News by Subject Biology

Researchers have linked sensitivity to an allergen in red meat -- a sensitivity spread by tick bites -- with a buildup of fatty plaque in the arteries of the heart. This buildup may increase the risk of heart attacks and stroke.

New research from the University of East Anglia joins the dots between zombie ants, an insect-world arms race and the search for new antibiotics. Scientists probing one of the mysteries of the insect world identified a powerful chemical weapon used in the arms race between fungus-farming leafcutter ants and the parasites that plague them. It is hoped that the findings will help scientists search for new antibiotics from this unique battlefield.

In a new study, researchers at Uppsala University and other institutions have identified genetic material from the recently identified Alkhurma hemorrhagic fever virus in the tick species Hyalomma rufipes. The discovery was made after thousands of ticks were collected from migratory birds captured in the Mediterranean basin. The results indicate that birds could contribute to spreading the virus to new geographical areas.

Researchers at The University of Texas at Arlington have found a correlation between a strong immune response in diseased corals and a lower expression of genes associated with growth and reproduction.

According to the World Health Organization, over 216 million people were infected with malaria in 2016, and 445,000 individuals died from the disease. The key to solving this health crisis is early-stage diagnosis when malaria therapeutics are most effective. A new prototype for a portable instrument capable early-stage malaria detection has been developed by a team of researchers at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering.

A new study led by the American Museum of Natural History puts forth the most comprehensive tree of life for malaria parasites to date. Among the researchers' findings is that the diverse malaria parasite genus Plasmodium (which includes those species that infect humans) is composed of several distantly related evolutionary lineages, and, from a taxonomic standpoint, many species should be renamed.

So much for survival of the fittest -- diversity is the key: a team of researchers from the Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB) has succeeded in demonstrating experimentally that genetic diversity makes populations more resistant to disease.