THE BIOME BUZZ
BUGS AND WORMS AND OTHER GREAT STUFF
Tag: bacteriophages
Adding to the Pile of Evidence Linking IBD to the Virome
Yet another study, this one out of Massachusetts General Hospital (one of Harvard’s teaching hospitals) associating inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) with alteration in the virome. These scientists wanted to move beyond correlation and look for actual causation. Exactly how does the virome affect intestinal… Continue Reading “Adding to the Pile of Evidence Linking IBD to the Virome”
More Fascinating Findings on Phages: Affects on Memory and Cognition
For today, a topic I haven’t had a chance to write about in months: the virome. Published last week in Cell Host & Microbe is an article that shows that a specific bacteriophage has been found to improve executive function and memory in both… Continue Reading “More Fascinating Findings on Phages: Affects on Memory and Cognition”
Phage Therapy for Antibiotic Resistant Infections: A Clinical Trial
For today, the results of a small (but highly significant) human clinical trial using bacteriophages to treat drug-resistant bacterial infection. I came across it while reading a summary article in an online publication from Johns Hopkins University, describing the work of one of their… Continue Reading “Phage Therapy for Antibiotic Resistant Infections: A Clinical Trial”
Goin’ Viral: More on Phages and the Microbiome
I’m excited! More to report to you this week about other parts of the biome! Tuesday was all about macrobiome/microbiome teamwork; today, I’m focusing on the virome. Researchers have found that certain bacteriophages (remember these are viruses that infect and kill bacteria, and are… Continue Reading “Goin’ Viral: More on Phages and the Microbiome”
Cool New Research Using Phages to Treat Type 2 Diabetes and Obesity
New research combines two of my big interests: looking at ways to manipulate the biome to help reduce today’s epidemic of obesity AND using bacteriophages in a productive way. You’ll all remember that a bacteriophage is a virus that attacks a specific bacteria. (I’ve… Continue Reading “Cool New Research Using Phages to Treat Type 2 Diabetes and Obesity”
A Brief History of Phage Therapy: The Good Side of Viruses
For some peculiar reason, I have viruses on my mind a lot lately. (I live in New York State. ‘nough said.) As I walked from my kitchen to my office, and back again, and again and again and again, like a caged animal, I… Continue Reading “A Brief History of Phage Therapy: The Good Side of Viruses”
More Evidence that Adds to the Growing Promise of Phage Therapy
As many of you know, I am particularly fascinated by the promise of using bacteriophages – viruses that infect bacteria – as an alternative to antibiotics. As they are specific to only one kind of bacteria, they leave other species unharmed. Unlike “broad spectrum… Continue Reading “More Evidence that Adds to the Growing Promise of Phage Therapy”
High Fructose Corn Syrup and the Growth of Colorectal Tumors
Today’s post is a little off topic but I can’t not share this research[i] with you, especially considering the post I wrote a few weeks back about “lysogenic” bacteria. If you remember, it was about those types of bacteria that carry dormant viral DNA… Continue Reading “High Fructose Corn Syrup and the Growth of Colorectal Tumors”
Fructose, Viruses, and the Microbiota
Among the bacteria that live in our digestive tracts are ones termed “lysogenic,” which means that they actually contain dormant virus DNA. When exposed to certain metabolic conditions, this DNA is activated and produced viruses: “Approximately half of intestinal viruses are derived from lysogens,… Continue Reading “Fructose, Viruses, and the Microbiota”
2018: My Top 10 List of Favorite Stories!
My longer-time readers know that, as we close out another year, I like to take a look back at some of my favorite research stories from these past 12 months. So here it is…Judy’s “the best of 2018” top 10 list, in chronological order:… Continue Reading “2018: My Top 10 List of Favorite Stories!”
