We return to our labs refreshed after connecting with fellow “lab symbiotes” at the recent ASM Microbe 2025 meeting, where many showcased their research at another well-attended event.
The eight immersive tracks covered core topics we’ve consistently supported labs with, enabling real-world data generation within these pillars:
- Human health impact in disease progression, antimicrobial agents, clinical infections, vaccines, and public health issues
- Molecular and mechanistic studies on topics ranging from resistance to host-microbe interactions
- Environmental ecological impact stemming from evolution, adaptability, and biodiversity for applied sciences
While we were in anticipation of the conference, two peer-reviewed articles caught our scientists’ attention.
In the Nature Communications article, “Integrative multi-omics analysis uncovers tumor-immune-gut axis influencing immunotherapy outcomes in ovarian cancer1,” Drs. S.R. Rosario, M.D. Long, E. Zsiros, and collaborators from multiple institutions investigated how a comprehensive molecular, immune, microbiome, and metabolic profile could impact antitumor immunotherapy responses. Their findings highlight the potential for these integrative analyses to enhance clinical outcomes in pre-treated, recurrent ovarian cancer patients undergoing immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) combination therapy.
Figure 1. Study overview1.
The study’s conclusion highlighted the value of not only understanding key immune cells, but also expanding the identification of host-microbiome interactions through distinct clustering and multi-omics patterns. Notably, the link between immune cell infiltration in the tumor microenvironment and factors such as VEGF expression, B cells, TLSs, unique fecal microbiome profiles, and associated microbial metabolites in relation to antitumor immunity was presented as a compelling direction in this rapidly advancing field.2
In an article from the journal Biofouling, ”A modified formulation of Zoono GermFree24 antiseptic liquid has enhanced efficacy against biofilms of Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa3”, by Drs. SJM Hale, RG Douglas, and collaborators show the importance of research on formulation and efficacy of antiseptic properties of sanitizers and other disinfectants against not only infectious agents, but their hardy bacterial biofilms, within biological surfaces or heavy-traffic surfaces in healthcare or other sensitive settings such as foods or production settings3.
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health concern with far-reaching impacts, prompting coordinated initiatives led by WHO4.
I’m excited to continue seeing how the utility of the human microbiome advances in research on human health and disease. This progress is driven by rapid growth in the field, thanks to high-resolution profiling technologies like NGS, which allow researchers to quickly screen uncultured microbes and leverage curated data from past collaborations such as MetaHIT and HMP.
- Caleb Proctor, M.S., Research & Applications Lab Manager for Omni homogenizers, Revvity
ASM Microbe 2025’s impressive “biomass” of over 5,500 attendees was notable, especially for those working in laboratory settings. Camaraderie among microbiologists is strong… marked by shared experiences that only those who’ve spent loooooooooooong hours in the lab can truly appreciate. And, on the topic of lab work, read our World Laboratory Day blog post where Revvity’s application scientists share what they value about lab work... and the researchers they support.
If you weren't able to join us at the ASM Microbe 2025, you’ll find many answers in our podcast library. Browse the rich collection of insights and best practices for optimizing sample extraction and troubleshooting across complex matrices and microbial targets.
References:
- Rosario, S.R., Long, M.D., Chilakapati, S. et al. Integrative multi-omics analysis uncovers tumor-immune-gut axis influencing immunotherapy outcomes in ovarian cancer. Nat Commun 15, 10609 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-54565-8
- Sun, J., Song, S., Liu, J., Chen, F., Li, X., & Wu, G. (2025). Gut microbiota as a new target for anticancer therapy: from mechanism to means of regulation. NPJ biofilms and microbiomes, 11(1), 43. doi.org/10.1038/s41522-025-00678-x
- Hale, S. J. M., Lux, C. A., Kim, R., Biswas, K., Wagner Mackenzie, B., & Douglas, R. G. (2025). A modified formulation of Zoono GermFree24 antiseptic liquid has enhanced efficacy against biofilms of Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Biofouling, 41(3), 244–252. doi.org/10.1080/08927014.2025.2467078
- https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/antimicrobial-resistance#:~:text=Antimicrobial%20Resistance%20(AMR)%20occurs%20when,longer%20respond%20to%20antimicrobial%20medicines visited June 9, 2025.
