Mostly Microbes and Infection

New studies in animals show that Omicron produced less damaging infection, often limited to upper airway. The variant did less harm to the lungs, where previous variants often cause serious breathing difficulty

  Good overview of the "past 300 years" of microbiome research.

Researchers show that antibodies from people recovering from COVID19 hardly inhibit the Omicron Variant . Antibodies after 2 Pfizer vaccinations also showed reduced efficacy against omicron , but better inhibition was observed after triple vaccination.

Study found that melanoma patients reporting high fiber (prebiotic) consumption had better response to checkpoint inhibitor immunotherapy than patients reporting a low-fiber diet.

  The Omicron Variant contains an avalanche of mutations, many never seen before. UC San Francisco scientists scrutinize an earlier variant of concern, Alpha, to show how a mutation outside of spike drives up levels of an immune-suppressing viral protein, ORF9b.

New study shows how a common diabetes drug ( acarbose ) can be inactivated by bacterial enzymes produced in the oral & gut microbiome . Could this process explain why the drug is not effective in some diabetic patients?

Growing evidence suggests COVID19 vaccines used in most of the world offer almost no defense against the highly contagious Omicron variant. But all vaccines still seem to provide significant protection against serious illness, which is the most crucial goal.

Corbett, Graham, Kariko & Weissman introduced an innovative & highly effective vaccine platform, based on mRNA, that will impact our health & well-being far beyond the COVID19 pandemic.

Large-scale genomic study reveals robust activation of the immune system following meditation retreat. Importantly, the study demonstrated that meditation enhanced immune function without activating inflammatory signals.

Two doses of the AstraZeneca or Pfizer  COVID19 vaccines are less effective at warding off Omicron compared to previous variants of the coronavirus , study shows. But a booster shot may improve immunity against the new variant.

Researchers identified rare naturally occurring T cells that target protein found in SARSCoV2 & other coronaviruses. A component of this protein (viral polymerase) could be added to COVID19 vaccines to create longer-lasting immunity against new variants

If you feel like you’re slowing down a bit as you age, you’re not alone. Many of our systems ( including our brain ) tend to taper off as we get older and the immune system is no exception, says David Ojcius, an expert in immunology research at the University of the Pacific in San Francisco, California.

  “The idea of working in my current field came from my original interest in microorganisms and how they affect the immune system of the host. Previously, I had worked on different pathogens in the body, not those found in the mouth. Most researchers are attracted to fields that are new where there is a lot still to be discovered and the oral microbiome is an area where there is still a lot we don’t know and so much to be learned.”

  “The industry I’m in is actually two in one: teaching and research. I love teaching and interacting with students. In many ways I learn as I teach them. I love their enthusiasm and their optimism. The thing about research is you are a student for life. You constantly have to learn new skills. It requires you to be a lifelong learner, which is something I enjoy.”

Researchers found that the SARSCoV2 coronavirus infects both adipocytes & adipose tissue macrophages, prompting a damaging inflammatory response. Findings may help explain why obese people are at higher risk of severe illness & death from COVID19 .

• About 280,000 tons of fabric dyes are emitted to the industrial effluents annually. • These synthetic dyes are hazardous for aquatic environment and public health. • Biodegradation of such non-degradable colorants can be an eco-friendly approach.

UC Berkeley researchers found a way to use CRISPR to add or modify genes within a community of many different species simultaneously, opening the door to "community editing".

NIAID/ NIH   director Anthony Fauci said the threat from the o micron variant remained to be determined – but that signs were encouraging. “Thus far it does not look like there’s a great degree of severity to it.”

First report of isolate & culture of a bacterium from ancient human samples & dental pulp in particular.

According to the study, discarded polystyrene broken down into microplastics provides a home not only for microbes but also for the free-floating genes that render bacteria resistant to antibiotics.

  David Ojcius of San Francisco, California, is a professor and researcher with a wealth of experience. In 1979, David Ojcius graduated from the University of California, Berkeley and continued his education there to earn his Ph.D. in Biophysics. He then completed two postdoctoral fellowships at Harvard and Rockefeller University. Taking his skills to France, David Ojcius […]

The omicron variant is possibly more infectious due to sharing genetic code with cold, a study suggests. This particular mutation could have occurred in a host simultaneously infected by SARS-CoV-2 & the HCoV-229E coronavirus , which can cause the common cold.

People should think through scenarios that could emerge if they travel (testing positive, learning last minute that the destination country has expanded its quarantine requirement) & map out detailed contingency plans, including costs, missed obligations.

NIAID director Anthony Fauci reflects on 4 decades of studying HIV, & lessons for the COVID19 pandemic. The fight against HIV reveals importance of using available treatments for prevention, & considering equity, education & outreach.