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Microbiologists find deadly cryptococcal fungi in public spaces in South Africa

Large populations of potentially deadly cryptococcal fungi have been found on woody debris collected from old trees in two public areas in the center of Cape Town and the Northern Cape, South Africa.

7 Dec 2017

Researchers identify oral bacteria linked to esophageal cancer

Researchers at NYU Langone Health's Perlmutter Cancer Center report that at least three kinds of bacteria in the mouths of Americans may heighten or lower their risk of developing esophageal cancer.

1 Dec 2017

Russian scientists uncover previously unknown effect of leukemia drug

Researchers from RUDN University and Institute of Biomedical Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences have identified an alternative mechanism for the effective antitumor drug -- an enzyme called L-asparaginase.

10 Nov 2017

Researchers catch killer cells red-handed in the act of microbial murder

Immune cells called "killer cells" target bacteria invading the body's cells, but how do they do this so effectively? Bacteria can quickly evolve resistance against antibiotics, yet it seems they have not so readily been able to evade killer cells. This has caused researchers to become interested in finding out the exact mechanism that killer cells use to destroy bacterial invaders.

9 Nov 2017

New optical microscopy technique reveals dimerization of ‘toll-like receptors’

The surface of every cell contains receptors that react to external signals similar to a "gate". In this way, the cells of the innate immune system can differentiate between friend and foe partly through their "toll-like receptors" (TLRs).

3 Nov 2017

An alternative approach to augmenting the effect of antibiotics in chronic CF lung infections

There are about 77,000 people known to have cystic fibrosis. That's from the various cystic fibrosis registries available globally. The World Health Organization suggests that this number may be low, because there's no reporting on cystic fibrosis from the developing world. The accepted number, at the moment, is about 80,000. That's the one that is used for most of the work that's being done on cystic fibrosis.

From Neem Biotech 3 Nov 2017

Frequent salon visits linked to more instances of dermal and fungal symptoms in clients

A recent study by researchers at the Rutgers School of Public Health found that clients who frequent hair and nail salons have more instances of dermal and fungal symptoms, as compared to clients who use the same services less frequently.

1 Nov 2017

GHIT Fund announces US$16.7 million to support development of new drugs, vaccines and diagnostics

The Global Health Innovative Technology Fund, a unique Japanese public-private partnership formed to battle infectious diseases around the globe, today announced US$16.7 million to support development of new compounds for fighting malaria and tuberculosis, a leishmaniasis vaccine and drug, and a treatment for a long-ignored flesh-eating infection.

31 Oct 2017

New gene drive approach helps pinpoint combination therapies against fungal pathogens

Candida albicans is a notorious human fungal pathogen that causes thrush and serious systemic infections. Opportunistic C. albicans fungi, which often live inconspicuously in the normal flora of human skin and gut, can switch from their harmless stealth mode to become aggressive pathogens, especially in people whose immune systems are already compromised by pre-existing diseases or harsh drug therapies.

30 Oct 2017

Chinese scientists establish synthesis of promising compound to fight against pancreatic cancer

Intriguing antitumor activity is found in a very promising class of natural compounds: cyclic depsipeptides, which have a challenging structure that makes their investigation difficult. Now, Chinese scientists have established the synthesis of a member compound, which is especially promising in killing pancreatic cancer stem cells.

28 Oct 2017

Research expands range in dry preservation of mammalian sperm cells

In a paper forthcoming in the November issue of the journal Theriogenology, a team of researchers from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, announced the first successful drying and rehydration of domestic cat spermatozoa using a rapid microwave dehydration method.

12 Oct 2017

JAX professor receives $2.8 million New Innovator Award for skin microbiome research

Julia Oh, Ph.D., a Jackson Laboratory (JAX) assistant professor who explores the communities of microorganisms that live on the human skin, has received a special New Innovator Award of $2,835,000 from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to explore how to develop engineered probiotic treatments for a variety of skin and infectious diseases.

5 Oct 2017

Antifungals and probiotics could play critical role in potential new therapeutic approaches for IBD

Scientists have determined that fungus may play a key role in chronic intestinal inflammation disorders. They found that patients with Crohn's disease tend to have much higher levels of the fungus Candida tropicalis compared to their healthy family members.

5 Oct 2017

Researchers test new strategy to increase effectiveness of topical anesthesia used in dentistry

Researchers from Brazil and Texas have started testing on humans a new strategy to increase the effectiveness of topical anesthesia used in dentistry, used by dentists to reduce patient discomfort during the application of injected anesthesia - required for more invasive procedures such as fillings, tooth extraction or surgery.

4 Oct 2017

British technology offers ultimate surface protection against Aussie flu virus

With breaking news of a more severe Aussie Flu strain heading for the UK, there is a British technology that provides the ultimate surface protection against the virus - reducing it by 99.99%!

30 Sep 2017

Understanding molecular mechanisms and metabolic pathways of yeast for drug discovery

My research uses budding yeast as a tool for synthetic biology, and also in chemical and functional genomic applications. We are interested in understanding molecular mechanisms and metabolic pathways of yeast for drug discovery.

From Tecan 27 Sep 2017

Small-molecule immunotherapeutics could steer immune defense against fungal pathogens

Fungal infections represent an increasing health crisis, especially for immune-deficient patients. American scientists now report in the journal Angewandte Chemie that specific help could be provided by small-molecule immunotherapeutics with novel mechanism of action.

21 Sep 2017

Study uncovers millions of previously unknown genes in human microbiome

A new study of the human microbiome- the trillions of microbial organisms that live on and within our bodies- has uncovered millions of previously unknown genes from microbial communities in the human gut, skin, mouth, and vaginal microbiome, allowing for new insights into the role these microbes play in human health and disease.

20 Sep 2017

BioCote Silver Ion Antimicrobial Technology makes surfaces inhospitable to influenza viruses

Strike a chord please, especially in light of the BMJ's article on Tuesday about the ineffectiveness of the flu vaccine for elderly last year - just wanted to make you also aware of the ultimate surface protection against viruses like H1N1, plus all the proliferating superbugs.

11 Sep 2017

Penn research could pave way toward new treatments for chronic sinus infections

Bitter taste receptors in the upper airway are a first line of defense against sinus infections, but their ability to kill harmful toxins and pathogens is blocked when the sweet taste receptors are also stimulated.

8 Sep 2017