A natural molecule present in the human body protects against the flu, Fisabio study reveals

Dermcidin, an antimicrobial peptide of the innate immune system, exhibits antiviral activity against the influenza virus

Universidad Miguel Hernandez de Elche

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From left to right Dr. Álex Mira, Dr. María D. Ferrer and Dr. Paula Corell from Fisabio

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Credit: Fundación Fisabio

A research team led by the Fisabio Foundation has demonstrated that dermcidin, an antimicrobial peptide produced constitutively by the human body, also exhibits antiviral activity against the influenza virus. The study also shows that people who do not develop flu-like symptoms have higher baseline levels of this molecule, which could be associated with lower susceptibility to infection.

Researchers from CIBERESP, the Institute of Biomedicine of Valencia (IBV-CSIC) and CIBERER, the Institute of Research, Development and Innovation in Healthcare Biotechnology of Elche (IDiBE) of the University Miguel Hernández, the University of Valencia, and Margarita Salas Biological Research Center (CIB-CSIC), among other national and international centers have also contributed to the study.

“Dermcidin, which is present in sweat and known for its antibacterial and antifungal activity, also exhibits antiviral activity against the influenza virus and can interfere with infection, as we have observed in in vitro and in vivo models”, explains Dr. María D. Ferrer, Miguel Servet researcher and head of the Antimicrobial Peptides and Glycobiology group at Fisabio, who led this study.

“These results show that our own bodies have natural mechanisms capable of curbing viral infection, which opens the door to the development of new, more effective antivirals”, notes Dr. Álex Mira, researcher at Fisabio and head of the Oral Microbiome group, who co-directed the study.

A completely new mechanism of action

The study has demonstrated that dermcidin acts by binding to hemagglutinin—a protein essential for the influenza virus to enter the cell—at a key, highly conserved region involved in the fusion process. This interaction induces a conformational change in the viral protein that impairs the virus’s ability to fuse with the cell membrane and, therefore, initiate infection. In this way, dermcidin inactivates the virus before it can infect the cell, through a previously unknown mechanism of action.

This mode of action contrasts with that of most available antivirals, which target neuraminidase, another viral protein, and against which resistance is emerging.

“By acting on regions of the virus that hardly change between subtypes—known as highly conserved regions—dermcidin could contribute to defense against different variants of the influenza virus”, explains Dr. Ferrer.

In this sense, Dr. Mira adds that “this same principle could be extended to other respiratory viruses, such as the measles virus and coronaviruses associated with the common cold, suggesting a possible broad-spectrum effect.”

Present in the nose, saliva, and tears

The team has found that dermcidin is present not only in sweat but also in the main entry points for respiratory viruses into the body, such as the nasopharynx, saliva, and tears.

“The results show that baseline levels of dermcidin are up to six times higher in people who do not develop flu-like symptoms, compared to susceptible individuals”, explains Dr. Paula Corell, the study’s first author and a member of the team. Furthermore, during a respiratory infection, its concentration increases significantly. “Altogether, these findings reinforce the idea that dermcidin is part of the innate immune system’s first line of defense against this type of infection,” adds Dr. Corell.

Toward new antiviral treatments

Researchers note that dermcidin represents a promising candidate for the development of new strategies to combat respiratory viral infections. In addition to its direct antiviral activity, the team is investigating whether dermcidin may also play an immunomodulatory role, helping regulate the immune system’s response to infection.

These findings open new research paths for the development of antivirals based on the body’s own natural molecules that act on highly conserved viral regions, which could reduce the probability of developing resistance and enhance their effectiveness against various respiratory viruses.

This research has received funding from the Valencian Innovation Agency (AVI) through grants INNVAL20/18/005 and INNVAL20/19/006, as well as grant INNVA2/2021/3 also funded by the Valencian Innovation Agency (AVI) and by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). Moreover, this research has received support from the Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII), under grant code CP22/00036, based on the Resolution of the Directorate of the Carlos III Health Institute, O.A., M.P., dated December 7, 2022, granting Miguel Servet contracts and additional grants, and co-funded by the European Union. The study has been also funded by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness through file SAF2013-505553-EXP.

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Journal

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

DOI

10.1073/pnas.2424461123 

Method of Research

Experimental study

Subject of Research

Animals

Article Title

Dermcidin has antiviral activity and protects against influenza

Article Publication Date

30-Mar-2026

 

Wildlife-friendly landscapes dramatically boost biodiversity in fragmented forests

University of East Anglia

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Simplified contrast illustrating the number of Amazonian forest bird species contained by equal-sized forest remnants embedded within one of two fragmented forest landscapes dominated by either cattle pastures (above) or an open-water matrix (below). Colour plate drawn by Matheus Gadelha.

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Credit: Matheus Gadelha

A major new study has revealed that improving the landscapes surrounding forest remnants can dramatically increase their ability to retain bird species - even when the forest fragments themselves are small or isolated.

For decades, traditional ecological theory has treated isolated habitat remnants as ‘islands’, predicting species’ survival largely through area size and isolation. But these models have long overlooked the nature of the ‘matrix’: the farmland, vegetation, or open areas surrounding these habitat remnants.

This surrounding landscape is critical, as species must move through, use, or avoid it when navigating between forested areas.

Now, new research published today in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) provides the strongest global evidence to date that the quality and structure of the matrix play a crucial role in biodiversity survival.

The study - led by scientists from the Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia Farroupilha in Brazil, Slippery Rock University in the US, and University of East Anglia (UEA) in the UK - shows that even modest increases in nearby tree cover can substantially boost the number of bird species that survive in forest remnants.

Prof Carlos Peres, from UEA’s School of Environmental Sciences, said: “This study clearly shows how high-quality surrounding landscapes increase species retention within forest remnants across the tropics. The conservation gains from investing in a more hospitable matrix in agricultural and urban areas are far greater than previously realised.”

Lead author Dr Anderson Bueno, from the Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia Farroupilha, said: “Habitat remnant size is not the whole story. Two forest remnants of the same size can support very different numbers of bird species - those surrounded by farmland with nearby trees may host more than twice as many species as isolated remnants within reservoirs.”

Dr Chase Mendenhall, of Slippery Rock University, added: “We hope our work will inform more effective land‑use policy and encourage governments and landowners to invest in wildlife‑friendly farming practices that support both biodiversity and agricultural productivity.”

Key findings

The study revealed three major insights:

• Small forest remnants retained significantly more bird species when surrounded by at least some tree cover rather than open water.
• Landscapes with greater surrounding tree cover supported richer bird communities overall, particularly species strictly reliant on forest habitat.
• Even small amounts of tree cover within just 300 metres of a forest remnant had a strong positive effect on species survival.

A new pathway for conservation

The findings highlight that, while protecting remaining forests is essential, restoring and improving the landscapes around them is also critical. Planting native trees, restoring degraded vegetation, and creating wildlife-friendly agricultural land can dramatically reduce local extinction risks – which the authors say is a highly encouraging message given that humanmodified landscapes now cover more than half of Earth’s land surface.

A global effort

The research team brought together 58 scientists from 19 countries to analyse results from 50 landscape-scale bird surveys across tropical and subtropical regions in the Americas, Africa, and Asia - all areas where natural landscapes have been heavily fragmented.

The unique design of the study compared two types of forest remnants: forest islands created by hydroelectric reservoirs, which represent the most extreme habitat fragmentation on Earth, and forest fragments embedded within terrestrial landscapes, often surrounded by agricultural land.

By comparing these contrasting systems, the researchers could quantify how much a more benign, tree-rich matrix can buffer species against local extinctions.

Researchers surveyed more than 1000 forest remnants - 336 forest islands and 669 terrestrial fragments - and recorded almost 2000 bird species across nearly 40,000 separate incidence records. These included: five Critically Endangered species; 12 Endangered; 44 Vulnerable; 83 Near Threatened; and 1810 Least Concern species.

As well as using point counts, transect and walkabout surveys, mist netting, and passive acoustic monitoring, satellite imagery enabled the researchers to map tree cover around each site and determine the ‘neighbourhood scale’ of habitat that matters most for forestdependent birds.

‘High-quality surrounding landscapes mitigate avian extirpations from forest remnants’ is due to be published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on March 31, 2026.

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Journal

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

DOI

10.1073/pnas.2521783123 

Article Title

High-quality surrounding landscapes mitigate avian extirpations from forest remnants

Article Publication Date

31-Mar-2026

 

PNAS journal cover - Campephilus robustus (Robust woodpecker). Credit Gabriel Brutti.

Amazonion forest island. Credit Anderson S Bueno

Aerial view of a forest fragment. Credit Alexandre C Lees.

Pithys albifrons (White-plumed Antbird). Credit Anderson S Bueno.

 

Tasmanian tiger lives on in Arnhem Land rock art

Newly discovered rock art depicting Tasmanian tigers and Tasmanian devils in northern Australia is providing fresh insights into their cultural importance and when they may have last roamed mainland Australia.

Griffith University

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Injalak Hill Large Naturalistic style thylacine with sharp teeth 

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Credit: photo: Craig Banggar

The striped dog-like marsupial we know as the Tasmanian tiger has long been surrounded by mystery, and the subject of scientific curiosity. 

Now, newly discovered rock art depicting Tasmanian tigers and Tasmanian devils in northern Australia is providing fresh insights into their cultural importance and when they may have last roamed mainland Australia. 

The project, led by Griffith University Chair in Rock Art Research, Professor Paul Taçon, in partnership with Traditional Owners, documented 14 new images of the Tasmanian tiger or thylacine, as it also known, and two of the Tasmanian devils from two locations in northwest Arnhem Land, Northern Territory. 

Tasmanian devils and thylacines are widely believed to have disappeared from mainland Australia about 3,000 years ago. The newly documented artworks—some of which may be less than 1,000 years old—raise the possibility that these species survived longer in northern regions than previously thought. 

The paintings recorded were in various Aboriginal art styles, made with red, sometimes yellow ochre since about 15,000 years ago.  

The artists also used white pipe clay, which does not last as long or stain the rock as red ochre does, so most paintings with white were thought to be less than 1,000 years old. 

Professor Taçon said thylacines were more widespread and more culturally important across mainland Australia than Tasmanian devils, as only 25 Tasmanian devil images had been documented versus more than 160 thylacine depictions. 

"The artists who made the more recent paintings may have seen actual living thylacines and some of these creatures may have survived longer in Arnhem Land,” Professor Taçon said. 

“Alternatively, artists may have been inspired by earlier paintings. 

“Regardless, the thylacine remains culturally important today and some contemporary artists make paintings of Tasmanian tigers on bark, paper and canvas.  

“It even has a name: Djankerrk.”   

Co-author, Dr Andrea Jalandoni, from the Griffith Centre for Social and Cultural Research, added there were paintings in the area that had been retouched, which showed the significance of these animals across generations. 

“Thylacine rock art offers rare insight into how people related to this animal in the past,” Dr Jalandoni said. 

“These depictions show that the thylacine held a meaningful place in everyday life and local knowledge long before it went extinct.”  

In oral histories of the region, thylacines were pets of the Rainbow Serpent and lived in rock pools.  They were often associated with bodies of water and swimming. 

Joey Nganjmirra, a Djalama man from Western Arnhem Land and co-author of the study, said the creatures were very much a part of his ancestors' lives. 

“They used to tell stories about going hunting with thylacines,” Mr Nganjmirra said. 

Professor Taçon said the team’s collaborative research showed the thylacine had contemporary relevance in the region, not just for scientists but also for traditional community members.  

“The thylacine lives on in western Arnhem Land not as a ghost from the past but as a meaningful creature that still has present-day significance,” he said. 

‘The Devil Is in the Detail: Tasmanian Devil and Tasmanian Tiger Paintings From Awunbarna and Injalak Hill, Northern Territory, Australia’ has been published in Archaeology in Oceania. 

The striped dog-like marsupial we know as the Tasmanian tiger has long been surrounded by mystery, and the subject of scientific curiosity. 

Now, newly discovered rock art depicting Tasmanian tigers and Tasmanian devils in northern Australia is providing fresh insights into their cultural importance and when they may have last roamed mainland Australia. 

The project, led by Griffith University Chair in Rock Art Research, Professor Paul Taçon, in partnership with Traditional Owners, documented 14 new images of the Tasmanian tiger or thylacine, as it also known, and two of the Tasmanian devils from two locations in northwest Arnhem Land, Northern Territory. 

Tasmanian devils and thylacines are widely believed to have disappeared from mainland Australia about 3,000 years ago. The newly documented artworks—some of which may be less than 1,000 years old—raise the possibility that these species survived longer in northern regions than previously thought. 

The paintings recorded were in various Aboriginal art styles, made with red, sometimes yellow ochre since about 15,000 years ago.  

The artists also used white pipe clay, which does not last as long or stain the rock as red ochre does, so most paintings with white were thought to be less than 1,000 years old. 

Professor Taçon said thylacines were more widespread and more culturally important across mainland Australia than Tasmanian devils, as only 25 Tasmanian devil images had been documented versus more than 160 thylacine depictions. 

"The artists who made the more recent paintings may have seen actual living thylacines and some of these creatures may have survived longer in Arnhem Land,” Professor Taçon said. 

“Alternatively, artists may have been inspired by earlier paintings. 

“Regardless, the thylacine remains culturally important today and some contemporary artists make paintings of Tasmanian tigers on bark, paper and canvas.  

“It even has a name: Djankerrk.”   

Co-author, Dr Andrea Jalandoni, from the Griffith Centre for Social and Cultural Research, added there were paintings in the area that had been retouched, which showed the significance of these animals across generations. 

“Thylacine rock art offers rare insight into how people related to this animal in the past,” Dr Jalandoni said. 

“These depictions show that the thylacine held a meaningful place in everyday life and local knowledge long before it went extinct.”  

In oral histories of the region, thylacines were pets of the Rainbow Serpent and lived in rock pools.  They were often associated with bodies of water and swimming. 

Joey Nganjmirra, a Djalama man from Western Arnhem Land and co-author of the study, said the creatures were very much a part of his ancestors' lives. 

“They used to tell stories about going hunting with thylacines,” Mr Nganjmirra said. 

Professor Taçon said the team’s collaborative research showed the thylacine had contemporary relevance in the region, not just for scientists but also for traditional community members.  

“The thylacine lives on in western Arnhem Land not as a ghost from the past but as a meaningful creature that still has present-day significance,” he said. 

‘The Devil Is in the Detail: Tasmanian Devil and Tasmanian Tiger Paintings From Awunbarna and Injalak Hill, Northern Territory, Australia’ has been published in Archaeology in Oceania. 

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Journal

Archaeology in Oceania

DOI

10.1002/arco.70024 

Method of Research

Observational study

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

The Devil Is in the Detail: Tasmanian Devil and Tasmanian Tiger Paintings From Awunbarna and Injalak Hill, Northern Territory, Australia

Article Publication Date

31-Mar-2026

 

Injalak Hill Large Naturalistic style thylacine alone on a panel

Credit

photo: Benedict Dyson

Red and white painting of a thylacine, Main Gallery, Injalak Hill and Dstretch version (lab)

Credit

photo: Paul S.C. Taçon

Map showing the location of Awunbarna (Mt Borradaile) and Injalak Hill, Northern Territory, Australia

Credit

Map by Andrea Jalandoni

Joey Nganjmirra identifies a thylacine [VIDEO] 

 

The earliest European drawing of a Tasmanian devil and a thylacine

Credit

Harris 1808, Figure 1, between pages 174 and 175

A thylacine painting on canvas made in 2017 by Kunwinjku artist Nicodemus Nayilibidj

Credit

Artist Nicodemus Nayilibidj. Photo: Paul S.C. Tacon