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Researchers see potential in deploying Akkermansia bacteria to understand and treat obesity

A dominant and useful bacterium called Akkermansia muciniphila is present in the intestinal system of all humans, from babies to the elderly. This microorganism is found in the intestinal mucus layer that protects against intruders.

16 May 2013

Better understanding of cells' development has implications in study of inflammatory diseases

Labs around the world, and a core group at Penn, have been studying recently described populations of immune cells called innate lymphoid cells. Some researchers liken them to foot soldiers that protect boundary tissues such as the skin, the lining of the lung, and the lining of the gut from microbial onslaught. They also have shown they play a role in inflammatory disease, when the body's immune system is too active.

15 May 2013

Researchers show how cells are driven mainly by water power

Water gives life. Researchers at Linköping University in Sweden now show how the cells in our bodies are driven mainly by water power - a discovery that in the long run opens the way for a new strategy in cancer therapy.

14 May 2013

Research could help battle stubborn bacterial infections that do not respond to antibiotics

Bacteria on a surface wander around and often organize into highly resilient communities known as biofilms. It turns out that they organize in a rich-get-richer pattern similar to many economies, according to a new study by researchers at UCLA, Northwestern University and the University of Washington.

10 May 2013

National Institutes of Health names University of Rochester a Center for AIDS Research

The University of Rochester was named a Center for AIDS Research by the National Institutes of Health, a designation that infuses $7.5 million into HIV/AIDS work across the University and places it amongst the best in the nation for research to improve the prevention, detection and treatment of the disease.

10 May 2013

Study shows malaria transmission can be controlled by using bacteria

Mosquitoes are deadly efficient disease transmitters. Research conducted at Michigan State University, however, demonstrates that they also can be equally adept in curing diseases such as malaria.

10 May 2013

UNMC to participate in the PathCentral Pathology Network

PathCentral (www.pathcentral.net), a technology-enabled company dedicated to the success of the international pathology community, and the Department of Pathology and Microbiology at University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC), today announced that UNMC will participate in the PathCentral Pathology Network (www.pathcentralpro.net), the specialty's most comprehensive online information exchange and digital consultation forum.

7 May 2013

Scientists uncover unknown virulence factor in respiratory pathogen

To infect its host, the respiratory pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa takes an ordinary protein usually involved in making other proteins and adds three small molecules to turn it into a key for gaining access to human cells.

7 May 2013

Research: Protein complex in human breast milk can help reverse antibiotic resistance

A protein complex found in human breast milk can help reverse the antibiotic resistance of bacterial species that cause dangerous pneumonia and staph infections, according to new University at Buffalo research.

3 May 2013

Scientists study repeating patterns in nature to better understand role of immune system in cancer

Can the patterns in tree branches or the meandering bends in a river provide clues that could lead to better cancer therapies? According to a new study from Virginia Commonwealth University Massey Cancer Center, these self-similar, repeating patterns in nature known as fractals help scientists better understand how the immune system is organized and may one day be used to help improve stem cell transplant outcomes in leukemia patients by predicting the probability of transplant complications.

2 May 2013

Scientists pursue new therapies as H7N9 flu spreads in China

An experimental drug has shown promise in treating influenza, preventing lung injury and death from the virus in preclinical studies, according to University of Maryland School of Medicine researchers publishing in the journal Nature on May 1.

2 May 2013

Cempra demonstrates solithromycin's potential against urogenital infections at ECCMID

Cempra, Inc., a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company focused on developing differentiated antibiotics to meet critical medical needs in the treatment of bacterial infections, today announced that it will present data at the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases in Berlin, demonstrating solithromycin's potential to treat urogenital infections and combat challenging pathogens such as enterococci and Legionella pneumophila.

29 Apr 2013

New treatment options for influenza

The flu is caused by an infection with the influenza virus, which mainly attacks the upper respiratory tract - the nose, throat and bronchi and rarely also the lungs. According to the World Health Organization, around five to 15 percent of the population are affected by upper respiratory tract infections during seasonal flu outbreaks, and between 250 000-500 000 people die of the illness every year.

29 Apr 2013

Pfizer reports that Prevenar 13 Phase 3 study meets all primary, secondary objectives

Pfizer Inc. presented today the results from a Phase 3 study investigating immunogenicity, tolerability and safety of Prevenar 13 (Pneumococcal polysaccharide conjugate vaccine [13-valent, adsorbed]) in adults 18 to 49 years of age.

From Pfizer, Inc. 29 Apr 2013

Research on alpha-synuclein protein could lead to new therapies for Parkinson's disease

A protein known to be a key player in the development of Parkinson's disease is able to enter and harm cells in the same way that viruses do, according to a Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine study.

26 Apr 2013

GI nematode infections combat obesity and improve related metabolic disorders

Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, have shown in a mouse model that infection with nematodes (also known as roundworms) can not only combat obesity but ameliorate related metabolic disorders.

26 Apr 2013

Microbial population in New York City subway system is nearly identical to that of ambient air on city streets

The microbial population in the air of the New York City subway system is nearly identical to that of ambient air on the city streets. This research, published ahead of print in the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology, establishes an important baseline, should it become necessary to monitor the subway's air for dispersal of potentially dangerous microbes.

25 Apr 2013

Novel approach using Listeria bacteria shows promise against metastatic pancreatic cancer

Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have developed a therapy for pancreatic cancer that uses Listeria bacteria to selectively infect tumor cells and deliver radioisotopes into them.

25 Apr 2013

University of Guelph researchers develop carbohydrate-based vaccine against gut bug

A first-ever vaccine created by University of Guelph researchers for gut bacteria common in autistic children may also help control some autism symptoms.

25 Apr 2013

Vesicular stomatitis virus spares non-cancerous cells and kills melanoma cells

Researchers from Yale University School of Medicine have demonstrated that vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) is highly competent at finding, infecting, and killing human melanoma cells, both in vitro and in animal models, while having little propensity to infect non-cancerous cells.

25 Apr 2013

Microbiology News and Research

Researchers see potential in deploying Akkermansia bacteria to understand and treat obesity

Better understanding of cells' development has implications in study of inflammatory diseases

Researchers show how cells are driven mainly by water power

Research could help battle stubborn bacterial infections that do not respond to antibiotics

National Institutes of Health names University of Rochester a Center for AIDS Research

Study shows malaria transmission can be controlled by using bacteria

UNMC to participate in the PathCentral Pathology Network

Scientists uncover unknown virulence factor in respiratory pathogen

Research: Protein complex in human breast milk can help reverse antibiotic resistance

Scientists study repeating patterns in nature to better understand role of immune system in cancer

Scientists pursue new therapies as H7N9 flu spreads in China

Cempra demonstrates solithromycin's potential against urogenital infections at ECCMID

New treatment options for influenza

Pfizer reports that Prevenar 13 Phase 3 study meets all primary, secondary objectives

Research on alpha-synuclein protein could lead to new therapies for Parkinson's disease

GI nematode infections combat obesity and improve related metabolic disorders

Microbial population in New York City subway system is nearly identical to that of ambient air on city streets

Novel approach using Listeria bacteria shows promise against metastatic pancreatic cancer

University of Guelph researchers develop carbohydrate-based vaccine against gut bug

Vesicular stomatitis virus spares non-cancerous cells and kills melanoma cells

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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