Microbiome News and Research

Latest Microbiome News and Research

Obesity associated with anxiety and cognitive impairment in mice

With rates of obesity and anxiety both on the rise-especially among younger Americans-new research suggests that the two conditions may be connected through interactions between the gut and the brain.

1 Jun 2025

TRR 417 initiative aims to unlock new treatments for colorectal cancer

In the realm of colorectal cancer treatments beyond surgery and radiation, one key question gained prominence in recent years: Is the tumor's DNA repair system defective, making it "microsatellite unstable"? Around 15 to 20 percent of all tumors have this trait, making them likely candidates for successful immunotherapy.

30 May 2025

Scientists boost black cabbage’s health benefits with targeted fermentation

Controlled fermentation of black cabbage using specific bacterial and yeast starters enhanced its antioxidant, polyphenol, and amino acid content, while ensuring food safety and improving sensory qualities. Yeast-fermented pressed cabbage achieved the highest nutritional gains, with both starter cultures and pressing technique playing key roles in maximizing health-promoting benefits.

28 May 2025

Intestinal bacteria and their metabolites contribute directly to vascular aging

The aging of the innermost cell layer of blood vessels leads to cardiovascular diseases. Researchers at UZH have now shown for the first time that intestinal bacteria and their metabolites contribute directly to vascular aging.

28 May 2025

New biomarkers could help improve detection and treatment of gastrointestinal diseases

Scientists have discovered a range of 'biomarkers' that could help to improve detection and treatment of gastrointestinal diseases (GIDs) such as gastric cancer (GC), colorectal cancer (CRC), and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

28 May 2025

Firmicutes bacteria can help maintain bone mass, study suggests

A recent study involving 684 Chinese adults has uncovered a significant connection between gut microbiota, aging, and bone health, particularly in relation to osteoporosis, a condition that weakens bones and increases the risk of fractures.

27 May 2025

Molecular Devices launches automated QPix FLEX Microbial Colony Picking System

Molecular Devices, LLC., a leading high-performance life science solutions provider, today launched the QPix® FLEX™ Microbial Colony Picking System. Building on the company's 20-year legacy developing colony pickers, the QPix FLEX system automates and streamlines multi-step microbial screening workflow, reducing manual labor and saving valuable time.

23 May 2025

Gut bacteria and diet found to affect cancer treatment outcomes

A Ludwig Cancer Research study has uncovered a surprising link between diet, intestinal microbes and the efficacy of cancer therapy.

22 May 2025

Gut bacteria help ease chemotherapy side effects and aid recovery

Intestinal microbes that survive chemo can rid the gut of excess chemo drugs and produce a vitamin that helps to stem nausea.

21 May 2025

Exploring the link between microbial balance and aging mechanisms

Aging is a multifaceted process driven by interconnected biological mechanisms, among which genomic instability and telomere attrition stand as primary hallmarks.

20 May 2025

Gut bacteria and genes jointly shape obesity risk, review reveals hidden links

Researchers examined the heritability of body mass index (BMI), highlighting that genetics and the gut microbiome both play major roles in obesity risk. The review emphasizes that maternal microbiome transmission and family environment may help explain “missing heritability” beyond known genetic factors.

20 May 2025

Eating kombu daily enhances gut health and heart markers in men

A 12-week randomized trial found that daily intake of boiled kombu (Laminaria japonica) powder reduced body fat and raised adiponectin in Japanese men, while improving blood pressure and gut microbiota in both sexes. No significant effects were seen in women for body fat reduction or adiponectin.

20 May 2025

This news might ruin your appetite — and summer

It's a marvel of food technology: ice cream that resists melting.

20 May 2025

Acetate and gut bacteria work together to reduce obesity in mice

Researchers led by Hiroshi Ohno at the RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences (IMS) in Japan have discovered a new way to reduce obesity.

19 May 2025

Repeated antibiotics in preterm infants linked to long-term lung problems

Repeated perinatal antibiotic exposure in very low-birth-weight preterm infants was associated with impaired lung function and a higher risk of asthma at early school age. The findings underscore the need for cautious antibiotic use and targeted respiratory health strategies in this high-risk group.

18 May 2025

Black tea kombucha reduces harmful gut microbes linked to obesity

Regular consumption of black tea kombucha for eight weeks beneficially shifted gut microbiota composition in both normal-weight and obese adults.

14 May 2025

Eating only wild foods reshapes your gut microbiome in just weeks, study shows

A new study shows that an eight-week wild-food-only diet in a modern adult leads to dramatic, partially lasting changes in the gut microbiome’s composition and function. While no “ancestral” microbes reappeared, the shift increased fiber-degrading species and reduced dairy-associated bacteria, highlighting the powerful role of diet.

14 May 2025

Urban children have more pro-allergic immune cells than rural peers

Scientists discovered that a previously uncharacterized subset of immune cells may play a critical role in the development of allergic diseases and explain differences between urban and rural populations.

14 May 2025

Skin microbiome plays active role in sun protection and immune balance

The skin microbiome plays an important role in health and disease. Researchers have now substantiated that certain skin bacteria can protect us from the sun's ultraviolet (UV) radiation specifically by metabolizing cis-urocanic acid using an enzyme called urocanase.

13 May 2025

Wastewater surveillance detects measles in Houston before cases are reported

An innovative outbreak detection program that tracks disease-causing viruses in wastewater identified the measles virus in Houston samples collected in early January 2025, before cases were reported.

12 May 2025