Alice Maestri
@alicemaestri.bsky.social
Postdoc Institut Pasteur - evolution of bacteria and MGEs
Reposted by Alice Maestri
Willing to join us @pasteur.fr for a PhD for a project on how interactions between mobile genetic elements shape bacterial adaptation? Subject to be tailored to candidates with keen interest in evolution, genomics, computational biology, microbiology. Check www.pasteur.fr/en/education...
September 8, 2025 at 8:56 AM
Willing to join us @pasteur.fr for a PhD for a project on how interactions between mobile genetic elements shape bacterial adaptation? Subject to be tailored to candidates with keen interest in evolution, genomics, computational biology, microbiology. Check www.pasteur.fr/en/education...
We're looking for a technician at Institut Pasteur for experimental work on satellite-phage-bacteria interactions, working directly with @jmouradesousa.bsky.social and myself in the lab of @epcrocha.bsky.social ! ANR funded.
Link to the job emploi.pasteur.fr/offre-de-emp...
Thx for sharing!
Link to the job emploi.pasteur.fr/offre-de-emp...
Thx for sharing!
INSTITUT PASTEUR - Technicien de recherche Microbiologie H/F
emploi.pasteur.fr
September 12, 2025 at 2:42 PM
We're looking for a technician at Institut Pasteur for experimental work on satellite-phage-bacteria interactions, working directly with @jmouradesousa.bsky.social and myself in the lab of @epcrocha.bsky.social ! ANR funded.
Link to the job emploi.pasteur.fr/offre-de-emp...
Thx for sharing!
Link to the job emploi.pasteur.fr/offre-de-emp...
Thx for sharing!
Reposted by Alice Maestri
Great collaboration with @fredoleroux.bsky.social . Kudos for everyone, esp. Charles Bernard & Yannick Labreuche. Thanks to the funders and @pasteur.fr @cnrsbiologie.bsky.social @umontreal.ca @sbroscoff.bsky.social Here's the paper in OA: doi.org/10.1093/isme...
Adaptive genomic plasticity in large-genome, broad-host-range vibrio phages
Abstract. The host range of a bacteriophage—the diversity of hosts it can infect—is central to understanding phage ecology and applications. Whereas most w
doi.org
April 14, 2025 at 8:36 AM
Great collaboration with @fredoleroux.bsky.social . Kudos for everyone, esp. Charles Bernard & Yannick Labreuche. Thanks to the funders and @pasteur.fr @cnrsbiologie.bsky.social @umontreal.ca @sbroscoff.bsky.social Here's the paper in OA: doi.org/10.1093/isme...
Reposted by Alice Maestri
Phage satellites are now known to be very diverse, numerous and ancient. They pose many evolutionary, ecological and mechanistic questions. Lots of fun in perspective!
Great pleasure to write this review to show it, with @jrpenades.bsky.social @dbikard.bsky.social Kim Seed & John Chen.
Great pleasure to write this review to show it, with @jrpenades.bsky.social @dbikard.bsky.social Kim Seed & John Chen.
New online! Genetics, ecology and evolution of phage satellites
Genetics, ecology and evolution of phage satellites
Nature Reviews Microbiology, Published online: 27 March 2025; doi:10.1038/s41579-025-01156-zIn this Review, Penadés et al. explore the genetics, potential origins and life cycle of phage satellites, and they discuss the impact of these elements on the evolution of other mobile genetic elements and their host bacteria.
www.nature.com
March 27, 2025 at 6:45 PM
Phage satellites are now known to be very diverse, numerous and ancient. They pose many evolutionary, ecological and mechanistic questions. Lots of fun in perspective!
Great pleasure to write this review to show it, with @jrpenades.bsky.social @dbikard.bsky.social Kim Seed & John Chen.
Great pleasure to write this review to show it, with @jrpenades.bsky.social @dbikard.bsky.social Kim Seed & John Chen.
Reposted by Alice Maestri
Our review on recent advances in #PhageTherapy against Klebsiella pneumoniae is out!
We analyze KP-phage interactions from an eco-evo perspective, summarize many lab and clinical trials, and discuss novel approaches like genetic engineering & machine learning.
#microsky
doi.org/10.1371/jour...
We analyze KP-phage interactions from an eco-evo perspective, summarize many lab and clinical trials, and discuss novel approaches like genetic engineering & machine learning.
#microsky
doi.org/10.1371/jour...
Phage therapy for Klebsiella pneumoniae: Understanding bacteria–phage interactions for therapeutic innovations
Klebsiella pneumoniae (KP) is a Gram-negative bacterium that commonly resides in the human gastrointestinal tract and can also act as an opportunistic pathogen and cause extra-intestinal infections. K...
doi.org
April 9, 2025 at 10:10 AM
Our review on recent advances in #PhageTherapy against Klebsiella pneumoniae is out!
We analyze KP-phage interactions from an eco-evo perspective, summarize many lab and clinical trials, and discuss novel approaches like genetic engineering & machine learning.
#microsky
doi.org/10.1371/jour...
We analyze KP-phage interactions from an eco-evo perspective, summarize many lab and clinical trials, and discuss novel approaches like genetic engineering & machine learning.
#microsky
doi.org/10.1371/jour...
Reposted by Alice Maestri
🔬 Three fronts in bacterial defense!
At EMBO symposium this week in Paris, our PIs showcased:
• @mfwhite2.bsky.social: cyclic nucleotide defence signaling
• Prof. Stineke Van Houte: prophage warfare in P. aeruginosa
• Prof. Tim Blower: autoregulating toxins & phage defence
At EMBO symposium this week in Paris, our PIs showcased:
• @mfwhite2.bsky.social: cyclic nucleotide defence signaling
• Prof. Stineke Van Houte: prophage warfare in P. aeruginosa
• Prof. Tim Blower: autoregulating toxins & phage defence
April 10, 2025 at 8:52 AM
🔬 Three fronts in bacterial defense!
At EMBO symposium this week in Paris, our PIs showcased:
• @mfwhite2.bsky.social: cyclic nucleotide defence signaling
• Prof. Stineke Van Houte: prophage warfare in P. aeruginosa
• Prof. Tim Blower: autoregulating toxins & phage defence
At EMBO symposium this week in Paris, our PIs showcased:
• @mfwhite2.bsky.social: cyclic nucleotide defence signaling
• Prof. Stineke Van Houte: prophage warfare in P. aeruginosa
• Prof. Tim Blower: autoregulating toxins & phage defence
Reposted by Alice Maestri
Mystique is here! When I started my position at @cmdi.bsky.social there were no readily available phage against my A. baumannii focal strain. The solution? Finding my own phage ofc. Mystique is a broad host range Acinetobacter phage, and I'm thrilled to see this work out today #PhageSky 🧪🦠
Mystique, a broad host range Acinetobacter phage, reveals the impact of culturing conditions on phage isolation and infectivity
Author summary Bacterial infections caused by Acinetobacter baumannii are a major global health concern due to high antibiotic resistance, earning it a critical priority pathogen ranking by the WHO. P...
journals.plos.org
April 10, 2025 at 7:59 PM
Mystique is here! When I started my position at @cmdi.bsky.social there were no readily available phage against my A. baumannii focal strain. The solution? Finding my own phage ofc. Mystique is a broad host range Acinetobacter phage, and I'm thrilled to see this work out today #PhageSky 🧪🦠
Reposted by Alice Maestri
I'm delighted to announce that the 2025 @microbiologysociety.org meeting on "Understanding and predicting microbial evolutionary dynamics" will be held in Liverpool 26-27 November 2025! Abstract submission will open soon... #microsky 🧪🧫🦠 microbiologysociety.org/event/societ...
Understanding and predicting microbial evolutionary dynamics - 2025 meeting
microbiologysociety.org
February 18, 2025 at 9:50 AM
I'm delighted to announce that the 2025 @microbiologysociety.org meeting on "Understanding and predicting microbial evolutionary dynamics" will be held in Liverpool 26-27 November 2025! Abstract submission will open soon... #microsky 🧪🧫🦠 microbiologysociety.org/event/societ...
Reposted by Alice Maestri
@jonaszpatkowski.bsky.social and I pinpointed tail piracy as a new mechanism of horizontal gene transfer and explained the wide spread of cf-PICIs among different bacterial species and viromes.
New work from the lab with @jrpenades.bsky.social! We discovered a biological entity that spreads among different bacterial species by hijacking tails from various phages. This finding has major translational applications due to its broad host range. More news soon!
shorturl.at/kRJqE
shorturl.at/kRJqE
Chimeric infective particles expand species boundaries in phage inducible chromosomal island mobilization
Some mobile genetic elements spread among unrelated bacterial species through unknown mechanisms. Recently, we discovered that identical capsid-forming phage-inducible chromosomal islands (cf-PICIs), ...
shorturl.at
February 13, 2025 at 2:25 PM
@jonaszpatkowski.bsky.social and I pinpointed tail piracy as a new mechanism of horizontal gene transfer and explained the wide spread of cf-PICIs among different bacterial species and viromes.
Reposted by Alice Maestri
👋 Hi antiphage defense community, we are soon releasing an update of DefenseFinder.
We are doing our best to include all the great discoveries from the community, but with so much going on we might miss things.
Please answer wt preprints/papers with new systems or mail/git them to us. 🙏
We are doing our best to include all the great discoveries from the community, but with so much going on we might miss things.
Please answer wt preprints/papers with new systems or mail/git them to us. 🙏
January 13, 2025 at 1:54 PM
👋 Hi antiphage defense community, we are soon releasing an update of DefenseFinder.
We are doing our best to include all the great discoveries from the community, but with so much going on we might miss things.
Please answer wt preprints/papers with new systems or mail/git them to us. 🙏
We are doing our best to include all the great discoveries from the community, but with so much going on we might miss things.
Please answer wt preprints/papers with new systems or mail/git them to us. 🙏
Reposted by Alice Maestri
Happy Hallowe’en! We made a spooky AMR vs bacteriophage comic free to download and use. Take a look and give @andthemicrobes.bsky.social a follow!
(There’s even a prequel on plasmids and bacterial diversity!)
🎃🦠🧬👻
bsky.app/profile/andt...
(There’s even a prequel on plasmids and bacterial diversity!)
🎃🦠🧬👻
bsky.app/profile/andt...
🎃 HAPPY HALLOWE'EN! 🎃
Do you know what's scarier than zombies and werewolves?
ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE! Join Luna and Simon as they spend Hallowe'en night exploring the science of microbes, and the bacteriophages out to destroy them!
www.andthemicrobes.org/phage
#sciencecomics #antibioticresistance
Do you know what's scarier than zombies and werewolves?
ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE! Join Luna and Simon as they spend Hallowe'en night exploring the science of microbes, and the bacteriophages out to destroy them!
www.andthemicrobes.org/phage
#sciencecomics #antibioticresistance
- NIGHT OF THE KILLER PHAGE! — And The Microbes
www.andthemicrobes.org
October 31, 2024 at 9:34 AM
Happy Hallowe’en! We made a spooky AMR vs bacteriophage comic free to download and use. Take a look and give @andthemicrobes.bsky.social a follow!
(There’s even a prequel on plasmids and bacterial diversity!)
🎃🦠🧬👻
bsky.app/profile/andt...
(There’s even a prequel on plasmids and bacterial diversity!)
🎃🦠🧬👻
bsky.app/profile/andt...
Reposted by Alice Maestri
Hi to all my new (and old) followers! So fun to see more people joining us here. I'm currently an independent post-doc and evolutionary microbiologist at Georgia Tech in the US, studying Acinetobacter baumannii – phage dynamics. Welcome!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Environmental differences impact Acinetobacter baumannii phage isolation and infectivity
With the global rise of antimicrobial resistance, phage therapy is increasingly re-gaining traction as a strategy to treat bacterial infections. For phage therapy to be successful however, we first ne...
www.biorxiv.org
October 21, 2024 at 1:03 PM
Hi to all my new (and old) followers! So fun to see more people joining us here. I'm currently an independent post-doc and evolutionary microbiologist at Georgia Tech in the US, studying Acinetobacter baumannii – phage dynamics. Welcome!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Alice Maestri
Our study on the (huge) variations in transformation rates is now out in OA! Key question: why are so many strains non-transformable if the many recent transitions to non-transformability seem deleterious? doi.org/10.1371/jour...
Intragenomic conflicts with plasmids and chromosomal mobile genetic elements drive the evolution of natural transformation within species
Bacterial species exhibit large variations in their transformation rates. This study of Legionella pneumophila and Acinetobacter baumannii shows that their transformation rates evolve by sudden quick ...
doi.org
October 15, 2024 at 4:25 PM
Our study on the (huge) variations in transformation rates is now out in OA! Key question: why are so many strains non-transformable if the many recent transitions to non-transformability seem deleterious? doi.org/10.1371/jour...
The view from my new workplace :)
Can't possibly be happier to be working on phage satellites with @jmouradesousa.bsky.social , @epcrocha.bsky.social and the team!
Can't possibly be happier to be working on phage satellites with @jmouradesousa.bsky.social , @epcrocha.bsky.social and the team!
September 6, 2024 at 7:46 PM
The view from my new workplace :)
Can't possibly be happier to be working on phage satellites with @jmouradesousa.bsky.social , @epcrocha.bsky.social and the team!
Can't possibly be happier to be working on phage satellites with @jmouradesousa.bsky.social , @epcrocha.bsky.social and the team!
My official PhD graduation last month was the closing step of an incredible journey, marking the end of my time in Cornwall!
August 18, 2024 at 10:27 AM
My official PhD graduation last month was the closing step of an incredible journey, marking the end of my time in Cornwall!
Reposted by Alice Maestri
We have another position advertised 😃 with @taylorlabgroup.bsky.social in Bath to understand the regulation of multi layered defence systems!! You can apply at www.bath.ac.uk/jobs/Vacancy...
Applications close on 9th September.
Applications close on 9th September.
July 23, 2024 at 3:57 PM
We have another position advertised 😃 with @taylorlabgroup.bsky.social in Bath to understand the regulation of multi layered defence systems!! You can apply at www.bath.ac.uk/jobs/Vacancy...
Applications close on 9th September.
Applications close on 9th September.
Reposted by Alice Maestri
New paper looking at the spread of CRISPR-Cas in bacterial populations. Congratulations to @josie-e.bsky.social on her first, first author paper 🎉! Check out her brilliant thread below. Happy to see this work out in the wild.
Excited to share my 1st paper with
@bridgetwatson.bsky.social @taylorlabgroup.bsky.social Edze Westra Sylvain Gandon & David McLeod academic.oup.com/ismej/articl... where we ask “when would using a defence system (CRISPR-Cas) be selectively advantageous over mutations that block phage binding?”1/10
@bridgetwatson.bsky.social @taylorlabgroup.bsky.social Edze Westra Sylvain Gandon & David McLeod academic.oup.com/ismej/articl... where we ask “when would using a defence system (CRISPR-Cas) be selectively advantageous over mutations that block phage binding?”1/10
Conditions for the spread of CRISPR-Cas immune systems into bacterial populations
Abstract. Bacteria contain a wide variety of innate and adaptive immune systems which provide protection to the host against invading genetic material, inc
academic.oup.com
August 13, 2024 at 12:24 PM
New paper looking at the spread of CRISPR-Cas in bacterial populations. Congratulations to @josie-e.bsky.social on her first, first author paper 🎉! Check out her brilliant thread below. Happy to see this work out in the wild.
Reposted by Alice Maestri
Excited to share my 1st paper with
@bridgetwatson.bsky.social @taylorlabgroup.bsky.social Edze Westra Sylvain Gandon & David McLeod academic.oup.com/ismej/articl... where we ask “when would using a defence system (CRISPR-Cas) be selectively advantageous over mutations that block phage binding?”1/10
@bridgetwatson.bsky.social @taylorlabgroup.bsky.social Edze Westra Sylvain Gandon & David McLeod academic.oup.com/ismej/articl... where we ask “when would using a defence system (CRISPR-Cas) be selectively advantageous over mutations that block phage binding?”1/10
Conditions for the spread of CRISPR-Cas immune systems into bacterial populations
Abstract. Bacteria contain a wide variety of innate and adaptive immune systems which provide protection to the host against invading genetic material, inc
academic.oup.com
August 13, 2024 at 11:58 AM
Excited to share my 1st paper with
@bridgetwatson.bsky.social @taylorlabgroup.bsky.social Edze Westra Sylvain Gandon & David McLeod academic.oup.com/ismej/articl... where we ask “when would using a defence system (CRISPR-Cas) be selectively advantageous over mutations that block phage binding?”1/10
@bridgetwatson.bsky.social @taylorlabgroup.bsky.social Edze Westra Sylvain Gandon & David McLeod academic.oup.com/ismej/articl... where we ask “when would using a defence system (CRISPR-Cas) be selectively advantageous over mutations that block phage binding?”1/10
Reposted by Alice Maestri
1st foray into T6SS with talented @mermanchester.bsky.social fellow Will Smith: eco-evo models and experimental evolution show how and why producing multiple toxins blocks resistance evolution (even though cross-resistance can evolve under single-toxin attack) www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Multiplicity of Type 6 Secretion System toxins limits the evolution of resistance
bioRxiv - the preprint server for biology, operated by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, a research and educational institution
www.biorxiv.org
July 31, 2024 at 5:17 PM
1st foray into T6SS with talented @mermanchester.bsky.social fellow Will Smith: eco-evo models and experimental evolution show how and why producing multiple toxins blocks resistance evolution (even though cross-resistance can evolve under single-toxin attack) www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Alice Maestri
Hiring a bioinformatician at @uniofexeter.bsky.social to work with the Exeter sequencing facility. Please spread the word!
jobs.exeter.ac.uk/hrpr_webrecr...
jobs.exeter.ac.uk/hrpr_webrecr...
Powered by MHR
jobs.exeter.ac.uk
August 8, 2024 at 4:25 PM
Hiring a bioinformatician at @uniofexeter.bsky.social to work with the Exeter sequencing facility. Please spread the word!
jobs.exeter.ac.uk/hrpr_webrecr...
jobs.exeter.ac.uk/hrpr_webrecr...
Reposted by Alice Maestri
🆕 I’m looking for a postdoc to join the group!
This is for a project as part of the @multidefence.bsky.social consortium, looking at genome defences and horizontal gene transfer in Pseudomonas. Deadline 12th August. 🧵
my.corehr.com/pls/ulivrecr...
This is for a project as part of the @multidefence.bsky.social consortium, looking at genome defences and horizontal gene transfer in Pseudomonas. Deadline 12th August. 🧵
my.corehr.com/pls/ulivrecr...
'
my.corehr.com
July 23, 2024 at 1:23 PM
🆕 I’m looking for a postdoc to join the group!
This is for a project as part of the @multidefence.bsky.social consortium, looking at genome defences and horizontal gene transfer in Pseudomonas. Deadline 12th August. 🧵
my.corehr.com/pls/ulivrecr...
This is for a project as part of the @multidefence.bsky.social consortium, looking at genome defences and horizontal gene transfer in Pseudomonas. Deadline 12th August. 🧵
my.corehr.com/pls/ulivrecr...
I'm so happy to see the main part of my PhD work published in Cell Host & Microbe!
We discover and characterise MADS (Methylation Associated Defense System) in its native host, a clinical isolate of 𝘗𝘴𝘦𝘶𝘥𝘰𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘦𝘳𝘶𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘰𝘴𝘢 strain SMC4386
www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...
We discover and characterise MADS (Methylation Associated Defense System) in its native host, a clinical isolate of 𝘗𝘴𝘦𝘶𝘥𝘰𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘦𝘳𝘶𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘰𝘴𝘢 strain SMC4386
www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...
The bacterial defense system MADS interacts with CRISPR-Cas to limit phage infection and escape
The coevolution between bacteria and mobile genetic elements has resulted in a large
diversity of defense systems. Maestri et al. describe an innate immune system, MADS
(methylation-associated defense...
www.cell.com
August 6, 2024 at 12:40 PM
I'm so happy to see the main part of my PhD work published in Cell Host & Microbe!
We discover and characterise MADS (Methylation Associated Defense System) in its native host, a clinical isolate of 𝘗𝘴𝘦𝘶𝘥𝘰𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘦𝘳𝘶𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘰𝘴𝘢 strain SMC4386
www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...
We discover and characterise MADS (Methylation Associated Defense System) in its native host, a clinical isolate of 𝘗𝘴𝘦𝘶𝘥𝘰𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘦𝘳𝘶𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘰𝘴𝘢 strain SMC4386
www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...
Reposted by Alice Maestri
7 yrs ago, I got very lucky when I got my permanent researcher position @cnrs.bsky.social
Now, even more so. I just got promoted to director of research (associate professor?)
Thx to all who contributed closely or loosely & special thx to PhD student julie for a wonderful & unexpected gift!
Now, even more so. I just got promoted to director of research (associate professor?)
Thx to all who contributed closely or loosely & special thx to PhD student julie for a wonderful & unexpected gift!
July 11, 2024 at 12:44 PM
7 yrs ago, I got very lucky when I got my permanent researcher position @cnrs.bsky.social
Now, even more so. I just got promoted to director of research (associate professor?)
Thx to all who contributed closely or loosely & special thx to PhD student julie for a wonderful & unexpected gift!
Now, even more so. I just got promoted to director of research (associate professor?)
Thx to all who contributed closely or loosely & special thx to PhD student julie for a wonderful & unexpected gift!
Reposted by Alice Maestri
While struggling to isolate a phage at all, we also discovered that other phages in our collection actually *can* infect AB5075... but only in liquid culture. In other words, phages that do not plaque on a bacterial lawn may still be able to infect in liquid!
July 11, 2024 at 11:25 AM
While struggling to isolate a phage at all, we also discovered that other phages in our collection actually *can* infect AB5075... but only in liquid culture. In other words, phages that do not plaque on a bacterial lawn may still be able to infect in liquid!
Reposted by Alice Maestri
Going from PhD to independent postdoc has been hard, and switching bacteria didn't make it easier. Especially when I found out that my A. baumannii (5075) has/had no available phage. But, that meant I had a gap to fill! And that's resulted in this work here:
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Environmental differences impact Acinetobacter baumannii phage isolation and infectivity
bioRxiv - the preprint server for biology, operated by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, a research and educational institution
www.biorxiv.org
July 11, 2024 at 11:24 AM
Going from PhD to independent postdoc has been hard, and switching bacteria didn't make it easier. Especially when I found out that my A. baumannii (5075) has/had no available phage. But, that meant I had a gap to fill! And that's resulted in this work here:
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...