Horizon Awards 2025: Dr Manu De Rycker named as winner of WH Pierce Prize
Dr Manu De Rycker, a Principal Investigator at the University of Dundee, has been named as the newest winner of the WH Pierce Global Impact in Microbiology Prize.
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Microbial-induced pathologies in 80-million-year-old dinosaur bones
In the microbiology laboratory, we observe infection in real-time: bacterial colonies spreading across agar plates, inflammatory markers rising in blood samples, and immune responses captured at single timepoints. But what if we could watch only one frame at a time of an entire infection unfold from initial pathogen invasion through ...
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What are we swimming in? The growing need for Microbial Source Tracking
The pandemic changed the way many of us connect with the outdoors. Wild swimming and other aquatic pursuits have seen an increase in public interest since 2020, and with that, a heightened awareness of water quality.
Under the microscope: Body farms
Human Taphonomy Facilities, also known as body farms, are outdoor research facilities used to study human decomposition under different environmental conditions and stressors.
Breathing alien air: the search for biosignatures on exoplanets
Among the most promising indicators of biogenic elements are volatile organic compounds produced by life forms. The detection of specific metabolites such as dimethyl sulphide (DMS) and related compounds may hint at extraterrestrial biology.
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Could livestock-originated probiotics replace synthetic antibiotics for livestock?
In many developing countries, the use of antibiotics in both humans and animals is often indiscriminate and poorly regulated. Could livestock-originated probiotics be a suitable replacement?
Key lessons from the saMBA studies on human gut microbiome diversity
A recent study published in Nature Communications introduced the South American MicroBiome Archive (saMBA). The study offers several critical insights that deserve careful consideration.
Sustainability starts at the bench: microbiologists leading by example
The scale of the environmental crisis demands that sustainability move from the margins to the centre of every discipline.
Summer studentship: Owen investigates how fungal hyphae interact with lung cells
Owen Nicholson reports back on his AMI-sponsored summer studentship which investigated the role of Piezo1 in the immune response during fungal invasion of the human lung at the University of East Anglia.
Next-gen microbiologists: from innovators to business leaders
Today, we need microbiologists to be not only academics or researchers but also budding innovators, entrepreneurs, and business leaders. Career possibilities in this domain are vast, as people can build their own ventures, become policy makers, and employers.
Summer studentship: Amelia investigates how Streptococci aggregate with other oral bacteria
Amelia Rohim reports back on her AMI-sponsored summer studentship which focused on the investigation of inter-species aggregation between oral bacteria at the University of Michigan with Dr. Alexander Rickard.
New software tool fast-tracks identification and response to microbial threats
MARTi is an open-source software tool that powers real-time analysis and visualisation of metagenomic data. The team have created an accessible interface which increases the usability and accessibility of metagenomic analysis.
£4.56M Wellcome Discovery Award to investigate natural human resistance to Salmonella
The University of Liverpool’s Professor Jay Hinton and an international team have been awarded a £4,555,647 Wellcome Discovery funding to lead a five-year research programme exploring how some healthy humans are naturally protected from being infected by Salmonella Typhimurium.
Scientists develop floral-scented fungus that lures mosquitoes to their doom
Taking advantage of the mosquito’s natural attraction to flowers, an international team of researchers engineered a new strain of Metarhizium fungus that imitates a flower’s sweet scent and lures the bloodsucking bugs to their deaths.
Food security
£4.56M Wellcome Discovery Award to investigate natural human resistance to Salmonella
The University of Liverpool’s Professor Jay Hinton and an international team have been awarded a £4,555,647 Wellcome Discovery funding to lead a five-year research programme exploring how some healthy humans are naturally protected from being infected by Salmonella Typhimurium.
Clean Water
Study shows differences between documented and self-reported polio vaccination rates
Until poliovirus is eradicated worldwide, vaccination protection is important as the virus could be reintroduced at any time. Epidemiologists have now shown that many people in Germany do not know their vaccination status and cannot find it on their vaccination record.
Nutritional supplements boost baby coral survival
Feeding coral larvae a coral ’baby food’ can dramatically increase their chances of survival, offering a new avenue for reef restoration as climate change continues to threaten coral ecosystems, a new study finds.
