Most bacteria live freely in the environment — in soil and water, in the air, and in and on the human body. Some, though, live a little less freely: they depend entirely on other bacteria, latching onto them and leeching out the critical nutrients they need for survival.    While these parasitic bacteria — called Saccharibacteria — have historically ranked among microbiology’s most understudied organisms, they are now at the centre of the research that McMaster University graduate student Jake Colautti is conducting during a yearlong exchange at Yale University.   […]

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Many people with celiac disease are advised to eat more fibre to support digestion and manage symptoms, either through diet or prescribed fibre supplements. New research from McMaster University shows that the benefits of that fibre may depend on whether the right bacteria are present in the gut to break it down.   The study, published in Nature Communications on March 31, found that people with celiac disease had significantly reduced […]

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How much of an impact did Udbhav Ram make during his co-op with the University of Alabama Birmingham? Well, not only did his supervisors nominate Ram for a co-op student of the year award, they flew in from Alabama to present it. Ram, who was expecting a videotaped congratulations, had no idea they were coming. Joel […]

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