A Web Focus is a selection of articles on a related theme drawn from the entire Nature Publishing Group family of journals. With content ranging from Research Highlights, Reviews and Perspectives through to primary research papers, a Web Focus provides a panoramic view of a key area of microbiology.

Web Collection

Influenza

May

Influenza pandemics occur with some frequency, as indicated by the recent outbreak of swine flu (influenza A (H1N1)). Learn more about influenza, previous 'flu pandemics, preventative measures against 'flu and how the spread of disease can be modelled and possibly predicted with these selected Nature Reviews Microbiology and Nature Reviews Genetics articles.

Focus

Microbial Host Cell Subversion

May

Subversion of eukaryotic host cell pathways enables intracellular microorganisms to control cell responses, allowing avoidance of host defences and establishment of a niche in which to grow. To highlight advances in our understanding of the mechanisms by which microorganisms tailor cellular pathways to their own needs, Nature Reviews Microbiology and Nature Cell Biology present a set of specially commissioned articles that focus on some of the key pathways in host cells that are subverted by intracellular microorganisms during infection or colonization.

Focus

Symbiosis

October

Microbial symbioses include beneficial, harmful and neutral relationships and are important in animal and plant health, immunity and disease and in ecology and the environment. This special Focus issue highlights exciting advances in our understanding of partnerships between organisms and their environments.

Focus

Sustainability

August

Produced with support from the U.S. Department of Energy

In the past decade, global climate change has come to the forefront of the political and social agenda owing to the growing realization that the Earth�s resources are being used in an unsustainable fashion. To highlight the central role of microbial processes in sustainable development, Nature Reviews Microbiology and The ISME Journal present a specially commissioned set of articles that highlight the importance of microorganisms in climatic processes and research the generation of new energy sources.

Focus

Marine microbiology

October

Produced with support from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and the Agouron Institute

In the past decade marine microbiology has emerged as an important and dynamic discipline. To mark the significant progress enjoyed by this exciting field, Nature Reviews Microbiology has specially commissioned a collection of articles that highlight the latest advances and how they are leading to a new understanding of biodiversity, ecology and biogeochemistry.

Focus

Vaccines — progress & pitfalls

June

Vaccines are among the most useful and cost-effective tools for reducing the morbidity and mortality associated with infectious diseases. This special Focus issue highlights some of the latest progress in vaccine development and the pitfalls that have been encountered along the way.

Focus

Horizontal Gene Transfer

September

Produced with support from US Department of Energy, the National Science Foundation and the National Aeronautics and Space Agency

In recent years, it has become increasingly evident that HGT is central to microbial activities that influence both our health and the environment - it is also clear that the exploitation of HGT holds great promise as an instrument for their improvement.

Focus

Metagenomics

June

Metagenomics is based on the genomic analysis of microbial DNA that is extracted directly from communities in environmental samples.Metagenomics could also unlock the massive uncultured microbial diversity present in the environment to provide new molecules for therapeutic and biotechnological applications.

Focus

Antimicrobial Strategies

September

In 2004, infectious diseases are still the second leading cause of death worldwide, the number of emerging or re-emerging bacterial, fungal and viral pathogens continues to increase, and the threat of bioterrorism looms large worldwide.Thus, the need for new antimicrobial agents is perhaps greater now than it has ever been, and with the lack of new anti-infectives in the pipeline, there is great interest in innovative strategies.

Focus

TLR signalling

July

Produced with support from 3M Pharmaceuticals

Innate immunity is the first line of defence against pathogens and is initiated rapidly after recognition of microbial products by receptors such as the Toll-like receptors (TLRs). Identifying the TLRs, their ligands and the signal transduction events that they initiate has provided insight into our understanding of how the immune response to infection begins.

Focus

February

Nature Medicine 10th anniversary

A series of articles highlighting the major biomedical achievements of the past decade.

Focus

Biodefence and Bioterrorism (Updated)

January

The term 'weapons of mass destruction' seems destined to be one of those rare pieces of jargon that insinuates itself into common usage. The reason for this dubious honour is, of course, that the deployment of such weapons, particularly agents of bioterror, has rarely seemed as possible as it does today. For the same reason, the question of biodefence - defence against agents of bioterror - is high on the agendas of governments, the public and the research community.

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Microbial Genetics

October

This Focus on microbial genetics is designed to highlight lessons from the field's illustrious past and its undiminished relevance to genetics today; it also discusses how the increasing availability of genomic tools and data has changed the field.

Focus

Ocean genomics

August

This collection, along with other analysis of key components of the ocean's food web, highlights the significance of genome sequences from the sea. We powerfully demonstrate how genomics can lead to a new understanding of biodiversity, ecology and biogeochemistry.

Focus

SARS

July

In March 2003, the World Health Organization issued global warnings about a mysterious and deadly form of pneumonia. Our reporters pose key questions about the outbreak, and assess our preparedness to deal with future viral threats.

Focus

Tuberculosis

December

Produced with support from TDR/WHO and The Global Alliance for TB Drug Development

Each year an estimated 8 million people develop clinical disease and 1.87 million people die of TB. These staggering numbers make tuberculosis one of the leading infectious disease killers. Although complete eradication of TB once seemed possible, the increasing incidence of multidrug resistant (MDR) strains, and the deathly specter of AIDS which increases the risk of developing TB 30-fold, means that we are now faced with reemergence of the disease as a global health emergency.

Focus

Malaria

September

Produced with support from TDR/WHO and Medicines for Malaria Venture

Around 400 million people now suffer from the disease, with 130 million new cases occurring annually. The genome of the Anopheles mosquito has been mapped and is now being sequenced, and the complete genome sequence of P.falciparum should be at hand within the next year.