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Take 5 minutes for a new ! A patient delivers twins and experiences what appears to be severe pregnancy complications, possibly HELLP syndrome or something similar. After 5 days in the hospital, she spikes a fever and grows a gram-negative rod from blood cultures.

What could this organism be and why can it be a serious concern for patients?

https://asm.social/2Yp

Comment below and get the answer on Tuesday, June 15, when you visit ASM’s Case Study Page.

What is a pathogen? The damage-response framework posits that the capacity for pathogenesis is not a microbial trait, as it is often defined, but an outcome of host-microbe interactions.

Pathogenesis is Not a Trait—It's an Outcome | ASM.org What is a pathogen? The damage-response framework posits that the capacity for pathogenesis is not a microbial trait, as it is often defined, but an outcome of host-microbe interactions.

What's new in the microbial sciences? We've got you covered with this week's ASM Journal Highlights! 😄

🦠Some methanotrophs synthesize S-layers that overlay their outer membrane. In , researchers show that the biogenesis and secretion of Methylomicrobium album BG8 S-layer is mediated by its associated T1SS. https://asm.social/2Yg

🥼In : a case of invasive infection caused by USA300 OS-MRSA. Repeated phenotypic testing revealed oxacillin susceptibility; molecular assays detected the mecA gene. The results highlight limitations of phenotypic susceptibility testing alone. https://asm.social/2Yi

🔬Outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) secreted by Bacteroides can be an important mechanism of host-pathogen interactions in the colon by reducing CFTR Cl⁻ secretion; the effects on CFTR Cl⁻ secretion depend on the strain of Bacteroides fragilis. : https://asm.social/2Yd

🧬Mycobacteria lack the canonical spatial regulators found in many bacteria. This study identifies lineage-specific N-terminal extension of the DNA translocase FtsK that contributes to spatial control during mycobacterial division. https://asm.social/2Yf

🖥️The mono-ADP ribosyl transferase family of toxins encoded by pathogens of global importance, including Salmonella spp., Neisseria spp. and C. difficile induces actin depolymerization leading to MAP4K activation and JNK-dependent cell death. : https://asm.social/2Ye

For more new research published in , visit: https://asm.social/2Yh

And stay tuned for another !

🦠Bacteria are sticky creatures. New discoveries on mechanisms of bacterial adhesion show how microbes stay put on diverse, often hostile host surfaces...until, of course, it's time to let go. Read more in Microcosm:

Stuck on You: How Bacteria Migrate and Adhere to Their Hosts | ASM.org Bacteria are sticky creatures. New discoveries on mechanisms of bacterial adhesion show how microbes stay put on diverse, often hostile host surfaces—until, of course, it’s time to let go.

Turn your research into opportunity at ABRCMS 2026 — submit your abstract by September 11.

A trip to ABRCMS is about more than presenting your research. It’s an opportunity to build peer and mentor connections that can help move your work forward and support the next phase of your scientific career.

Explore resources to help you prepare and plan your trip:

🔬 Components of a Competitive Abstract
https://abrcms.org/present-at-abrcms/competitive-abstract/

💸 Guide to Funding Your Trip
https://abrcms.org/funding-your-trip-to-abrcms/

✈️ Apply for a Travel Award
https://abrcms.org/present-at-abrcms/apply-for-a-travel-award/

🗓️ Important Dates to Remember
• Abstract & Student Travel Award Deadline: September 11
• Abstract Notifications: October 5
• Deadline for Student Presenters to Register: November 2

⏰ Registration application and abstract submission deadline approaching!

There’s still time to apply to attend the ASM–CSIR‑IGIB Symposium on Decoding Microbial Systems, but the deadline is June 12, 2026 (11:59 p.m. IST).

Applicants may choose to:

✔ Apply for attendance only or
✔ Submit an abstract for poster or oral presentation consideration.

The symposium will highlight cutting‑edge research in:

• Microbial sensing and response.
• Host–microbe interactions.
• Community behavior.
• Evolution and adaptation.
• Genomics, multi‑omics and computational biology.

Be part of a selective, international cohort advancing microbial systems science.

👉 Start your application now: https://asm.social/2Y6

ASM Global Research Symposium | India | Application The ASM Global Research Symposium, hosted with CSIR-IGIB, brings scientists together to explore mechanisms of microbial communities, host interactions and evolution in health and disease.

📣 Call for Papers: ASM Food Microbiology

Positioned at the intersection of biotechnology and microbial innovation, ASM Food Microbiology offers a fresh, authoritative platform that engages a specialized readership and elevates emerging research not found in other journals. Submit to be considered for the inaugural issue to be published later in 2026.

🥬Key areas of focus include the following:

• Foodborne Pathogens & Safety.
• Probiotics, Prebiotics & Functional Microbes.
• Fermentation Microbiology.
• Spoilage & Preservation.
• Food Biotechnology & Synthetic Biology.
• Food Microbiomes & Microbial Ecology.
• Antimicrobial Resistance.
• Food Virology, Parasitology & Mycology.
• Emerging Areas: AI-Based Food Safety, Microbial-Based Cellular Factories & Food Synthetic Biology.

📅 Learn more and submit: https://asm.social/2Y1

Thank you for being part of ASM Microbe 2026! Your energy, insights and passion made it unforgettable. We’re already looking ahead: Save the date for ASM Microbe 2027, taking place June 22–25 in Chicago. Got big ideas? Session proposals open tomorrow—help shape next year’s program and push the microbial sciences forward. https://asm.social/2XZ.

What does the future hold for phage therapy? The 2026 Science and Society Lecture explored the promise—and challenges—of phage therapy as a tool to combat antimicrobial resistance.

Moderator Colleen Kraft, M.D., M.S. (ASM Health Chair), led a powerful discussion on the gap between phage therapy’s proven clinical potential and its limited availability in patient care, highlighting the scientific, regulatory and system-level barriers that must be overcome.

The session opened with a keynote from Stephanie Strathdee, Ph.D., who drew on real-world compassionate-use cases to underscore the urgent need to expand access for critically ill patients. She emphasized how phage therapy has already saved lives, yet remains out of reach for many who could benefit due to fragmented systems and regulatory complexity.

A panel discussion, featuring Daria Van Tyne, Ph.D., and Vivek Mutalik, Ph.D., followed, diving into how advances in phage discovery, engineering and scalable production can better connect to patient care. Speakers highlighted the importance of coordinated, cross-sector efforts to move phage therapy from isolated successes to a reliable clinical solution.

Central to this conversation was the Phage Therapy Coordination Network—an ASM Health initiative designed to align expertise across academia, clinical practice, regulatory science and industry.

The session offered an inspiring look at how collaboration and systems-level innovation can transform phage therapy into a scalable, impactful tool in the fight against antimicrobial resistance.

Exploring Center for the History of Microbiology/ASM (CHOMA) exhibit at ! The feature exhibit this year is a journey through the evolution of ASM from its founding to the present day, focusing closely on ASM’s long-standing commitment to supporting the global scientific community and advancing the field through collaboration and service. Learn more about CHOMA here: https://asm.social/2XS