Microbiology News and Research

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Understanding yeast with probiotic properties

Researchers led by Prof. Johan Thevelein (VIB-KU Leuven Center for Microbiology) have discovered that Saccharomycesboulardii, a yeast with probiotic properties, produces uniquely excessive amounts of acetic acid, the main component of vinegar.

30 Aug 2019

Cell-free DNA identifies pathogens and quantifies injuries to organs

A common problem in diagnosing infectious disease is that the presence of a potential pathogen in the body does not necessarily mean the patient is sick. This can be particularly challenging for the treatment of organ transplant recipients, who often grapple with infection as well as complications related to immunosuppression.

29 Aug 2019

Promising vaccine may protect against the Klebsiella superbug

A powerful superbug, a hypervirulent form of the bacteria Klebsiella pneumoniae, is a very difficult to curb infection. It causes a variety of infections including rare but life-threatening liver, respiratory tract, bloodstream and other infections.

28 Aug 2019

Early detection method for pinpointing molecular signatures of Lyme disease

When researchers examined the mitochondrial DNA of Ötzi, a man entombed in ice high in the Tyrolean Alps some 5,300 years ago, they made a startling discovery.

26 Aug 2019

Scientists identify how nature builds with chitin

Writers know the power of the pen, but scientists are just discovering its secrets.

25 Aug 2019

Research team develops microbiome-based index for assessing skin health

Microbiomes aren't just for understanding and modulating gut health - skin, our largest organ, hosts a vibrant and complex microbiome that can provide health insights. An international research team has developed an index to better understand skin health across human populations.

22 Aug 2019

Meat allergy triggered by tick bites explained

Researchers from University of Virginia School of Medicine have uncovered the mystery behind development of allergic reactions to red meat such as beef in some individuals. Recently there has been a body of research on allergies to meat developing in individuals due to tick bites.

21 Aug 2019

New insight into the immune system may help doctors to better fight cancer

Your immune system's natural killer cells recognize and attack two major kinds of danger - cells infected by viruses and cells affected by cancer.

20 Aug 2019

Geneticists prove therapeutic effects of probiotics on vaginal health

Scientists have found strong evidence that three genes from Lactobacillus species can mediate adhesion to the vaginal epithelium.

20 Aug 2019

UVA scientists reveal how E. coli knows to cause the worst possible infections

A pair of University of Virginia School of Medicine scientists have revealed how E. coli seeks out the most oxygen-free crevices of your colon to cause the worst infection possible.

19 Aug 2019

Research shows how E. coli knows where and when to begin colonizing the colon

A pair of University of Virginia School of Medicine scientists have revealed how E. coli seeks out the most oxygen-free crevices of your colon to cause the worst infection possible.

19 Aug 2019

Study explores if fecal transplants can improve outcomes in melanoma patients

A multidisciplinary team at Lawson Health Research Institute is exploring whether fecal transplants can improve outcomes in melanoma patients treated with immunotherapy.

19 Aug 2019

Scientists find a potent weapon against antibiotic resistance

Antibiotic resistance is a big threat to global health, and a growing number of infections are now becoming harder to treat. The usual treatments, like antibiotics used to treat them, becomes less effective. Now, a team of researchers may have found a potent weapon against antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which can help treat persistent infections.

15 Aug 2019

Powerful weapon discovered to fight antibiotic resistance in Staphylococcus aureus

Staphylococcus aureus bacteria are a major cause of serious infections that often persist despite antibiotic treatment, but scientists at the UNC School of Medicine have now discovered a way to make these bacteria much more susceptible to some common antibiotics.

14 Aug 2019

UC San Diego researchers win $9 million funding to identify cellular cause of type 1 diabetes

University of California San Diego School of Medicine researchers have been awarded nearly $9 million to fund two multi-institutional research projects that use human pluripotent stem cells, CRISPR and human organoids to dissect beta cell defects and create a human cell model of type 1 diabetes aimed at identifying the elusive cellular actions leading to disease onset.

14 Aug 2019