Smriti Verma

Molecular mechanisms of host-microbiome interactions:

We teamed up w/ @cp-cellchembiol.bsky.social for a Collection of articles uncovering mechanisms by which microbes communicate w/their hosts, shedding light on various conditions & offering therapeutic avenues.Enjoy!
www.cell.com/cp/collectio...

The rise of ‘nightmare bacteria’: antimicrobial resistance in six charts Data reveal how the global challenge to reduce deaths and infections from drug-resistant bacteria is not going according to plan.

Antimicrobial resistance is projected to cause 39 million deaths worldwide over the next 25 years

go.nature.com/42x5KHD

Inhibition of motility is a primary mechanism of protection being necessary for biofilm formation along with drastic reduction in metabolism, biosynthesis of precursors & bacterial cell components and induction of stress responses.

Collectively this results in lesser secretion of the pathognomonic cholera toxin when colonizing intestinal epithelial cells.

Human antibody targeting Vibrio cholerae O1 O-specific polysaccharide induces an amotile hypovirulent bacterial phenotype: mechanism of protection against cholera | mBio Immunity to cholera is largely mediated by antibodies targeting the O-specific polysaccharide (OSP) of Vibrio cholerae, including through agglutination as well as inhibition of bacterial motility. Here, we used bacterial transcriptomic, biochemical, and cellular analyses to evaluate additional effects of OSP-specific antibodies on V. cholerae in complex media containing mucin and in a human enteroid-derived monolayer colonization model. We found that anti-OSP antibody in mucin impacts bacterial motility, growth, metabolic activity, extracellular matrix production, and levels of cyclic di-GMP. We did not observe a direct effect on bacterial viability, sodium motive force gradient, membrane integrity for large molecules, or virulence gene or regulon expression in bacterial cultures, although cholera toxin detection was significantly decreased in the enteroid model. Our results uncover the broad impact of anti-OSP antibodies in the presence of mucin on V. cholerae physiology and suggest several ways OSP-specific antibodies mediate protection against cholera in humans.

I am happy and proud to share this study.

Here we delve into the mechanisms of protection provided by antibodies targeting the O-specific polysaccharide of LPS of Vibrio cholerae previously shown by our group to be a determinant of protection against cholera.

journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...

Why would anyone want to be a scientist?

"Doing good science requires the utmost exertion of body, mind and spirit, yet is consistently filled with failure and rejection."

journals.biologists.com/jcs/article/...

A good way to think about institutional research culture!

Vibrio cholerae motility is associated with inter-animal transmission - Nature Communications Determinants of Vibrio cholerae transmission are incompletely understood. Here, the authors use an infant mouse model to show that events in the intestine govern inter-animal transmission and that bac...

Vibrio cholerae motility is associated with inter-animal transmission www.nature.com/articles/s41... 🦠

www.dkfz.de/en/karriere/...

I am thrilled to have the incredible opportunity to be a part of the BACTORG consortium, where intersection of microbiology and oncology opens up the possibilities of unravelling microbial dimensions of cancer!

www.linkedin.com/in/dktk-bact...

Does using ChatGPT change your brain activity? Study sparks debate Scientists warn against reading too much into the small experiment getting lots of buzz.

The brains of people writing an essay with ChatGPT are less engaged than those of people blocked from using any online tools for the task

https://go.nature.com/44yqUXb

Gut physiology and environment explain variations in human gut microbiome composition and metabolism - Nature Microbiology An observational longitudinal clinical trial, incorporating a SmartPill and metabolomics, reveals the role of host factors in shaping the gut microbiome in healthy human adults.

Today we publish an (in my opinion) important paper in
@naturemicrobiol.bsky.social 🍾 showing that gut physiology and environment are factors explaining substantial variations in human gut #microbiome composition and #metabolism🦠
Fantastic work Procházková et al. 👏
www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Even a small amount of physical activity does a lot of good for promoting health, as supported by wearable sensor data in large studies
www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Posting it on Bluesky to save the post:
My grandfather built motors that powered big machines. In a lab not so different from his workshop, my colleagues and I uncovered the assembly of the bacterial motor. www.nature.com/articles/s41... @natureportfolio.bsky.social #MolecularNodes #Science #STEM

Bacteria use exogenous peptidoglycan as a danger signal to trigger biofilm formation - Nature Microbiology Peptidoglycan released by neighbouring kin or non-kin cell lysis induces physiological changes that protect from a range of stresses, including phage predation.

OUT NOW: Bacteria use exogenous peptidoglycan as a danger signal to trigger biofilm formation

by Knut Drescher & co

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Scientists need more time to think

Good piece by @natureportfolio.bsky.social. The erosion of thinking time—driven by admin, bureaucracy, industry agendas, and unrealistic output targets—stifles curiosity-led science. These pressures undermine innovation and the intellectual freedom vital for real progress. 🧪🌱🌍 #ScienceIsNotBusiness

“I feel so lonesome when I get hay fever or a cold”. - Kurt Vonnegut, Slapstick
Meant to be a description of telepathy in the book, but also true for immigrants when sick and away from family.

Today we report that an engineered skin bacterium, swabbed gently on the head of a mouse, can unleash a potent antibody response against a pathogen. Could lead to topical vaccines that are applied in a cream. @djenetbousbaine.bsky.social led the charge... @natureportfolio.bsky.social 1/55

Kerala Health Department to hold antibiotic literacy drive in village panchayats - ET HealthWorld Kerala Health Department: The initiative is being carried out as part of the SPARK (Students Programme Against Antimicrobial Resistance Kerala) programme of the State Drugs Control Department in assoc...

The Kerala Health Department is launching "Saukhyam Sada" to promote antibiotic literacy. As part of the SPARK program, over 17,000 volunteers will visit homes to educate people about the risks of improper antibiotic use.

Isn't it cool?

health.economictimes.indiatimes.com/amp/news/pol...

Diarrheal diseases remain a leading killer for children under 5, adults 70+ New global study reports a 60% drop in global mortality from diarrheal diseases, but children and the elderly still have the highest death rates, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.

60% drop in #global mortality, but we still have a long way to go as #diarrheal diseases remain a leading killer in #children and #elderly 🦠 🧫
#Microsky #IDsky

26 hours without electricity in my apartment building…. Turning into a real black (and cold) Friday for me

Endothelial inflammation in COVID-19 Disrupted endothelial function underlies the multiorgan complications of COVID-19

Blood vessel wall (endothelial) inflammation as a key to multi-organ complications of Covid and #LongCovid
@science.org
science.org/doi/10.1126/...

People only share their success stories, so as a beginner it can sometimes be difficult to gauge what the ground realities are.

Lost in Translation—Basic Science in the Era of Translational Research | Infection and Immunity ABSTRACT The concept of translational research, which aims to facilitate the application of basic scientific discoveries in clinical and community settings, is currently in vogue. While there are powe...

I hope all recognize that translational and basic science each bring important contributions, and neither should be seen as superior.

"Whatever the need for further investment in translation, one must acknowledge that basic research has served us extremely well."

journals.asm.org/doi/full/10....

Word of the day is ‘librocubicularist’: one who loves nothing better than reading in bed.

(Not easy to say, but I’m glad to know it exists).

Can I please be added here, thank you!

I feel so seen 😆😆

The strain on scientific publishing: we set out to characterise the remarkable growth of the scientific literature in the last few years, in spite of declining growth in total scientists. What is going on?

direct.mit.edu/qss/article/...

A 🧵 1/n
#AcademicSky #PhDchat #ScientificPublishing #SciPub