Editorials

The scale of life in the microbial world is such that amazing numbers become commonplace. These numbers can be sources of inspiration for those in the field and used to inspire awe in the next generation of microbiologists.

Microbiology has been a foundation of our investigation into the basic principles of life, but much remains to be discovered. Therefore, the focus on basic microbiology research cannot be lost.

Better annotation of marker gene sequences and environmental parameters in sequence databases is essential to maximize their use for researchers both today and in the future.

Our understanding of the role of the microbiota in our gut and other sites in our body is rapidly improving and can lead to many new and innovative approaches for health care.

Pneumococcal vaccines and rotavirus vaccines will help to reach the goal, set by the United Nations Millennium Project, of a two-thirds decrease in child mortality by 2015.

Plans by several US federal agencies to fight the rapid spread of white-nose syndrome in bats are to be welcomed, but the benefits of further basic research into the causative agent should not be ignored.

Recommendations on the regulation of synthetic biology in the United States provide important lessons on how to foster a nascent field of research while promoting public awareness and support.

Recent outbreaks involving multidrug-resistant bacteria have prompted governments to alter the regulations governing antibiotic sales. By combining the new regulations with calls for new drug development and dispensing regimes, can antibiotic resistance be managed?

A look back at the microbiologists who have won a Nobel Prize, and at those who have been overlooked, provides a wonderful view of the recent history of microbiology and reveals the central place of microbiology in past and current biological science.

World Rabies Day, on 28 September, focuses our attention on a horrific, preventable disease that still kills tens of thousands of people each year.

Limitations in online journal archives and citation search tools, coupled with inaccessibility of older journals in libraries, threaten to disconnect us from our microbiological history.

Recent controversies have decreased the uptake of vaccines, which has led to preventable suffering and deaths. The current scepticism towards vaccines should be countered with a clear and open education campaign.

The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is a disaster that will affect wildlife in the oceans and on the shores for a long time. But can microorganisms come to the rescue?

In this year, the International Year of Biodiversity, we take a look at the mind-boggling scale of microbial biodiversity yet to be uncovered and the potential benefits of increasing our discovery efforts.

Life science research in China continues to expand rapidly. Support from the Chinese government and a thriving research community, including in the field of microbiology, are making China an increasingly important contributor to the life sciences.

Fighting infectious diseases in developing countries is difficult owing to limited financial resources. Many pharmaceutical companies have programmes that provide much needed medicines, but more can be done.

In the year in which the GAVI Alliance celebrates its tenth anniversary, Bill and Melinda Gates have pledged US$10 billion in new funding. Judging from past successes, this is great news for millions of children.

With more than 1,000 bacterial and archaeal genome sequences now available, we look at the progress that has been made over the past 15 years.

Disease eradication programmes are often slower than expected. Several local and regional eradication programmes had targets for 2010, but progress towards these goals has been variable.

Pneumonia kills more children under 5 years of age than any other infectious disease, but affordable and effective treatment and prevention measures are available. The time has come for the world to wake up to this forgotten killer.