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Phage therapy has long held promise—the challenge has been delivering it at scale. ASM is thrilled to see NIH fund 3 Centers for Accelerating Phage Therapy to Combat ESKAPE Pathogens, advancing the assays, models and infrastructure needed to standardize and scale phage therapeutics. Several ASM Health members have been awarded funds to help lead this effort.

Together with ASM Health’s Phage Therapy Coordination Network, these initiatives mark a shift from fragmented, case-by-case use toward coordinated, reproducible, regulator-ready phage therapy. Learn More: https://asm.social/2Z1

Join us on July 13 for an exclusive interview with Kate Zernike, Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist and New York Times reporter, on her book The Exceptions: Nancy Hopkins and the Fight for Women in Science.
Register now! https://asm.social/2YY

Microbiology Monday: Demodex mites are mammalian ectoparasites that live in the small units where hair is produced, consisting of a hair follicle, a sebaceous oil gland and a tiny muscle. The mites feed on blood, sebaceous gland secretions and epithelial cells at night. While Demodex are common and can live on human skin asymptomatically, infestation may lead to to dry eye disease and play a role on conditions like rosacea and conjunctivitis. This image shows a Demodex mite on the eyelash of a patient. Get the full case in : https://asm.social/2YV

What is hantavirus and how do labs test for it?

Hantaviruses are a group of global zoonotic, single-stranded, tri-segmented, negative-sense RNA viruses within the Orthohantavirus genus. Andes virus is the species associated with the May 2026 multinational outbreak on a cruise ship and can be transmitted person-to-person through close contact.

ASM and Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) jointly developed an FAQ document to help clinical laboratories answer questions about hantavirus testing. Get answers to your questions now!

Laboratory Testing of Hantavirus ASM and APHL jointly developed a FAQ document for clinical laboratories on testing of hantavirus.

is a communal holiday that commemorates the ending of slavery in Texas. To honor the day, we invite you to read about the legacy of Juneteenth and in Houston as symbols of Black American self-determination.

The Spirit of Juneteenth: The Freedom to Self-Determine | ASM.org Learn about the significance of Juneteenth, the Emancipation Proclamation, Emancipation Park, land ownership and how Black scientists and historians embody Juneteenth's spirit of self-determination.

How can sludge-based microbes be useful? Do cells from rough and smooth C. difficile colonies behave differently in a host?🧐

Find out in this week's ASM Journal Highlights! ⤵️

📰Thousands of metric tons of diverse sludge wastes are generated annually in the pulp and paper industry. This article explores how sludge-based microbes could help degrade biopolymers and minimize waste. Read the article: https://asm.social/2YK

🦠The risk of colorectal cancer development in cystic fibrosis populations is significantly increased. In , researchers identify candidate features of the young CF intestine & microbiome that may contribute to development of inflammation & CRC. https://asm.social/2YM

💩 Many C. difficile strains form 2 colony morphotypes: rough & smooth. In a mouse model of CDI, cells from rough colonies are more immunostimulatory during early infection, potentially reducing relative fitness compared to smooth colony cells. : https://asm.social/2YL

🫁Zoonotic respiratory pathogens commonly disrupt epithelial barrier integrity. In : Pasteurella multocida infection is associated with activation of an NF-κB–microtubule–STING signaling axis contributing to epithelial barrier dysfunction. https://asm.social/2YN

🌳Long-term manipulations of drought and substrate inputs in forest soil are rare. Data from shows that 8 years of throughfall exclusion reshaped bacterial, fungal and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal communities in managed forest soil https://asm.social/2YO

Want to feel more confident reading statistical figures?

Watch ASM’s newest video on how to interpret ROC curves and Area Under the Curve (AUC)! The video walks you through a figure and shows you how to apply these concepts when reading journal articles.

Watch now!

asm.org

Microbes don’t exist in isolation. Rather, they clump together into single- or mixed-species aggregates and biofilms, shaped by various cellular and environmental factors. Researchers are combining established and cutting-edge techniques to understand the form and function of microbial communities with distinct 3D spatial structure and organization. Read more in Microcosm: https://asm.social/2YE

Growing interest in hantavirus infections has created a strong need for clear scientific guidance on rodent‑borne transmission and the factors that influence human exposure. On June 23 at 1 p.m. ET, join the Journal of Virology Seminar Series for:

“Hantaviruses in the Wild: True‑to‑Nature Models of Infection in Reservoir Rodents.”

Authors Jason Botten, Ph.D., and Rebekah Honce, Ph.D., will examine how rodent‑borne orthohantaviruses circulate in wild populations and what drives spillover risk to humans, with a focus on Sin Nombre virus—a cause of hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome. The presenters will highlight true‑to‑nature infection models that improve our understanding of how these viruses persist in reservoir hosts and what that means for anticipating and mitigating future rodent‑to‑human transmission threats.

Read the paper: https://asm.social/2YC

Register for the webinar: https://asm.social/2YD

The answer to Saturday’s question is 🦠… B. Elizabethkingia!

Get the details and learn more when you watch the video on the Case Study page: https://asm.social/2Yw

Do you have an interesting or unusual finding you would like to share? Present your own ASM Clinical Microbiology case study. Submit your proposal at: https://asm.social/2Yv