Danna Gifford
@dannagifford.bsky.social
PI and Lecturer, University of Manchester
https://dannagifford.com @MERManchester.bsky.social
https://dannagifford.com @MERManchester.bsky.social
Reposted by Danna Gifford
Do you teach #rstats? Do your students complain about how lame and old-fashioned dplyr is? Don't worry: I have the solution for you: github.com/hadley/genzp....
genzplyr is dplyr, but bussin fr fr no cap.
genzplyr is dplyr, but bussin fr fr no cap.
GitHub - hadley/genzplyr: dplyr but make it bussin fr fr no cap
dplyr but make it bussin fr fr no cap. Contribute to hadley/genzplyr development by creating an account on GitHub.
github.com
November 6, 2025 at 11:25 PM
Do you teach #rstats? Do your students complain about how lame and old-fashioned dplyr is? Don't worry: I have the solution for you: github.com/hadley/genzp....
genzplyr is dplyr, but bussin fr fr no cap.
genzplyr is dplyr, but bussin fr fr no cap.
Reposted by Danna Gifford
New paper: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Klebs can evolve resistance to Colistin through mgrB mutation or by acquiring the mcr-1 gene. Both routes have similar fitness costs against a bacterial competitor, but mgrB mutations are associated with enhanced virulence.
Klebs can evolve resistance to Colistin through mgrB mutation or by acquiring the mcr-1 gene. Both routes have similar fitness costs against a bacterial competitor, but mgrB mutations are associated with enhanced virulence.
mgrB inactivation confers enhanced pathogenicity and immune evasion over mcr-1 expression in colistin-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae
Colistin is one of the last treatment options against human infections caused by multi-drug resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae. Colistin resistant K. pne…
www.sciencedirect.com
November 6, 2025 at 12:13 PM
New paper: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Klebs can evolve resistance to Colistin through mgrB mutation or by acquiring the mcr-1 gene. Both routes have similar fitness costs against a bacterial competitor, but mgrB mutations are associated with enhanced virulence.
Klebs can evolve resistance to Colistin through mgrB mutation or by acquiring the mcr-1 gene. Both routes have similar fitness costs against a bacterial competitor, but mgrB mutations are associated with enhanced virulence.
Reposted by Danna Gifford
A few more weeks to apply for this postdoc in mucosal immunology and ILC biology, please share in your networks and with interested candidates.
Postdoc opportunity in the lab for a budding ILC biologist.
Informal enquiries welcome - please spread the word.
Ad closes in 4 weeks.
www.jobs.manchester.ac.uk/Job/JobDetai...
Informal enquiries welcome - please spread the word.
Ad closes in 4 weeks.
www.jobs.manchester.ac.uk/Job/JobDetai...
Research Associate - mucosal immunology and innate lymphoid cell (ILC) biology:Oxford Road
The Hepworth laboratory within the Lydia Becker Institute of Immunology and Inflammation at the University of Manchester wish to appoint a laboratory-based Research Associate to an exciting project in mucosal immunology and innate lymphoid cell (ILC) biology.
www.jobs.manchester.ac.uk
November 5, 2025 at 3:00 PM
A few more weeks to apply for this postdoc in mucosal immunology and ILC biology, please share in your networks and with interested candidates.
Reposted by Danna Gifford
The concept of "fitness" is central to evolutionary biology but it's not entirely worked out. There are multiple definitions, doubts about predictive power, problems with internal consistency. Here's a paper from last year attempting to solve some of these problems. doi.org/10.1093/evol...
November 5, 2025 at 2:27 PM
The concept of "fitness" is central to evolutionary biology but it's not entirely worked out. There are multiple definitions, doubts about predictive power, problems with internal consistency. Here's a paper from last year attempting to solve some of these problems. doi.org/10.1093/evol...
Reposted by Danna Gifford
Agata Pacho and I published an article on self care and UTIs/AMR this week! In Sociology of Health and Illness:
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/.... @lshtmamrcentre.bsky.social
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/.... @lshtmamrcentre.bsky.social
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
October 24, 2025 at 2:19 PM
Agata Pacho and I published an article on self care and UTIs/AMR this week! In Sociology of Health and Illness:
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/.... @lshtmamrcentre.bsky.social
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/.... @lshtmamrcentre.bsky.social
Reposted by Danna Gifford
New pre-print: Plasmid dependent phage effectively eliminate AMR bacteria and block plasmid transmission in the chicken gut microbiome
Fun collaboration with Tao He lab (JAAS) and @brockhurstlab.bsky.social lab (Manchester)
#phagesky#microsky
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Fun collaboration with Tao He lab (JAAS) and @brockhurstlab.bsky.social lab (Manchester)
#phagesky#microsky
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Plasmid dependent phage eliminate pathogenic bacteria and antibiotic resistance plasmids from the chicken gut microbiome
Conjugative plasmids are a key reservoir of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in commensal and pathogenic bacteria within the gut microbiome. Plasmid-dependent phage (PDPs) are a promising therapeutic op...
www.biorxiv.org
October 27, 2025 at 8:19 AM
New pre-print: Plasmid dependent phage effectively eliminate AMR bacteria and block plasmid transmission in the chicken gut microbiome
Fun collaboration with Tao He lab (JAAS) and @brockhurstlab.bsky.social lab (Manchester)
#phagesky#microsky
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Fun collaboration with Tao He lab (JAAS) and @brockhurstlab.bsky.social lab (Manchester)
#phagesky#microsky
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Danna Gifford
After a short website glitch, the applications are now open again - three #PhD opportunities; featuring (in no particular order) #Klebsiella, #protists, #biofilms, #microscopy, #bioinformatics, #mosquitoes, #midges and #microbiomes, see below!
#MicroSky #MicrobiomeSky #ProtistsOnSky #evobio 💻🧬🧪🦠🦟🔬
#MicroSky #MicrobiomeSky #ProtistsOnSky #evobio 💻🧬🧪🦠🦟🔬
October 15, 2025 at 5:38 AM
After a short website glitch, the applications are now open again - three #PhD opportunities; featuring (in no particular order) #Klebsiella, #protists, #biofilms, #microscopy, #bioinformatics, #mosquitoes, #midges and #microbiomes, see below!
#MicroSky #MicrobiomeSky #ProtistsOnSky #evobio 💻🧬🧪🦠🦟🔬
#MicroSky #MicrobiomeSky #ProtistsOnSky #evobio 💻🧬🧪🦠🦟🔬
Reposted by Danna Gifford
ECR with <3yrs postdoc experience?
The University of Manchester @officialuom.bsky.social is offering THREE Bicentenary Fellowships.
3yrs salary + £30k pa funding
If you have a project involving mass spec, biomarkers and human disease, get in touch!
www.bmh.manchester.ac.uk/research/sup...
The University of Manchester @officialuom.bsky.social is offering THREE Bicentenary Fellowships.
3yrs salary + £30k pa funding
If you have a project involving mass spec, biomarkers and human disease, get in touch!
www.bmh.manchester.ac.uk/research/sup...
Bicentenary Early Career Research Fellowships | Biology, Medicine and Health | University of Manchester
Find out about and apply for a Bicentenary Early Career Research Fellowship.
www.bmh.manchester.ac.uk
October 10, 2025 at 9:01 AM
ECR with <3yrs postdoc experience?
The University of Manchester @officialuom.bsky.social is offering THREE Bicentenary Fellowships.
3yrs salary + £30k pa funding
If you have a project involving mass spec, biomarkers and human disease, get in touch!
www.bmh.manchester.ac.uk/research/sup...
The University of Manchester @officialuom.bsky.social is offering THREE Bicentenary Fellowships.
3yrs salary + £30k pa funding
If you have a project involving mass spec, biomarkers and human disease, get in touch!
www.bmh.manchester.ac.uk/research/sup...
Reposted by Danna Gifford
🎉We have announced a new professorship at the University of Gothenburg 🇸🇪 to celebrate our Crown Princess’s 50th birthday!
🌿Broad focus on biodiversity — from microbes to modelling
📢A fantastic opportunity for researchers working across scales and disciplines!
🔗 web103.reachmee.com/ext/I005/103...
🌿Broad focus on biodiversity — from microbes to modelling
📢A fantastic opportunity for researchers working across scales and disciplines!
🔗 web103.reachmee.com/ext/I005/103...
The Crown Princess Victoria Professorship in Biodiversity
Professorship in Biodiversity.
The University of Gothenburg hereby announces a unique and prestigious position – the
web103.reachmee.com
October 3, 2025 at 5:29 AM
🎉We have announced a new professorship at the University of Gothenburg 🇸🇪 to celebrate our Crown Princess’s 50th birthday!
🌿Broad focus on biodiversity — from microbes to modelling
📢A fantastic opportunity for researchers working across scales and disciplines!
🔗 web103.reachmee.com/ext/I005/103...
🌿Broad focus on biodiversity — from microbes to modelling
📢A fantastic opportunity for researchers working across scales and disciplines!
🔗 web103.reachmee.com/ext/I005/103...
Reposted by Danna Gifford
Recent paper from the lab studying predictors of phage cocktail efficacy against complex clinical Pseudomonas populations
royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/epdf/10....
Led by Rosanna Wright with extraordinary MSc (PhD) student Maisie Czernuska
royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/epdf/10....
Led by Rosanna Wright with extraordinary MSc (PhD) student Maisie Czernuska
Bacteria–phage infection network structure and genomic defence system content predict efficacy of a phage therapy cocktail against Pseudomonas aeruginosa from chronic lung infections
royalsocietypublishing.org
September 25, 2025 at 1:55 PM
Recent paper from the lab studying predictors of phage cocktail efficacy against complex clinical Pseudomonas populations
royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/epdf/10....
Led by Rosanna Wright with extraordinary MSc (PhD) student Maisie Czernuska
royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/epdf/10....
Led by Rosanna Wright with extraordinary MSc (PhD) student Maisie Czernuska
Reposted by Danna Gifford
Evolution be like:
just make it exist first
you can make it crab later
you can make it crab later
October 3, 2025 at 3:59 AM
Evolution be like:
Reposted by Danna Gifford
This weeks seminars from PhD students Maisie Czernuszka and Victor Carneiro da Cunha Martirelli!
Special thank you to @microbesng.bsky.social for sponsoring refreshments!
Special thank you to @microbesng.bsky.social for sponsoring refreshments!
October 1, 2025 at 1:35 PM
This weeks seminars from PhD students Maisie Czernuszka and Victor Carneiro da Cunha Martirelli!
Special thank you to @microbesng.bsky.social for sponsoring refreshments!
Special thank you to @microbesng.bsky.social for sponsoring refreshments!
Reposted by Danna Gifford
Two postdoc positions with @ajfedorec.bsky.social: one computational and one wetlab, for a 5 year grant on synthetic microbial communities
Research Fellow in Computational Synthetic Biology
www.ucl.ac.uk/work-at-ucl/...
Research Fellow in Synthetic Biology
www.ucl.ac.uk/work-at-ucl/...
#PostDoc
Research Fellow in Computational Synthetic Biology
www.ucl.ac.uk/work-at-ucl/...
Research Fellow in Synthetic Biology
www.ucl.ac.uk/work-at-ucl/...
#PostDoc
UCL – University College London
UCL is consistently ranked as one of the top ten universities in the world (QS World University Rankings 2010-2022) and is No.2 in the UK for research power (Research Excellence Framework 2021).
www.ucl.ac.uk
September 30, 2025 at 12:54 PM
Two postdoc positions with @ajfedorec.bsky.social: one computational and one wetlab, for a 5 year grant on synthetic microbial communities
Research Fellow in Computational Synthetic Biology
www.ucl.ac.uk/work-at-ucl/...
Research Fellow in Synthetic Biology
www.ucl.ac.uk/work-at-ucl/...
#PostDoc
Research Fellow in Computational Synthetic Biology
www.ucl.ac.uk/work-at-ucl/...
Research Fellow in Synthetic Biology
www.ucl.ac.uk/work-at-ucl/...
#PostDoc
Reposted by Danna Gifford
Yes! A fantastic way for folks who don’t have access to a major university library to be able to read articles.
Great news!
JSTOR now have a free account with an Independent Researcher category. You can access 100 documents per month
www.jstor.org/action/showL...
JSTOR now have a free account with an Independent Researcher category. You can access 100 documents per month
www.jstor.org/action/showL...
September 29, 2025 at 6:15 PM
Yes! A fantastic way for folks who don’t have access to a major university library to be able to read articles.
Reposted by Danna Gifford
Delighted to see our paper studying the evolution of plasmids over the last 100 years, now out! Years of work by Adrian Cazares, also Nick Thomson @sangerinstitute.bsky.social - this version much improved over the preprint. Final version should be open access, apols.
Thread 1/n
Thread 1/n
September 25, 2025 at 9:29 PM
Delighted to see our paper studying the evolution of plasmids over the last 100 years, now out! Years of work by Adrian Cazares, also Nick Thomson @sangerinstitute.bsky.social - this version much improved over the preprint. Final version should be open access, apols.
Thread 1/n
Thread 1/n
Reposted by Danna Gifford
2 job adverts on a NERC project w myself + @darrenobbard.bsky.social on “What determines the virome: ecology and the environment, evolution, or species history?” early 2026 in
@uniexecec.bsky.social
- Postdoc: jobs.exeter.ac.uk/hrpr_webrecr...
- RA: jobs.exeter.ac.uk/hrpr_webrecr...
Pls share!
@uniexecec.bsky.social
- Postdoc: jobs.exeter.ac.uk/hrpr_webrecr...
- RA: jobs.exeter.ac.uk/hrpr_webrecr...
Pls share!
September 25, 2025 at 3:55 PM
2 job adverts on a NERC project w myself + @darrenobbard.bsky.social on “What determines the virome: ecology and the environment, evolution, or species history?” early 2026 in
@uniexecec.bsky.social
- Postdoc: jobs.exeter.ac.uk/hrpr_webrecr...
- RA: jobs.exeter.ac.uk/hrpr_webrecr...
Pls share!
@uniexecec.bsky.social
- Postdoc: jobs.exeter.ac.uk/hrpr_webrecr...
- RA: jobs.exeter.ac.uk/hrpr_webrecr...
Pls share!
Reposted by Danna Gifford
Resilient Antarctic soil bacteria consume trace gases across wide temperature ranges https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.23.677255v1
September 24, 2025 at 4:18 AM
Resilient Antarctic soil bacteria consume trace gases across wide temperature ranges https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.23.677255v1
Reposted by Danna Gifford
*Do manuscripts by female evolutionary biologists spend longer under review?*
Spoiler: apparently NO (but arguably). Interestingly, female 1st authors are less likely to be corresponding and the gender of 1st author is correlated with last author.
academic.oup.com/mbe/advance-...
Spoiler: apparently NO (but arguably). Interestingly, female 1st authors are less likely to be corresponding and the gender of 1st author is correlated with last author.
academic.oup.com/mbe/advance-...
Do manuscripts by female evolutionary biologists spend longer under review?
Abstract. Women are underrepresented in academia and in STEM careers, especially at senior positions and top institutions. This may be, at least in part, d
academic.oup.com
March 14, 2025 at 9:33 AM
*Do manuscripts by female evolutionary biologists spend longer under review?*
Spoiler: apparently NO (but arguably). Interestingly, female 1st authors are less likely to be corresponding and the gender of 1st author is correlated with last author.
academic.oup.com/mbe/advance-...
Spoiler: apparently NO (but arguably). Interestingly, female 1st authors are less likely to be corresponding and the gender of 1st author is correlated with last author.
academic.oup.com/mbe/advance-...
Reposted by Danna Gifford
The EMBL PhD programme is open until 13th October (entry ~Sep 2026):
www.embl.org/about/info/e...
We have three positions in microbial genomics at EMBL-EBI, including one in my group. Please do apply, or if you know anyone that would be interested pass on to them
www.embl.org/about/info/e...
We have three positions in microbial genomics at EMBL-EBI, including one in my group. Please do apply, or if you know anyone that would be interested pass on to them
EMBL International PhD Programme – Unique in the world and waiting for you!
www.embl.org
September 17, 2025 at 3:49 PM
The EMBL PhD programme is open until 13th October (entry ~Sep 2026):
www.embl.org/about/info/e...
We have three positions in microbial genomics at EMBL-EBI, including one in my group. Please do apply, or if you know anyone that would be interested pass on to them
www.embl.org/about/info/e...
We have three positions in microbial genomics at EMBL-EBI, including one in my group. Please do apply, or if you know anyone that would be interested pass on to them
Reposted by Danna Gifford
Within-Patient Evolution of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Populations During Antimicrobial Treatment https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.19.677277v1
September 19, 2025 at 9:34 PM
Within-Patient Evolution of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Populations During Antimicrobial Treatment https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.19.677277v1
Reposted by Danna Gifford
Hardly any National Action Plans to address antimicrobial resistance include reducing antibiotic use as an explicit goal 🤯
Report shows only 3 countries had a significant reduction in sales after implementing their NAPs: Jordan, Sth Africa & Indonesia 👏👏
#AMR #NAP
doi.org/10.1017/ice....
Report shows only 3 countries had a significant reduction in sales after implementing their NAPs: Jordan, Sth Africa & Indonesia 👏👏
#AMR #NAP
doi.org/10.1017/ice....
September 20, 2025 at 4:20 AM
Hardly any National Action Plans to address antimicrobial resistance include reducing antibiotic use as an explicit goal 🤯
Report shows only 3 countries had a significant reduction in sales after implementing their NAPs: Jordan, Sth Africa & Indonesia 👏👏
#AMR #NAP
doi.org/10.1017/ice....
Report shows only 3 countries had a significant reduction in sales after implementing their NAPs: Jordan, Sth Africa & Indonesia 👏👏
#AMR #NAP
doi.org/10.1017/ice....
Reposted by Danna Gifford
We have a new paper out in Molecular Ecology, led by @devinbendixsen.bsky.social ! Reproductive isolation due to divergent ecological selection is accompanied by vast genomic instability in experimentally evolved yeast populations onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
September 18, 2025 at 8:56 AM
We have a new paper out in Molecular Ecology, led by @devinbendixsen.bsky.social ! Reproductive isolation due to divergent ecological selection is accompanied by vast genomic instability in experimentally evolved yeast populations onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Reposted by Danna Gifford
Opportunity for Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor) in Biochemistry/Microbiology at RMIT University (Melbourne Australia) ref: JR41993 | closing: 12-Oct-2025 #biochem #chemsky 🧪
rmit.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/RMIT_C...
rmit.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/RMIT_C...
Senior Lecturer/Associate Professor, Biochemistry and/or Microbiology
Overview: Full-time, Continuing position Salary Academic Level C ($141,247 -$ 162,872 p.a.) or Level D ($170,080 -$ 187,373 p.a.) + 17% Superannuation Based at the Bundoora campus but may be required ...
rmit.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com
September 18, 2025 at 7:05 AM
Opportunity for Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor) in Biochemistry/Microbiology at RMIT University (Melbourne Australia) ref: JR41993 | closing: 12-Oct-2025 #biochem #chemsky 🧪
rmit.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/RMIT_C...
rmit.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/RMIT_C...
Reposted by Danna Gifford
Happy to share that our story on the bacterial archaellum was published today in @natmicrobiol.nature.com
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Congrats to the authors: @sshamphavi.bsky.social @loumollat.bsky.social @mariejoest.bsky.social Najwa Taib and @sgribaldo.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Congrats to the authors: @sshamphavi.bsky.social @loumollat.bsky.social @mariejoest.bsky.social Najwa Taib and @sgribaldo.bsky.social
September 17, 2025 at 5:41 PM
Happy to share that our story on the bacterial archaellum was published today in @natmicrobiol.nature.com
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Congrats to the authors: @sshamphavi.bsky.social @loumollat.bsky.social @mariejoest.bsky.social Najwa Taib and @sgribaldo.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Congrats to the authors: @sshamphavi.bsky.social @loumollat.bsky.social @mariejoest.bsky.social Najwa Taib and @sgribaldo.bsky.social
Reposted by Danna Gifford
MERMan seminars are back! Last week, @zahraaalbaqsami.bsky.social presented her #Thermophiles2025 talk which generated a lot of buzz & Qs from the group!
September 9, 2025 at 11:03 AM
MERMan seminars are back! Last week, @zahraaalbaqsami.bsky.social presented her #Thermophiles2025 talk which generated a lot of buzz & Qs from the group!