Newswise Feature Channel: Microbiome

β-Ionone Shows Promise in Preventing Ulcerative Colitis Through Gut Barrier Protection and Microbiota Regulation

Chinese Academy of Sciences — Fri, 13 Dec 2024 17:00:49 EST

A research team reveals that β-ionone, a naturally occurring compound with known anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties, may offer a novel preventive strategy for ulcerative colitis (UC), a chronic and debilitating inflammatory bowel disease.

Scientists Collect 'Microbial Fingerprints' Found in Household Plumbing

Washington University in St. Louis — Thu, 12 Dec 2024 20:40:54 EST

Household plumbing is alive with microbes; Washington University's environmental engineers are working to study those ecosystems to ensure clean water flows in homes

Roswell Park Team Identifies Factors That Boost Effectiveness of Immunotherapy in Recurrent Ovarian Cancer

Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center — Thu, 12 Dec 2024 20:35:58 EST

A study led by Roswell Park provides new insight into the complex interactions of the "tumor-immune-gut axis," and its role in influencing immunotherapy responses in patients with recurrent ovarian cancer. Newly published in Nature Communications, the findings emphasize the role of the patient's microbiome -- the collection of microorganisms in the body --and lay the groundwork for future clinical trials aimed at improving treatment outcomes.

Wild Birds' Gut Microbiome Linked With its Ornamentation and Body Condition

Florida Atlantic University — Tue, 10 Dec 2024 08:30:52 EST

FAU researchers spent five years studying the gut microbiomes of Northern cardinals, a common backyard songbird known for its vivid red plumage. Their study explores how microbiome diversity impacts the birds' health, body condition, and ornamental traits, such as their coloration.

Controlling Infectious Disease Between Wildlife and Livestock on Shared Rangeland

Texas A&M AgriLife — Mon, 09 Dec 2024 16:50:03 EST

Sapna Chitlapilly Dass, Ph.D., assistant professor in microbial ecology and microbiome interactions, Department of Animal Science, is studying the ongoing threat of emerging pathogens that can necessitate prompt deployment of medical countermeasures for life-saving interventions.

Thawing Permafrost Reveals Complex Microbiome-Metabolite Interplay

Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory - EMSL — Fri, 06 Dec 2024 17:50:13 EST

Research led by a multi-institutional study found that microbes interact with sulfur- and nitrogen-rich compounds, possibly from mosses in bogs. This interaction appears to contribute to greenhouse gas production.

Researchers Use Vitamins to Decode Complex Interactions in the Soil Microbiome

Department of Energy, Office of Science — Mon, 02 Dec 2024 15:15:40 EST

In a pair of publications, researchers investigated how different species of microbes interact with one another and exchange resources such as vitamins. The studies focused on corrinoids, the vitamin B12 family of nutrients. Many bacteria in the environment cannot produce these chemicals. The studies demonstrated that the presence of corrinoids can influence how individual soil bacteria grow in the laboratory and how they survive and coexist in soil.

Case Western Reserve University Awarded $1.5M to Study Vaginal Bacterial Linked to Serious Health Risks

Case Western Reserve University — Mon, 25 Nov 2024 09:00:03 EST

With a $1.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), researchers at the Case Western Reserve School of Medicine will study the dynamics of BV in hopes of identifying a more effective approach.

Parkinson's Drug Changes the Gut Microbiome for the Worse Due to Iron Deficiency

University of Vienna — Thu, 21 Nov 2024 06:00:56 EST

In a groundbreaking new study, conducted within the framework of the FWF-funded Cluster of Excellence "Microbiomes drive Planetary Health", scientists from the University of Vienna, in collaboration with the University of Southampton, Aalborg University and Boston University, have revealed that the widely prescribed Parkinson's disease drug entacapone significantly disrupts the human gut microbiome by inducing iron deficiency. The study, published in Nature Microbiology, provides new insights into the often-overlooked impact of human-targeted drugs on the microbial communities that play a critical role in human health.

Probiotic Delivers Anticancer Drug to the Gut

Washington University in St. Louis — Wed, 20 Nov 2024 11:00:00 EST

Researchers at WashU Medicine shrink gastrointestinal tumors in mice using a yeast probiotic to deliver immunotherapy to the gut, offering a potentially novel strategy to target hard-to-reach gut cancers.

Iron-clad Defense: How Microbes Shield Tomato Crops From Bacterial Wilt

Chinese Academy of Sciences — Wed, 20 Nov 2024 08:10:44 EST

A new study has discovered that siderophores, molecules produced by certain bacteria, are instrumental in the microbiome's defense against Ralstonia solanacearum, a pathogen causing severe crop losses. The research indicates that siderophores significantly boost the inhibitory effects of Pseudomonas strains on the pathogen, particularly under iron-limited conditions, offering a new avenue for developing eco-friendly disease control strategies in agriculture.

An Innovative Antibiotic for Drug-Resistant Bacteria

American Chemical Society (ACS) — Wed, 20 Nov 2024 08:00:00 EST

Building on previous work, researchers in ACS Infectious Diseases have demonstrated a potential antibacterial treatment from a modified darobactin, a compound originally from a bacterium. The team reports proof-of-concept animal trials on infections caused by bacteria, including E. coli, that are known to develop drug resistance.

The Influence of 'Biotics' on the Gut Microbiome of Dogs and Cats

Mon, 18 Nov 2024 09:45:01 EST

Zymo Research Leads the Way in Wastewater Innovation as Key Sponsor of the Microbes in Wastewater Symposium 2025

Zymo Research Corp — Mon, 18 Nov 2024 08:40:11 EST

Zymo Research Corporation, a global leader in innovative life science solutions, is proud to sponsor the Microbes in Wastewater: Antibiotic Resistance, Public Health, and Climate Change Symposium taking place January 16-17, 2025, in Newport Beach, California. This pivotal event will convene top researchers, industry experts, and public health professionals to explore the latest advancements in wastewater surveillance and its critical impact on public health, antibiotic resistance, and environmental sustainability.

Study: Antibiotics Can Cause Harm to Flu Patients

Cedars-Sinai — Tue, 12 Nov 2024 10:25:29 EST

Taking antibiotics during an influenza infection can be harmful and increases the risk of developing a bacterial pneumonia while sick with the flu, according to new research led by Cedars-Sinai.

University of Idaho Researcher Uncovers Surprising Way to Stop Beer From Exploding

University of Idaho — Thu, 07 Nov 2024 17:35:09 EST

A potential solution to a common beer-spoiling menace could be bubbling up from an unexpected source, thanks to research led by Paul Rowley, an associate professor of microbiology at University of Idaho. The culprit? Diastatic yeasts -- pesky microorganisms that can wreak havoc in brewing by over-fermenting beer, boosting alcohol content, altering flavors and, worst of all, causing bottles to explode.

A Gut Feeling About HIV and Heart Disease

Cedars-Sinai — Thu, 07 Nov 2024 10:20:15 EST

Ivan Vujkovic-Cvijin, PhD, is a pioneer in the study of the gut microbiota and the surprising ways these microorganisms living in our digestive tracts affect our overall health. His discoveries have been featured in Nature, Science Translational Medicine, Cell Reports and other top scientific journals.

Johns Hopkins Medicine Study Expands Understanding of How Fecal Microbiota Transplants May Work to Restore Gut Health

Johns Hopkins Medicine — Wed, 06 Nov 2024 10:00:53 EST

In a novel study that identified male chromosome genetic material in the intestines of female patients undergoing fecal transplants, researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine say they have significantly expanded scientific understanding of how some of these transplants may succeed and work.

Houston Methodist Researchers Shed Light on Increased Rates of Severe Human Infections Caused by Streptococcus Subspecies

Houston Methodist — Fri, 01 Nov 2024 16:00:11 EST

A concerning increase in global rates of severe invasive infections becoming resistant to key antibiotics has a team of infectious disease researchers at the Houston Methodist Research Institute studying a recently emerged strain of bacteria called Streptococcus dysgalactiae subspecies equisimilis (SDSE). SDSE infects humans via the skin, throat, gastrointestinal tract and female genital tract to cause infections ranging in severity from strep throat (pharyngitis) to necrotizing fasciitis (flesh-eating disease).

Mount Sinai Researchers Enhance Screening Methods to Prevent Spread of Drug-Resistant Fungal Infections in Hospitals

Mount Sinai Health System — Fri, 01 Nov 2024 09:05:04 EST

Expanded protocols promote early detection in high-risk patients and prevent hospital outbreaks of Candida auris