July 22, 2021
Advanced microscopy shines light on new CRISPR-Cas system
Life Sciences Diversity Recruitment Weekend
Virtual: Friday, June 11 and Saturday, June 12, 2021
Ian Hewson-Organic matter, bacteria doom sea stars to oxygen depletion
https://news.cornell.edu/stories/2021/01/organic-matter-bacteria-doom-sea-stars-oxygen-depletion
John Helmann- Learning the genetic steps in the dance of life
https://cals.cornell.edu/news/john-helmann-learning-genetic-steps-dance-life


CALS honors talent, dedication of faculty & staff
On Oct. 29, CALS celebrated the 16th annual Research & Extension Awards and the 10th annual Core Value Staff Awards. These awards recognize the notable and wide-ranging accomplishments of CALS faculty and staff, who always go above and beyond in their contributions to the college.

Six projects receive Innovative Teaching and Learning Awards
This year’s Innovative Teaching and Learning Award winners will give Cornell students a host of new opportunities and experiences, thanks to faculty grants ranging from $5,000 to $25,000.

Study illuminates link between anglerfish, bacteria
Researchers, including Tory Hendry, assistant professor of microbiology, have uncovered new insights into a symbiosis between bioluminescent bacteria and deep-sea anglerfish.

Eighteen receive Engaged Graduate Student Grants
Eighteen Cornell doctoral students from 13 fields of study have received 2019-20 Engaged Graduate Student Grants to support community-engaged research relevant to their dissertations.

Merrill scholars honor their mentoring teachers, professors
The arc of educational continuity and inspirational teaching was celebrated May 22 at the 31st annual Merrill Presidential Scholars convocation in Willard Straight Hall.

Cornell to host national Science Olympiad
About 2,000 middle and high school students will show their science and engineering acumen at the 35th annual Science Olympiad National Tournament, May 31-June 1 at Cornell.

Cornell scientists discover new antibiotic resistance gene
While sifting through the bacterial genome of salmonella, Cornell food scientists discovered mcr-9, a stealthy jumping gene so diabolical that it resists one of the world’s few last-resort antibiotics.
Meet our Faculty: Tory Hendry

Active learning grants energize CALS classrooms
Active learning teaching techniques are increasingly being used in classrooms across CALS as faculty revamp courses to emphasize creative and innovative thinking.

Study finds glyphosate in cat and dog food
A new study finds that glyphosate, the active herbicidal ingredient in weed killers, was present at low levels in a variety of dog and cat foods.

Aphids use sight to avoid deadly bacteria, could lead to pest control
Pea aphids – a serious agricultural pest – have the ability to see and avoid a common, aphid-killing bacteria on plant leaves, according to a new Cornell study.

Genetics shed light on symbiosis of anglerfish and glowing bacteria
For the first time, scientists have sequenced and analyzed the genomes of bacteria that live in anglerfish bulbs from fish specimens collected in the Gulf of Mexico.

CURB galvanizes Puerto Rican students’ lab experience
Visiting students from hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico honed their science skills by shadowing and working in laboratories across campus this semester.

Engaged Graduate Student Grants fund students’ community work
Engaged Graduate Student Grants will support 21 Cornell doctoral students, six of which are CALS, and their community partners researching a range of topics.

CURB galvanizes Puerto Rican students’ lab experience
Visiting students from the University of Puerto Rico worked in laboratories this past semester thanks to an opportunity from the Cornell Undergraduate Research Board’s (CURB) mentorship program.

Three on faculty honored by World Economic Forum
Assistant professors Ilana Brito, Michael Niemack and Marcos Simoes-Costa are among 50 scientists under the age of 40 named Young Scientists 2018 by the World Economic Forum.


Scientists find new targets in the war against tuberculosis
A new study by Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine scientists unveils a novel approach to vaccine development in the fight against tuberculosis, illustrating how certain host cells are able to either control or promote the growth of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) bacterium.

Materials, microbiomes displayed at D.C. STEM event
Scientists represented Cornell at the annual USA Science and Engineering Festival in Washington, D.C., April 7-8.

Transposons Take Targeting Tool - BacterioFiles 333
BacterioFiles
Certain transposons, genetic elements that move around the genome on their own, have co-opted the bacterial immune system, CRISPR, to use for jumping to new hosts!

Scientists unravel complex factors of starfish diseases
Cornell CALS scientists are beginning to unravel the complicated connections between viruses, the environment and wasting diseases among sea stars in the waters of the Pacific Northwest.

Gene Madsen, Expert in Environmental Microbiology, Dies at 64
Madsen was a leading researcher of microbial processes in natural environments whose research and teaching career at Cornell spanned nearly four decades.

Study: Jumping Gene Steals Bacterial ‘Gene-Editing’ System
A study describes for the first time evidence of "jumping genes" adopting a bacterial immune mechanism for transferring genetic material between bacteria and across bacterial species.


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

Sea Stars In Peril
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?

Madsen, et al publish in PNAS
Hydrogen peroxide detoxification is a key mechanism for growth of ammonia-oxidizing archaea.

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

Bacteria's own genome becomes food safety tool
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.

Bacterial diversity in soils was shaped by ice ages
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.

Human DNA influences gut bacteria
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.

The Listeria monocytogenes Fur-regulated virulence protein FrvA is an Fe(II) efflux P1B4 -type ATPase
Helmann Lab publish in Molecular Microbiology

Ian Hewson co-author of an article in Frontiers in Marine Science
Brent Gudenkauf and Ian Hewson publish article in Frontiers in Marine Science "Comparative Metagenomics of Viral Assemblages Inhabiting Four Phyla of Marine Invertebrates.

Solving the Starfish Mystery
Sea star wasting disease is the largest marine disease event ever seen

Biology major James Eaglesham awarded Churchill scholarship
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.

New virus causes devastating sea star wasting disease
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.

Susan Merkel wins 2015 Carski Teaching Award
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.

Microbiology Faculty in PeriodiCALS
Work in Ruth Ley and Anthony Hay laboratories research mentioned in recent PeriodiCALS

Genes influence types of microbes in human gut
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.

Ruth Ley's Gut Microbiome work in the news
Ruth Ley's article in November 6 issue of Cell is generating interest in the press.

Ian Hewson and lab fight against sea star wasting disease
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

periodiCALS acknowledges "Beloved Faculty"
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.

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

Eight on faculty named AAAS fellows
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.

Cornell Professor awarded ISME Young Investigatory Award
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.

Graduate student Tyler Cullender published in Cell Host & Microbe
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.

Bacteria research inspires students' creative artwork
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.

Stephen Winans-Honoring outstanding faculty and staff accomplishments
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.”

Gene scientists celebrate 10 years of collaboration
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.

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

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

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

Fourth Edition of the Molecular Genetics of Bacteria released with new co-author Joe Peters
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.

Study finds that mother's body remodels gut microbiome, undergoes metabolic changes during pregnancy
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.

Study of twins will explore links among genes, gut bacteria
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.

Cornell instructor leads team to revamp national microbiology curriculum
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.

Ley's study of genes, gut microbes wins Packard fellowship
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.

Three receive $1.5 million innovator awards
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.

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

Butcher, Ley receive Hartwell research awards
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.

Two professors spend summer exploring Woods Hole's microbial world
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.