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Unique mouse model could help study genetic origins and potential treatments for ALS

University of Florida Health researchers have developed a unique mouse model that will allow researchers around the world to better study the genetic origins and potential treatments for a neurodegenerative brain disease that causes amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, often referred to as ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease, and frontotemporal dementia.

22 Apr 2016

Infected mice can be better models for human diseases

Vaccines and therapeutics developed using mice often don't work as expected in humans. New research at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis points to the near-sterile surroundings of laboratory mice as a key reason.

21 Apr 2016

Scientists map core genes involved during DNA uptake in strep bacteria

Bacteria possess the ability to take up DNA from their environment, a skill that enables them to acquire new genes for antibiotic resistance or to escape the immune response. Scientists have now mapped the core set of genes that are consistently controlled during DNA uptake in strep bacteria, and they hope the finding will allow them to cut off the microbes' ability to survive what doctors and nature can throw at them.

21 Apr 2016

Better way to model human immune system

Scientists at the University of Minnesota have developed a new way to study mice that better mimics the immune system of adult humans and which could significantly improve ways to test potential therapeutics. Published online today in the journal Nature, the researchers describe the limitations of laboratory mice for immunology research and reveal the benefits of what they are calling "dirty mice."

21 Apr 2016

Scientists evaluate phage-based therapy to battle antibiotic-resistant bacterial superbug infections

Flinders University scientists are looking to bacteriophages – highly specific viruses - as the as the best way to attack antibiotic-resistant bacterial superbug infections.

21 Apr 2016

Researchers focus on novel target to treat bacterial infection

Bacterial infection takes hold in the body when a pathogenic microorganism delivers toxins to healthy cells. One way bacteria accomplish this is by releasing vesicles, which act as tiny envelopes transporting toxins and other virulence factors to host cells. These toxins allow the bacteria to "make themselves at home" in cells.

19 Apr 2016

Study describes precise mechanisms that enable TB bacteria to persist in the body

Bacteria that cause tuberculosis trick immune cells meant to destroy them into hiding and feeding them instead. This is the result of a study led by researchers from NYU Langone Medical Center and published online April 18 in Nature Immunology.

19 Apr 2016

Researchers develop new method for identifying DNA mutations in single cancer cell

Researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have announced a new method for detecting DNA mutations in a single cancer cell versus current technology that analyzes millions of cells which they believe could have important applications for cancer diagnosis and treatment. The results are published in the April 18 online issue of Nature Methods.

19 Apr 2016

Sugar compounds provide nutrient support for growth of infant gut microbes

UC Davis researchers have shown that an enzyme produced by beneficial microbes in babies' intestines is able to harvest specific sugar compounds from human breast-milk and cow's milk. The discovery identifies those sugars -- rather than associated protein compounds -- as the key to nourishing those important, health-promoting microbes.

18 Apr 2016

Researchers reveal how relatively unknown pathogen led to current Zika outbreak

An analysis comparing the individual differences between over 40 strains of Zika virus (30 isolated from humans, 10 from mosquitoes, and 1 from monkeys) has identified significant changes in both amino acid and nucleotide sequences during the past half-century.

18 Apr 2016

Scientists identify human protein that weakens immune response to HIV, other viruses

Scientists at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine and Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute have identified a human (host) protein that weakens the immune response to HIV and other viruses. The findings, published today in Cell Host & Microbe, have important implications for improving HIV antiviral therapies, creating effective viral vaccines, and advance a new approach to treat cancer.

16 Apr 2016

Deadly ‘Crypto’ pathogen lures US researcher to UQ

Cryptococcus is so forsaken by research that it doesn’t even make the neglected diseases list – but the deadly fungal pathogen has lured an American scientist all the way to The University of Queensland.

14 Apr 2016

Studies offer alternative conclusions on efficacy of DAAs for HIV and HCV co-infected patients

Two separate studies presented today at The International Liver Congress 2016 in Barcelona, Spain have offered alternative conclusions regarding the efficacy of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) among patients co-infected with HIV and Hepatitis C virus (HCV).

13 Apr 2016

New clinical data highlights potential of AB-PA01 to treat P. aeruginosa infections in CF patients

AmpliPhi Biosciences Corporation, a global leader in the development of bacteriophage-based antibacterial therapies to treat drug-resistant infections, presented data at the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases summarizing both the in vitro and in vivo activity of its proprietary, investigational phage mix AB-PA01.

13 Apr 2016

Researchers observe increase in antibiotic resistance genes

Around the world, antibiotic use and resistance is increasing while the discovery of new antibiotics has nearly halted.

13 Apr 2016

Novel antibiotics to overcome antibacterial resistance

Small and innovative pharmaceutical companies, with products in early stages of development, presented some of their novel approaches and antimicrobial therapies under development during a dedicated session at the annual congress (ECCMID) of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases(ESCMID) in Amsterdam.

13 Apr 2016

Dual-acting hybrid drug could be a promising new weapon against drug-resistant malaria

A combination of artemisinin and another drug (artemisinin combination therapy, ACT) is currently the best malaria treatment recommended by the World Health Organization.

12 Apr 2016

Cell-signaling protein holds key to understanding autoantibody formation in lupus patients

A signaling molecule called interferon gamma could hold the key to understanding how harmful autoantibodies form in lupus patients. The finding could lead to new treatments for the chronic autoimmune disease, said researchers at Penn State College of Medicine.

12 Apr 2016

Researchers analyze post-Ebola syndrome survivors to improve ongoing treatment

Researchers from the University of Liverpool and the King's Sierra Leone Partnership are to present new findings into post-Ebola syndrome at a major European conference this week.

12 Apr 2016

ECCMID 2016: Global experts join to fight antimicrobial resistance

Medical professionals, business and government officials from around the world joined in Amsterdam on the sidelines of the ECCMID 2016 Conference, hosted by the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases to declare their commitment to fight antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in a concerted effort.

12 Apr 2016

Microbiology News and Research

Unique mouse model could help study genetic origins and potential treatments for ALS

Infected mice can be better models for human diseases

Scientists map core genes involved during DNA uptake in strep bacteria

Better way to model human immune system

Scientists evaluate phage-based therapy to battle antibiotic-resistant bacterial superbug infections

Researchers focus on novel target to treat bacterial infection

Study describes precise mechanisms that enable TB bacteria to persist in the body

Researchers develop new method for identifying DNA mutations in single cancer cell

Sugar compounds provide nutrient support for growth of infant gut microbes

Researchers reveal how relatively unknown pathogen led to current Zika outbreak

Scientists identify human protein that weakens immune response to HIV, other viruses

Deadly ‘Crypto’ pathogen lures US researcher to UQ

Studies offer alternative conclusions on efficacy of DAAs for HIV and HCV co-infected patients

New clinical data highlights potential of AB-PA01 to treat P. aeruginosa infections in CF patients

Researchers observe increase in antibiotic resistance genes

Novel antibiotics to overcome antibacterial resistance

Dual-acting hybrid drug could be a promising new weapon against drug-resistant malaria

Cell-signaling protein holds key to understanding autoantibody formation in lupus patients

Researchers analyze post-Ebola syndrome survivors to improve ongoing treatment

ECCMID 2016: Global experts join to fight antimicrobial resistance

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