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Exploring the genomes of the microbes we live with also allows us to discover the molecular tools they use to aid or attack their hosts or to fight each other, knowledge that can act as a pathway to well-being.

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Paul Hergenrother

Cancer compound leads to major licensing deal

Forces applied across the width of a cell pull at the support fibers like violin stings being plucked, Illinois engineering professor Ning Wang said. The fibers stretch the chromosomes in the cell and increase gene expression.

Gene expression altered by direction of forces acting on cell

“Citizen scientists” developing homemade COVID-19 vaccines may believe they’re inoculating themselves against the ongoing pandemic, but the practice of self-experimentation with do-it-yourself medical innovations is fraught with legal, ethical and public health issues, says a new paper co-written by University of Illinois law professor Jacob S. Sherkow.

Do-it-yourself COVID-19 vaccines fraught with public health problems

Researchers tested 11 household fabrics that are commonly used for homemade masks and found that all are effective at curbing the small and large respiratory droplets that are released when we speak, cough or sneeze.

Most homemade masks doing a great job, study finds

Novel phage alters transcriptome of a common human gut microbe

Novel phage alters transcriptome of a common human gut microbe

Illinois professor Erik Nelson and graduate student Liqian Ma found that a cholesterol metabolite hijacks myeloid immune cells to disarm the T-cell immune response to breast cancer.

Cholesterol metabolite causes immune system to attack T cells, not breast cancer

Anthropology professor Jessica Brinkworth studies the evolution of human immune function and how that affects susceptibility to severe infection.

Cell-autonomous immunity shaped human evolution

Illinois researchers developed a microfluidic cartridge for a 30-minute COVID-19 test. The cartridges are 3D-printed and could be manufactured quickly.

Portable, point-of-care COVID-19 test could bypass the lab

Illinois study tracks evolution of SARS-CoV-2 virus mutations

Illinois study tracks evolution of SARS-CoV-2 virus mutations

Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Brian Cunningham leads the Center for Genomic Diagnostics at the IGB.

Personalizing Cancer Diagnostics

Team led by Anthony Digrado collecting data from the cowpea population.

Cowpea research boosts canopy CO2 assimilation, water-use efficiency

Neuronal network (NN)–gene regulatory network (GRN) interactions.

Integration of gene regulatory networks in understanding animal behavior

With her colleagues, graduate student Patricia Cintora examined how women with infants up to 18 months old respond to intimate partner violence.

Intimate partner violence, history of abuse worsen trauma for new moms

From left: Max Simon, Kyle Shelton, Laura Daigh, Auroni Gupta, Jana Radin, Katie Frye, and Xiaorui Guo stand next to a shipment of viral transfer media (VTM) prior to shipment. The group was among the almost 50 volunteers at Illinois who helped produce enough VTM for 200,000 COVID-19 tests.

Volunteers at Illinois produce supplies for 200,000 COVID-19 tests

U. of I. postdoctoral researcher Preeti Sharma and her colleagues engineered a molecule that targets both human and mouse solid-tumor cancer cells.

Engineered immune cells recognize, attack solid-tumor cancer cells

Researchers used a variety of techniques, including genome mining, to identify bacteria that produce defensive compounds in response to hormone exposure. Their approach will help in the discovery of new antibiotics and other medically useful molecules.

New approach drives bacteria to produce potential antibiotic, antiparasitic compounds

Former Illinois Summer Fellow from the University of Oxford Robert Collison, former post-doctoral researcher Charles Pignon, and former Illinois Summer Fellow from Oxford Emma Raven discovered that altered light conditions were the cause of a maladaptation that limits photosynthesis in the bottom leaves of maize and the bioenergy crop Miscanthus.

Undergrad-led study suggests environment modifications could maximize productivity

The simulated sea slug, ASIMOV, monitors its own internal state and makes decisions about what to consume. Its options are: a tasty and nutritious food (blue), a nutritious food that comes with a painful sting (green), and an intoxicating drug that has no nutritious value (yellow).

Simulated sea slug gets addicted to drug

Assistant Professor Mohammed El-Kebir and Assistant Professor Jian Peng

Research Finds Multiple COVID-19 Strains Can Co-Exist in Patients

professor of comparative biosciences Jodi Flaws and her colleagues reviewed dozens of studies exploring the relationship between exposure to environmental contaminants, the gut microbiome and human and animal health.

Environmental contaminants alter gut microbiome, health

Faculty Receive Three NSF Rapid Grants For COVID-19 Testing

Faculty Receive Three NSF Rapid Grants For COVID-19 Testing

Illinois professors Marni Boppart and Hyunjoon Kong collaborated on the study.

Nanostimulators boost stem cells for muscle repair

Bio-bots are propelled by a ring of muscle on a hydrogel skeleton. Illinois researchers have been the first to innervate them with rat spinal cord segments, giving the “spinobots” a natural walking rhythm.

Spinal cord gives bio-bots walking rhythm

Entomology professor Adam Dolezal and his colleagues found that infection with the Israeli acute paralysis virus increases the likelihood that infected bees are accepted by foreign colonies.

Virus-infected honey bees more likely to gain entrance to healthy hives

Electrical and computer engineering professor Brian Cunningham

Inexpensive, portable detector identifies pathogens in minutes

RapidVent prototype

Pigs push forward quick solution for emergency ventilators

Researchers, including, from left, Ning Wang, a professor of mechanical science and engineering; postdoctoral fellow Jian Sun; and doctoral student Erfan Mohagheghian discovered that mechanical forces on cells can boost gene expression in the nucleus.

Physical force alone spurs gene expression

Lung tissue from mice with pulmonary fibrosis that were infected with corisin-secreting bacteria showed signs of acute exacerbation and lung tissue death.

Bacterial protein fragment kills lung cells in pulmonary fibrosis

Strengthening synthetic biology in food and nutraceutical production through SynFoNI

SynFoNI: Strengthening synthetic biology in food, nutraceutical production

U. of I. veterinary clinical medicine professor Dr. Ashley Mitek interviews veterinary clinical medicine professor Dr. Jim Lowe about the traits of viruses that can be transmitted between animals and humans.

Veterinary infectious disease expert weighs in on coronavirus threat

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