Some species of streptococci are unique in that they are classified or grouped according to the antigenic structure of their cell walls. Ever wondered how this was discovered? In this article, we will explore the history of how strep grouping came to be in common usage today. The genus Streptococcus contains many pathogens from…
Read More “Serogrouping of Strep:The Legacy of Rebecca Lancefield” »
Listeriosis or Listeria monocytogenes food poisoning is an infection which could be fairly mild or debilitating depending on the person infected. Young children, pregnant women, the elderly, or anyone with a compromised immune system are the most susceptible to Listeriosis. When a person is infected, symptoms of a Listeria infection can include sudden onset fever, chills, severe…
Read More “Contaminated Cantaloupes! Listeria on the Loose.” »
Boyd Woodruff was the son of an East Coast farmer whose ground-breaking research served as a lynch pin for fellow scientists to be able to harvest a plethora of lifesaving antibiotics from every day soil. Known simply as Boyd, he loved to read and explore the world around him. However, it was not until he…
Read More “Honoring one of the greatest antibiotic researchers… H. Boyd Woodruff” »
Since 1947, when the first drive-through restaurant was opened by Sheldon “Red” Chaney in Springfield, Missouri[1], the term “fast food” has become a staple of the American vocabulary. McDonalds, Burger King, White Castle, In & Out, and Taco Bell: all of these have become so monolithically important to everyday life, that many can recite the…
Read More “When Fast Food & Microbiology Make News, It’s Rarely a Good Thing.” »
Inc. Magazine has once again included Hardy Diagnostics in their list of 5,000 fastest growing private companies in the United States. Hardy Diagnostics is ranked 205th in the Health Industry. Inc.’s website states, “The 2016 Inc. 5000 are the superheroes of the U.S. economy. America’s fastest-growing private companies wield powers like strategy, service, and innovation.” …
Early Life: Louis Pasteur is, simply put, a continued source of inspiration for chemists and microbiologists around the world. His work found new ways to preserve our food, revolutionized healthcare, and has potentially saved millions of lives. He fundamentally changed how the world perceived biology by drawing attention to the microscopic building blocks of life….
Read More “Louis Pasteur: Innovator Who Continues to Inspire” »
No, Blood Falls is not the newest Norwegian metal band, but it is actually a naturally occurring geologic wonder. Blood falls flows out of the Taylor Glacier in Antarctica onto the neighboring West Lake Bonney which is completely frozen over. The isolated (even for Antarctica) anomaly as well as the glacier and valley was discovered…
