Microbiology

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Cooperation's Fate: Population Bottlenecks Reshape Microbial Social Dynamics

Microbes often display cooperative behavior in which individual cells put in work and sacrifice resources to collectively benefit the group.

8 Jan 2026

Asexual Parasite's Host-Switching Strategy: A Short-Term Evolutionary Win

Australian researchers have uncovered how a particular strain of a diarrhea-causing parasite managed to infect more animal species, offering new insights into how parasitic infections emerge and spread to people.

7 Jan 2026

Gut Microbiome Plays a Direct Role in Shaping Brain Function and Evolution

A groundbreaking new study reveals that changes to the gut microbiome can change the way the brain works.

6 Jan 2026

Tumor Bacteria Found to Drive Immunotherapy Resistance

Cleveland Clinic researchers have discovered that bacteria inside cancerous tumors may be key to understanding why immunotherapy works for some patients but not others.

5 Jan 2026

Mapping Two Millennia of Betaherpesvirus Evolution via Ancient Human Genomes

Researchers have successfully reconstructed the ancient genomes of Human betaherpesvirus 6A and 6B (HHV-6A/B) from human remains that are over two thousand years old.

5 Jan 2026

Fungal Detoxification Pathway Enables Infestation of Bark Beetle Pests

Spruce bark is rich in phenolic compounds that protect trees from pathogenic fungi. A research team at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in Jena investigated how these plant defenses function within the food web, particularly in spruce bark beetles (Ips typographus), which ingest the compounds through their diet. Could the beetles use substances from the spruce's defenses to protect themselves against pathogenic fungi?

30 Dec 2025

Antibiotic Resistance: A Global Crisis Threatening Modern Medicine's Future

Once a medical miracle, antibiotics are now losing their power. Across the world, common infections are becoming harder-and sometimes impossible-to treat. This new review paints a sobering picture of global antimicrobial resistance (AMR), tracing how bacteria and fungi are evolving faster than medicine can respond.

24 Dec 2025

Researchers Map Gene Activation in Lethal Fungal Outbreaks

Scientists have discovered a genetic process which could unlock new ways to treat mysterious and deadly fungal infection which has shut down multiple hospital intensive care units.

22 Dec 2025

New Rat Study Reveals How Genetic Traits Ripple Through Social Microbiomes

The gut microbiome - made up of trillions of microbes in the digestive tract - is vital for digestion and overall health. Diet and medication shape these microbial ecosystems, but the contribution of genetics has been more difficult to ascertain.

22 Dec 2025

Unveiling the Secrets of Microbial Life on Fresh Lava

Life has a remarkable ability to recover, even in the aftermath of devastating occurrences such as forest fires or volcanic eruptions.

19 Dec 2025

Genes Can Spread Their Effects Through Shared Microbes

Your "roommate's" genes could be influencing the bacteria living in your gut, and vice versa, according to a study of rats published today in Nature Communications.

19 Dec 2025

Kefir-Derived Bacteria Show Potential to Reverse Age-Related Immune Decline

The process of aging is associated with a decline in immune functions and persistent low-level inflammation.

18 Dec 2025

Unlocking the Salutogenic Potential of Microbes

Viruses and bacteria get a bad rap around the world but now Flinders University experts are identifying the positive 'upside' of powerful benefits that microbes have on human health.

18 Dec 2025

Specific Gut Bacteria Found to Control Weight and Blood Fat Levels

The gut microbiome is intimately linked to human health and weight. Differences in the gut microbiome-the bacteria and fungi in the gut-are associated with obesity and weight gain, raising the possibility that changing the microbiome could improve health.

17 Dec 2025