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Confirmed Detections of New World Screwworm | Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock () or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

USDA Confirms Presence of New World Screwworm in the United States | Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock () or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

I am pleased to share a new publication from our group stemming from the doctoral dissertation research of Juned Ahmed, a graduate student in .

This work advances our understanding of the nutritional virulence of non-typhoidal and how metabolic cues shape pathogen behavior.

Our study shows that lactulose, commonly viewed as a prebiotic for improving commensal microbiota, can also be metabolized by Salmonella, triggering broad transcriptional reprogramming. Importantly, this metabolic shift suppresses key persistence-associated traits including motility, biofilm formation, and fimbrial expression that drive colonization and environmental survival.

These findings provide new mechanistic insight into how nutritional interventions can be used to reprogram pathogen physiology. This work strengthens our long-standing efforts to understand Salmonella nutritional scavenging and supports development of antinutritional strategies as alternatives to antibiotics, with important implications for and within a framework.

Proud of the collaboration Smriti Shringi Samuel Ajulo and Bradd Haley for this important contribution.

Lactulose-Induced Transcriptional Reprogramming and Repression of Persistence-Associated Phenotypes in Non-Typhoidal Salmonella enterica Lactulose, a synthetic disaccharide widely used in human and veterinary medicine as a therapeutic and prebiotic, is generally assumed to be metabolized exclusively by commensal microbiota. We recently showed that non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) can also metabolize lactulose, but the genetic basis and...

Heartiest congratulations Dr. Juned Ahmed, Ph.D. in One Health Sciences. It was pleasure to assist you in your professional journey towards becoming the next generation of scientist. The scientific world awaits your next endeavor. All the very best!

Cases of drug-resistant salmonella, several among kids, linked to outbreak; CDC issues warning Roughly a dozen of the cases are among children younger than 5.

Here is the latest research on treponeme-associated hoof disease (TAHD) resulting from continued strong collaborations with Dr. Margaret Wild and colleagues at WSU CVM on elk hoof disease research.

This research led by Holly Drankhan, DVM-PhD-pathology resident at WSU, advances our previous research by establishing a reproducible experimental infection model-an important step toward understanding disease pathogenesis and transmission.

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An experimental infection model for rapid reproduction of treponeme-associated hoof disease in captive elk (Cervus canadensis) | Microbiology Spectrum Our study details a new approach for consistent and rapid induction of treponeme-associated hoof disease (TAHD) lesions in captive elk. TAHD is an emerging polybacterial disease of conservation concern that causes chronic lameness and debilitation in free-ranging elk across the northwestern USA. We....

RFK Jr. Announces Program To 'Measure, Understand, And To Remove Microplastics From The Human Body' During a press conference on Thursday, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. spoke about he new STOMP program to study and eliminate micr...

Are we overestimating the microplastics problem, or at least parts of it?

Recent findings, such as this article in The Conversation, underscore a persistent issue in microplastics research: experimental design limitations and unintended contamination can significantly bias results.

This is not an isolated concern. A growing number of studies are influenced by confounders, particularly contamination from laboratory materials and many other sources within the experimental set up, that are not always adequately accounted for. Yet, conclusions are often presented with a level of certainty that the data do not justify. This has weakened the scientific foundation of the field and amplified misinformation.

If we are serious about understanding the health and environmental impacts of microplastics, then rigor in study design and restraint in interpretation are non-negotiable. Demonstrating causality requires carefully controlled experiments that explicitly address potential confounders.

Equally important is maintaining perspective. Plastics are not incidental or optional. They are integral to modern life. Microplastics are, in many ways, and unintended consequence (side effect) of solutions that have improved human and animal well-being. Any discussion of risks or interventions must reflect this reality.

The field will move forward only if we remain critical, scientifically grounded, realistic, and disciplined in our science.

Scientists may be overestimating the amount of microplastics in the environment – and the culprit is lab gloves Tiny particles from certain lab gloves look like microplastics, and they can contaminate samples, new study finds.

Delighted to share that Dr. Juned Ahmed (PhD) successfully defended his doctoral research at and earned well-deserved doctoral degree for his outstanding work.

Juned’s research embraces a rigorous, hypothesis-driven approach to uncover novel mechanisms by which prebiotics can reprogram metabolism, supressing biofilm formation, motility, and fimbrial adhesion. His work is helping redefine how we think about anti-nutritional strategies to mitigate persistent behaviors of non-typhoidal Salmonella, with important implications for veterinary medicine and food safety.

It is deeply rewarding to mentor young scientists who are thoughtful, persistent, and uncompromising in their commitment to high-quality science that advances both animal and public health.

Well done, Juned your dedication and scientific rigor truly stand out.

Thank you Smriti Shringi, Samuel Ajulo for extending collaborative support without which this work would not have taken shape.

"Never confuse education with intelligence; you can have a PhD and still be an idiot."
~ Richard Feynman

The same principle applies to leadership.

Holding a position does not make one a leader any more than holding a degree makes one intelligent. Authority may come with a title, but leadership must be demonstrated through vision, competence, and earning the respect of others, and respect is earned by building trust.

"Never confuse position with leadership. You can hold an impressive title and still have no clue how to lead."
~ Devendra Shah, March 3, 2026