Virginia Tech Archives

**Controlling Salmonella in the poultry gut: Diversity is key**

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Newborn chicks are especially susceptible to Salmonella.

When microorganisms that interact in a specific environment suppress the growth of pathogens, researchers call this ‘pathogen exclusion’. Salmonella is found in poultry intestines and can harm both the birds and humans. To control Salmonella growth, a balance between microorganisms that colonise the poultry gut is necessary. This involves complex interactions between microbes that we don’t yet fully understand. Dr Margie […]

The role of water dynamics in age-related bone weakening

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Dr Valerie Welborn uses the density functional theory to understand how water molecules interact and bind to bone, and how the physiological environment may have an effect

The interaction of water with biological tissues plays crucial roles in maintaining cells and keeping complex organisms alive and healthy. Dysfunctions in biological processes involving water can lead to pathologies or death. For instance, age-related dehydration in bones leads to bone weakening with more frequent fractures, although the origin of this process is still poorly understood. Using powerful computational techniques, […]

Common beans: A sustainable and inexpensive super food to fight against CVD

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Legumes, such as common beans, are well known for their health benefits, including their ability to lower blood cholesterol and lipid levels. However, prior to consumption, beans need to be cooked or processed. These techniques often cause changes in the bean matrix, which can potentially influence their positive physiological effects. Dr Cristina Fernández-Fraguas, Assistant Professor at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and […]

A new frontier for hate

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James Hawdon, Professor of Sociology and Director of the Center for Peace Studies and Violence Prevention at Virginia Tech, USA, has spent many years studying online hate, including hate speech and other forms of cyberviolence. His work has examined how hate speech gets produced, how the hate groups and individuals that produce it become radicalised, how it spreads across the […]