Microbiology Rocks

This week’s article examines the mechanisms by which vibration distorts airborne particle counter readings, why cleanroom conditions amplify these effects, the downstream risk to environmental monitoring, and mitigation strategies aligned to pharmaceutical expectations:

The effect of vibration on airborne particle counters and the generation of false results Airborne particle counters play a part in the contamination control strategy in pharmaceutical manufacturing, especially within Grade A and B environments where critical operations require continuous, accurate monitoring. These instruments use laser light to detect particles that pass through their

Gram staining bacteria- what it is, how it works and why doing it well matters. Gram-stain, explaining the theory, showing videos of staining in a laboratory, and considering the reasons why the technique sometimes goes wrong:

Gram staining bacteria- what it is, how it works and why doing it well matters Tim Sandle looks at the Gram-stain, explaining the theory, showing videos of staining in a laboratory, and considering the reasons why the technique sometime...

Using heat to inactivate microbial toxins - video. Tim Sandle looks at dry heat and depyrogenation, including the qualification of a depyrogenation tunnel

Depyrogenation by heat and validating a tunnel Tim Sandle looks at dry heat and depyrogenation, including the qualification of a depyrogenation tunnel.

List of new antibiotics approved since 2000

List of new antibiotics approved since 2000 New antimicrobials

Meet the tiny ocean fungus that kills toxic algae. A newly discovered marine fungus can kill toxic algae blooms, hinting at a hidden natural regulator in the ocean:

Meet the tiny ocean fungus that kills toxic algae fungi and algae

Antimicrobial tolerance is the ability of a normally susceptible, often dormant, bacterial population to survive, rather than die, during extended exposure to bactericidal drugs without changing their minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). Unlike resistance, which allows growth despite drugs, tolerant bacteria temporarily endure treatment, leading to chronic, relapsing infections and potential evolution into resistant strains.



The following video provides some insights, looking at recent research

New insights into antimicrobial tolerance antimicrobial tolerance

The Psychrobacter SC65A.3 bacterial strain isolated from Scarisoara Ice Cave, despite its ancient origin, shows resistance to multiple modern antibiotics and carries over 100 resistance-related genes.

The bacterium can also inhibit the growth of several major antibiotic-resistant 'superbugs' and shows important enzymatic activities with important biotechnological potential:

5,000 year old ice cave bacterium resists modern antibiotics novel antimicrobial

U.S. scientists have discovered a hidden molecular “switch” that herpes viruses rely on to invade cells. By combining AI, simulations, and lab experiments, the researchers identified and altered a single amino acid that shut down viral entry

AI provides a way to stop viruses entering cells AI-guided science revealed a tiny viral weak point—and shutting it down stopped infection cold.

Engineering Clostridium sporogenes to fight cancer. Researchers in Canada are engineering bacteria (Clostridium sporogenes) to invade tumours and consume them from the inside. Since tumour cores lack oxygen, they’re the perfect breeding ground for these microbes. The team added a genetic tweak that helps the bacteria survive longer near oxygen-exposed edges — but only once enough of them are present to trigger the change. It’s a carefully programmed biological attack that could one day offer a new way to destroy cancer. Read more here:

Engineering Clostridium sporogenes to fight cancer Bacteria used to tackle cancer

This week’s article looks at fungal growth and draws a distinction between filamentous fungi and yeasts, as well as growth requirements and growth rate differences between all fungi and bacteria. Why does this matter for drug research? Read on....

Up, down, and round and round: Examining fungal growth rates How can fungal growth be measured? To begin, there are differences between fungi classified as ‘yeasts’ and fungi classified as ‘filamentous’ (sometimes 'molds') Yeast typically exhibits faster, exponential growth (doubling in hours) compared to the slower, linear, tip-extension growth of fi...

Check our Pharmaceutical Microbiology Resources - your microbiology resource website:

Pharmaceutical Microbiology Resources pharmaceutical microbiology, quality assurance, healthcare, cleanroom, contamination control, microbiology, tim sandle, sterility, disinfection

This week’s article considers microbial salutogenics and why this emerging field is of potentially important interest for promoting human wellbeing:

Salutogeneics: The importance of beneficial bacteria on human health and wellbeing The search for life on Earth is speeding up, not slowing down. Scientists are now identifying more than 16,000 new species each year, revealing far more biodiversity than expected across animals, plants, fungi, and beyond.