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Articles on Penicillin

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Gain-of-function experiments in the lab can help researchers get ahead of viruses naturally gaining the ability to infect people in the wild. KTSDesign/Science Photo Library via Getty Images

Gain-of-function research is more than just tweaking risky viruses – it’s a routine and essential tool in all biology research

From cancer immunotherapy and antibiotics to GMO crops and pandemic surveillance, gain of function is a cornerstone of basic research.
In the HBO series ‘The Last of Us,’ the parasitic fungus cordyeps mutates, and jumps from insects to humans and quickly spreads around the world, rendering its victims helpless to control their thoughts and actions. (HBO)

The fungus zombies in ‘The Last of Us’ are fictional, but real fungi can infect people, and they’re becoming more resistant

While ‘The Last of Us’ is a dramatic projection of a deadly fungal outbreak, it is based, if not in reality, in logic. And it’s a reminder that fungal infections are growing more resistant.
Penicillin ushered in the antibiotics revolution, with amazing results during war and peace. Science & Society Picture Library/SSPL via Getty Images

Guns, not roses – here’s the true story of penicillin’s first patient

Albert Alexander was the first known person treated with penicillin. While his ultimately fatal case is well known in medical histories, the cause of his illness has been misattributed for decades.
Bacteria in the dish on the left are sensitive to antibiotics in the paper discs. The ones on the right are resistant to four of the seven antibiotics. Dr. Graham Beards

Bacteria may be powerful weapon against antibiotic resistance

Antibiotic-munching microbes may prove useful for mopping up contaminated water supplies and land.
Green colonies of allergenic fungus Penicillium from air spores on a petri dish. Penicillin was the first antibiotic. Satirus/Shutterstock.com

Why you may not need all those days of antibiotics

We’ve been told for a long time that we must take all of our antibiotics. But maybe we didn’t need so many to begin with. Here’s why.

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