Host-pathogen interactions are the dynamic, reciprocal biological processes that occur between a host organism and an invading pathogen, encompassing molecular recognition, immune sensing, signaling, and effector responses, as well as pathogen strategies for attachment, invasion, replication, and immune evasion. These interactions involve pattern recognition receptors (e.g., Toll-like, NOD-like, and RIG-I-like receptors), pathogen-associated molecular patterns, and downstream signaling pathways that regulate inflammation, cell death, and antimicrobial defenses. Concurrently, pathogens deploy virulence factors, secretion systems, and immune-modulatory molecules to manipulate host cell pathways, subvert immunity, and optimize their survival, replication, and transmission, thereby determining infection outcomes and disease pathogenesis.
As antimicrobial resistance grows around the world, novel therapies to counter it become increasingly important. Phages—viruses that infect bacteria—are an exciting avenue of research in this regard, providing a means to ...
Cell & Microbiology
Aug 19, 2026
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30
Tick-borne diseases are on the rise in the United States. Lyme disease is the most commonly reported, with nearly half a million people diagnosed each year. Caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, it is most often spread ...
Ecology
Aug 17, 2026
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274
Every 15 minutes, someone in the U.S. dies from a drug-resistant superbug. A few decades from now, antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections threaten to become the leading cause of death worldwide, outpacing cancer.
Cell & Microbiology
Aug 13, 2026
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24
Mitochondria are often called the powerhouses of the cell. But their ancient origins may also make them drivers of inflammation. Researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago have discovered that proteins released from ...
Cell & Microbiology
Aug 11, 2026
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150
For most healthy people, Cryptococcus is an unnoticed infection. The immune system walls it off in the lungs and keeps it dormant for life. But in patients undergoing cancer chemotherapy, recovering from an organ transplant, ...
Cell & Microbiology
Aug 10, 2026
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13
An international research team led by plant scientist Professor Dr. Bart Thomma of the Institute of Plant Sciences at the University of Cologne, the MiBiNet Collaborative Research Center and the CEPLAS Cluster of Excellence ...
Molecular & Computational biology
Aug 7, 2026
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11
Lethal bird flu is now spreading in Australia. This is bad news for many native species.
Plants & Animals
Aug 6, 2026
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6
The last time you had a cold sore, you might have fretted about how long it would hang around. Perhaps you avoided reflective surfaces. It's unlikely you worried about dying from it.
Plants & Animals
Aug 4, 2026
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11
A research team led by Kazuyoshi Murata has discovered that virus-like particles (VLPs) of human norovirus genotype GII.3 are not structurally rigid, but can adopt two distinct conformational states, similar to those previously ...
Molecular & Computational biology
Aug 4, 2026
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9
Fungal diseases that affect grain crops can be devastating to global agriculture and food security. Fungicides are the most common preventive measure, but as fungal diseases become more prevalent, the pathogens become increasingly ...
Molecular & Computational biology
Aug 4, 2026
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4
