Specific gut bacteria increase risk of severe malaria

Researchers have identified multiple species of bacteria that, when present in the gut, are linked to an increased risk of developing severe malaria in humans and mice. Their findings could lead to the development of new approaches targeting gut bacteria to prevent severe malaria and associated deaths.

Jennifer Wargo, M.D., elected to the National Academy of Medicine

Jennifer Wargo, M.D., professor of Surgical Oncology and Genomic Medicine at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, has been elected to the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) for her contributions to the understanding of melanoma treatment response and resistance to cancer therapies, including groundbreaking discoveries that reveal how the gut microbiome influences responses to immunotherapy.

MD Anderson Research Highlights for September 21, 2023

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center’s Research Highlights showcases the latest breakthroughs in cancer care, research and prevention. These advances are made possible through seamless collaboration between MD Anderson’s world-leading clinicians and scientists, bringing discoveries from the lab to the clinic and back.

Altered gut bacteria may be early sign of Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer’s disease causes changes to the brain that begin two decades or more before symptoms appear. A study by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis reveals that the bacteria that live in the gut also change before Alzheimer’s symptoms arise, a discovery that could lead to diagnostics or treatments for Alzheimer’s disease that target the gut microbiome.

Meeting Preview: Hot Topics at NUTRITION 2023

Reporters and bloggers are invited to join top nutrition experts for a dynamic program at NUTRITION 2023. The annual flagship meeting of the American Society for Nutrition runs July 22-25 at the Sheraton Boston and features research announcements, expert discussions, and more.

Brain-Belly Connection: Gut Health May Influence Likelihood of Developing Alzheimer’s

UNLV study pinpoints 10 bacterial groups associated with Alzheimer’s disease, provides new insights into the relationship between gut makeup and dementia.

MD Anderson Research Highlights for March 29, 2023

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center’s Research Highlights showcases the latest breakthroughs in cancer care, research and prevention.

Gut Microbiome Influences How Lymphoma Patients Respond to CAR T Therapy

In a new study published in Nature Medicine, Moffitt Cancer Center physician-scientists, in collaboration with four cancer centers in the United States and Germany, reveal how microorganisms in the gut influence non-Hodgkin lymphoma patient outcomes to a type of cellular immunotherapy called chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy, or CAR T.

MD Anderson’s Jennifer Wargo receives TAMEST O’Donnell Award for pioneering microbiome research

Jennifer Wargo, M.D., professor of Surgical Oncology and Genomic Medicine at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, has received a 2023 Edith and Peter O’Donnell Award in Medicine from the Texas Academy of Medicine, Engineering, Science and Technology (TAMEST) for her contributions to the understanding of how the gut microbiome influences responses to immunotherapy and other cancer treatments.

Gut bacteria affect brain health, mouse study shows

Gut bacteria can influence brain health, according to a study of mice genetically predisposed to develop Alzheimer’s-like brain damage. The study, by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, indicates that gut bacteria produce compounds that influence the behavior of immune cells, including ones in the brain that can cause neurodegeneration. The findings suggest a new approach to treating Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases.

Gut bacteria may contribute to susceptibility to HIV infection, UCLA-led research suggests

New UCLA-led research suggests certain gut bacteria — including one that is essential for a healthy gut microbiome – differ between people who go on to acquire HIV infection compared to those who have not become infected. The findings, published in the peer-reviewed journal eBioMedicine, suggest that the gut microbiome could contribute to one’s risk for HIV infection, said study lead Dr.

Dietary supplementation may improve antibiotic-induced GVHD following stem cell transplants

Researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have identified a specific gut bacterium involved in the progression of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) after antibiotic treatment of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) and discovered that nutritional supplementation can prevent antibiotic-induced GVHD in preclinical models, according to a study published today in Cell.

UCI-led study shows Rhodiola rosea root might be beneficial for managing type 2 diabetes

A team of researchers led by the University of California, Irvine has discovered that treatment with an extract from the roots of the Rhodiola rosea plant might be effective for helping manage type 2 diabetes, showing promise as a safe and effective non-pharmaceutical alternative. The study, recently published online in Scientific Reports, found that in a mouse model of human type 2 diabetes, Rhodiola rosea lowered fasting blood sugar levels, improved response to insulin injections, modulated the composition of bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract and decreased several biomarkers of inflammation.

Intestinal Abnormalities in People with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Don’t Improve Even When PTSD Symptoms Abate

Article title: Abnormal intestinal milieu in post-traumatic stress disorder is not impacted by treatment that improves symptoms Authors: Robin M. Voigt, Alyson K. Zalta, Shohreh Raeisi, Lijuan Zhang, J. Mark Brown, Christopher B. Forsyth, Randy A. Boley, Philip Held, Mark…

Studies reveal new insights into gut microbiome impact on immunotherapy response in multiple cancers, including glioblastoma

Two studies led by The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center that shed new light on the potential of the gut microbiome as a targetable biomarker to improve responses to immunotherapy were presented today at the 2022 American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting.

Tipsheet: Cedars-Sinai Experts Share Research, Healthcare Innovations at Digestive Disease Week 2022

Cedars-Sinai physicians and scientists will share their latest advancements and research at Digestive Disease Week, known as DDW, an international scientific and clinical meeting featuring the work of physicians and researchers in gastroenterology, hepatology, endoscopy, and gastrointestinal surgery. DDW will take place May 21-24 in San Diego, California, and is available for virtual attendance.

McMaster scientists pinpoint key trigger of Crohn’s disease

Researchers gleaned their results by analyzing blood and biopsy samples from two groups totalling 18 people with Crohn’s disease, comparing them to a matching number of people from two healthy control groups. A mouse model of IBD was also used. Khan said his study was the first demonstration of the interaction between serotonin, autophagy and gut microbiota in intestinal inflammation. The paper was published by Science Advances today. Sabah Haq, a PhD student who works with Khan, is first author.

How high-fat diets allow cancer cells to go unnoticed

A high-fat diet increases the incidence of colorectal cancer. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Fellow Semir Beyaz and collaborators from Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts Institute of Technology have discovered that in mice, fat disrupts the relationship between intestinal cells and the immune cells that patrol them looking for emerging tumors.

Switching from Western diet to a balanced diet may reduce skin, joint inflammation

Diet rich in sugar and fat leads to disruption in the gut’s microbial culture and contributes to inflammatory skin diseases such as psoriasis. Research shows that switching to a more balanced diet restores the gut’s health and suppresses inflammation.

Thirdhand smoke impacts gut bacteria for infants, study finds

Infants exposed to thirdhand smoke while hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) show a difference in the composition of their gut microbiome, according to a new study by researchers with The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth).

Association between Hypertension and Gut Microbiome Imbalance during Pregnancy May Lead to New Preeclampsia Treatments

Article title: Gestational gut microbial remodeling is impaired in a rat model of preeclampsia superimposed on chronic hypertension Authors: Jeanne A. Ishimwe, Adesanya Akinleye, Ashley C. Johnson, Michael R. Garrett, Jennifer M. Sasser From the authors: “These results reveal an…

Gut Microbiome Manipulation Could Result from Virus Discovery

Scientists have discovered how a common virus in the human gut infects and takes over bacterial cells – a finding that could be used to control the composition of the gut microbiome, which is important for human health. The Rutgers co-authored research, which could aid efforts to engineer beneficial bacteria that produce medicines and fuels and clean up pollutants, is published in the journal Nature.

Study Provides First Evidence of a Relationship between a Bird’s Gut and its Brain

A study of the relationships between cognition and the gut microbiome of captive zebra finches showed that their gut microbiome characteristics were related to performance on a cognitive assay where they learned a novel foraging technique. Researchers also identified potentially critical bacteria that were relatively more abundant in birds that performed better on this assay. This correlation provides some of the first evidence of a relationship between a bird’s gut microbiome and its brain.