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Antimicrobial agent in personal care products boosts colonization of bacteria inside human noses

An antimicrobial agent found in common household soaps, shampoos and toothpastes may be finding its way inside human noses where it promotes the colonization of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria and could predispose some people to infection.

8 Apr 2014

Researchers warn that chikungunya virus is poised to invade in the Americas

A team of French and Brazilian researchers warn that chikungunya virus is poised to invade, and become epidemic in the Americas according to research published ahead of print in the Journal of Virology.

8 Apr 2014

Patients' risk of stroke increases following shingles, but antiviral drugs appear to offer protection

Patients' risk of stroke significantly increased following the first signs of shingles, but antiviral drugs appeared to offer some protection, according to a new study in Clinical Infectious Diseases, now available online.

3 Apr 2014

ABL enters into licensing agreement with CRP-Santé for COMET software

Advanced Biological Laboratories (ABL) S.A., a Luxembourg-based company today announced that it has entered into an exclusive worldwide licensing agreement with CRP-Santé, a Luxembourg-based public research center active in the field of clinically oriented biomedical research, for its COMET (COntext-based Modeling for Expeditious Typing) software, a tool designed to rapidly analyze and optimally subtype large genetic data sets arising from epidemiological or antiretroviral resistance in the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) fields.

2 Apr 2014

Researchers discover involvement of common gut bacterium in bowel cancer

New evidence that a common gut bacterium is involved in bowel cancer has been discovered by researchers from the Department of Physiology and Medical Physics in RCSI (Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland). The research is published in this month’s edition of the European Journal of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases.

2 Apr 2014

Researchers find new drug target for mitochondrial dysfunction

Mitochondria, long known as "cellular power plants" for their generation of the key energy source adenosine triphosphate (ATP), are essential for proper cellular functions. Mitochondrial defects are often observed in a variety of diseases, including cancer, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease, and are the hallmarks of a number of genetic mitochondrial disorders whose manifestations range from muscle weakness to organ failure. Despite a fairly strong understanding of the pathology of such genetic mitochondrial disorders, efforts to treat them have been largely ineffective.

28 Mar 2014

Research findings help explain rare genetic disorder that causes immunodeficiency syndrome

IRCM researchers led by Javier M. Di Noia, PhD, uncovered a new function of AID, a crucial enzyme for the immune response. The discovery, recently published by the scientific journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, helps explain a rare genetic disorder that causes an immunodeficiency syndrome.

28 Mar 2014

SLU researchers awarded NIH grants to search for a drug to cure hepatitis B

Two grants from the National Institutes of Health will allow Saint Louis University researchers to build on breakthroughs in understanding the hepatitis B virus and begin the search for a drug to cure - not just halt - the illness.

26 Mar 2014

ASU scientist selected as 2014 recipient of Lifetime Achievement Award

Roy Curtiss III, a scientist at the Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University, has been selected as the 2014 recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Society for Microbiology.

26 Mar 2014

TG2 protein is a key mediator in Porphyromonas gingivalis infection, study finds

Scientists at Forsyth, along with a colleague from Northwestern University, have discovered that the protein, Transgultaminase 2 (TG2), is a key component in the process of gum disease. TG2 is widely distributed inside and outside of human cells. The scientists found that blocking some associations of TG2 prevents the bacteria Porphyromonas gingivalis (PG) from adhering to cells. This insight may one day help lead to novel therapies to prevent gum disease caused by PG.

26 Mar 2014

Scientist receives $275,000 grant to study human papillomavirus that causes head and neck cancer

Basic scientists focus on understanding how things work, so most don't get the chance to directly impact other people's lives. That's why Michelle Ozbun, PhD, is very excited about her recent grant to study human papillomavirus.

25 Mar 2014

Breastfeeding increases prevalence of Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria in infants

Breastfeeding until at least nine months of age increases prevalence in the gastrointestinal tract of Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria, species which are known to contribute to development of a healthy immune system, according to a paper describing the establishment of the intestinal microbiota during the first three years of life.

24 Mar 2014

NIH awards $28M grant to establish new center for excellence to find treatment for Ebola virus

The National Institutes of Health has awarded a five-year, $28 million grant to establish a new center for excellence to find an antibody "cocktail" to fight two types of viruses that cause severe hemorrhagic fever, including the deadly Ebola virus. The project involves researchers from 15 institutions, including Kartik Chandran, Ph.D., and Jonathan Lai, Ph.D., at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University. Einstein will receive approximately $4 million of the total grant.

21 Mar 2014

Researchers uncover new connection between allergy and cancer

While many are stocking up on allergy medicine in preparation for spring, a new study from researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University Massey Cancer Center has uncovered a new connection between allergy and cancer that could potentially lead to therapies involving common antihistamines.

20 Mar 2014

Preterm babies' guts harbor infectious microbes that can cause late-onset sepsis

Babies born prematurely are surviving in increasing numbers. But many withstand complications of early birth only to suffer late-onset sepsis - life-threatening bloodstream infections that strike after infants reach 72 hours of age.

20 Mar 2014

Quail and chickens are likely sources of infection of H7N9 influenza virus to humans

Among the copious species of poultry in China, quail and chickens are the likely sources of infection of H7N9 influenza virus to humans, according to a paper published ahead of print in the Journal of Virology.

19 Mar 2014

AV drugs could help curb bacteria's growing resistance to antibiotic treatments

A new type of drug could help to combat growing antibiotic resistance, a study finds. Medicines that stop bacteria from harming their hosts, rather than kill them, could prevent bugs from evolving resistance to drug treatments, a review of research in the field suggests.

18 Mar 2014

People who experience chronic sleep disturbance could face earlier onset of dementia, Alzheimer's

People who experience chronic sleep disturbance—either through their work, insomnia or other reasons—could face an earlier onset of dementia and Alzheimer's, according to a new pre-clinical study by researchers at Temple University.

18 Mar 2014

Researchers discover how STAT3 protein breaches antitumor mechanism prior to cancer development

A Stony Brook University-led international team of infectious disease researchers have discovered how a cellular protein, called STAT3, which is overactive in a majority of human cancers, interferes with an antitumor mechanism in cells and therefore promotes the growth of cancer.

18 Mar 2014

Researchers Study how Marburg virus and host protein interaction help in developing inhibitors of virus

A protein that normally protects cells from environmental stresses has been shown to interact Marburg virus VP24, allowing the deadly Marburg virus to live longer and replicate better, according to a cell culture study led by scientists at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

14 Mar 2014

Microbiology News and Research

Antimicrobial agent in personal care products boosts colonization of bacteria inside human noses

Researchers warn that chikungunya virus is poised to invade in the Americas

Patients' risk of stroke increases following shingles, but antiviral drugs appear to offer protection

ABL enters into licensing agreement with CRP-Santé for COMET software

Researchers discover involvement of common gut bacterium in bowel cancer

Researchers find new drug target for mitochondrial dysfunction

Research findings help explain rare genetic disorder that causes immunodeficiency syndrome

SLU researchers awarded NIH grants to search for a drug to cure hepatitis B

ASU scientist selected as 2014 recipient of Lifetime Achievement Award

TG2 protein is a key mediator in Porphyromonas gingivalis infection, study finds

Scientist receives $275,000 grant to study human papillomavirus that causes head and neck cancer

Breastfeeding increases prevalence of Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria in infants

NIH awards $28M grant to establish new center for excellence to find treatment for Ebola virus

Researchers uncover new connection between allergy and cancer

Preterm babies' guts harbor infectious microbes that can cause late-onset sepsis

Quail and chickens are likely sources of infection of H7N9 influenza virus to humans

AV drugs could help curb bacteria's growing resistance to antibiotic treatments

People who experience chronic sleep disturbance could face earlier onset of dementia, Alzheimer's

Researchers discover how STAT3 protein breaches antitumor mechanism prior to cancer development

Researchers Study how Marburg virus and host protein interaction help in developing inhibitors of virus

Microbiology eBook

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

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