Adventure Travel Guide to the Microbial World

Bacteriophages, or phages, are a type of virus that specifically target bacteria for resources and reproduction1. The diversity of phages in size, functional capability, and genetic information is exponentially increasing as more are discovered and characterized. In general, phage infect a specific species of bacteria. Almost all phages have similar structures, consisting of a capsid “head” that stores genetic information and a “tail” that is used to interact with a host. Like other viruses, phages do not have a nucleus.

            In recent years, the human microbiome began to be considered one of the major organs of the human body; it is defined as the collection of all the microorganisms living in symbiosis with the body (Human Microbiome Project, NIH).

Our oceans are chock-full of microbes, from the clear blue waters to the darkest depths.  In fact, the reason ocean water is so clear in some areas is due to the nearly perfect utilization of nutrients in the water.  Even though many people might find the thought of bacteria disgusting, they are invaluable members of marine ecosystems.  Along with other microbial life, they are responsible for the majority of the nutrient cycling that keeps everythi

The richness of the bacterial world is truly astonishing. While it is impossible to know an exact number of bacterial species on our planet, some reports help us appreciate the scope of the bacterial diversity.

On this episode of the podcast “This Week in Microbiology” Vincent Racaniello, Elio Schaechter, Michele Swanson, and Michael Schmidt discussed the research paper from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID) by Myles et al. titled “Therapeutic responses to Roseomonas mucosa in atopic dermatitis may involve lipid-mediated TNF-related epithelial repair” which discussed the skin microbiome and atopic dermatitis.

In the lecture taught by Dr. James Cassat, our class learned about the history of antibiotic discovery. The timeline started with penicillin which was discovered by Alexander Fleming.

Apicomplexa are a phylum of parasitic alveolates that get their name from the presence of the apical complex. The apical complex consists of many microtubules and secretory organelles, such as the micronemes and the rhoptries.

Earlier this month, in the class lecture, "Staying Healthy: Hide Your Metal", Dr.

            This week, I attended a seminar from the VI4 at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, which hosted Dr. Carolyn Ibberson from Georgia Institute of Technology. She is a current faculty candidate for Vanderbilt and her presentation was titled “Insights into S.

Insects inhabit our world, acting as agricultural pollinators and pests, as well as vectors of diseases. As common disease vectors, mosquitoes have been identified as one of the deadliest organisms in the world [1]. In a recent lecture, Dr.