Researchers at the University of Utah in collaboration with the University of Georgia have identified a previously unknown process that many bacteria, including those that cause disease in humans, use to survive. Their discovery could lead to new therapies for bacterial infections like MRSA and VRE. Their discovery centers on the ways in which bacteria use heme. Most commonly recognized as a fundamental component of hemoglobin—the red pigment in blood responsible for the transportation of oxygen—heme also provides some an essential component for bacteria to produce energy for growth within a host. Additional information is available at the following link: