Bacteria News and Research

RSS

Verax Biomedical receives FDA clearance for Platelet PGD test

A $30 test that takes fewer than 30 minutes to perform can prevent potentially deadly transfusions of bacterial contamination in platelets, according to a new study published in the peer-reviewed journal Transfusion. An early view of the study can be found at the journal's web site.

23 Sep 2011

Researchers discover how a novel type of antibody works against pneumococcal bacteria

Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have discovered how a novel type of antibody works against pneumococcal bacteria.

23 Sep 2011

S-equol improve appearance of crow's feet skin wrinkles in Japanese menopausal women

A soy germ-based nutritional supplement containing Natural S-equol significantly improved the appearance of crow's feet skin wrinkles of the outer corner of the eyes in Japanese menopausal women, suggesting that supplements containing Natural S-equol have potential to slow skin aging, according to data from a controlled pilot study simultaneously published online in the peer-review journal Menopause and presented in a poster session at the North American Menopause Society annual meeting.

22 Sep 2011

Three Johns Hopkins scientists receive NIH Director's New Innovator Awards

A pioneer in the field of epigenetics who has been spearheading the use of genome-wide technology for epigenetics research, a researcher who has revealed a weakness in the tuberculosis bacterium that makes it more susceptible to antibiotics, and a scientist who seeks to revolutionize new methods for toxicological testing to improve human health and reduce animal testing have received Director's Awards from the National Institutes of Health.

22 Sep 2011

NIH to honor IGB faculty member with innovator award

Douglas A. Mitchell, IGB faculty member in the Mining Microbial Genomes for Novel Antibiotics research theme and assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry, is a recipient of the 2011 National Institutes of Health Director's New Innovator Award. The award recognizes bold ideas from some of the nation's most promising new scientists.

22 Sep 2011

Two IGB faculty members recognized as University Scholars

Paul Kenis and James Slauch have been named as University Scholars, a program created to recognize the university's most talented teachers, scholars and researchers.

21 Sep 2011

UTHealth doctoral student receives ASM, NIH research fellowships for E. coli study

A doctoral student at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) has been awarded two research fellowships to study the spread of E. coli, a hard-to-treat bacterium that can lead to food poisoning.

21 Sep 2011

ASU scientists receive USDA grants to combat food-related illness

Roughly 1 in six Americans are sickened every year by food-borne ailments, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The effects of these illnesses range from acutely unpleasant to lethal, and the problem may be getting worse, as our food supply becomes more global, with an increasing number of antibiotic-resistant pathogens.

21 Sep 2011

New floating microscopic device for researchers to study wide range of cellular processes

It's a bit of a challenge. But, imagine a microscopic jet vacuum cleaner, the size of a pen nib that hovers over cell surfaces without ever touching them. Then imagine that the soap in the cleaning solution is replaced with various molecules that can be selectively delivered to the cells. This gives you a sense of a new device that researchers believe will serve as a powerful tool to study the behaviour of living cells and a range of crucial cellular processes, from cancer cell formation to how neurons align themselves in the developing brain.

21 Sep 2011

A code beyond DNA: Modified tRNA bases are characteristic of species

Our genetic code consists of four “letters” in the form of the nucleobases in our DNA and RNA. Three letters together form a “word” that are translated into an amino acid by tRNA and combined into proteins. Special markings subdivide the gene into active and inactive regions. A third possible level of information has so far received less attention: the chemical modification of tRNA nucleobases. In the journal Angewandte Chemie Thomas Carell and a team at the University of Munich have now demonstrated that tRNA modification profiles can be used for the characterization of species and the differentiation of pathogenic and nonpathogenic bacterial strains.

20 Sep 2011

Individuals without ubiquitin ligase Nedd4L more likely to develop CF

Cystic fibrosis (CF), a chronic disease that clogs the lungs and leads to life-threatening lung infections, is caused by a genetic defect in a chloride channel called cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductase regulator.

20 Sep 2011

UNC researchers reveal genetic underpinnings of Foxp3-expressing regulatory T cells

Within the immune system, a subtle balance exists between the cells that destroy alien pathogens and those that preserve the body's own tissues. When the balance gets out of whack, the cells that normally target viruses or bacteria can go astray, attacking innocent cells and causing autoimmune and inflammatory disease.

20 Sep 2011

Powerful new antibiotic treatment for MRSA and C. difficile bugs

MGB Biopharma, a biopharmaceutical company which has licensed technology from the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland, is developing a powerful new antibiotic treatment for resistant infections including the deadly MRSA and Clostridium difficile (C. diff.) bugs.

20 Sep 2011

NTNU genetic research shows best recipe to limit risk of lifestyle-related diseases

What should we eat? Answers abound in the international media, all of which rely on their interpretation of recent medical literature to come up with recommendations for the healthiest diet. But what if you could answer this question at a molecular level - what if you could find out how our genes respond to the foods we eat, and what this does to the cellular processes that make us healthy - or not? That's precisely what biologists at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology have done.

19 Sep 2011

Study reveals altered digestive genes in children with autism and gastrointestinal disturbances

Researchers at the Center for Infection and Immunity (CII) at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health and at the Harvard Medical School report that children with autism and gastrointestinal disturbances have altered expression of genes involved in digestion. These variations may contribute to changes in the types of bacteria in their intestines.

17 Sep 2011

Chemical composition of chitosan influences antibacterial activity

The polysaccharide (sugar substance) chitosan has a documented antibacterial effect. Hilde Mellegård's doctoral research shows that this antibacterial activity varies according to the chemical composition of the chitosan.

16 Sep 2011

Simple strategies prevent bloodstream infections and save hundreds of patient lives

Following some basic rules of central line hygiene and maintenance, Johns Hopkins Children's Center and 87 other pediatric hospitals have, over five years, saved hundreds of patient lives and more than $100 million by preventing nearly 3,000 central line bloodstream infections, hospital officials announced on Monday, Sept. 12.

16 Sep 2011

HHS' BARDA contract advances development of novel anthrax vaccine, antitoxin

The advanced development of a novel next-generation anthrax vaccine and a new type of anthrax antitoxin have received support through new contracts funded the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority.

16 Sep 2011

Researchers develop polymers that fluoresce in the presence of bacteria

Researchers at the University of Sheffield have developed polymers that fluoresce in the presence of bacteria, paving the way for the rapid detection and assessment of wound infection using ultra-violet light.

16 Sep 2011

Probiotics appear to protect against upper respiratory tract infections

Taking probiotics seems to provide both children and adults with a mild degree of protection against many upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) including the common cold, according to a new systematic review. People who consume probiotics are also less likely to end up taking antibiotics for an upper respiratory infection, the review found.

16 Sep 2011

Bacteria News and Research

Verax Biomedical receives FDA clearance for Platelet PGD test

Researchers discover how a novel type of antibody works against pneumococcal bacteria

S-equol improve appearance of crow's feet skin wrinkles in Japanese menopausal women

Three Johns Hopkins scientists receive NIH Director's New Innovator Awards

NIH to honor IGB faculty member with innovator award

Two IGB faculty members recognized as University Scholars

UTHealth doctoral student receives ASM, NIH research fellowships for E. coli study

ASU scientists receive USDA grants to combat food-related illness

New floating microscopic device for researchers to study wide range of cellular processes

A code beyond DNA: Modified tRNA bases are characteristic of species

Individuals without ubiquitin ligase Nedd4L more likely to develop CF

UNC researchers reveal genetic underpinnings of Foxp3-expressing regulatory T cells

Powerful new antibiotic treatment for MRSA and C. difficile bugs

NTNU genetic research shows best recipe to limit risk of lifestyle-related diseases

Study reveals altered digestive genes in children with autism and gastrointestinal disturbances

Chemical composition of chitosan influences antibacterial activity

Simple strategies prevent bloodstream infections and save hundreds of patient lives

HHS' BARDA contract advances development of novel anthrax vaccine, antitoxin

Researchers develop polymers that fluoresce in the presence of bacteria

Probiotics appear to protect against upper respiratory tract infections

Microbiology eBook

Latest eBooks

Industry Focus eBook - Analytical Chemistry (3rd edition)

Industry Focus eBook - Microbiome (1st edition)

Industry Focus eBook - Cell biology (5th edition)

Advancing degrader and proximity-based drug development

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

Expanding access to NMR with the Fourier 80 Duo