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Bacteria on the International Space Station no more dangerous than earthbound strains
Two particularly tenacious species of bacteria have colonized the potable water dispenser aboard the International Space Station (ISS), but a new study suggests that they are no more dangerous than closely related strains on Earth. Aubrie O'Rourke of the J. Craig Venter Institute and colleagues report these findings in a new paper published February 19, 2020 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE. Shortly after the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) installed the...
Characterization of Bacteria from the International Space Station Drinking Water
From a microbiology perspective, the International Space Station (ISS) is interesting considering its microgravity, increased radiation, low humidity and elevated carbon dioxide levels. Because of its isolation, and unique environment, it is vital to study the microorganisms that thrive there to ensure the safety of the astronauts aboard. We refer to the collection of microbes in an environment a microbiome. Understanding the microbiome of the ISS is vital to astronaut health and long term...
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Scientists Identify Genome-Wide Traits Associated with Microbial Growth Strategy and Ecosystem Nutrient Status
(La Jolla, California)—February 18, 2020—Scientists from the J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI), Arizona State University (ASU), Flathead Lake Biological Station, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico published results in the journal eLife, identifying key genomic traits indicative of an ecosystem’s nutrient status with respect to nitrogen and phosphorus, key ingredients in fertilizer. The study, focused on a...
Al Gore to lead global ‘healthy planet, healthy lives’ forum in Switzerland
Switzerland will host some of the world’s top scientists, policymakers, and industry leaders at a major international science event in Montreux this May. The fifth annual Frontiers Forum will welcome speakers including the former US vice president, Nobel Prize awardee and the leading advocate about climate change, Al Gore, renowned cognitive psychologist and best-selling author, Steven Pinker, and Mariya Gabriel, European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and...
Inflammation: Friend or Foe?
Thirteen years ago, a team led by J. Craig Venter Institute President, Karen Nelson, PhD, published the first major human microbiome study, radically changing the way we look at human health and the role the microbes that inhabit each of us play in disease. This seminal publication was a tipping point that lead to numerous new areas of research. JCVI Associate Professor, Marcelo Freire, DDS, PhD, DMSc, continues to lead the field as he investigates the critical role the human...
Southern African Genome Diversity Study
Overview Scientists at the J. Craig Venter Institute have a long history of leadership in human genomic research. Since the work in the early 1990's by Dr. Venter and colleagues at the National Institutes of Health in describing expressed sequence tags (ESTs) to rapidly discover human genes, to the sequence and analysis of the first draft human genome published in 2001, to the first complete diploid human genome published in 2007, JCVI scientists remain committed to research into the human...
New Bioinformatics Hub at UChicago Enables Next-Gen Infectious Disease Research
The most valuable weapon against the next deadly disease outbreak may be data. Scientists aiming to stop or prevent the spread of viral or bacterial pathogens need rapid, comprehensive access to datasets on their genomics, structure, function and more, combined with computational tools to quickly analyze data and make predictions using artificial intelligence techniques. That critical service will be provided by the new Bacterial and Viral Bioinformatics Resource Center (BV-BRC), based...
Venter Institute Researchers Tackle the Growing Concern of Antibiotic Resistant Bacterial Infections with Genomic, Phage Approaches
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that each year in the United States two million people acquire antibiotic resistant bacterial infections that lead to 23,000 deaths. Antibiotic resistance affects people of all ages and seriously impacts the healthcare, veterinary, and agriculture industries, making it one of the world’s most urgent public health crises. Because of this, the CDC has labeled certain multidrug-resistant bacteria, “superbugs.” Derrick Fouts,...
2019 Summer Internship Program
The 2019 Summer Internship Program which wrapped up in August was another rousing success at the J. Craig Venter Institute. Faculty and staff in both the Rockville (MD) and La Jolla (CA) campuses mentored and trained 25 students (high school, undergraduate, and graduate students) from across the country in cutting-edge technologies related to the biomedical field. High school students participated in the internship for 8-weeks and undergraduate and graduate students took part...