Francesca Torelli
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fratorelli.bsky.social
Francesca Torelli
@fratorelli.bsky.social
330 followers 300 following 110 posts
Host-pathogen interactions | CRISPR screens
Interested in persistence mechanisms of parasites and bacteria, previously in the Treeck lab @Crick and IGC, now in the Rohn lab @UCL
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fratorelli.bsky.social
Francesca Torelli @fratorelli.bsky.social · Apr 16
🎉 Finally online 🎉 GRA12, the first identified common virulence factor across Toxoplasma strains and murine subspecies! Check this improved manuscript after reviewers’ helpful suggestions www.nature.com/articles/s41...
GRA12 is a common virulence factor across Toxoplasma gondii strains and mouse subspecies - Nature Communications
CRISPR screens reveal Toxoplasma’s GRA12 as a strain- and mouse species-transcendent virulence factor. GRA12 protects parasites from IFNγ-activated macrophage clearance and parasitophorous vacuole col...
www.nature.com
Reposted by Francesca Torelli
thurstonlab.bsky.social
We are looking for a new RA to join our team working on host-pathogen interactions during Salmonella infection. The appointment is for two years and you will join a diverse team, using cell and protein biochemistry to further our understanding of pathogenesis. my.corehr.com/pls/uoxrecru...
Job Details
my.corehr.com
January 26, 2026 at 4:20 PM
Reposted by Francesca Torelli
monicabettencourt.bsky.social
📣 Please spread: we’re hiring a Lab Manager! It is a critical position in our new lab. As our lab moves to Barcelona and joins the @crg.eu, we’re looking for a Lab Manager to help build the lab and set the lab atmosphere.
🔗 Apply here 👉 recruitment.crg.eu/content/jobs...
January 23, 2026 at 6:41 AM
fratorelli.bsky.social
Incredibly relevant in all fields, including defining the limitations of pooled CRISPR screens!
tedpavlic.bsky.social Ted Pavlic (he/him/his) @tedpavlic.bsky.social · 9d
Restorative epistasis can occur between 2 complementary loss-of-function mutations (in yeast) if they happen to cooccur in just the right way (2 wrongs making a right).

"Predicting epistasis across proteins by structural logic"
by Tang et al. (2026, PNAS)
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
PNAS
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), a peer reviewed journal of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) - an authoritative source of high-impact, original research that broadly spans...
www.pnas.org
January 19, 2026 at 1:11 PM
fratorelli.bsky.social
Just sharing some daily beauty!
jcellsci.bsky.social Journal of Cell Science @jcellsci.bsky.social · 15d
Isadonna Tengganu and Ke Hu develop transfection and ExM protocols for Chromera velia, enabling direct comparisons with its parasitic apicomplexan relative, Toxoplasma gondi.
journals.biologists.com/jcs/article/...
Comparison of the cytoskeletal architectures of Toxoplasma and Chromera flagellates using ExM.
January 14, 2026 at 9:16 AM
Reposted by Francesca Torelli
prokaryota.bsky.social
JOB ALERT! 📢 For the scientists who love science communication: we’re hiring at @kurzgesagt.org !🌍 Come join our team, the vibes are impeccable.

✍️ Scriptwriter (Remote) kurzgesagt.org/careers/scri...
🔍 Fact-Checker & Researcher (Munich/Berlin/Remote) kurzgesagt.org/careers/seni...
Job listing for (Senior) Fact-Checker & Researcher (all genders) | kurzgesagt
Want to work with kurzgesagt? We have an open role as (Senior) Fact-Checker & Researcher (all genders). Apply now to become part of a great team and start an exciting career!
kurzgesagt.org
January 7, 2026 at 12:37 PM
Reposted by Francesca Torelli
hfspo.bsky.social
Attention scientists from all over the world🙃
The Call for Letters of Intent for #HFSPResearchGrants 2027 is now open! 🧪
Get your international & interdisciplinary team. It's time to put your bold research idea into practice!
🔗https://bit.ly/48VsGCG
📅 15 Dec 2025–26 Mar 2026
#sts #LifeSciences
Call for Letters of Intent - HFSP Research Grants 2027
December 15, 2025 at 2:52 PM
fratorelli.bsky.social
A run in beautiful and sunny Victoria Park with the geeky parasite hat from CoccidiaUK !
December 19, 2025 at 3:25 PM
fratorelli.bsky.social
Simply the best!
parasitesrule.org ParasitesRule @parasitesrule.org · Dec 16
🦠 Grad students & postdocs in parasitology:
Apply now for the Biology of Parasitism (BoP): Modern Approaches course at @MBLScience.
Hands-on labs, expert lectures, and cutting-edge tools.
📅 Summer 2026 | ⏰ Deadline Feb 5
🔗 mbl.edu/courses
December 17, 2025 at 8:11 AM
Reposted by Francesca Torelli
pasteur.fr
🔬 Call to create junior research groups at the Institut Pasteur

Focus: Infectious diseases, host-microbe interactions, vaccines
Special interest: AI methodologies

📅 Deadline: Feb 9, 2026
👥 2-12 years post-PhD

Apply now 📝 research.pasteur.fr/en/call/crea...

#JobOpportunity #Research
Creation of new junior research groups at the Institut Pasteur - Call for applications 2026 - Research
The Institut Pasteur is launching an international call to recruit new junior research group leaders leveraging cutting-edge transdisciplinary approaches to exploring infectious diseases, host-microbe...
research.pasteur.fr
December 8, 2025 at 8:53 AM
fratorelli.bsky.social
Can’t get over the fantastic view from the labs at the Pears building, UCL Infection&Immunity! visiting @gpollara.bsky.social lab right next to the Heath 😍
December 5, 2025 at 1:43 PM
fratorelli.bsky.social
What an absolute pleasure to work with Lena and Chahat! The application of our CRISPR screens to their custom splitGFP system allowed the identification of parasite proteins needed to tether host organelles. Host-pathogen interaction at its best! www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Toxoplasma effector TgROP1 establishes membrane contact sites with the endoplasmic reticulum during infection - Nature Microbiology
The Toxoplasma gondii effector TgROP1 mimics host factors to bind VAPA/B, thereby establishing parasite–host ER contact sites.
www.nature.com
November 25, 2025 at 6:49 PM
fratorelli.bsky.social
This sounds like a fantastic opportunity for a PhD candidate in a exciting scientific network!
November 21, 2025 at 5:01 PM
fratorelli.bsky.social
A dream coming true: sharing my passion for parasites and CRISPR technology with students @uclmedsci.bsky.social ! Thank you @gpollara.bsky.social for inviting me (and for the shots!) and I want to thank the students for the curious, smart and engaging discussion!
November 19, 2025 at 10:08 PM
fratorelli.bsky.social
When both your PI and your science buddy @alicebalard.bsky.social share with you the same paper, it’s obvious that your research interest is crystal clear! Phenotypic plasticity ❤️
jennyrohn.bsky.social Prof Jenny Rohn @jennyrohn.bsky.social · Nov 18
Bacteria have to adapt rapidly to changes in environment. Can they ‘remember’ those conditions? Another one for my “to read” pile! cc @microberamon.bsky.social @victoriachu.bsky.social @nickyuen.bsky.social @fratorelli.bsky.social #UTISky #MicroSky
natmicrobiol.nature.com Nature Microbiology @natmicrobiol.nature.com · Nov 18
#Review

Bacteria can “remember” past environments through genetic & biochemical imprints helping them adapt and thrive! 🦠🧠

#MicroSky

www.nature.com/articles/s41...
November 19, 2025 at 8:06 PM
Reposted by Francesca Torelli
mjdelves.bsky.social
London Interdisciplinary #PhD position now open with myself, @robmoon.bsky.social – to study the role of novel genes in #malaria transmission. Apply here👇
mrc-lid.lshtm.ac.uk/2026-27-proj...
2026-27 Project (Delves & Moon) - MRC London Intercollegiate Doctoral Training Partnership Studentships
Preparation for transmission: Dissecting the roles of novel genes required to ensure the infectivity of...
mrc-lid.lshtm.ac.uk
November 17, 2025 at 10:51 AM
Reposted by Francesca Torelli
toxo18.bsky.social
Save the date‼️

💡 More information coming soon about registration and the scientific program.

#TOXO18 #Toxoplasma #Immunoparasitology #Buzios2026 #ScienceByTheSea
October 23, 2025 at 5:30 PM
Reposted by Francesca Torelli
mpiib-berlin.mpg.de
Looking for a #PhD project in #malaria research? The Portugal Lab @mpiib-berlin.mpg.de offers a fully funded project in #Berlin: #Plasmodium falciparum cytoadhesion in seasonal malaria transmission areas.
Apply by Dec 10 👉 www.mpiib-berlin.mpg.de/1947490/rese...
Project: Plasmodium falciparum cytoadhesion in seasonal malaria transmission areas
November 13, 2025 at 2:37 PM
fratorelli.bsky.social
This week I had the pleasure to tutor undergrad students in the wonderful wet lab of Cruciform building @ucl.ac.uk in what it was the former children ward of the hospital: beautiful mosaics of tales at the walls overlooking the main quad. My favourite was little red riding hood!
November 7, 2025 at 9:12 AM
Reposted by Francesca Torelli
ucl.ac.uk
UCL200 to launch with a spectacular sound and light experience! 💫

We can’t wait to welcome students, staff, alumni and our wider community and launching a year of celebrations for our 200th birthday!

📅11-13 February 2026.

Find out more: https://bit.ly/439g5Kk
UCL200 to launch with a spectacular sound and light experience: Save the date to celebrate together!
The countdown has officially begun! Save the date for UCL Illuminated – a spectacular sound and light experience that will kick off our bicentennial celebrations from 11-13 February 2026.
bit.ly
November 5, 2025 at 9:29 PM
Reposted by Francesca Torelli
elife.bsky.social
We’re pleased to announce our Trained Immunity Focus Issue 🎉

With original research and reviews spanning history, current state and future directions of trained immunity, explore today:
buff.ly/OoqVRjM
Trained Immunity. a new focus issue. explore the collection
November 5, 2025 at 3:12 PM
Reposted by Francesca Torelli
eachan.scbir.org
📢 We're searching for a PhD-level Senior Research Scientist to develop a next-generation antibacterial drug discovery strategy for Gram-negative infections.

If you're looking to combine CRISPRi and high-throughput assays, reach out to me by email or apply below.

www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/43...
The Francis Crick Institute hiring Senior Laboratory Research Scientist in London Area, United Kingdom | LinkedIn
Posted 2:43:22 PM. Senior Laboratory Research Scientist - Johnson LabDetails of the role:Reports to: Eachan Johnson…See this and similar jobs on LinkedIn.
www.linkedin.com
October 24, 2025 at 3:25 PM
fratorelli.bsky.social
So fascinating! The evolution of London underground mosquitoes! I loved that in a parallel work they had specimens from the tube in the 1940ies!
October 29, 2025 at 8:16 AM
fratorelli.bsky.social
Wonderful chance!! Especially for those great plasmodium and mosquito labs in the heart of the Charité campus in Berlin!
mpiib-berlin.mpg.de Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology @mpiib-berlin.mpg.de · Oct 23
📣 Open call for life science #interns
Our International Summer #Internship 2026 is now open for applications. Three-months fully funded internships at the Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology.
👉 Information on the internship projects and how to apply: www.mpiib-berlin.mpg.de/mpiib-isi
Open call for life science interns Three-month fully funded internships for bachelor‘s and master‘s students in the fields of biology, biochemistry, bioinformatics, epidemiology and any other related fields.
October 23, 2025 at 9:35 PM
Reposted by Francesca Torelli
biologists.bsky.social
1925: On this date, 100 years ago, The Company of Biologists is founded by George Parker Bidder III. Throughout today, we will be posting some of our key milestones. Read more about the past 100 years at bit.ly/3WnTVA1.
Poster of the 100-year history of The Company of Biologists.
October 15, 2025 at 8:04 AM
fratorelli.bsky.social
The incredibly fascinating biology of the flagellar pocket, the topic that made me fall in love with parasites! Great use of U-ExM
plosbiology.org PLOS Biology @plosbiology.org · Oct 10
The flagellar pocket collar (FPC) is a cytoskeletal structure essential for nutrient uptake & immune evasion in #Trypanosome. @mbonhivers.bsky.social &co use U-ExM to provide novel insights into FPC biogenesis, and reveal 2 unknown cytoskeletal structures @plosbiology.org 🧪 plos.io/4n3bWi6
A Trypanosoma brucei cell visualized by confocal microscopy after ultrastructure expansion. The cell was immunolabelled for the BILBO1 protein (yellow) and stained with fluorescent NHS-ester (grey). The flagellar pocket is highlighted in pink. Credit: Marie Zelená
October 11, 2025 at 9:42 AM