Research Keyword: microfluidics

MetaFlowTrain: a highly parallelized and modular fluidic system for studying exometabolite-mediated inter-organismal interactions

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Scientists developed MetaFlowTrain, a system that allows them to study how different microorganisms communicate through chemical molecules they produce. The system uses tiny connected chambers with filters that let chemical signals pass between microbes but keep the organisms separated. This tool revealed that bacteria can inhibit fungal growth through their chemical products and showed how soil conditions affect microbial community structure and plant health.

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Nanoencapsulation of Biotics: Feasibility to Enhance Stability and Delivery for Improved Gut Health

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This review explores how tiny nanoparticles can protect beneficial bacteria and dietary compounds as they travel through the digestive system. These nanotechnologies help probiotics survive stomach acid and reach the intestines where they provide health benefits. The research shows promising results for treating digestive diseases and improving overall gut health through better delivery of microbiota-modulating substances.

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Monitoring the impact of confinement on hyphal penetration and fungal behavior

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Scientists created tiny glass channels that mimic soil conditions to study how fungi grow when squeezed into tight spaces. They observed seven different fungal species growing through these channels and measured how fast their thread-like hyphae could push through. Most fungi slowed down in tighter spaces, but each species had unique behaviors, like branching patterns or the ability to push so hard they broke the glass containers.

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Hierarchical Structure of the Program Used by Filamentous Fungi to Navigate in Confining Microenvironments

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This research reveals how fungi navigate through tight spaces like soil and wood using sophisticated biological ‘programs’ operating at three levels: individual fungal threads, groups of threads, and entire fungal networks. Each level uses different strategies like sensing openings, remembering directions, and avoiding neighbors to efficiently explore confined spaces. By understanding these natural algorithms, scientists could develop new bio-inspired solutions for navigation and space exploration problems.

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Quantitative Characterization of Gene Regulatory Circuits Associated With Fungal Secondary Metabolism to Discover Novel Natural Products

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Scientists developed a special technology using tiny channels and fluorescent markers to understand how fungi control their genes that produce valuable compounds. By precisely measuring how different genes turn on and off in individual fungal cells, they can now predict and control when and how much of useful medicines and other bioactive molecules are made. They successfully used this knowledge to create new pathways that produce novel compounds, including new types of dendrobine molecules never seen before.

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Hierarchical Structure of the Program Used by Filamentous Fungi to Navigate in Confining Microenvironments

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Fungi navigating through tight spaces like soil use sophisticated biological programs similar to computer algorithms. Researchers studied how three fungal species move through confined microfluidic channels, discovering they use a three-level system: individual threads sense passages and remember direction, groups of threads avoid each other and share resources, and entire fungal networks solve problems through local independent decisions. This hierarchical approach efficiently explores space while balancing energy use.

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