Bacteria 'launch a shield' to resist attack Researchers from the University of Copenhagen and the Technical University of Denmark along with other collaborators in Denmark and the US found that the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa can 'switch on' production of molecules that kill white blood cells - preventing the bacteria being eliminated by the body's immune system. view more (2009-11-02)
UTSA biology researchers demystify elusive war zone bacterium Tao Weitao, a researcher in the College of Sciences' Department of Biology at the University of Texas at San Antonio is making great strides in a project that was funded one year ago by the San Antonio Area Foundation. view more (2009-08-17)
Test helps in fight against lung infections and for treating other life-threatening infections A new test developed by Edmonton-based Innovotech™ Inc. will now allow doctors to more accurately identify the right antibiotics required to treat serious, chronic infections that are biofilm based. view more (2009-07-29)
New lab-on-a-chip measures mechanics of bacteria colonies Researchers at the University of Michigan have devised a microscale tool to help them understand the mechanical behavior of biofilms, slimy colonies of bacteria involved in most human infectious diseases. view more (2009-07-01)
Plant Microbe Shares Features with Drug-Resistant Pathogen An international team of scientists has discovered extensive similarities between a strain of bacteria commonly associated with plants and one increasingly linked to opportunistic infections in hospital patients. view more (2009-06-17)
Cool plasma packs heat against biofilms Though it looks like a tiny purple blowtorch, a pencil-sized plume of plasma on the tip of a small probe remains at room temperature as it swiftly dismantles tough bacterial colonies deep inside a human tooth. view more (2009-06-11)
Texas A&M researchers examine 'invading' bacteria in DNA Researchers at Texas A&M University's Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering have discovered how certain types of bacteria integrate the DNA that they have captured from invading enemies into their own genetic makeup to increase their chances of survival. view more (2009-06-03)
hus the bile does not overflow A consequence of the different cancers of the hepatobiliary system is blocked bile ducts. However, artificial catheters known as "stents" can remediate this problem. view more (2009-05-11)
Corrosion-inhibiting coatings containing 'good' bacteria A new, environmentally friendly coating that protects metals against corrosion in seawater has been developed by a team of researchers from Sheffield Hallam University. view more (2009-03-30)
Genes that make bacteria make up their minds Bacteria are single cell organisms with no nervous system or brain. So how do individual bacterial cells living as part of a complex community called a biofilm "decide" between different physiological processes (such as movement or producing the "glue" that forms the biofilm)? view more (2009-03-30)
Queen's scientists find new way to battle MRSA Experts from Queen's University Belfast have developed new agents to fight MRSA and other hospital-acquired infections that are resistant to antibiotics. The fluids are a class of ionic liquids that not only kill colonies of these dangerous microbes, they also prevent their growth. view more (2009-03-25)
Strategy Discovered for Fighting Persistent Bacterial Infections Researchers at National Jewish Health have discovered a promising strategy for destroying the molecular scaffolding that can make Pseudomonas bacterial infections extremely difficult to treat in cystic fibrosis patients, wearers of contact lenses, and burn victims. Jerry Nick, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine at National Jewish Health, and his... view more... (2009-03-24)
Syracuse University researchers build new surface material that resists biofilm growth; new technology may lead to development of improved medical implants This is the tale of two biological substances-cells from mammals and bacteria. It's a story about the havoc these microscopic entities can wreak on all manner of surfaces, from mighty ships to teeth and medical devices, and how two Syracuse University researchers are discovering new ways to prevent the damage. view more (2009-03-20)
No hiding place for infecting bacteria Scientists in Colorado have discovered a new approach to prevent bacterial infections from taking hold. Writing in the Journal of Medical Microbiology, Dr Quinn Parks and colleagues describe how they used enzymes against products of the body's own defence cells to prevent Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria from building a protective biofilm which... view more... (2009-03-16)
Biofilms: Even Stickier Than Suspected Biofilms are everywhere - in dental plaque and ear canals, on contact lenses and in water pipelines - and the bacteria that make them get more resilient with age, finds a new study in FEMS Microbiology Letters. view more (2009-03-13)
Nanoemulsion potent against superbugs killing cystic fibrosis patients University of Michigan scientists report highly encouraging evidence that a super-fine oil-and-water emulsion, already shown to kill many other microbes, may be able to quell the ravaging, often drug-resistant infections that cause nearly all cystic fibrosis deaths. view more (2009-02-05)
New method monitors critical bacteria in wastewater treatment Researchers have developed a new technique using sensors to constantly monitor the health of bacteria critical to wastewater treatment facilities and have verified a theory that copper is vital to the proper functioning of a key enzyme in the bacteria. view more (2009-02-05)
E. coli persists against antibiotics through HipA-induced dormancy Bacteria hunker down and survive antibiotic attack when a protein flips a chemical switch that throws them into a dormant state until treatment abates, researchers at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center report in the Jan.16 edition of Science. view more (2009-01-16)
Small molecule triggers bacterial community While bacterial cells tend to be rather solitary individuals, they are also known to form intricately structured communities called biofilms. view more (2008-12-23)
Computation and genomics data drive bacterial research into new golden age A potent combination of powerful new analysis methods and abundant data from genomics projects is carrying microbiology forward into a new era. view more (2008-12-09)
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