iNVISIBLE YET iNVINCIBLE

TDR-TB : No Choice Left!

noreply@blogger.com (Vignesh) — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 07:48:00 +0000

As if Multi-drug resistant (MDR-TB), extensively-drug resistant (XDR-TB) were not scary enough, now TB has a deadlier edge known as Totally Drug-Resistant TB (TDR-TB). As the name says it all, the physicians are literally left with no choice to treat, as all known TB combination drugs do not work on the patient, owing to the TB bacilli’s ability to mutate and get resistant to the drugs. The clinicians have little to offer these patients with TDR-TB except for drastic surgeries and some relief medications.

TDR-TB cases were first reported in Iran in 2009 and India stands as the second country to report this scary form of TB and 12 TDR-TB cases have been reported in the last 3 months at Hinduja Hospitals in Mumbai. Of the 12 cases reported in Mumbai 83.3% of them were from the Mumbai city. Moreover, it is worrisome to note that the average age of the 12 patients is just about 32 years. The TDR-TB strains from the reported 12 patients were found to be resistant to all the first line drugs namely, streptomycin, isoniazid, rifampicin, ethambutol and pyrazinamide and second line drugs namely, ofloxacin, moxifloxacin, kanamycin, amikacin, capreomycin, para-aminosalicylic acid and ethionamide.

In the report published in the December 2011 issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases journal, the authors declare that the emergence of TDR-TB is the failure of overall health system. Only 1% of patients with drug resistant TB have access to second-line drugs provided by the government sector and the private sector has clinicians who do not follow appropriate guidelines for management of TB patients. According to an earlier study on the prescription pattern of clinicians in a particular area, less than 5% of clinicians prescribed the right drugs for drug-resistant patients.

For more details: Zarir F. Udwadia, Rohit A. Amale, Kanchan K. Ajbani, Camilla Rodrigues.Totally Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis in India. Clin Infect Dis. (2011)doi: 10.1093/cid/cir889. December 21, 2011

Related Posts:

1. MODS

2. XDR-TB & HIV - The Deadly Duo

Microbes can motivate too!

noreply@blogger.com (Vignesh) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 09:42:00 +0000

Be like a Vibrio

albeit curved

set things straight

like a smile;

motility an awesome sight

inspiring to dart a mile!

Be like a Mycobacterium

slow and steady

thick skinned to tough times;

tricks up the sleeve and ready

when confronted by slimes

Be like a HIV

break the rules to rewrite

the central dogma of life;

easy to mutate & with error-prone trait

surviving 3 decades of global strife

- Vignesh

2. Microbiology Poetry - HIV & TB

Videos for the Scientific Community

noreply@blogger.com (Vignesh) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 12:02:00 +0000

Check out this resourceful site (Labtube.tv) that has loads of videos related to science. The site features videos of

Scientific experiments
Training
Lectures
Interviews
Product Demos
Exhibition reviews
Company news

The site allows registered users to upload videos and also one can create channels for themselves and share videos to the interested scientific community.

Related Posts:
1. Seeing is Believeing - Journal of Visualised Experiments

Learn Microbiology Online - Certificate Cources (Distance Education)

noreply@blogger.com (Sekar) — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 07:32:00 +0000

The online microbiology courses have become popular in recent years because of the increase in the employment opportunities in this domain. Some of the various job profiles and industries that are available to the graduates of these programs may be mentioned as below:

Bacteriologists
Immunologists
Biomedical Scientists
Virologists
Medical Microbiologists
Marine Microbiologists
Biotechnologists
Pharmaceutical Manufacturing
Medical Research
Forensic Sciences

Online Microbiology Courses – Levels and Benefits

The internet based microbiology programs are offered at three levels - Associate, Bachelor and Masters. The strong course content and qualified faculty members ensure that students are able to achieve the desired objective after enrolling into these programs.

These programs also assist students in building the foundation necessary to successfully pursue professional courses in future. These courses are also helpful for students who are unable to enroll in colleges or institutes due to non-availability of these subjects in the curriculum.

Online Microbiology Courses – Tools and Media

The content of the online microbiology programs is delivered through platforms like video conferencing, blackboard learning systems, online seminars, live classrooms, chat forums to name a few.

The students are also required to participate in assignments and quizzes that help in evaluating their progress. Interactive sessions with fellow students through virtual discussion platform strengthen the overall academic process. At the end of the courses students also appear for test in order to earn the concerned degree.

Online Microbiology Courses – Types

There are 4 major types of microbiology programs that are offered on the internet:

Microbiology fundamentals courses: these programs offer introductory courses on microorganisms. There are various topics such as ecology, growth, diversity and genetics of the microorganisms. In addition the programs also cover diverse issues like fungal, viral and bacterial infection, immune response and microbial anatomy.
Microbiology courses for healthcare professionals: these programs are very helpful with regards to getting students prepared for graduate level courses in microbiology. The main topics covered in these courses are microbial morphology, ecology, physiology, bacterial metabolism and genetics.
Microbiology courses with medical emphasis: the students of microbiology courses meant for healthcare professionals deal with areas such as microbial pathogenesis, epidemiology, molecular biology, mammalian host resistance and immunology. They are provided with modules focusing on diseases that result from microorganisms and their diagnosis, prevention of infection and regular therapies and modes of treatment.
Environmental microbiology courses: in these courses students deal with microbial procedures and the way they function in artificial and natural settings. They deal with a wide range of subjects like enzyme and growth kinetics, parasitology and metabolic regulation, microbial and environmental interaction, industrial and soil microbiology and biogeochemical cycles

Institutes offering Online Microbiology Courses:

University of New England

The program is ideal for those who are planning a career expansion and want to pursue higher studies. Students who need an undergraduate course in this field of study in order to seek admission in post graduate level programs would be benefited for it. The program is spread over one semester and the students must have knowledge of introductory biology at college level. Some of the topics covered under this program are microbial morphology, bacterial metabolism, history of microbiology and genetics. These help the students in developing the required foundation to take on programs at professional level. The program also offers the support of a virtual laboratory. The course curriculum of this program is divided into five parts, which are infectious disease; microbial world; applied micro organism; life and death of microorganism; and microorganism and humans. The duration of this program is between 15-16 weeks.

Ocean County College

The college offers Associate of Science degree in Microbiology. In order to enable the students get an in-depth knowledge through online medium the college is work closely with Hands-On-Labs, Inc and McGraw-Hill publishing. The curriculum focuses in the microorganism and encompasses areas like microorganism identification, isolation and the control of microorganism. In order to enroll for this course program one is required to complete a course on human anatomy and physiology or any other similar course.

Colorado Community Colleges Online

Online microbiology courses are also offered by Colorado Community Colleges Online. The credits earned in the course will be transferred to other universities or public colleges in Colorado. This online microbiology course is a program under the Health Sciences. The course assists the students in understanding topics like cell reproduction, cell structure, microbial taxonomy and also bioenergetics. Some of the topics covered in the course are themes of microbiology; eucaryotic cells; physical and chemical control of microbes; microbial genetics; elements of microbial nutrition, ecology, and growth; and introduction to the viruses. The course also includes regular assignments and quizzes that are required to be submitted within the deadline. One must also purchase a laboratory kit in order to perform the lab work. This would help in developing the requisite technical skills like culturing, isolation, microscopy and also sterilization.

Montana State University

The US online university offers program in microbiology. The program comprises of three options, which are Medical Laboratory Science; Microbiology; and Environmental Health. The curriculum prepares the students to take higher role in the field of immunology, microbial genetics, virology, microbial ecology and medical microbiology. Some of the courses covered in these three options are Molecular & Cellular Biology; Calculus Technology; General Microbiology; Medical Bacteriology; Microbial Physiology; Introductory Psychology; General Biochemistry; Immunology; General Microbiology; Hematology; and Microbial Physiology.

Mid State Technical College

The college offers course in microbiology as a part of their nursing program. The course covers topics like metabolism, epidemiology, microbial structure, biotechnology, and genetics. The degree offered is Associate in Applied Science in Nursing. One must ensure that before talking this program one has the requisite knowledge in general biology, physiology, general anatomy and plant biology.

CAL Campus One of the online microbiology courses is conducted by CAL Campus. It is an accredited private institute. Fundamentals of Microbiology is one of the courses offered by this private online institute. The course is of 3 credits. It covers areas that give the students an insight about microorganism. It provides an understanding on the importance and role of microorganism in food, health and other related areas. The students must have prior knowledge in biology at the introductory level or should be pursuing it along with this course. On completion the students would be aware of the significance of these microorganisms in the life of humans and environment as a whole. The course would also impart the requisite knowledge regarding the role of bacteria, fungi and viruses in spreading illness and other hazards to human life. Another course offered is Basic Practical Microbiology Lab. The course may be recommended for those who have already undergone or are pursuing the fundamentals of microbiology course. The curriculum is designed to provide the students with the idea and skills necessary to perform in the microbiology laboratory. It is one credit course. The course is online and is delivered through PowerPoint presentation, virtual laboratory and other relevant medium as deemed necessary.
University of North Carolina Online

The online microbiology program of University of North Carolina Online is named Medical Microbiology and is offered through North Carolina State University. The course deals with the following areas:

Microbial pathogenesis
Prevention of microbial origin human diseases
Mammalian host resistance
Therapy of microbial origin human diseases
Diagnosis of microbial origin human diseases

Source: http://www.onlineeducationhub.com/education-courses/biology/microbiology

Scientist Cartoons / Jokes!

noreply@blogger.com (Vignesh) — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 11:59:00 +0000

VADLO is the FASTEST growing search engine in Biology, that allows scientists to search within four unique categories: Protocols, Products, Powerpoints, and Bioinformatics.

Protocols category lets you search for methods, techniques, assays, procedures, reagent recipes, plasmid maps, etc. Products category allows searching for commerically available life sciences research reagents. Powerpoints category finds powerpoint files for presentations, seminars, lectures and talks. Bioinformatics category caters calculators, servers, prediction tools, sequence alignment and manipulation tools, primer design etc. VADLO index is expanding everyday and your favorite link/s will be indexed pretty soon.

You will also find a number of “Life in Research” Cartoons, that will give you some light moments between intense scientific endeavours.

Related Posts:

1. Microbiology Jokes

2. Microbiology Cartoons

keywords: bacteria jokes, microbiology joke, microbiology jokes, biology joke, biology jokes, scientist joke, science jokes, bacteria cartoons, bacteria cartoon, microbiology cartoon, scientist cartoon, phd joke, phd cartoon, research jokes, phd cartoons

What to Expect in Microbiology Viva?

noreply@blogger.com (Vignesh) — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 17:32:00 +0000

Following is the list of a few not-to-be missed essential questions you can expect in a Microbiology viva. These set of questions would be useful to prepare answers for or revise before appearing for an oral exam.

Special Diagnosic Tests:

Schick test
Dick test
Weil-Felix test
Paul-Bunnel test
Tuberculin test
Sereney’s test
Phenol coefficient test
555 test
CAMP test
String test
Hair penetration test
Anton test
Chick Martin test
Rose Waaler test
Rideal Walker test
Resazurin test
Elek’s test
Diazo test
Heaf’s test

Phenomena/Reactions:

Kanagawa Phenomenon
Reynolds-Braude Phenomenon
Shultz- Dale phenomenon
Koch’s phenomenon
Quellung reaction
Strauss reaction
Nagler’s reaction
Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction
Pfeiffer’s reaction
Neil-Mooser reaction
M’Fadyean reaction

Expand:

HACEK MUG HUS PAS LGV GABA
PUO ONPG PPNG TSST CJD TRIC

DEC SSPE BALT MALT PPLO BCYE Agar
TORCH HDN CRP RSSE CLED TCBS

What is?

Vietnam Time bomb
NOMA
Break bone fever
Trench fever
Tularemia
Legionnaire’s disease
Larva migrans
X and V factor
Alpha prime haemolysis
Macfarland standard
Breakpoint of an antimicrobial agent
Heteroresistance, its mechanism and how it is detected
Metachromatic granules and their staining method
Principle of TSI test
Prozone phenomenon
VDRL, its other name
Second line anti-tuberculosis drugs
Pontiac fever
Kuru’s disease
Kyasanur forest disease
Passenger virus
Tzanck smear
Shocking dose
Kauffmann-White scheme
Kupffer cells
Ghon focus
Reiter syndrome
Negri bodies
Fuller method
Carrion’s disease
Slapped cheek disease
Kissing disease
Vincent’s angina
Myasthenia gravis

Volunteers interested in preparing answers for the questions listed above & sharing with iYi readers, welcome!

HIV Progression - Genetic fossils show way!

noreply@blogger.com (Vignesh) — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 15:53:00 +0000

Human DNA contains the remnants of ancient retro viruses known as human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs), which are genetic fossils, that under normal circumstances remain dormant and always genetically stable. In earlier work, a team of researchers led by Douglas Nixon of the University of California, San Francisco, showed that HIV infection activates HERVs that lie inside HIV-infected cells in some individuals (but not those in non-infected cells), by interfering with regulatory compounds that normally prevent expression of these HERVs. The activated HERVs produce proteins that attract immune system T cells to the HIV-infected cells, targeting them for destruction.

In a recent publication in Journal of Virology, research team from the the University of California, San Francisco led by Dr.Devi SenGupta has extended these findings to include individuals who have long-term chronic HIV-1 infection. They compared the responses of a tiny subset of individuals who are unique in their ability to suppress the virus indefinitely without the aid of combination therapy to those of patients on highly active antiretroviral therapy, virologic non-controllers, immunologic progressors, and uninfected controls. They have demonstrated that a strong anti-HERV response corresponds to a lower viral load, and a higher CD4+ T cell count. Interestingly, strongest HERV responses were observed in the controllers who lack HLA alleles that are associated with protection from HIV-1 disease progression, suggesting that there may be an alternative mechanism of HIV control (such as HERV-specific cytotoxic T cells) in these controllers. According to the researchers, a vaccination targeting proteins produced by the HERV genes could probably help the immune system keep HIV in check.

For more details:

D. SenGupta, R. Tandon, R. G. S. Vieira, L. C. Ndhlovu, R. Lown-Hecht, C. E. Ormsby, L. Loh, R. B. Jones, K. E. Garrison, J. N. Martin, V. A. York, G. Spotts, G. Reyes-Teran, M. A. Ostrowski, F. M. Hecht, S. G. Deeks, D. F. Nixon. Strong Human Endogenous Retrovirus-Specific T Cell Responses Are Associated with Control of HIV-1 in Chronic Infection. Journal of Virology, 2011; 85 (14): 6977 DOI: 10.1128/JVI.00179-11

HIV SCIENCE 2012 - International Science Symposium on HIV & Infectious Diseases

noreply@blogger.com (Vignesh) — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 07:31:00 +0000

The 4th National and 1st International Science Symposium on HIV & Infectious Diseases will cover various topics encompassing HIV epidemiology, pathogenesis, host-virus interactions, immune responses to infection, disease progression, opportunistic infections, co-infections, current treatment strategy, natural history, vaccines and other infectious diseases not limited to STDs, TB and viral hepatitis. The variety of scientific sessions planned for this symposium would meet the needs of various participants.

Several national and international experts / scientists will speak on the recent development and updates on the HIV/AIDS and other key infectious diseases. Interaction between the participants and experts will be encouraged through question & answer sessions and panel discussion in the symposium.

Registration
The registration details and online form are available at http://HIVSCIENCE.yrgcare.org/ and the registration (about 400) is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Scholarship (for Students)

Scholarships will be provided to a limited number of selected students with good track record. The application for the scholarship is available on the website.

Abstract submission

Research abstracts (Basic Science, Clinical Science and Social Science) in the following broad fields are invited:

• HIV / AIDS
• STDs
• TB
• Viral hepatitis
• Other infectious diseases

Abstracts submitted must be original and must not have been previously published elsewhere and selected abstracts can be presented as poster on the specific day of symposium.

The abstracts presented in this symposium will be published in the PubMed indexed journal, BMC Infectious Diseases (Impact Factor 2.83) after peer-review by journal’s editorial board.

Symposium Venue
Vigyan Auditorium, CSIR - SERC
Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Campus, Taramani, Chennai - 600113, India. Landmark: Opposite to Ascendas IT Park.

For more info
Please visit symposium webpage: http://HIVSCIENCE.yrgcare.org/
Follow updates of HIVSCIENCE at Facebook & Twitter

Or write to
The Symposium Secretariat
HIV SCIENCE 2012
YRG Centre for AIDS Research and Education
Voluntary Health Services Hospital Campus
Taramani, Chennai - 600 113, INDIA
eMail: HIVSymposium@yrgcare.org
Tel: +91-44-39106800/01/02
Hours of Operation: 9 am- 6 pm IST

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Upcoming National level Seminar & Workshop

noreply@blogger.com (Vignesh) — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 07:35:00 +0000

Mark your calendar for the upcoming National level academic events organized by the Department of Biotechnology, AMET University, Chennai.

1. National Level Seminar on Carbon Management in the Current Global Scenario - October 20, 2011. (This seminar is being organized in association with Lions Club International)

The significance of carbon management in today's world cannot be overestimated; carbon is ubiquitous and its presence affects every part of life and every lifestyle. Recognition of the magnitude of the problem posed by climate change resulting from rising levels of carbon dioxide has led to unprecedented international efforts to address the issue. However, many uncertainties and controversies about the cause and effect relationships between the natural carbon cycle and anthropogenic influences remain, and the urgent demand for effective mechanisms to mitigate and prevent further increases in greenhouse gas emissions is growing. In this context, our Department is planning to invite Subject Experts and young scientists in this research area to introduce and discuss this important phenomenon, carbon management. This would create the awareness among young students to SAVE OUR MOTHER EARTH.

2. National Level Workshop on Techniques in Bioactive Metabolites from Marine and other Bioresources, November 7-11, 2011.

Research on Bioactive metabolites has always been a fascinating field which utilizes the principles of Biology and Chemistry. Search of novel bioactive metabolites from various biological resources are essentially needed for the new drug discovery programs, development of useful bioproducts etc. Various metabolic groups such as alkaloids, flavanoids, saponins, terpenoids, phenolics, quinines and peptides were found to have various biological activities such as anti-microbial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antioxidant, antihelminthic, antiviral, wound healing, hepato-protective, hypoglycemic, cardiopretective etc.

A beginner in research field who is intended to take up natural product research has to have knowledge on the techniques such as extraction, purification and bioactivity evaluation. This workshop would provide a basic introduction to the drug discovery programs. The technical aspects of the workshop covers the broad area of techniques related to bioactive me bioactive metabolites and their bioactivities. Marine bioresources are potential choices for the discovery of novel bioactive metabolites. Separate technical considerations are required to work with marine biological materials. This workshop would provide technical; training in working with marine and other terrestrial bioresources for the extraction of bioactive metabolites.

For more details, please click on the event titles for detailed brochure or contact

Prof. Dr. A. Jaffar Hussain

Special Officer & Dean Life Sciences

AMET University

Kanathur, Chennai-603112

Mob: +91 9444065432/+91 9840529274

E.mail: ametmarinebiotech@gmail.com

Workshop on “Advanced Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics

noreply@blogger.com (Vignesh) — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 09:51:00 +0000

Labindia is organising a comprehensive training program for biotechnology students in advance molecular biology and bioinformatics. The program comprises basic and advanced modules to cater both beginners and experts in the field. The key objective of the training program is to provide hands on experience along with delivery of course lecture and course study materials.

Who should attend?

UG/PG students with background of biotechnology or other life sciences

Teaching faculty:

Teaching faculty will be from both industry and academia

Topics covered:

• Extraction of plant genomic DNA

• Extraction of Bacterial genomic DNA
• Extraction of Blood DNA
• Extraction of total RNA
• Estimation of DNA/RNA, purity and concentration check
• Fractionation of DNA fragments using agarose gel electrophoresis
• Molecular size determination using DNA ladders
• Elution of DNA from the Gel.
• PCR amplification of DNA
• Multiplex PCR
• Transformation of competent bacterial cells
• Expression of cloned genes in bacteria
• Important databases in biotechnology
• Literature mining on the net
• Tools and Techniques in Bioinformatics.

Workshop Dates:

1. 20-24 Sep 2011

2. 11-15 Oct 2011

3. 20-24 Dec 2011

How to Apply?

Interested candidates can apply by sending filled application form along with the DD of Rs.5000 (includes working lunch and tea) latest by 1st Sep 2011 in favour of "Labindia Instruments Pvt. Ltd", Thane.

For more details, please visit www.labindia-gpod.com

Contact details:

Advanced Molecular biology lab

4th Floor, RajivGandhi Institute of IT &BT,

Near Katraj Dairy, Bharathi Vidyapeeth campus,

Katraj, Pune-411043

Ms.Supriya Adake (supriya@labindia-gpod.com)

Mr. Piyush Kumar Pamecha (Piyush@labindia-gpod.com)

keywords: Labindia, workshop, biotechnology, bioinformatics, lifesciences, training, workshops, lab india, Advanced molecular biology, molecular biology

Inaccurate blood tests for active TB - WHO warns!

noreply@blogger.com (Vignesh) — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 05:28:00 +0000

Tuberculosis (TB) kills 1.7 million people every year, and this antiquated disease remains the major killer of people living with HIV. Improving the early and effective diagnosis of TB is a priority action for WHO and the international TB community. TB research is currently underway to bring better and more rapid tests that are easy to administer, effective and accurate.

Testing for active TB disease through antibodies or antigens in the blood is extremely complicated. Antibodies may also develop against other organisms which could lead to false positive result for active TB. Moreover, different organisms share the same antigens, making tests results unreliable and these factors might lead to TB disease not being identified or wrongly diagnosed.

According to Dr Mario Raviglione, Director of WHO Stop TB Department, “WHO is calling for an end to the use of these serological tests to diagnose tuberculosis in the best interests of patients and caregivers in the private and public health sectors”. He also added that, “A blood test for diagnosing active TB disease is bad practice and these test results are inconsistent, imprecise and put patients' lives in danger."

The new recommendation comes as a result of 12 months of rigorous analysis of evidence by WHO and global experts. Ninety-four studies were evaluated - 67 for pulmonary TB and 27 for extrapulmonary TB. The blood tests were observed to give an unacceptable level of wrong results - false-positives or false-negatives – when compared to tests endorsed by WHO.

The research revealed "low sensitivity" in commercial blood tests which leads to an unacceptably high number of patients given false-negative results when in reality they have active TB, which could result in the transmission of the disease to others in the community. It also revealed "low specificity", which leads to an unacceptably high number of patients being wrongly diagnosed with TB (false positive) when in reality they do not have active TB. Moreover, these inaccurate blood tests are expensive and patients have to pay up to US$30 per test.

Thus, WHO is urging countries to ban the inaccurate and unapproved blood tests and instead rely on accurate microbiological or molecular tests, as recommended by WHO.

1. XDR-TB & HIV - Deadly Duo!

2. MODS

Women in Microbiology

noreply@blogger.com (Vignesh) — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 08:33:00 +0000

Now, we look up to them as role-models. The world of science lauded them for their path-breaking discoveries. We must be inspired by their commitment and astuteness which helped them emerge successfully in their walk of life.

The following are a ‘few’ outstanding contributions made by women to the science of microbiology and genetics.

Dorothy Hodgkin (1910-1994) made the first X-ray diffraction studies of penicillin and vitamin B12 and solved their structure. She won a nobel prize in 1964 in recognition of her contribution to science.

Rosalind Franklin (1920-1958) is best known for her work on the X-ray diffraction images of DNA. Her data was a part of the data used to formulate Crick and Watson's model for DNA structure.

Prof. Nancy Millis, a specialist in microbiology and biochemistry, is known for her ground-breaking research into water quality and water treatment.

Barbara McClintock is credited with the discovery of mobile genetic elements that tend to move between locations in the genome. She was also responsible for demonstration of different basic genetic phenomena including meiotic crossing over and elaborated on the roles of centromeres and telomeres. She was the recipient of the Nobel Prize in 1983 for her discovery of transposition.

Martha Cowles Chase worked with Alfred Hershey to conduct one of the most famous experiments in biology in the 20th century. This experiment was conducted to demonstrate the genetic properties of the DNA over proteins.

Rebecca Craighill Lancefield (1895-1981). Developed a system of classification for Group A streptococcal bacteria - the Lancefield Grouping - which identifies bacteria including those causing scarlet fever, sore throat and erysipelas.

Margaret Pittman (1901-1995). Identified the cause of whooping cough, which led to the development of an improved vaccine.

- Dr. Harini Laxminarayan

Microbiology Gordon Research Conferences 2011 & 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Nagarajan Abimanyu) — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 13:25:00 +0000

Welcome to the Gordon Research Conferences (GRC), a non-profit organization managed by and for the benefit of the scientific community. The Gordon Research Conferences provide an international forum for the presentation and discussion of frontier research in the biological, chemical, and physical sciences, and their related technologies.

Gordon Research Conferences in 2011 and 2012

GRC is organizing over 460 Conferences and Seminars in 2011 and 2012. Meetings will be held in California, New England, Texas and North Carolina in the United States and internationally in Italy, China, and Switzerland.

For over 75 years, GRC's high-quality, cost-effective meetings have been recognized as the world's premier scientific conferences, where leading investigators from around the globe discuss their latest work and future challenges in a uniquely informal, interactive format. Apply to a Gordon Research Conference now and see why attendees consistently rate them "the best conference I've attended this year".

Short Animation: Bacteriophage - Lytic Cycle

noreply@blogger.com (IfuM52) — Mon, 16 May 2011 14:07:00 +0000

My second microbiology related animated video... took hours to make, enjoy and learn.
Will be making more in future. Also will write more blog in a few days. Stay tuned.

Short Animation: Predation - Bdellovibrio

noreply@blogger.com (IfuM52) — Tue, 03 May 2011 18:04:00 +0000

Hey guys its IfuM again.. hope you liked my first blog.. if you haven't yet checked it out yet, check it now!
In this blog I would like to share a short animation video which I made.
Its about the predatory bacteria, Bdellovibrio.
Enjoy the video :)

"A short animation about my one of the favorite bacteria - Bdellovibrio. I am not very good at animation but did a little editing and added very few effects. Hope you like it. Will be making more videos in future."

Related posts:

1. Microbiology Videos
2. Microbiology Cartoons
3. Microbiology Animations

What do I like about Microbiology? [By IfuM]

noreply@blogger.com (IfuM52) — Sun, 01 May 2011 12:57:00 +0000

Hi, guys this is Mufaddal 'IfuM' Dewaswala, and I will share with you guys what I really like about microbiology.

P.S. This would be my first blog so just read and enjoy it, don’t mind any mistakes.

I won’t be covering the uses and applications of microbiology because those things are very boring, and we hear those things all the time.

However I would like to share a story of my senior/friend with you guys. Ok, it goes like this, my friend named Ojas N. was once in a shopping market and he was at the cheese section, and he pulled out a cheese packet and a boy (I think he was his brother or something) told him not to buy it because it had the "Non-vegetarian sign" on it and told him that the product had "eggs". To which Ojas replied "No, cheese dont have eggs in them. The 'Non-vegetarian' sign are for the cheeses that include animal rennet." Well, the story ends here, don’t worry, it has a moral. The moral which Ojas told us was that if it wasn’t for microbiology he wouldn’t have ever known about the fact of the cheese and rennet.

Now coming back to things I like about microbiology.

The first thing that amazes me are the microorganisms itself. Studying creatures which are not even seen with out naked eyes. Microorganisms, their life cycle, their food, their behavior. And their interaction with other organisms is also very interesting. 3 broadly classified interaction would be Predators, Mutualists and Pathogens.

The one which I like most are the predatory bacteria. There are many predatory bacteria e.g. Myxococcus xanthus, Vampirococcus, Bdellovibrio etc. Out of which the one which I like most is Bdellovibrio which enters the host cell and destroys it completely.[Video here]

Tetanus? Pneumonia? Diphtheria? Cholera? Plague? Ever heard these names before? Not just heard but you may also suffered from some of these diseases.

These are all of course caused by microbes. Learning about them, how do they cause disease, what can we do to stop them (after an infection), what does our body do to protect itself from these harmful microbes. So you can add immunology and medical microbiology as the reasons for liking microbiology.

[An interesting 'Parasitology' based image and information here]

Now lastly, I like Virology, study of viruses. Viruses? What is so special about them you ask? They are one of the smallest organisms on earth and they are also the ones which cause the deadliest of diseases. Example AIDS which is caused by HIV, it is not curable but it is treatable. And the rabies virus which is a neurotropic virus (a virus which is capable of infecting nerve cells) which is capable of killing some mammals within weeks.

So these are the reasons why I like microbiology. There are various other topics/things about microbiology which are pretty interesting.

In conclusion, microorganisms are everywhere and it feels very good to learn about them. Food, medicines and even computers are making use of them. Example my new washing machine has a 'Germ Free' technology which uses UV light to kill microorganisms. Just try and look for things around you which are related to microorganisms and I am sure you will find innumerous things…

Image Challenge 24 - Identify the object

noreply@blogger.com (Vignesh) — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 07:17:00 +0000

Image courtesy: DPDx

A wildlife photographer returning from central Africa had episodes of high fever and body pain.Blood smears were requested by the physician and Giemsa-stained thick and thin blood smears were examined.

Based on the above images captured from thick and thin smears,
what is your diagnosis and based on what criteria?

Enter your answers in comments section.
First 3 correct answers will receive surprise gifts !

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Probiotics - the promise ahead

noreply@blogger.com (Vignesh) — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 04:03:00 +0000

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are reportedly the most common bacterial infection and owing to the anatomical differences and shorter urethra, women are significantly more likely to experience UTI than men. Nearly 1 in 3 women would have had at least 1 episode of UTI requiring antimicrobial therapy by the age of 24 years and almost half of all women would have experienced 1 UTI during their lifetime. In women, UTIs recur affecting 2 to 3 percent of all women.

Depletion of lactobacilli, the normal microflora of vagina is one of the factors associated with UTI risk. To investigate the hypothesis that replenishing these microbial flora could be beneficial, a double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted and the results are published in the recent issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases. 100 young women with recurrent UTIs receiving antibiotic therapy for acute UTIs were randomised to receive either a Lactobacillus intra-vaginal probiotic called LACTIN-V or a placebo for 5 days, then once in 7 days for 10 weeks.

Of the study participations 50 received the probiotic and 50 were on placebo. 26% of women in the placebo arm had at least one UTI as against the probiotic arm, where only 7 (14%) women had UTI. The results thereby suggest that the use of probiotics could be beneficial and might reduce recurrent UTIs in women. Further clinical trials are needed to study the efficacy of these probiotics which would be a welcome change as against the use of antibiotic therapy with the risks of developing drug resistance and side effects.

Reference : A. E. Stapleton, M. Au-Yeung, T. M. Hooton, D. N. Fredricks, P. L. Roberts, C. A. Czaja, Y. Yarova-Yarovaya, T. Fiedler, M. Cox, W. E. Stamm. Randomized, Placebo-controlled Phase 2 Trial of a Lactobacillus crispatus Probiotic Given Intravaginally for Prevention of Recurrent Urinary Tract Infection. Clinical Infectious Diseases, 2011

GCLP Workshop 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Vignesh) — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 03:16:00 +0000

Good Clinical Laboratory Practices (GCLP) outline the principles and procedures to be followed by medical laboratories involved in patient care and/or clinical research so as to provide consistent, reproducible, auditable, and reliable laboratory results; which contribute to good patient care and promote a positive attitude toward testing from a patient’s perspective. This workshop is designed to offer comprehensive guidance for those who are implementing GCLP in their laboratories.

Date: 24-26^th June, 2011
Venue: TICEL Biopark, CSIR Road, Taramani, Chennai

Who should Participate?

This workshop is designed for following professionals:

Microbiologists, Pathologists and Biochemists.
Lab Directors / Managers and Laboratory Technologists.
QA/QC personnel, Quality Officers and Quality Managers.
Professionals associated with clinical laboratory management and accreditation.

Only those who are currently engaged in the diagnostic lab or clinical research are encouraged to participate in this workshop and students are not eligible.

Completed Registration form has to be forwarded to Workshop Co-ordinator along with prescribed Fee of Rs.3500/-(rupees three thousand five hundred only) in the form of DD. DD should be drawn in favor of “YRG CARE” payable at Chennai. The fee includes registration, workshop materials, refreshments, breakfast and lunch provided during the workshop.

The seats are restricted to 60 and participants will be registered on “first-come, first-served basis”. The registration DOES NOT cover accommodation, however, assistance will be provided for arrangement of accommodation on request.

The participants will be awarded certificate of participation. Attendance is compulsory for the whole duration of workshop.

Workshop Brochure / Registration form

For further details, please visit http://yrgcare.org/gclp or contact

Workshop Secretariat:

Mr. J. Mohanakrishnan, M.Sc/ Mr. P. Nandagopal, M.Sc
GCLP Workshop Joint Organizing Secretaries
YRG CARE, Voluntary Health Services
Taramani, Chennai - 600113.
Phone: 39106800 / 39106803
eMail: GCLP@yrgcare.org

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Infobank on Diseases & Diagnostic Procedures

noreply@blogger.com (Swathirajan.C.R.) — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 12:18:00 +0000

While having a doctor in every house is almost impossible, the dream of Gates opened gates to acquiring a computer in almost every house, even in resource-strapped settings. Now every field of science is accessible by a click of mouse and authentic websites such as that of NIH (national Institute of Health) provide dearth of valuable information on various diseases, right from what does an infection is all about? to its complications, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment, Prevention and conclusion of almost all the diseases in a simplified manner to easily understand and learn.

For each disease and diagnostic procedures, there are tutorials available in text, graphical, audio and video formats.

Tests and Diagnostic Procedures:

Diseases and Conditions:

Questions in Medical Parasitology - Ask the Expert

noreply@blogger.com (Sekar) — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 15:09:00 +0000

Ask your questions in Medical Parasitology in the comments section and get clarified from your query by our experts in the specified discipline.

Interesting questions along with answers will be published in comments section as early as possible.

The viewers are requested to restrict the question to Medical Parasitology, since questions regarding General Microbiology, Immunology, Bacteriology, Virology and Mycology are posted as separate.

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Questions in Medical Mycology - Ask the Expert

noreply@blogger.com (Sekar) — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 15:05:00 +0000

Ask your questions in Medical Mycology in the comments section and get clarified from your query by our experts in the specified discipline.

Interesting questions along with answers will be published in comments section as early as possible.

The viewers are requested to restrict the question to Medical Mycology, since questions regarding General Microbiology, Immunology, Bacteriology, Virology and Parasitology are posted as separate.

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Questions in Medical Virology - Ask the Expert

noreply@blogger.com (Sekar) — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 15:00:00 +0000

Ask your questions in Medical Virology in the comments section and get clarified from your query by our experts in the specified discipline.

Interesting questions along with answers will be published in comments section as early as possible.

The viewers are requested to restrict the question to Medical Virology, since questions regarding General Microbiology, Immunology, Bacteriology, Mycology and Parasitology are posted as separate.

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Questions in Medical Bacteriology - Ask the Expert

noreply@blogger.com (Sekar) — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 14:56:00 +0000

Ask your questions in Medical Bacteriology in the comments section and get clarified from your query by our experts in the specified discipline.

Interesting questions along with answers will be published in comments section as early as possible.

The viewers are requested to restrict the question to Bacteriology, since questions regarding General Microbiology, Immunology, Virology, Mycology and Parasitology are posted as separate.

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Questions in Immunology - Ask the Expert

noreply@blogger.com (Sekar) — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 14:43:00 +0000

Ask your questions in Immunology in the comments section and get clarified from your query by our experts in the specified discipline.

Interesting questions along with answers will be published in the comments section as early as possible.

The viewers are requested to restrict the question to Immunology, since questions regarding General Microbiology, Bacteriology, Virology, Mycology and Parasitology are posted as separate.

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Questions in Medical Bacteriology
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Questions in Medical Parasitology