Does E. coli truly represent all bacterial persistence? Princeton’s Leon and Brynildsen's research in reveals that Pseudomonas aeruginosa follows different rules.
go.njmicrobe.org/dOdEyv #Microbiology #AntibioticResistance #PseudomonasAeruginosa #Research #EColi
New research from the Neiditch lab at Rutgers NJMS on the Vibrio cholerae CqsR receptor reveals how this pathogen monitors host-derived ethanolamine to successfully navigate and colonize the human gut.
go.njmicrobe.org/m6qAAa #VibrioCholerae #QuorumSensing #CacheDomain #StructuralBiology
Using sequence alignment and AlphaFold modeling, the Carman lab at Rutgers identified four conserved motifs in yeast Pah1 essential for catalytic activity and lipid balance. go.njmicrobe.org/lmCbZg #Microbiology #YeastResearch #LipidMetabolism #Pah1 #AlphaFold #Lipin #MajeedSyndrome #Rhabdomyolysis
Princeton's OptoRep, a system combining OrthoRep's hypermutation with optogenetic precision. Blue light controls essential metabolism, fine-tuning selection pressure, enabling de novo neofunctionalization. go.njmicrobe.org/9M8ssQ #Microbiology #MetabolicEngineering #Optogenetics #ContinuousEvolution
CDI finds SARS-CoV-2 Omicron subvariants in K18-hACE2 mice are rapidly infected and have early immune activation compared to the 2020 virus. The study confirms Nirmatrelvir maintains potent and broad efficacy against these emerging strains.
go.njmicrobe.org/DtX4VH
#COVID19 #Virology #Antivirals
Missed the Theobald Smith Society Fall 2025 Symposium? The *Proceedings* are now online—talks from Shaun Brinsmade, Nadine Alvarez, Jason Yang & more are available on YouTube. See what you missed: go.njmicrobe.org/vEa0fz
#Microbiology #NJ #ASM
It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Richard Bartha, a remarkable figure in environmental microbiology. As a past president of Theobald Smith Society, his contributions to the field of bioremediation have been immense. His legacy will continue to inspire. wix.to/hukzB8y
Tiny but mighty: Rutgers study shows the 34-aa protein YoaI links phosphate, Mg²⁺, and osmotic stress pathways in E. coli. Small proteins = key cross-talk mediators in bacterial stress signaling. go.njmicrobe.org/1HDIM2 #Microbiology #SmallProteins #StressSignaling #Rutgers
Rutgers Pharmacy Wang Lab advances enterovirus antivirals: New assay enables high-throughput screening of 2C inhibitors. Lead compound Jun6504 blocks EV-D68 paralysis in mice & protects motor neurons. go.njmicrobe.org/zWS04P #Enteroviruses #AntiviralDiscovery #DrugDiscovery
New mouse study of Babesia microti + Borrelia burgdorferi co-infection:
Both persist 16 weeks
Borrelia tempers Babesia, while Babesia boosts Borrelia early
Babesia disrupts the BBB → possible CNS impact go.njmicrobe.org/f3L6bI #LymeDisease #Babesiosis #Coinfection
Sorry it took so long to get this out @daneparkerlab.com
Wang (Columbia) & Parker (Rutgers): New humanized mouse with autologous lung implants captures S. aureus infection dynamics: loss of human immune cells & cytokine surge. Bacterial stress-response essential for persistence go.njmicrobe.org/4NgYMT #Staph #Aureus #HostPathogen #MedicalMicrobiology
Why don’t students learn what we think we teach? 🤔
Robert Duke, Ph.D. explores how learning reshapes the brain at the 2025 #ASMCUE plenary.
📅 Nov. 21–23 | San Antonio
👉 Register by Sept. 16 for early-bird savings!
New research by Alvarez and Perlin @CDI show Omicron isn’t done evolving: New subvariants evade antibodies & damage lung epithelium. Co-infections with RSV or flu worsen pathology. go.njmicrobe.org/YMVi36 #SARSCoV2 #Virology #Coinfection #Omicron
Rutgers and Stanford researchers studied 139 children and found that antibody profiles against SARS-CoV-2 and autoantigens varied with disease severity.
Autoantibodies were common and may signal risk for long COVID and immune dysfunction.
www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1...
Rutgers, "The COVID pandemic began with a myth - that children are spared its effects"
So why is the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health perpetuating this myth?
open.substack.com/pub/counterd...
It's nearing the end of the summer and our undergrads have been presenting on their research at their respective summer research symposia. Terrific work by Jonah Simone at the Rutgers Health BMIHAI Symposium and Gianna Elie at the NJMS URSE Symposium!
New study from Boyd et al. @Rutgers w/ colleagues @NYU-SOM: triclosan—common in soaps & toothpaste—activates the SaeRS system in S. aureus, boosting virulence factor expression at levels found in humans. go.njmicrobe.org/0OhAOW #Microbiology #Virulence #Triclosan #PublicHealth
Princeton, Rutgers PHRI, et al. introduce SHINE-TB: a CRISPR-based TB test that works in one pot, needs minimal equipment, and shows 100% sensitivity & specificity in early clinical samples. Portable, accurate, field-ready. go.njmicrobe.org/lkxwJo #Tuberculosis #Diagnostics #CRISPRDx #GlobalHealth
Candida glabrata acquires echinocandin resistance mostly in FKS2, not FKS1 (cell wall synthesis). Shor Lab @hackensackmeridian.bsky.social shows FKS2 dominates in host/stress conditions. Prime drug resistance target go.njmicrobe.org/ikZOlD #MedicalMycology #AntifungalResistance #CandidaGlabrata
A bar chart showing a timeline from inception of research to vaccine. For malaria, TB, dengue fever, Zika, mono, and HIV, no vaccine yet... For typhoid fever, a vaccine was made available in 19891 after 105 years. Meningitis, 1981 after 92 years. Whooping cough, 1948 after 42 years. Polio, 1955 after 47 years. Chicken pox, 1995 after 42 years. Measles, 1963 after 10 years. Hep B, 1981 after 16 years. Rotavirus, 2006 after 33 years. Ebola, 2019 after 43 years. Cervical cancer, 2005 after 25 years. Covid-19, 2020 after 10 *months.*
This chart shows how long it's taken to develop vaccines for several diseases. For many, we are still waiting. (Malaria: 145 years and counting. Yikes.)
But see that tiny slice for Covid? That's thanks to mRNA!
Proteomic analysis of Vpu–host protein interactions. After APEX2 proximity labeling, the biotinylated proteins were isolated and subjected to quantitative mass spectrometry. The GO (A) and KEGG (B) enrichment analyses were performed with 136 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs). Proteins were also enriched through co-immunoprecipitation–mass spectrometric (IP–MS), followed by GO (C) and KEGG (D) analysis. (E) The intersection analysis between APEX2-MS and IP-MS was performed and a total of 9 proteins were identified. The experiment was performed in triplicate and repeated 3 or 4 times.
RNA-binding motif protein 10 (RBM10) is a novel regulator of HIV-1 viral replication. The protein directly interacts with viral RNA and regulates both viral transcripts and host antiviral genes. Learn more in #mSystems: asm.social/2y8
Dr. Humphries is currently Director of the Division of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Director of the Microbiology Laboratory at Vanderbilt University. She is an absolute powerhouse in the AST world, and as of this month, is the new Editor in Chief of JCM! www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkyU...
Princeton's Ploss Lab leads effort to show how key mutations in the Yellow Fever E and NS2A proteins drive attenuation—altering viral spread & boosting interferon responses. A roadmap for future live-attenuated vaccines. go.njmicrobe.org/ppRtE2 #Virology #Vaccinology #LiveAttenuatedVaccines
Apply to Publish in JVI's First-Ever Minireview Series Featuring Early-Career Virologists
🚨 Early-career virologists! 🚨Apply to be featured in #JVirology’s 2026 New Voices in Virology Minireview collection. 🧪✅ Open to: assistant professors, pre-tenured faculty, postdocs, equivalent stage.
📅 Apply for consideration by Sept. 5: asm.org/JVI-minireview
Missing Elio Schaechter already. A long and eventful life, loving friends and family, and remembered more important microbiology in his 90s than I will ever know. Such a #MicrobialHero, but more to the point, a fine and kind human being. May his memory be a blessing to all.
It’s World Honey Bee Day! 🐝
From antimicrobial properties in honey to bee glue, bees have long been a focal point of antimicrobial studies. 🍯
Saddened to learn of the passing of Moselio "Elio" Schaechter—Distinguished Professor at Tufts, SDSU and UCSD—humanist and visionary leader in the fields of microbiology and scientific communication—mentor, friend, and inspiration to me and so many others
Small Things Considered
Big Things Achieved
