Parasitism runs deep in malaria's family tree
The ancestors of a large family of parasites—including those that cause malaria—were equipped to become parasites much earlier in their lineage than previously assumed, according to University of...
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Researchers capture first glimpse of important, abundant ocean microbe
Diplonemids are the most abundant protozoa. Photo: Alyson Santoro. A rare microbe that was once thought to be insignificant has turned out to be one of the most abundant single-celled hunters in the...
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Hostage situation or harmony? Researchers rethink symbiosis
Host, blue-stained nuclei and red-stained bacteria. Photo: Keeling Lab. Relationships where two organisms depend on each other, known as symbiosis, evoke images of partnership and cooperation. But a...
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Long-haired microbes named after Canadian band Rush
These microbes have more than ten thousand very long flagella, giving the appearance of a long mane of hair. Photo: Patrick Keeling. Three new species of microbe found in the guts of termites have...
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Scientists discover first organism with chlorophyll genes that doesn’t...
Close-up of a coral. Photo: Keeling Lab/UBC. For the first time scientists have found an organism that can produce chlorophyll but does not engage in photosynthesis.The peculiar organism is dubbed...
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Spawn of the triffid? Tiny organisms give us glimpse into complex...
Scanning electron microscope image of Rhodelphis. Photo: Denis Tikhonenkov. Two newly discovered organisms point to the existence of an ancient organism that resembled a tiny version of the lumbering,...
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Protist expert awarded top UBC research prize
Maze coral, Great Barrier Reef. Patrick Keeling's work has helped us zoom in and understand corals and the organisms they interact with. Photo: Keeling Lab/UBC. Patrick Keeling, a botanist who studies...
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UBC biologist wins NAS Gilbert Morgan Smith Medal
Caulerpa racemosa algae. Photo: Wikipedia/Nick Hobgood. UBC biologist Dr. Patrick Keeling will receive the 2021 Gilbert Morgan Smith Medal. The medal, awarded every three years by the National Academy...
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Professional ‘guilds’ of bacteria gave rise to the modern microbiome
Harpacticoid copepod (Arthropoda, Crustacea) from macroalgae in Calvert Island, carrying a clutch of eggs. Even the smallest marine invertebrates—some barely larger than single-celled protists—are...
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New branch on tree of life includes 'lions of the microbial world'
On the left is a starving provoran. On the right, it has engulfed its prey. Nature. There’s a new branch on the tree of life and it’s made up of predators that nibble their prey to death.These...
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