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Microbiology News Archive

Photo from left to right: Nicole Rutbeek (MSc Microbiology - UM, current position: PhD student, University of Copenhagen Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research) Tasneem Hassan Muna (MSc Microbiology - UM, first author on the study) Gerd Prehna (Associate Professor Dept. of Microbiology, Principal Investigator) Julia Horne (Undergraduate student, Faculty of Science UM - current)

Faculty of Science

UM students discover a new protein while investigating the question: “Why does Streptococcus make you sick?”

February 7, 2025 — 
Strep throat, something we’ve all had at some point in our lives, is caused by the bacteria Streptococcus pyogenes. Infection by Streptococcus can be fatal in serious cases and is the leading cause of death among flesh-eating diseases resulting in over half a million deaths annually. That scratchy, sore feeling at the back of your throat is a result of Streptococcus pyogenes infected by viruses called bacteriophages. These “phages” carry the genes for toxins that are responsible for strep throat, and when they invade Streptococcus pyogenes, they transfer these genes, enhancing the bacterium’s ability to cause infection.

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A volunteer creating a big soap and water bubble around a little kid.

Faculty of Science

Volunteer with Science Rendezvous 2025

January 10, 2025 — 
Science Rendezvous 2025 volunteer applications are now open!

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From left to right Julieta Novomisky Nechcoff, Dr. Silvia T. Cardona, Dr. ASM Zisanur Rahman.

Faculty of Science

UM Scientists’ recent discovery opens up possibilities for developing a new antibiotic through AI

December 11, 2024 — 
Dr. ASM Zisanur Rahman, Julieta Novomisky Nechcoff, and Dr. Silvia T. Cardona have recently published their article, "Rationally designed pooled CRISPRi-seq uncovers an inhibitor of bacterial peptidyl-tRNA hydrolase" in Cell Reports. In this study, the team created a collection of bacterial mutants to help them understand how a new type of antimicrobial molecule, discovered with their artificial intelligence tools, stops bacteria from growing. Their research has now identified a unique combination of a compound and its bacterial target, opening up exciting possibilities for developing a new antibiotic. In this interview, we talk with Cardona, a professor and associate head graduate in the Department of Microbiology and an expert in antibiotic discovery to provide a deeper understanding of her research and recent work.

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UM Prairie iGEM group photo.

Faculty of Science

Thought compostable PLA plastics was the solution to sustainability? Think again!

December 9, 2024 — 
Although sustainability seems to be the new trend, plastic pollution still remains a great threat to the environment and human health. Turns out those compostable coffee cups and food containers are rarely degraded even in standard composting conditions. The UM Prairie iGEM team strives to solve this problem and received the gold medal for the best new basic part award in the 2024 Grand Jamboree - the world expo of synthetic biology!

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2024 JELF recipient headshots

Research and International

UM researchers receive more than $1.5 million infrastructure investment from the John R. Evans Leaders Fund

September 26, 2024 — 
Eight new UM research project have received critical infrastructure funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation John R. Evans Leaders Fund.

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Dr. Ayush Kumar.

Rady Faculty of Health Sciences

Medscape: Canada’s First Nations Communities Call for Clean Water

September 23, 2024 — 
Canada's First Nations Communities Call for Clean Water

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Clayton H. Riddell Faculty of Environment, Earth, and Resources

Research for the greater good

September 4, 2024 — 
In a collaborative effort to raise awareness about water justice and injustices, Senior Fellow and Distinguished Professor in the Faculty of Arts Dr. Adele Perry spearheads an interdisciplinary research project titled “Just Waters: Thinking with Hydro-Social Relations for a More Just and Sustainable World.”

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a male athlete sits on steps, holding injured knee

Provost and Vice-President (Academic)

Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Support Fund recipients announced

August 29, 2024 — 
The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) Support Fund provides opportunities for professors, instructors and librarians to undertake projects that increase knowledge in pedagogy and learning. This year, six awards of $6,000 and one major award of $25,000 were awarded. Learn about Dr. Jason Peeler's research to improve clinical skills training in the area of musculoskeletal medicine.

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Peter Pelka, professor at the department of microbiology, sitting near a desk with a microscope on it at a lab.

Faculty of Science

Get to know Peter Pelka and his vision for the future of vaccine research

August 2, 2024 — 
In studying how adenovirus interacts with the host cell, Peter Pelka a professor at the department of microbiology and his team, explore how they can learn more about cancer development using the virus. Pelka is one of the prominent researchers who has participated in establishing the Prairie Pandemic Preparedness Hub, including the University of Manitoba, Alberta, Calgary and Saskatchewan. The hub has recently received $57 million for both research and infrastructure aspects from the Government of Canada to lead Canada toward independence in vaccine research and manufacturing.

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Shubhneet Thind, smiling at the camera, standing in a biochemistry lab.

Faculty of Science

An interdisciplinary lab develops a non-invasive, inexpensive and efficient method to detect an incurable disease in young infants

July 25, 2024 — 
The Laboratory for Bioanalytics and Electrochemical Sensing at the University of Manitoba has developed a novel approach to detect an incurable disease in young infants in a non-invasive, inexpensive and efficient manner.

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