Glenn Masson
@glennmasson.bsky.social
Scientist at School of Medicine, University of Dundee. Using cryo-EM and my beloved HDX-MS to investigate all things ISR Kinase - GCN2, HRI, PERK (and I guess PKR). https://glennmasson.com
This is so illuminating. For all its potential faults, pubpeer manages to justify its existence very regularly. Just imagine if the Wakefield/MMR paper had been published in the era of pubpeer and had been so rosolutely picked apart - we would be living in a different world.
This is one of the most remarkable academic debacles I've ever seen.
A large RCT got published in BMJ. There are currently 44 Pubpeer comments, mostly about the data, including...well. Read for yourself.
pubpeer.com/publications...
A large RCT got published in BMJ. There are currently 44 Pubpeer comments, mostly about the data, including...well. Read for yourself.
pubpeer.com/publications...
PubPeer - Prevention of acute myocardial infarction induced heart fail...
There are comments on PubPeer for publication: Prevention of acute myocardial infarction induced heart failure by intracoronary infusion of mesenchymal stem cells: phase 3 randomised clinical trial (P...
pubpeer.com
November 11, 2025 at 8:53 PM
This is so illuminating. For all its potential faults, pubpeer manages to justify its existence very regularly. Just imagine if the Wakefield/MMR paper had been published in the era of pubpeer and had been so rosolutely picked apart - we would be living in a different world.
HRG is critical to immunity and coagulation, but a beast to work with due to disordered sections and PTMs. We gained some structural insights by working with human HRG, which is made in humans! Great collaboration with chums @ St Andrews Dr Alan Stewart & Steve. portlandpress.com/biochemj/art...
Investigating the conformational landscape of human histidine-rich glycoprotein using amide HDX-MS
Histidine-rich glycoprotein (HRG) is a multi-domain plasma protein involved in immune modulation, angiogenesis, coagulation and fibrinolysis. Despite its broad biological relevance, structural investi...
portlandpress.com
November 6, 2025 at 1:33 PM
HRG is critical to immunity and coagulation, but a beast to work with due to disordered sections and PTMs. We gained some structural insights by working with human HRG, which is made in humans! Great collaboration with chums @ St Andrews Dr Alan Stewart & Steve. portlandpress.com/biochemj/art...
Reposted by Glenn Masson
Our mission is to determine the molecular mechanisms of disease in order to advance human health.
Want to join our vibrant and diverse research institute as a funded PhD or taught MPhil student? Apply by the 2nd December 2025.
More information here: www.cimr.cam.ac.uk/postgraduate...
Want to join our vibrant and diverse research institute as a funded PhD or taught MPhil student? Apply by the 2nd December 2025.
More information here: www.cimr.cam.ac.uk/postgraduate...
November 6, 2025 at 10:40 AM
Our mission is to determine the molecular mechanisms of disease in order to advance human health.
Want to join our vibrant and diverse research institute as a funded PhD or taught MPhil student? Apply by the 2nd December 2025.
More information here: www.cimr.cam.ac.uk/postgraduate...
Want to join our vibrant and diverse research institute as a funded PhD or taught MPhil student? Apply by the 2nd December 2025.
More information here: www.cimr.cam.ac.uk/postgraduate...
Reposted by Glenn Masson
Academics in Assyria in the 7th c BC complain that admin is preventing them from doing research and teaching
November 3, 2025 at 10:04 AM
Academics in Assyria in the 7th c BC complain that admin is preventing them from doing research and teaching
Reposted by Glenn Masson
Attention membrane traffickers! I'm recruiting a post-doc to my lab in Dundee. We're dissecting the functions of intrinsically disordered domains of COPII coat proteins. We think they control timing of coat assembly and morphology of carriers.
www.dundee.ac.uk/work-for-us/...
www.dundee.ac.uk/work-for-us/...
Postdoctoral Research Assistant - MCDB - UOD2016
Closing date: Thursday 6 November 2025, 23:59
www.dundee.ac.uk
October 15, 2025 at 12:53 PM
Attention membrane traffickers! I'm recruiting a post-doc to my lab in Dundee. We're dissecting the functions of intrinsically disordered domains of COPII coat proteins. We think they control timing of coat assembly and morphology of carriers.
www.dundee.ac.uk/work-for-us/...
www.dundee.ac.uk/work-for-us/...
Wonderful that this is out, with data from PhD student Vanesa, now at GSK. Excellent nose-to-tail examination of how WEE1 inhibitors activate GCN2, paradoxically, of course. Congrats to Steve Jackson, Aldo Bader, + Stefan Marciniak and all the other groups and authors. www.nature.com/articles/s41...
WEE1 inhibitors synergise with mRNA translation defects via activation of the kinase GCN2 - Nature Communications
Inhibitors of the protein kinase Wee1 are promising drugs for cancer therapy. Here, the authors show that these drugs activate the integrated stress response via GCN2, synergising with mRNA translation defects. They suggest strategies such as PROTACs or ISR inhibitors to improve WEE1 mediated toxicity.
www.nature.com
October 9, 2025 at 12:28 PM
Wonderful that this is out, with data from PhD student Vanesa, now at GSK. Excellent nose-to-tail examination of how WEE1 inhibitors activate GCN2, paradoxically, of course. Congrats to Steve Jackson, Aldo Bader, + Stefan Marciniak and all the other groups and authors. www.nature.com/articles/s41...
At a party, John asked us students if we knew who Max Perutz was. I said "yes, he was a man who named himself after a lecture theatre." With supreme magnanimity he laughed. Met months later and he clocked me and we talked research for ages. Meant so much to a student! www.cam.ac.uk/research/new...
Nobel Laureate Professor Sir John Gurdon dies aged 92
It is with great sadness that the University shares the news of the death of Professor Sir John Gurdon, founder of the Gurdon Institute.
www.cam.ac.uk
October 7, 2025 at 6:00 PM
At a party, John asked us students if we knew who Max Perutz was. I said "yes, he was a man who named himself after a lecture theatre." With supreme magnanimity he laughed. Met months later and he clocked me and we talked research for ages. Meant so much to a student! www.cam.ac.uk/research/new...
Ooohhh....GCN1 couples GCN2 to ribosomal state to initiate amino acid response pathway signaling | Science www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
GCN1 couples GCN2 to ribosomal state to initiate amino acid response pathway signaling
During nutrient deprivation, activation of the protein kinase GCN2 regulates cell survival and metabolic homeostasis. In addition to amino acid stress, GCN2 is activated by a variety of cellular stres...
www.science.org
October 2, 2025 at 11:27 PM
Ooohhh....GCN1 couples GCN2 to ribosomal state to initiate amino acid response pathway signaling | Science www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Wonderful to be part of this study with Stefan et al.!
Our new reviewed preprint now available in @elife.bsky.social
“A GCN1-independent activator of the kinase GCN2”
First authors, PhD student @jessyzhu-jiayi.bsky.social & PDRA @giulia-ema.bsky.social
Pleased to be exploring the new eLife publishing model
#ISRliterature
doi.org/10.7554/eLif...
“A GCN1-independent activator of the kinase GCN2”
First authors, PhD student @jessyzhu-jiayi.bsky.social & PDRA @giulia-ema.bsky.social
Pleased to be exploring the new eLife publishing model
#ISRliterature
doi.org/10.7554/eLif...
A GCN1-independent activator of the kinase GCN2
doi.org
September 28, 2025 at 9:47 AM
Wonderful to be part of this study with Stefan et al.!
Reposted by Glenn Masson
Very excited to post our latest work showing the mitotic stopwatch monitors more than just mitotic delays - it protects against whole genome doubling and cell enlargement.
Great work by fantastic postdocs Lindsey and Reece (& student Maria)
#PostdocAppreciationWeek
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Great work by fantastic postdocs Lindsey and Reece (& student Maria)
#PostdocAppreciationWeek
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
The mitotic stopwatch limits the proliferation of whole genome doubled cells
Whole genome doubling (WGD) is a frequent event in tumourigenesis that promotes chromosomal instability and tumour evolution. WGD is sensed indirectly due to the presence of extra centrosomes, which a...
www.biorxiv.org
September 19, 2025 at 10:23 AM
Very excited to post our latest work showing the mitotic stopwatch monitors more than just mitotic delays - it protects against whole genome doubling and cell enlargement.
Great work by fantastic postdocs Lindsey and Reece (& student Maria)
#PostdocAppreciationWeek
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Great work by fantastic postdocs Lindsey and Reece (& student Maria)
#PostdocAppreciationWeek
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Glenn Masson
How does nutrient-responsive #mTORC1 sense the key amino acid #glutamine?
Gianluca Figlia, Aurelio Teleman et al @telemanlab.bsky.social identify a combination of GCN2-dependent processes triggered by secondary depletion of asparagine in glutamine-starved cells
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
Gianluca Figlia, Aurelio Teleman et al @telemanlab.bsky.social identify a combination of GCN2-dependent processes triggered by secondary depletion of asparagine in glutamine-starved cells
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
July 22, 2025 at 8:05 AM
How does nutrient-responsive #mTORC1 sense the key amino acid #glutamine?
Gianluca Figlia, Aurelio Teleman et al @telemanlab.bsky.social identify a combination of GCN2-dependent processes triggered by secondary depletion of asparagine in glutamine-starved cells
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
Gianluca Figlia, Aurelio Teleman et al @telemanlab.bsky.social identify a combination of GCN2-dependent processes triggered by secondary depletion of asparagine in glutamine-starved cells
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
Reposted by Glenn Masson
Check out our latest work on cell cycle inhibitors, which has implications for how cancer cells could become resistant to these drugs
#senescence #cellcycle #cancer 🧪
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
#senescence #cellcycle #cancer 🧪
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Cell enlargement causes mitotic errors and aneuploidy in cells that evade senescence after CDK4/6 inhibition
CDK4/6 inhibitors (CDK4/6i) arrest the cell cycle in G1 leading to cellular overgrowth and p53-dependent senescence. They are used to treat metastatic HR+/HER2-breast cancer, but resistance is common,...
www.biorxiv.org
July 25, 2025 at 4:37 PM
Check out our latest work on cell cycle inhibitors, which has implications for how cancer cells could become resistant to these drugs
#senescence #cellcycle #cancer 🧪
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
#senescence #cellcycle #cancer 🧪
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
That wonderful feeling of coming home to Scotland after a week's holiday in Ireland only to realise you left your suitcase back in Ireland. Along with your washbag. And your laptop. Outside. In the rain.
July 19, 2025 at 6:48 PM
That wonderful feeling of coming home to Scotland after a week's holiday in Ireland only to realise you left your suitcase back in Ireland. Along with your washbag. And your laptop. Outside. In the rain.
Reposted by Glenn Masson
We've just posted a new preprint:
"A GCN1-independent activator of the kinase GCN2"
"A GCN1-independent activator of the kinase GCN2"
A GCN1-independent activator of the kinase GCN2 https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.06.29.662197v1
July 4, 2025 at 6:57 PM
We've just posted a new preprint:
"A GCN1-independent activator of the kinase GCN2"
"A GCN1-independent activator of the kinase GCN2"
Congratulations to Graham Neill who passed his PhD Viva today! 👏🎉👏🎉First PhD from the lab! Many thanks to Tony Ly from Dundee SLS and @antoncalabrese.bsky.social from Leeds for grilling Graham on all things kinases + hdx-ms. Read about Graham's Research on GCN2 here: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Paradoxical Activation of GCN2 by ATP-competitive inhibitors via allosteric activation and autophosphorylation
Recently it has been found that General Control Non-derepressible 2 (GCN2) can be activated by an array of small molecule ATP-competitive inhibitors, including clinically relevant compounds such as Po...
www.biorxiv.org
July 4, 2025 at 2:36 PM
Congratulations to Graham Neill who passed his PhD Viva today! 👏🎉👏🎉First PhD from the lab! Many thanks to Tony Ly from Dundee SLS and @antoncalabrese.bsky.social from Leeds for grilling Graham on all things kinases + hdx-ms. Read about Graham's Research on GCN2 here: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Glenn Masson
Main focus of the job will be Cryo-EM of membrane protein comolexes as well as protein/nucleic acid complexes involved in innate immunity.
For more information, check this:
www.mpi-dortmund.mpg.de/news/jobs/po...
For more information, check this:
www.mpi-dortmund.mpg.de/news/jobs/po...
PostDoc Position (m/f/d) in Structural Biology of Membrane Protein Complexes
www.mpi-dortmund.mpg.de
July 1, 2025 at 7:47 PM
Main focus of the job will be Cryo-EM of membrane protein comolexes as well as protein/nucleic acid complexes involved in innate immunity.
For more information, check this:
www.mpi-dortmund.mpg.de/news/jobs/po...
For more information, check this:
www.mpi-dortmund.mpg.de/news/jobs/po...
Very happy to present some of our research on HDX-MS at the Royal Society/ Japanese Society Promotion of Science joint meeting in London today. Incredibly interesting meeting on a very broad array of topics.
June 18, 2025 at 1:11 PM
Very happy to present some of our research on HDX-MS at the Royal Society/ Japanese Society Promotion of Science joint meeting in London today. Incredibly interesting meeting on a very broad array of topics.
A birthday treat for me and the wee one. Caught a bucket full of trout and cod, the seas were very choppy but glad to report my son has an iron stomach (which couldn't be said for some of our fellow fishers). Son delighted and ate his own cod for supper.
June 16, 2025 at 6:20 PM
A birthday treat for me and the wee one. Caught a bucket full of trout and cod, the seas were very choppy but glad to report my son has an iron stomach (which couldn't be said for some of our fellow fishers). Son delighted and ate his own cod for supper.
Reposted by Glenn Masson
Delighted to share research on ISR kinase & Parkinson's target HRI, with help from @mrcppu.bsky.social's Miratual Muqit, spearheaded by MSc student Shivani. Recently, I presented this (far too quickly) at @ukproteostasis.bsky.social- if you wanted more details, here they are! tinyurl.com/5n7ptvju
Structural Insights into allosteric inhibition of HRI kinase by heme binding via HDX-MS
Heme-Regulated Inhibitor (HRI) is one of the four mammalian kinases that phosphorylate eIF2α, facilitating a cellular response to stress through the regulation of mRNA translation. Originally identifi...
portlandpress.com
June 6, 2025 at 10:24 AM
Delighted to share research on ISR kinase & Parkinson's target HRI, with help from @mrcppu.bsky.social's Miratual Muqit, spearheaded by MSc student Shivani. Recently, I presented this (far too quickly) at @ukproteostasis.bsky.social- if you wanted more details, here they are! tinyurl.com/5n7ptvju
Congrats Melissa!
Excited to share our recent paper on the Wnt signalosome www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Wnt signalosome assembly is governed by conformational flexibility of Axin and by the AP2 clathrin adaptor - Nature Communications
Gammons et al. describe how the clustering of the Wnt receptor complex in clathrin-coated locales allows Axin and GSK3 to dock at adjacent tails of the LRP6 co-receptor to assemble a signalosome that ...
www.nature.com
June 3, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Congrats Melissa!
Reposted by Glenn Masson
Excited to share our recent paper on the Wnt signalosome www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Wnt signalosome assembly is governed by conformational flexibility of Axin and by the AP2 clathrin adaptor - Nature Communications
Gammons et al. describe how the clustering of the Wnt receptor complex in clathrin-coated locales allows Axin and GSK3 to dock at adjacent tails of the LRP6 co-receptor to assemble a signalosome that ...
www.nature.com
June 3, 2025 at 12:26 PM
Excited to share our recent paper on the Wnt signalosome www.nature.com/articles/s41...
The swifts have returned and are ruling the skies of Leuchars once more
May 22, 2025 at 6:50 PM
The swifts have returned and are ruling the skies of Leuchars once more