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.
Careers
Summer studentship: Megan investigates the mobile gene element that gives MRSA its clout
Megan Stenton reports back on her AMI-sponsored summer studentship which investigated the frequency of the SCCmec gene - a mobile gene element that houses the methicillin resistance gene - across members of the same species of Staphylococcus aureus.
Read story
NewsTraces of bacteria inside brain tumors may affect tumor behavior
Scientists have uncovered unexpected traces of bacteria within brain tumors. This discovery offers new insights into the environment in which brain tumors grow and sets the stage for future studies seeking to improve treatment outcomes.
NewsNext-generation microbiome medicine may revolutionize the treatment of Parkinson’s and similar disorders
Scientists have engineered the probiotic bacterium Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 as a drug-delivery system that continuously produces and delivers the gold-standard Parkinson’s drug Levodopa, which is converted to dopamine in the brain. E. coli Nissle strain was chosen for its century-long record of safely treating gastrointestinal disorders in humans.
NewsStudy in Europe: monoclonal antibodies effectively prevent respiratory syncytial virus in infants
Data from Belgium, Portugal and Spain show that immunisation of children after birth reduced the risk of hospitalization due to RSV infection by almost 80%.
More One Health
News
Wild birds are driving the current U.S. bird flu outbreak
Researchers traced the introduction and spread of highly pathogenic H5N1 viruses during the first 18 months in North America using genomic sequencing and migratory flyway analysis, discovering that the viruses were spread primarily by wild migrating birds.
NewsNew bioelectroceutical platform triggers dual cell death, reverses immunosuppression in colorectal cancer
Scientists have developed a new “microbial fuel cell” platform that integrates electrogenic bacteria with piezoelectric nanoparticles to cooperatively eradicate colorectal tumors, reverse immunosuppression, and remodel the gut microbiome.
NewsWomen are three times more likely than men to get severe long COVID: Here’s why
Researchers have identified a distinct immune signature in female long Covid patients versus male patients. They found evidence of ’gut leakiness’ in the women patients, including elevated blood levels of intestinal fatty acid binding protein, lipopolysaccharide, and the soluble protein CD14 — all signs of gut inflammation that can then trigger further systemic inflammation.
NewsEveryday levels of antibiotics in the environment may accelerate the global spread of resistance, new study finds
A new study shows that even very small amounts of antibiotics that commonly appear in soil, rivers, wastewater, and agricultural runoff may significantly accelerate the spread of antibiotic resistance genes among bacteria.
NewsProtecting infants against respiratory syncytial virus this winter — ECDC issues advice
ECDC has issued rapid scientific advice for policymakers and public health authorities on ways to mitigate the impact of RSV disease among infants through immunisation and to support intensified efforts to protect them from RSV across Europe.
NewsBiomedical Sciences researcher receives nearly $7 million in federal grants to fight STIs
Cynthia Nau Cornelissen, a Distinguished University Professor and associate director of the Institute for Biomedical Sciences at Georgia State University, has received nearly $7 million in two, five-year federal grants to develop vaccines and therapeutics to combat sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
NewsExperts urge continued hepatitis B vaccine birth doses for newborns
In a new commentary, leading experts urge that all newborns in the United States continue to receive the first dose of hepatitis B vaccine within 24 hours of birth. Hepatitis B vaccines are safe and effective with over one billion doses administered worldwide.
NewsKorea University College of Medicine’s Vaccine Innovation Center selected as lead institution for 2025 Korea-ARPA-H Health Security Project
The Vaccine Innovation Center at Korea University College of Medicine has been selected as the lead institution for a health security research initiative under the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s “2025 Korea-ARPA-H Project.”
NewsNew test could allow for more accurate Lyme disease diagnosis
Researchers have developed a new way to detect the Lyme disease bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, allowing for faster and more accurate diagnosis.
NewsNew test could speed detection of three serious regional fungal infections
Researchers have developed a new molecular test capable of detecting three major pathogenic fungi at once — and with a much quicker turnaround than traditional methods.
NewsNew DNA analysis approach could transform understanding of disease evolution
By adapting techniques originally used to study ancient DNA from archaeological specimens, researchers were able to recover genetic information from nearly century-old medical samples.
NewsThe link between the gut microbiome and autism is not backed by science, researchers say
There’s no scientific evidence that the gut microbiome causes autism, a group of scientists argue in an opinion paper. They warn that conclusions that supported this hypothesis are undermined by flawed assumptions, small sample sizes, and inappropriate statistical methods.
NewsManganese is Lyme disease bacterium’s double-edged sword
For decades, Lyme disease has frustrated both physicians and patients alike. Caused by the corkscrew-shaped bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, the infection, if left untreated, can linger for months, leading to fever, fatigue and painful inflammation.
NewsScientists find way to find the gut microbiome into a longevity factory
A team of researchers has found a way to turn the bacteria living in the digestive tracts of animals into factories that can produce compounds that promote longevity in their hosts—showing a potential new drug development strategy.
NewsFirst-in-North-America resource touts research into health benefits of fermented foods
A one-stop network, the first of its kind in North America, has begun sharing easily digested research, recipes and other resources about the health benefits of fermented foods. The new Canadian Fermented Foods Initiative (CFFI) launches officially on Nov. 17.
NewsTyphoid conjugate vaccine demonstrates strong safety and immunogenicity: Results from Phase 3 study
PATH and EuBiologics Co., LTD have announced Phase 3 results from a clinical trial of a typhoid conjugate vaccine (TCV), EuTYPH-C Inj.® Multi-dose. EuTYPH-C Inj.®
NewsRainfall and temperature shape mosquito fauna in Atlantic Forest bromeliads, including malaria vectors
Results from a study of mosquito larvae conducted in a natural area in the municipality of São Paulo (Brazil) may help estimate the effects of climate change on disease transmission risk in the biome.
CareersSummer studentship: Jonas investigates how metals influence bacterial ecosystems
Jonas Flohr from Portsmouth reports back on his AMI-sponsored summer studentship at Durham University investigating how metals influence bacterial ecosystems.
NewsBacteriophage characterization provides platform for rational design
Researchers have described the bacteriophage Bas63 in unprecedented detail, supporting new mechanistic understanding of how these viruses function.