Adam D. Irwin

Feb 20, 2024 | nature.com | Seung Jae Kim |Minh-Duy Phan |Matthew Sullivan |Katharine M. Irvine |Scott A. Beatson |Matthew Sweet | +4 more

AbstractBacteria adapt to selective pressure in their immediate environment in multiple ways. One mechanism involves the acquisition of independent mutations that disable or modify a key pathway, providing a signature of adaptation via convergent evolution. Extra-intestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) belonging to sequence type 95 (ST95) represent a global clone frequently associated with severe human infections including acute pyelonephritis, sepsis, and neonatal meningitis.

Feb 24, 2023 | nature.com | Mark Davies |Stephan Brouwer |Magnus G. Jespersen |Amanda J. Cork |Andrew Hayes |Miranda Pitt | +7 more

AbstractA new variant of Streptococcus pyogenes serotype M1 (designated ‘M1UK’) has been reported in the United Kingdom, linked with seasonal scarlet fever surges, marked increase in invasive infections, and exhibiting enhanced expression of the superantigen SpeA. The progenitor S. pyogenes ‘M1global’ and M1UK clones can be differentiated by 27 SNPs and 4 indels, yet the mechanism for speA upregulation is unknown.

Feb 7, 2023 | newthinking.com | Adam D. Irwin |David Haldane |Nikki Muller |Freddie Bailey

Politics, religion, and football. One misspeak can turn dinner party tranquility into tempest. Of course, religion doesn’t have to be faith in God: any deeply-held belief will do. The “Climate Crisis” and Net Zero agenda? What precipitated the tragic war in Ukraine? Covid’s origins and the Government’s response? Challenge the orthodoxy and find yourself a hated heretic.