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Features

An illustration of green bacteria floating above neutral-colored intestinal villi
The Inside Guide: The Gut Microbiome’s Role in Host Evolution
Catherine Offord | Jul 1, 2021 | 10+ min read
Bacteria that live in the digestive tracts of animals may influence the adaptive trajectories of their hosts.
False-colored micrograph of Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Tuberculosis: The Forgotten Pandemic
Anthony King | Jul 1, 2021 | 10+ min read
This month marks the 100-year anniversary of BCG, still the only approved vaccine against the lethal pathogen. But there are new vaccines for this wily foe on the horizon.

Editorial

Labs, Leaks, and Liability
Labs, Leaks, and Liability
Labs, Leaks, and Liability
The resurfaced conversation surrounding the idea that SARS-CoV-2 might have leaked from a lab in Wuhan, China, represents an opportunity to reexamine the confluence of science, politics, and public discourse.

Speaking of Science

Ten Minute Sabbatical
Ten Minute Sabbatical
Ten Minute Sabbatical
Take a break from the bench to puzzle and peruse.

Critic at Large

Opinion: Hunting a Changing Virus
Opinion: Hunting a Changing Virus
Opinion: Hunting a Changing Virus
A broad and nimble sequencing program is necessary to track, anticipate, and quash SARS-CoV-2 and other dangerous pathogens that threaten humanity.

Notebook

The Researchers Who Pivoted to COVID-19: One Year On
The Researchers Who Pivoted to COVID-19: One Year On
The Researchers Who Pivoted to COVID-19: One Year On
The Scientist checks in on scientists who switched gears to combat the pandemic.
Screams Communicate Human Emotions
Screams Communicate Human Emotions
Screams Communicate Human Emotions
A group of self-styled screamologists are sifting through the noisiness of nonverbal human vocalizations and finding previously undemonstrated forms of communication.

Modus Operandi

corals in water with fish
First Immortal Cell Line Cultured for Reef-Building Corals
First Immortal Cell Line Cultured for Reef-Building Corals
Lab-grown cells from the reef-building coral Acropora tenuis provide new opportunities to study bleaching, symbioses, and biomineralization.

The Literature

Stress Paralyzes Immune Cells
Stress Paralyzes Immune Cells
Stress Paralyzes Immune Cells
Scientists show that an influx of noradrenaline can halt immune cells in mice.
the molecular structure of interferon-alpha
Lots of Rapid Evolution in Interferon-Stimulated Genes: Study
Lots of Rapid Evolution in Interferon-Stimulated Genes: Study
A comparison of interferon-related genes across 20 primate genomes reveals differences in the speed at which they evolve and new targets for antiviral discovery efforts.

Scientist to Watch

Izzy Jayasinghe stands in front of a projection of a map, looking as though she is speaking
Izzy Jayasinghe Harnesses Cutting-Edge Microscopy to Image Cells
Izzy Jayasinghe Harnesses Cutting-Edge Microscopy to Image Cells
The University of Sheffield researcher devises new protocols to gain molecular-level insights.

Bio Business

Women looks at computer screen in a lab coat and mask
Quest for Research Freedom Fuels African Biotech Boom
Quest for Research Freedom Fuels African Biotech Boom
Tired of dancing to the tunes of international funders, and doubtful that long-promised national grants will come, a handful of African biomedical scientists have turned to private investors to bankroll their dreams of autonomy in the lab.

Reading Frames

Giving Sweat the Respect It Deserves
Giving Sweat the Respect It Deserves
Giving Sweat the Respect It Deserves
Not only is the humble fluid a boon for keeping humans cool, it also contains a wealth of biological information.

Foundations

two black-and-white microscope images, one with a few black dots, the other with many rod-shaped bacteria
Identifying a Killer, 1895
Identifying a Killer, 1895
A contaminated ham put bacteriologist Émile Pierre-Marie van Ermengem on the path to discovering the microbe that produces botulinum toxin.

Infographics

Infographic: How Scientists Are Creating Coral Cell Lines
Infographic: How Scientists Are Creating Coral Cell Lines
Infographic: How Scientists Are Creating Coral Cell Lines
Stable, long-term cell lines will enable scientists to study everything from coral bleaching to biomineralization, knowledge that may help protect corals from ongoing climate change.
Illustration of humans and mice and their gut microbiota
Infographic: Microbiome-Driven Adaptations in Animals
Infographic: Microbiome-Driven Adaptations in Animals
Researchers are using experiments and observational studies to look for host genetic variation that could be partly determined by the gut microbiota.
Illustration of the BCG vaccine and resulting immune response
Infographic: TB Vaccines in the Pipeline Take Varied Approaches
Infographic: TB Vaccines in the Pipeline Take Varied Approaches
More than a dozen vaccines for tuberculosis are currently being tested in clinical trials. Some use whole bacteria as BCG does, while others deliver protein subunits or genetic material carried by viral vectors.  
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