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Reports of diphtheria cases in asylum seekers in the UK remind us that understanding and mitigating the risks posed by infectious diseases to disadvantaged peoples remain important.
We present a series of commissioned articles authored by people from groups that are under-represented in research, to highlight past and present scientific contributions in microbiology and to increase the diversity of Nature Microbiology authors.
Methods for monitoring wastewater for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and emerging variants have risen to prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic. Routine monitoring of wastewater should be deployed around the world to mitigate the spread of pathogens, both old and new.
Crewed missions to other planets are currently being planned, and fully automated, robotic missions are likely to return samples from other planets to Earth, so it will be important to carefully evaluate and minimize any associated microbiological risks.
We present a specially commissioned set of articles to mark UN International Women’s Day that highlight gender inequalities that impact women in academia, clinical research and healthcare, and celebrate the achievements of female microbiologists.
Scientific illustrations help to communicate complex information and data across disciplines. The work of science animators and illustrators is therefore a valuable part of effective science communication, in particular for microbiology, as the majority of organisms studied cannot be seen with the naked eye.
