Bacteriophage News and Research

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Bacteriophages are small, virus-like organisms that infect bacteria. They are comprised of a protein capsule around an RNA or DNA genome.

Researchers find new method for safe and effective delivery of medicines to the lungs

Investigators at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey and Rutgers New Jersey Medical School recently identified a new method for safe and effective delivery of medicines to the lungs that can be used for multiple clinical applications, potentially including aerosol vaccination.

10 Dec 2020

New, improved probes could make it easier to validate rapid COVID-19 diagnostic tests

Nanoengineers at the University of California San Diego have developed new and improved probes, known as positive controls, that could make it easier to validate rapid, point-of-care diagnostic tests for COVID-19 across the globe.

2 Dec 2020

Sex steroids may play a protective role in COVID-19, shows study

A new paper from a UIC researcher shows evidence that suggests sex steroids may play a role in protecting against COVID-19 symptoms.

24 Nov 2020

SARS-CoV-2 deactivation on surfaces in 30 seconds with a copper paste

In a recent bioRxiv preprint paper, a team of researchers shows the possibility of using copper, in a new conformation, for effectively killing microbes immediately.

18 Nov 2020

Daylight exposure can disinfect a special type of cotton face mask

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many people have become accustomed to wearing cotton face masks in public places.

11 Nov 2020

Biomimetic virus-like particles for safer positive controls in SARS-CoV-2 detection

In an attempt to overcome these issues, a team of researchers from various departments at the University of California San Diego recently proposed using biomimetic virus-like particles (VLPs) as positive controls for assays used in SARS-CoV-2 detection. Their study is published on the preprint server bioRxiv.

23 Oct 2020

New DNA-cutting tool could advance gene editing for novel treatments

Gene editing for the development of new treatments, and for studying disease as well as normal function in humans and other organisms, may advance more quickly with a new tool for cutting larger pieces of DNA out of a cell's genome, according to a new study by UC San Francisco scientists.

21 Oct 2020

Rapid development of functionally diverse SARS-COV-2 mouse monoclonal antibodies

Now, a recent study published on the preprint server bioRxiv in October 2020 reports the development of a rapid process for generating high-affinity mouse mAbs, and their functional attributes.

16 Oct 2020

Study identifies potential drug target for dangerous E. coli infections

Escherichia coli, known as E. coli, are bacteria which many people associate with causing mild food poisoning, but some types of E. coli can be fatal.

25 Sep 2020

Standardized guidelines for phage therapy can speed up lifesaving treatment

When clinicians resort to phage therapy for patients who don't respond to antibiotics, the patients are usually very ill and time is of the essence. But the average time for labs to produce therapeutic phages is more than a month.

17 Aug 2020

Researchers show usefulness of potential 'phage cocktail' therapy on wound infections

Australian researchers have shown how viruses can be used to save lives, developing the potential use of bacteriophages in bandages to treat life-threatening golden staph infections which may not respond to traditional antibiotics.

30 Jul 2020

Study finds synthetic neutralizing/enhancing antibodies to SARS-CoV-2

A new study published on the preprint server bioRxiv in July 2020 reports the discovery of some antibody molecules that have powerful enhancing or neutralizing activity against the virus, in a library of synthetic antibodies. These hold the promise of being useful for the prevention or treatment of this illness.

30 Jul 2020

Researchers demonstrate the production of viral parts within artificial cells

Scientists searching for better diagnostic tests, drugs or vaccines against a virus must all begin by deciphering the structure of that virus.

21 Jul 2020

Exploring how bacteria and viruses coexist inside the human gut

The adage "all things in moderation" applies not to just to food and drink, but also to the legions of bacteria inside our guts helping us digest that food and drink. It turns out the rule may also extend to the lesser understood bacteriophages, which are viruses that infect the bacteria living inside us.

21 Jul 2020

Bacteriophage could help decrease mortality of patients with COVID-19

Bacteriophage can reduce bacterial growth in the lungs, limiting fluid build-up. This could decrease the mortality of patients affected by COVID-19, according to the peer-reviewed journal PHAGE: Therapy, Applications, and Research.

24 Jun 2020

Revolutionary air disinfection system protects dentists against COVID-19

Eschmann Technologies has launched a revolutionary air disinfection system developed by Novaerus to help protect dentists against the spread of airborne viruses such as COVID-19.

22 May 2020

Rice University looks to ‘trap and zap’ SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater

A team of researchers from Rice University has won a National Science Foundation (NSF) RAPID grant to adapt their wastewater nanotechnology project to help trap and inactivate the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), (which causes COVID-19 disease), in wastewater. This could help public health officials deal with the threat of disease transmission through wastewater.

27 Apr 2020

Sewage study finds link between rates of sepsis in UK and presence of E. coli in the community

A study suggests rates of E. coli related sepsis in the UK is linked to community E. coli levels determined by sewage presence.

17 Apr 2020

CRISPR-Cas system can be used to effectively target colitis pathogen

Research at North Carolina State University shows that the CRISPR-Cas system can be used to effectively target and eliminate specific gut bacteria, in this case Clostridioides difficile, the pathogen that causes colitis - a chronic, degenerative disease of the colon.

10 Mar 2020

Generating genomes and encoding new abilities into artificial DNA

A new study to be presented at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in February 2020 will report on the generation of the world’s first artificially created bacterial genome using a digital design algorithm along with the synthesis of DNA building blocks on a large scale. This genome takes form by chemical rather than template-based synthesis. The research is published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

16 Feb 2020