How could a simple self-replicating system emerge at the origins of life? RNA polymerase ribozymes can replicate RNA, but existing ones are so large that their self-replication seems impossible. Could they be smaller? Excited to share our latest work in @science.org on a new small polymerase. 1/n

Thanks, Kinga!

Interested in antisense oligonucleotides? Check our story about downstream-of-gene ASOs (DG-ASOs)! Together with the Roche Innovation Center we identified transcription termination windows of protein-coding genes as ASO target regions. link to BioRxiv: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

Have a look at this fantastic meeting and save the date! The “RNA in Physiology and Disease” conference, hosted by @gensocuk.bsky.social, will take place 7–9 September 2026 in Newcastle, UK. genetics.org.uk/events/rna-i...

Two positions (research assistant and PhD student), great science and the cake! Check @buckleylab.bsky.social thread for more info: 👇

Structural biologists! Our division has an opening for a Lecturer/Senior Lecturer—apply now! www.jobs.manchester.ac.uk/Job/JobDetai...

21 fully funded PhD projects are available in our division! www.findaphd.com/phds/divisio...

We are excited to announce that Professor Graham Pavitt, Chair in Molecular Biology, has been appointed as our new Head of Division! Join us in welcoming Graham to his new role—we look forward to the exciting times ahead! research.manchester.ac.uk/en/persons/g...

Early-career fellowships at the University of Manchester! To celebrate 200 years of The University of Manchester, the Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health offers a 3-year Postdoctoral Fellowship to support exceptional early-career researchers: www.bmh.manchester.ac.uk/research/sup...

Exciting PhD opportunity available in my lab for the students from Black heritage background. Apply soon. 🤞🤞🤞 @mcr-breastcentre.bsky.social @mcf-uom.bsky.social CRUK Black Leaders in Cancer Non-Clinical PhD Opportunity 📅 Deadline: 4 April 🔗 crukcentre.manchester.ac.uk/study/resear...

Our lab's very first manuscript is out in BioRxiv. Hope this would be interesting for breast cancer scientists: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1... @mcf-uom.bsky.social @mcr-breastcentre.bsky.social @mcrcnews.bsky.social @official-uom.bsky.social @fbmh-uom.bsky.social

A fantastic postdoc opportunity available for talented PhD graduates to work in our CRUK funded PhD project. jobs.manchester.ac.uk/internal/Job... @mcr-breastcentre.bsky.social @mcrcnews.bsky.social @mcf-uom.bsky.social @mcrcellmatrix.bsky.social @official-uom.bsky.social @fbmh-uom.bsky.social

Which side are you on?

You can donate to support Ukraine's defence, humanitarian demining, medical aid, the rebuilding of Ukraine or education & science here: u24.gov.ua I just donated. Slava Ukraini!

🇺🇦

Another chance to join our group! Center for Gene Expression has 2 or more postdoc positions @ucph.bsky.social in wonderful Copenhagen. Want to join our team to work on transcriptional regulation? More information at: gregersenlab.com Deadline March 18. Apply here: jobportal.ku.dk/phd/?show=16...

We are looking to recruit a highly motivated postdoc with cell or molecular biology expertise. Excellent #epigenetics, #chromatin training & networking opportunities @qmulepigenetics.bsky.social DM me for inquiries pl apply/share tinyurl.com/m6jnksk5

We are recruiting! Center for Gene Expression has 2 or more open positions for PhDs @ucph.bsky.social. Come join our team to work on RNAPII and transcriptional regulation (gregersenlab.com). It's a wonderful city and amazing research environment. Deadline March 6. jobportal.ku.dk/phd/?show=16...

Pls. share: We're putting together a series on inequalities associated with academic mobility. If you're a microbiologist and would like to share your experiences with visa difficulties, travel-related funding, mandated academic mobility requirements, etc, please write at [email protected]. #MicroSky

Ever wondered how Pol II speed is controlled during productive elongation? Our study reveals that the helicase RECQL5 triggers transcription braking, while the transcription-coupled DNA repair complex restores the elongation rate. #cryoEM #transcription www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

📢1/12 Happy to share our first bluetutorial & our latest preprint. In this work, we discovered RSRC2 as a novel RNA-binding protein (RBP) with a dual function in cell division whose activity can be (lnc)RNA-mediated. #lncRNA #RBP #Mitosis www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

We joined the Laboratory Efficiency Assessment Framework (LEAF), reduced laboratory waste and energy usage, and made the lab more sustainable overall. And so we got the LEAF GOLD award!

As you make have seen, there is a special issue of JMB on "Controlling Transcription Elongation and Termination: More Than a Means to An End" curated by my colleague here at Pitt Karen Arndt and by Steve Buratowski from Harvard Medical School 🧪🧵 1/ www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Pawel Grzechnik and Hannah Mischo discuss polyadenylation site recognition and what happens afterwards and how it can go wrong: Fateful Decisions of Where to Cut the Line: Pathology Associated with Aberrant 3′ End Processing and Transcription Termination 14/ www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

some good reviews there!

Look who's here @pnas.org ✔️ @science.org ✔️ @naturecellbiology.bsky.social ✔️ @natrevgenet.bsky.social ✔️ @naturebiotech.bsky.social ✔️ @naturemicrobiol.bsky.social ✔️ @naturechemistry.bsky.social ✔️ @genesdev.bsky.social ✔️ @cellchembiol.bsky.social ✔️ @genomeresearch.bsky.social ✔️ @jcellbiol.bsky.social ✔️

📢 Interested in chromosomes and microbes thriving at the edge of life?PhD project in York-UK on chromosome segregation in #Archaea. Supervised by me, @Steve Quinn & @georgerheath.bsky.social www.findaphd.com/phds/project... Open to Applicants Worldwide! 📅 January 6, 2025 #microsky #archaeasky

Let’s encourage our host institutes and organizations to move to Bluesky! Follow those already here (UK starter pack), and let me know about others who have joined! go.bsky.app/JMrhz8Q

Hello, Bluesky community! We are the Division of Molecular and Cellular Function (MCF) in the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health at the University of Manchester. Follow us for research updates and job opportunities!

Are there any "Bluesky transcription starter packs"?

Hi All! I look forward to reconnecting with the scientific community. Bye X, enough is enough

My Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health at the University of Manchester offers Deans Prize fellowships for those aiming to establish independent research. I highly recommend applying with my Division of Molecular and Cellular Function! bmh.manchester.ac.uk/research/sup...

2 years ago Russia attacked Ukraine. Since then @stoplab.bsky.social and her colleagues from the University of Poznan have been helping Ukrainian students maintain their education. You can help too!

A new study in Science presents an atomic detail movie of the earliest phase of gene expression when the first 17 nt of nascent RNA is synthesized. Watch a dramatic event unfolds between 9-10 nt when the transcription bubble collapses and Pol II escapes the promoter. Paper: bit.ly/adi5120 👀 movie 1

So this is it for this year. A lot of ups and downs, but some amazing news at the end. Happy holidays everyone!

This #postdoc position closes just after Christmas so get you applications in early to avoid disappointment! 👇🏼👇🏼

Hello everyone! This place feels better...