The Mark Mandel Lab is featured in the Fall 2025 issue of Microcosm, the flagship magazine of the American Society for Microbiology (ASM). The article, “Shedding Light on the Vibrio–Squid Symbiosis,” written by Jennifer Tran, PhD, highlights the lab’s cutting-edge work on the luminous partnership between Vibrio bacteria and their squid hosts.
This feature coincides with the launch of ASM’s new journal, Animal Microbiology, a publication dedicated to unraveling how microbes shape the lives of animals. From mysteries like why animals eat poop or how amphibian populations are being decimated, to the question at the heart of the Mandel Lab’s research—why squid glow—microbes provide the answers. The Fall 2025 issue explores the dynamic world of animal–microbe interactions, covering topics such as antimicrobial resistance in pets, reservoir-targeted approaches to Lyme disease, the resurgence of the New World screwworm, and the evolving role of animals in research.
With over 38,000 members worldwide, ASM connects millions of experts to tackle global challenges, champion open science, and advance evidence-based policy. The inclusion of the Mandel Lab’s work reflects ASM’s commitment to showcasing scientific innovation that illuminates the profound and often surprising ways microbes influence the animal world and, ultimately, humanity.
Read the whole issue: https://asm.org/magazine/2025/fall/animal-microbiology
Read Only Mark’s Feature: “Shedding Light on the Vibrio–Squid Symbiosis”