-
Recent Posts
Categories
SGM on Facebook
SGM on Twitter
- Secondment opportunity for early-career researchers to support to @DefraGovUK's Chief Scientific Advisor (2x posts) nerc.ac.uk/site/guides/po… 2 hours ago
- Interesting looking show on @BBCRadio4 at 9pm about quorum sensing and antimicrobial resistance (feat SGM members) ow.ly/maZWw 6 hours ago
- MT @soapboxscience: Supportive partners & inspirational mentors are key - our latest blog by @LauraPiddock soapboxscience.org/?page_id=38 7 hours ago
Category Archives: Clinical & medical microbiology
Bacterial intruder seeks a warm welcome
Post by Helen Cope, University of Edinburgh Among hospital-acquired bacterial infections, Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most prevalent. Cunningly, this bacterium can evade the body’s natural defences by hiding within the host’s own cells. It seems, however, that S.aureus … Continue reading
Posted in Clinical & medical microbiology
Tagged Hospital-acquired infections, pathogens
Leave a comment
Silver nanoparticles have antibacterial properties!
Post by Rebecca Way, University of Aberdeen Silver nanoparticles have been shown to have effective antibacterial activity against a range of disease-causing bacteria. In this study featured in the Journal of Medical Microbiology, nano-silver was put to the test against … Continue reading
Posted in Clinical & medical microbiology
Tagged antimicrobial resistance, bacteria, biofilms, microbiology, MRSA, nanotechnology, pathogens, silver
Leave a comment
Viruses hijack cellular microRNAs for their own advantage
Post by Andras Donaszi-Ivanov, University of East Anglia Researchers have found that respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) can manipulate levels of regulatory genetic material, called microRNAs, in host cells, helping the virus suppress the immune response to aid its survival. This … Continue reading
Posted in Clinical & medical microbiology
Tagged microbiology, microRNAs, pathogens, regulation, viruses
Leave a comment
Bacterioides fragilis: resistance is rising
Post by Naomi Osborne, ThermoFisher Scientific The emergence of multi-drug resistant (MDR) micro-organisms is ever increasing; Staphylococcus aureus, Clostrium difficile, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Acinetobacter baumanii – the list seems endless. A review published in the Journal of Medical Microbiology discusses the … Continue reading
‘Naturally’ targeted inhibition of gut pathogens over commensals
Post by David Guymer, Newcastle University The term ‘essential oils’ is frequently used and often represents a catch-all for a variety of volatile, water-insoluble compounds extracted from plants. While potentially harmful, undiluted, these oils have been used throughout history in … Continue reading
New techniques detect BSE in extra-neuronal tissue of cattle
Post by Claire Brimacombe, University of Birmingham Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) or “Mad Cow Disease,” as it is more publicly known is a transmissible neurodegenerative disease affecting cattle. Importantly, it is also transmissible to humans and there is currently no … Continue reading
Gene shuffling allows microbial disguise
Post by Janet Daley, University of Nottingham Pathogens employ an array of tricks to evade detection by the immune system of the hosts they infect. The rickettsial bacterium Anaplasma phagocytophilum is a master of disguise, shuffling genes to change its … Continue reading
Better, faster typing of Salmonella strains
Post by Lena Ciric, University College London A new method for classifying Salmonella strains has been developed by scientists, giving faster turnaround times and greater reliability. Salmonella strains are notoriously difficult to identify, or type; however new research suggests that … Continue reading
Virulence mechanisms of MRSA
Post by Daniel Amund, London Metropolitan University The emergence of meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains as potentially lethal pathogens is a continuing cause for public health concern worldwide. An understanding of the various virulence mechanisms used by these antibiotic-resistant bacterial … Continue reading
A new player in Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm regulation
Post by Sarah Maddocks, Cardiff Metropolitan University Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a human pathogen commonly associated with lung infections in cystic fibrosis sufferers, and is emerging as the most prevalent cause of infection in burns patients. Multidrug-resistant strains of P. aeruginosa … Continue reading
