https://phys.org/ en-us Latest news from Forsyth Institute Scientists have identified many types of bacteria in the mouth, but many problems remain in understanding how they work with one another. One of the problems is that microbes assemble themselves into densely packed multi-species biofilms. Their density and complexity pose acute difficulties for visualizing individual cells and analyzing their interactions at single-cell level. https://phys.org/news/2024-11-imaging-approach-scientists-microbial-adhesive.html Cell & Microbiology Mon, 18 Nov 2024 15:57:26 EST news651167843 In a study published in the Journal of Oral Microbiology, ADA Forsyth scientists found that FP 100 (Hygromycin A), a first-in-class, small molecule, narrow-spectrum antibiotic, successfully eradicates Fusobacterium nucleatum without harming the oral or gut microbiomes. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-09-narrow-spectrum-antibiotic-successfully-fusobacterium.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Wed, 04 Sep 2024 13:14:55 EDT news644674491 Scientists at ADA Forsyth Institute (AFI) have identified a critical factor that may contribute to the spread of hospital-acquired infections (HAIs), shedding light on why these infections are so difficult to combat. Their study reveals that the dangerous multidrug resistant (MDR) pathogen, Klebsiella, thrives under nutrient-deprived polymicrobial community conditions found in hospital environments. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-07-scientists-transmission-factor-hospital-klebsiella.html Medical research Mon, 22 Jul 2024 12:32:09 EDT news640870327 One of the most abundant and deadliest organisms on Earth is a virus called a bacteriophage (phage). These predators have lethal precision against their targets—not humans, but bacteria. Different phages have evolved to target different bacteria and play a critical role in microbial ecology. Recently, ADA Forsyth scientists exploring the complex interactions of microbes in the oral microbiome discovered a third player influencing the phage-bacterial arms race—ultrasmall bacterial parasites, called Saccharibacteria or TM7. https://phys.org/news/2024-04-scientists-phage-resistance-mechanism-bacterial.html Cell & Microbiology Mon, 08 Apr 2024 15:00:01 EDT news631784461 A team of researchers from the ADA Forsyth Institute and University of North Carolina (UNC), Chapel Hill used single-cell transcriptomic analysis to successfully map dental pulp stem cells (DPSC) and periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSC) and found remarkable differences between them. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-01-entire-genome-oral-stem-cells.html Dentistry Tue, 16 Jan 2024 17:18:02 EST news624647881 Want to avoid a root canal? In the future, you might be able to opt for tissue regeneration instead. ADA Forsyth scientists are testing a novel technology to treat endodontic diseases (diseases of the soft tissue or pulp in your teeth) more effectively. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2023-12-scientists-tissue-regeneration-root-canal.html Dentistry Fri, 01 Dec 2023 15:08:27 EST news620665693 Although most people don't associate oral disease with serious health problems, increasing evidence shows that oral bacteria play a significant role in systemic diseases like colon cancer and heart disease. Now, new research from the Forsyth Institute shows a link between periodontal (gum) disease and the formation of amyloid plaque, a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2023-07-links-gum-disease-buildup-alzheimer.html Alzheimer's disease & dementia Mon, 10 Jul 2023 15:57:03 EDT news608223421 No one likes getting stuck with a needle, and hopefully in the future you won't have to. Imagine going to the dentist for a cleaning, giving a sample of your saliva, and coming out of the appointment with comprehensive information on your oral health—your risk for cavities and gum disease—and on systemic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. This kind of diagnostic tool would revolutionize oral care, and provide early detection of disease without the pain, hassle, and cost of bloodwork. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2023-05-application-crispr-based-rapid-technology-potential.html Dentistry Thu, 11 May 2023 16:08:00 EDT news603040075 Researchers at the Forsyth Institute have discovered an important mechanism that may have profound implications for how we prevent colorectal cancer. Oddly enough, their discovery began in the mouth. https://phys.org/news/2023-04-microbiologists-regulatory-mechanism-cancer-causing-bacteria.html Cell & Microbiology Tue, 04 Apr 2023 16:08:35 EDT news599843312 As any weekend warrior understands, cartilage injuries to joints such as knees, shoulders, and hips can prove extremely painful and debilitating. In addition, conditions that cause cartilage degeneration, like arthritis and temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ), affect 350 million people in the world and cost the U.S. public health system more than $303 billion every year. Patients suffering from these conditions experience increased pain and discomfort over time. https://phys.org/news/2022-11-scientists-mechanism-generate-cartilage-cells.html Cell & Microbiology Wed, 30 Nov 2022 14:00:01 EST news589026371 The microbes that live inside our mouths, collectively known as the oral microbiome, impact our overall health in many ways that are not yet fully understood. Some bacteria cause inflammation, leading to periodontitis and other systemic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Other oral organisms have been associated with certain types of cancer. Scientists are working to understand how these microbes interact with one another and our bodies to tease out their individual roles in health and disease. https://phys.org/news/2022-01-gain-insights-ultrasmall-bacteria-environment.html Cell & Microbiology Mon, 03 Jan 2022 16:04:02 EST news560448234 People with periodontitis are at higher risk of experiencing major cardiovascular events, according to new research from Forsyth Institute and Harvard University scientists and colleagues. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2021-02-periodontal-disease-major-cardiovascular-events.html Cardiology Mon, 22 Feb 2021 12:57:58 EST news533221073 In diseases characterized by bone loss -such as periodontitis, rheumatoid arthritis, and osteoporosis- there is a lot that scientists still don't understand. What is the role of the immune response in the process? What happens to the regulatory mechanisms that protect bone? https://medicalxpress.com/news/2021-01-periodontal-disease-behavior-cells.html Medical research Mon, 11 Jan 2021 12:48:49 EST news529591726 Periodontal disease, also known as gum disease, is a serious infection that affects nearly 50 percent of Americans aged 30 years and older. If left unchecked, periodontal disease can destroy the jawbone and lead to tooth loss. The disease is also associated with higher risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-10-stem-cell-response-inflammation-reverse.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Fri, 02 Oct 2020 11:53:26 EDT news520858402 Inside your mouth right now, there is a group of bacteria whose closest relatives can also be found in the belly of a moose, in dogs, cats, and dolphins, and in groundwater deep under the Earth's surface. In a stunning discovery, scientists have found that these organisms have adapted to these incredibly diverse environments—without radically changing their genomes. https://phys.org/news/2020-07-ultra-small-parasitic-bacteria-groundwater-moose.html Cell & Microbiology Tue, 21 Jul 2020 13:51:50 EDT news514558306 Kuwait has some of the highest rates of obesity and diabetes in the world, and scientists don't know why. This question was addressed by Dr. Max Goodson, Emeritus Professor at the Forsyth Institute. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2019-07-uranium-toxicity-high-obesity-diabetes.html Health Mon, 08 Jul 2019 16:32:14 EDT news481822327 Bacteria are everywhere. They live in the soil and water, on our skin and in our bodies. Some are pathogenic, meaning they cause disease or infection. To design effective treatments against pathogens, researchers need to know which specific genes are to blame for pathogenicity. https://phys.org/news/2019-05-genetic-strategy-human-made-dna-invisible.html Cell & Microbiology Tue, 28 May 2019 13:13:34 EDT news478268006 Hundreds of different bacterial species are living inside your mouth. Some are highly abundant, while others are scarce. A few of these oral bacteria are known pathogens. Others are benign, or even beneficial. https://phys.org/news/2019-04-oral-bacteria-royale-pathogen-hospital.html Cell & Microbiology Mon, 08 Apr 2019 16:15:20 EDT news473958911 A team of scientists from The Forsyth Institute, a global leader in oral health research, in collaboration with the NIH-funded Pediatric HIV/AIDS Cohort Study (PHACS), has published the results of a new study indicating that differences in the mouth bacteria of youth born with HIV may increase their risk of cavities. The researchers found that HIV-infected youth, compared with uninfected youth, had lower numbers of Corynebacterium, a microbe that is abundant in dental plaque of healthy individuals. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2018-07-differences-mouths-youth-born-hiv.html Dentistry Tue, 10 Jul 2018 15:15:40 EDT news450454528 A team of researchers from The Forsyth Institute, a global leader in oral health research, today announced they have added over 80 species to generate the expanded Human Oral Microbiome Database (eHOMD), an online index of microbial species present in the mouth and respiratory tract, including the nasal passages and throat. The database is now home to 772 species and has put Forsyth researchers on the forefront of identifying and capturing the full genomic information of all species that comprise the human oral and upper respiratory tract microbiome. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2018-03-forsyth-key-human-microbiome-database.html Other Tue, 06 Mar 2018 12:19:08 EST news439561136 A collaborative effort by a team of researchers from three institutions including the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) in Woods Hole, the Forsyth Institute in Cambridge and Washington University in St. Louis provided an early glimpse of how microbial communities in the gut - known collectively as the gut microbiome - are spatially organized, uncovering a surprising degree of mixing among different bacterial members. https://phys.org/news/2017-10-gut-microbial-landscape.html Cell & Microbiology Wed, 11 Oct 2017 14:35:54 EDT news426951344 A team of scientists from The Forsyth Institute and the Dasman Diabetes Institute in Kuwait have found that metabolic diseases, which are characterized by high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and obesity—leads to changes in oral bacteria and puts people with the disease at a greater risk for poor oral health. This study of more than 8,000 ten year olds in Kuwait showed that metabolic diseases lead to increases in salivary glucose; alterations of the bacteria found in the mouth; and increased risk of cavities and gum disease. This work reinforces the need for preventive dental care and greater integration between medical and dental care. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2017-03-links-oral-microbiome-metabolic-disease.html Diabetes Wed, 01 Mar 2017 14:00:04 EST news407594264 Sjögren's syndrome is the second most common autoimmune disease affecting four million Americans—yet treatments are limited due to a lack of knowledge about its causes. A new study from the Forsyth Institute is helping to shed light on what happens in the development and the life cycle of the disease. This study is one of the first to define the immune-regulatory mechanisms operating in Sjögren's syndrome and provides a new foundation for fighting the disease. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2016-12-insight-sjogren-syndrome.html Immunology Wed, 14 Dec 2016 06:45:39 EST news400920329 Staphylococcus aureus is a common colonizer of the human body. Although, one quarter of the U.S. population live with the bacteria and never get sick, having S. aureus present in the nostrils is a risk for infections that range in severity from mild skin to life- threatening MRSA infections. Research from the Forsyth Institute is providing insight into how harmless Corynebacterium species, bacterial members of the nasal and skin microbiome, help protect humans from disease. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2016-08-beneficial-bacteria-nose-suppress-pathogenic.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Wed, 17 Aug 2016 03:05:55 EDT news390621942 A new study from the Forsyth Institute is helping to shed more light on the important connections among the diverse bacteria in our microbiome. According to research published in mBio, scientists at Forsyth, led by Dr. Katherine P. Lemon, along with their collaborator at Vanderbilt University, have demonstrated that a harmless bacterium found in the nose and on skin may negatively impact the growth of a pathogen that commonly causes middle ear infections in children and pneumonia in children and older adults. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2016-01-good-bacteria-middle-ear-infections.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Tue, 05 Jan 2016 10:00:01 EST news371206263 A new study from the Forsyth Institute is helping to shed light on latent tuberculosis and the bacteria's ability to hide in stem cells. Some bone marrow stem cells reside in low oxygen (hypoxia) zones. These specialized zones are secured as immune cells and toxic chemicals cannot reach this zone. Hypoxia- activated cell signaling pathways may also protect the stem cells from dying or ageing. A new study led by Forsyth Scientist Dr. Bikul Das has found that Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) hijack this protective hypoxic zone to hide intracellular to a special stem cell type. The study was published online on June 8th in the American Journal of Pathology. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-06-tuberculosis-bacteria-oxygen-niches-bone.html Medical research Fri, 19 Jun 2015 14:21:12 EDT news353942464 A new study from the Forsyth Institute is helping to shed more light on the important connection between the mouth and heart. According to research recently published online by the American Heart Association, scientists at Forsyth and Boston University have demonstrated that using an oral topical remedy to reduce inflammation associated with periodontitis, more commonly known as gum disease, also results in the prevention of vascular inflammation and can lower the risk of heart attack. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-04-gum-disease-treatment-heart.html Cardiology Tue, 14 Apr 2015 11:05:16 EDT news348228309 Newly published research from the Forsyth Institute details a discovery explaining why the 100 million Americans estimated to be taking prescription and over-the-counter antacid and heartburn medications may be at an increased risk of bone fractures. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-03-popular-antacids-chance-bone-fractures.html Genetics Thu, 26 Mar 2015 14:00:13 EDT news346583056 Scientists at The Forsyth Institute and Tufts University have succeeded in describing and validating a unique system of oral vaccine delivery using a common bacteria found in the mouth. Findings published today by Elsevier in Microbes and Infection identify Streptococcus mitis as a successful vector for oral mucosal immunization, and further research will determine its potential clinical use in tuberculosis vaccine development. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2014-12-scientists-unique-oral-vaccine-delivery.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Mon, 15 Dec 2014 10:00:01 EST news337853547 A team of scientists has made an important discovery about the molecular interactions that occur between generally benign species of Propionibacterium bacteria and the pathogenic bacterium Staphylococcus aureus, the cause of most "staph" infections. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2014-07-nostrilskin-microbiome-bacteria-pathogen-behavior.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Tue, 22 Jul 2014 13:58:02 EDT news325256273