Genetic vulnerability in deadly Candida auris offers potential drug target


Researchers at the University of Exeter have uncovered a genetic process in the emerging fungal pathogen Candida auris that could point to new treatment strategies for this deadly infection.


Candida auris has caused hospital outbreaks worldwide since its discovery in 2008, with a mortality rate of around 45% in critically ill patients. The fungus can resist all major classes of antifungal drugs, making infections difficult to treat and eradicate, particularly in intensive care units. In the UK, cases have steadily risen, highlighting its growing threat.


To investigate how the pathogen behaves during infection, the Exeter team pioneered a model using Arabian killifish larvae, which can survive at human body temperature. This allowed the researchers to study how C. auris genes are switched on during infection in a live host - something that had not previously been possible.


The study [1], published in Communications Biology, found that the fungus can form elongated filamentous structures, potentially to search for nutrients, and activates genes responsible for iron-scavenging. These


analytica 2026 spotlights


sustainability in the laboratory


analytica 2026, the world’s leading trade fair for laboratory technology, analysis, and biotechnology, will take place in Munich from 24–27 March 2026, with sustainability firmly in the spotlight. The focus on the Green Lab will run through the trade fair, conference, and supporting program, showcasing innovations that make everyday lab work more resource- efficient and environmentally friendly.


Visitors can expect to see new analytical devices, less toxic chemicals, and AI-driven workflows designed to reduce energy and consumable use. “analytica sees itself as a guide to the Green Lab,” said Exhibition Director Susanne Grödl, highlighting the fair’s commitment to sustainable lab practices.


Among the innovations on display are Plasmion’s ‘electronic noses’, which use advanced mass spectrometry ionisation to detect trace pollutants without time-consuming sample prep, cutting chemical usage. Supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC), which uses liquid CO₂ as a mobile phase, also reduces solvent and energy consumption — with major suppliers such as Agilent, Knauer, PerkinElmer, Shimadzu, Thermo Fisher, and Waters participating.


Miniaturisation and 3D printing will be key themes at the conference sessions, from microfluidic HPLC chips to the solar-powered 3D-printed laboratory system 2LabsToGo-Eco, combining chromatography and bioassays.


Sustainability extends beyond instruments: digitalisation and AI are helping labs optimise workflows, reduce redundant measurements, and save energy. Exhibitors such as Eppendorf, Integra, and Omnilab are already incorporating biobased plastics into consumables, further reducing environmental impact.


“The Green Lab becomes reality when measures in the most diverse areas work in synergy,” said Grödl. “At analytica, we bring together the entire value chain to set these processes in motion.”


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Inside a quantum lab at Heriot-Watt University. Credit: Heriot-Watt University


findings suggest a potential ‘Achilles heel’ that could be exploited with existing or novel drugs.


Co-senior author Dr Rhys Farrer, of Exeter’s MRC Centre for Medical Mycology, said: “Until now, we’ve had no idea what genes are active during infection of a living host. The fact that C. auris activates iron-scavenging genes gives clues to its origin and presents a possible target for treatment.”


NIHR Clinical Lecturer Hugh Gifford added: “While more research is needed to confirm this in humans, our findings could guide repurposing of drugs to stop C. auris from spreading in hospitals and affecting vulnerable patients.”


The research was supported by Wellcome, the Medical Research Council, and the National Center for Replacement, Reduction and Refinement (NC3Rs), which funded the killifish model as an alternative to traditional animal studies. Dr Katie Bates, NC3Rs Head of Research Funding, commented: “This study highlights how innovative alternative models can provide unprecedented insight into infections while reducing reliance on conventional animal experiments.”


C.andida uris infecting fish larvae. On the left, replicating as a yeast, on the right, as a filament. Credit: University of Exeter


This discovery represents a promising step toward understanding and targeting C. auris, a pathogen increasingly recognised as a global health threat.


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1. Xenosiderophore transporter gene expression and clade-specific filamentation in Candida auris killifish (Aphanius dispar) infection published in Communications Biology


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Quantum sensors to reveal why immune cells fail against cancer


A Heriot-Watt University researcher has secured £2 million in funding to develop quantum sensors capable of watching immune cells as they battle cancer — offering a rare view into why some treatments work for certain patients but fail in others.


Dr Aldona Mzyk’s project will create sensors small enough to probe signals from a single electron, capturing real-time molecular changes as immune cells enter the hostile environment of a solid tumour. These ultra- sensitive devices will follow the metabolic breakdown that leaves cancer-fighting cells exhausted and ineffective, detecting variations thousands of times smaller than the width of a human hair.


The work targets a major problem in cancer immunotherapy. CAR-T therapies, which can clear blood cancers, struggle in solid


tumours because cancer tissue releases metabolites that undermine the engineered immune cells’ metabolism. Dr Mzyk’s quantum platform aims to reveal this failure mechanism as it happens, observing the chemical sabotage inside thousands of cells within seconds.


Now based at DTU in Copenhagen, Dr Mzyk will join Heriot-Watt’s Institute of Photonics and Quantum Sciences to lead the four- year Future Leaders Fellowship, funded by UK Research and Innovation. She said: “Seventeen people die from cancer every minute. To understand why immune cells fail, we need to monitor the free radicals that drive their metabolism — essentially eavesdropping on what happens when they meet cancer. Quantum sensors finally allow us to capture these fast, tiny signals with the precision required.”


AI-generated image of a T-cell interacting with a cancer cell. Credit: Heriot-Watt University


The project combines quantum sensing with optical spectroscopy and microfluidics, forming a single platform that could accelerate the development of personalised treatments and provide earlier insight into whether anti-cancer drugs are working. It also aligns with the UK’s National Quantum Technology Programme and ongoing efforts to bring clinical-grade quantum technologies into the NHS.


Professor Cristian Bonato, Principal Investigator for the Nanoscale Quantum Sensing facility at Heriot-Watt, said the fellowship represents “the kind of bold application of quantum technology that could reshape biomedical diagnostics”, noting that the university is involved in multiple national quantum hubs focused on sensing, imaging and healthcare.


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