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
Immune 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.
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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.
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Careers
A 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.
NewsLong-acting therapies continue to gain momentum in HIV, says GlobalData
The next phase of competition in the HIV market will be defined not only by achieving viral suppression, but improving treatment adherence, reducing medication burden and delivering more convenient treatment options, says a new analysis.
CareersMember Q&A: Thomas Thompson on the central role AMI has played in his research journey
Pharmacist and microbiologist Dr Thomas Thompson reveals how AMI membership has played a central role in reaching the point where he is about to start building his own research programme in the School of Pharmacy at Queen’s University Belfast.
NewsTriple-dose regimen may permanently clear HIV in infected newborns
New research suggests a one-time regimen of therapies given to newborns within three days of birth could permanently clear HIV infection.
NewsNew viral marker strategies improve prediction of functional cure in chronic hepatitis B
Researchers identify how combining classical and emerging viral biomarkers can better predict functional cure and guide individualized hepatitis B treatment.
NewsLargest real-world study finds early flu antiviral treatment reduces ICU admissions in hospitalized children
A new US-wide study finds antiviral treatment is linked to fewer intensive care unit (ICU) admissions and shorter hospital stays for children hospitalized with influenza.
NewsStudy finds HIV-1 proviruses may drive chronic systemic inflammation
People living with HIV are at higher risk of developing inflammatory diseases of many tissues, even when receiving antiviral treatments. A new study suggests that persistent hidden HIV contributes to this inflammation.
NewsNew study finds bacterial infections affect about 1 in 20 hospitalized adults with firearm injuries
A new study finds that bacterial infections develop in approximately 5 percent of adults hospitalized with firearm injuries.
NewsObesity drug significantly reduces the risk of infections and serious cardiovascular events
Tirzepatide, marketed under the brand name Mounjaro, could reduce the risk of heart attacks and hospitalizations due to infections in people with type 2 diabetes by by about one-third when compared with a conventional diabetes medication.
NewsDecoding the gut microbiome’s symphony in health and disease
A new study shows that analysing what gut microbes are doing, rather than identifying which species are present may be more important for understanding intestinal inflammation.