Mariola J Ferraro

Mini scientists share their ideas at Howard Bishop Middle School Howard Bishop Middle School showed off the talents of its students in a science-based event that encouraged problem-solving for the future

www.wcjb.com/video/2025/1...

Potentially good for our research angle on ECS.

Interesting study !

Join Us for The Fifth Annual American Society for Intercellular Communication Meeting
When: October 16 – 18, 2025
Where: William F. Bolger Center, Potomac, MD: asicbio.org/annual-meeti...

Deficiency of cannabinoid receptors enhances host susceptibility to bacterial infection | mBio Effective immunity against bacterial pathogens requires a delicate balance between microbial clearance and the containment of inflammatory damage encountered during many infections. The molecular pathways that regulate this equilibrium remain incompletely defined, and the involvement of bioactive lipid signaling mechanisms also needs to be better described. Here, we show that the endocannabinoid receptors CB1R and CB2R play non-redundant roles in host defense against Salmonella infection. CB1R deficiency results in exacerbated systemic inflammation, defective bacterial clearance, and dysregulated macrophage polarization. In contrast, CB2R deficiency leads post-infection to gut dysbiosis and has been found to negatively affect the outcome for the host in both systemic and mucosal infection with Salmonella. By describing cannabinoid receptor-specific contributions to immune regulation and microbiota dynamics, our findings reveal a previously underappreciated axis of host–pathogen interaction. This study broadens our understanding of lipid-mediated immune modulation and identifies CB1R and CB2R as potential targets for therapies aimed at restoring immune homeostasis and improving infectious disease outcomes.

Our new work: Deficiency of cannabinoid receptors enhances host susceptibility to bacterial infection | mBio journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...

Targeting deubiquitinating enzymes and ubiquitin pathway modulators to enhance host defense against bacterial infections | mBio Antibiotic-resistant infections, particularly those caused by intracellular pathogens, represent an urgent public health threat due to their ability to evade immune responses and resist conventional antibiotics. This study identifies the ubiquitin-...

Our new study: Targeting deubiquitinating enzymes and ubiquitin pathway modulators to enhance host defense against bacterial infections | mBio journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...

We are hiring! The Dept of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics is looking for faculty at the Assistant or Associate professor level (tenure track). Please consider joining our vibrant microbiology and immunology community at the University of Pittsburgh School of medicine

Promotional image for the EMBO EMBL Symposium titled "The human microbiome," scheduled for 16-19 September 2025, in Heidelberg and virtually. The graphic includes abstract, colorful shapes and text on a gradient blue background.

Curious about new approaches to in human microbiome research? This @embl.org symposium will explore topics on host-microbe interactions, microbiome-targeted therapeutics, methodological advances in microbiome analysis, and more. Virtual registration open until Sep 9th. Learn more: plos.io/3Juw1zA.

That concludes GRC Salmonella 2025. What a fantastic meeting it was - topnotch science, great discussions and a wonderful spirit. I am proud to be part of this amazing scientific community.

It was a fantastic meeting - thank you so much for doing this !

Impact of simulated microgravity on the growth and proteomic profile of Enterobacter cloacae | Microbiology Spectrum Enterobacter cloacae can transition from a gut commensal to an opportunistic pathogen in immunocompromised hosts and in closed environments such as hospitals. This danger can be exacerbated by the emergence of multidrug-resistant E. cloacae strains. ...

New work from our and Kelly Rice lab: Impact of simulated microgravity on the growth and proteomic profile of Enterobacter cloacae | Microbiology Spectrum journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...

Cannabinoid receptor deficiencies drive immune response dynamics in Salmonella infection https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.03.10.642352v1

Protect NIH Research: Advocate for Full Funding As researchers representing universities across the country, the last few weeks have been filled with uncertainty. As you are aware, the Trump administration’s National Institutes of Health (NIH) prop...

The Univ of California Office of the President sent this petition out today for any researchers, anywhere in the country to sign.

Please take just 1 min to sign it and distribute to other researchers before the hearing on Friday regarding indirects.

docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

Exclusive: These universities have the most retracted scientific articles A first-of-its-kind analysis by Nature reveals which institutions are retraction hotspots.

www.nature.com/articles/d41... important article

Huge strides made in eradicating food poisoning and stomach flu symptoms Be it from tap water on a vacation, some dodgy chicken, or something the kids have brought home from school, we've almost all been flattened by an awful stomach bug at some point in our lives. For mod...

“…scientists at the University of Florida are making inroads into developing a vaccine for Salmonella infection, and at the same time Moderna is at Phase 3 trial stage with its jab for norovirus.”

Republicans: “This is woke! Make it illegal!”

newatlas.com/infectious-d...

Isolation and characterization of Salmonella strains from wastewater samples. (A) A total of 120 Salmonella isolates were collected from qPCR-invA-positive wastewater samples in Gainesville. The isolation process involved an initial enrichment phase in TSB, followed by selection on MSRV plates and further biochemical confirmation on XLD plates. Serotyping and sequencing were performed by the State of Florida Department of Health using SeqSero2, with successful serotyping of 21 isolates. (B) Phylogenetic analysis indicating the taxonomy and evolutionary distance between the selected Salmonella isolates.

Scientists evaluated the efficacy of a small extracellular vesicle-based vaccine against circulating strains of Salmonella isolated from wastewater, providing a strategy for developing effective preventative measures against infection. #IAIJournal: asm.social/2fW

Senior Scientist-Immunology, Vaccinology, Infection in Memphis, Tennessee | St. Jude Careers St. Jude Careers is hiring a Senior Scientist-Immunology, Vaccinology, Infection in Memphis, Tennessee. Review all of the job details and apply today!

Come and join our team at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital! We are seeking a Sr Scientist to advance our research on immune responses to infection/vaccination. This is a financially stable position offering a highly competitive salary and excellent benefits.
talent.stjude.org/careers/jobs...

Remembering Dr. Lisa Emerson, Class of 2023 It is with a heavy heart that I reflect on the remarkable life and career of Dr. Lisa Emerson, who died from natural causes in September 2024. Lisa was an extraordinary young scientist, mentee, and fr...

blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/microcelldep...

Targeting deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs) and ubiquitin pathway modulators to enhance host defense against bacterial infections https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.01.27.635188v1