Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

One Health Microbiome Center @psumbiome.bsky.social · 2d

The One Health Microbiome Center, @pennstatescience.bsky.social, and @psubiodept.bsky.social
would like to welcome @ashley17061.bsky.social to Penn State as an Academic Affiliate Professor!

Read on to learn about Dr. Shade's accomplishments:

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One Health Microbiome Center @psumbiome.bsky.social · 2d

We’re beyond honored to announce our final keynote speaker for the OHMC 2026 Symposium: Dr. Arturo Casadevall!

A global leader in infectious disease and immunology, Dr. Arturo Casadevall will join us May 13–14, 2026 at Penn State.

👉 Register today: huck.psu.edu/institutes-a...

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One Health Microbiome Center @psumbiome.bsky.social · 3d

New findings from @lauraweyrich.bsky.social's lab and colleagues🚨

In ancient-DNA studies, the choice of DNA extraction and library preparation workflows can drastically shift how much endogenous DNA is retrieved. That means your lab protocol might be as important as your downstream analyses.

🔗

Wet Lab Protocols Matter: Choice of DNA Extraction and Library Preparation Protocols Bias Ancient Oral Microbiome Recovery

Ancient DNA (aDNA) analysis of archaeological dental calculus has provided a wealth of insights into ancient health, demography and lifestyles. However, the workflow for ancient metagenomics is still...

onlinelibrary.wiley.com

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One Health Microbiome Center @psumbiome.bsky.social · 5d

For the first time, microbes are part of global conservation efforts. 🌍🧫

The IUCN’s new Microbial Conservation Specialist Group— including @symbionticism.bsky.social —aims to protect the unseen majority of life on Earth.

Read more:
www.psu.edu/news/eberly-...

New microorganism survival commission aims to fill critical conservation gap | Penn State University

For the first time, the International Union for Conservation of Nature is formally including all microbial life in its framework by establishing a Microbial Conservation Specialist Group, which includ...

www.psu.edu

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One Health Microbiome Center @psumbiome.bsky.social · 8d

🌱🧬 Penn State’s @hockettlab.bsky.social and team discovered how tomato leaf microbiomes can suppress bacterial speck disease.

Xanthomonas & Pseudomonas → less disease → possible microbial tools to protect crops.

🔗 Read more: www.psu.edu/news/agricul...

New clues in how plant microbiomes protect against bacterial speck disease | Penn State University

Bacterial speck is a common disease affecting tomatoes that can result in lower yields for growers. A new study led by researchers at Penn State gives new clues on how a plant’s microbiome can be used...

www.psu.edu

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One Health Microbiome Center @psumbiome.bsky.social · 9d

📢 Big news: Dr. Andrew Patterson has been named Director of Penn State’s Center for Molecular Toxicology & Carcinogenesis!

He’ll lead research on how environment, diet, & the microbiome impact health.

🔗 Read more: psu.edu/news/research/story/patterson-lead-penn-state-center-environment-and-health

Patterson to lead Penn State center on environment and health | Penn State University

Andrew Patterson has been named director of Penn State’s Center for Molecular Toxicology and Carcinogenesis, a research hub that investigates how environmental exposures affect human health.

psu.edu

One Health Microbiome Center @psumbiome.bsky.social · 9d

We’re excited to announce our next keynote speaker for the OHMC 2026 Symposium: Dr. Martin Wiedmann!🎉

An international leader in food safety and the ecology of foodborne pathogens, Dr. Wiedmann will join us May 13–14, 2026 at Penn State.

👉Register today: huck.psu.edu/institutes-a...

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One Health Microbiome Center @psumbiome.bsky.social · 16d

🦠 New Matters Microbial with @markowenmartin.bsky.social!

Guest Dr. @lauraweyrich.bsky.social shares how ancient dental plaque DNA reveals:

– Neanderthal diets & health
– Early “medicine” use
– Microbes shared with humans

🎧 www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Bc5...

Matters Microbial #108: Neanderthal Oral Health, Ancient Bacteria and DNA

YouTube video by MicrobeTV

www.youtube.com

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Reposted by One Health Microbiome Center

Mark O. Martin @markowenmartin.bsky.social · 21d

Another week, another episode of #MattersMicrobial podcast! This time, @lauraweyrich.bsky.social of Penn State discusses what bacterial DNA from ancient dental plaque can tell us. Please spread the #GoodMicrobialWord. @univpugetsound @asmicrobiology @microbe.tv

youtu.be/6Bc5jhCDWg8?...

Matters Microbial #108: Neanderthal Oral Health, Ancient Bacteria and DNA

YouTube video by MicrobeTV

youtu.be

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One Health Microbiome Center @psumbiome.bsky.social · 16d

We’re thrilled to announce our first keynote speaker for the OHMC 2026 Symposium: Dr. Joy Bergelson 🎉

A pioneer in plant–microbe interactions & coevolution, Dr. Bergelson will join us May 13–14, 2026 at Penn State.

Register today!

www.huck.psu.edu/institutes-a...

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One Health Microbiome Center @psumbiome.bsky.social · 17d

With rigorous training, mentorship, and professional development, these fellows are shaping the future of microbiome science. 💡🧫🌍

Learn more about BIOMS and meet our fellows!

A group of people standing on a staircase in a well-lit room.

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One Health Microbiome Center @psumbiome.bsky.social · 17d

This $2.6M NIH training grant supports 11 outstanding doctoral students working across four departments and two campuses on topics ranging from amphibian disease ecology to the gut microbiome’s role in Parkinson’s disease.

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One Health Microbiome Center @psumbiome.bsky.social · 17d

🎉 Big news from the One Health Microbiome Center!

We’re thrilled to announce the inaugural cohort of BIOMS (Biotechnological and Integrative Opportunities in Microbiome Science) doctoral fellows at Penn State.

tinyurl.com/nvrczx37

One Health Microbiome Center awards 11 inaugural doctoral training fellows | Penn State University

The One Health Microbiome Center at Penn State has awarded the first cohort of doctoral students to receive the Biotechnological and Integrative Opportunities in Microbiome Sciences (BIOMS) doctoral t...

www.psu.edu

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One Health Microbiome Center @psumbiome.bsky.social · 17d

🧬🔬 New from @symbionticism.bsky.social Lab:

The male-killing gene wmk in Wolbachia shows 5 phylogenetic Types across 32 genomes.

Lepidoptera have more copies & diversity than Drosophila (Types I & III).

Expression levels shape male-biased lethality.

Read → academic.oup.com/gbe/advance-...

Evolutionary Diversification and Functions of the Candidate Male Killing Gene wmk

Abstract. Symbiont-mediated male killing (MK) is a mechanism that selectively eliminates male offspring, often by disrupting sex-specific developmental pro

academic.oup.com

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One Health Microbiome Center @psumbiome.bsky.social · 19d

🔬 A July study from Dr. Andrew Patterson and colleagues reveals:

Maternal emulsifier intake (CMC, P80) leads to→
• Early microbiota changes in offspring
• Premature GAP closure
• Greater long-term disease susceptibility

🔗 Read more:

Maternal emulsifier consumption alters the offspring early-life microbiota and goblet cell function leading to long-lasting diseases susceptibility - Nature Communications

Here, Delaroque et al. show that maternal intake of dietary emulsifiers alters offspring microbiota early in life, which, associated with perturbation of goblet cell function, promotes increased susce...

www.nature.com

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One Health Microbiome Center @psumbiome.bsky.social · 22d

Interesting findings from @fdiniandreote.bsky.social & colleagues:

🌱 Plants use underground fungal highways to share defense signals.

CMNs transfer jasmonic acid from infected → healthy plants, reshaping rhizosphere microbes (like Streptomyces) that fight off pathogens.

Read more👉

Common mycorrhizal networks facilitate plant disease resistance by altering rhizosphere microbiome assembly

Common mycorrhizal networks (CMNs) facilitate chemical communication between plants. Zhang et al. demonstrate the transfer of jasmonic acid via CMN from Botrytis cinerea-infected donor plants to healt...

www.cell.com

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One Health Microbiome Center @psumbiome.bsky.social · 23d

🦟 New study from @vectorgen.bsky.social and colleagues:

Natural populations of Culex tarsalis (West Nile virus vector) show clear links between host genetics, geography & microbiome structure.

🌍 Microbiota clusters may help explain variation in disease transmission.

🔗Read more:

Hologenomic structure of bacterial and fungal community composition in the West Nile virus vector Culex tarsalis

Background Microbiota play a crucial role in determining the ability for arthropod disease vectors to transmit pathogens. Microbial community structure can be heavily influenced by microbe-microbe int...

www.biorxiv.org

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One Health Microbiome Center @psumbiome.bsky.social · 24d

📢🦟 New study from Dr. Beth McGraw and colleagues:

Heatwaves make Aedes aegypti co-infected with Wolbachia + dengue virus twice as heat-sensitive.
🌡️ Extended heat lowered dengue loads, while Wolbachia remained stable.

Findings highlight climate change impacts on vector control.

Read more➡️ 🔗

Repeated thermal stress exposure in Aedes aegypti co-infected with Wolbachia and dengue virus | mSphere

Dengue virus (DENV), spread by the mosquito Aedes aegypti, is a major global health threat affecting millions of people. This study examines how repeated exposures to heat stress affect the thermal to...

journals.asm.org

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One Health Microbiome Center @psumbiome.bsky.social · 25d

OHMC's @symbionticism.bsky.social & colleagues launch the Microbial Conservation Specialist Group (MCSG)!

Over the next 5 years they’ll:
• Map threatened microbial habitats
• Build a diverse global network
• Develop Red List criteria for microbes

Read more: www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Launching the IUCN Microbial Conservation Specialist Group as a global safeguard for microbial biodiversity

Nature Microbiology - Launching the IUCN Microbial Conservation Specialist Group as a global safeguard for microbial biodiversity

www.nature.com

One Health Microbiome Center @psumbiome.bsky.social · 26d

Registration is now open! 🎉

Be part of the 2026 One Health Microbiome Center Symposium at Penn State (May 13–14). Explore microbiomes across health & ecosystems and connect with top researchers.

Sign up here:

www.eventbrite.com/e/2026-one-h...

2026 One Health Microbiome Symposium

The 2026 One Health Microbiome Symposium will be hosted at Penn State University. Abstract submissions will open soon.

www.eventbrite.com

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One Health Microbiome Center @psumbiome.bsky.social · 28d

New from OHMC faculty Edward Dudley & @kovaclab.bsky.social & colleagues:

Whole-genome sequencing of 19 Listeria from State College wastewater.

3 isolates closely matched human cases, highlighting wastewater surveillance as a tool for tracking outbreaks.

🔗 journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...

Whole-genome sequence of 19 Listeria monocytogenes, isolated from municipal wastewater in State College, Pennsylvania | Microbiology Resource Announcements

Wastewater-based surveillance (WBS) is a powerful tool for public health monitoring, offering a more comprehensive view of pathogen prevalence than traditional methods (1–6). Listeria monocytogenes, a major foodborne pathogen, infects ~1,600 Americans annually, leading to 260 deaths (7).

journals.asm.org

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One Health Microbiome Center @psumbiome.bsky.social · 29d

New study from OHMC faculty Liana Burghardt & @stl.bsky.social and colleagues:

First use of BONCAT on plant roots reveals microbes are 10× more active the endosphere than in soil — and that activity drives colonization.

A big step for sustainable ag!

Read: journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...

The activity of soil microbial taxa in the rhizosphere predicts the success of root colonization | mSystems

Most soil microbes are dormant, so they must exit dormancy to have the potential to carry out plant-beneficial functions. It is unclear if dormant microbes revive in proximity to plant-produced resources and if overcoming dormancy in the soil is important ...

journals.asm.org

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One Health Microbiome Center @psumbiome.bsky.social · Sep 10

New work from OHMC faculty Dr. Estelle Couradeau and colleagues calls for the UN’s One Health Joint Plan of Action (2022–2026) to include microbiomes—key players in ecosystem, animal & human health. @stl.bsky.social

A must-read perspective: journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...

Incorporating microbiomes into the One Health Joint Plan of Action | mBio

One Health is a well-established concept that is now more crucial than ever in tackling modern challenges of zoonotic diseases, antimicrobial resistance, and climate- and environment-related health th...

journals.asm.org

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One Health Microbiome Center @psumbiome.bsky.social · Sep 8

Congratulations to OHMC faculty member Dr. @jordanbisanz.bsky.social on receiving the 2025 @asm.org Award for Early Career Applied & Biotechnological Research! 🎉

A well-deserved recognition of his innovative contributions to microbiome science.

asm.org/press-releas...

ASM Announces Honorees for 2026 Awards and Prize Program

ASM announced the 2026 Awards and Prize Program recipients. The awards recognize leading scientists and researchers for their accomplishments and contributions to research, education and leadership.

asm.org

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One Health Microbiome Center @psumbiome.bsky.social · Sep 3

Excited to share that the One Health Microbiome Center has selected six fellows for the 2025 Interdisciplinary Innovation Fellowship! 🌍🧫

From tropical peatlands to oral microbiomes, their projects represent the breadth of Penn State’s microbiome research.

www.psu.edu/news/huck-in...

Interdisciplinary Innovation Fellowship awards six trainee-led projects | Penn State University

The One Health Microbiome Center (OHMC) of the Huck Institutes for Life Sciences at Penn State has selected six candidates to receive the 2025 Interdisciplinary Innovation Fellowship, a competitive fu...

www.psu.edu

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