🔍How do fungal-bacterial pathogen interactions worsen disease outcomes?
Check out our latest Micro Briefing highlighting new research from The MRC Centre for Medical Mycology at University of Exeter and Mackerere University, Uganda. Read the full paper here🔗 https://10.1099/jmm.0.002128
Together, these findings show that tuberculosis-causing pathogens enhance the virulence, persistence and survival of C. neoformans cells. This establishes a proof-of-principle framework for future investigations, with the hope of translating it into clinical practice with more evidence. #newpaper
We found that C. neoformans cells can sense heat-killed TB or BCG and become more virulent by increasing capsule production and titanisation. We also showed that alveolar-like macrophages in a TB-simulated environment take up more C. neoformans cells without killing them.
There’s been a rise in clinical reports of co-infections between Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Cryptococcus neoformans in the past decade. These reports are appearing worldwide, but there’s no existing literature on how these pathogens interact.
Congrats and thanks to supervisors @isukre.bsky.social and Liliane Mukaremera! So glad we’ve got this piece out!
Pleased to share that our paper on Cryptococcus neoformans-Mycobacterium tuberculosis interactions has been #published! We found that C. neoformans cells exhibit increased virulence traits in the presence of tuberculosis-causing pathogens. @mrccmm.bsky.social dx.doi.org/10.1099/jmm....
🎶 …and a partridge in a petri 🎶
The labs are feeling festive! Some of our team have decorated their petri-tree, complete with an Eppendorf star 🌟
Thanks to Will Newton, @orlandorosss.bsky.social Abby Potton, @harry-osborne.bsky.social and Matheus Araujo for spreading the cheer!
#ImageOfTheWeek
It was an excellent talk, I think I’ll be spending some time making Chilean hotdogs with my models this year! :)
That’s a wrap on #BSI25! Days 3 and 4 were filled with even more incredible talks, excellent posters and of course, the Congress party! I’ve had such a wonderful time in Liverpool learning, networking and sharing my work.
Its my great pleasure to say the latest paper from our group is now out: www.mucosalimmunology.org/article/S193...
Check it out! We found that immune cell activation in the sputum identifies severe asthma patients. Massive thanks to the patients for agreeing to give sputum and blood samples.
#BSI25 day 2! Another wonderful day of immunology and a chance to discuss my PhD research during the first poster session. Meeting so many people, discussing cutting-edge immunology and sharing our passions for science! @mrccmm.bsky.social
Excellent first day at #BSI25! Huge diversity of talks, brilliant networking opportunities and incredibly cool immunology on show! Bring on day 2! @britsocimm.bsky.social @mrccmm.bsky.social
Delighted to be an awardee of the BSI’s Career Enhancing Grant, enabling me to undertake a research visit to Dr. Alisha Chetty’s lab at University of Cape Town 🧫🧬
Sarah Newman, NIHR School for Primary Care Research intern 2025
Read our latest blog post from Sarah Newman, 1st year medical student and NIHR School for Primary Care Research intern who joined the CAESAR team this summer.
@riddmj.bsky.social
@nihrspcr.bsky.social
@capcbristol.bsky.social
caesar.blogs.bristol.ac.uk/2025/08/13/h...
🔬 #imageoftheweek Researchers at MRC CMM are exploring how Trichuris muris (a gut worm infecting 800M+ people) interacts with Candida albicans, a yeast found in most humans. Could they help or hinder each other?
📸 by @orlandorosss.bsky.social
#science #research #health #phd
🧫 Today's #ImageOfTheWeek is a dual species biofilm featuring Candida glabrata (pink) & Staphylococcus aureus (gold). These dense biofilms are resistant to antifungal drugs, making treatment extremely challenging.
📸 @orlandorosss.bsky.social & @seanaduggan.bsky.social
#AMR #fungi #research
Palestine will be free.
Free Palestine. 🍉
Had such an amazing day attending the GREMI meeting on epithelial immunity at the Institut Pasteur! #immunosky #GREMI
We’re thrilled to announce that applications for the FAILSAFE grants are NOW OPEN!
Grants of up to £250k available for innovative research tackling fungal antimicrobial resistance and advancing global health.
Learn more and apply here: cmm-failsafe.com/failsafe-rou...
#GlobalHealth #FAILSAFE
We've created a starter pack so that you can follow members of the MRC Centre for Medical Mycology in one go! We'll be updating this pack as members join Bluesky! 🦋
bsky.app/starter-pack...
Subscribe to this list to keep up to date with all of the incredible research coming out of the CMM 🍄🔬👩🔬
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
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Hey, #mycosky #immunosky #microsky 👋🏻
Earlier in the year, we published a paper where we found that HPLM (human plasma-like media) induces Cryptococcus neoformans growth that closely represents those morphologies found in vivo 🧫🦠
doi.org/10.1128/msph...
A macro image of a Galerina spp., mushroom fruiting body, observed on Dartmoor, just East of Two Bridges
A small Coprinus spp., fruiting body growing from a compost bed at my allotment
#mycology, even at the weekends. Mushrooms on the moors, and mushrooms in our composter at the allotment. Back to the microscopic fungi tomorrow!
So fun to have a chance to display some biofilm electron microscopy as part of an art gallery earlier this year! Check out some of the amazing artwork researchers (artists) at the @mrccmm.bsky.social displayed and the stories behind these images!
