Our team of researchers at GeorgiaTech investigate mechanisms and consequences of microbial community dynamics both in the environment and during infection. https://sites.gatech.edu/cmdi/https://bsky.app/profile/cmdi.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/cmdi.bsky.social/post/3mcxjwnox422kInsects in hospitals are potential disease vectors! 🪳🪰 A new systematic review shows that cockroaches, flies, and ants often carry drug-resistant bacteria and can transmit pathogens to patients. 🏥 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41562025/ #InfectionPrevention #PublicHealth #Microbiology https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41562025/21 Jan 2026 20:43 +0000at://did:plc:wz32cydluyonifwypcbd7ghf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mcxjwnox422khttps://bsky.app/profile/cmdi.bsky.social/post/3mcxjtd4dhc2kStudies of clinical isolates show that P. aeruginosa and S. aureus interact in strain-specific ways. Surprisingly, competition doesn't always rely on usual chemical signals (AQs), highlighting the complexity of infections. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41533460/ #Microbiology #Biofilms #HealthScience https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41533460/21 Jan 2026 20:41 +0000at://did:plc:wz32cydluyonifwypcbd7ghf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mcxjtd4dhc2khttps://bsky.app/profile/cmdi.bsky.social/post/3mcxjpt4qnk2kResearchers have sequenced the draft genomes of two Halobacteriovorax strains (GFR7 & GFR8) from Florida's Apalachicola Bay, advancing our look at these unique marine predators. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41427715/ #microbiology #genomics #science https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41427715/21 Jan 2026 20:39 +0000at://did:plc:wz32cydluyonifwypcbd7ghf/app.bsky.feed.post/3mcxjpt4qnk2khttps://bsky.app/profile/cmdi.bsky.social/post/3ma4ltxqfek2yR-pyocins, phage tail-like complexes, act as highly specific weapons against susceptible strains. Their non-replicative and potent nature makes them a prime candidate for next-generation antimicrobials against drug-resistant infections! #Microbiology https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/micro/10.1099/mic.0.001640#tab216 Dec 2025 16:45 +0000at://did:plc:wz32cydluyonifwypcbd7ghf/app.bsky.feed.post/3ma4ltxqfek2yhttps://bsky.app/profile/cmdi.bsky.social/post/3ma4lo2z5j22yA bacterial predator, Halobacteriovorax, acts as a living "probiotic" that halts Vibrio-induced disease progression in endangered Caribbean corals. This shows microbial predators are promising new tools for coral disease therapy! #CoralReefs #MicrobialEcology #ISMEJ https://academic.oup.com/ismej/advance-article/doi/10.1093/ismejo/wraf270/8376498?login=false16 Dec 2025 16:41 +0000at://did:plc:wz32cydluyonifwypcbd7ghf/app.bsky.feed.post/3ma4lo2z5j22yhttps://bsky.app/profile/cmdi.bsky.social/post/3ma4ll7mybc2yVibrio cholerae builds its protective biofilm using GluP. This glutamate-binding protein is key to maintaining biofilm architecture and coordinating growth/nutrient acquisition. Blocking GluP could disrupt transmission! #Microbiology #PNAS https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2504869122?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori:rid:crossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub%20%200pubmed16 Dec 2025 16:40 +0000at://did:plc:wz32cydluyonifwypcbd7ghf/app.bsky.feed.post/3ma4ll7mybc2yhttps://bsky.app/profile/cmdi.bsky.social/post/3ma4lhnzo6s2yThe constant battle between bacterial immune systems (CRISPR) and MGEs is a critical, yet understudied, driver of microbiome structure & function. The paper calls for moving beyond simple models to understand these complex community-level interactions. #Microbiology https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.300348916 Dec 2025 16:38 +0000at://did:plc:wz32cydluyonifwypcbd7ghf/app.bsky.feed.post/3ma4lhnzo6s2yhttps://bsky.app/profile/cmdi.bsky.social/post/3m6i2p7g2yk24A novel dual-fluorescence reporter to reveal how the sRNA Teg41 regulates virulence toxin production in Staphylococcus aureus strains. 🦠🔬 #AntibioticResistance #Pathogen #sRNA pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41170992/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41170992/25 Nov 2025 19:19 +0000at://did:plc:wz32cydluyonifwypcbd7ghf/app.bsky.feed.post/3m6i2p7g2yk24https://bsky.app/profile/cmdi.bsky.social/post/3m6i2maks3k24Metabolomics ID's targets against the Burkholderia biothreat by finding metabolic shifts during infection. 🦠💊 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41170848/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41170848/25 Nov 2025 19:18 +0000at://did:plc:wz32cydluyonifwypcbd7ghf/app.bsky.feed.post/3m6i2maks3k24https://bsky.app/profile/cmdi.bsky.social/post/3m6i2jeuyas24Extreme drought makes peatlands lose carbon much faster, and this loss is worsened by both warming and elevated CO₂. Climate change will significantly amplify carbon emissions from peatlands in the future. 🌡️🔥 #ClimateChange #Peatlands #CarbonCycle pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41129626/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41129626/25 Nov 2025 19:16 +0000at://did:plc:wz32cydluyonifwypcbd7ghf/app.bsky.feed.post/3m6i2jeuyas24https://bsky.app/profile/cmdi.bsky.social/post/3m6i2gdb4f224Screened marine natural product extracts reveals two glycoglycerolipids that act as inhibitors of the Naᵥ1.7 ion channel. These findings from red algae, sponges, and corals offer exciting new leads for drug discovery! 🌊💊#DrugDiscovery #MarineBiology pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41124213/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41124213/25 Nov 2025 19:14 +0000at://did:plc:wz32cydluyonifwypcbd7ghf/app.bsky.feed.post/3m6i2gdb4f224https://bsky.app/profile/cmdi.bsky.social/post/3m6i2bsu6bc24Spatial organization of bacteria in thin films, like soil, is largely determined by a purely physical mechanism: capillary interactions (water tension). 🦠💧 #Microbiology #Biophysics #CurrentBiology pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41118734/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41118734/25 Nov 2025 19:12 +0000at://did:plc:wz32cydluyonifwypcbd7ghf/app.bsky.feed.post/3m6i2bsu6bc24https://bsky.app/profile/cmdi.bsky.social/post/3m5tlipkbcc22In intubated children, longitudinal analysis of the respiratory microbiome reveals dynamic shifts in microbial communities under empiric antibiotic therapy, with implications for pathogen emergence and treatment strategies. https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/spectrum.00448-25?utm_source=chatgpt.com17 Nov 2025 15:54 +0000at://did:plc:wz32cydluyonifwypcbd7ghf/app.bsky.feed.post/3m5tlipkbcc22https://bsky.app/profile/cmdi.bsky.social/post/3m5tlenqyys22A step-by-step guide to using CNC micro-milling to fabricate microfluidic master molds and PDMS devices (e.g., organ-on-a-chip), including design (SolidWorks/Fusion), machining, mould casting and bonding. https://bio-protocol.org/en/bpdetail?id=5459&type=017 Nov 2025 15:52 +0000at://did:plc:wz32cydluyonifwypcbd7ghf/app.bsky.feed.post/3m5tlenqyys22https://bsky.app/profile/cmdi.bsky.social/post/3m5tlbhf5u222This study on the rhizosphere of the salt-marsh plant Spartina alterniflora reveals a highly diverse viral community—metagenomic analysis of root-zone samples showed that viruses of microorganisms influence microbial population dynamics, community structure, nutrient cycling and gene-transfer. https://journals.asm.org/doi/abs/10.1128/msphere.00234-25?utm_source=chatgpt.com17 Nov 2025 15:50 +0000at://did:plc:wz32cydluyonifwypcbd7ghf/app.bsky.feed.post/3m5tlbhf5u222https://bsky.app/profile/cmdi.bsky.social/post/3m5tl5tiny222The morphotype switch from smooth to rough in M. abscessus alters gene-essentiality patterns both in vitro and in mouse infection; rough and smooth forms require different genes, affecting therapeutic target selection. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41026822/?utm_source=chatgpt.com17 Nov 2025 15:48 +0000at://did:plc:wz32cydluyonifwypcbd7ghf/app.bsky.feed.post/3m5tl5tiny222https://bsky.app/profile/cmdi.bsky.social/post/3m5tl2wdv7k22Quantitative modelling of multi-signal quorum sensing in Pseudomonas aeruginosa reveals that its las and rhl signalling systems engage in reciprocal, non-linear and synergistic interactions rather than a simple hierarchy. https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pbio.300331617 Nov 2025 15:46 +0000at://did:plc:wz32cydluyonifwypcbd7ghf/app.bsky.feed.post/3m5tl2wdv7k22https://bsky.app/profile/cmdi.bsky.social/post/3m5tkxlxwhc22The study evolved Escherichia coli under constant glucose limitation for ≥300 generations and identified 39 genes repeatedly mutated, many regulatory factors, revealing structural protein constraints. https://bmcbiol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12915-025-02331-717 Nov 2025 15:45 +0000at://did:plc:wz32cydluyonifwypcbd7ghf/app.bsky.feed.post/3m5tkxlxwhc22https://bsky.app/profile/cmdi.bsky.social/post/3lwbuuycik22cCome and be our new Chair of Biological Sciences at Georgia Tech! www.biosciences.gatech.edu/chair-search https://www.biosciences.gatech.edu/chair-search13 Aug 2025 12:58 +0000at://did:plc:wz32cydluyonifwypcbd7ghf/app.bsky.feed.post/3lwbuuycik22chttps://bsky.app/profile/cmdi.bsky.social/post/3luztpy5e6s2bPeatland microbes resist warming, with stable communities and diverse carbon pathways; methanogens show metabolic flexibility but are not dominant. #MicroSky https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-61664-728 Jul 2025 14:51 +0000at://did:plc:wz32cydluyonifwypcbd7ghf/app.bsky.feed.post/3luztpy5e6s2bhttps://bsky.app/profile/cmdi.bsky.social/post/3luztnp7cqc2bGene-specific RNA-to-protein conversion factors improve protein predictions from mRNA, enabling functional insights across diverse microbial species. #MicroSky https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/mbio.01411-25?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori:rid:crossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub%20%200pubmed28 Jul 2025 14:49 +0000at://did:plc:wz32cydluyonifwypcbd7ghf/app.bsky.feed.post/3luztnp7cqc2bhttps://bsky.app/profile/cmdi.bsky.social/post/3luztleoibs2bAlveolar macrophages limit phage therapy by clearing phages; their depletion boosts phage efficacy against P. aeruginosa in murine lung infection. #MicroSky https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-61268-128 Jul 2025 14:48 +0000at://did:plc:wz32cydluyonifwypcbd7ghf/app.bsky.feed.post/3luztleoibs2bhttps://bsky.app/profile/cmdi.bsky.social/post/3luztiqtrm22bA simple model of vertical biofilm growth arises from active fluid dynamics, linking cell decay to growth limits and unifying early and late stages. #MicroSky pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40578390/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40578390/28 Jul 2025 14:47 +0000at://did:plc:wz32cydluyonifwypcbd7ghf/app.bsky.feed.post/3luztiqtrm22bhttps://bsky.app/profile/cmdi.bsky.social/post/3luztetmfbk2bSpontaneous fluid flows in yeast clusters enable nutrient transport and exponential growth, aiding multicellularity before genetic adaptations evolve. #MicroSky https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adr6399?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori:rid:crossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub%20%200pubmed28 Jul 2025 14:44 +0000at://did:plc:wz32cydluyonifwypcbd7ghf/app.bsky.feed.post/3luztetmfbk2bhttps://bsky.app/profile/cmdi.bsky.social/post/3ls2miwkkx223This primer reviews differences between acute, chronic, mono- and polymicrobial infections, highlighting ecological and evolutionary challenges and opportunities for treatment and infection management. https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/micro/10.1099/mic.0.00156720 Jun 2025 17:58 +0000at://did:plc:wz32cydluyonifwypcbd7ghf/app.bsky.feed.post/3ls2miwkkx223https://bsky.app/profile/cmdi.bsky.social/post/3ls2mglxtx223Mass spectrometry metabolomics methods reveal microbiome-derived natural products influencing host-microbe interactions, enabling insights into communication, immunity, and symbiosis mechanisms. https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2025/np/d5np00021a20 Jun 2025 17:57 +0000at://did:plc:wz32cydluyonifwypcbd7ghf/app.bsky.feed.post/3ls2mglxtx223https://bsky.app/profile/cmdi.bsky.social/post/3lqpkzuqnkk2yThis review explores the ecological niches, evolutionary dynamics, pathogenic mechanisms, and antimicrobial resistance profiles of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, highlighting its adaptability and clinical significance. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41579-025-01193-803 Jun 2025 15:08 +0000at://did:plc:wz32cydluyonifwypcbd7ghf/app.bsky.feed.post/3lqpkzuqnkk2yhttps://bsky.app/profile/cmdi.bsky.social/post/3lpjrhvt6zc26In Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, multicellularity evolved under predation but not settling selection. Only certain genotypes gave rise to multicellular forms, showing both deterministic and random factors shape this transition. https://academic.oup.com/gbe/advance-article/doi/10.1093/gbe/evaf090/8134181?login=false19 May 2025 14:22 +0000at://did:plc:wz32cydluyonifwypcbd7ghf/app.bsky.feed.post/3lpjrhvt6zc26https://bsky.app/profile/cmdi.bsky.social/post/3lpjrf4esdk26Trimethoprim alters metabolite production in B. cenocepacia and A. fumigatus, affecting interkingdom interactions, antifungal activity, and fungal pigmentation, revealing how therapeutics reshape microbial chemistry and virulence expression. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acschembio.4c0056219 May 2025 14:20 +0000at://did:plc:wz32cydluyonifwypcbd7ghf/app.bsky.feed.post/3lpjrf4esdk26https://bsky.app/profile/cmdi.bsky.social/post/3loqwqi3oqs23Sea cucumbers reshape reef sediment microbiomes by grazing, reducing microbial biomass and phototrophs, enriching anaerobic genes, and potentially supporting coral survival through disease suppression. https://academic.oup.com/ismej/advance-article/doi/10.1093/ismejo/wraf088/8124686?login=false09 May 2025 17:19 +0000at://did:plc:wz32cydluyonifwypcbd7ghf/app.bsky.feed.post/3loqwqi3oqs23