Maier Biophysics Lab
@maierlab.bsky.social
Welcome to Maier Lab!
Our research focuses on bacterial mechanics & evolution. Here, we update you on our current research. Account run by lab members
Website: https://biophysics.uni-koeln.de
Institute for Biological Physics, University of Cologne
Our research focuses on bacterial mechanics & evolution. Here, we update you on our current research. Account run by lab members
Website: https://biophysics.uni-koeln.de
Institute for Biological Physics, University of Cologne
Pinned
Pilin antigenic variants impact gonococcal lifestyle and antibiotic tolerance by modulating interbacterial forces
Neisseria gonorrhoeae evades immunity by altering its surface structures through antigenic variation. This study shows that this process also modulates bacterial interactions, driving microcolony dive...
journals.plos.org
Our latest research on how antigenic variation affects gonococcal lifestyle and antibiotic tolerance has now been published in@plosbiology.org! Follow the link journals.plos.org/plosbiology/...
A big thank you to our collaborators Lisa Craig and Paul G. Higgins @docpolski.bsky.social!
A big thank you to our collaborators Lisa Craig and Paul G. Higgins @docpolski.bsky.social!
Reposted by Maier Biophysics Lab
Forgot to post the recently published version of this paper on the role of a minor pilin-like protein in surface sensing journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...
October 31, 2025 at 6:54 PM
Forgot to post the recently published version of this paper on the role of a minor pilin-like protein in surface sensing journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...
Reposted by Maier Biophysics Lab
Reposted by Maier Biophysics Lab
#microsky #mevosky @spp2389.bsky.social
A PhD position is available in my lab to work on:
Emergence and self-organisation of bacterial metabolism in consortia of cross-feeding bacteria.
Please RT
Deadline: 12.11.25
More infos 👇
shorturl.at/rAKAT
A PhD position is available in my lab to work on:
Emergence and self-organisation of bacterial metabolism in consortia of cross-feeding bacteria.
Please RT
Deadline: 12.11.25
More infos 👇
shorturl.at/rAKAT
October 28, 2025 at 8:43 AM
#microsky #mevosky @spp2389.bsky.social
A PhD position is available in my lab to work on:
Emergence and self-organisation of bacterial metabolism in consortia of cross-feeding bacteria.
Please RT
Deadline: 12.11.25
More infos 👇
shorturl.at/rAKAT
A PhD position is available in my lab to work on:
Emergence and self-organisation of bacterial metabolism in consortia of cross-feeding bacteria.
Please RT
Deadline: 12.11.25
More infos 👇
shorturl.at/rAKAT
Reposted by Maier Biophysics Lab
#microsky #mevosky @spp2389.bsky.social
A PhD position is available in my lab to work on:
Emergence and self-organisation of bacterial metabolism in consortia of cross-feeding bacteria.
Please RT
Deadline: 12.11.25
More infos 👇
shorturl.at/rAKAT
A PhD position is available in my lab to work on:
Emergence and self-organisation of bacterial metabolism in consortia of cross-feeding bacteria.
Please RT
Deadline: 12.11.25
More infos 👇
shorturl.at/rAKAT
October 30, 2025 at 7:50 AM
Reposted by Maier Biophysics Lab
Please RT. Post-doc opportunity alert! 💥 closing 10th December.. Come join our team (www.thelowlab.org) at Imperial, London, working on the structure and mechanism of bacterial secretion systems.
For more details and to apply please see
www.imperial.ac.uk/jobs/search-...
For more details and to apply please see
www.imperial.ac.uk/jobs/search-...
October 29, 2025 at 5:11 PM
Please RT. Post-doc opportunity alert! 💥 closing 10th December.. Come join our team (www.thelowlab.org) at Imperial, London, working on the structure and mechanism of bacterial secretion systems.
For more details and to apply please see
www.imperial.ac.uk/jobs/search-...
For more details and to apply please see
www.imperial.ac.uk/jobs/search-...
Reposted by Maier Biophysics Lab
Multiple small, curved, predatory bacteria (Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus) lyse the bacterial prey remnants below. How are they doing this & which predator proteins are involved in this process?
See our newly released research article 📑
=> rdcu.be/eL6gu
🦠 #microsky #bacteria #PredatoryBacteria
See our newly released research article 📑
=> rdcu.be/eL6gu
🦠 #microsky #bacteria #PredatoryBacteria
October 23, 2025 at 4:44 PM
Multiple small, curved, predatory bacteria (Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus) lyse the bacterial prey remnants below. How are they doing this & which predator proteins are involved in this process?
See our newly released research article 📑
=> rdcu.be/eL6gu
🦠 #microsky #bacteria #PredatoryBacteria
See our newly released research article 📑
=> rdcu.be/eL6gu
🦠 #microsky #bacteria #PredatoryBacteria
Reposted by Maier Biophysics Lab
Reposted by Maier Biophysics Lab
Interested in bacterial sensing, signaling and regulation? Come join us in January at the GRC in sunny California! www.grc.org/sensory-tran...
2026 Sensory Transduction in Microorganisms Conference GRC
The 2026 Gordon Research Conference on Sensory Transduction in Microorganisms will be held in Ventura, California. Apply today to reserve your spot.
www.grc.org
October 15, 2025 at 7:32 AM
Interested in bacterial sensing, signaling and regulation? Come join us in January at the GRC in sunny California! www.grc.org/sensory-tran...
Reposted by Maier Biophysics Lab
🚨 On Friday 24/10 15:30 EU, Dani Rodríguez Amor (École Normale Supérieure - Paris Sciences et Lettres) will present the talk
Cooperation-driven multistability in synthetic microbial communities
at the Population Dynamics Seminars.
Subscription sites.google.com/view/popdyn/
Cooperation-driven multistability in synthetic microbial communities
at the Population Dynamics Seminars.
Subscription sites.google.com/view/popdyn/
October 13, 2025 at 10:01 AM
🚨 On Friday 24/10 15:30 EU, Dani Rodríguez Amor (École Normale Supérieure - Paris Sciences et Lettres) will present the talk
Cooperation-driven multistability in synthetic microbial communities
at the Population Dynamics Seminars.
Subscription sites.google.com/view/popdyn/
Cooperation-driven multistability in synthetic microbial communities
at the Population Dynamics Seminars.
Subscription sites.google.com/view/popdyn/
Reposted by Maier Biophysics Lab
We have a PhD opportunity available in our group @johninnescentre.bsky.social through the NRP Doctoral Training Partnership. Help us uncover the Hidden Diversity of Bacterial NLRs.
Start date: October 2026. For more information and how to apply👉 biodtp.norwichresearchpark.ac.uk/projects/bey...
Start date: October 2026. For more information and how to apply👉 biodtp.norwichresearchpark.ac.uk/projects/bey...
Beyond Immunity: Uncovering the Hidden Diversity of Bacterial NLRs (SCHLIMPERT_J26DTP) | Doctoral Training Partnership
Join us in exploring the hidden functions of ancient immune proteins in bacteria. Bacteria, like plants and animals, have evolved sophisticated systems to detect and respond to threats.
biodtp.norwichresearchpark.ac.uk
October 13, 2025 at 6:46 AM
We have a PhD opportunity available in our group @johninnescentre.bsky.social through the NRP Doctoral Training Partnership. Help us uncover the Hidden Diversity of Bacterial NLRs.
Start date: October 2026. For more information and how to apply👉 biodtp.norwichresearchpark.ac.uk/projects/bey...
Start date: October 2026. For more information and how to apply👉 biodtp.norwichresearchpark.ac.uk/projects/bey...
Reposted by Maier Biophysics Lab
The what, when, where, and why of wrinkly morphology in biofilms
-in Biophysics Rev
pubs.aip.org/aip/bpr/arti...
-in Biophysics Rev
pubs.aip.org/aip/bpr/arti...
The what, when, where, and why of wrinkly morphology in biofilms
Wrinkling is a striking emergent behavior that occurs in microbial biofilms across many species. The phenomenon originates from an intricate interplay between e
pubs.aip.org
July 25, 2025 at 8:05 AM
The what, when, where, and why of wrinkly morphology in biofilms
-in Biophysics Rev
pubs.aip.org/aip/bpr/arti...
-in Biophysics Rev
pubs.aip.org/aip/bpr/arti...
Reposted by Maier Biophysics Lab
Please RT:
We have an opening for a junior group leader position in „Phage Biology & Biotechnology“.
www.fz-juelich.de/de/karriere/...
Interested candidates are encouraged to contact me via email for further details.
@spp2330.bsky.social; @mibinet.bsky.social
We have an opening for a junior group leader position in „Phage Biology & Biotechnology“.
www.fz-juelich.de/de/karriere/...
Interested candidates are encouraged to contact me via email for further details.
@spp2330.bsky.social; @mibinet.bsky.social
Junior Group Leader - Phage Biology & Biotechnology
As a leading research institution for microbial biotechnology the Institute of Bio- and Geosciences - Biotechnology (IBG-1, https://www.fz-juelich.de/de/ibg/ibg-1 ) at the Forschungszentrum Jülich foc...
www.fz-juelich.de
October 8, 2025 at 6:50 AM
Please RT:
We have an opening for a junior group leader position in „Phage Biology & Biotechnology“.
www.fz-juelich.de/de/karriere/...
Interested candidates are encouraged to contact me via email for further details.
@spp2330.bsky.social; @mibinet.bsky.social
We have an opening for a junior group leader position in „Phage Biology & Biotechnology“.
www.fz-juelich.de/de/karriere/...
Interested candidates are encouraged to contact me via email for further details.
@spp2330.bsky.social; @mibinet.bsky.social
Reposted by Maier Biophysics Lab
📢 A Junior Professorship (W1, tenure track) is open at the Center for Plant Molecular Biology at Uni Tübingen (@zmbp-tuebingen.bsky.social) — to work on plant protein biochemistry (composition, structure, dynamics, or regulation of protein complexes). 🌱 Great opportunity — Apply by Oct 17th!
September 9, 2025 at 10:04 AM
📢 A Junior Professorship (W1, tenure track) is open at the Center for Plant Molecular Biology at Uni Tübingen (@zmbp-tuebingen.bsky.social) — to work on plant protein biochemistry (composition, structure, dynamics, or regulation of protein complexes). 🌱 Great opportunity — Apply by Oct 17th!
Reposted by Maier Biophysics Lab
Job alert 📣 Our faculty looks for a Junior Professor W1 with tt to W2 in Membrane Biology! We are looking for #ECRs working on membrane biogenesis,contact sites,composition & other aspects of membranes in 🌱 and other organisms! DM me if you need more details!
jobs.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/jobposting/f...
jobs.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/jobposting/f...
W1TTW2 Professorship in Membrane Biology (m/f/d)
jobs.ruhr-uni-bochum.de
August 22, 2025 at 1:47 PM
Job alert 📣 Our faculty looks for a Junior Professor W1 with tt to W2 in Membrane Biology! We are looking for #ECRs working on membrane biogenesis,contact sites,composition & other aspects of membranes in 🌱 and other organisms! DM me if you need more details!
jobs.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/jobposting/f...
jobs.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/jobposting/f...
Reposted by Maier Biophysics Lab
We have a fully funded 3y postdoc position open!!!! Come join us @mpi-cbg.de and @poldresden.bsky.social to understand the role of Membranes in Controlling Biogenic Crystallization :) this is part of our #HFSP funded project with @noemijimenezrojo.bsky.social and @vmonje.bsky.social! Applications👇
The #MaxPlanckPostdocProgram offers a guaranteed contract of at least 3 years, targeted mentoring, and career workshops. The call for applications is open now! 🚀 Take advantage of this opportunity and browse the job vacancies. www.mpg.de/en/max-planc...
September 1, 2025 at 9:17 PM
We have a fully funded 3y postdoc position open!!!! Come join us @mpi-cbg.de and @poldresden.bsky.social to understand the role of Membranes in Controlling Biogenic Crystallization :) this is part of our #HFSP funded project with @noemijimenezrojo.bsky.social and @vmonje.bsky.social! Applications👇
Reposted by Maier Biophysics Lab
Faculty search announcement 2025: Tenure-Track Assistant Professor in Microbiology at UT Southwestern. We seek candidates working in microbial pathogenesis (some preference may be given to bacterial pathogens). Come join our community! (1/5) www.utsouthwestern.edu/departments/...
August 18, 2025 at 2:31 PM
Faculty search announcement 2025: Tenure-Track Assistant Professor in Microbiology at UT Southwestern. We seek candidates working in microbial pathogenesis (some preference may be given to bacterial pathogens). Come join our community! (1/5) www.utsouthwestern.edu/departments/...
Reposted by Maier Biophysics Lab
See how phi3T phage shifts Bacillus subtilis cell shape in the absence of SPbeta prophage and alters its fitness - our new publication in @commsbio.nature.com from group of @annadragos.bsky.social together with @bramkamplab.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/s42...
www.nature.com/articles/s42...
August 19, 2025 at 12:07 PM
Reposted by Maier Biophysics Lab
#microsky
Naturally competent bacteria and their genetic parasites – A battle for control over horizontal gene transfer?
academic.oup.com/femsre/advan...
Naturally competent bacteria and their genetic parasites – A battle for control over horizontal gene transfer?
academic.oup.com/femsre/advan...
Naturally competent bacteria and their genetic parasites – A battle for control over horizontal gene transfer?
Abstract. Host-mediated natural competence for transformation of DNA and mobile genetic element (MGE)-driven conjugation and transduction are key modes of
academic.oup.com
August 19, 2025 at 12:18 PM
#microsky
Naturally competent bacteria and their genetic parasites – A battle for control over horizontal gene transfer?
academic.oup.com/femsre/advan...
Naturally competent bacteria and their genetic parasites – A battle for control over horizontal gene transfer?
academic.oup.com/femsre/advan...
Reposted by Maier Biophysics Lab
Here's our new broad review on the extended mobility of plasmids, about all mechanisms driving and limiting their transfer. From conjugation to conduction, phage-plasmids to hitchers, molecular to evolutionary dynamics, ecology to biotech. The state of affairs. 1/9 academic.oup.com/nar/article/...
July 23, 2025 at 7:35 AM
Here's our new broad review on the extended mobility of plasmids, about all mechanisms driving and limiting their transfer. From conjugation to conduction, phage-plasmids to hitchers, molecular to evolutionary dynamics, ecology to biotech. The state of affairs. 1/9 academic.oup.com/nar/article/...
Reposted by Maier Biophysics Lab
Cell Symposia: Host-microbiome dynamics
May 10–12, 2026 | Bruges, Belgium
by @cp-immunity.bsky.social @cp-cellhostmicrobe.bsky.social and @cp-trendsmicrobiol.bsky.social
www.cell-symposia.com/microbiome-2...
May 10–12, 2026 | Bruges, Belgium
by @cp-immunity.bsky.social @cp-cellhostmicrobe.bsky.social and @cp-trendsmicrobiol.bsky.social
www.cell-symposia.com/microbiome-2...
August 14, 2025 at 2:08 PM
Cell Symposia: Host-microbiome dynamics
May 10–12, 2026 | Bruges, Belgium
by @cp-immunity.bsky.social @cp-cellhostmicrobe.bsky.social and @cp-trendsmicrobiol.bsky.social
www.cell-symposia.com/microbiome-2...
May 10–12, 2026 | Bruges, Belgium
by @cp-immunity.bsky.social @cp-cellhostmicrobe.bsky.social and @cp-trendsmicrobiol.bsky.social
www.cell-symposia.com/microbiome-2...
Reposted by Maier Biophysics Lab
Cool! #microsky
#microsky
We challenge the long-standing view that peptidoglycan alone protects cells from bursting.
Our study shows that the periplasm — enclosed by OM–PG connections — acts as a pressure buffer essential for osmoprotection in Gram-negative bacteria.
📄 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
We challenge the long-standing view that peptidoglycan alone protects cells from bursting.
Our study shows that the periplasm — enclosed by OM–PG connections — acts as a pressure buffer essential for osmoprotection in Gram-negative bacteria.
📄 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Peptidoglycan–outer membrane attachment generates periplasmic pressure to prevent lysis in Gram-negative bacteria - Nature Microbiology
Outer membrane attachment to peptidoglycan enables periplasmic pressure to build up and counter cytoplasmic turgor pressure, preventing lysis during osmotic challenges in Escherichia coli.
www.nature.com
August 14, 2025 at 3:00 PM
Cool! #microsky
Reposted by Maier Biophysics Lab
Reposted by Maier Biophysics Lab
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
Reposted by Maier Biophysics Lab
PhD student – Physics of bacterial infections
www.biozentrum.unibas.ch/open-positio...
@biozentrum @unibas.ch
#Biozentrum #Basel #research #science #joboffer #hiring #job #recruiting #careers #phd #physics #bacterial #infection
www.biozentrum.unibas.ch/open-positio...
@biozentrum @unibas.ch
#Biozentrum #Basel #research #science #joboffer #hiring #job #recruiting #careers #phd #physics #bacterial #infection
June 2, 2025 at 12:23 PM
PhD student – Physics of bacterial infections
www.biozentrum.unibas.ch/open-positio...
@biozentrum @unibas.ch
#Biozentrum #Basel #research #science #joboffer #hiring #job #recruiting #careers #phd #physics #bacterial #infection
www.biozentrum.unibas.ch/open-positio...
@biozentrum @unibas.ch
#Biozentrum #Basel #research #science #joboffer #hiring #job #recruiting #careers #phd #physics #bacterial #infection
Reposted by Maier Biophysics Lab
Excited to share the newest preprint from the lab for my first post! Driven by @tayellisonwrites.bsky.social and @ianyyen.bsky.social with Lynne Howell we show the protein FimX has diverged in function away from regulating pilus extension to instead regulate pilus localization in A. baylyi
FimX regulates type IV pilus localization via the Pil-Chp chemosensory system in Acinetobacter baylyi
Type IV pili (T4P) are widespread dynamic appendages required for diverse prokaryotic behaviors including twitching motility, biofilm formation, and DNA uptake leading to natural transformation. Altho...
www.biorxiv.org
May 22, 2025 at 11:01 AM
Excited to share the newest preprint from the lab for my first post! Driven by @tayellisonwrites.bsky.social and @ianyyen.bsky.social with Lynne Howell we show the protein FimX has diverged in function away from regulating pilus extension to instead regulate pilus localization in A. baylyi