C. difficile, emerging pathogens, genomics, and antimicrobial resistance
A new study published in OMICS: A Journal of Integrative Biology has identified genes for virulence and antimicrobial resistance in two bacteria that co-occur with C. difficile, suggesting these pathogens as emerging potential threats in planetary h.....»»
First mRNA vaccine against C. difficile infection developed in animal model
A new vaccine provides hope for treating and even preventing the highly contagious and difficult-to-treat Clostridioides difficile infection, more commonly known as C. difficile or C. diff......»»
Team develops promising new form of antibiotic that makes bacterial cells self-destruct
To address the global threat of antibiotic resistance, scientists are on the hunt for new ways to sneak past a bacterial cell's defense system. Taking what they learned from a previous study on cancer, researchers from the University of Toronto (U of.....»»
Study of wild type mosquitoes in Burkina Faso discovers new signs of insecticide resistance
One of the main discoveries of a new study is the identification of new variants in genes associated with insecticide resistance in Anopheles mosquitoes, the primary vectors of malaria in West Africa, and potential novel resistance mechanisms, emphas.....»»
GPT-4-based AI agents show promise for detecting antimicrobial resistance
Researchers at the University of Zurich (UZH) have used artificial intelligence (AI) to help identify antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The team led by Adrian Egli, UZH professor at the Institute of Medical Microbiology, is the first to investigate how.....»»
New method to generate photon pairs efficiently on a chip
Thin-film lithium niobate is an emerging nonlinear integrated photonics platform ideally suited for quantum applications. Through spontaneous parametric down-conversion (SPDC), it can generate correlated photon pairs for quantum key distribution, tel.....»»
Biological control generates "desirable outcomes" within all One Health dimensions, research reveals
New CABI-led research has revealed that biological control generates "desirable outcomes" within all One Health dimensions—mitigating global change issues such as chemical pollution, biocide resistance, biodiversity loss, and habitat destruction......»»
A unified theory for predicting pathogen competition: Exploring how emerging new strains replace previous ones
The COVID-19 pandemic showed that predicting the invasion of a novel pathogen into the human population and its evolutionary potential to generate new variants is crucial for preventing future outbreaks. New research conducted at Princeton University.....»»
New salicylic acid-based strategy could balance disease resistance with plant growth
Researchers at the University of Georgia have identified a promising approach to addressing a longstanding challenge for plant geneticists: balancing disease resistance and growth in plants......»»
Calcium transport protein in bacteria offers insights for drug development and food safety
Researchers at Umeå University have revealed details on how bacteria use calcium to regulate vital processes in a way that differs from human cells. This breakthrough is significant in the fight against antibiotic resistance and for increasing safet.....»»
Natural extracts boost drought resistance in lettuce and broccoli
A team from the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV), the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and the Universitat Jaume I of Castelló, in collaboration with the company Caldic Ibérica, has developed a product based on four natural extra.....»»
New web platform provides global mapping of freshwater crayfish and pathogens
Freshwater crayfish, keystone species of aquatic ecosystems, are now at the center of a new tool that promises to revolutionize conservation efforts. World of Crayfish (WoC), a newly launched web platform, aims to provide real-time global mapping of.....»»
CISSP and CompTIA Security+ lead as most desired security credentials
33.9% of tech professionals report a shortage of AI security skills, particularly around emerging vulnerabilities like prompt injection, according to O’Reilly. This highlights the need for specialized training as AI adoption continues to accelerate.....»»
Space business is evolving fast—a new book provides much-needed insight
Space Business: Emerging Theory and Practice, a new book edited by Professor Arto Ojala, Professor of International Business at the University of Vaasa, Finland, and Professor William W. Baber, University of Kyoto, examines the space business, its bu.....»»
Scientists discover how innate immunity envelops bacteria
The protein GBP1 is a vital component of our body's natural defense against pathogens. This substance fights against bacteria and parasites by enveloping them in a protein coat, but how the substance manages to do this has remained unknown until now......»»
Targeting "selfish" bacteria could optimize inhibitors that fight antibiotic resistance
As strains of pathogens resistant to frontline antibiotics become more common worldwide, clinicians are more often turning to combination treatments that degrade this resistance as a first treatment option......»»
Genetic mechanism unlocks a key secret behind disease infection in crops
Researchers have unraveled a key genetic mechanism behind the way pathogens infect crops, leading to new strategies for breeding resistant crop varieties against other pathogens carrying the same genetic mechanism......»»
How Chlamydia pneumoniae bacteria use molecular mimicry to manipulate the host cell
Bacteria that cause diseases, so-called pathogens, develop various strategies to exploit human cells as hosts to their own advantage. A team of biologists from Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (HHU), together with medical professionals and exper.....»»
Research team develops metallodrug-antibiotic combination strategy to combat superbugs
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) bacterial infections have become a serious problem threatening human health worldwide. The overuse of antibiotics has promoted drug-resistant mutations in bacteria, causing almost all clinically used antibiotics to deve.....»»
Unraveling the mystery of dormancy in food pathogens for more effective elimination
Listeria monocytogenes, a bacterium that causes listeriosis, a serious disease, can go into dormancy when confronted with environmental stress, for example in the presence of detergents or in water devoid of nutrients. It then becomes undetectable by.....»»
The biodiversity jukebox: How sound can boost beneficial soil microbes to heal nature
In a race against time, scientists are exploring new ways to restore natural systems. Alongside traditional methods such as planting trees, reducing pollution and reintroducing native species, a surprising new tool is emerging: sound. Ecologists can.....»»