Very thoughtful and they have learned from history.

2024: can Europe defend itself ALONGSIDE America? 2025: can Europe defend itself WITHOUT America? 2026: can Europe defend itself AGAINST America?

'Despite all their difficulties, [UK] universities remain an enormous and irreplaceable national asset. As well as educating millions of people, they generate about £24bn in export earnings, which is about 1% of GDP' www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

"Staff at four Scottish universities will ballot over strike action this month as union branches across the UK continue to push back against cost-saving measures." (Aberdeen, Heriot-Watt, Stirling and Strathclyde) www.researchprofessional.com/news-article...

New year, new PhD? 🧑‍🎓 If you’re fed up of leftovers, and out of ideas for festive fun, here’s a quick reminder to apply to these posts! 🧫 🧬 #PhD #Microbiology #Genomics

"It's been a while since I brought you any good news on Computerphile ... and it's going to be a while yet"

My first corresponding author research paper is now out in Microbiology (@microbiologysociety.org) Here, we show that the role of the major efflux pump AcrAB-TolC can differ between two widely used strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae. www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/jour...

Been a privilege to host Uzal Umar here at @unibirmingham.bsky.social with training funding from @bactivac.bsky.social Uzal heads back to Nigeria today with great ideas around pneumococcal epidemiology in specific at risk groups. Looking forward to collaborating in the future!

A last thought before taking off into your various breaks - Microbial Genomics is looking for editors! Scientific publishing is frustrating and so much money going to commercial publishers... be part of the change by supporting society publishing 😊 great opportunity to join a lovely community.

As my own three year stint as an Editor comes to an end I cannot recommend doing this enough

Soon be Christmas.

End of the year vibes.

The first preprint from @izziepotterill.bsky.social PhD. A clone within ST131 clade C with a totally unique capsule region.

We are recruiting for a number of PhDs in the HPRU in Public Health Genomics, based at @unibirmingham.bsky.social, in collaboration with UKHSA. 🦠🧬 Apply below to work on cutting-edge science and public health priorities! (NB deadline of 9th January / UK only due to funding restrictions) (1/7)

Bit late to the Noah Kahan party, but this is great! Welcome change from all the Christmas music too open.spotify.com/track/4O2rRs...

Sobering read 😬

I can vividly recall his lectures as an undergraduate from 1998. Did not realise at the time he was already Emeritus! @jedwards3.bsky.social

I’m not often lost for words but…

Fascinating new paper, but I am too childish to get past this acronym.

Work on respiratory immunology or microbes? Interested in big data, omics or the latest in vitro models?... Treat your lab to a christmas present of AIR 2026 registration! Feb 11th-13th, registration closing soon: coursesandconferences.wellcomeconnectingscience.org/event/air-20...

Interested in #Streptococcus pneumoniae genomics? Come do a PhD with me, @alanmcn1.bsky.social and @meerac.bsky.social at @unibirmingham.bsky.social UK applicants only as will be working with UKHSA through HPRU. Feel free to contact me directly www.findaphd.com/phds/project... #microsky

💾 Shovill 1.4.1 has been released! The best way to de novo assemble microbial genomes from Illumina FASTQ. Major fixes to the SKESA module, plasmid mode for the Spades module, and more error checking. #bioinformatiocs #genomics #microbiology github.com/tseemann/sho...

PCV13 reduced ESBL carriage because kids visited clinics, where they might be exposed, less often. How vaccines – and yoghurt – could reduce colonisation with antibiotic-resistant bugs www.gavi.org/vaccineswork...

Can’t see it being the last either 😬. www.vettimes.com/news/vets/we...

Damn optimists. Dick Van Dyke credits his longevity to his positive outlook – and research says optimists live longer theconversation.com/dick-van-dyk...

I made it 30 seconds in to this absolutely shit show. Which is how long it took for Liz to tell me Sharia law was being imposed on me 🤦‍♂️

That thing is happening again when everyone tries to do everything before Xmas. Leave it!!

Absolutely delighted to have been awarded a Royal Society University Research Fellowship! I will be moving to the University of Manchester @mermanchester.bsky.social to research early endosymbiont evolution #microsky #symbiosky

Right. Hitler's DNA. Brace yourselves for a deluge of misinformation and bad science. I'm in Australia, so do get in touch if you want some expert debunking.

New PhD position in my lab at @uniofbath.bsky.social (with both @tweethinking.bsky.social & Dr Bethan Littleford-Colquhoun)! We're looking for someone keen on bioinformatics and microbiome evolution. Important info below on eligibility & URSA competition funding👇 www.findaphd.com/phds/project...

Happy November everybody! JC Bloem - November (1931) (translation: John Irons)

Applications are open for a MIBTP PhD at the University of Birmingham with me! Pneumococcal colonisation and microbiota interactions in the ageing airway warwick.ac.uk/fac/cross_fa... Deadline is 27th November. Reach out if you are interested as I am very happy to discuss.

New paper with fantastic Malaysian collaborators out today! doi.org/10.1002/mbo3...

It wouldn’t be #AMGDOct25 without our usual course dinner

Day 4 and @izziepotterill.bsky.social is now talking about pangenome analysis using panaroo #AMGDOct25

It’s Wednesday and everyone has made it back for Day 3 of the Analysing Microbial Genomic Data course #AMGDOct25

Another rugby legend. Terrible news!

Some cheerful news on a Friday afternoon www.newscientist.com/article/2498...

Been thinking about genetic adaptability versus selective pressures recently ... this is a really nice paper. Inhibitory effect of capsule on natural transformation of Streptococcus pneumoniae | mBio journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/... #microsky

New protocol paper outlining a very important piece of work by PhD student Sani Musa with @jessicamablair.bsky.social bmjopen.bmj.com/content/15/9...

How is Blackadder not further up the list?!

The auld alliance has faltered. Looks like I’m an England fan next Saturday #RWC2025

This is getting tense. Fair play to France I didn’t expect it to be this close #RWC2025

Wonder which French team turn up tomorrow. Either way my money is on the Roses for the win 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 #wrwc2025

JOHN DAWES EAT YOUR HEART OUT

I’ve only dreamt of pulling off a dummy like the Canadian scrum-half just managed 🤯 #wrwc2025

Anyone else playing last try wins? #wrwc2025 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

C’mon Ireland 🇮🇪 time to dig in #wrwc25