Microbiology nerd
Attention, movie fans and aspiring filmmakers of Australia – a generous cash prize is on offer for the winners of a national short film competition, called ‘Preserve the Power’. The contest, created in partnership between NPS MedicineWise and American Express Openair Cinemas, is intended to spread awareness about the danger of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Each … Read more
Researchers from the University of California San Diego have identified a potential new target against Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections – which could be applied to help treat all gram-negative infections. It was found that by interfering with the Mla pathway in P. aeruginosa, the bacteria became more permeable, and more susceptible to immune components. P. aeruginosa, … Read more
Scientists have found a way to boost the antibacterial activity of an antimicrobial peptide originating from a spider, according to a recent publication in the journal ACS Chemical Biology. With increasing rates of antimicrobial resistance a global concern, scientists are attempting to find alternatives to the traditional antibiotic drugs which we have relied on for … Read more
The bacterial species Klebsiella may contribute to a dangerously high level of antibiotic resistance in Kenya, a recent study suggests. Published in the journal PLOS ONE, the study is a collaborative effort between institutions including the US Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) and the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI). In many developing nations, the occurrence of … Read more
A modified form of vancomycin gives the drug key advantages which could greatly boost its efficiency against dangerous bacteria and reduce the chances of resistant strains developing, new research shows. The study, conducted by scientists from The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) in the US, was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of … Read more
Could paper be used to help protect us against dangerous bacteria? New research suggests this could be entirely possible, as a team led by Rutgers University scientists has developed the first paper-based sanitiser. Their work was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The sanitiser paper works by producing ‘plasma’ – … Read more
Researchers have found a method to identify bacteria showing one of the most dangerous forms of antibiotic resistance, in a test that’s both quick and cheap to run. Dr Laurent Dortet, an Associate Professor at South Paris University and his colleagues at Imperial College London, Dr Gerald Larrouy-Maumus and Professor Alain Filloux, presented their work … Read more
A new dual therapy approach to fight multi-drug resistant gram-negative bacteria has been uncovered – and, interestingly, it involves an existing antifungal and antiprotozoal drug. Dr. Eric Brown, professor of biochemistry at McMaster University, and his team showed that pentamidine, a drug normally used to treat protozoan and fungal infections, is effective against drug-resistant gram-negative bacteria when … Read more
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has published a list of the 12 bacterial families against which new antibiotics are desperately needed. Unveiling the list on the 27th February 2017, WHO hopes that this list will spur the research and development of new antibiotics at a time when the drugs we’ve come to rely on to … Read more
A recent study has given evidence to suggest that a popular antimicrobial additive plays a part in inducing bacterial tolerance to some of our most powerful antibiotics. The research, which was carried out by microbiologists at Washington University, Corey Westfall and Petra Levin and is still in the peer-review stage of publication, showed that bacteria … Read more