Category: Microbiology

Food for a Better Mood: Diet as a Modulator of the Gut Microbiome for the Treatment of Depression

June 28, 2024 Raiyan Talukder
Raiyan Talukder Background: Depression is one of the most common mood disorders in the world, characterized by at least 2 weeks of depressed mood, anhedonia, loss of interest, and other symptoms.1 Unfortunately, depression is a growing issue, affecting over 280 million people worldwide with some communities observing a large uptick…
Engineering Medicine Featured Abstracts Microbiology Psychiatry

Examining Helicobacter Pylori Pathogenesis and Motility Mechanisms

June 28, 2024 Anita Sumali
Anita Sumali Background: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is one of the most prevalent human pathogens worldwide, infecting approximately half of the global population1. Its association with numerous gastrointestinal disorders, including gastritis, peptic ulcers, and gastric cancer highlights the urgent need for a thorough understanding of its pathogenesis mechanisms2. While extensive…
Engineering Medicine Featured Abstracts Microbiology

Bacteriophage Therapy as a Means of Resolving Biofilm Formation On Vascular Prostheses

June 28, 2024 Veronica Stuckey
Veronica Stuckey Background:  Vascular graft infections (VGIs) present an uncommon (1-3%) but potentially deadly (mortality 20-30%) post-surgical adverse effect. VGIs are biofilm associated infections resistant to antibiotic treatment due to difficulty penetrating the biofilm microenvironment[1]. Patients within the first 4 months post-operatively are at the highest risk of infections from…
Cardiology Engineering Medicine Featured Abstracts Microbiology

Genetic Variations and Polymorphisms Affecting COVID-19 Disease Severity and Susceptibility

June 27, 2024 Emad Ramadan
Emad Ramadan Background: The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has resulted in over 7 million confirmed deaths worldwide as of March 2024. This enveloped, single-stranded RNA virus belongs to the Nidovirus family and primarily causes respiratory illness, with symptoms ranging from subclinical manifestations…
Featured Abstracts Microbiology

Engineering Small Molecules to Bind the Interprotomer Pocket of the Capsid Hexamer in the Treatment of HIV-1

June 25, 2024 Madison A. Wilkins
Madison A. Wilkins Background: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infects immune cells, ultimately resulting in a decrease in the number of CD4+ T-cells and systemic immune failure in infected individuals.1 HIV type 1 (HIV-1) is the predominant form of the virus in the United States.2 Currently, antiretroviral treatments for HIV-1 include…
Featured Abstracts Microbiology

Exploring the Interplay Between Gut Microbiota, Inflammatory Pathways, and Osteoarthritis: The “Gut-Joint” axis and Implications for Therapeutic Development

June 25, 2024 Ecem Kilic
Ecem Kilic Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease affecting approximately 300 million individuals globally,1 with its prevalence increasing 113% since 19902. Pathological changes encompass cartilage and bone degradation, osteophyte formation, and synovial membrane inflammation. While biomechanical factors are well-known contributors, there is a growing recognition of systemic influences,…
Engineering Medicine Featured Abstracts Inflammation Microbiology

Effect of the Mediterranean Diet on the Gut Microbiome and Its Impact on the Prevention of Metabolic Diseases such as Heart Disease and Diabetes.

June 25, 2024 Eric Hall
Eric Hall Background: Cardiovascular disease, due to build up of cholesterol laden atherosclerotic plaques in blood vessels, is the number one cause of death in the United States, accounting for 25% of all deaths.1 Short chain fatty acids have been identified as beneficial to health previously, but further research has…
Engineering Medicine Featured Abstracts Microbiology

Exploring the Impact of Reactive Oxygen Species in Human Papilloma Virus Infected Sperm: Implications for Sperm Parameters and Infertility

June 12, 2024 Madison K.W. Sobarzo
Madison K.W. Sobarzo Background: Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted STI in the world, with an estimated 6.2 million new cases annually.3 HPV is spread through direct skin to skin contact, specifically sexual contact of any sort.2,3 There is currently no cure for HPV, but vaccines…
Featured Abstracts Microbiology Reproduction