Bacteria News

Robot arm learns how to taste with engineered bacteria By Tim Sandle Biologists working with engineers have developed a robotic gripping arm which makes use of engineered bacteria in order to 'taste' for certain chemicals. This represents a new development in soft robotics.

Essential Science: Breakthrough for patients with pneumonia By Tim Sandle New research, published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, presents the first clinical results with CAL02 in patients suffering from severe pneumonia, the first cause of infectious mortality in the world.

Careless disposal of medicines increases antimicrobial resistance By Tim Sandle Copenaghen - There are a number of ways by which antimicrobial resistance can spread, and one that is of growing concern is the disposal of medicines by consumers down sinks and toilets. A new technique can help to assess the extent of the spread.

Essential Science: Gum bacteria implicated in Alzheimer's disease By Tim Sandle The bacteria that inhabit the mouth, and especially the gums, if imbalanced can lead to some species dominating others. In these circumstances, there may be a connection with diseases like Alzheimer’s, according to a new study.

New materials promote natural healing methods By Tim Sandle London - Medical researchers have demonstrated how the use of new materials can be used to treat wounds by enhancing the body's natural healing processes.

Essential Science: Antimicrobial found in ancient Irish soil By Tim Sandle Swansea - A bacterium discovered in ancient Irish soil has been shown to be capable of halting the growth of certain ‘superbugs’. The discovery offers new hope for tackling antibiotic resistance.

The pathogenic skin bacterium 'no one' is talking about By Tim Sandle Bath - More high profile pathogenic bacteria regularly make news headlines, especially in relation to food recalls or to hospital hygiene. A new research paper warns that we shouldn't forget about a common bacterium that can cause harm.

Infectious bacteria on-board the International Space Station By Tim Sandle The International Space Station hosts some less desirable strains of bacteria, with the organism Enterobacter bugandensis having been identified from samples taken from the toilets used by the astronauts.

Key study seeks to improve skin infection treatment By Tim Sandle Washington - Researchers have begun undertaking examination into the effectiveness of treatments for skin diseases. The focus is with skin infections that are resistant to common antibiotics, especially diseases that are multi-drug resistant.

Farm herbicide Roundup could increase antibiotic resistance By Tim Sandle Antibiotic resistance is causing significant medical problems and while a key factor is over-prescription of antibiotic medications, there are other factors. Once factor, according to new research, could be common agricultural herbicides.

Artificial sweeteners are toxic to gut microbes By Tim Sandle Are artificial sweeteners harmful? This a question that scientists have been grappling with for several decades. While sweeteners help with weight-loss programs, new evidence suggests they affect our microbiome.

Bacteria in the human gut generate electricity By Tim Sandle An interesting discovery has been made about several species of bacteria that inhabit the human intestines and which constitute part of the human microbiome. These organisms have been shown to generate electricity.

New cellular target to weaken drug-tolerant bacteria By Tim Sandle Canadian microbiologists have located a new cellular target that can weaken the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa. This organism, which has a multi-drug resistant form, presents a severe threat to patients with cystic fibrosis.

New approach to fighting antibiotic resistant bacteria By Tim Sandle One of the most pressing concerns on the planet is the issue of multi-drug resistance bacteria and the risk these organisms pose to human health. One of the ways to address this could stem from a new research project.

Probiotics are essentially 'useless': Research By Tim Sandle For some years there has been disagreement among scientists and nutritionists about the value of probiotics. A new study, aiming to be the most comprehensive ever, concludes that probiotics 'are almost useless'.

Using oxygen to kill pathogenic bacteria By Tim Sandle Scientists have turned to an unusual source in order to tackle the problem of pathogenic bacteria – oxygen. This is in relation to MRSA, which is associated with hospital derive infections, in particular.

Essential Science: Killing bacteria with new biocide mist By Tim Sandle The elimination of pathogenic bacteria is a key part of contamination control. However, many disinfectants are either not available in vapor form or they are harmful to users. A new ‘breathable mist’ offers a solution.

Mother's gut health and autism connection By Tim Sandle New research draws a connection between the health of an expectant mother's gut and autism in her yet to be born child. The inference that follows is that changing an expectant mother's diet could lower autism risks. However, further research is required.

Fluorescent silk kills harmful bacteria By Tim Sandle A far-red fluorescent silk can kill harmful bacteria, as demonstrated in controlled trials. The developers see the material as both a biomedical and and an environmental remedy to combating harmful organisms and protecting patients.

Diagnostic connectivity to combat antimicrobial resistance By Tim Sandle London - The British government has entered into a partnership with FIND, a global non-profit dedicated to accelerating the development of diagnostic tests for diseases. This is to introduce digital technologies to combat the antimicrobial resistance problem.

Chimpanzee beds are cleaner than human ones By Tim Sandle New research will surprise those who think they have a high level of personal hygiene. A microbiological study of the sleeping areas of chimpanzees and human beds has found that, socially, the sleeping areas of chimps are cleaner.

Graphene spikes kill pathogenic bacteria By Tim Sandle One of the risks with medical implants is infection from bacteria during the surgical process, leading to post-surgical infections. Researchers have demonstrated that coating implants with graphene can help to kill microorganisms

New class of antibiotics discovered in dirt By Tim Sandle U.S scientists have discovered a new antibiotic family discovered from dirt (samples of soil). The discovery could represent a step forwards in the quest to find new types of antibiotics and antimicrobials.

Bacterium from dirt could fight melanoma By Tim Sandle Scientists have identified a type of organism found in the soil which has the potential to induce the death of melanoma cells. This is through a molecule made as a metabolite from the organism.

Artificial intelligence used to identify bacteria By Tim Sandle Microbial identification has been streamlined in recent years through rapid methods and computer reading. However, a skilled microbiologist is often required. Can AI replace the need for the microbiologist?

Textile based bio-battery for wearables By Tim Sandle Researchers have constructed a textile-based, bacteria-powered biobattery. The aim of the flexible battery is for incorporation into wearable electronic devices.

Essential science: Link between gut microbes and despair By Tim Sandle Research into to the human microbiome continues to produce new medical findings of interest. The latest news is a connection between an imbalance of microorganisms in the human gut and feelings of despair.

World’s smallest tape, based on microbes By Tim Sandle Microbiologists based at Columbia University Medical Center have successfully manipulated bacteria in order to create a microscopic data recorder.

Electric bandages help to fight infection By Tim Sandle Medical technologists have created electric bandages that have a mechanism that helps to fight infection. These bandages have recently been put to a practical test and they have successfully challenged biofilms.

Interview: The path to next-generation antibiotics Special By Tim Sandle Dr. Marcos Pires is spearheading a novel approach to understanding bacterial cell wall changes in response to antibiotics that could be key to new drug design. We spoke with him to discover more about this approach.

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