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UMass Amherst Researcher Receives New Innovator Grant

Lutz Grossmann is on a scientific quest to develop tasty, animal-free protein that has a minimal carbon footprint and is generated without the use of agricultural land, which is a common and more stressed source of the world’s food supply.

27 Apr 2023

Exceptional Number of Unknown Viruses Found in the Infants' Feces

Viruses are usually associated with illness. But our bodies are full of both bacteria and viruses that constantly proliferate and interact with each other in our gastrointestinal tract.

12 Apr 2023

Beneficial microbes in the infant gut use nitrogen from human milk to support pediatric development

A University of Massachusetts Amherst nutrition scientist who has spent his career studying breast milk has demonstrated how beneficial microbes in the gut of infants use nitrogen from human milk to support pediatric nutrition and development.

28 Mar 2023

T cell-driven changes in the gut may affect brain function associated with depression

In experiments with mice and humans, a team led by Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers says it has identified a particular intestinal immune cell that impacts the gut microbiome, which in turn may affect brain functions linked to stress-induced disorders such as depression.

21 Mar 2023

First molecular images of olfaction sets the stage to create novel smells

Breaking a longstanding impasse in our understanding of olfaction, scientists at UC San Francisco (UCSF) have created the first molecular-level, 3D picture of how an odor molecule activates a human odorant receptor, a crucial step in deciphering the sense of smell.

16 Mar 2023

Demonstrating the effects of wildflowers on the health and reproduction rate of bumblebees

University of Massachusetts Amherst biologist Lynn Adler has won the Mahoney Life Sciences Prize for her research demonstrating that different kinds of wildflowers can have markedly different effects on the health and reproduction rate of bumblebees.

14 Mar 2023

Role of probiotics and functional materials in the treatment of intestinal inflammation

Maintenance of sulfomucin is a key end point in the treatment of diarrhea and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, the mechanism underlying the microbial sense to sulfomucin are poorly understood, and to date, there are no therapies targeting the secretion and maturation of sulfomucin in IBD. Considering the important role of gut microbiota in host immune regulation, maintain sulfomucin by modulating the gut microbiota is inspired.

20 Feb 2023

Importance of drying temperature in the technological properties of OSPF

Orange, starchy sweet potatoes are great mashed, cut into fries or just roasted whole. But you likely haven't considered grinding them into a flour and baking them into your next batch of cookies -; or at least, not yet!

14 Feb 2023

Two-step screening of aroma compounds reveals a novel and effective modulator of dendritic cells

Dendritic cells (DCs) are important players of the immune system with important functions such as the identification of infectious pathogens, production of cytokines (chemical signalers of the immune system), presentation of antigens to activate T-cells, and more.

13 Feb 2023

New insights into the lubrication mechanism of chocolate

Scientists found the physical process that takes place in the mouth when a piece of chocolate is eaten.

31 Jan 2023

Empire apples improve the intestinal health of production broilers

An apple a day may keep the livestock veterinarian away. Juice, pulp and other waste from Empire apples, when injected into chicken eggs before hatching, show signs of boosting the animal's intestinal health, according to Cornell research.

14 Dec 2022

Genetically modifying plant protein to yield more vegetable oil

At the Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore), researchers have been successful in genetically modifying a plant protein that is accountable for oil accumulation in edible nuts and plant seeds.

From Nanyang Technological University Singapore (NTU Singapore) 11 Nov 2022

Short-term tomato consumption alters gut bacteria toward a more favorable profile

Two weeks of eating a diet heavy in tomatoes increased the diversity of gut microbes and altered gut bacteria toward a more favorable profile in young pigs, researchers found.

9 Nov 2022

Genomic research helps in tackling the fatal complications of fungal infections

An important genetic discovery made by a research team led by a University of Massachusetts Amherst scientist sheds new light on the application of the drug caspofungin to treat the deadly fungal infection Aspergillus fumigatus, which claims the lives of about 100,000 severely immunocompromised individuals every year.

7 Oct 2022

Discovery of new, natural sweeteners in citrus could change food and beverage industry

Americans' love affair with sugar can be a deadly attraction that sometimes leads to major health problems, including obesity and type 2 diabetes.

21 Sep 2022

UF scientists know why 'aromatic' blueberries taste good

They may be called "aromatic" blueberries, but they don't just smell nice -- they taste good.

9 Aug 2022

Researchers use synthetic polymers as alternatives to nucleate the formation of biofilms

A report from Birmingham researchers that was published in Materials Horizons describes a novel technique for improving biocatalysis efficiency.

3 Aug 2022

Study explores labor time-use on Irish pasture-based dairy farms

Globally, dairy producers face increasing challenges regarding sustainability, including declining numbers of workers in the agricultural sector, while continuing to meet increasing demand for nutritious and affordable food.

27 Jul 2022

New study gauges public acceptance of gene-edited foods

Through CRISPR and other gene-editing technologies, researchers and developers are poised to bring dozens – if not hundreds – of new products to grocery stores: mushrooms with longer shelf lives, drought-resistant corn and bananas impervious to a fungus threatening the global supply.

29 Jun 2022

$750,000 partnership grant supports the development of portable biosensors for detecting foodborne contaminants

An international team led by a University of Massachusetts Amherst food and environmental virologist has received a $750,000 USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) partnership grant to develop and test portable, rapid biosensors capable of detecting noroviruses and mycotoxins in foods and agricultural products.

6 Jun 2022