Microbiology News and Research

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How Bacillus Spores Initiate Self-Healing Concrete

Findings on Bacillus pasteurii spore germination and impermeability mechanisms offer insights into developing effective microbial self-healing concrete systems.

27 Aug 2025

How Defined Microbes Decide Chocolate Flavor

This study links microbial activity and fermentation conditions to cocoa flavor profiles, advancing techniques for producing premium chocolate consistently.

27 Aug 2025

H5N1 Evolution Points to Higher Risk of Human Transmission

In recent years, there has been growing concern over the H5N1 influenza virus. It was first identified in birds three decades ago and has now gradually found its way to humans.

13 Aug 2025

UCLA Researchers Reprogram Stem Cells to Produce Continuous Cancer-Fighting T Cells

In a first-of-its-kind clinical trial, UCLA scientists have shown it's possible to reprogram a patient's blood-forming stem cells to generate a continuous supply of functional T cells, the immune system's most powerful cancer-killing agents.

5 Aug 2025

Gut Bacteria Breakthrough Could Help Fight Chronic Diseases

An international research team led by scientists from the University of Copenhagen has discovered a common gut bacterium that lowers body weight and blood sugar while increasing bone density.

1 Aug 2025

PD-1 Guides T Cells to Become Long-Term Immune Defenders in the Skin

Weill Cornell Medicine researchers have discovered that PD-1—a molecule best known for putting the brakes on immune cells—also plays a critical role in helping T cells become long-term immune defenders in the skin.

30 Jul 2025

Small Viral Protein ORF3a Reveals Big Role in SARS-CoV-2 Infectivity

In a recent study published in Nature Communications, researchers from the University of Chicago discovered that the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) uses a small but powerful protein, ORF3a, to assemble the infectious particles, making it more efficient at spreading the disease.

29 Jul 2025

Tiny Artificial Cells Demonstrate Reliable 24-Hour Rhythms

A team of UC Merced researchers has shown that tiny artificial cells can accurately keep time, mimicking the daily rhythms found in living organisms.

29 Jul 2025

Gene Editing Offers New Hope to Stop Malaria Transmission

Mosquitoes kill more people each year than any other animal. In 2023, the blood-sucking insects infected a reported 263 million people with malaria, leading to nearly 600,000 deaths, 80% of which were children.

24 Jul 2025

New Method Enables Precise Fatty Acid Delivery Without Albumin

Fatty acids (FAs) are essential to cell membrane formation, energy storage, and lipid metabolism. Yet, delivering them for research remains a challenge due to their insolubility in water and the reliance on albumin to facilitate transport.

23 Jul 2025

Researchers Combine AI and CRISPR to Rejuvenate Ovarian Function

Ovarian aging, characterized by diminishing egg reserves and quality, affects millions of women worldwide, often leading to infertility.

21 Jul 2025

Gut Bacteria Adapt to Local Diets Offering Hope for Personalized Probiotics

Probiotics are emerging tools used by neonatal intensive care units to promote healthy outcomes and prevent intestinal diseases such as necrotizing enterocolitis.

18 Jul 2025

Study Reveals Surprising Redundancy in Staph Metabolism

In the ongoing battle against antibiotic-resistant bacteria, MSU researchers have made a discovery that could reshape how we target deadly pathogens like staph infections.

17 Jul 2025

UAB Identifies Six Novel Subsets, Reshaping Immune Knowledge

The study highlights T-bet's importance in memory B cells, essential for rapid antibody production and sustained immune defense against influenza.

14 Jul 2025

Bacteria Show Unexpected Flexibility in Building Their Cell Walls

Closely related bacterial species use different strategies to build their cell walls, an international team of scientists led by Université de Montréal microbiology professor Yves Brun has found.

10 Jul 2025

Exercise Boosts Immune Response in Cancer Through Bacterial Metabolites

A new study from the University of Pittsburgh shows for the first time how exercise improves cancer outcomes and enhances response to immunotherapy in mice by reshaping the gut microbiome.

10 Jul 2025

Mediterranean Bacteria Offer New Weapon Against Mosquito-Borne Diseases

Mosquito-borne diseases kill more than 700,000 people every year, according to the World Health Organization, and the mosquitos that spread the disease are difficult to control.

8 Jul 2025

Iowa State Engineers Reinvent Gene Gun for Faster and Safer Crop Editing

Plant scientists have used a standard "gene gun" since 1988 to genetically modify crops for better yield, nutrition, pest resistance and other valuable traits.

5 Jul 2025

Small Genetic Change in Humans Weakens Immune Attack on Solid Tumors

New research from UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center has uncovered an evolutionary change that may explain why certain immune cells in humans are less effective at fighting solid tumors compared to non-human primates.

4 Jul 2025