Bastien Castagner🇨🇦
@castagner.bsky.social
Associate Professor at McGill. Drug Discovery, C. difficile infection, microbiota, chemical biology, prebiotics, glycans, polyphenols, inositol phosphates. Running/biking CastagnerLab.com
Calling Inositol Phosphate enthusiasts!
The free virtual international meeting on inositol phosphates across organisms - Inositol Phosphates 2026 - will take place on March 25-27, 2026. Currently accepting abstract for oral presentation until Dec. 7.
castagnerlab.com/inositol-pho...
The free virtual international meeting on inositol phosphates across organisms - Inositol Phosphates 2026 - will take place on March 25-27, 2026. Currently accepting abstract for oral presentation until Dec. 7.
castagnerlab.com/inositol-pho...
November 4, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Calling Inositol Phosphate enthusiasts!
The free virtual international meeting on inositol phosphates across organisms - Inositol Phosphates 2026 - will take place on March 25-27, 2026. Currently accepting abstract for oral presentation until Dec. 7.
castagnerlab.com/inositol-pho...
The free virtual international meeting on inositol phosphates across organisms - Inositol Phosphates 2026 - will take place on March 25-27, 2026. Currently accepting abstract for oral presentation until Dec. 7.
castagnerlab.com/inositol-pho...
Continuons d'avancer! 🚲
Le REV Saint-Denis, une piste cyclable qui atteint des sommets www.lapresse.ca/dialogue/chr...
Le REV Saint-Denis, une piste cyclable qui atteint des sommets www.lapresse.ca/dialogue/chr...
November 4, 2025 at 5:13 PM
Continuons d'avancer! 🚲
Le REV Saint-Denis, une piste cyclable qui atteint des sommets www.lapresse.ca/dialogue/chr...
Le REV Saint-Denis, une piste cyclable qui atteint des sommets www.lapresse.ca/dialogue/chr...
This! Let's resist the politicization of science! 🇨🇦
How much are MPs entitled to know about research grants? Not as much as they think. A parliamentary committee is asking for researchers' personal information in what seems like an anti-DEI crusade, by @picardonhealth.bsky.social www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/arti... via @theglobeandmail.com
Opinion: How much are MPs entitled to know about research grants? Not as much as they think
A parliamentary committee is asking for academics’ private information on a strange anti-DEI crusade
www.theglobeandmail.com
November 4, 2025 at 5:03 PM
This! Let's resist the politicization of science! 🇨🇦
Reposted by Bastien Castagner🇨🇦
Two conferences, one reg! Sign up for Microbiome Metabolism & Metabolites + get Human Microbiome FREE. Joint keynotes: Emily P. Balskus & Mohamed S. Abou Donia. keysym.us/KSMicroMetab26 @pieterdorrestein.bsky.social @mfgrp.bsky.social @inesthiele.bsky.social #KSMicroMetab26 #KSMicrobiome26
Microbiome Metabolism and Metabolites: Discovery and Function in Health and Disease | Keystone Symposia
Join us at the Keystone Symposia on Microbiome Metabolism and Metabolites: Discovery and Function in Health and Disease, January 2026, in Banff, with field leaders!
keysym.us
August 12, 2025 at 3:58 PM
Two conferences, one reg! Sign up for Microbiome Metabolism & Metabolites + get Human Microbiome FREE. Joint keynotes: Emily P. Balskus & Mohamed S. Abou Donia. keysym.us/KSMicroMetab26 @pieterdorrestein.bsky.social @mfgrp.bsky.social @inesthiele.bsky.social #KSMicroMetab26 #KSMicrobiome26
We are hiring! Tenure track position in the area of Pluripotent Stem Cells in Regenerative Medicine in the Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics at McGill University and the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC).
mcgill.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/McGill...
mcgill.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/McGill...
Assistant Professor (Tenure Track), Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Pluripotent Stem Cells in Regenerative Medicine (L000066)
Please refer to the How to Apply for a Job (for External Candidates) job aid for instructions on how to apply. If you are an active McGill employee (ie: currently in an active contract or position at ...
mcgill.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com
September 19, 2025 at 5:14 PM
We are hiring! Tenure track position in the area of Pluripotent Stem Cells in Regenerative Medicine in the Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics at McGill University and the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC).
mcgill.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/McGill...
mcgill.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/McGill...
Reposted by Bastien Castagner🇨🇦
The gut microbiome has a key role in shaping the immune response to cancer and influencing the efficacy of immunotherapy. Read about advances in targeting the microbiome in cancer treatment in this Review in the September issue
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
rdcu.be/eD8M5
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
rdcu.be/eD8M5
September 4, 2025 at 2:02 PM
The gut microbiome has a key role in shaping the immune response to cancer and influencing the efficacy of immunotherapy. Read about advances in targeting the microbiome in cancer treatment in this Review in the September issue
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
rdcu.be/eD8M5
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
rdcu.be/eD8M5
New preprint on polyphenol metabolism by gut bacteria! We show that released urolithin M6 is metabolized by regioselective dehydroxylases including the novel Uxd present in a subset of Enterocloster spp. Interestingly, Uxd induction is controlled by Ucd substrates.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
August 7, 2025 at 4:56 PM
New preprint on polyphenol metabolism by gut bacteria! We show that released urolithin M6 is metabolized by regioselective dehydroxylases including the novel Uxd present in a subset of Enterocloster spp. Interestingly, Uxd induction is controlled by Ucd substrates.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Bastien Castagner🇨🇦
IP6 is cool, but IT6 is cooler 😎
A thiophosphate swap makes inositol hexakisphosphate more stable, more soluble, and stickier to bacterial virulence factors.
Great news for structural bio & drug design!
📖 doi.org/10.1039/D4CB...
A thiophosphate swap makes inositol hexakisphosphate more stable, more soluble, and stickier to bacterial virulence factors.
Great news for structural bio & drug design!
📖 doi.org/10.1039/D4CB...
Thiophosphate bioisosteres of inositol hexakisphosphate enhance binding affinity and residence time on bacterial virulence factors
Inositol phosphates are essential for mammalian cell signalling with critical roles in cellular processes. The fully phosphorylated inositol phosphate, myo-inositol hexakisphosphate (IP6), modulates numerous eukaryotic proteins and bacterial virulence factors. It has been suggested that the high charge density of I
doi.org
May 20, 2025 at 1:01 PM
IP6 is cool, but IT6 is cooler 😎
A thiophosphate swap makes inositol hexakisphosphate more stable, more soluble, and stickier to bacterial virulence factors.
Great news for structural bio & drug design!
📖 doi.org/10.1039/D4CB...
A thiophosphate swap makes inositol hexakisphosphate more stable, more soluble, and stickier to bacterial virulence factors.
Great news for structural bio & drug design!
📖 doi.org/10.1039/D4CB...
Reposted by Bastien Castagner🇨🇦
A new paper in The Lancet, one of the world’s foremost peer reviewed medical journals, estimates that USAID prevented 91 million deaths across 133 countries over 20 years.
The paper estimates that Elon Musk’s DOGE funding cuts to USAID will lead to 14 million deaths by 2030 (4.5 million children).
The paper estimates that Elon Musk’s DOGE funding cuts to USAID will lead to 14 million deaths by 2030 (4.5 million children).
Evaluating the impact of two decades of USAID interventions and projecting the effects of defunding on mortality up to 2030: a retrospective impact evaluation and forecasting analysis
USAID funding has significantly contributed to the reduction in adult and child mortality
across low-income and middle-income countries over the past two decades. Our estimates
show that, unless the a...
www.thelancet.com
July 1, 2025 at 10:43 AM
A new paper in The Lancet, one of the world’s foremost peer reviewed medical journals, estimates that USAID prevented 91 million deaths across 133 countries over 20 years.
The paper estimates that Elon Musk’s DOGE funding cuts to USAID will lead to 14 million deaths by 2030 (4.5 million children).
The paper estimates that Elon Musk’s DOGE funding cuts to USAID will lead to 14 million deaths by 2030 (4.5 million children).
@mcgill.ca is recruiting an internationally recognized scientist in Human Immunology for the prestigious Canada Excellence Research Chair. Montreal offers a vibrant scientific ecosystem in a fantastic city.
www.nature.com/naturecareer...
www.nature.com/naturecareer...
Canada Excellence Research Chair (CERC) in Human Immunology - Montréal, Quebec (CA) job with McGill University Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences | 12840439
Canada Excellence Research Chair (CERC) in Human Immunology (Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University)
www.nature.com
June 13, 2025 at 1:49 PM
@mcgill.ca is recruiting an internationally recognized scientist in Human Immunology for the prestigious Canada Excellence Research Chair. Montreal offers a vibrant scientific ecosystem in a fantastic city.
www.nature.com/naturecareer...
www.nature.com/naturecareer...
Our review on gut microbiome manipulation for cancer immunotherapy is out. Thanks to Arielle Elkrief, Reilly Pidgeon, Saman Maleki Vareki, Meriem Messaoudene, and @bertrandrouty.bsky.social
The gut microbiome as a target in cancer immunotherapy: opportunities and challenges for drug development www.nature.com/articles/s41...
rdcu.be/eo6l2
This new Review highlights key advances in clinical microbiome characterization and their implications for immunotherapy #ASCO2025
rdcu.be/eo6l2
This new Review highlights key advances in clinical microbiome characterization and their implications for immunotherapy #ASCO2025
June 3, 2025 at 2:11 PM
Our review on gut microbiome manipulation for cancer immunotherapy is out. Thanks to Arielle Elkrief, Reilly Pidgeon, Saman Maleki Vareki, Meriem Messaoudene, and @bertrandrouty.bsky.social
Such a disappointing and infuriating message from @McGill.ca President. McGill is “neutral” in geopolitical crisis and cannot comment, YET they will invest in military weapons and do business partnership with the UAE Army for instance.
May 21, 2025 at 2:32 PM
Such a disappointing and infuriating message from @McGill.ca President. McGill is “neutral” in geopolitical crisis and cannot comment, YET they will invest in military weapons and do business partnership with the UAE Army for instance.
Reposted by Bastien Castagner🇨🇦
An alternative strategy to access inositol derivatives by stereoselective dephosphorylation. Happy to share the work by Markus Haener together with @gabrielschaaf.bsky.social and many others.
chemrxiv.org/engage/chemr...
chemrxiv.org/engage/chemr...
Stereoselective chemoenzymatic phytate transformations provide access to diverse inositol phosphate derivatives
Phosphorylated myo-inositols (InsPs) are essential cytoplasmic signaling molecules, while their lipidated analogs (PtdInsPs) play a crucial role in membrane signaling. Stereoselective synthesis of the...
chemrxiv.org
April 18, 2025 at 11:05 AM
An alternative strategy to access inositol derivatives by stereoselective dephosphorylation. Happy to share the work by Markus Haener together with @gabrielschaaf.bsky.social and many others.
chemrxiv.org/engage/chemr...
chemrxiv.org/engage/chemr...
Reposted by Bastien Castagner🇨🇦
Echoing Trump, Pierre Poilievre's election pitch includes pledge to end "woke influence" in university research. My story for @science.org 🧪 #cdnpoli
www.science.org/content/arti...
www.science.org/content/arti...
In Canadian election, top Conservative candidate vows to end ’woke ideology’ in science funding
Pierre Poilievre’s Conservative Party is trying to topple Liberal government in 28 April election
www.science.org
April 9, 2025 at 10:06 PM
Echoing Trump, Pierre Poilievre's election pitch includes pledge to end "woke influence" in university research. My story for @science.org 🧪 #cdnpoli
www.science.org/content/arti...
www.science.org/content/arti...
Reposted by Bastien Castagner🇨🇦
Evil.
"Without continued PEPFAR programmes, models predict that by 2030, an additional 1 million children will become infected with HIV, 0·5 million additional children will die of AIDS, & 2·8 million children will additionally become orphaned by AIDS."
Study: www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
"Without continued PEPFAR programmes, models predict that by 2030, an additional 1 million children will become infected with HIV, 0·5 million additional children will die of AIDS, & 2·8 million children will additionally become orphaned by AIDS."
Study: www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
Protecting Africa's children from extreme risk: a runway of sustainability for PEPFAR programmes
PEPFAR (President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief), a landmark US foreign health
policy, is recognised for saving 26 million lives from HIV. PEPFAR investments have
also had life-saving impacts for c...
www.thelancet.com
April 8, 2025 at 3:25 PM
Evil.
"Without continued PEPFAR programmes, models predict that by 2030, an additional 1 million children will become infected with HIV, 0·5 million additional children will die of AIDS, & 2·8 million children will additionally become orphaned by AIDS."
Study: www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
"Without continued PEPFAR programmes, models predict that by 2030, an additional 1 million children will become infected with HIV, 0·5 million additional children will die of AIDS, & 2·8 million children will additionally become orphaned by AIDS."
Study: www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
Reposted by Bastien Castagner🇨🇦
🚨We're hiring another tenure-track at McGill University: focus on brain-body science! 👇
mcgill.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/mcgill...
mcgill.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/mcgill...
April 2, 2025 at 9:31 PM
🚨We're hiring another tenure-track at McGill University: focus on brain-body science! 👇
mcgill.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/mcgill...
mcgill.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/mcgill...
Molecular dynamic simulations led to a better understanding of the C. difficile toxin B (TcdB) allosteric transition induced by inositol hexakisphosphate (IP6). Useful info for drug discovery. Great work by Lauren Finn, Rebecca Cummer, and @bettinagkeller.bsky.social!
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
April 2, 2025 at 4:41 PM
Molecular dynamic simulations led to a better understanding of the C. difficile toxin B (TcdB) allosteric transition induced by inositol hexakisphosphate (IP6). Useful info for drug discovery. Great work by Lauren Finn, Rebecca Cummer, and @bettinagkeller.bsky.social!
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Reposted by Bastien Castagner🇨🇦
📅 April 24 | Next-Generation #RNA Vaccines & Therapies
This event is organized by McGill's Pharmacology and Therapeutics and will feature lecture speaker Dr. @annablakney.bsky.social from UBC (also a D2R-funded researcher!).
More info: mcgill.ca/pharma/semin...
This event is organized by McGill's Pharmacology and Therapeutics and will feature lecture speaker Dr. @annablakney.bsky.social from UBC (also a D2R-funded researcher!).
More info: mcgill.ca/pharma/semin...
March 31, 2025 at 1:44 PM
📅 April 24 | Next-Generation #RNA Vaccines & Therapies
This event is organized by McGill's Pharmacology and Therapeutics and will feature lecture speaker Dr. @annablakney.bsky.social from UBC (also a D2R-funded researcher!).
More info: mcgill.ca/pharma/semin...
This event is organized by McGill's Pharmacology and Therapeutics and will feature lecture speaker Dr. @annablakney.bsky.social from UBC (also a D2R-funded researcher!).
More info: mcgill.ca/pharma/semin...
Important for us Canadians. We cannot let that happen.
If you're watching what's happening at US universities, it's on our doorstep here. Pollievre is promising to end federal funding for research deemed to be "woke"
www.montrealgazette.com/news/canada/...
www.montrealgazette.com/news/canada/...
March 30, 2025 at 7:45 PM
Important for us Canadians. We cannot let that happen.
The Inositol Phosphates international meeting will take place on March 25-27, 2026 (virtually)! Please mark your calendars and sign up below to receive email updates about registration and abstract submission! Organized with Inmaculada Couso, Martina Ried-Lasi.
castagnerlab.com/inositol-pho...
castagnerlab.com/inositol-pho...
March 27, 2025 at 2:36 PM
The Inositol Phosphates international meeting will take place on March 25-27, 2026 (virtually)! Please mark your calendars and sign up below to receive email updates about registration and abstract submission! Organized with Inmaculada Couso, Martina Ried-Lasi.
castagnerlab.com/inositol-pho...
castagnerlab.com/inositol-pho...
We are recruiting! The McGill University Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences invites applications for a full-time tenure track Assistant or Associate Professor position in the area of toxicology.
mcgill.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/McGill...
mcgill.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/McGill...
Assistant/Associate Professor (Tenure Track), Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Toxicology (L000054)
Please refer to the How to Apply for a Job (for External Candidates) job aid for instructions on how to apply. If you are an active McGill employee (ie: currently in an active contract or position at ...
mcgill.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com
March 24, 2025 at 4:28 PM
We are recruiting! The McGill University Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences invites applications for a full-time tenure track Assistant or Associate Professor position in the area of toxicology.
mcgill.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/McGill...
mcgill.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/McGill...
In this new publication, Rebecca Cummer shows that inositol thiophosphate is a useful bioisostere of inositol hexakisphosphate (IP6) that binds more strongly to different bacterial virulence factors. In collaboration with Dr. Nagar and Dr. @bettinagkeller.bsky.social.
pubs.rsc.org/en/Content/A...
pubs.rsc.org/en/Content/A...
March 20, 2025 at 5:42 PM
In this new publication, Rebecca Cummer shows that inositol thiophosphate is a useful bioisostere of inositol hexakisphosphate (IP6) that binds more strongly to different bacterial virulence factors. In collaboration with Dr. Nagar and Dr. @bettinagkeller.bsky.social.
pubs.rsc.org/en/Content/A...
pubs.rsc.org/en/Content/A...
Indeed concerning. I will not be attending (or sending a student to) any conferences in the US because of the current trade war with Canada, but this is something else! Here is the article in French. www.lemonde.fr/internationa...
March 19, 2025 at 9:08 PM
Indeed concerning. I will not be attending (or sending a student to) any conferences in the US because of the current trade war with Canada, but this is something else! Here is the article in French. www.lemonde.fr/internationa...