Biology

Source: Adrian Lange Bacteria are constantly fighting to preserve themselves; to survive in an environment that is too salty, acidic, or nutrient poor, dodging assault from immune cells and attack by stronger, deadlier microorganisms (“There’s always a bigger fish”). In this hostile landscape, bacteria often persist by working together. Researchers are investigating these cooperative inter-bacterial …

When Bacteria Band Together – How Interactions Between Bacteria Can Change the Course of Disease Read More »

Taking the proper, science-backed steps could help prevent the next pandemic. (Source: Unsplash, Alin Luna) Abstract Covid-19, caused by the SARS-CoV2 virus, has infected hundreds of millions of people worldwide and caused millions of deaths World Health Organization, 2022). The unprecedented pandemic has caused lasting impacts on individual lives, the economy, politics, and society, as …

Covid-19 and the Next Pandemic: Designing a Science-based Strategy to Prepare for the Next Pandemic Read More »

Figure: In a 2019 study, researchers used a microbial sample from the gut of an individual with the blood type AB+ to identify an enzyme combination that converts type A blood to type O, also known as the “universal donor” blood type. (Source: Wikimedia Commons, ICSident) Many of us learned in high school biology class …

Universal Donors: A New Enzymatic Approach to Blood and Organ Matching Read More »

Figure: Curly Fries and a Burger. (Source: Flickr) “You are what you eat”. It’s a catchy phrase, one that reminds you to eat your fruits and veggies and maybe only enjoy an occasional cheeseburger or two. However, in the past decades, we’ve seen an increase in health issues like blood pressure, obesity, and heart disease, …

Fast Food and its Effects Read More »

Figure: Bacteria are essential for gut health because they help break down key dietary nutrients. But when one’s diet changes– the gut microbiome can be driven out of sorts. Scientists now understand that the gut microbiome is altered by a calorie-restricted diet in such a way that it prevent dieters from keeping weight off. Future …

Targeting the Gut Microbiome to Keep Weight Off Read More »

Figure: Cancer cell division is rapid and uncontrollable. New evidence suggests that the gut microbiome may contribute to cancer cell proliferation, spurred on by a high fat diet – but also that there may be ways to fix a cancer-causing gut microbiome (Source: Pixabay, ColiN00B) Background The war on cancer has been fought valiantly for …

Gut Bacteria May be a Cause of Colorectal Cancer (and the Key to Effective Treatment) Read More »

Abstract: Cancer treatment has long been an engaging field of study for researchers. Yet despite years of refinement, conventional treatment methods like radiotherapy and chemotherapy are still incompetent in the permanent cure of cancer. Recently, bacterial treatment approach has shown promising experimental results. Bacterial treatment allows for deeper tumor penetration than radiation due to the …

Bacterial Treatment of Cancer Read More »

Figure: A computer representation of the anthrax toxin protein (Source: Wikimedia Commons, Ayacop) For intensive surgery, opioids are often prescribed to help ease post-operative pain. They are very effective, but unfortunately also tend to be highly addictive, affecting about 15 million people every year, with an estimated cost of $35 billion in additional health care …

Study Finds Anthrax Toxin as Possible Substitute for Painkillers Read More »