostridioides difficile, a contagious bacterial infection of the colon.
CareersA day in the life: Discovering the hidden microbes of Britain’s historic waters
PhD student Wewerly Fernandes outlines her investigations into the microorganisms living in Britain’s historic wells and natural springs - once believed to hold healing properties and linked to legends of Merlin and renowned figures like Robert Burns.
NewsDrought is reshaping the spread of infectious diseases
A review study reveals how drier conditions could make humans and wildlife more vulnerable to certain infectious diseases, even though many parasites and disease-carrying organisms depend heavily on water to survive.
NewsMen more likely to be infected with TB than women
Men are more likely than women to catch tuberculosis, finds a new study. Researchers found that men were more likely than women to already have a TB infection when the study began, but men were not significantly more likely to develop active TB disease than women.
NewsReddit reveals what pregnant women really want to know about the Tdap vaccine
An analysis of Reddit posts about the maternal Tdap vaccine made by pregnant women reveals expectant mothers turning to Reddit to seek advice and reassurance—with fewer outright instances of vaccine hesitation/refusal than has generally been observed for other types of vaccines, according to a study published on August 12, 2026 ...
NewsWorld’s first oral microbiome-based nanomedicine to supercharge anti-cancer immunity
Researchers have successfully developed the world’s first oral, microbiome-based nanomedicine which enhances the ability of immune cells to attack cancer cells.
NewsSteroids reduce inflammation in chronic mycobacterial lung infections without limiting antimicrobial defence
Researchers have shown that dexamethasone, a commonly prescribed anti-inflammatory steroid, can reduce harmful inflammation triggered by Mycobacterium avium without weakening the ability of human immune cells to control the infection.
NewsAncient bacterial signals from cell powerhouses may fuel excessive inflammation
Researchers have discovered that proteins released from mitochondria can activate the immune system in a similar way to invading bacteria, suggesting that remnants of mitochondria’s evolutionary past may contribute to inflammation.
NewsNew study shows how Toxoplasma parasite evolved to adapt to crowded conditions in host cells
How Toxoplasma reshapes its metabolism to keep growing under crowded conditions in a tissue cyst has been unclear. A new study identifies a parasite-specific protein that helps coordinate this response, allowing Toxoplasma to manage oxidative stress.
NewsResearch sheds more light on the antimicrobial properties of mānuka honey
New research has shown that a variety of compounds is responsible for the antimicrobial action of mānuka honey, not just the sugar content and methylglyoxal (MGO) alone, as previously thought.
NewsResearchers look at ‘genetic neighborhoods’ to find pathogenic bacteria
Researchers used a machine-learning approach to study not just which genes a bacterium has, but also where those genes sit next to each other, helping to distinguish disease-causing strains of a poultry pathogen from nonpathogenic strains.