In the News

David B. Wilson, professor of molecular biology and genetics and a world leader in the field of enzymology, died April 29. He was 77. Read more

Since the summer of 2013, millions of sea stars have died along the west coast of North America, but are scientist any closer to finding the cause? Read more

Hydrogen peroxide detoxification is a key mechanism for growth of ammonia-oxidizing archaea. Read more

To honor a Cornell researcher who keeps our food supply safe, a recently discovered spoilage bacterium has been named for Martin Wiedmann. Read more

Bacillus cereus can no longer hide. The food safety world now has a new tool to find foodborne illness – the bacteria's own whole genome, reports Cornell food scientists. Read more

A new study of the distribution in North American soils of Streptyomyces, a genus of bacteria is the source of 80 percent of antibiotics, finds it corresponds with latitude. Read more

A Cornell-led study published May 11 in the journal Cell Host Microbe provides the strongest evidence yet that human DNA influences the type and number of bacteria that reside in each person’s gut. Read more

Helmann Lab publish in Molecular Microbiology Read more

Brent Gudenkauf and Ian Hewson publish article in Frontiers in Marine Science "Comparative Metagenomics of Viral Assemblages Inhabiting Four Phyla of Marine Invertebrates. Read more

Sea star wasting disease is the largest marine disease event ever seen Read more

Biology major James Eaglesham '15 is heading to Cambridge University as the Cornell’s newest Churchill scholar. He is one of 14 students nationwide to receive this honor and Cornell’s 21st Churchill scholar since 1975. Read more

Researchers have identified a new virus that as the culprit in a massive die off of sea stars native to the Pacific coast of North America. Read more

Susan Merkel will be presented the 2015 Carski Foundation Distinguished Undergraduate Teaching Award at the ASM General Meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana in May 2015.

Work in Ruth Ley and Anthony Hay laboratories research mentioned in recent PeriodiCALS Read more

A person’s genes can shape the types of microbes that reside in the human gut independent of the environment a person lives in, according to a Cornell-led study. Read more

Ruth Ley's article in November 6 issue of Cell is generating interest in the press. Read more

Ian Hewson and his lab are in the front lines in the fight against sea star wasting disease as described in the May 2, 2014 Science Magazine Read more

Which CALS professor made an important impact on your life? CALS Twitter followers and Facebook friends were asked, and they had some wonderful comments to share.  Our very own Microbiology Professors Esther Angert and Stephen Zinder made the list. Read more

New research reveals how proteins from bacteria tails may lead to inflammation when they come in contact with gut lining cells. Read more

Eight Cornell scientists have been elected fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the world’s largest general scientific society and publisher of the journal Science. Read more

Associate Professor Ruth Ley was awarded the 2014 ISME (International Society for Microbial Ecology) Young Investigators Award. This will be presented at the 2015 ISME meeting in Seoul, South Korea. Read more

In the November 2013 issue of Cell Host & Microbe, Ley Lab graduate student Tyler Cullender and colleagues demonstrate that TLR5-dependent induction of anti-flagellin antibodies prevents commensal association with the intestinal mucosa by limiting bacterial motility. Read more

As disciplines, art and science may seem worlds apart, but a Cornell course bridges the two by using microbiologist Ruth Ley's research as inspiration. Read more

Bacteria have been studied for more than 400 years, but the fact that they routinely function as collectives was missed for 380 years – that is, until Stephen Winans introduced the concept of “quorum sensing.” Read more

Scientists from Cornell's R3 Group and other schools celebrated 10 years of genetic collaboration at the group's 10th anniversary conference on campus, Oct. 3-4. Read more

Researchers have identified a new branch of bacteria, kin to blue-green algae, found in groundwater and in mammalian guts – including those in humans. Read more

Norman C. Dondero, Ph.D. ’52, Cornell professor emeritus of microbiology died, July 10 at Kendal at Ithaca. He was 95. Read more

Three faculty members from the Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future briefed Congress and alumni in Washington, D.C., on chemical risks June 18. Read more

The Molecular Genetics of Bacteria was recently released in its Fourth Edition.  Two new co-authors have joined the author team, including Department of Microbiology Professor Joe Peters. Read more

The study's findings indicate that host-microbial interactions that impact host metabolism can occur and may be beneficial in pregnancy potently affecting weight gain and the incidence of Type two diabetes in the child. Read more

A study of twins may lead to better understanding whether genes play a role in what kind of gut microbes a person has, and if this interplay influences such conditions as Crohn's disease, obesity and diabetes. Read more

Cornell microbiologist Susan Merkel is helping to shape how science is taught to undergraduates across the United States as part of a national curriculum task force. Read more

A new study of the genes of twins will hopefully lead to a better understanding of how gut microbes co-evolved with humans and their diets. Read more

Assistant professor of microbiology, Ruth E. Ley, and two other Cornell faculty members have received National Institutes of Health Director's New Innovator Awards, which includes $1.5 million over five years to stimulate innovative research and support promising new investigators who are studying biomedical or behavioral research conditions. Read more

Anthony Bretscher and John Helmann are two of 78 scientists elected as fellows to the American Academy of Microbiology (AAM) this year. Read more

Cornell faculty members Jonathan Butcher and Ruth Ley have received Hartwell Individual Biomedical Research Awards, which provide a total of $300,000 over three years of direct research costs. Read more

Dan Buckley, professor of crop and soil sciences, and Steve Zinder, professor of microbiology, led an intensive summer course, Microbial Diversity, at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute. Read more