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Llama-derived nanobody VHH21 destroys the spike-trimer of SARS-CoV-2

Neutralizing antibodies that merely block receptor binding are losing ground against heavily mutated SARS-CoV-2 Omicron sub-variants.

14 Aug 2025

Rare immune mutation unlocks universal antiviral protection

For a few dozen people in the world, the downside of living with a rare immune condition comes with a surprising superpower-the ability to fight off all viruses.

14 Aug 2025

Researchers find CFI deficiency alarmingly high in old order Amish

Researchers from Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and the Clinic for Special Children found that complement factor I (CFI) deficiency, an ultra-rare genetic disorder that can cause debilitating neuroinflammation, is more than 4500 times more likely to be found in individuals of Old Order Amish ancestry than the rest of the global population.

13 Aug 2025

Powerful optical technique can analyze the biochemical fingerprints of vaginal fluid

Vaginal health is tightly linked to the balance of bacteria in the microbiome, especially certain species of Lactobacillus.

12 Aug 2025

Old Parkinson's medication offers new hope for tuberculosis treatment

A medication developed in the 1950s to treat Parkinson's disease may offer a powerful new tool in the fight against tuberculosis (TB), according to new research from the University of British Columbia.

12 Aug 2025

Gut bacteria can digest common food thickeners

It turns out those cellulose-based thickening agents found in common foods can be digested.

12 Aug 2025

AI discovers promising antibiotic compounds in Archaea microbes

They've survived for billions of years in boiling acid, deep-sea vents and salt flats. Now, some of Earth's oldest life forms - microbes called Archaea - are offering a new weapon in the fight against one of today's most urgent health threats: antibiotic resistance.

12 Aug 2025

Study: Lignin shows strong antiviral and antibacterial properties

Research from the Nanoscience Center of the University of Jyväskylä, Finland, has revealed that lignin, a polyphenol, important for plant structure, has antimicrobial activity against viruses and bacteria.

12 Aug 2025

Common food bacterium offers blueprint for safer and higher vitamin production

A new study reveals how Lactococcus lactis (L. lactis), a common food bacterium, regulates the production of a key precursor in vitamin K₂ (menaquinone) biosynthesis.

11 Aug 2025

Balancing copper antimicrobials to combat antibiotic resistance

Copper has emerged as an ally in the battle against antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Copper sulfate liquids, for example, have been used since the 1700s to control fungal infections in vineyards, orchards and many other kinds of agricultural settings.

8 Aug 2025

How early immune challenges influence oral and systemic health in children

Once viewed only as infectious invaders, bacteria are now understood to play an important role in overall health.

8 Aug 2025

Decoding macrophage immune responses with gene editing and machine learning

Fighting off pathogens is a tour de force that must happen with speed and precision. A team of researchers at CeMM and MedUni Vienna led by Christoph Bock and Matthias Farlik has investigated how macrophages-immune cells that are the body's first responders-master this challenge.

8 Aug 2025

Understanding the biomarkers and mechanisms associated with anti-NMDAR encephalitis

Encephalitis is a potentially life-threatening condition that involves inflammation of the brain. While some cases of encephalitis are caused by a bacterial or viral infection, other cases of 'autoimmune' encephalitis result when the body's own immune system attacks the brain.

8 Aug 2025

Gut bacteria may connect pregnancy diet to childhood autism

Unhealthy maternal diets may alter gut microbes, impacting brain development and increasing autism risk in offspring. Study the microbiome's influence.

8 Aug 2025

Novel hydrogel accelerates infected wound repair with antibacterial properties

A novel ε-poly-L-lysine-loaded sodium-alginate/gelatin hydrogel (PSG15) has shown exceptional promise in accelerating the healing of infected wounds. This multifunctional injectable hydrogel delivers robust antibacterial properties while regulating macrophage polarization and stabilizing the skin microbiota.

8 Aug 2025

Maple compound offers natural protection against cavities

A new study in the journal Microbiology Spectrum highlights the potential of using a natural compound from maple to combat the bacteria responsible for tooth decay: Streptococcus mutans.

7 Aug 2025

Sugarcoating hides cellular RNA from the immune system

To our immune system, naked RNA is a sign of a viral or bacterial invasion and must be attacked. But our own cells also have RNA.

6 Aug 2025

Australian researchers uncover new target for next-generation malaria vaccines

Australian researchers have visualized a key protein complex in malaria parasites for the first time, uncovering a new target for next-generation vaccines that could help stop the disease from spreading.

6 Aug 2025

Bacteria-based cancer therapy achieves tumor eradication without immune cells

A joint research team led by Professor Eijiro Miyako of the Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST), in collaboration with Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd. and University of Tsukuba, has developed a groundbreaking immune-independent bacterial cancer therapy using a novel microbial consortium called AUN.

5 Aug 2025

Fecal transplant may cut infections in long-term care patients

Fecal microbiota transplantation in long-term care patients shows safety and potential to lower infection rates, despite persistent drug-resistant colonization.

5 Aug 2025