Microbiome

A new "biological" apartment under construction in the UK will provide scientists with a means of exploring health as it relates to surrounding microbes, along with the development of structures that can be built with living materials.

Two studies are offering new evidence the microbiome is intertwined with our metabolic and brain health. One shows a link between gut bacteria and cognitive changes in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s, while another suggests microbial biomarkers could predict the progression of diabetes.

A study published in Nature Communications indicates a possible genetic association between stomach ulcers and depression. The research found a genetic link between a susceptibility for peptic ulcer disease and psychiatric disorders such as major depression.

Scientists have studied 50,000-year-old Neanderthal poop, and analyzed the DNA of microbes to determine their gut microbiome. Many species are still present in modern humans, revealing the "old friend" bacteria that may be most crucial to our health.

A team of scientists has explored the lingering effects of diet during childhood on the gut microbiome, demonstrating how unhealthy eating while young decreases the diversity of bacteria in the guts of mice over the longer term.

New research is describing the discovery of a novel subset of brain cell with the capacity to prevent neuroinflammation. This anti-inflammatory activity is modulated by molecules induced by gut bacteria revealing an exciting new gut-brain pathway.

A first-of-its-kind study has found a link between COVID-19 severity and the gut microbiome. The research suggests specific microbial patterns correlate with disease severity and those bacterial imbalances may account for some cases of “long COVID”.

DEET may be an effective mosquito repellent, but it can cause irritation, and has to be reapplied every few hours. Scientists are now working on a more innocuous, longer-laster alternative, that involves introducing genetically engineered bacteria onto the skin.

A new study has investigated the anti-obesity effects of a specific strain of gut bacteria. From preclinical animal studies to a placebo-controlled human trial, the research suggests a novel bacterial strain may confer several metabolic benefits.

How bacteria in the gut could influence depression has been unclear but new research has shed light on one possible mechanism, showing how changes to the microbiome can lead to decreased activity in the hippocampus and subsequent depressive behavior.

A new study out of Japan’s University of Tsukuba is shining yet more light on the relationship between the gut microbiome and sleep, describing how depleted diversity of the bacteria can disrupt sleep/wake cycles in mice.

New research has shown how immune cells produced in the gut play a protective role during MS flare-ups. For the first time scientists have shown how these immune cells travel up to the brain and potentially help shift a disease flare-up into remission.