Microbiology News and Research

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Innovative antibody delivery method could offer effective way to combat Ebola infection

More than 11,000 people died during the Ebola outbreak in West Africa from 2013-16, demonstrating both the deadly nature of the virus and the limitations of the medication used to fight it.

6 Mar 2018

Research shows how interaction between nervous and immune systems occurs in lung infections

When the body is fighting infection, the immune system kicks into high gear. But emerging evidence hints at the involvement of another, rather surprising, player in this process: the nervous system.

5 Mar 2018

New study shows advantages of DNA barcoding technique for identifying nanoparticles

The first direct comparison of in vitro and in vivo screening techniques for identifying nanoparticles that may be used to transport therapeutic molecules into cells shows that testing in lab dishes isn't much help in predicting which nanoparticles will successfully enter the cells of living animals.

5 Mar 2018

Researchers report functional and transferable gene responsible for colistin resistance

A researcher at LSTM, working with a team of Chinese investigators, have reported that the gene responsible for resistance to a last resort antibiotic, colistin, is functional and transferable in Shigella flexneri, one of the leading causes of diarrhea worldwide.

2 Mar 2018

Scientists identify single genetic change in Salmonella that plays key role in bloodstream infections

Scientists have identified a single genetic change in Salmonella that is playing a key role in the devastating epidemic of bloodstream infections currently killing around 400,000 people each year in sub-Saharan Africa.

1 Mar 2018

Rare immune cell may prove to be potent weapon in fighting against cancer

One of the rarest of immune cells, unknown to scientists a decade ago, might prove to be a potent weapon in stopping cancer from spreading in the body, according to new research from the University of British Columbia.

23 Feb 2018

Antibiotic-producing bacterium releases more metabolites than assumed

The bacterium Streptomyces chartreusis is an antibiotic-producing bacterium that releases more metabolites into the surrounding medium than scientists assumed based on the analysis of the genome. Many of the substances are likely released to mediate interactions with its environment.

21 Feb 2018

Researchers discover potential new antimalarial treatment targets

Researchers have discovered crucial new processes that allow malaria parasites to escape red blood cells and infect other cells, offering potential new treatment targets.

20 Feb 2018

Manage Your Risk: Monitoring the Environment of Aseptic Processes

Lisa G. Lawson has over 25 years’ experience in supporting large and small pharmaceutical companies in contamination control, including cleaning and disinfection strategies, aseptic manufacturing and use of risk-based approaches to microbiological quality challenges

From Particle Measuring Systems 15 Feb 2018

A new antibiotic Malacidin from soil kills resistant bacteria

Researchers have come up with a new class of antibiotics from soil. This novel antibiotic, called malacidin, is hailed as the next big thing because of its ability to work against many of the multidrug-resistant bacterial strains.

14 Feb 2018

Scientists unravel immune cascade that drives tissue damage, complications in chlamydia infections

Closing a critical gap in knowledge, Harvard Medical School scientists have unraveled the immune cascade that fuels tissue damage and disease development in chlamydia infection - the most common sexually transmitted disease in the United States.

13 Feb 2018

Researchers to develop new device using cold plasma technology to tackle airborne allergens

Researchers at the University of Liverpool have been awarded funding to develop an innovative device that uses cold plasma technology to tackle the problem of airborne allergens in the home.

9 Feb 2018

Impairing rare group of intestinal cells allows gut bacteria to cause inflammation, study finds

The human microbiome - the trillions of tiny bacteria that live in and on our bodies - is emerging as an increasingly important player in health and wellness. But, our co-existence with these organisms is complex, and scientists are learning that even minor changes in this relationship can lead to big problems with our health.

9 Feb 2018

Scientists identify special pair of RNA scissors with many functions

CRISPR/Cas systems are known as promising "gene scissors" in the genome editing of plants, animals, and microorganisms by targeting specific regions in their DNA - and perhaps they can even be used to correct genetic defects.

8 Feb 2018

Novel technology platform for custom designing bacteriophages

Bacteriophages, known informally as phages, are viruses that can attack and kill specific bacteria. They occur everywhere in the natural world. Precisely because they are matched to just one specific type of bacteria, researchers and medics hope that phages can be engineered to combat certain bacterial infections.

7 Feb 2018

Study sheds light on Salmonella death at low temperatures

The most economical way to kill bacteria that cause common food-borne illnesses -- mostly caused by Salmonella enterica -- is heat, but, the mechanisms that kill Salmonella at lower temperatures were not fully understood until now, according to a team of researchers.

7 Feb 2018

Corning and CytoSMART collaborate to simplify cell counting in laboratories

Corning Incorporated and CytoSMART Technologies BV today announced an agreement that will simplify mammalian cell counting in laboratories around the world. Cell counting is a critical step in subcultivation in the cell culture workflow.

6 Feb 2018

Research uncovers how viruses outsmart the immune system

How do viruses that cause chronic infections, such as HIV or hepatitis c virus, manage to outsmart their hosts' immune systems? The answer to that question has long eluded scientists, but new research from McGill University has uncovered a molecular mechanism that may be a key piece of the puzzle. The discovery could provide new targets for treating a wide range of diseases.

5 Feb 2018

Viruses closely related to Zika may cause fetal brain damage and death, study finds

Two viruses closely related to Zika – West Nile and Powassan – can spread from an infected pregnant mouse to her fetuses, causing brain damage and fetal death, according to a new study from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

31 Jan 2018

Study shows that control of type 2 diabetes improves with dental hygiene

A clinical study conducted by researchers of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences of the UB shows that control of type 2 diabetes improves notably when the patient takes a special care of the dental hygiene.