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Soil bacteria may offer potential treatments for MRSA and cancer

Big pharma gave up on soil bacteria as a source of antibiotics too soon, according to research published in the June issue of Microbiology. Scientists have been mining microbial genomes for new natural products that may have applications in the treatment of MRSA and cancer and have made some exciting discoveries.

1 Jun 2008

Acute artificial compound eyes

Insects are a source of inspiration for technological development work. For example, researchers around the world are working on ultra-thin imaging systems based on the insect eye. The principle of hyperacuity has now been successfully incorporated in a technical model.

29 May 2008

Is shipping spreading disease?

Ships are inadvertently carrying trillions of stowaways in the water held in their ballast tanks. When the water is pumped out, invasive species could be released into new environments. Disease-causing microbes could also be released, posing a risk to public health, according to an article in the May issue of Microbiology Today.

28 May 2008

Is mankind contaminating space?

Life in outer space is an absolute certainty, and it is likely to be more familiar than we might think, according to an article in the May issue of Microbiology Today. Ever since the start of the space race we have sent more than just satellites and astronauts into space: spacecraft are not routinely decontaminated and are teeming with microbial life.

28 May 2008

New lifesaving options come to Rochester for stroke

While Superbowl Sunday started out like any other Sunday for Webster resident Christine Skolnick, by kick-off time, things clearly went from bad to worse for the 42-year-old mother of two. An apparent stomach virus and mild headache at midday had, by 6 p.m., become deadly, as Skolnick's face drooped on her right side, and she had difficulty moving her right legs and arms.

20 May 2008

Test of maturity for stem cells

Stem cells can differentiate into 220 different types of body cell. The development of these cells can now be systematically observed and investigated with the aid of two new machines that imitate the conditions in the human body with unprecedented accuracy.

6 May 2008

Fat grafting for breast enhancement

It is the cosmetic treatment many women have dreamed of -- taking the fat from their hips and thighs and redistributing it to their breasts. But many people question whether this procedure is safe or effective.

2 May 2008

Miniscule closed containers for precise delivery of nano-quantities of drugs

Researchers at the USC Information Sciences Institute have demonstrated a way to manufacture miniscule closed containers that might be used to deliver precise micro- or even nano-quantities of drugs.

29 Apr 2008

Kids who get down and dirty with the dog have far fewer allergies

The latest research into childhood allergies suggests that having a pet in the home reduces the risk of children being sensitive to allergens.

29 Apr 2008

Researchers identify new genes that help predict breast cancer outcomes

Not a day goes by without a new story about the environment. Although we often consider the environment on a global scale, cells in our body also have to contend with environmental factors.

28 Apr 2008

MaxCyte introduces large scale transfection technology - accelerates cell-based assay development

MaxCyte has announced the introduction of its ITF Inline Transfection System, a validated platform for preparative transfection, based on unique flow electroporation technology.

21 Apr 2008

Wireless EEG system self-powered by body heat and light

In the framework of Holst Centre, IMEC has developed a battery-free wireless 2-channel EEG system powered by a hybrid power supply using body heat and ambient light.

10 Apr 2008

Wireless device designed to be injected into tumors tracks tumors, radiation dose

Engineers at Purdue University are creating a wireless device designed to be injected into tumors to tell doctors the precise dose of radiation received and locate the exact position of tumors during treatment.

9 Apr 2008

Smoking bans and taxes, do they work?

British researchers say some of the recent strategies employed to reduce the dangers of smoking may not be as effective as imagined.

9 Apr 2008

Feta cheese helps combat food poisoning

Eating Feta cheese made from raw milk in small seaside tavernas when you are on holiday in Greece could be a good way to combat food poisoning, according to researchers speaking today (Thursday 3 April 2008) at the Society for General Microbiology's 162nd meeting being held this week at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre.

3 Apr 2008

Replacing absent microRNAs could make tumors less invasive, more treatable

One group of small, non-coding RNA molecules could serve as a marker to improve cancer staging and may also be able to convert some advanced tumors to more treatable stages, report a University of Chicago-based research team in the April 1, 2008, issue of the journal Genes & Development.

1 Apr 2008

Green tea can help beat superbugs

Green tea can help beat superbugs according to Egyptian scientists speaking at the Society for General Microbiology's 162nd meeting being held this week at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre.

31 Mar 2008

MRSA in hospital intensive care -- what's growing where?

Researchers are finding out which bugs grow in intensive care units to develop a novel sampling regime that would indicate the threat of MRSA and other superbugs in the environment, scientists heard (Monday 31 March 2008) at the Society for General Microbiology's 162nd meeting being held this week at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre.

31 Mar 2008

Tug of war in the cells

Transport processes in the cells of our body resemble the transport of goods on the roads.

20 Mar 2008

Compound present naturally in grape skin fights the complications of diabetes

Research carried out by scientists at the Peninsula Medical School in the South West of England has found that resveratrol, a compound present naturally in grape skin, can protect against the cellular damage to blood vessels caused by high production of glucose in diabetes, according to a paper published in the science journal "Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism" this week.

19 Mar 2008