• How can mankind use bacteria's internal mechanism of fighting a virus to protect human cells from a bacterial infection? (thehindubusinessline.com)
  • In an act of altruism, as Prof Singh calls it, the bacteria breaks down the TA complexes to free up the toxins which activate to prevent the viral infection from spreading beyond its walls. (thehindubusinessline.com)
  • The free toxin will then destroy the bacteria thus preventing bacterial infection. (thehindubusinessline.com)
  • Sores on the cornea most often caused by a serious bacterial or viral infection. (medlineplus.gov)
  • It may be related to an autoimmune disorder, infection, or exposure to toxins. (medlineplus.gov)
  • This is a prime location for gene products involved in infection because many dangerous bacteria secrete toxins or proteins through the membrane to attack the host. (scienceblog.com)
  • In the presence of bacterial toxins, it is involved in the cytokine storm and inflammatory signaling in monocytes and macrophages, becoming a potential therapeutic target against the infection. (bioworld.com)
  • Researchers at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine and their collaborators have now, for the first time, successfully applied phage therapy in mice for a condition that's not considered a classic bacterial infection: alcoholic liver disease. (bioquicknews.com)
  • This study suggests that E-cigarette vapour has the potential to increase susceptibility to pneumococcal infection. (ersjournals.com)
  • Epidemiological studies suggest that inhalation of toxins increases the risk of airway bacterial infection. (ersjournals.com)
  • Previous studies suggest that upregulation of PAFR is a biologically plausible mechanism for the association between inhalation of toxins and vulnerability to pneumococcal infection. (ersjournals.com)
  • For over two decades, Artur Schmidtchen and his research group have studied endogenous peptides, smaller protein fragments in the body with the ability to both kill bacteria and neutralize the bacterial toxins released during an infection. (lu.se)
  • Bacterial infections of the middle ear or mastoid most commonly spread to the labyrinth through a dehiscent horizontal semicircular canal. (medscape.com)
  • How do infections and toxins launch a cell's self-destruct and alarm system? (news-medical.net)
  • In the early 20th century, researchers experimented with phages as a potential method for treating bacterial infections. (bioquicknews.com)
  • In limited cases, patients with life-threatening multidrug-resistant bacterial infections have been successfully treated with experimental phage therapy after all other alternatives were exhausted. (bioquicknews.com)
  • Bacterial toxins in musculoskeletal infections. (bvsalud.org)
  • Antibiotics are still the most important weapon to fight bacterial infections. (mpg.de)
  • Ganna Petruk and Artur Schmidtchen, two of the reserchers behind the study of a new treatment strategy for severe bacterial infections. (lu.se)
  • The development of a new treatment strategy for bacterial infections and sepsis is being led by researchers at Lund University. (lu.se)
  • Now, drawing inspiration from the body's own defence mechanisms based on peptides, we have developed a new approach to treating severe bacterial infections", says Artur Schmidtchen, professor in dermatology and venereology and senior consultant at Skåne University Hospital, who led the study. (lu.se)
  • We not only linked a specific bacterial toxin to worse clinical outcomes in patients with alcoholic liver disease, we found a way to break that link by precisely editing gut microbiota with phages," said senior author Bernd Schnabl, MD, Professor of Medicine and Gastroenterology at UC San Diego School of Medicine and Director of the NIH-funded San Diego Digestive Diseases Research Center. (bioquicknews.com)
  • He says not-yet-published work from his lab has shown that cells modified to produce an antibody to a specific bacterial toxin render mice resistant to many times the lethal dose of that toxin. (technologyreview.com)
  • Shiga toxins (Stx) are potent AB 5 cytotoxins that inhibit eukaryotic protein synthesis, eventually leading to host cell death ( 1 ). (cdc.gov)
  • The pertussis toxin (also an AB5 protein) produced by Bordetella pertussis acts in a similar manner with the exception that it ADP-ribosylates the Gαi subunit, rendering it unable to inhibit cAMP production. (wikipedia.org)
  • Achaogen in San Francisco, CA is working on "preclinical development of novel therapeutics that reduce the virulence of, and inhibit resistance in, Class A Bacterial Pathogens. (defenseindustrydaily.com)
  • Their approach focuses on small molecules that inhibit the emergence of bacterial resistance to antibiotics. (defenseindustrydaily.com)
  • Achaogen in San Francisco, CA won a $24.6 million cost-reimbursement contract for preclinical development of novel broad-spectrum small-molecule therapeutics that reduce the virulence of, and inhibit resistance in, Class A Bacterial Pathogens. (defenseindustrydaily.com)
  • Unlike antibacterials that aim to inhibit cell growth, antivirulence therapies are based on the inhibition of bacterial virulence. (nature.com)
  • It's also guided our thinking about how we could inhibit the toxin or use it for other purposes. (sbgrid.org)
  • If a cell lacks GM1, the toxin most likely binds to other types of glycans, such as Lewis Y and Lewis X, attached to proteins instead of lipids. (wikipedia.org)
  • In this review, we assess the potential role of putative gut microbiota products in the etiopathogeny of Parkinson's disease, with a special emphasis on functional bacterial amyloid proteins, bacterial biosurfactants, endotoxins and short-chain fatty acids. (techscience.com)
  • Based on patterns in their DNA sequences, these genes likely encode proteins in the bacterial membrane. (scienceblog.com)
  • ADP-ribosyltransferases including toxins secreted by Vibrio cholera, Pseudomonas aerurginosa, and other pathogenic bacteria inactivate the function of human target proteins by attaching ADP-ribose onto a critical amino acid residue. (indexindex.com)
  • The nice thing about anthrax is that separate proteins make up the toxin," says Borden Lacy . (sbgrid.org)
  • Because the toxin proteins can be studied separately, Lacy didn't have to work directly with the anthrax bacterium. (sbgrid.org)
  • It plays an important role in bacterial metabolism by ensuring the controlled degradation of defective proteins. (mpg.de)
  • However, this leads to the uncontrolled degradation of essential proteins - with lethal consequences for the bacteria.This unique mechanism of action has considerable innovation potential in the fight against pathogenic bacteria. (mpg.de)
  • In its free-form, the toxin is poisonous to bacteria that contains it. (thehindubusinessline.com)
  • Therefore the bacteria keep it in a complex form (toxin-antitoxin - TA), bound with the antitoxin. (thehindubusinessline.com)
  • However, a question arises: why would any bacteria host a toxin that could potentially kill the bacteria itself? (thehindubusinessline.com)
  • This free toxin cleaves the phage RNA (along with the bacterial RNAs), effectively preventing phage propagation from infecting other bacteria. (thehindubusinessline.com)
  • but, there may be another, slightly different antitoxin in bacteria which can bind and neutralise the toxin. (thehindubusinessline.com)
  • The compound, a pyridopyrimidine derivative, targets acute secretory diarrhea caused by E. coli and other enterotoxigenic strains of bacteria, which produce toxins that stimulate the linings of the intestines, causing them to secrete excessive fluid, thereby producing diarrhea. (genengnews.com)
  • In addition to its role in protein degradation ClpP is also a global regulator in the production of bacterial toxins - termed virulence factors - that are mainly responsible for the disease-causing effect of bacteria. (mpg.de)
  • Anthrax bacteria produce several toxins, which cause many of the symptoms. (msdmanuals.com)
  • Additionally, the designed structure also blocks various toxins released by bacteria, thereby regulating inflammation. (lu.se)
  • Clinical Notes: Uremic Toxins in Feline Chronic Kidney Disease: Why Should We Care? (cliniciansbrief.com)
  • Uremia, the accumulation of waste products (uremic toxins) in the blood resulting from decreased renal function, can cause clinical signs such as vomiting, anorexia, oral ulceration, and lethargy in patients with CKD. (cliniciansbrief.com)
  • Uremic toxins contribute to the worsening of renal function and have far-reaching systemic effects, such as accelerated muscle atrophy and decreased erythropoietin production. (cliniciansbrief.com)
  • Targeting the production or absorption of uremic toxins can be an effective management technique to improve the clinical picture of patients with CKD. (cliniciansbrief.com)
  • Porus One, a tasteless, odorless powder formulated for cats with CKD, binds protein byproducts in the intestines, after which they are eliminated in the feces before they can be converted to uremic toxins. (cliniciansbrief.com)
  • Problematically, dysbiosis also contributes to the production of uremic toxins, initiating a vicious cycle. (cliniciansbrief.com)
  • Creatinine and BUN are the most well-known uremic toxins but, in reality, are only 2 of the ≈146 organic solutes that are putative uremic toxins. (cliniciansbrief.com)
  • 7 Of particular interest are uremic toxins that are the waste products of protein catabolism (eg, indoxyl sulfate, p-cresyl sulfate), as these are thought to not only have negative pathophysiologic effects but also to contribute to the clinical syndrome of uremia. (cliniciansbrief.com)
  • Uremic toxins that are the product of protein catabolism are produced in the colon via protein fermentation. (cliniciansbrief.com)
  • Numerous uremic toxins that accumulate in patients with CKD are known to have deleterious effects. (cliniciansbrief.com)
  • 9 These uremic toxins also contribute to morbidity and mortality by impairing the neurologic system, lowering erythropoietin production and bone turnover, accelerating muscle atrophy, and increasing the risk for cardiovascular disease. (cliniciansbrief.com)
  • 10 These findings suggest uremic toxins can be used as a therapeutic target in the management of feline CKD. (cliniciansbrief.com)
  • The concept of decreasing uremic toxins and clinical signs of uremia through palliation of dietary protein load is the central tenant behind the historical recommendation to restrict protein in veterinary renal diets. (cliniciansbrief.com)
  • 13 However, data on the effects of differing protein contents on uremic toxins in cats are limited. (cliniciansbrief.com)
  • 14 In another study in cats with early stage CKD, increased uremic toxins were associated with higher dietary protein. (cliniciansbrief.com)
  • Are the estrogenic hormonal effects of environmental toxins affecting small intestinal bacterial and microfilaria overgrowth? (siboinfo.com)
  • We identified 26 Shigella flexneri serotype 2 strains isolated by public health laboratories in the United States during 2001-2013, which encode the Shiga toxin 1a gene ( stx 1a ). (cdc.gov)
  • CEFTIN tablets are indicated for the treatment of pediatric patients (who can swallow tablets whole) with acute bacterial otitis media caused by susceptible strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae , Haemophilus influenzae (including β-lactamase-producing strains), Moraxella catarrhalis (including β-lactamase-producing strains), or Streptococcus pyogenes . (rxlist.com)
  • CEFTIN for oral suspension is indicated for the treatment of pediatric patients aged 3 months to 12 years with acute bacterial otitis media caused by susceptible strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae , Haemophilus influenzae (including β-lactamase-producing strains), Moraxella catarrhalis (including β-lactamase-producing strains), or Streptococcus pyogenes . (rxlist.com)
  • Genome analysis of C. concisus strains isolated from saliva samples has identified a bacterial marker that is associated with active Crohn's disease (one major form of IBD). (frontiersin.org)
  • The gene encoding the cholera toxin was introduced into V. cholerae by horizontal gene transfer. (wikipedia.org)
  • The toxin gene gets transcribed on to the RNA which then is used to produce the toxin protein, but the antitoxin gene only gets transcribed to RNA. (thehindubusinessline.com)
  • At the core of his interest are multi-drug efflux pumps and gene expression programmes that mediate bacterial survival and adaptation to antibiotic exposure. (exeter.ac.uk)
  • In addition, we show deficiencies in the risk assessment of potential gene flow and uncontrolled spread of the transgenes and cultivated varieties as well as the maintenance of seed collections. (biosafety-info.net)
  • Cholera toxin (also known as choleragen and sometimes abbreviated to CTX, Ctx or CT) is an AB5 multimeric protein complex secreted by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. (wikipedia.org)
  • Cholera toxin was discovered in 1959 by Indian microbiologist Sambhu Nath De. (wikipedia.org)
  • Cholera toxin acts by the following mechanism: First, the B subunit ring of the cholera toxin binds to GM1 gangliosides on the surface of target cells. (wikipedia.org)
  • Once bound, the entire toxin complex is endocytosed by the cell and the reduction of a disulfide bridge releases the cholera toxin A1 (CTA1) chain. (wikipedia.org)
  • Treatment of cultured rodent neural stem cells with cholera toxin induces changes in the localization of the transcription factor Hes3 and increases their numbers. (wikipedia.org)
  • Both vaccines use whole killed V. cholerae cells however, Dukoral also contains recombinant cholera toxin β (rCTB). (wikipedia.org)
  • Antimicrobial drug susceptibility demics of cholera due to production of Method assay was performed by the disk diffu- cholera toxin ( 2 - 5 ). (who.int)
  • In particular, he is interested in deciphering bacterial responses towards antibiotics that are enabled by phenotypic heterogeneity in otherwise clonal populations. (exeter.ac.uk)
  • Moreover, it is well recognized that the excessive use of broad-spectrum antibiotics can affect the relative proportions of gut microbial populations and foster bacterial resistance [24]. (deepdyve.com)
  • A new class of potential antibiotics, the so-called acyldepsipeptidases (ADEP) can initiate the degradation process by ClpP in absence of ClpX. (mpg.de)
  • however, the toxin genes have been found in other Shigella species. (cdc.gov)
  • Although 4 species of Shigella cause bacillary dysentery, historically only Shigella dysenteriae type 1 has been recognized as carrying the genes for Shiga toxin ( stx ). (cdc.gov)
  • The genes encoding the toxin are found in an operon consisting of stxA and stxB . (cdc.gov)
  • however, the toxin genes are not associated with a complete prophage genome ( 4 , 5 ). (cdc.gov)
  • In contrast to the toxin genes in S. dysenteriae 1, those in STEC are generally carried by lambdoid prophages, which integrate into the host bacterial chromosome ( 9 ). (cdc.gov)
  • therefore, induction of the lytic cycle increases expression of the toxin genes and host cell lysis allows for toxin release ( 10 ). (cdc.gov)
  • the toxin genes were determined to be carried by a lambdoid prophage homologous to stx -encoding phages found in STEC ( 13 ). (cdc.gov)
  • The results suggest that these two genes are involved in the invasion process and may be potential targets for therapeutics. (scienceblog.com)
  • Moreover, genetic and simple obesity share similar structural and functional features of dysbiosis, such as higher production of toxins with known potential to induce metabolic deteriorations (e.g. trimethylamine-N-oxide and indoxyl sulphate), higher abundance of genomes containing genes coding enzymes involved in the production of these toxic co-metabolites and higher abundance of pathways for biosynthesis of bacterial antigens (such as endotoxin) [13-15]. (deepdyve.com)
  • 3,4 Uremia associated with CKD has been shown to negatively impact the gut microbiome, causing intestinal dysbiosis 3,4 and shifting the microbiota to a less diverse community dominated by certain bacterial families. (cliniciansbrief.com)
  • Intestinal alkaline phosphatase deficiency leads to dysbiosis and bacterial translocation in the newborn intestine. (siboinfo.com)
  • This approach to the treatment of enterotoxigenic diarrhea works by interrupting the diarrhea-causing chain of events that occur when bacterial toxins enter the intestinal tract. (genengnews.com)
  • Stx has been extensively studied in Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC), notably E. coli O157:H7. (cdc.gov)
  • Some major bacterial producers of fecal β-G include Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, Escherichia coli, Clostridium, Bacteroides fragilis and other Bacteroides species, Ruminococcus gnavus, and species that belong to the genera Staphylococcus and Eubacterium. (doctorsdata.com)
  • Shiga toxins (Stx) are cytotoxins involved in severe human intestinal disease. (cdc.gov)
  • However, a variety of observations indicate that additional intestinal colonization factors may play a role in disease due to E. coli O157:H7 and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli of serotypes other than O157:H7. (usda.gov)
  • Bacterial labyrinthitis is a potential consequence of meningitis or otitis media and may occur by either direct bacterial invasion (suppurative labyrinthitis) or through the passage of bacterial toxins and other inflammatory mediators into the inner ear (serous labyrinthitis). (medscape.com)
  • Although bacterial labyrinthitis is rare in the postantibiotic era, bacterial meningitis remains a significant cause of hearing loss. (medscape.com)
  • Epidemiology of Bacterial Meningitis in the Nine Years Since Meningococcal Serogroup A Conjugate Vaccine Introduction, Niger, 2010-2018. (cdc.gov)
  • Antimicrobial potential of Geobacillus sp. (lu.se)
  • Chlorhexidine has demonstrated antimicrobial potential for disinfecting gutta-percha cones, but it is ineffective against Bacillus subtillis spores even after immersion for 72 h 10,15 . (bvsalud.org)
  • In rats with experimental colitis, the marked increase in bacterial translocation in postcolitis rats has been reversed by melatonin administration. (news-medical.net)
  • 1.2-1.9) risk of pneumonia in children [ 2 ], and in young children exposure to fossil fuel-derived particulate matter is associated with a 1.3-fold (95% CI 1.0-1.6) increase in bacterial pneumonia [ 3 ]. (ersjournals.com)
  • This biopesticide works by introducing bacterial spores and toxins into the body of the insect larvae as it feeds on foliage. (arbico-organics.com)
  • Anthrax spores are a potential biological weapon. (msdmanuals.com)
  • The transgenic plants produce an insecticidal, recombinant Bt toxin meant to protect the plants against the larvae of Maruca vitrata , which feed on the plants and are also known as pod borer. (biosafety-info.net)
  • Before the 20th century, biological warfare took three main forms: (1) deliberate poisoning of food and water with infectious or toxic material, (2) use of microorganisms or toxins in some form of weapon system, and (3) use of biologically inoculated fabrics. (medscape.com)
  • Further, he says, the team has also published material on a detailed crystal structure of an E. coli type III TA complex depicting the tightly bound toxin-RNA complex in the bacterium. (thehindubusinessline.com)
  • Some of these animal hosted Campylobacter species, such as Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli , can cause acute bacterial gastroenteritis in humans through consumption of contaminated food or water ( Galanis, 2007 ). (frontiersin.org)
  • A growing body of research supports the concept that there is a significant connection between the gut and the kidney (ie, gut-kidney axis) in multiple species and that both of these systems have important influences on the other, with potential significant clinical implications. (cliniciansbrief.com)
  • Because of that, people's long-term exposure to triclosan is higher than previously thought, raising concerns about the potential risks associated with the use of this ingredient over a lifetime. (twournal.com)
  • A potential dietary carcinogen derived from cooked meat and fish induces high β-G activity and prolongs internal exposure to the toxin in an experimental animal model. (doctorsdata.com)
  • The authors conclude that Gram negative bacterial endotoxins occur in silage and its related airborne dust. (cdc.gov)
  • Every bacterium hosts inside itself a combination of a toxin (T), usually a protein, and an antitoxin (A), which can be a protein or an RNA molecule. (thehindubusinessline.com)
  • Obesity increases the risk of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). (siboinfo.com)
  • The applicability of antitoxins as potential antimicrobials in the era of rising antibiotic resistance could meet the needs of day-to-day clinicians. (bvsalud.org)
  • ENIGMA I includes age-stratified random samples of subjects aged 1-69 and investigates age-specific Helicobacter pylori prevalence and cofactors (bacterial, host and environmental) that could explain the regional differences, in addition to predicting future rates of gastric cancer and assessing antibiotic resistance in each area. (who.int)
  • The mechanism of activation of the transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 (TRPV4) channel by 4α-phorbol esters was investigated by combining information from chemical modification of 4α-phorbol-didecanoate (4α-PDD, 2a ), site-directed mutagenesis, Ca 2+ imaging, and electrophysiology. (acs.org)
  • If quorum sensing is active in vivo, this would open up a new area for potential therapeutic intervention based on inhibiting the quorum sensing mechanism, thereby decreasing expression of intestinal colonization factors. (usda.gov)
  • Hunger and microbiology: is a low gastric acid-induced bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine a contributor to malnutrition in developing countries? (siboinfo.com)
  • Furthermore, HELPER will address potential adverse effects of the Helicobacter pylori eradication treatment, in addition to identifying other factors associated with gastric cancer development, which need consideration before initiating population-based Helicobacter pylori eradication programmes. (who.int)
  • By collecting standardized data, we aim to investigate the epidemiology of gastric premalignant conditions and the role of bacterial, environmental and host factors. (who.int)
  • An increasing number of studies provide evidence for the existence of a microbiota-gut-brain axis and its potential involvement in the development of sporadic Parkinson's disease and other neurodegenerative conditions. (techscience.com)
  • Fecal microbiota analysis of children with small intestinal bacterial overgrowth among residents of an urban slum in Brazil. (siboinfo.com)
  • While the bacterial toxin that causes anthrax has been used as a deadly biological weapon, from a scientific point of view, it has an upside. (sbgrid.org)
  • Later, as a post-doctoral fellow in John Collier's microbiology lab at Harvard Medical School, Lacy wanted to know how the anthrax toxin invades cells. (sbgrid.org)
  • Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth and Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Bridge between Functional Organic Dichotomy. (siboinfo.com)
  • The binding of toxins in the gut is protective by way of blocking their absorption and facilitating excretion. (doctorsdata.com)
  • That is a protective process that limits absorption and enterohepatic resorption of toxins, and enhances excretion. (doctorsdata.com)
  • Long-term proton pump inhibitor therapy leads to small bowel bacterial overgrowth as determined by breath hydrogen and methane excretion. (siboinfo.com)
  • His experimental approaches combine bacterial genetics, microfluidics and long-term imaging. (exeter.ac.uk)
  • We incorporate diverse approaches in experimental evolution, mathematics, systems microbiology, engineering and instrumentation to understand how interactions between cells shape bacterial community behaviours, the value of environmental sensing and phenotypic variation in fluctuating environments, and how phenotypes broadly respond to mutation. (exeter.ac.uk)
  • Profound hearing loss, severe vertigo, ataxia, and nausea and vomiting are common symptoms of bacterial labyrinthitis. (medscape.com)
  • Hydrogen breath test to detect small intestinal bacterial overgrowth: a prevalence case-control study in autism. (siboinfo.com)
  • Three of the specific aims will focus on characterization of three newly discovered potential colonization factors of EHEC. (usda.gov)
  • E-cigarette vapour contains free radicals with the potential to induce oxidative stress. (ersjournals.com)
  • Colon hydrotherapy is essentially a procedure that puts water into the colon and, in doing so, flushes out any stool or "toxins" that are in there. (mindbodygreen.com)
  • In people who are chronically constipated (like those with constipation-predominant IBS), stool that sits in the intestines for a prolonged period of time can actually cause waste toxins to be reabsorbed into the body. (mindbodygreen.com)
  • Using toxins to heal what ails us may sound like contradictory, and perhaps even dangerous, advice - but for at least 5,000 years humans have relied on venom, of all things, for medicinal purposes. (howstuffworks.com)
  • Cross-species polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and database mining identified the orthologs of these ADP-ribosylating toxins in humans and the mouse. (indexindex.com)
  • The next step, he says, is to find a molecule which can disrupt this complex arrangement and free the toxin. (thehindubusinessline.com)
  • These toxins quickly disrupt, and soon completely stop, normal digestive functions of the pest insect. (arbico-organics.com)
  • Beta-glucuronidase is an enzyme that breaks the tight bond between glucuronic acid and toxins in the intestines. (doctorsdata.com)
  • β-glucuronidase (β-G) is an enzyme that breaks the tight bond between glucuronic acid and toxins in the intestines. (doctorsdata.com)
  • The possible roles of molecular hydrogen, a common by-product of bacterial fermentation, are also addressed. (techscience.com)
  • When Lacy began working on this bacterial toxin and potential biological weapon, no one knew what it looked like. (sbgrid.org)
  • The toxin assumes one shape when it makes its way into an endosome in a cell. (sbgrid.org)
  • But as the endosome evolves, its pH drops, causing the toxin to change from a soluble form to a membrane-inserted form, which allows it to form a pore in the membrane. (sbgrid.org)
  • Since LAP is already known to be involved in debris clearance in astrocytes in the mammalian brain, it could also serve as a potential therapeutic target in the future. (brc.hu)
  • To date, only one bacterial factor has been shown to mediate intestinal adherence by O157:H7, the outer membrane protein intimin which was originally discovered in the Principal Investigator's laboratory. (usda.gov)
  • We describe the bacterial community composition of ten digestive tract sites from more than 200 normal adults enrolled in the Human Microbiome Project, and metagenomically determined metabolic potentials of four representative sites. (biomedcentral.com)
  • All people can be affected by this toxin, and symptoms may persist for months or years. (who.int)
  • Lacy, an associate professor of Microbiology at Vanderbilt University, began her studies of toxins in graduate school at the University of California, Berkeley by looking at the botulinum neurotoxin, which causes muscle paralysis and death at extremely low doses. (sbgrid.org)