Genetic engineering can help preserve endangered species Since 1978, Escherichia coli has been used in the development of synthetic “human” insulin (1). More recently, E. coli has become an essential part in the development of cancer drugs (2). Researchers at The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability in Denmark have developed a method for the large-scale production of P450... Read more »

As the COVID-19 pandemic moves into its third year, new treatment options to combat the coronavirus disease are being authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. In December, 2021, the FDA issued emergency use authorization (EUA) for two oral antiviral treatments for COVID-19, Molnupiravir and Paxlovid.(1,2)This comes at a crucial time in the pandemic... Read more »

CRISPR technology used to control the fourth biggest infectious disease killer...

Is a New and Better Vaccine Coming Soon? A new player in the field of COVID vaccines could be arriving soon. The trials so far are encouraging for both safety and efficacy. It even has some advantages over the Pfizer, Moderna, and J&J vaccines that have become so familiar to us. Novavax, headquartered in Maryland,... Read more »

In 1884, Danish microbiologist Hans Christian Gram discovered that crystal violet irreversibly stained certain bacteria but can be washed from others. The Gram stain technique identifies bacteria as gram-positive (the stain is retained) or gram-negative (the stain is washed away.) Gram found that his stain worked for visualizing a series of bacteria associated with disease... Read more »

Saving Patient Lives with Rapid Pneumonia Testing Streptococcus pneumoniae and Legionella pneumophila pose a severe threat of morbidity and mortality, with acute symptoms that include shortness of breath and chest pain. High-risk cases are known to result in respiratory failure, sepsis, pneumonia, bacteremia, and meningitis.(1) Consequently, “Pneumonia is the world’s leading cause of death among children under five... Read more »

CBD: How Pet Parents are Leading the Pack -The current landscape for pets and medical cannabis products In America, around 70% of households own a pet. This means that roughly 90.5 million families have welcomed a four legged (or maybe feathered) friend into their homes. (Rainwalk Pet Insurance, 2022) Not only do most people own... Read more »

Bacteria are becoming more resistant to drugs while pharmaceutical companies are slowing their antibiotic research. Due to low profits and high time consumption, there are fewer drugs discovered and manufactured by drug companies.(1) Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE), and multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections are a major concern with limited treatment options. Treatment is... Read more »

Long before Sir Alexander Fleming’s accidental discovery of Penicillin in 1928, our ancestors were already putting the antimicrobial effects of metal to use.  Metals such as copper and silver were used as vessels by ancient civilizations to keep their water clean and safe to drink (1). Researchers have also discovered a reference in an ancient... Read more »

In the past year, there have been ongoing concerns that sanitizers commonly used to reduce pathogens on poultry carcasses can lead to false-negative test results for Salmonella.  Salmonella are bacteria that can make people sick with an infection called salmonellosis. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that Salmonella causes approximately 1.2 million illnesses... Read more »