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New study finds deep ocean microbes already prepared to tackle climate change
Deep-sea waters are warming due to heat waves and climate change, and it could spell trouble for the oceans’ delicate chemical and biological balance. A new study, however, demonstrates that the microbe Nitrosopumilus maritimus may already be adapting well to warmer, nutrient-poor waters....
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Microbiologist Wei Qin wins Sloan Foundation Fellowship
Three faculty of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, including microbiologist Wei Qin, have received Sloan Foundation Fellowships from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. The...
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MCB undergrads flourish in federal work-study CREW program
Ask any scientist and they’ll tell you what a joy it is to discover something they didn’t know they didn’t know. “The best parts of science tend to be serendipitous,” said the School of Molecular & Cellular Biology’s Jhewelle Fitz-Henley. “The things that you find out, you’re like, ‘I did not...
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What are the new guidelines for infant hepatitis B vaccination?
On Dec. 5, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention voted to discontinue its decades-long recommendation for universal vaccination against hepatitis B beginning at birth. Public health expert and infectious disease physician...
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Illinois-led initiative will build precision phage platform for promoting health
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign scientists, including microbiology professor Asma Hatoum-Aslan, will partner with investigators from several industrial and academic institutions on a five-year, up to $28M...
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How do bacteria become resistant to antibiotics?
A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on the deadly drug-resistant bacteria NDM-CRE found a 70% rise in infections in the U.S. between 2019 and 2023. Also known as “nightmare bacteria,” NDM-CRE has few...
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Microbiologists uncover novel proteins essential for maintaining magnesium homeostasis in Salmonella
In a newly published research, scientists from the School of Molecular & Cellular Biology have reported the discovery of novel proteins that keep Salmonella’s magnesium levels in balance.Yumi Iwadate, postdoctoral research...
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Welcome new microbiology professor Wei Qin
The School of Molecular & Cellular Biology and Department of Microbiology are pleased to welcome new faculty member Dr. Wei Qin. He joined the school as an assistant professor of microbiology in August 2025...
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How concerned should we be about H5N1 bird flu?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is working with federal and state health agencies to address a widespread outbreak of bird flu among dairy cows, poultry, and other animals in the United States. More than 150 million farm birds have been slaughtered to prevent the disease’s...
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MCB researchers investigate ways to weaponize bacterial viruses to combat superbugs
Researchers from the University of Illinois have reported complementary discoveries that will improve scientists’ understanding of immune systems in bacteria and equip clinicians with more effective options for treating antibiotic-resistant infections.Antibiotic-resistant bacteria known as...