Researchers have uncovered the initial adaptive mechanisms of Bacillus velezensis C5 when exposed to polyethylene microplastics. Using comparative transcriptomics, the study revealed a robust, polymer‑specific transcriptional program distinct from general starvation or surface‑contact responses. Exposure to polyethylene triggered massive upregulation of genes involved in biofilm formation and sporulation, while genes associated with canonical degradation were not induced. The bacterium remained viable without growth, formed dense biofilms, and increased surface hydrophilicity but caused only subtle physicochemical changes to the plastic. This survival‑first strategy represents a critical initial phase that must be overcome to enable efficient biodegradation.

LSU’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center has received a five-year, $5.66 million renewal of its Nutrition Obesity Research Center (NORC) grant from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The award, totaling $5,659,389, extends support for the Pennington-Louisiana Nutrition Obesity Research Center through 2031 and reaffirms Pennington Biomedical's position as a national leader in nutrition, obesity and metabolic health research.

New research has found that eating habits that align most closely with a woman’s existing routine show promise for losing postpartum baby weight, especially for mothers earlier in the postpartum period. The study identified key factors impacting eating timing and perceived barriers to various chrononutrition approaches, with the ability to share a family evening meal emerging as particularly important. The findings in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (JAND), published by Elsevier, are an important step towards informing the development of chrononutrition interventions for postpartum weight management.