Archaea, the ultimate survivor
Possibly the least researched microorganism domain, archaea seem to survive anywhere. Yet it is extraordinarily challenging to study and unlock their secrets of adaptability. EMBL researchers hope to …
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Bacteria, brains, and sugar: scientists uncover new connections
Scientists have discovered that gut bacteria can alter molecular signatures in the brain, using a brand new method to study how carbohydrates modify proteins.
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Welcome: Alexandra Koumoutsi
New Head of the Microbial Automation and Culturomics Core Facility discusses her career, her goals for the facility, and her early inspirations.
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Microbial load can influence disease associations
Scientists have developed a new machine-learning model to predict microbial load — the density of microbes in our guts — and used it to demonstrate how microbial load plays an important role in diseas…
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Sabbaticals at EMBL: a great opportunity for scientific exchange and growth
EMBL’s Scientific Visitor Programme enables high-level scientific exchange and cross-fertilisation of ideas and technologies through sabbatical fellowships for researchers.
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Better together: gut microbiome communities’ resilience to drugs
EMBL Heidelberg researchers compared the effect of drugs on isolated bacteria versus those growing in communities. This is the first study showing that bacteria are more resilient when in community du…
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New directions for molecular systems biology at EMBL
Julia Mahamid and Nassos Typas reflect on the direction of the Molecular Systems Biology Unit they now lead at EMBL Heidelberg.
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Gut microbes implicated in bladder cancer
Study shows that gut bacteria can metabolise carcinogens and cause them to accumulate in distant organs, leading to tumour development.
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New funding scheme to strengthen infection biology research across Europe
EMBL and partners announce ‘Amplifying Funds in Infection Biology’ to foster interdisciplinary and collaborative research in infection biology.
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Exploring microbial life in context
EMBL researchers and their partners have been studying microbial functions and interactions for the benefit of human and planetary health for the last two decades.
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Father’s gut microbes affect the next generation
Scientists from EMBL Rome and EMBL Heidelberg found that disrupting the gut microbiome of male mice increases the risk of disease in their offspring. Their findings suggest that a father’s pre-concept…
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Hamburg collaboration paves the way to cleaner technologies for industry
An interdisciplinary collaboration between Hamburg scientists has yielded new insights into the structure and function of a heat-resistant enzyme from an exotic microbe. In this interview, EMBL Hambur…
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EMBL scientists receive prestigious ERC Synergy Grants
Jan Kosinski, Julia Mahamid, and Georg Zeller have received grants to enable ambitious projects aimed at mapping the cellular protein synthesis machinery in context and understanding complex host-micr…
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Six symposium takeaways about human microbiome research
Here are six takeaways from a recent EMBO/EMBL symposium that brought together scientists to discuss the state of research involving the human microbiome and its connection to health and disease.
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Fighting antimicrobial resistance with new drug combinations
In an extensive investigation, EMBL researchers have tested over 10,000 drug combinations against some of the leading pathogenic bacteria carrying antimicrobial resistance and causing mortality.
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ERC starting grants for two EMBL Heidelberg researchers
Jordi van Gestel and Maria Zimmermann-Kogadeeva each receive 1.5 million EUR funding for research projects on microbial predators and the gut microbiome respectively
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Molecules to Ecosystems: Rob Finn on the Microbial Ecosystems transversal theme
Rob Finn, one of the co-chairs of the Microbial Ecosystems theme, discusses his work, the challenges of multidisciplinary research, and how the theme is already helping to promote the exchange of scie…
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Spotlight: Establishing a colour palette for antibiotic resistance
To identify which drugs disrupt bacterial envelope integrity, the Typas group uses a molecule called chlorophenyl red-β-D-galactopyranoside.
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EMBL scientists receive prestigious ERC Starting Grant
Three EMBL scientists received this year’s ERC Starting Grants, and will be awarded €1.5 million over five years to carry out research projects.
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Welcome: Jordi van Gestel
Looking to understand microbial predator-prey relationships, EMBL’s newest group leader tackles a molecular ‘arms race’ in his lab.
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Heidelberg, December 2024