Ellie Boardman
@ellieboardman.bsky.social
📤 218
📥 224
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Postdoc working on S. aureus T7SS in Tracy Palmer’s group at Newcastle University, UK
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Ellie Boardman
Giusy Mariano
18 days ago
Excited to share our new study! Great fun working again with my good friend
@stephenrgarrett.bsky.social
— always a highlight! Huge thanks to fantastic co-authors
@samkaytucker.bsky.social
,
@drandyjroe.bsky.social
and our star technician Vojtech Pavelka.
academic.oup.com/nargab/artic...
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Ellie Boardman
Syma Khalid
19 days ago
We are back, soon! The secrets of bacterial cell envelopes' our free online seminar series is due to resume in January 2026 after a long break. Hosted by Georgina Benn and Syma Khalid- supported by the Microbiology Society. More details soon.
@microbiologysociety.org
Please spread the word
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Ellie Boardman
Basler Lab
22 days ago
Happy to share our latest T6SS review:
nature.com/articles/s41...
Thank you, Jan, Danny (
@dannyjamesward.bsky.social
), Joana (
@joanampereira.bsky.social
), as well as reviewers and editors
@natrevmicro.nature.com
!
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The type VI secretion system and associated effector proteins - Nature Reviews Microbiology
In this Review, Basler and colleagues examine the type VI secretion system (T6SS), focusing on the diversity of antibacterial T6SS effectors and the evolutionary forces that shape them. They explain h...
https://nature.com/articles/s41579-025-01256-w
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Ellie Boardman
James Connolly
23 days ago
Theres still time to apply for our PhD project on UPEC/immune cell interactions. Deadline December 4th
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Ellie Boardman
MadScientist
23 days ago
"Postdoc in the job market"
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Ellie Boardman
Pierre Genevaux
22 days ago
Happy to share our latest NAR paper on Rel toxins targeting M. tuberculosis anti-SD region, with Tim Blower’s team (
@durham.ac.uk
@nebiolabs.bsky.social
) and Laurent Falquet Thanks to FRM
@frm-officiel.bsky.social
and CNRS
@cnrsbiologie.bsky.social
academic.oup.com/nar/article-...
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Ellie Boardman
Giusy Mariano
24 days ago
🚨 PhD Opportunity 🚨 Interested in microbiology, phages & water security? Join me and Prof Cindy Smith to test phages as a sustainable alternative to chlorine in drinking-water biofilters. Metagenomics, phage discovery & ecology — all in one exciting project! Apply:
www.gla.ac.uk/colleges/mvl...
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Ellie Boardman
Simona Huwiler
28 days ago
Our article on a 🛠️ molecular toolbox 🛠️ in predatory bacterium 🦁🦠 Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus is published in PLOS Genetics (=>
tiny.cc/6wuu001
). 🎉 This supports the research on this bacterial predator-prey system & future bioengineering efforts.
#MicroSky
#SyntheticBiology
#PredatoryBacteria
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Ellie Boardman
apreston243.bsky.social
28 days ago
New paper alert! DNA replication and repair conflicts lead to cell death in gram positive bacteria, possible new targets for novel antimicrobials.
@microbiologysociety.org
@winterhalterlab.bsky.social
www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/jour...
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Conflicts between the DNA replication and repair machineries promote cell death in Gram-positive bacteria
Cellular proliferation relies on the successful coordination and completion of genome replication and segregation. To help achieve this, many bacteria utilize regulatory pathways that ensure DNA repli...
https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/micro/10.1099/mic.0.001633
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Ellie Boardman
CBCB Newcastle
about 1 month ago
Looking for a PhD opportunity in Microbiology? Consider joining one of the UK's leading microbiology research clusters at Newcastle University. See the thread for MRC DTP studentships currently advertised.
@medicalsciencesncl.bsky.social
@sagencl.bsky.social
@cbcb-newcastle.bsky.social
#microsky
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Ellie Boardman
Newcastle University Structural Biology Facility
about 1 month ago
We are very much looking forward to the Grand Opening of the Northern Eye Imaging facility tomorrow! Follow us here for all the news coming from NUSBF!
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We’ve kept registrations open till the end of this week so get your last minute applications in for posters and talks!
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about 2 months ago
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Ellie Boardman
Kate Beckham
about 2 months ago
Still time to sign up and submit and abstract for this year’s CCP4 Northern Structural Biology Meeting. This is a really nice meeting and great opportunity for ECRs to present their work ✨
nusbf.ncl.ac.uk/ccp4-norther...
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https://nusbf.ncl.ac.uk/ccp4-northern-conference-2025/
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The CCP4 Northern Structural Biology Meeting is back again in Newcastle 6-7th November 2025. If you are a structural biologist/biochemist in the North of the UK please register and submit abstracts by this Friday 17th.
nusbf.ncl.ac.uk/ccp4-norther...
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https://nusbf.ncl.ac.uk/ccp4-northern-conference-2025/
about 2 months ago
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Ellie Boardman
Pilhofer Lab 🦠❄️🔬
2 months ago
🧐Checkout our preprint revealing the stepwise firing💥 mechanism of a Contractile Injection System
@xujwet.bsky.social
&@chipericson.bsky.social trapped the complex by structure-guided engineering🧪 in multiple intermediate states and imaged them by multimodal
#cryoEM❄️🔬
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
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Ellie Boardman
Microbes in Health and Disease
2 months ago
I’m Chloe, I am part of the Connolly lab and I study how the role of two-component systems differs between types of E.coli”
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Ellie Boardman
Microbes in Health and Disease
2 months ago
Hi, I’m Natalia Łoś from Dr Dave Bolam’s lab. I’m currently going into the third year of my PhD working on dietary fibre degradation by the members of the human gut microbiota 😊 Follow Natalia here :
@natalia-los.bsky.social
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Ellie Boardman
Microbes in Health and Disease
2 months ago
In MHD we are lucky enough to have an amazing group PhD Students and Research Associates. We’ve recently got some new representatives and would like give them the opportunity to introduce themselves here. First up our two representatives for the PhD student community:
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Ellie Boardman
Tracy Palmer
2 months ago
Check it out! A proper team effort from past and present group members and a great collaboration with
@sergemostowylab.bsky.social
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Ellie Boardman
John Innes Centre
2 months ago
VACANCY - Independent research fellowships leading to tenured positions We’re inviting applications from outstanding researchers who either hold, or wish to apply for, Independent Research Fellowships. APPLICATION DEADLINE: 10 November 2025 Click here to apply:
jic.link/Fellows
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Ellie Boardman
Augustinas Silale
2 months ago
We think this much larger BAM enables biogenesis of outer membrane β-barrel and surface-exposed lipoprotein complexes, which are a hallmark of the Bacteroidota.
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Ellie Boardman
Augustinas Silale
2 months ago
Berks and
@smlea.bsky.social
labs also found yet a different BAM architecture in Flavobacterium johnsoniae, another member of Bacteroidota.
doi.org/10.1038/s415...
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A new paradigm for outer membrane protein biogenesis in the Bacteroidota - Nature
Structural and biochemical studies of the β-barrel-assembly machinery from Flavobacterium johnsoniae reveal a subunit composition and assembly that are distinct from those of the canonical Escherichia coli complex.
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-09532-8
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Ellie Boardman
Augustinas Silale
2 months ago
Our paper on the Bacteroidota BAM complex is out in
@natmicrobiol.nature.com
! With
@madejmar.bsky.social
We found that BAM in Bacteroides and Porphyromonas gingivalis has a distinct architecture from BAM in Proteobacteria.
doi.org/10.1038/s415...
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Structure of a distinct β-barrel assembly machinery complex in the Bacteroidota - Nature Microbiology
Structural and functional characterization of the β-barrel assembly machinery complex in Bacteroidota reveals a distinct, seven-component complex with a large extracellular domain that may enable β-barrel–surface lipoprotein complex assembly.
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41564-025-02132-2
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Great opportunity to do a PhD with Giusy and co in Glasgow!
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2 months ago
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Nice to see our summer student Niamh who did a great job in the lab this year supported by a Vacation Studentship!
@proftracypalmer.bsky.social
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2 months ago
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Ellie Boardman
Tracy Palmer
3 months ago
Exciting postdoc opportunity with a fab PI in beautiful Basel
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Ellie Boardman
Wilbert Bitter
3 months ago
PPE51 is one of the best candidates to form a MOM transport channel. However, our data indicate that it is not that simple. PPE51 mutations in Mmarinum (4 close homologs) indeed reduce the growth on glycerol & glucose, but also highly increase permeability.. and no, we do not fully understand this
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PPE51 modulates membrane integrity in Mycobacterium marinum | mBio
The impermeable outer membrane of pathogenic mycobacteria presents a major obstacle to nutrient acquisition and antibiotic penetration. PPE51, a substrate of the ESX-5 secretion system, has previously...
https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/mbio.01044-25
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Ellie Boardman
Microbes in Health and Disease
3 months ago
Last introduction for the today.. Dr Kesha Josts
@kjosts.bsky.social
The Josts lab are working on the mechanisms of iron transport in bacterial pathogens, with a focus on Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
www.ncl.ac.uk/cbcb/staff/p...
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Ellie Boardman
Microbes in Health and Disease
3 months ago
Next introducing Dr Alessandra Dantas. The Dantas group is interested in stress responses, antifungal resistance and in understanding the molecular mechanisms driving fungal adaptation to environmental stressors.
@alesdantas.bsky.social
www.ncl.ac.uk/dental/about...
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Ellie Boardman
Microbes in Health and Disease
3 months ago
@jmarlesw.bsky.social
is a structural biochemist. His group are interested in how bacteria sense and respond to their environment. Jon is Academic Lead for our Electron Microscopy Facility and is excited for our new Tundra microscope to be up and running.
www.marles-wright-lab.org
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Ellie Boardman
Microbes in Health and Disease
3 months ago
Now we are on Bluesky, over the next couple of days we would like to introduce some of the MHD groups on Bluesky who you can follow for more research updates. Or check out our handy MHD starter pack 😀
go.bsky.app/SoVnvW3
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Ellie Boardman
Microbes in Health and Disease
3 months ago
Next up,
@nickj-dent-res.bsky.social
His group is interested in all aspects of oral biofilms and how they contribute to oral health and disease. They look at adhesion and colonisation of surfaces, intermicrobial interactions and the role of the biofilm matrix.
blogs.ncl.ac.uk/nickjakubovi...
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Ellie Boardman
Microbes in Health and Disease
3 months ago
The Quinn group are interested in stress-sensing and signalling mechanisms in human pathogenic fungi and their importance in virulence. They are also interested anti-fungal mechanisms mediated by the bacterial type-vi secretion system. 👉
@nclfungalgroup.bsky.social
www.ncl.ac.uk/medical-scie...
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Ellie Boardman
Microbes in Health and Disease
3 months ago
The Palmer group are interested in the mechanisms bacteria use to compete with one another during colonisation. Her group are focused on the type vii secretion system and the toxins it exports. Follow
@proftracypalmer.bsky.social
for more insights.
www.ncl.ac.uk/medical-scie...
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Ellie Boardman
Stephen Garrett
3 months ago
Really excited to share my first paper from the Whitney lab, alongside an amazing grad student, Polina. Here we identify a chaperone family required for the folding of a central domain of T7SS toxins, and solve the structure of the chaperone-toxin complex.
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
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A widespread family of molecular chaperones promotes the intracellular stability of type VIIb secretion system–exported toxins | PNAS
To survive in highly competitive environments, bacteria use specialized secretion systems to deliver antibacterial toxins into neighboring cells, t...
https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2503581122
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Ellie Boardman
James Connolly
4 months ago
Absolutely delighted to share the labs latest work. We identify and characterise two pathways for D-ribulose utilisation in pathogenic EHEC and Citrobacter.
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Convergent evolution of distinct D-ribulose utilisation pathways in attaching and effacing pathogens - Nature Communications
Cottam et al. identify distinct pathways for D-ribulose utilisation in pathogenic Escherichia coli and Citrobacter rodentium, providing mechanistic details and suggesting convergent evolution towards ...
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-62476-5
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Ellie Boardman
Nature Microbiology
5 months ago
#NewResearch
🚨Out now In situ sub-nanometre structure of the Campylobacter jejuni flagellar motor revealing the periplasmic scaffold and basis for torque generation
@beebylab.bsky.social
#MicroSky🦠🧫
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
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In situ structure of a bacterial flagellar motor at subnanometre resolution reveals adaptations for increased torque - Nature Microbiology
In situ cryoEM and modelling of the Campylobacter jejuni flagellar motor characterize the periplasmic scaffold and the structural basis for increased torque generation.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41564-025-02012-9?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=nmicrobiol
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Ellie Boardman
Bergeron lab
5 months ago
The peer-reviewed version of our article on the flagellum filament assembly is out! A masterpiece from duo extraordinaire Kailin and Rosa, and an incredibly productive collaboration with Marc Erhardt and Morgan Beeby.
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The structure of the complete extracellular bacterial flagellum reveals the mechanism of flagellin incorporation - Nature Microbiology
Cryo-electron microscopy analysis of the extracellular flagellum structure, including the hook–filament junction and filament cap complex, reveals mechanisms of flagellin incorporation into the growin...
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41564-025-02037-0
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Simona Huwiler
5 months ago
Learning from bacterial predators on porin-like proteins that trap lipids at
rdcu.be/euXWk
! Amazing insights by Rebecca J. Parr & Andrew L. Lovering
@unibirmingham.bsky.social
, and
@lalouxlab.bsky.social
, as well as all collaborators including Liz Sockett.
#MicroSky
#predatoryBacteria
#porins
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A porin-like protein used by bacterial predators defines a wider lipid-trapping superfamily
Nature Communications - This study reveals that an outer membrane protein from the predator Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus forms a pentameric assembly that traps a lipid monolayer within. This allows...
https://rdcu.be/euXWk
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Ellie Boardman
Courtney Ellison
7 months ago
Excited to share the newest preprint from the lab for my first post! Driven by
@tayellisonwrites.bsky.social
and
@ianyyen.bsky.social
with Lynne Howell we show the protein FimX has diverged in function away from regulating pilus extension to instead regulate pilus localization in A. baylyi
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FimX regulates type IV pilus localization via the Pil-Chp chemosensory system in Acinetobacter baylyi
Type IV pili (T4P) are widespread dynamic appendages required for diverse prokaryotic behaviors including twitching motility, biofilm formation, and DNA uptake leading to natural transformation. Altho...
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.05.21.655318v1.article-metrics
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Ákos T Kovács
7 months ago
Skin mycobiota-mediated antagonism against Staphylococcus aureus through a modified fatty acid
@currentbiology.bsky.social
by
@caitlinkowa.bsky.social
et al
www.cell.com/current-biol...
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Skin mycobiota-mediated antagonism against Staphylococcus aureus through a modified fatty acid
Kowalski et al. show that the skin-resident yeast M. sympodialis antagonizes S. aureus through generation of a hydroxyl fatty acid. S. aureus adapts to this antagonism by activating the stringent resp...
https://www.cell.com/current-biology/abstract/S0960-9822(25)00371-9?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS0960982225003719%3Fshowall%3Dtrue
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Ellie Boardman
7 months ago
Lifestyle switch and competitive mode for Serratia marcescens. Great work from the Coulthurst lab
#T6SS
. Check
@cp-cellhostmicrobe.bsky.social
and
rb.gy/l6l4ag
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Competitive behaviors in Serratia marcescens are coordinately regulated by a lifestyle switch frequently inactivated in the clinical environment
Williams et al. discover that frequently occurring inactivating mutations in a conserved regulatory system lead to loss of competitive and pioneering behavior in clinical isolates of Serratia marcesce...
https://rb.gy/l6l4ag
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Ellie Boardman
Adrià Sogues
7 months ago
I’m thrilled to finally share this preprint! It contains a WOW Cryo-EM structure (likely one of the strongest protein fibers known to man 🤯), but we’ve also untangled its biological function: a novel type of virulence factor💀!
www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-6...
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Ellie Boardman
Simona Huwiler
7 months ago
1/ Happy to share our latest preprint on modulating gene expression and protein secretion in predatory bacterium Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus.
#MicroSky
#SyntheticBiology
#PredatoryBacteria
Short thread below. (📑 Preprint at:
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
)
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Modulating gene expression and protein secretion in the bacterial predator Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus
The predatory bacterium Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus kills and consumes other bacteria, thrives in diverse environments and holds great potential to address major challenges in medicine, agriculture, an...
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.05.17.654431v1
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Ellie Boardman
Simona Huwiler
7 months ago
🛠️Toolbox 🛠️ out to modulate gene expression & protein secretion in a predatory bacterium. 📑Preprint from my group below. Many thanks to L. Mihajlovic
@ljmihajlovic.bsky.social
, L. Hofacker, F. Lindner, P. Jayakumar & A. Diepold
@diepold-lab.bsky.social
!
#MicroSky
#SyntheticBiology
#PredatoryBacteria
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Liselot Dewachter
7 months ago
Job alert 🦠🧪: We are looking for a postdoc (and PhD candidate!) to join our team at UCLouvain/de Duve institute in Brussels, Belgium. You will work on our ERC Starting Grant project aimed at characterizing cell cycle regulation in S. pneumoniae. More information here:
dewachterlab.com/join-us/
.
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Giusy Mariano
7 months ago
It was a really nice experience to give a talk at Northumbria University! Very happy to get to present our work on Zorya systems for the first time - A huge thank you to
@emmseveri.bsky.social
and (not on bluesky?) Ciarán Kelly and Darren Smith for the invitation!
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Ellie Boardman
Madhu Pai, MD, PhD
7 months ago
This is how you murder collaborative global health research 👇🏾
www.statnews.com/2025/05/01/n...
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NIH halts funding for new projects with foreign collaborators, citing national security concerns
NIH announced it will no longer allow subawards to foreign institutions, as part of a national security-minded overhaul to how it manages research funding
https://www.statnews.com/2025/05/01/nih-halts-research-funding-for-projects-involving-foreign-collaborators/
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Tanmay Bharat
8 months ago
Finally in peer-reviewed form: Mapping the ultrastructural topology of the corynebacterial cell surface.
@bupbuse.bsky.social
@vikramalva.bsky.social
Please also see concurrent beautiful work from
@adriasogues.bsky.social
and Han Remaut.
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Félix Ramos-León
8 months ago
Our review on Z-ring placement mechanisms in cocci is out! This was a fun one to write!
#Microsky
🦠🧫
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