Microbiome News and Research

Latest Microbiome News and Research

Our body contains more diverse microbes than previously known, new survey suggests

A new survey of DNA fragments circulating in human blood suggests our bodies contain vastly more diverse microbes than anyone previously understood.

23 Aug 2017

Cortisol mediates communication between gut bacteria and brain metabolites, study suggests

Gut microbes have been in the news a lot lately. Recent studies show they can influence human health, behavior, and certain neurological disorders, such as autism.

21 Aug 2017

Antibiotic use makes immune cells less effective in fighting infections

Adding another reason for doctors to avoid the overuse of antibiotics, new research shows that a reduction in the variety of microbes in the gut interferes with the immune system's ability to fight off disease.

17 Aug 2017

Researchers explore if deep-sea sponges could be new source of potential antimicrobials

Marine sponges and the deep-sea ecosystem are comparatively under-studied and under-exploited compared with life in shallower waters - but a team of scientists from the University of Plymouth are identifying and developing potential new antimicrobials produced by the microbiome of sponges which live deep beneath the ocean surface.

17 Aug 2017

UAB researchers create small molecule that prevents tooth cavities in preclinical model

University of Alabama at Birmingham researchers have created a small molecule that prevents or impedes tooth cavities in a preclinical model.

10 Aug 2017

Human gut microbe may help treat autoimmune diseases, say researchers

Mayo Clinic researchers, along with colleagues at the University of Iowa, report that a human gut microbe discovered at Mayo Clinic may help treat autoimmune diseases, such as multiple sclerosis. The findings appear in Cell Reports.

8 Aug 2017

New study shows how gut microbes can prevent severe flu infections in mice

Microbes that live in the gut don't just digest food. They also have far-reaching effects on the immune system.

3 Aug 2017

Protein-rich diet may foster more tolerant, less inflammatory gut environment

Immune cells patrol the gut to ensure that harmful microbes hidden in the food we eat don't sneak into the body. Cells that are capable of triggering inflammation are balanced by cells that promote tolerance, protecting the body without damaging sensitive tissues.

3 Aug 2017

Kitchen sponges - play house for millions of bacteria - fresh study reports

Scientists in Germany have looked into the minute pores of a common kitchen sponge and found dreaded bacteria that could make us very ill. This is the first comprehensive study to do so. The study was published this week in Scientific Reports. Researchers write that humans spend most of their time in built environments or BE and the microbial presence in these environments is termed BE microbiome. These microbes may have a great impact on human health and wellbeing.

2 Aug 2017

Vanderbilt researchers unravel how bacterial toxin prevents DNA replication

One of the most potent toxins known acts by welding the two strands of the famous double helix together in a unique fashion which foils the standard repair mechanisms cells use to protect their DNA.

2 Aug 2017

Researchers highlight role of micro-guests in pathologic processes

We host more microbiota than our own cells. These micro-guests produce metabolites that are only beginning to be appreciated as important factors in pathologic processes, from chronic inflammatory diseases to preterm birth.

1 Aug 2017

Oral microbiome may help accurately determine time since death

Accurately determining the time since death is an important aspect of forensic sciences and casework. New research indicates that this might be achieved by examining changes in the bacterial communities of the mouth that occur after death.

1 Aug 2017

STRATEC Molecular offers new products to improve liquid biopsy

Liquid biopsy is a new technology for detection and analysis of biomarkers in blood or other body fluids without the need of invasive procedures.

28 Jul 2017

UA researchers seek to better understand NHE8 protein’s role in GI disorders, colon cancer

About 1.6 million Americans suffer from inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which encompasses several painful and complex disorders that include Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

27 Jul 2017

Penile bacteria may be risk factor for HIV infection in men, study shows

A ten-fold increase in some types of bacteria living under the foreskin can increase a man's risk of HIV infection by up to 63 percent, according to a new study out today by researchers at Milken Institute School of Public Health

25 Jul 2017

Living in rural households lowers person's risk of developing IBD, study finds

Living in rural households decreases a person's risk of developing inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), particularly for young children and adolescents, according to a new study by researchers at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences, and the Canadian Gastro-Intestinal Epidemiology Consortium.

25 Jul 2017

Scientists find hints to a 'ghost' species of archaic humans in saliva

In saliva, scientists have found hints that a "ghost" species of archaic humans may have contributed genetic material to ancestors of people living in Sub-Saharan Africa today.

21 Jul 2017

Testing treatments using pig model may help minimize drug failure rates for chronic conditions

Scientists may be able to minimize the failure rate of drugs for diseases linked to high-calorie diets, such as colon cancer and type 2 diabetes, if they test treatments using a pig model, according to an international team of researchers.

21 Jul 2017

Cohabitating couples influence microbial communities on each other's skin

Couples who live together share many things: Bedrooms, bathrooms, food, and even bacteria. After analyzing skin microbiomes from cohabitating couples, microbial ecologists at the University of Waterloo, in Canada, found that people who live together significantly influence the microbial communities on each other's skin.

19 Jul 2017