Alex Ensminger
@legionella.bsky.social
Associate Professor, University of Toronto
Depts of Biochemistry, Molecular Genetics
Legionella, Metaeffectors, Phage, Toxin-Antitoxin systems
Former Tufts Postdoc, MIT PhD
My id lives on a lake north of Ann Arbor, Michigan
ensmingerlab.com
Depts of Biochemistry, Molecular Genetics
Legionella, Metaeffectors, Phage, Toxin-Antitoxin systems
Former Tufts Postdoc, MIT PhD
My id lives on a lake north of Ann Arbor, Michigan
ensmingerlab.com
Pinned
Sorry for the late reply @superbug-slayer.bsky.social @roblavigne.bsky.social. Here's a Legionella phage & it likely shaped the emergence of Legionnaires' in the first place! www.science.org/doi/10.1126/... (cryoEM w/ @smlea.bsky.social @justindeme.bsky.social). #phage #legionella #legionnaires
"It breaks your heart. It is designed to break your heart. The game begins in the spring, when everything else begins again, and it blossoms in the summer, filling the afternoons and evenings, and then as soon as the chill rains come, it stops and leaves you to face the fall alone." - AB Giamatti.
November 2, 2025 at 4:41 PM
"It breaks your heart. It is designed to break your heart. The game begins in the spring, when everything else begins again, and it blossoms in the summer, filling the afternoons and evenings, and then as soon as the chill rains come, it stops and leaves you to face the fall alone." - AB Giamatti.
Reposted by Alex Ensminger
JOB OFFER #PhageSky
We have a postdoc position opening in my group to investigate phage-MGE interactions !
We're based in the very nice city of Lyon, France @mmsb-lyon.bsky.social
Contact me for more info !
>> Apply on the CNRS webpage emploi.cnrs.fr/Offres/CDD/U...
We have a postdoc position opening in my group to investigate phage-MGE interactions !
We're based in the very nice city of Lyon, France @mmsb-lyon.bsky.social
Contact me for more info !
>> Apply on the CNRS webpage emploi.cnrs.fr/Offres/CDD/U...
Portail Emploi CNRS - Offre d'emploi - Postdoctoral researcher Microbiology (M/F)
emploi.cnrs.fr
October 22, 2025 at 9:35 AM
JOB OFFER #PhageSky
We have a postdoc position opening in my group to investigate phage-MGE interactions !
We're based in the very nice city of Lyon, France @mmsb-lyon.bsky.social
Contact me for more info !
>> Apply on the CNRS webpage emploi.cnrs.fr/Offres/CDD/U...
We have a postdoc position opening in my group to investigate phage-MGE interactions !
We're based in the very nice city of Lyon, France @mmsb-lyon.bsky.social
Contact me for more info !
>> Apply on the CNRS webpage emploi.cnrs.fr/Offres/CDD/U...
Reposted by Alex Ensminger
Microbiology Postdoctoral Position (Please re-post)
A funded postdoctoral position in Chicago will open in 2026 to study aspects of Neisseria gonorrhoeae pathogenesis, antigenic variation, genetics, or physiology.
If interested, please get in touch with Hank Seifert
h-seifert@northwestern.edu
A funded postdoctoral position in Chicago will open in 2026 to study aspects of Neisseria gonorrhoeae pathogenesis, antigenic variation, genetics, or physiology.
If interested, please get in touch with Hank Seifert
h-seifert@northwestern.edu
October 21, 2025 at 4:19 PM
Microbiology Postdoctoral Position (Please re-post)
A funded postdoctoral position in Chicago will open in 2026 to study aspects of Neisseria gonorrhoeae pathogenesis, antigenic variation, genetics, or physiology.
If interested, please get in touch with Hank Seifert
h-seifert@northwestern.edu
A funded postdoctoral position in Chicago will open in 2026 to study aspects of Neisseria gonorrhoeae pathogenesis, antigenic variation, genetics, or physiology.
If interested, please get in touch with Hank Seifert
h-seifert@northwestern.edu
Reposted by Alex Ensminger
Toronto's ROM is hiring 2 new curators! Botany & Ornithology. Come be part of the Toronto EEB community, with cross-appt in my dept at UofT @romtoronto.bsky.social
royalontariomuseum.applytojob.com/apply/XBR2Yc...
royalontariomuseum.applytojob.com/apply/Sf2iAO...
royalontariomuseum.applytojob.com/apply/XBR2Yc...
royalontariomuseum.applytojob.com/apply/Sf2iAO...
Curator of Birds - Royal Ontario Museum - Career Page
Apply to Curator of Birds at Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto, ON, Canada.
royalontariomuseum.applytojob.com
October 9, 2025 at 5:26 PM
Toronto's ROM is hiring 2 new curators! Botany & Ornithology. Come be part of the Toronto EEB community, with cross-appt in my dept at UofT @romtoronto.bsky.social
royalontariomuseum.applytojob.com/apply/XBR2Yc...
royalontariomuseum.applytojob.com/apply/Sf2iAO...
royalontariomuseum.applytojob.com/apply/XBR2Yc...
royalontariomuseum.applytojob.com/apply/Sf2iAO...
Reposted by Alex Ensminger
Open rank tenure-track position in comp bio at the University of Montreal. Great environment, great position. @futurepislack.bsky.social
medecine.umontreal.ca/wp-content/u...
medecine.umontreal.ca/wp-content/u...
medecine.umontreal.ca
October 3, 2025 at 9:24 PM
Open rank tenure-track position in comp bio at the University of Montreal. Great environment, great position. @futurepislack.bsky.social
medecine.umontreal.ca/wp-content/u...
medecine.umontreal.ca/wp-content/u...
Reposted by Alex Ensminger
Job alert ‼️ UChicago Micro is hiring! Open to tenured/tenure track faculty at all levels in any area of microbiology. Come join our amazing and growing department. apply.interfolio.com/174404
October 4, 2025 at 6:44 PM
Job alert ‼️ UChicago Micro is hiring! Open to tenured/tenure track faculty at all levels in any area of microbiology. Come join our amazing and growing department. apply.interfolio.com/174404
Reposted by Alex Ensminger
Please share - an Assist Prof position in microbiology
employmentopportunities.umb.edu/mob/cw/en-us...
@asm.org
employmentopportunities.umb.edu/mob/cw/en-us...
@asm.org
September 30, 2025 at 12:04 AM
Please share - an Assist Prof position in microbiology
employmentopportunities.umb.edu/mob/cw/en-us...
@asm.org
employmentopportunities.umb.edu/mob/cw/en-us...
@asm.org
Nice writeup of our discovery of the first Legionella phage from @uoftmedicine.bsky.social. A special thanks to Betty Zou for being interested in our latest work. temertymedicine.utoronto.ca/news/scienti...
Scientists identify first virus to infect Legionella, revealing evolutionary origins of Legionnaire's disease
U of T researchers have made the first discovery of a virus that infects Legionella pneumophila, the bacteria that causes Legionnaires’ disease.
temertymedicine.utoronto.ca
September 23, 2025 at 8:10 PM
Nice writeup of our discovery of the first Legionella phage from @uoftmedicine.bsky.social. A special thanks to Betty Zou for being interested in our latest work. temertymedicine.utoronto.ca/news/scienti...
The boat and dock are out of the water :( but had a nice weekend in Michigan. Thanks to @farmgirlphd.bsky.social, expert boat driver.
September 15, 2025 at 6:01 PM
The boat and dock are out of the water :( but had a nice weekend in Michigan. Thanks to @farmgirlphd.bsky.social, expert boat driver.
Reposted by Alex Ensminger
hey bluesky 👋 visa hurdles mean I’m looking for opportunities outside the US. I’m a computational biologist (bacterial + phage genomics, postdoc in Koonin’s group @ NIH). I am interested in teaming up on funding apps. reach out if this resonates!
September 15, 2025 at 5:26 PM
hey bluesky 👋 visa hurdles mean I’m looking for opportunities outside the US. I’m a computational biologist (bacterial + phage genomics, postdoc in Koonin’s group @ NIH). I am interested in teaming up on funding apps. reach out if this resonates!
Reposted by Alex Ensminger
I can't say enough about how amazing the #peerreview program truly is. If you're an #earlycareer researcher - this is an incredible opportunity.
#genetics
#genetics
🚨 Apply now for GSA’s Peer Review Training Program! Work with a mentor to review manuscripts, give constructive feedback & gain insider knowledge of publishing. 🗓 Deadline: Sept 30, 2025 🔗 buff.ly/o9mNLim
September 3, 2025 at 11:07 PM
I can't say enough about how amazing the #peerreview program truly is. If you're an #earlycareer researcher - this is an incredible opportunity.
#genetics
#genetics
Reposted by Alex Ensminger
Congrats to my better half @legionella.bsky.social and his lab and collaborators on this cool discovery! TLDR, they've identified and re-animated a bacteriophage of Legionella pneumophila, a bacteria long thought to not be susceptible to phage attack. Check it out! 🦠
Sorry for the late reply @superbug-slayer.bsky.social @roblavigne.bsky.social. Here's a Legionella phage & it likely shaped the emergence of Legionnaires' in the first place! www.science.org/doi/10.1126/... (cryoEM w/ @smlea.bsky.social @justindeme.bsky.social). #phage #legionella #legionnaires
September 3, 2025 at 10:26 PM
Congrats to my better half @legionella.bsky.social and his lab and collaborators on this cool discovery! TLDR, they've identified and re-animated a bacteriophage of Legionella pneumophila, a bacteria long thought to not be susceptible to phage attack. Check it out! 🦠
Sorry for the late reply @superbug-slayer.bsky.social @roblavigne.bsky.social. Here's a Legionella phage & it likely shaped the emergence of Legionnaires' in the first place! www.science.org/doi/10.1126/... (cryoEM w/ @smlea.bsky.social @justindeme.bsky.social). #phage #legionella #legionnaires
September 3, 2025 at 6:22 PM
Sorry for the late reply @superbug-slayer.bsky.social @roblavigne.bsky.social. Here's a Legionella phage & it likely shaped the emergence of Legionnaires' in the first place! www.science.org/doi/10.1126/... (cryoEM w/ @smlea.bsky.social @justindeme.bsky.social). #phage #legionella #legionnaires
From outside the Isberg lab, circa 2010. Artist unknown.
August 28, 2025 at 1:32 AM
From outside the Isberg lab, circa 2010. Artist unknown.
Independence Lake, Michigan - Aug 26, 2025.
August 27, 2025 at 11:26 AM
Independence Lake, Michigan - Aug 26, 2025.
Reposted by Alex Ensminger
+1 here.
Reach us out early enough !
Getting funding and personal timelines aligned rarely happens over night !
Reach us out early enough !
Getting funding and personal timelines aligned rarely happens over night !
Final year PhD students, I know you’re desperately trying to finish experiments/revisions/submissions/write a thesis & just survive - but please spare a few minutes to apply to your dream postdoc labs.
It easily takes A YEAR from first contact, even if everything goes to plan on both sides.
It easily takes A YEAR from first contact, even if everything goes to plan on both sides.
August 27, 2025 at 10:46 AM
+1 here.
Reach us out early enough !
Getting funding and personal timelines aligned rarely happens over night !
Reach us out early enough !
Getting funding and personal timelines aligned rarely happens over night !
Reposted by Alex Ensminger
My Department (Biology) at @dartmouthartsci.bsky.social is hiring this year! We have an opening for a Tenure Track Cell and/or Molecular biologist (broadly defined).
Please share with your trainees/labmates/friends and reach out if you have questions.
apply.interfolio.com/171625
Please share with your trainees/labmates/friends and reach out if you have questions.
apply.interfolio.com/171625
Apply - Interfolio
{{$ctrl.$state.data.pageTitle}} - Apply - Interfolio
apply.interfolio.com
August 14, 2025 at 7:15 PM
My Department (Biology) at @dartmouthartsci.bsky.social is hiring this year! We have an opening for a Tenure Track Cell and/or Molecular biologist (broadly defined).
Please share with your trainees/labmates/friends and reach out if you have questions.
apply.interfolio.com/171625
Please share with your trainees/labmates/friends and reach out if you have questions.
apply.interfolio.com/171625
From former PhD Student Jordan Lin (now a postdoc w/ Ami Bhatt), in which we describe a contact-dependent, cell-extrinsic response to genotoxic stress. #MicroSky.
A bacterial toxin-antitoxin system involved in an unusual response to genotoxic stress | EMBO reports www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
A bacterial toxin-antitoxin system involved in an unusual response to genotoxic stress | EMBO reports www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
A bacterial toxin-antitoxin system involved in an unusual response to genotoxic stress | EMBO reports
imageimageThe GndRX system in Legionella pneumophila is a predicted toxin-antitoxin module that causes death during DNA stress. GndRX
has non-canonical functionality and appears to be the consequence ...
www.embopress.org
August 18, 2025 at 3:10 PM
From former PhD Student Jordan Lin (now a postdoc w/ Ami Bhatt), in which we describe a contact-dependent, cell-extrinsic response to genotoxic stress. #MicroSky.
A bacterial toxin-antitoxin system involved in an unusual response to genotoxic stress | EMBO reports www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
A bacterial toxin-antitoxin system involved in an unusual response to genotoxic stress | EMBO reports www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
Reposted by Alex Ensminger
Elio Schaechter was one of my heroes. His 1958 paper with Ole Maaløe and Niels Kjeldgaard (fondly known as “SMK”) is a North Star for so much work in my group. A wonderful scientist, great communicator, and a very kind person. May his memory be a blessing.
August 15, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Elio Schaechter was one of my heroes. His 1958 paper with Ole Maaløe and Niels Kjeldgaard (fondly known as “SMK”) is a North Star for so much work in my group. A wonderful scientist, great communicator, and a very kind person. May his memory be a blessing.
Adventures in owning a 32-yo Malibu Flightcraft...
You don't need to be a boat mechanic to guess which of these water pump impellers was old, which is new, and why the engine was overheating last week.
Also, thanks to Amazon.com and youtube, I had the boat running again in less than 24 hours.
You don't need to be a boat mechanic to guess which of these water pump impellers was old, which is new, and why the engine was overheating last week.
Also, thanks to Amazon.com and youtube, I had the boat running again in less than 24 hours.
August 15, 2025 at 3:22 PM
Adventures in owning a 32-yo Malibu Flightcraft...
You don't need to be a boat mechanic to guess which of these water pump impellers was old, which is new, and why the engine was overheating last week.
Also, thanks to Amazon.com and youtube, I had the boat running again in less than 24 hours.
You don't need to be a boat mechanic to guess which of these water pump impellers was old, which is new, and why the engine was overheating last week.
Also, thanks to Amazon.com and youtube, I had the boat running again in less than 24 hours.
Reposted by Alex Ensminger
Saddened to learn of the passing of Moselio "Elio" Schaechter—Distinguished Professor at Tufts, SDSU and UCSD—humanist and visionary leader in the fields of microbiology and scientific communication—mentor, friend, and inspiration to me and so many others
Small Things Considered
Big Things Achieved
Small Things Considered
Big Things Achieved
August 15, 2025 at 3:12 PM
Saddened to learn of the passing of Moselio "Elio" Schaechter—Distinguished Professor at Tufts, SDSU and UCSD—humanist and visionary leader in the fields of microbiology and scientific communication—mentor, friend, and inspiration to me and so many others
Small Things Considered
Big Things Achieved
Small Things Considered
Big Things Achieved
Reposted by Alex Ensminger
The only time I diagnosed legionella pneumonia is when I was a resident in NYC, a man came in with cough/fever, said he was an AC repairman, and that his boss told him to go get checked for legionnaires. It was like a test question walked in as a patient and then also gave me the right answer.
Legionnaires’ disease does not spread person to person, and comes from contaminated water in things like plumbing and water appliances (ice/water dispensers, spas, etc), air conditioning systems & even bad ventilation. Without public health there would be no way to identify and treat these outbreaks
1 dead and at least 22 sick from Legionnaires' disease cluster in New York City
One person is dead and at least 22 people have become sick from a Legionnaires’ disease cluster in New York City since last Friday, health officials said.
abcnews.go.com
July 31, 2025 at 5:30 PM
The only time I diagnosed legionella pneumonia is when I was a resident in NYC, a man came in with cough/fever, said he was an AC repairman, and that his boss told him to go get checked for legionnaires. It was like a test question walked in as a patient and then also gave me the right answer.
Reposted by Alex Ensminger
#Review
A discussion on the processes driving bacterial evolution and emergence of pathogenesis within hosts, the importance of understanding within-host genetic diversity, and the implications for transmission analysis and infectious disease control.
#MicroSky 🦠
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
A discussion on the processes driving bacterial evolution and emergence of pathogenesis within hosts, the importance of understanding within-host genetic diversity, and the implications for transmission analysis and infectious disease control.
#MicroSky 🦠
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Within-host bacterial evolution and the emergence of pathogenicity - Nature Microbiology
In this Review, Tonkin-Hill et al. discuss the processes driving bacterial evolution and emergence of pathogenesis within hosts, the importance of understanding within-host genetic diversity, and the ...
www.nature.com
July 30, 2025 at 3:40 PM
#Review
A discussion on the processes driving bacterial evolution and emergence of pathogenesis within hosts, the importance of understanding within-host genetic diversity, and the implications for transmission analysis and infectious disease control.
#MicroSky 🦠
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
A discussion on the processes driving bacterial evolution and emergence of pathogenesis within hosts, the importance of understanding within-host genetic diversity, and the implications for transmission analysis and infectious disease control.
#MicroSky 🦠
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
The #CIHR Microbiology and Infectious Disease panel had a 13% success rate in Project Grant decisions released last week. Overall success was just over 15% across all panels. Worst success rate in recent memory. This is not what seizing the moment or investing in the future looks like.🇨🇦📉 #canpoli.
July 23, 2025 at 6:21 PM