A team of researchers co-led by David Relman, MD, professor of medicine and of microbiology and immunology, has discovered previously unknown species of bacteria in …
Category: Microbiology
Stanford microbiome research offers new clues to the mystery of preterm birth
Premature birth affects 450,000 U.S. babies each year and is the leading cause of newborn deaths. But in about half of cases, doctors never figure …
Tiny balloon-like vesicles carry cellular chatter with remarkable specificity, say Stanford researchers
"BRUSH YOUR TEETH," I bellowed up the stairs last night at my (seemingly deaf and clueless) children for what seemed like the one-millionth time since …
The end of antibiotics? Researchers warn of critical shortages
Bacteria spark infection. Antibiotic kills most bacteria. Remaining bacteria evolve resistance. Second antibiotic wipes out all bacteria. Repeat. Repeat until, that is, there are no …
Malnourished children have young guts
Children who grow up malnourished lag behind healthy kids in terms of their height and weight. But a new study finds that they also fall …
Microbes in your mouth could be a distinguishing characteristic
Oral hygiene still matters (keep your floss handy), but did you know that your mouth's microbial signature may also play a role in your dental …
Could "breathprints" one day be used to diagnose disease?
Your "breathprint," the chemical composition of each exhale, may hold potential as a new medical diagnostic tool, according to research recently published in PLOS ONE. …
Touring the microscopic worlds of the human body
Scientific illustrator Dee Breger specializes in creating images using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), which has an incredible level of magnification. In this recently posted …
Exploring the role of extracellular RNA communication in human disease
DNA may be the main building blocks of the body, but researches are starting to discover that RNA, which transports genetic information within a specific …
How food may influence our cells and overall health
Here's something to contemplate post lunch: In addition to delivering carbohydrates, fats and proteins to your body, the food you gobbled down midday contains nutrients …
President Obama awards National Medal of Science to Stanford’s Lucy Shapiro
Today, President Barack Obama presented 23 innovators and researchers, including Stanford developmental biologist Lucy Shapiro, PhD, with national medals for their contributions to science, technology …
Stanford’s Lucy Shapiro receives National Medal of Science
It's a big week for developmental biologist Lucy Shapiro, PhD. On Friday, she will be awarded the National Medal of Science - an honor often referred …
Exploring the microbes that inhabit our bodies
We've written previously about how researchers at Stanford and elsewhere are working to determine how microscopic ecosystems that exist in and on the human body may impact personal health. …
Naval gazing: Belly Button Biodiversity project identifies thousands of bacteria species
For many of us, questions about our belly buttons rarely go beyond: Innie or outie? But a team of North Carolina-based researchers is looking past …
Researchers identify potential drug target in ulcer bug that infects half the world's population
Scientists have used powerful X-rays at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory at Stanford to reveal a potential way to combat the common stomach bacterium Helicobacter pylori. …
How to hack a cell: Protein bubbles
In this amazing video, Tom Kirchhausen, PhD, a Harvard Medical School professor of cell biology, shows how tiny protein-bubbles form to carry cargo, such as …