John Steele
@jfcsteele.bsky.social
Structural biologist and biochemist with an interest in synthetic biology for green chemistry. Unapologetic geek passionate about science and biotechnology.
Postdoc at Edinburgh University- all views are my own. He/Him.
Postdoc at Edinburgh University- all views are my own. He/Him.
Reposted by John Steele
Are you looking for a PhD in Plant Science? Check our our project on barley canopy architecture. Combine genetics and physics to understand how awns influence barley grain development. Find out more here: lnkd.in/eWhWammJ Apply by 14th December. #PhDPosition
#PlantSci @instmolplantsci.bsky.social
#PlantSci @instmolplantsci.bsky.social
LinkedIn
This link will take you to a page that’s not on LinkedIn
lnkd.in
November 10, 2025 at 1:22 PM
Are you looking for a PhD in Plant Science? Check our our project on barley canopy architecture. Combine genetics and physics to understand how awns influence barley grain development. Find out more here: lnkd.in/eWhWammJ Apply by 14th December. #PhDPosition
#PlantSci @instmolplantsci.bsky.social
#PlantSci @instmolplantsci.bsky.social
Reposted by John Steele
Check out this advertised professorship in Bern with my colleagues at the Institute of Plant Sciences! Please share widely to reach candidates from across the world and beyond our local academic bubbles. 🫧
#QueerInSTEM #DisabledInSTEM #BlackInSTEM #WomenInSTEM #CarersInSTEM #AcademicSky #HigherED
#QueerInSTEM #DisabledInSTEM #BlackInSTEM #WomenInSTEM #CarersInSTEM #AcademicSky #HigherED
🌿🌱 We’re hiring a tenure-track Assistant Professor (potentially open rank) at the Institute of Plant Sciences
@unibe.ch in Plant Population Ecology 🌻🌳
Be our colleague and join us in beautiful Bern, Switzerland
Apply by Jan 23 2026 👉 ohws.prospective.ch/public/v1/jo...
@unibe.ch in Plant Population Ecology 🌻🌳
Be our colleague and join us in beautiful Bern, Switzerland
Apply by Jan 23 2026 👉 ohws.prospective.ch/public/v1/jo...
November 5, 2025 at 10:18 AM
Check out this advertised professorship in Bern with my colleagues at the Institute of Plant Sciences! Please share widely to reach candidates from across the world and beyond our local academic bubbles. 🫧
#QueerInSTEM #DisabledInSTEM #BlackInSTEM #WomenInSTEM #CarersInSTEM #AcademicSky #HigherED
#QueerInSTEM #DisabledInSTEM #BlackInSTEM #WomenInSTEM #CarersInSTEM #AcademicSky #HigherED
Reposted by John Steele
The Wallace Lab is expanding in 2026, with five new Postdoctoral Research Associate positions now open. If you're passionate about engineering biology for sustainability, we'd love to hear from you! 🧬 ♻️
Deadline: 12th November 2025, details below ⬇️
Deadline: 12th November 2025, details below ⬇️
October 29, 2025 at 12:34 PM
The Wallace Lab is expanding in 2026, with five new Postdoctoral Research Associate positions now open. If you're passionate about engineering biology for sustainability, we'd love to hear from you! 🧬 ♻️
Deadline: 12th November 2025, details below ⬇️
Deadline: 12th November 2025, details below ⬇️
Reposted by John Steele
Very excited to announce that our collaborative manifesto for 🌱 #PlantScience #Education has now been published! Educators from >10 countries and 30 institutions have contributed to it and we are incredibly proud of the final output. Here is a short thread 🧵1/4 doi.org/10.1002/ppp3...
A manifesto for plant science education
Plants provide oxygen, food, shelter, medicines and environmental services, without which human society could not exist. Tackling pressing and global challenges requires well-trained plant scientists....
doi.org
October 29, 2025 at 9:09 AM
Very excited to announce that our collaborative manifesto for 🌱 #PlantScience #Education has now been published! Educators from >10 countries and 30 institutions have contributed to it and we are incredibly proud of the final output. Here is a short thread 🧵1/4 doi.org/10.1002/ppp3...
Reposted by John Steele
Do you enjoy teaching biochemistry? The University of Virginia Department of Chemistry is hiring a teaching-track assistant professor to teach lecture and/or laboratory biochemistry courses. #chemjobs #facultychemjobs
More details in the link below:
apply.interfolio.com/175929
More details in the link below:
apply.interfolio.com/175929
Apply - Interfolio
{{$ctrl.$state.data.pageTitle}} - Apply - Interfolio
apply.interfolio.com
October 25, 2025 at 10:05 PM
Do you enjoy teaching biochemistry? The University of Virginia Department of Chemistry is hiring a teaching-track assistant professor to teach lecture and/or laboratory biochemistry courses. #chemjobs #facultychemjobs
More details in the link below:
apply.interfolio.com/175929
More details in the link below:
apply.interfolio.com/175929
Reposted by John Steele
Shortlisted candidates will be invited to give a seminar at the Fellows Conference, which will be held on 10 March 2026.
Candidates who win Fellowships will be offered a Tenure Track Group Leader position from the outset, initially for 5 years.
Find out more: www.jic.ac.uk/training-car...
Candidates who win Fellowships will be offered a Tenure Track Group Leader position from the outset, initially for 5 years.
Find out more: www.jic.ac.uk/training-car...
Independent Research Fellowships Leading to Tenured Faculty Positions | John Innes Centre
The John Innes Centre (JIC), is a world leading centre of excellence in plant and microbial sciences based on the Norwich Research Park, UK. We are inviting applications from outstanding researchers…
www.jic.ac.uk
October 3, 2025 at 3:12 PM
Shortlisted candidates will be invited to give a seminar at the Fellows Conference, which will be held on 10 March 2026.
Candidates who win Fellowships will be offered a Tenure Track Group Leader position from the outset, initially for 5 years.
Find out more: www.jic.ac.uk/training-car...
Candidates who win Fellowships will be offered a Tenure Track Group Leader position from the outset, initially for 5 years.
Find out more: www.jic.ac.uk/training-car...
Reposted by John Steele
Fully-funded #PhDposition in my lab @uniofeastanglia.bsky.social Apply before 🗓️ 2nd Dec 2025 👉 biodtp.norwichresearchpark.ac.uk/projects/mak... Making Drugs Out of Sunlight and "Thin Air" ☀️🌿🧬⚗️ with secondary supervision from Prof. Anne Osbourn @johninnescentre.bsky.social 🥼 #SynBio #OrgChem #PhD
October 15, 2025 at 3:04 PM
Fully-funded #PhDposition in my lab @uniofeastanglia.bsky.social Apply before 🗓️ 2nd Dec 2025 👉 biodtp.norwichresearchpark.ac.uk/projects/mak... Making Drugs Out of Sunlight and "Thin Air" ☀️🌿🧬⚗️ with secondary supervision from Prof. Anne Osbourn @johninnescentre.bsky.social 🥼 #SynBio #OrgChem #PhD
Reposted by John Steele
Obsessed with this Journal of Immaterial Science article 🔥
October 8, 2025 at 8:56 AM
Obsessed with this Journal of Immaterial Science article 🔥
Reposted by John Steele
If you can't see sidechains, can you really call the resolution 3.3 Å..? 👀
And if you can't see sidechains, how do you know the helical symmetry is right..?
And if you can't see sidechains, how do you know the helical symmetry is right..?
Structural basis of Pseudomonas biofilm-forming functional amyloid FapC formation pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40991694/ #cryoem
September 25, 2025 at 11:18 PM
If you can't see sidechains, can you really call the resolution 3.3 Å..? 👀
And if you can't see sidechains, how do you know the helical symmetry is right..?
And if you can't see sidechains, how do you know the helical symmetry is right..?
The proliferation of tools to generate predictive protein structures just underscores how important CASP is. There is no better way to allow unbiased & fair comparisons between tools!
predictioncenter.org/index.cgi
Such a shame NIH didn't renew funding
predictioncenter.org/index.cgi
Such a shame NIH didn't renew funding
September 25, 2025 at 3:11 PM
The proliferation of tools to generate predictive protein structures just underscores how important CASP is. There is no better way to allow unbiased & fair comparisons between tools!
predictioncenter.org/index.cgi
Such a shame NIH didn't renew funding
predictioncenter.org/index.cgi
Such a shame NIH didn't renew funding
Reposted by John Steele
Apple is entering the protein folding arena.
SimpleFold: Folding Proteins is Simpler than You Think arxiv.org/abs/2509.18480 🧬🖥️🧪 github.com/apple/ml-sim...
SimpleFold: Folding Proteins is Simpler than You Think arxiv.org/abs/2509.18480 🧬🖥️🧪 github.com/apple/ml-sim...
September 25, 2025 at 9:02 AM
Apple is entering the protein folding arena.
SimpleFold: Folding Proteins is Simpler than You Think arxiv.org/abs/2509.18480 🧬🖥️🧪 github.com/apple/ml-sim...
SimpleFold: Folding Proteins is Simpler than You Think arxiv.org/abs/2509.18480 🧬🖥️🧪 github.com/apple/ml-sim...
Reposted by John Steele
Ever wondered where your paracetamol comes from? Spoiler: crude oil. In this study – led by Nick Johnson from our lab in collaboration with @astra-zeneca.bsky.social – we show how biology and chemistry can work together to create a more sustainable alternative. (1/n)
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
A biocompatible Lossen rearrangement in Escherichia coli - Nature Chemistry
Biocompatible chemistry merges chemo-catalytic reactions with cellular metabolism for sustainable small-molecule synthesis. Now a biocompatible Lossen rearrangement has been demonstrated to control ba...
www.nature.com
September 23, 2025 at 11:09 AM
Ever wondered where your paracetamol comes from? Spoiler: crude oil. In this study – led by Nick Johnson from our lab in collaboration with @astra-zeneca.bsky.social – we show how biology and chemistry can work together to create a more sustainable alternative. (1/n)
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by John Steele
The Plant Shape Lab is hiring! Are you interested in supporting cutting edge cereal research? We are looking for an enthusiastic and dedicated technician to join us for 2 years, setting up and running cereal transformation. Find out more, and apply here: elxw.fa.em3.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/Candid...
September 22, 2025 at 7:33 AM
The Plant Shape Lab is hiring! Are you interested in supporting cutting edge cereal research? We are looking for an enthusiastic and dedicated technician to join us for 2 years, setting up and running cereal transformation. Find out more, and apply here: elxw.fa.em3.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/Candid...
Reposted by John Steele
If you're on LinkedIn, you'll probably want to switch this toggle to 'off'.
September 19, 2025 at 11:09 AM
If you're on LinkedIn, you'll probably want to switch this toggle to 'off'.
Reposted by John Steele
📢Deadlines fast approaching for the BiPS Conference 2025!
Join us for a day of connection and celebration where we'll be hearing from the renowned academics Nicola Patron and Kevin Cox. With workshops on a variety of topics and a chance for you to build your community.
Register: buff.ly/J9PM0Wj
Join us for a day of connection and celebration where we'll be hearing from the renowned academics Nicola Patron and Kevin Cox. With workshops on a variety of topics and a chance for you to build your community.
Register: buff.ly/J9PM0Wj
September 10, 2025 at 5:07 PM
📢Deadlines fast approaching for the BiPS Conference 2025!
Join us for a day of connection and celebration where we'll be hearing from the renowned academics Nicola Patron and Kevin Cox. With workshops on a variety of topics and a chance for you to build your community.
Register: buff.ly/J9PM0Wj
Join us for a day of connection and celebration where we'll be hearing from the renowned academics Nicola Patron and Kevin Cox. With workshops on a variety of topics and a chance for you to build your community.
Register: buff.ly/J9PM0Wj
Reposted by John Steele
I supervise an excellent postdoc who's looking for a postdoc or associate position in < 1 yr. Highly skilled in chem biol and biochem (peptide synthesis, native chem ligation, bacterial expression, purification, intein-based splicing, crystallography, interaction assays). Contact me if interested.
September 5, 2025 at 5:41 AM
I supervise an excellent postdoc who's looking for a postdoc or associate position in < 1 yr. Highly skilled in chem biol and biochem (peptide synthesis, native chem ligation, bacterial expression, purification, intein-based splicing, crystallography, interaction assays). Contact me if interested.
SULSA is running an Industry Academia conference on 28th & 29th October.
Looks fantastic for researchers working in Scotland- particularly good for students interested in learning more about industry & working on skill development!
sulsa.ac.uk/indac/
Looks fantastic for researchers working in Scotland- particularly good for students interested in learning more about industry & working on skill development!
sulsa.ac.uk/indac/
IndAc Conference - SULSA
sulsa.ac.uk
August 26, 2025 at 2:02 PM
SULSA is running an Industry Academia conference on 28th & 29th October.
Looks fantastic for researchers working in Scotland- particularly good for students interested in learning more about industry & working on skill development!
sulsa.ac.uk/indac/
Looks fantastic for researchers working in Scotland- particularly good for students interested in learning more about industry & working on skill development!
sulsa.ac.uk/indac/
Reposted by John Steele
Food for thought here for anyone not working at TRUE atomic resolution…
Andreas Ehler et al.: A high-resolution data set of fatty acid-binding protein structures. III. Unexpectedly high occurrence of wrong ligands #StructureBasedDrugDesign #FattyAcidBindingProteins #LigandBinding doi.org/10.1107/S205... #IUCr
A high-resolution data set of fatty acid-binding protein structures. III. Unexpectedly high occurrence of wrong ligands
Very high-resolution fatty acid-binding protein structures identified a substantial number of ligands that differ strongly from their expected structure. If different ligand chemistry is a potentially...
doi.org
July 29, 2025 at 1:17 PM
Food for thought here for anyone not working at TRUE atomic resolution…
I had no idea about this! Amazon owns AbeBooks!
Note for book buyers: AbeBooks *is* amazon. Amazon has owned AbeBooks since 2008.
It's been Amazon for 17 years, think about how hard amazon has worked to hide this if you didn't know this.
It's been Amazon for 17 years, think about how hard amazon has worked to hide this if you didn't know this.
This Prime Day, celebrate by buying trans books from somewhere other than Amazon.
July 8, 2025 at 2:44 PM
I had no idea about this! Amazon owns AbeBooks!
Reposted by John Steele
If this is true, it’s abysmally shortsighted for #NIH. The new tools nurtured by the long series of #CASP challenges probably contribute far more in one year to the scientific and industrial economies than the entire funds that have supported it.
Exclusive: An international scientific competition widely credited with spurring the development of artificial intelligence for biology appears to be on its deathbed. scim.ag/44ukS90
Exclusive: Famed protein structure competition nears end as NIH grant money runs out
Agency silent on funding renewal for contest that inspired creation of AIs that predicted how proteins would fold
scim.ag
July 3, 2025 at 8:08 AM
Reposted by John Steele
Just learned that Frank Stahl (of the Meselson and Stahl DNA replication experiment ("the most beautiful experiment in biology") died at the beginning of April, to no fanfare. Here's a lovely video of them reminiscing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-tn...
The Most Beautiful Experiment: Meselson and Stahl
YouTube video by Science Communication Lab
www.youtube.com
June 26, 2025 at 10:01 AM
Just learned that Frank Stahl (of the Meselson and Stahl DNA replication experiment ("the most beautiful experiment in biology") died at the beginning of April, to no fanfare. Here's a lovely video of them reminiscing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-tn...
Reposted by John Steele
Interested in trying out life as a scientific #editor? Based in the UK? Background in #PlantScience? The @plosbiology.org crew is expanding (again!), so a place in our lovely team might be for you...
I am recruiting - if you have a background in plant mol cell bio, a keen interest in sustainability and planetary health and are looking to move away from the bench, this may be for you!
Have a 👀 and please reach out if Qs
1yr FTC, remote in the UK
job-boards.eu.greenhouse.io/plos/jobs/46...
Have a 👀 and please reach out if Qs
1yr FTC, remote in the UK
job-boards.eu.greenhouse.io/plos/jobs/46...
PLOS Biology Associate Editor- FTC
UK-Remote
job-boards.eu.greenhouse.io
June 27, 2025 at 9:59 AM
Interested in trying out life as a scientific #editor? Based in the UK? Background in #PlantScience? The @plosbiology.org crew is expanding (again!), so a place in our lovely team might be for you...
Reposted by John Steele
🧬 New toolkit for engineering Chlamydomonas plastomes!
MoCloro brings Golden Gate modular cloning to algal chloroplasts — enabling fast, multigene integration & homoplasmy in 2 months 🌿
🔗 https://bit.ly/4jMNhfU ##SyntheticBiology #Chlamydomonas #Microalgae #Plantscience
MoCloro brings Golden Gate modular cloning to algal chloroplasts — enabling fast, multigene integration & homoplasmy in 2 months 🌿
🔗 https://bit.ly/4jMNhfU ##SyntheticBiology #Chlamydomonas #Microalgae #Plantscience
June 25, 2025 at 9:00 AM
🧬 New toolkit for engineering Chlamydomonas plastomes!
MoCloro brings Golden Gate modular cloning to algal chloroplasts — enabling fast, multigene integration & homoplasmy in 2 months 🌿
🔗 https://bit.ly/4jMNhfU ##SyntheticBiology #Chlamydomonas #Microalgae #Plantscience
MoCloro brings Golden Gate modular cloning to algal chloroplasts — enabling fast, multigene integration & homoplasmy in 2 months 🌿
🔗 https://bit.ly/4jMNhfU ##SyntheticBiology #Chlamydomonas #Microalgae #Plantscience
Reposted by John Steele
This is wild!
Engineering E. coli bacteria to turn plastic waste into paracetamol (Tylenol)
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Engineering E. coli bacteria to turn plastic waste into paracetamol (Tylenol)
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
June 23, 2025 at 6:55 PM
This is wild!
Engineering E. coli bacteria to turn plastic waste into paracetamol (Tylenol)
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Engineering E. coli bacteria to turn plastic waste into paracetamol (Tylenol)
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Always exciting when research from the lab is disseminated for the public! @theguardian.com have reported on @swallacelab.bsky.social paper turning plastic into paracetamol using engineered bacteria
tinyurl.com/32hxnwsd (original publication rdcu.be/esYfF)
tinyurl.com/32hxnwsd (original publication rdcu.be/esYfF)
Scientists use bacteria to turn plastic waste into paracetamol
Genetically modified E coli used to create painkillers from material produced from plastic bottles
www.theguardian.com
June 23, 2025 at 4:54 PM
Always exciting when research from the lab is disseminated for the public! @theguardian.com have reported on @swallacelab.bsky.social paper turning plastic into paracetamol using engineered bacteria
tinyurl.com/32hxnwsd (original publication rdcu.be/esYfF)
tinyurl.com/32hxnwsd (original publication rdcu.be/esYfF)