MicrobeWorld

Circumcision drastically alters the microbiome of the penis, changes that could explain why circumcision offers protection against HIV and other viral infections. In a study to be published on April 16 in mBio®, the online open-access journal of the American Society for Microbiology, researchers... Read More

A nanoparticle wrapped in a red blood cell membrane can remove toxins from the body and could be used to fight bacterial infections, according to research published today in Nature Nanotechnology.

The results demonstrate that the nanoparticles could be used to neutralize toxins produced by ma... Read More

Hilary Koprowski, a pioneering virologist who was credited with developing the first successful oral vaccination for polio, died April 11 at his home in Wynnewood, Pa. He was 96. Read More

Beijing confirmed that a 7-year-old girl has H7N9 avian influenza and Henan province reported its first two cases, opening a new front in the spread of the virus in the world’s most populous nation. Shanghai said today two people infected with the strain of bird flu died, taking the country’s de... Read More

I suppose that most microbiologists and the readers of this blog would split the answer down the middle, the biomass of this planet and the chemical transactions therein being about half microbial, half everything else. However, it’s safe to say that most people, many scientists included, are un... Read More

The Embarrassing Bodies team investigate how bacteria spreads.
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A new bird flu virus that has killed 13 people in China is still evolving, making it hard for scientists to predict how dangerous it might become.

Influenza experts say the H7N9 strain is probably still swapping genes with other strains, seeking to select ones that might make it fitter.

If... Read More

Just in time for swimsuit season, federal researchers are touting a faster, more accurate water-quality test to keep beaches open and people healthy.

“Water quality can change significantly in 24 hours. This way we’re identifying threats to human health almost immediately,” said Meredith Neve... Read More

This episode describes how the bane of sausage makers and home canners became the darling of the Hollywood set. The lethal toxin made by our friend Clostridium botulinum was put to good use paralyzing facial muscles and erasing frown lines. This video has an amazing intro sequence. Read More

Scientist from the Division of Infectious Disease at Emory University School of Medicine and The Emory Vaccine Center have shown that Francisella novicia, a close relative to the bacteria that causes Tularemia as well as Neisseria meningitidis the causative agent of meningitis encode specific ge... Read More

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Britt Glaunsinger, and Read More

This episode: Alga adapts to hot, toxic environments by copying prokaryote genes!

Download Episode (3.4 MB, 3.75 minutes)

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A new antibiotic named Epimerox has been developed by scientists at the Rockefellar University and Astex Pharmaceuticals. These scientists have demonstrated that Epimerox effectively killed a wide-range of bacteria including the drug-resistant Staphylococcus (MRSA). This antibiotic was develop... Read More

You may notice a green, red or brown film on your favorite boating or swimming area in the summer. This coloring could mean that the water is affected by harmful algal blooms. Harmful algal blooms are an accumulation of tiny organisms known as algae and can release harmful toxins into the enviro... Read More

Rastreo de Fuente de Contaminacion Microbiana (Microbial Source Tracking), o el uso de diferentes metodos para encontrar la fuente de contaminacion microbiana en aguas es el tema de hoy en La Radio el M... Read More

White-nose syndrome has invaded Fern Cave National Wildlife Refuge, home to more than 1 million endangered gray bats and other vulnerable species.

The world's largest wintering colony of gray bats may be under attack from white-nose syndrome, federal wildlife authorities reported Monday, pote... Read More

Harvard research reveals the role of the flagellum in helping biofilms colonize rough surfaces. New research from Harvard University helps to explain how waterborne bacteria can colonize rough surfaces—even those that have been designed to resist water.

A team of materials scientists and mic... Read More

Imagine a substance that was strong and light enough to armour soldiers, flexible and conductive enough to be turned into the next generation of flexible smartphone screens - and even absorbent enough to make tampons more effective.

Now imagine the process for making this wonder material was ... Read More

In a classic case of turning an enemy into a friend, scientists have engineered a protein from flesh-eating bacteria to act as a molecular “superglue” that promises to become a disease fighter. And their latest results, which make the technology more versatile, were the topic of a report here to... Read More

View an interactive animation of the life cycle of the malaria parasite, of the genus Plasmodium. The lifecycle of the malaria parasite is split between female mosquitoes and humans. In the mosquito gut, the parasites complete sexual reproduction and then multiply rapidly to produce many more p... Read More