News: Infectious Diseases
Read the latest news from the College of Natural Sciences at The University of Texas at Austin
Ancient Enzyme Could Boost Power of Liquid Biopsies to Detect and Profile Cancers
A set of medical tests called liquid biopsies could rapidly detect the presence of cancers, infectious diseases and other conditions from only a small blood sample.
![Illustration of a person's circulatory system and the person is surrounded by bubbles of DNA](/sites/default/files/uploads/images/default/liquid_biopsy_cover.jpg)
Cracking the Code: Why Flu Pandemics Come At the End of Flu Season
Graduate student Spencer Fox and his colleagues found strong evidence that the late timing of flu pandemics is caused by two opposing factors.
![Hypothetical seasonal flu epidemic spread (not based on real or simulated data) is depicted here](/sites/default/files/uploads/images/default/pandemic-spread700.jpeg)
Scientist Battling Invincible Microbes Takes Fight to the Silver Screen
Learn about UT Austin's Bryan Davies and his research into how to combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria and develop new antimicrobials to fight infection.
![Two men embrace](/sites/default/files/uploads/images/default/stumped2400x1600.jpg)
Drug Engineered at UT Austin to Treat Anthrax Gains FDA Approval
The anthrax antitoxin obiltoxaximab received approval March 21 from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
![White bacterial coloines on a plate of red culture medium](/sites/default/files/uploads/images/default/anthrax_17095_2400x1350.png)
Jekyll and Hyde Bacteria
What do you do when the bacteria you study that's deadly in the real world acts all mild and gentle in the lab?
![Microscope image of pink bacteria with hair-like and corkscrew-like structures](/sites/default/files/uploads/images/default/16876_cdc_phil_2400x1350.jpg)
Trapping a Bacterium in a Laser Beam Aids Study of Biofilms
Biofilms are responsible for most chronic infections and are notoriously resilient and hard to treat.
![Two-channel fluorescence image of a stamped pattern of P. aeruginosa in an isotropic background of S. aureus at t = 6 h, after the initial pattern has developed into a localized cluster.](/sites/default/files/uploads/images/default/figure0-700x420.jpg)