Feature Channels: Microbiome

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Released: 12-Jun-2020 7:05 AM EDT
“Microbial Noah’s Ark” Initiative Should Move to Next Phase, Study Finds
Rutgers University-New Brunswick

A new study finds that a Rutgers-driven proposal to create a “microbial Noah’s ark” to protect the long-term health of humanity is feasible and should move forward into a pilot project phase.

8-Jun-2020 4:45 PM EDT
Happiness Might Protect You From Gastrointestinal Distress
UT Southwestern Medical Center

DALLAS – June 9, 2020 – Serotonin, a chemical known for its role in producing feelings of well-being and happiness in the brain, can reduce the ability of some intestinal pathogens to cause deadly infections, new research by UT Southwestern scientists suggests. The findings, publishing online today in Cell Host & Microbe, could offer a new way to fight infections for which few truly effective treatments currently exist.

Released: 2-Jun-2020 2:20 PM EDT
Bacteria in Cancer Cells May Help or Hinder Treatment
Weizmann Institute of Science

Weizmann Institute scientists show that bacteria live inside all cancer cells, from brain to breast to bone, and that each type of cancer has its own type of bacteria. Understanding this relationship could help predict treatment effectiveness or lead to ways of using the bacteria to boost treatments.

27-May-2020 5:00 AM EDT
Study Shows Patients with Hemorrhagic Brain Disease Have Disordered Gut Microbiomes
University of Chicago Medical Center

A new study shows that people with a rare genetic disease that causes bleeding in the brain have gut microbiomes distinct from those without the disease.

Released: 25-May-2020 7:05 AM EDT
A return to the wild for better immune health
University of Adelaide

A research team led by the University of Adelaide has found that revegetation of green spaces within cities can improve soil microbiota diversity towards a more natural, biodiverse state, which has been linked to human health benefits. In the study, published in the journal Restoration Ecology, researchers compared the composition of a variety of urban green space vegetation types of varying levels of vegetation diversity, including lawns, vacant lots, parklands, revegetated woodlands and remnant woodlands within the City of Playford Council area in South Australia.

14-May-2020 8:00 AM EDT
Study Traces Brain-to-Gut Connections
Health Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh

Using rabies virus injected into the stomach of rats, researchers trace the nerves back to the brain and find distinct "fight or flight" and "rest and digest" circuits. These results explain how mental states can affect the gut, and present new ways to treat gastrointestinal problems.

Released: 8-May-2020 3:55 PM EDT
Individualized mosaics of microbial strains transfer from the maternal to the infant gut
University of Alabama at Birmingham

A microbiome “fingerprint” method shows that an individualized mosaic of microbial strains is transmitted to the infant gut microbiome from a mother giving vaginal birth. The study analyzed existing metagenomic databases of fecal samples from mother-infant pairs and used a germfree mouse model.

Released: 29-Apr-2020 11:00 AM EDT
Scientists Explore Links Between Genetics, Gut Microbiome and Memory
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Scientists have traced the molecular connections between genetics, the gut microbiome and memory in a mouse model bred to resemble the diversity of the human population. Researchers from two U.S. Department of Energy national laboratories identified lactate, a molecule produced by all species of one gut microbe, as a key memory-boosting molecular messenger.

21-Apr-2020 12:15 PM EDT
Gut Microbes Influence How Rat Brains React to Opioids
UC San Diego Health

Antibiotic treatment — which depletes gut microbes — drastically changes the parts of a rat’s brain that are activated during opioid addiction and withdrawal.

Released: 22-Apr-2020 5:50 PM EDT
NAU launches COVID-19 Testing Service Center to evaluate new drugs to fight deadly virus
Northern Arizona University

The Pathogen and Microbiome Institute (PMI) at Northern Arizona University (NAU) today announced that it is launching the COVID-19 Testing Service Center (CTSC) to grow the SARS-CoV-2 virus and test new drugs against it. By repurposing its existing biodefense research infrastructure for the new testing facility—labs rated at Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3), one of the highest levels of biocontainment—PMI is dedicating much of its significant research capacity to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

Released: 17-Apr-2020 4:15 PM EDT
UC San Diego Researchers Optimize Microbiome Tool for Computer GPUs
University of California San Diego

University of California San Diego researchers have ported the popular UniFrac microbiome tool to graphic processing units (GPUs) in a bid to increase the acceleration and accuracy of scientific discovery, including urgently needed COVID-19 research.

   
Released: 16-Apr-2020 11:40 AM EDT
Researchers Get Important Glimpse Into Microbiome Development in Early Life
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

A team of researchers at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) has characterized how the gut microbiome develops in the first hours of infancy, providing a critical baseline for how changes in this environment can impact health and disease later in life.

Released: 15-Apr-2020 11:00 AM EDT
Ludwig MSK Study Reveals Bile Metabolite of Gut Microbes Boosts Immune Cells
Ludwig Cancer Research

A Ludwig Cancer Research study has discovered a novel means by which bacterial colonies in the small intestine support the generation of regulatory T cells—immune cells that suppress autoimmune reactions and inflammation.

Released: 9-Apr-2020 1:05 PM EDT
Identical Mice, Different Gut Bacteria, Different Levels of Cancer
Michigan Medicine - University of Michigan

Some types of gut bacteria are better than others at stimulating certain immune cells, specifically CD8+ T cells. And while these CD8+ T cells normally help protect the body against cancer, overstimulating them may promote inflammation and exhaust the T cells — which can actually increase susceptibility to cancer, according to new mouse model study published in Cell Reports.

Released: 8-Apr-2020 2:25 PM EDT
Drinking green tea may help with food allergies
Shinshu University

Research findings suggest gut microbes can effect allergic immune responses. Tasuku Ogita who has recently joined Shinshu University is an expert on teas and their effects on gut bacteria.

Released: 6-Apr-2020 3:35 PM EDT
Lifestyle trumps geography in determining makeup of gut microbiome
Washington University in St. Louis

Researchers from Washington University in St. Louis studied the gut microbiomes of wild apes in the Republic of Congo, of captive apes in zoos in the U.S., and of people from around the world and discovered that lifestyle is more important than geography or even species in determining the makeup of the gut microbiome.

   
Released: 31-Mar-2020 4:10 PM EDT
Infants Introduced Early to Solid Foods Show Gut Bacteria Changes that May Portend Future Health Risks
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

Infants who were started on solid foods at or before three months of age showed changes in the levels of gut bacteria and bacterial byproducts, called short-chain fatty acids, measured in their stool samples, according to a study from researchers at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

25-Mar-2020 9:00 AM EDT
Non-drug therapy ‘Revita’ improves blood glucose levels, liver metabolic health in patients with type 2 diabetes
Endocrine Society

Patients with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes who underwent a novel, minimally invasive, endoscopic procedure called Revita® duodenal mucosal resurfacing (DMR) had significantly improved blood glucose (sugar) levels, liver insulin sensitivity, and other metabolic measures three months later, according to new data from the REVITA-2 study.

Released: 25-Mar-2020 9:55 AM EDT
Diet, Nutrition Have Profound Effects on Gut Microbiome
George Washington University

A new literature review from scientists at George Washington University and the National Institute of Standards and Technology suggests that nutrition and diet have a profound impact on the microbial composition of the gut.

Released: 24-Mar-2020 1:25 PM EDT
Study shows commonly used mouthwash could make saliva significantly more acidic
University of Plymouth

The first study looking at the effect of chlorhexidine mouthwash on the entire oral microbiome has found its use significantly increases the abundance of lactate-producing bacteria that lower saliva pH, and may increase the risk of tooth damage.

Released: 16-Mar-2020 10:30 AM EDT
Looking to the future with Dr. Francis Collins
University of Alabama at Birmingham

At a presentation at UAB, NIH director Francis Collins outlined the top 10 area of excitement and promise in science.

   
Released: 11-Mar-2020 6:15 PM EDT
Can pollution make you gain weight?
University of Colorado Boulder

Pollution alters the human gut microbiome in ways that may boost risk of diabetes, obesity, inflammatory bowel disease and other chronic illnesses, according to a new study. Ozone is particularly harmful, the researchers found.

   
9-Mar-2020 12:30 PM EDT
Microbial DNA in Patient Blood May be Tell-Tale Sign of Cancer
UC San Diego Health

From a simple blood draw, microbial DNA may reveal who has cancer and which type, even at early stages

Released: 6-Mar-2020 3:40 PM EST
Could cancer immunotherapy success depend on gut bacteria?
UT Southwestern Medical Center

Gut bacteria can penetrate tumor cells and boost the effectiveness of an experimental immunotherapy that targets the CD47 protein.

4-Mar-2020 4:40 PM EST
Researchers Discover a New Diet-Associated Gut-Microbe Metabolite Linked to Cardiovascular Disease
Cleveland Clinic

Cleveland Clinic researchers have identified a gut microbe generated byproduct – phenylacetylglutamine (PAG) – that is linked to development of cardiovascular disease, including heart attack, stroke and death. The study was published in Cell today.

2-Mar-2020 7:00 AM EST
Newfound Cell Defense System Features Toxin-Isolating “Sponges”
NYU Langone Health

A “decoy” mechanism has been found in human and animal cells to protect them from potentially dangerous toxins released by foreign invaders, such as bacteria.

Released: 3-Mar-2020 11:30 AM EST
Presence of Staph Bacteria in Skin Microbiome Promotes Netherton Syndrome Inflammation
UC San Diego Health

Netherton syndrome is exacerbated by the presence of Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis living on human skin report University of California San Diego School of Medicine researchers.

2-Mar-2020 8:45 AM EST
Gut bacteria can penetrate tumors and aid cancer therapy, study suggests
The Rockefeller University Press

Researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and University of Chicago have discovered that bacteria that usually live in the gut can accumulate in tumors and improve the effectiveness of immunotherapy in mice. The study, which will be published March 6 in the Journal of Experimental Medicine (JEM), suggests that treating cancer patients with Bifidobacteria might boost their response to CD47 immunotherapy, a wide-ranging anti-cancer treatment that is currently being evaluated in several clinical trials.

19-Feb-2020 1:10 PM EST
Vaping Changes Oral Microbiome, Increasing Risk for Infection
New York University

Using e-cigarettes alters the mouth’s microbiome—the community of bacteria and other microorganisms—and makes users more prone to inflammation and infection, finds a new study led by researchers at NYU College of Dentistry.

24-Feb-2020 12:45 PM EST
How Resident Microbes Restructure Body Chemistry
UC San Diego Health

A comparison of normal and germ-free mice revealed that as much as 70 percent of a mouse’s gut chemistry is determined by its gut microbiome. Even in distant organs, such as the uterus or the brain, approximately 20 percent of molecules were different in the mice with gut microbes.

   
26-Feb-2020 10:00 AM EST
New bile discovery will rewrite textbooks
Michigan State University

Forget what you know about bile because that's about to change, thanks to a new discovery made by Michigan State University and published in the current issue of Nature. Much of our knowledge about bile hasn’t changed in many decades. It’s produced in the liver, stored in our gall bladder and injected into our intestine when we eat, where it breaks down fats in our gut.

   
Released: 19-Feb-2020 11:05 AM EST
Ancient gut microbiomes shed light on human evolution
Frontiers

The microbiome of our ancestors might have been more important for human evolution than previously thought, according to a new study published in Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution.

   
Released: 19-Feb-2020 8:55 AM EST
Physician-scientist wins esteemed award to study whether maternal gut health impacts stroke risk for offspring
University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston

Louise D. McCullough, MD, PhD, a physician-scientist at UTHealth is a recipient of the American Heart Association’s (AHA) prestigious $1 million Merit Award to investigate whether the maternal microbiome influences stroke risk in offspring.

Released: 18-Feb-2020 10:05 AM EST
Press registration now open for Nutrition 2020
American Society for Nutrition (ASN)

Reporters and bloggers are invited to attend Nutrition 2020, the flagship meeting of the American Society for Nutrition. The meeting will be held May 30–June 2 at the Washington State Convention Center in Seattle.

Released: 12-Feb-2020 12:15 PM EST
Study: Diet Makes a Difference in Fight Against Hospital-Acquired Infection
University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV)

Popular diets low in carbs and high in fat and protein might be good for the waistline, but a new UNLV study shows that just the opposite may help to alleviate the hospital-acquired infection Clostridioides difficile. The results appeared in a study published Feb. 11 in mSystems, an open access journal of the American Society for Microbiology.

   
5-Feb-2020 11:25 AM EST
More than Just a Carnival Trick: Researchers Can Guess Your Age Based on Your Microbes
UC San Diego Health

UC San Diego and IBM researchers reveal a new understanding of how our microbiomes change as we age, setting the stage for future research on the role microbes play in accelerating or decelerating the aging process and influencing age-related diseases.

   
6-Feb-2020 4:35 PM EST
Prebiotics help mice fight melanoma by activating anti-tumor immunity
Sanford Burnham Prebys

Scientists at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute have shown that two prebiotics, mucin and inulin, slowed the growth of melanoma in mice by boosting the immune system’s ability to fight cancer. The study, published today in Cell Reports, provides further evidence that gut microbes have a role in shaping the immune response to cancer, and supports efforts to target the gut microbiome to enhance the efficacy of cancer therapy.

Released: 30-Jan-2020 4:20 PM EST
Study provides first look at sperm microbiome using RNA sequencing
Wayne State University Division of Research

A new collaborative study published by a research team from the Wayne State University School of Medicine, the CReATe Fertility Centre and the University of Massachusetts Amherst provides the first in-depth look at the microbiome of human sperm utilizing RNA sequencing with sufficient sensitivity to identify contamination and pathogenic bacterial colonization.

27-Jan-2020 11:05 AM EST
Discovery reveals antibiotic-resistant strep throat may be too close for comfort
Houston Methodist

Infectious disease scientists identified strains of group A streptococcus that are less susceptible to commonly used antibiotics, a sign that the germ causing strep throat and flesh-eating disease may be moving closer to resistance to penicillin and other related antibiotics known as beta-lactams.

Released: 27-Jan-2020 8:45 AM EST
With High Fiber Diets, More Protein May Mean More Bloating
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

People who eat high fiber diets are more likely to experience bloating if their high fiber diet is protein-rich as compared to carbohydrate-rich, according to a study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Released: 27-Jan-2020 5:40 AM EST
Algae Shown to Improve Gastrointestinal Health
University of California San Diego

UC San Diego scientists have completed the first study in humans demonstrating that a common algae improves gastrointestinal issues related to irritable bowel syndrome. The green, single-celled organism called Chlamydomonas reinhardtii was found to help with diarrhea, gas and bloating.

Released: 27-Jan-2020 5:00 AM EST
New Portable Tool Analyzes Microbes in the Environment
Rutgers University-New Brunswick

Imagine a device that could swiftly analyze microbes in oceans and other aquatic environments, revealing the health of these organisms – too tiny to be seen by the naked eye – and their response to threats to their ecosystems. Rutgers researchers have created just such a tool, a portable device that could be used to assess microbes, screen for antibiotic-resistant bacteria and analyze algae that live in coral reefs. Their work is published in the journal Scientific Reports.

Released: 23-Jan-2020 2:25 PM EST
Here, There and Everywhere: Large and Giant Viruses Abound Globally
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

In Nature, a team led by U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Joint Genome Institute (JGI) researchers uncovered a broad diversity of large and giant viruses that belong to the nucleocytoplasmic large DNA viruses (NCLDV) supergroup, expanding virus diversity in this group 10-fold from just 205 genomes.

   
21-Jan-2020 1:55 PM EST
Teens with obesity and PCOS have more “unhealthy” bacteria
Endocrine Society

Teens with obesity and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have more “unhealthy” gut bacteria suggesting the microbiome may play a role in the disorder, according to new research published in the Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

20-Jan-2020 9:00 AM EST
Gut Bacteria May be One Culprit for Increase of Colorectal Cancer in Younger People
Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center at Georgetown University

A bacteria typically linked to periodontal disease, Fusobacterium nucleatum (F. nuc), could play an important role in the rising incidence of colorectal cancer in people under the age of 45. Another type of bacteria, Moraxella osloensis, has been found in colorectal cancer tumors at a nearly four-fold higher rate in people over 75 than in those under 45 years of age, pointing out how differences in the bacteria that comprise what is known as the body’s microbiome could affect cancer outcomes to varying degrees. These are the preliminary findings of an ongoing study that will be presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium in San Francisco from January 23-25, 2020.

Released: 21-Jan-2020 4:00 PM EST
Lung Microbiome May Help Predict Outcomes in Critically Ill Patients
American Thoracic Society (ATS)

Changes in the lung microbiome may help predict how well critically ill patients will respond to care, according to new research published online in the American Thoracic Society’s American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

Released: 17-Jan-2020 1:15 PM EST
UC San Diego-led Study Finds Close Evolutionary Proximity Between Microbial Domains in the ‘Tree of Life’
University of California San Diego

A comprehensive analysis of 10,575 genomes as part of a multi-national study led by researchers at UC San Diego has revealed close evolutionary proximity between the microbial domains at the base of the tree of life, the branching pattern of evolution described by Charles Darwin more than 160 years ago in his book, On the Origin of Species.

Released: 17-Jan-2020 12:50 PM EST
Human fetal lungs harbor a microbiome signature
University of Alabama at Birmingham

The lungs and placentas of fetuses in the womb — as young as 11 weeks after conception — already show a bacterial microbiome signature, which suggests that bacteria may colonize the lungs well before birth. How the microbes or microbial products reach those organs before birth is not known.



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