Microbiology News and Research

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Researchers develop new approach to immunotherapy of cancer

Harnessing the immune system is emerging as one of the most promising new ways to fight cancer. Most cancer cells are eliminated by the immune system; however, over a lifetime, a few may escape this immune surveillance and lead to tumors and metastases. Hence a formidable opportunity has been to find ways to make the immune system recognize the tumor as a foreign body and trigger a response.

13 May 2010

Sex can affect frequency and severity of adverse effects of vaccination

Biological differences between the sexes could be a significant predictor of responses to vaccines, according to researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. They examined published data from numerous adult and child vaccine trials and found that sex is a fundamental, but often overlooked predictor of vaccine response that could help predict the efficacy of combating infectious disease.

13 May 2010

Microbiologists identify potential target in cattle to prevent E. coli strain

Microbiologists at UT Southwestern Medical Center, working with the Department of Agriculture, have identified a potential target in cattle that could be exploited to help prevent outbreaks of food-borne illnesses caused by a nasty strain of Escherichia coli.

13 May 2010

Researchers develop new method for tracing carbon flux

Microbial communities are performing important functions all around us - from the earth in our flowerpots to the human gut. Now researchers have developed a method for studying the metabolic functions of microbial communities in detail.

12 May 2010

Potential new drug therapies for treatment of tuberculosis

Tuberculosis (TB) has been present in humans since ancient times. The origins of the disease date back to the first domestication of cattle, and skeletal remains show prehistoric humans (4,000 B.C.) had TB. Although relatively rare in the United States, it is the single leading bacterial cause of death worldwide. Approximately 8 million people are infected each year and 2 million people die from TB.

11 May 2010

New bacterial species in tsete fly may help control African sleeping sickness

A new bacterial species, found in the gut of the fly that transmits African sleeping sickness, could be engineered to kill the parasite that causes the disease. The study, published in the International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology, could lead to new approaches to control this fatal infection that is becoming resistant to drug therapy.

11 May 2010

Study: Omega-3 fatty acids can help mitigate bone loss

NASA-sponsored studies have found that omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil may play a role in mitigating bone breakdown that occurs during spaceflight and in osteoporosis. Ongoing research for decades has looked for ways to stop bone density loss in astronauts.

11 May 2010

Encouraging B. anthracis to unwittingly unmask itself will help eradicate the pathogen

Anthrax-causing bacteria can be engineered to shed their invisibility cloaks, making it easier for the immune system to eradicate it, according to a new study published in Microbiology. The work could lead to new measures to treat anthrax infection in the event of a biological warfare attack.

7 May 2010

WHO publishes comprehensive report on H1N1

"A year after the H1N1 [swine] flu first appeared, the World Health Organization has issued perhaps the most comprehensive report on the pandemic's activity to date," HealthDay News/Bloomberg BusinessWeek reports (Gardner, 5/5).

7 May 2010

MOCON's net sales for first-quarter 2010 increase 15% to $7,093,000

MOCON, Inc. today reported its operating results for the quarter ended March 31, 2010.

6 May 2010

Cryo-EM images shed light on virus structure, function

UCLA researchers report in the April 30 edition of the journal Cell that they have imaged a virus structure at a resolution high enough to effectively "see" atoms, the first published instance of imaging biological complexes at such a resolution.

5 May 2010

CombiMatrix first-quarter diagnostic lab revenues up 29% sequentially

CombiMatrix Corporation today reported financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2010.

5 May 2010

Glycos Biotechnologies announces international expansion into Malaysia

Glycos Biotechnologies, Inc., an emerging biochemical company pioneering metabolic engineering and microbiology innovations for the production of sustainable biochemicals, today announced the company's international expansion into Malaysia.

4 May 2010

IFT supports FDA's salt reduction initiative

The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) today offered its support to help the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) meet the challenges of reducing the amount of sodium in foods.

4 May 2010

Natural plant extract could help treat COPD and inflammatory disorders

A widely and safely used plant extract acts as a novel anti-inflammatory agent that may one day be used for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, as well as other inflammatory conditions.

4 May 2010

Bacteria transmitted by fleas-and potentially ticks-can be passed to babies by mother: Researcher

A North Carolina State University researcher has discovered that bacteria transmitted by fleas-and potentially ticks-can be passed to human babies by the mother, causing chronic infections and raising the possibility of bacterially induced birth defects.

4 May 2010

Study could provide new strategies to prevent hospital-acquired infections

A bacterial pathogen can communicate with yeast to block the development of drug-resistant yeast infections, say Irish scientists writing in the May issue of Microbiology. The research could be a step towards new strategies to prevent hospital-acquired infections associated with medical implants.

3 May 2010

UC Irvine scientists receive CIRM grants for stem cell research

Two UC Irvine scientists will receive grants totaling more than $2.6 million to study the underlying biology of stem cells aimed at treating spinal cord injury, cancer and other disorders.

30 Apr 2010

Stalk structure of Mx protein restrains components of influenza virus in infected cells

When the human body becomes infected with new influenza viruses, the immune system rapidly activates an inborn protective mechanism to inhibit the intruding pathogen. A protein known as Mx plays an important role in this process, keeping the spread of viruses in check. Exactly how Mx accomplishes this task was previously unknown.

28 Apr 2010

Researchers develop new diagnostic approach to fight against Chagas disease

Chagas disease is one of the most deadly parasitic diseases in the world. It affects more than 10 million people, primarily in the Americas. In South America alone it kills 50 000 people each year. A reliable and rapid diagnosis is the key in the battle against infection but until now, this has been next to impossible.

28 Apr 2010