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
Researchers explore potential link between COVID-19 and lung cancer risk
New findings have identified a potential association between COVID-19 and increased lung cancer risk, driven by underlying biological mechanisms in the lung. The study integrates human clinical data with mechanistic research in animal and cellular models.
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NewsNanodisc platform improves vaccine design for Ebola, HIV and more
Scientists have created a platform that allows viral surface proteins to be studied in a form that more closely resembles how they appear naturally, utilizing nanodisc technology where these proteins are embedded into particles made of lipid molecules, preserving them in a membrane-like structure.
NewsTrial assesses safety and effectiveness of two new TB vaccines
Two new vaccines to prevent tuberculosis (TB) are safe for use in adults and children, but they do not offer protection against all forms of TB, finds a large trial from India.
NewsHow cholera bacteria swap defenses against viruses
To survive viral attack, bacteria equip themselves with antiviral immune systems. Vibrio cholerae carries a large genetic element called a sedentary chromosomal integron (SCI). A new study investigates whether the SCI might capture gene cassettes from genetic material entering the cell from the outside.
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News
Could your housemates be changing your gut bacteria?
Living with friends may quietly be altering your gut bacteria - according to a new study. Research on a colony of tiny island birds reveals they share more of their gut bacteria with the birds they spend the most time with.
NewsMethod for amplifying the full genome of human papillomavirus 16 uses overlapping extension polymerase chain reaction
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a double-stranded circular DNA virus with a genome of approximately 7–8 kb. A new study aims to establish an overlapping extension polymerase chain reaction method for the amplification of the entire genome of HPV16.
NewsRethinking the gut microbiome: Health is not about staying the same
Despite decades of research into the gut microbiome, microbiome-based interventions such as probiotics or fecal transplants still produce inconsistent results. Scientists suggest part of the problem may lie not in the microbiome itself, but in how we define what it means to be ‘healthy’.
NewsA smarter way to build vaccines: scientists harness AI to target emerging alphaviruses
Scientists have developed a new computational pipeline that could dramatically accelerate the development of vaccines against a group of mosquito-borne viruses known as alphavirus.
NewsPueraria lobata decoction-derived vesicle-like nanoparticles reveal a novel mechanism for ulcerative colitis treatment
By simulating the traditional decoction process, researchers successfully isolated structurally intact GGD-PDVLNs from dried Pueraria lobata after boiling. These nanoparticles demonstrated remarkable stability in simulated gastric acid and intestinal fluids.
NewsAstragalus polysaccharide-linked exosomes “wake up” latent HIV-1 by flipping a key cellular switch
“Shock-and-kill” strategies aim to reactivate latent virus so infected cells become visible to immune clearance or additional therapies. In a new study, researchers investigated whether exosomes could mediate HIV latency reversal after exposure to Astragalus polysaccharide (APS).
NewsBelfast to host global scientists at the Microbiology Society’s Annual Conference 2026
Baroness Natalie Bennett will join leading scientists and policymakers in Belfast for a discussion on how to slow the spread of superbugs at the Microbiology Society’s Annual Conference.
NewsPhase I study for human monoclonal antibody for Lyme disease demonstrates safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics
A Phase I clinical trial of a human monoclonal antibody discovered and developed for the prevention of Lyme disease in the U.S. was well tolerated and showed lasting serum concentrations in participants, according to data.
NewsResearchers to test a gut microbiome intervention as part of a cancer therapy regimen
A phase III clinical trial will test a gut microbiome intervention as part of a kidney cancer therapy regimen. The investigational agent is a once-daily capsule requiring no refrigeration or special handling.
OpinionWhy chromogenic media matters when testing for invasive pathogens: Could the cheapest plate be an expensive decision?
Chris Armstrong, President of Microbiology, Thermo Fisher Scientific, argues that laboratories should stop judging fungal culture media on unit price alone.
NewsBird flu spread could be impacted by where waterfowl like to live
The movement patterns of waterfowl, including ducks, swans and geese, may affect the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza in bird populations. Researchers found that birds travel much shorter distances in areas with human activity.
NewsThree-dimensional microscopy reveals how tick-borne virus replicates
Researchers show how tick‑borne viruses remodel human cells into virus factories, using an advanced microscopy method. The findings provide new insight into how the virus replicates and matures, knowledge that may become important for future treatments against TBE.
NewsResearchers develop new solar-powered water disinfection system
Researchers have developed a new solar-powered water disinfection system that combines several existing methods. The compact device effectively utilizes a combination of techniques that all use solar energy.
NewsUnlocking how dogs’ fungal ear infections evade treatment points vets to drug stewardship
Mutations in a key protein make a yeast found in dogs with common outer ear infections more resistant to the topical antifungals used to treat it, veterinarians and pathobiologists found in a new study.
NewsTurmeric/ginger extract shows multiple benefits for bone implants
An extract of turmeric and ginger helps bone implants bond strongly while killing bacteria and cancer cells, according to new research with implications for millions of patients with joint replacements and bone cancer.
NewsLoss of microbiota alters the profile of cells that protect the intestinal wall
Experiments in mice and human tissue indicate that a reduction in bacteria living in the large intestine decreases mucus production and affects nutrient absorption, particularly in older adults.
NewsHIV infections would increase by 10% average if CDC funding for HIV testing ends, study predicts
Researchers used a computer model to quantify the effect of funding cuts for HIV testing. They estimate that HIV infections could increase an average of 10% in 18 U.S. states if this funding is interrupted or ended.
NewsBacteria incorporate forever chemicals into cell membrane molecules
New research shows that bacteria incorporate polyfluoroalkyl carboxylates—a type of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs)—into the molecules that make up their cell membranes.
NewsInuit recommendations to address high rates of tuberculosis in Nunavik, Quebec
Tuberculosis rates for Inuit living in Nunavik, the Inuit lands in northern Quebec, are 1,000 times greater than among non-foreign-born Quebeckers, and underresourcing of local health care adds to hardship from the disease, found new research.