resources and further reading

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  microbes and biofuels

  biofuels are made from living things or the waste that they produce. one of the most common biofuels, ethanol, is produced from plants. discover more about the new ways of producing biofuels and why microbes play such an important role.

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  bacteria

  bacteria are single celled microbes. the cell structure is simpler than that of other organisms as there is no nucleus or membrane bound organelles. instead their control centre containing the genetic information is contained in a single loop of dna. learn more about bacteria and why it matters to microbiology here.

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  microbiology today: pathogens

  in this issue of microbiology today we explore the opportunist pathogens in hospitals, the airborne threat of foot and mouth disease and how sugar-beet crops can be decimated by rhizomania, a disease caused by a virus, yet transmitted by a fungus in the soil.

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  microbiology today: biofuels

  in this issue of microbiology today we learn more about biohydrogen, biofuels from algae and the current and future funding landscape for industrial biotechnology and bioenergy research in the uk.

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  microbiology today: food

  as the human population continues to grow, ever greater demands are placed on food production. what contribution can microbiologists make to ensure that the supply of food to all people is secure in this uncertain and changing world? learn more in this issue of microbiology today which focuses on food.

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  understanding bacteria journal collection

  explore journal articles related to the world of bacteria. from novel therapeutics, to multi-species biofilms and bacteria in industry; explore the collection today.

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  can oil-eating bacteria clean up our seas?

  dr tatyana chernikova, research officer at bangor university in wales, has been investigating the hydrocarbon-degrading properties of some marine bacteria.

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  a matter of taste: using microbes to influence flavour production

  in this microbiology today article, we explore how flavours are developed and why the involvement of micro-organisms is essential in producing characteristic flavours.

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  mycoprotein production and food sustainability

  we now produce somewhere between four to five times more meat than we did just 50 years ago, and in order to feed livestock, production of protein-rich pulses, such as soy, have also grown by about 10-fold in the same time, to a current high of 300 million tonnes per year. learn more about mycoprotein production in this article of microbiology today.

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  pathogenic bacteria in our oceans’ shellfish

  mussels, oysters, clams – some of the most appetising culinary dishes, such as moules-frites, feature shellfish. these foods are considered healthy as they are fresh from the ocean, but looks can be deceiving.

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  building bacterial bridges

  often, the first things that come to mind when we think about microbes in the built environment are damage, decay, discolouration and staining to building materials and their surfaces. what we don’t often consider is their ability to act as ‘bioengineers’.

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  microbe machines: how ‘souped-up’ bacterial motors produce more torque

  many bacteria have tiny motors inside them, which they use to zip around like miniature submarines. recently, scientists have managed to image a diverse selection of these nanomachines in more detail than ever before, and gain fundamental insights into how they work.

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  valuable contributions to antimicrobial stewardship from junior healthcare staff

  antimicrobial stewardship ward rounds led by junior members of the healthcare team improve patient care, research has found.

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  jam talks: waste water, cpe and sinks, oh my!

  the junior awards for microbiology (jam) talks is a monthly seminar series based in birmingham that allows early career researchers to gain experience presenting to an audience of their peers. dr paz aranega bou, a water systems microbiologist at public health england (phe), presented her work at the november jam talks in 2019. here paz takes us through her research.

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  microbe talk: globalseaweedstar

  in this podcast we spoke to professor juliet brodie, a seaweed researcher working with globalseaweedstar, a programme aiming to grow the research and innovation capabilities of developing countries engaged in seaweed farming.

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image credits:

photosbyjim/istock
gaetan stoffel/istock
science photo library
stefan eberhard / wellcome images
hemera / thinkstock
judith armitage
mycteria/istock
dennis kunkel microscopy/science photo library
fusarium venenatum. marlow foods ltd
aoife boyd
sasha brazhnik/istock