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Circular RNA produced by HIV boosts viral replication

For decades scientists have recognized that human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a formidable viral pathogen.

13 Mar 2026

Pen-strep treatment rewires mechanical sensing in immune cells

Macrophages are central to mechanobiology research: their physical characteristics-stiffness, adhesion, and ECM (extracellular matrix) sensing-are inextricably linked to their phenotypic polarization and immune function.

13 Mar 2026

DNA origami vaccine platform shows promise against multiple infectious viruses

The COVID-19 pandemic brought messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines to the forefront of global health care. After their clinical trial stages, the first COVID-19 mRNA vaccine was administered on 8 December 2020 and mathematical models suggest that mRNA vaccines prevented at least 14.4 million deaths from COVID-19 in the first year alone.

11 Mar 2026

Low-cost interventions reduce neonatal sepsis from Klebsiella pneumoniae

A new study found that a multifaceted infection prevention and control intervention could at least temporarily thwart outbreaks of infections from the Klebsiella pneumoniae bacterium, a leading cause of neonatal sepsis and mortality in Africa and South Asia.

10 Mar 2026

Adults' exposure to diverse microbes may worsen allergic conditions

The "hygiene hypothesis" suggests exposure to diverse types of microbes may protect against developing diseases caused by allergens, but a new Cornell University study in mice reveals that adults' exposure to diverse microbes and allergens may in fact worsen certain allergic conditions.

6 Mar 2026

Building global standards for antimicrobial policy

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) threatens human, animal, and environmental health globally. An international team from leading institutions, including the University of Edinburgh, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, North Carolina State University, and the International Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance Solutions, identifies fundamental gaps in current mathematical modelling approaches that prevent translation of science into policy, including data limitations, knowledge gaps about AMU-AMR relationships, and the absence of international coordination mechanisms similar to climate change efforts. They call for transdisciplinary collaboration to build integrated modelling architectures.

6 Mar 2026

Melbourne’s lab-grown "skin" revolutionizes tick research

The world's first lab-based tick feeding system for bush ticks, developed by researchers at the University of Melbourne, has transformed the study of ticks and how they transmit disease. The novel, host-free technology reduces the need for animal experiments in tick studies, facilitating more ethical, reproducible research.

5 Mar 2026

Researchers propose that Parkinson’s disease may start in the gut, not the brain

A perspective in The Journal of Clinical Investigation argues that environmental exposures may interact with the gut microbiome and intestinal barrier to trigger biological processes linked to Parkinson’s disease. The authors propose that cumulative environmental stressors can erode host resilience, promoting α-synuclein pathology, immune activation, and neurodegeneration.

5 Mar 2026

Why measles remains one of the most contagious viral diseases worldwide

This review synthesizes current evidence on measles virus biology, immune responses, complications, treatments, and prevention strategies. It highlights how measles can suppress immune memory, increasing susceptibility to other infections, and underscores vaccination as the most effective control measure.

4 Mar 2026

3D-printed scaffolds use shape memory to heal infected bone defects

Infected bone defects arise in conditions such as osteomyelitis and post-traumatic bone infections, where microbial persistence and immune imbalance prevent effective healing.

4 Mar 2026

New strategy targets Porphyromonas gingivalis without harming healthy microbes

For years, treating gum disease has meant scraping away plaque, cutting out damaged tissue or turning to antibiotics that kill bacteria indiscriminately.

3 Mar 2026

New method isolates true transcription factor targets in tuberculosis bacteria

Inside every cell, thousands of molecular signals collide, overlap, and compensate, obscuring the true drivers of gene expression.

2 Mar 2026

PEX38 protein offers new target against tropical trypanosome diseases

The pathogens that cause tropical diseases rely on an essential protein that is absent from all other organism. This discovery opens the possibility for targeted treatment.

27 Feb 2026

Polystyrene nanoplastics influence Salmonella survival and antibiotic resistance

Plastic products are ubiquitous in our food supply chain, shedding microplastics into every part of the human ecosystem.

27 Feb 2026

Researchers discover critical vulnerability shared by pathogens causing tropical diseases

Researchers working with Professor Ralf Erdmann at Ruhr University Bochum, Germany, have discovered a critical vulnerability shared by the pathogens that cause African sleeping sickness, Chagas disease, and leishmaniasis.

27 Feb 2026

MRSA and E. coli detected weeks after Potomac sewage spill

Nearly a month after a wastewater pipe broke and spewed hundreds of millions of gallons of raw sewage into the Potomac River just north of Washington, D.C., the latest water testing results from the University of Maryland School of Public Health continue to show high levels of E. coli and S. aureus – commonly called staph, including antibiotic-resistant MRSA.

22 Feb 2026

Researchers uncover genetic pathways behind rising cefiderocol resistance

Acinetobacter baumannii is a bacteria which can become a virulent killer in health-care settings among severely ill patients. The germ has rapidly developed drug resistance to even last-line carbapenem drugs.

20 Feb 2026

Key PABS annex negotiations for WHO Pandemic Agreement near completion

Member States of the World Health Organization (WHO) concluded a weeklong round of negotiations on draft annex for Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing (PABS) – a key component of the WHO Pandemic Agreement.

18 Feb 2026

Fred Hutch scientists reach crucial milestone in blocking Epstein Barr virus

Fred Hutch Cancer Center scientists reached a crucial milestone in blocking Epstein Barr virus (EBV), a pathogen estimated to infect 95% of the global population that is linked to multiple types of cancer, neurodegenerative diseases and other chronic health conditions.

17 Feb 2026

Review: Pathogenesis, diagnosis, and management of harlequin ichthyosis

Harlequin ichthyosis (HI) is a rare, severe genetic skin disorder caused by ABCA12 mutations, leading to defective lipid transport and loss of skin barrier function.

17 Feb 2026