Dr Katherine Duncan
@kateduncan.bsky.social
Senior Lecturer, Newcastle Uni UK
We study the chemical language of bacteria (& what influences it) for antibiotic discovery
http://www.medicinesfromthesea.com
Editor Microbiology, Young Academy of Scotland, SAB RSC NatProdRep & EAB ACS JNatProd
We study the chemical language of bacteria (& what influences it) for antibiotic discovery
http://www.medicinesfromthesea.com
Editor Microbiology, Young Academy of Scotland, SAB RSC NatProdRep & EAB ACS JNatProd
Pinned
Why solutions to antimicrobial resistance are urgently needed
Summary: This Editorial discusses the growing global problem of antimicrobial resistance, and new and emerging opportunities for developing real-world solutions, involving both basic science and clini...
journals.biologists.com
‘Why solutions to antimicrobial resistance are urgently needed‘ sergemostowylab.bsky.social & I had the opportunity to write an editorial for @dmmjournal.bsky.social ‘s collection celebrating 100 years of @biologists.bsky.social you can read it here: journals.biologists.com/dmm/article/...
Nice commute for the first day back, Happy New Year
January 5, 2026 at 9:41 AM
Nice commute for the first day back, Happy New Year
Reposted by Dr Katherine Duncan
New paper alert! Insight into the type 7 secretion system of Staph aureus, including locus type similarities and role in virulence. @microbiologysociety.org @proftracypalmer.bsky.social www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/jour...
The Staphylococcus aureus LXG-domain toxins EsxX and SAR0287 do not promote virulence in a zebrafish larval infection model
The Staphylococcus aureus type VIIb secretion system (T7SSb) is a multiprotein secretion system that secretes toxins with antibacterial activity, but which is also required for full virulence in anima...
www.microbiologyresearch.org
December 19, 2025 at 12:19 PM
New paper alert! Insight into the type 7 secretion system of Staph aureus, including locus type similarities and role in virulence. @microbiologysociety.org @proftracypalmer.bsky.social www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/jour...
‘Why solutions to antimicrobial resistance are urgently needed‘ sergemostowylab.bsky.social & I had the opportunity to write an editorial for @dmmjournal.bsky.social ‘s collection celebrating 100 years of @biologists.bsky.social you can read it here: journals.biologists.com/dmm/article/...
Why solutions to antimicrobial resistance are urgently needed
Summary: This Editorial discusses the growing global problem of antimicrobial resistance, and new and emerging opportunities for developing real-world solutions, involving both basic science and clini...
journals.biologists.com
December 19, 2025 at 11:46 AM
‘Why solutions to antimicrobial resistance are urgently needed‘ sergemostowylab.bsky.social & I had the opportunity to write an editorial for @dmmjournal.bsky.social ‘s collection celebrating 100 years of @biologists.bsky.social you can read it here: journals.biologists.com/dmm/article/...
Reposted by Dr Katherine Duncan
🚨SAVE THE DATE!
5th Synthetic Biology of Natural Products Conference
📅Date: 01 - 04 November 2026
🌏Location: Playa del Carmen, Mexico
📢Early Bird & Talk Submission: 04 May 2026
Don't miss out, Register now ➡️https://bit.ly/4s4F3VU
#SBNP #FusionGenomics #FusionMolBio #FusionBioChem
5th Synthetic Biology of Natural Products Conference
📅Date: 01 - 04 November 2026
🌏Location: Playa del Carmen, Mexico
📢Early Bird & Talk Submission: 04 May 2026
Don't miss out, Register now ➡️https://bit.ly/4s4F3VU
#SBNP #FusionGenomics #FusionMolBio #FusionBioChem
December 18, 2025 at 3:20 PM
🚨SAVE THE DATE!
5th Synthetic Biology of Natural Products Conference
📅Date: 01 - 04 November 2026
🌏Location: Playa del Carmen, Mexico
📢Early Bird & Talk Submission: 04 May 2026
Don't miss out, Register now ➡️https://bit.ly/4s4F3VU
#SBNP #FusionGenomics #FusionMolBio #FusionBioChem
5th Synthetic Biology of Natural Products Conference
📅Date: 01 - 04 November 2026
🌏Location: Playa del Carmen, Mexico
📢Early Bird & Talk Submission: 04 May 2026
Don't miss out, Register now ➡️https://bit.ly/4s4F3VU
#SBNP #FusionGenomics #FusionMolBio #FusionBioChem
It’s so nice to work with such brilliant people, thanks to @kshbeckham.bsky.social and team for organising our microbes in health and disease theme festive gathering!🎄
Fab afternoon at the MHD festive gathering 🎉 congratulations to the winning quiz team and @johncorrigall.bsky.social for most festive outfit.
December 15, 2025 at 5:24 PM
It’s so nice to work with such brilliant people, thanks to @kshbeckham.bsky.social and team for organising our microbes in health and disease theme festive gathering!🎄
Reposted by Dr Katherine Duncan
Opening of a Group Leader position in AI in genomics at Institut Pasteur @pasteur.fr , Paris research.pasteur.fr/en/call/mid-...
Mid-career Group Leader position in AI in genomics at Institut Pasteur, Paris - Research
Institut Pasteur and the CNRS are launching a call for a mid-career group leader position in AI in genomics. We are looking for an experienced researcher (typically with > 8 years of research experien...
research.pasteur.fr
December 6, 2025 at 9:49 AM
Opening of a Group Leader position in AI in genomics at Institut Pasteur @pasteur.fr , Paris research.pasteur.fr/en/call/mid-...
Reposted by Dr Katherine Duncan
Recommended reading for those of us who study actinomycetes using untargeted metabolomics. Incredible work by @amcaraballor.bsky.social, @pieterdorrestein.bsky.social, and collaborators. rdcu.be/eSRxT
The undiscovered natural product potential of Actinomycetes
The Journal of Antibiotics - The undiscovered natural product potential of Actinomycetes
rdcu.be
December 3, 2025 at 10:40 PM
Recommended reading for those of us who study actinomycetes using untargeted metabolomics. Incredible work by @amcaraballor.bsky.social, @pieterdorrestein.bsky.social, and collaborators. rdcu.be/eSRxT
Reposted by Dr Katherine Duncan
We're advertising for a bacteriology technician and a post-doc to work on AI-guided antibiotic development as part of a large multidisciplinary Fleming Initiative project:
www.imperial.ac.uk/jobs/search-...
www.imperial.ac.uk/jobs/search-...
www.imperial.ac.uk/jobs/search-...
www.imperial.ac.uk/jobs/search-...
Description
Please note that job descriptions are not exhaustive, and you may be asked to take on additional duties that align with the key responsibilities ment...
www.imperial.ac.uk
December 3, 2025 at 7:23 AM
We're advertising for a bacteriology technician and a post-doc to work on AI-guided antibiotic development as part of a large multidisciplinary Fleming Initiative project:
www.imperial.ac.uk/jobs/search-...
www.imperial.ac.uk/jobs/search-...
www.imperial.ac.uk/jobs/search-...
www.imperial.ac.uk/jobs/search-...
Reposted by Dr Katherine Duncan
If you or someone you know is looking for a post-doctoral position working on mycobacterial envelope biology, please get in touch. I am recruiting here at the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario, Canada.
December 2, 2025 at 3:21 PM
If you or someone you know is looking for a post-doctoral position working on mycobacterial envelope biology, please get in touch. I am recruiting here at the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario, Canada.
Fantastic to have Prof Matthias Wilmanns from EMBL Hamburg hosted by @kshbeckham.bsky.social to give a @mhd-newcastle.bsky.social seminar on mycobacterial infection #dreamtheme
December 2, 2025 at 12:13 PM
Fantastic to have Prof Matthias Wilmanns from EMBL Hamburg hosted by @kshbeckham.bsky.social to give a @mhd-newcastle.bsky.social seminar on mycobacterial infection #dreamtheme
Reposted by Dr Katherine Duncan
Watch Panorama tonight on BBC One and iPlayer: “The Truth About Forever Chemicals”.
Our policy advisor Stephanie Metzger shares expert insights on how to tackle these persistent pollutants found in food, water and products...
Catch up: bbc.co.uk/iplayer/epis...
#ForeverChemicals #Panorama
Our policy advisor Stephanie Metzger shares expert insights on how to tackle these persistent pollutants found in food, water and products...
Catch up: bbc.co.uk/iplayer/epis...
#ForeverChemicals #Panorama
Panorama - The Truth About Forever Chemicals
Reporter Catrin Nye reveals how PFAS can affect health and contaminate the environment, and she asks if the UK government is doing enough to keep us safe.
bbc.co.uk
December 1, 2025 at 3:13 PM
Watch Panorama tonight on BBC One and iPlayer: “The Truth About Forever Chemicals”.
Our policy advisor Stephanie Metzger shares expert insights on how to tackle these persistent pollutants found in food, water and products...
Catch up: bbc.co.uk/iplayer/epis...
#ForeverChemicals #Panorama
Our policy advisor Stephanie Metzger shares expert insights on how to tackle these persistent pollutants found in food, water and products...
Catch up: bbc.co.uk/iplayer/epis...
#ForeverChemicals #Panorama
Today, we are lucky to have Imane El Meouche from IAME, France to give a MCM seminar @medicalsciencesncl.bsky.social (chaired by @henrikstrahl.bsky.social) on antibiotics tolerance in E. Coli
December 1, 2025 at 1:07 PM
Today, we are lucky to have Imane El Meouche from IAME, France to give a MCM seminar @medicalsciencesncl.bsky.social (chaired by @henrikstrahl.bsky.social) on antibiotics tolerance in E. Coli
Reposted by Dr Katherine Duncan
Now properly published at @natcomms.nature.com with few additional experiments incl. demonstration of Daptomycin's ability to depolarise non-growing cells.
See the original preprint-thread for a summary of our findings.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
#microsky
See the original preprint-thread for a summary of our findings.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
#microsky
November 24, 2025 at 8:20 PM
Now properly published at @natcomms.nature.com with few additional experiments incl. demonstration of Daptomycin's ability to depolarise non-growing cells.
See the original preprint-thread for a summary of our findings.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
#microsky
See the original preprint-thread for a summary of our findings.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
#microsky
Reposted by Dr Katherine Duncan
GlcNAc build-up acts as a key metabolic signal in #Streptomyces, but how does it triggers developmental responses? @gillesvanwezel.bsky.social &co show that the enzyme NagS dehydrates GlcNAc-6P into a reactive intermediate, triggering a toxicity-based checkpoint @plosbiology.org 🧪 plos.io/44pE08I
November 28, 2025 at 2:01 PM
GlcNAc build-up acts as a key metabolic signal in #Streptomyces, but how does it triggers developmental responses? @gillesvanwezel.bsky.social &co show that the enzyme NagS dehydrates GlcNAc-6P into a reactive intermediate, triggering a toxicity-based checkpoint @plosbiology.org 🧪 plos.io/44pE08I
Last Monday Dr Zach Maw @zmaw.bsky.social joined the Duncan lab (all the way from Canada 🇨🇦) as a postdoc - Zach will be setting up small molecule metabolomics in the mass spec facility @medicalsciencesncl.bsky.social and working on natural product drug discovery - welcome Zach!
November 28, 2025 at 9:38 AM
Last Monday Dr Zach Maw @zmaw.bsky.social joined the Duncan lab (all the way from Canada 🇨🇦) as a postdoc - Zach will be setting up small molecule metabolomics in the mass spec facility @medicalsciencesncl.bsky.social and working on natural product drug discovery - welcome Zach!
A huge congratulations to Dr Marla Macias! PhD student number 6 for the Duncan lab - what a privilege it’s been to have such a wonderful human & scientist be part of the group for the last 3.5 years. Many thanks to Dan Walker (Strathclyde) & Rainer Ebel (Aberdeen) for acting as Marla’s examiners 🥂
November 26, 2025 at 3:29 PM
A huge congratulations to Dr Marla Macias! PhD student number 6 for the Duncan lab - what a privilege it’s been to have such a wonderful human & scientist be part of the group for the last 3.5 years. Many thanks to Dan Walker (Strathclyde) & Rainer Ebel (Aberdeen) for acting as Marla’s examiners 🥂
Reposted by Dr Katherine Duncan
‼️Research update - the last-resort 💊antibiotic daptomycin attacks🧫bacteria through two independent mechanisms & IM30 protein LiaH helps remodel membranes under stress. Great work by @henrikstrahl.bsky.social & @jbuttresssci.bsky.social @newcastleuni.bsky.social team
#microsky #BBSRC #sLoLa ⬇️
#microsky #BBSRC #sLoLa ⬇️
Now properly published at @natcomms.nature.com with few additional experiments incl. demonstration of Daptomycin's ability to depolarise non-growing cells.
See the original preprint-thread for a summary of our findings.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
#microsky
See the original preprint-thread for a summary of our findings.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
#microsky
November 25, 2025 at 2:39 PM
‼️Research update - the last-resort 💊antibiotic daptomycin attacks🧫bacteria through two independent mechanisms & IM30 protein LiaH helps remodel membranes under stress. Great work by @henrikstrahl.bsky.social & @jbuttresssci.bsky.social @newcastleuni.bsky.social team
#microsky #BBSRC #sLoLa ⬇️
#microsky #BBSRC #sLoLa ⬇️
Reposted by Dr Katherine Duncan
High-throughput DNA extraction from soil: experiences? best kits? best tools? If you had a decent chunk of money to throw at it, what system would you set up to make it fast and high quality? 🌾 🧪 🔬 🦠
November 24, 2025 at 1:15 PM
High-throughput DNA extraction from soil: experiences? best kits? best tools? If you had a decent chunk of money to throw at it, what system would you set up to make it fast and high quality? 🌾 🧪 🔬 🦠
Reposted by Dr Katherine Duncan
Bacteriologists - save the date for the next BacNet meeting in September 2026 #BacNet26 organised by @lalouxlab.bsky.social
Bacterial networks #BacNet26 in September 2026 will be chaired by @lalouxlab.bsky.social and co-chaired by @s-lab.bsky.social with @coralietesseur.bsky.social
Sneak peak on invited speakers and preliminary program:
meetings.embo.org/event/26-bac...
Sneak peak on invited speakers and preliminary program:
meetings.embo.org/event/26-bac...
November 20, 2025 at 8:58 AM
Bacteriologists - save the date for the next BacNet meeting in September 2026 #BacNet26 organised by @lalouxlab.bsky.social
As part of the WHO World AMR Awareness Week a group of engaged undergraduate students, led by Eloise Nelson, have organised a @microbiologysociety.org sponsored seminars:
Dr Ishwar Singh (University of Liverpool) & Dr Tom Hellyer (Newcastle University) @medicalsciencesncl.bsky.social #antibiotics
Dr Ishwar Singh (University of Liverpool) & Dr Tom Hellyer (Newcastle University) @medicalsciencesncl.bsky.social #antibiotics
November 20, 2025 at 3:25 PM
As part of the WHO World AMR Awareness Week a group of engaged undergraduate students, led by Eloise Nelson, have organised a @microbiologysociety.org sponsored seminars:
Dr Ishwar Singh (University of Liverpool) & Dr Tom Hellyer (Newcastle University) @medicalsciencesncl.bsky.social #antibiotics
Dr Ishwar Singh (University of Liverpool) & Dr Tom Hellyer (Newcastle University) @medicalsciencesncl.bsky.social #antibiotics
First snow of the year - love it!
November 20, 2025 at 7:07 AM
First snow of the year - love it!
Congratulations to Dr Adam Hunt for a very successful PhD defense! Adam was supervised at the University of Warwick by Dr Lona Allhalaf, Prof Greg Challis and Prof Chris Corre (internal examiner Dr Fabrizio Alberti) ✨🎄🎓🥂 #naturalproducts #streptomyces
November 19, 2025 at 4:05 PM
Congratulations to Dr Adam Hunt for a very successful PhD defense! Adam was supervised at the University of Warwick by Dr Lona Allhalaf, Prof Greg Challis and Prof Chris Corre (internal examiner Dr Fabrizio Alberti) ✨🎄🎓🥂 #naturalproducts #streptomyces
Reposted by Dr Katherine Duncan
🚨 PhD opportunity! 🚨
Join us at St Andrews to study how multiple prophages shape bacterial behaviour & AMR.
Co-supervised with @tatianadimitriu.bsky.social
This is a competition-based EASTBIO PhD.
Full details and the application link are in the advert 👇
www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
Join us at St Andrews to study how multiple prophages shape bacterial behaviour & AMR.
Co-supervised with @tatianadimitriu.bsky.social
This is a competition-based EASTBIO PhD.
Full details and the application link are in the advert 👇
www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
EASTBIO: When Phages Collide: Understanding How Multiple Prophages Shape Bacterial Behaviour at University of St Andrews on FindAPhD.com
PhD Project - EASTBIO: When Phages Collide: Understanding How Multiple Prophages Shape Bacterial Behaviour at University of St Andrews, listed on FindAPhD.com
www.findaphd.com
November 17, 2025 at 3:13 PM
🚨 PhD opportunity! 🚨
Join us at St Andrews to study how multiple prophages shape bacterial behaviour & AMR.
Co-supervised with @tatianadimitriu.bsky.social
This is a competition-based EASTBIO PhD.
Full details and the application link are in the advert 👇
www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
Join us at St Andrews to study how multiple prophages shape bacterial behaviour & AMR.
Co-supervised with @tatianadimitriu.bsky.social
This is a competition-based EASTBIO PhD.
Full details and the application link are in the advert 👇
www.findaphd.com/phds/project...