A targeted cell lysis mechanism facilitates toxin release in Clostridioides difficile www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

The Salgado group focuses on structural and functional characterisation of proteins involved in pathogenicity pathways in C. difficile. They are particularly interested in S-layer and sporulation proteins and their role in infection. Follow @pssalgado.bsky.social salgadolab.org

The Bolam lab uses a range of biochemical, microbiological, genetic and structural techniques to study the molecular mechanisms utilised by our resident gut bacteria to recognise, acquire and degrade complex glycans from both dietary and host sources. Follow @dave-bolam.bsky.social

Dr Chien-Yi Chang's lab studies how Gram-negative bacteria sense and respond to different environments using molecular and bioimaging approaches. 👉 @davychang.bsky.social chienyichang.wixsite.com/changlab

Dr Alistair Brown’s group is interested in mycobacterial biology, focusing on antimicrobial drug discovery and elucidation of drug mechanisms of action. They aim to understand how existing and novel compounds affect mycobacterial growth, survival, and persistence. @mycobacterium-ncl.bsky.social

The Connolly group focuses on pathogenic Escherichia coli. They study how pathogen gene expression is regulated in response host-cues and determine how these expression changes lead to infection-relevant phenotypes. Follow @ruamicro.bsky.social for more

The @henrikstrahl.bsky.social group focuses on bacterial cell envelopes and envelope-targeting antibiotics. Using cell biology, high-end fluorescence microscopy, genetics, and biochemistry, they study the function, biosynthesis and organisation of bacterial cell membranes. strahllab.weebly.com

Next up, Dr Kate Beckham @kshbeckham.bsky.social The Beckham lab is interested mycobacterial membrane transport processes. They focusing on understanding the steps occurring at the mycobacterial outer membrane. www.ncl.ac.uk/cbcb/staff/p...

The @stewartlab.bsky.social use systems biology and cutting-edge human intestinal organoid models to understand diet-microbe-host interaction across the life course, with the ambition to discover novel therapies to improve gut health. www.ncl.ac.uk/medical-scie... www.neonatalresearch.net

Day 2 of MHD introductions 😃 Dr Lis Lowe @lislowe.bsky.social The Lowe lab is focussed on microbial glycobiology. They work on bacterial Cazymes from commensals and pathogens, and are particularly interested in enzymes that target microbial glycans such as the cell walls of Mycobacteria.

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...

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...

@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

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...

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...

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

Fecal filtrate is less effective than donor stool (FMT) for the treatment of C. difficile recurrence. Now shown in a multicentre trial, out today in @lancetgastrohep.bsky.social . Congratulations to Dina Kao @ualberta.bsky.social & team! Gift link: authors.elsevier.com/c/1lphg8nByr...

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...

"...clinicians should be aware that CDI can occur in (premature) neonates by transfer of C. difficile at labor of a symptomatic mother" journals.lww.com/pidj/fulltex...

Had a great time visiting @johann-i2bc.bsky.social and Olga Soutourina's labs over the last few weeks, ending with a seminar followed by very interesting discussions with colleagues at I2BC. Going back with many ideas and can't wait to return in January to continue our collaboration!

A fabulous end to a fantastic #clostpath! Merci Paris! Congratulations @johann-i2bc.bsky.social Thomas Candela, Claire Morvan and Severine Pechine on a great job!

Nature research paper: One-shot design of functional protein binders with BindCraft go.nature.com/46bhOAv

In between #clostpath14 sessions, grant is now submitted.

We start #clostpath14 with #toxins from a diverse range of Clostridia, with Sabine Pellet giving an overview on distinct subclass of #botulinum neurotoxins

Yesterday session on #Clostridia #phages and surfaces was brilliant, with personal highlights being Dr Anna Barwinska-Sendra's work on diversification of #Cdiff #S-layers, Louis-Charles Fortier's talk on how phage/S-layer specificity and Lea Huet's work in PSII S-layer anchoring. #clostpath14

Last talk on microbiota session by @raymondkiu.bsky.social from @halllab.bsky.social on his work on #Cperf in pre-term infants. #clostpath14

Mechanistic insights on #Efaecalis effects in #Cdiff motility by @ashleyweiss.bsky.social #clostpath14

Great overview of #Cdiff and #Cperf infections in Latin America from Marina Munoz Diaz kick starts the #microbiota session #clostpath14

A great talk for Paco Uzal on potential link between diabetes and #Cperfrigens gas gangrene, then Rodrigo Silva on a #vaccine for #CDI in piglets. #clostpath14

Moving to botulism in #onehealth context from Caroline Le Maréchal. #clostpath14

Wonderful start of day 2 with Maja Rupnik highlighting the importance of environmental, particularly soil for #Cdiff transmission. #clostpath14 #microsky

Very cool, congrats! #microsky

Cool stuff, congrats to all! #microsky

Cryo-EM identifies F-ENA of Bacillus thuringiensis as a widespread family of endospore appendages across Firmicutes @natcomms.nature.com Mike Sleutel et al from Han Remaut w/ Marina Aspholm @jerryknowsnothing.bsky.social @mkrupovic.bsky.social @dbaquero.bsky.social www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Note for diary: #CCP4SW 2026 will be held between 7-9 January 2026 at EMCC, Nottingham. Topic is "Ligands in Focus: Decoding Ligand Binding in Modern Structural Biology". More information will be on the SW website soon!

🦠 Meet TARGetAMR - Tackling antimicrobial resistance to protect global health 🩺 👋 We’re building a diverse national research network across the UK to facilitate cross-disciplinary collaboration, and drive forward the fight against AMR 💡 Join the fight: www.targetamr.org.uk

My latest @newscientist.com cartoon

A new #ECDCCrowd task is out! Help us identify research related to wastewater surveillance for infectious diseases monitoring. Find out how to do that here: crowd.ecdc.europa.eu Your help is invaluable! #WastewaterSurveillance #AMR #InfectiousDiseases #Epidemiology #PublicHealth #IDSky #EpiSky

Closing date for applications is the 19th August

At @yorkuniversity.bsky.social for @ccp4mx.bsky.social Summer School. Looking forward to share my experiences building a career in #structuralbiology

I feel seen...

Registration is open for the September on-site MX user training. If you are an MX user of @diamondlightsource.bsky.social then please to apply to attend - spaces are limited. You'll have the opportunity to visit and learn about all the MX beamlines, data analysis as well as all things logistics.

📢 Job alert! The Structural Microbiology Laboratory (albesalab.org) has two new openings! We are looking for a PhD student and a Research Technician to join our team. Project: "Structure-function studies of Type VI secretion system toxins". www.biofisika.org/en/join-us Apply before 30th September

This is a brilliant thread, thanks! I knew some but not all and now I want to play them with my kid!

TFW when you wake up to good grant news: no cost extension approved = more time to wrap things up! #academiclife #PIlife #littlewins

📢 New online on-demand course: 👉 www.ebi.ac.uk/training/onl... Not all 3D macromolecular models are created equal! Companion to our #AlphaFold course, this free tutorial upskills for evaluation of BOTH experimental & predicted models! #Biology #Chemistry #Science

*JOB AD*: interested in doing a postdoc in microbial metabolomics? Passionate about natural products mass spec? Come join the group! Informal enquires welcome! Closing Date: 19 August 2025 jobs.ncl.ac.uk/job/Newcastl...

A nice, short view on AI and scientific writing: "Writing is thinking" 🧪 #academicshatter #academicksy www.nature.com/articles/s44...

💥 Excited to introduce Bacformer 🦠 - the first foundation model for bacterial genomics. Bacformer represents genomes as sequences of ordered proteins, learning the “grammar” of how genes are arranged, interact and evolve. Preprint 📝: biorxiv.org/content/10.1... 🧵 1/n