The Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology has a rich history, established in 1901 as the Department of Soil Chemistry and Bacteriology, and one of the first of its kind in the country. Today, it builds on this vibrant history by focusing on the environmental aspects of microbiology, biochemistry, and toxicology through two under-graduate programs and […]
Biochemistry and Microbiology
Recent Visiting Fulbright Scholar at Rutgers Fulfills Dream of STEM Education for Girls in Nigeria
Fresh from a successful Fulbright Senior Scholar sojourn at Rutgers that ended in July this year, Folasade M. Olajuyigbe returned to her native Nigeria to fulfill a dream. Through her non-profit, Women’s Dignity Initiative Inc. (WDII), launched during her Fulbright program at Rutgers, Olajuyigbe presented the organization’s first scholarship awards to six high school girls in […]
Babies Born at Home Have More Diverse, Beneficial Bacteria, Study Finds
Hospital care may affect newborns’ gut flora, which influence health Infants born at home have more diverse bacteria in their guts and feces, which may affect their developing immunity and metabolism, according to a study in Scientific Reports. Understanding why babies born at home have more diverse microbiota for at least a month after birth, […]
Rutgers Discovers New Delivery System that Could Help Prevent Bacterial Infections
According to a recent Rutgers study, there may be a more effective mechanism for drug delivery in order to prevent bacterial infections or the growth of bacteria in unwanted locations. Rutgers researchers have discovered a new system to deliver antimicrobial agents – drugs, antiseptics or pesticides – that could more effectively treat or prevent bacterial […]
How Some Algae May Survive Climate Change
Green algae that evolved to tolerate hostile and fluctuating conditions in salt marshes and inland salt flats are expected to survive climate change, thanks to hardy genes they stole from bacteria, according to a Rutgers-led study. These Picochlorum single-celled species of green algae provide clues to how nature can modify genomes, and suggest ways in which scientists may someday engineer more […]
Scientists Call for Microbial “Noah’s Ark” to Protect Global Health
A Rutgers University–New Brunswick-led team of researchers is calling for the creation of a global microbiota vault to protect the long-term health of humanity. Such a Noah’s Ark of beneficial germs would be gathered from human populations whose microbiomes are uncompromised by antibiotics, processed diets and other ill effects of modern society, which have contributed […]
Scientists Use Bear Saliva to Rapidly Test for Antibiotics
The super-fast screening technology could help to discover new treatments If you’re looking into the mouth of a brown bear, one of the world’s top predators, your chances of survival probably aren’t good. But a team of Rutgers and other scientists has discovered a technology that rapidly assesses potentially lifesaving antibiotics by using bacteria in saliva […]
For Children, Immersion in a Rainforest Lifestyle Can Lead to More Diverse Gut Microbes
Can immersing yourself in a South American jungle and the high-fiber, unprocessed diet of its villagers make your gut microbes more diverse? And could it have benefits for people with obesity, type 1 diabetes and other disorders? A study led by Rutgers University–New Brunswick researchers followed seven city-dwelling adults and children who lived in a […]
Professor Emeritus Doug Eveleigh Talks about the NJ State Microbe Designation on NPR’s All Things Considered
N.J. Legislature Close To Giving Garden State an Official Microbe With Local Roots Originally heard on All Things Considered New Jersey is on its way to becoming only the second state to declare an official state microbe. The candidate bacteria, Streptomyces griseus, is commonly found in soil. AILSA CHANG, HOST: New Jersey – you just […]
Rutgers Discovery That Changed the World May Become New Jersey’s State Microbe
Pending bill would honor bacterium that helps to cure tuberculosis A soil-based bacterium called Streptomyces griseus could become New Jersey’s official state microbe 75 years after Rutgers University–New Brunswick scientists discovered its ability to cure tuberculosis. The 1943 discovery at the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station defined Rutgers’ role as a leader in antibiotic research […]