Basic Science News at Duke School of Medicine

As the Planet Warms, Fungi Find a Way In

Rising global temperatures are doing more than intensifying storms and heatwaves. 

Scientists at the recent "Fungi in a Warming World: Adaptations, Challenges and Resilience"  Symposium held at Duke University School of Medicine warned that rising temperatures may be helping environmental fungi to survive inside the human body, putting more people at risk of serious infections. 

So far, we’ve had one big advantage: body temperatures too high for most fungi to survive. But that line of defense may be slipping away. 

What Makes Us Human

If 98.8% of our DNA is the same as that of a chimpanzee, what changes in the remaining 1.2% make us human?

Honey, I Shrunk the Proteins

A Duke University School of Medicine team reimagines a sci-fi classic as real-world biotech that can speed up biological research.

The Fungal Fallout of Climate Disasters 

When Hurricane Helene hit Western North Carolina, it left more than flood damage—it created fertile ground for mold and fungus to growth. Now, a Duke University team is studying how post-disaster fungi could affect health and recovery in a warming world.