Research inspired by melanin studies with C. neoformans suggests new approach to mosquito control for malaria.

publichealth.jhu.edu/malaria-rese...

Communicable E31: Climate change and fungal spread The adaptability of fungi to warmer temperatures is an obvious...

🎙️ Just published a new #Communicable episode: Communicab...

Hosted by Angela Huttner @angelahuttner.bsky.social
Josh Nosanchuk @josh-nosanchuk.bsky.social

with invited guest:
Arturo Casadevall @acasadevall1.bsky.social (Johns Hopkins University)

Listen here:

#IDSky #Clinmicro #MedSky

📣 Next #Communicable drops Mon 14 July!
@angelahuttner.bsky.social & @josh-nosanchuk.bsky.social invite Arturo Casadevall @acasadevall1.bsky.social (Johns Hopkins) to discuss the spread of #fungi due to climate change, and what that means for fungal pathogenesis & infection
#IDSky #clinmicro #MedSky

Fungal infections are getting harder to treat The fungus Aspergillus fumigatus tops the World Health Organization's list of worrying fungal diseases. It's growing increasingly resistant to the first-line drug used to treat it.

Quoted here about the increasing problem of drug resistance in Aspergillus isolates.
www.nbcnews.com/health/healt...

Is pathogen prediction possible? To what extent can we predict future pathogenic microbes? This Perspective discusses why complex requirements for virulence and dynamic host-microbe interactions make probabilistic predictions difficu...

To what extent can we predict future pathogenic #microbes? @acasadevall1.bsky.social discusses why probabilistic predictions are difficult, but not impossible. 🧪
plos.io/3EXieQp

The Inquiry - Can we stop killer fungi? - BBC Sounds Why fungal diseases are becoming more dangerous to human health

CAN WE STOP KILLER FUNGI?
Fungal diseases are more common, more dangerous & more difficult to treat. This fascinating BBC podcast features 4 global #fungi experts including @johnshopkinssph.bsky.social @jhu.edu @acasadevall1.bsky.social - interview at 10:55 time marker
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

A Fungus Devastated North American Bats. A New Species Could Deliver a Killer Blow. (Gift Article) Scientists have learned that another species of fungus found in Europe and Asia causes white-nose disease, which has ravaged bat populations in the United States and Canada.

The Last of Us may be over for now, but fungus pandemic news endures. Here's my story on how white-nose disease, which has battered North American bats, may have more devastation in store. 🧪 Gift link: nyti.ms/4mGRyV8

New insights into antibody structure with implications for specificity, variable region restriction and isotype choice - Nature Reviews Immunology Immunoglobulins sample vast swathes of primary sequence and conformational space to generate and select B cell clones with exquisite selectivity and affinity for specific antigens. This Perspective ar...

Review @natrevimmunol.bsky.social @acasadevall1.bsky.social
New insights into antibody structure with implications for specificity, variable region restriction and isotype choice
www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Cosmic Radio Interview with Dr. Joseph Heitman: Professor and Chair of Molecular Genetics and Professor in Medicine at Duke University and CIFAR's Co-Director for the Fungal Kingdom: Threats & Opportu... Join me on Cosmic Radio as we speak with Dr. Joseph Heitman. Dr. Heitman is a professor and Chair of Molecular Biology and Professor in Medicine at Duke University and CIFAR's Co-Director for the "Fun...

share.transistor.fm/s/ee922716 - nice interview with Joe Heitman on Fungi

Diane E. Griffin, physician–scientist extraordinaire | PNAS In October 2024, the scientific world lost Diane E. Griffin, a highly accomplished physician–scientist who greatly heightened our understanding of ...

A tribute to @johnshopkinssph.bsky.social Professor Diane Griffin, MD, PhD, noted virologist, former @johnshopkinsmmi.bsky.social dept chair, written by @acasadevall1.bsky.social & J. Marie Hardwick, published in @pnas.org

@jhu.edu @hopkinsmedicine.bsky.social

www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...

Pathogens in Pop Culture: Fungal Pathogens and The Last of Us Could a fungus cause the next pandemic? Separating myth from reality; examining the science behind fungal pathogens.

🧟‍♂️ #TheLastOfUs S2 drops April 13—brush up on the science behind the spores with this throwback.

🎧 In #NETEC’s #FungalPathogens podcast episode, Dr. Arturo Casadevall (@acasadevall1.bsky.social) breaks down the fungal fact vs. fiction behind the show.

Listen now:

New insights into antibody structure with implications for specificity, variable region restriction and isotype choice - Nature Reviews Immunology Immunoglobulins sample vast swathes of primary sequence and conformational space to generate and select B cell clones with exquisite selectivity and affinity for specific antigens. This Perspective article examines the interplay between antibody diversification mechanisms and highlights the importance of constant regions in influencing the specificity and functionality of individual antibodies.

New Perspective article from Scott McConnell & @acasadevall1.bsky.social @johnshopkinssph.bsky.social highlights the importance of constant regions in influencing the specificity and functionality of #antibodies
#immunology #immunosky

Parents of Babies Who Are Too Young for Measles Vaccine Worry About Outbreaks Infants are at higher risk of complications from the measles but can’t be vaccinated right away.

I don't understand why articles like this one never mention that we have an option for preventing disease: measles gamma globulin has a 100% efficacy in preventing disease in exposed vulnerable children. See this reference:
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29028959/.
www.nytimes.com/2025/03/14/w...

It's Thursday: time for #MattersMicrobial Episode #82! Dr. Arturo Casadevall talks with the #QualityQuorum about how fungi can use melanin to collect energy from light (and radiation), and adaptation to high temperatures. Please spread the #GoodMicrobialWord!

youtu.be/D7uzJzglC40?...

check #MattersMicrobial #82 👇

...and as "supplementary material" >
schaechter.asmblog.org/schaechter/2...
#FungiFriends

Today's podcast recording session for #MattersMicrobial was with the amazing Dr. Arturo Casadevall. He has such interesting ideas, and I cannot wait to share them with you.

The pandemic crisis may be over, but SARS-CoV-2 remains a major problem for the immunocompromised that do not make good antibody responses. European RCT confirms efficacy of COVID-19 convalescent plasma (CCP) in this population. CCP is FDA licensed in US

As physicians confront the widening measles outbreak it is important to keep in mind that we have a highly effective means of protecting those exposed - hyperimmune IgG. It showed 100% efficacy in the 2013 NYC outbreak.

A call for the United States to continue investing in science
journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...
@acasadevall1.bsky.social @bladerlab.bsky.social @goodrumviruslab.bsky.social
Highlights of U.S. government-funded advances in biomedical sciences/healthcare:

As we enter another week of crisis in the biomedical sciences, I thought I would make a list of the advances in field of infectious diseases THAT I HAVE WITNESSED since I became board certified in 1990. I am sure I missed a few advances, and this is only in the field of ID.

Convalescent plasma offers a 'blueprint' for future pandemics Hopkins researchers help secure full FDA approval to treat immunocompromised COVID-19 patients—paving the way to explore using convalescent plasma during future infectious disease outbreaks

Five years after it became the first emergency therapy for COVID-19 convalescent plasma is FDA licensed, effective, safe and relatively inexpensive since it is a donated product and keeps up with the variants.
hub.jhu.edu/2025/02/03/i...

Committee imagines a new future for immunology research at Johns Hopkins 10-member committee aims to create a groundbreaking, interdivisional organizing structure for immunology at Hopkins

JHU has established a planning committee for immunology. The committee will be co-chaired by two Bloomberg Distinguished Professors, @acasadevall1.bsky.social and Erika Pearce, and BDP Nicole Baumgarth will be a member of the committee.

hub.jhu.edu/2025/02/11/n...

Hey #fungal people - the applications for this years MOMY course are open! Wonderful course in a wonderful place with wonderful people. Check it out here: www.mbl.edu/education/ad...

Warmer climates could supercharge fungal diseases transmitted by insects. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39907444/

The Story behind the Science: On the discovery of respiratory syncytial virus | mBio Today, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the leading cause of infant hospitalizations (1) and a significant cause of morbidity and mortality among older individuals (2). On 3 May 2024, the Johns Ho...

If you're a pediatrician you should read this nice recent paper by @acasadevall1.bsky.social et al about the discovery of #RSV, the history and scientists behind it, and go back to those years. We've reached recently amazing advances in prevention. #medsky #idsky #pedssky
doi.org/10.1128/mbio...

Why scientists say we are fighting H5N1 bird flu with one hand tied behind our backs When, where and how the H5N1 bird flu virus may evolve and its capacity to spark a pandemic is hard to predict — in part, some researchers say, because of federal restrictions on gain-of-function rese...

Gain-of-function research could enable health officials to recognize H5N1 bird flu mutations and identify targets for antivirals and vaccines. BDP @acasadevall1.bsky.social offers insights on the value of such research.

www.latimes.com/environment/...

Not a great picture since the window was cloudy from de-icing fluid. I am always impressed by the beauty of a sunset from a plane. Scenes like this take me back to my PhD qualifying exam where the first two questions were: why is the sky blue and the sunset red. I passed.

COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma | Learn MoreMobile High Titer COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma is now available to order through OneBlood.

As of today, high titer certified COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma is available in the USA from an @US_FDA licensed supplier. To physicians out there - here is the way to order it for your patients.
www.oneblood.org/pages/high-t...

Prepare now to use convalescent plasma for the next pandemic Whether the next pandemic is caused by H5N1 bird flu or something else, we must prepare now to use convalescent plasma to treat patients.

If H5N1 outbreak occurs convalescent plasma will be used again. For most efficacy: 1) identify sites for outpatient infusion; effectiness = early use; 2) get IRB paperwork done; 3) Use high titer units. www.statnews.com/2024/12/26/h...

Monoclonal antibodies (mAb) for prevention of COVID-19 progression can affect subsequent infection/vaccination. Phenomenon was not seen with convalescent plasma and may reflect large IgG dose associated with mAb therapy.
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39504352/