Otago Biochemistry
@otagobiochemist.bsky.social
Department of Biochemistry at the University of Otago
Te Tari Matū Koiora, Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka
Te Tari Matū Koiora, Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka
DNA detectives: the Otago scientists decoding ultra-rare genetic disorders
A global revolution in genetic sequencing is helping University of Otago scientists solve the mysteries of ultra-rare disorders, for one family at a time.
www.otago.ac.nz/news/newsroo...
A global revolution in genetic sequencing is helping University of Otago scientists solve the mysteries of ultra-rare disorders, for one family at a time.
www.otago.ac.nz/news/newsroo...
DNA detectives: the Otago scientists decoding ultra-rare genetic disorders
A global revolution in genetic sequencing is helping University of Otago scientists solve the mysteries of ultra-rare disorders, for one family at a time.
www.otago.ac.nz
November 14, 2025 at 1:15 AM
DNA detectives: the Otago scientists decoding ultra-rare genetic disorders
A global revolution in genetic sequencing is helping University of Otago scientists solve the mysteries of ultra-rare disorders, for one family at a time.
www.otago.ac.nz/news/newsroo...
A global revolution in genetic sequencing is helping University of Otago scientists solve the mysteries of ultra-rare disorders, for one family at a time.
www.otago.ac.nz/news/newsroo...
Looks like the NZSBMB conference in Rotorua went well. Lots of Otago Biochemistry postgrad students presented posters.
Congrats to Jess Willans (& supervisor Liz Ledgerwood) who won a prize for her Peroxiredoxin 2 research poster!
Congrats to Jess Willans (& supervisor Liz Ledgerwood) who won a prize for her Peroxiredoxin 2 research poster!
November 13, 2025 at 11:38 PM
Looks like the NZSBMB conference in Rotorua went well. Lots of Otago Biochemistry postgrad students presented posters.
Congrats to Jess Willans (& supervisor Liz Ledgerwood) who won a prize for her Peroxiredoxin 2 research poster!
Congrats to Jess Willans (& supervisor Liz Ledgerwood) who won a prize for her Peroxiredoxin 2 research poster!
Reposted by Otago Biochemistry
Writing the “Alternative Plans” part of the grant
November 13, 2025 at 3:21 PM
Writing the “Alternative Plans” part of the grant
Reposted by Otago Biochemistry
Scientific writing and writing for the public are very different. As I do both, is that difference eroding for me? And if it is, is that good or bad?
Are my academic and non-academic writing styles converging? And would that be good?
I spent the first 25 years of my academic career writing scientific papers (and the grant proposals to fund them, of course). I never found that easy – although it got easier through time (and it c…
scientistseessquirrel.wordpress.com
November 12, 2025 at 8:22 PM
Scientific writing and writing for the public are very different. As I do both, is that difference eroding for me? And if it is, is that good or bad?
Reposted by Otago Biochemistry
Very pretty #SciArt 🧪 🎨 render of Asgard chromatin 🧬 (determined by the @dodonova-sveta.bsky.social lab). Nice one Leonora! 👩🔬👩🎨
November 11, 2025 at 10:12 PM
Very pretty #SciArt 🧪 🎨 render of Asgard chromatin 🧬 (determined by the @dodonova-sveta.bsky.social lab). Nice one Leonora! 👩🔬👩🎨
Journal Club – Fri 14 Nov, 12pm, Rm BIG13
Rebacca Yorker: More than just a sugar craving…?
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Michael Dunnet: Orange you curious? The origin of the sweet orange.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Rebacca Yorker: More than just a sugar craving…?
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Michael Dunnet: Orange you curious? The origin of the sweet orange.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Origin and de novo domestication of sweet orange - Nature Genetics
Genomic analyses of Citrus species including haplotype-resolved genomes of Citrus sinensis and Citrus aurantium highlight the origin of sweet orange and provide a strategy for de novo domestication of...
www.nature.com
November 11, 2025 at 9:49 PM
Journal Club – Fri 14 Nov, 12pm, Rm BIG13
Rebacca Yorker: More than just a sugar craving…?
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Michael Dunnet: Orange you curious? The origin of the sweet orange.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Rebacca Yorker: More than just a sugar craving…?
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Michael Dunnet: Orange you curious? The origin of the sweet orange.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
"Franklin did not fail to grasp the structure of DNA. She was an equal contributor to solving it.
Getting Franklin’s story right is crucial, because she has become a role model for women going into science."
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Getting Franklin’s story right is crucial, because she has become a role model for women going into science."
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
What Rosalind Franklin truly contributed to the discovery of DNA’s structure
Franklin was no victim in how the DNA double helix was solved. An overlooked letter and an unpublished news article, both written in 1953, reveal that she was an equal player.
www.nature.com
November 10, 2025 at 9:42 PM
"Franklin did not fail to grasp the structure of DNA. She was an equal contributor to solving it.
Getting Franklin’s story right is crucial, because she has become a role model for women going into science."
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Getting Franklin’s story right is crucial, because she has become a role model for women going into science."
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Latest publication from Otago Biochemistry.
Advancing the antituberculosis activity of nitropicolinic acids and amides
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Advancing the antituberculosis activity of nitropicolinic acids and amides
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Advancing the antituberculosis activity of nitropicolinic acids and amides
Ambitious milestones set by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to end the tuberculosis epidemic by 2030 currently appear out of reach, and there rema…
www.sciencedirect.com
November 9, 2025 at 8:24 PM
Latest publication from Otago Biochemistry.
Advancing the antituberculosis activity of nitropicolinic acids and amides
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Advancing the antituberculosis activity of nitropicolinic acids and amides
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Latest publication with a contribution from Otago Biochemistry.
Structural basis of isethionate transport by a TRAP transporter from a sulfate-reducing bacterium
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Structural basis of isethionate transport by a TRAP transporter from a sulfate-reducing bacterium
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Structural basis of isethionate transport by a TRAP transporter from a sulfate-reducing bacterium
Sulfate-reducing bacteria import organosulfur compounds from the environment for anaerobic respiration. They contribute to human disease and are probl…
www.sciencedirect.com
November 9, 2025 at 8:16 PM
Latest publication with a contribution from Otago Biochemistry.
Structural basis of isethionate transport by a TRAP transporter from a sulfate-reducing bacterium
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Structural basis of isethionate transport by a TRAP transporter from a sulfate-reducing bacterium
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Reposted by Otago Biochemistry
Could be an interesting collection to explore -
For those with a scholarly interest in Franklin, Watson, and other pioneering researchers in molecular biology, @sciencehistory.org has just opened our new landmark collection of their papers, and applications for research fellowships are currently open:
www.sciencehistory.org/hmbc
www.sciencehistory.org/hmbc
History of Molecular Biology Collection
This unparalleled collection includes Rosalind Franklin's historic 'Photo 51,' which revealed the double-helix structure of DNA.
www.sciencehistory.org
November 9, 2025 at 7:28 PM
Could be an interesting collection to explore -
We're very excited that Dr Alice-Roza Eruera will be returning from Harvard to take up a Mana Tūāpapa Future Leader Fellowship, jointly hosted by the Department of Biochemistry and the Department of Microbiology & Immunology. She plans to study ancient viruses for use in biotech. Ka mau te wehi!
November 7, 2025 at 2:47 AM
We're very excited that Dr Alice-Roza Eruera will be returning from Harvard to take up a Mana Tūāpapa Future Leader Fellowship, jointly hosted by the Department of Biochemistry and the Department of Microbiology & Immunology. She plans to study ancient viruses for use in biotech. Ka mau te wehi!
Just confirming what we already knew: Otago Biochemist Associate Professor Lynette Brownfield is an awesome postgrad supervisor! This week awarded the Division of Health Sciences Supervisor of the year. Here she is with her group of young scientists enjoying a well-earned break amongst the rhodies.
November 7, 2025 at 2:32 AM
Just confirming what we already knew: Otago Biochemist Associate Professor Lynette Brownfield is an awesome postgrad supervisor! This week awarded the Division of Health Sciences Supervisor of the year. Here she is with her group of young scientists enjoying a well-earned break amongst the rhodies.
Journal Club – Friday, 12pm, Rm BIG13
Adam Middleton: Life Lessons From (Very Old) Bowhead Whales
Firsanov, D., Zacher, M., Tian, X. et al. Evidence for improved DNA repair in long-lived bowhead whale. Nature (2025)
doi.org/10.1038/s415...
Adam Middleton: Life Lessons From (Very Old) Bowhead Whales
Firsanov, D., Zacher, M., Tian, X. et al. Evidence for improved DNA repair in long-lived bowhead whale. Nature (2025)
doi.org/10.1038/s415...
Evidence for improved DNA repair in long-lived bowhead whale - Nature
Analysis of the longest-lived mammal, the bowhead whale, reveals an improved ability to repair DNA breaks, mediated by high levels of cold-inducible RNA-binding protein. &nbs...
doi.org
November 5, 2025 at 10:57 PM
Journal Club – Friday, 12pm, Rm BIG13
Adam Middleton: Life Lessons From (Very Old) Bowhead Whales
Firsanov, D., Zacher, M., Tian, X. et al. Evidence for improved DNA repair in long-lived bowhead whale. Nature (2025)
doi.org/10.1038/s415...
Adam Middleton: Life Lessons From (Very Old) Bowhead Whales
Firsanov, D., Zacher, M., Tian, X. et al. Evidence for improved DNA repair in long-lived bowhead whale. Nature (2025)
doi.org/10.1038/s415...
Congratulations to all 2025 Marsden recipients, but especially Otago biochemists Dr Matthias Fellner, (Unravelling the mystery of protein-based pigments in starfish) & Professor Peter Mace (Helping plants see the light - plant specific regulation of the COP1 ubiquitin ligase)!!!
November 5, 2025 at 2:28 AM
Congratulations to all 2025 Marsden recipients, but especially Otago biochemists Dr Matthias Fellner, (Unravelling the mystery of protein-based pigments in starfish) & Professor Peter Mace (Helping plants see the light - plant specific regulation of the COP1 ubiquitin ligase)!!!
More fascinating science this week with the final session of this year’s MSc presentations. Brooke Morrison targeting lncRNAs for cancer therapy, Rosie Morris exploring fungal microbial compound production for use on pine trees, and Michael Hawkins analysing Ribo-seq.
November 5, 2025 at 2:10 AM
More fascinating science this week with the final session of this year’s MSc presentations. Brooke Morrison targeting lncRNAs for cancer therapy, Rosie Morris exploring fungal microbial compound production for use on pine trees, and Michael Hawkins analysing Ribo-seq.
Prof Steph Hughes and research group members Priyal Dass, Emma Deeney and Sakshi Mathur have been on the Sunshine Coast, Australia, at an international Batten disease conference (NCL2025). Sakshi and Priyal both presented posters and Priyal won the best student poster award. Congrats Priyal!!!
November 5, 2025 at 1:52 AM
Prof Steph Hughes and research group members Priyal Dass, Emma Deeney and Sakshi Mathur have been on the Sunshine Coast, Australia, at an international Batten disease conference (NCL2025). Sakshi and Priyal both presented posters and Priyal won the best student poster award. Congrats Priyal!!!
Reposted by Otago Biochemistry
PSA: Last week, Affinity Studio (major Adobe Illustrator/Photoshop alternative) went completely 'free forever'.
Pro design software, now accessible to all PhD students. May start recommending this in my workshops.
www.affinity.studio/graphic-desi...
Pro design software, now accessible to all PhD students. May start recommending this in my workshops.
www.affinity.studio/graphic-desi...
November 4, 2025 at 4:03 PM
PSA: Last week, Affinity Studio (major Adobe Illustrator/Photoshop alternative) went completely 'free forever'.
Pro design software, now accessible to all PhD students. May start recommending this in my workshops.
www.affinity.studio/graphic-desi...
Pro design software, now accessible to all PhD students. May start recommending this in my workshops.
www.affinity.studio/graphic-desi...
Reposted by Otago Biochemistry
Hey anyone at #mpi or #biosecuritynz. We do wasp genomics. I reckon I could tell you in about 24 hours if these invasive yellow legged #hornets you have found in Auckland are sisters, or a larger invasion. For free. Hit me up now!
November 4, 2025 at 3:30 AM
Hey anyone at #mpi or #biosecuritynz. We do wasp genomics. I reckon I could tell you in about 24 hours if these invasive yellow legged #hornets you have found in Auckland are sisters, or a larger invasion. For free. Hit me up now!
Latest publication with a contribution from Otago Biochemistry.
Commensal skin bacteria interact with the innate immune system to promote tail regeneration in Xenopus laevis tadpoles
anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Commensal skin bacteria interact with the innate immune system to promote tail regeneration in Xenopus laevis tadpoles
anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Commensal skin bacteria interact with the innate immune system to promote tail regeneration in Xenopus laevis tadpoles
Background Tadpoles of the clawed frog Xenopus laevis can regenerate their tails following partial amputation, replacing the missing spinal cord, muscles, and fin. However, for a brief period of dev...
anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
November 3, 2025 at 8:49 PM
Latest publication with a contribution from Otago Biochemistry.
Commensal skin bacteria interact with the innate immune system to promote tail regeneration in Xenopus laevis tadpoles
anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Commensal skin bacteria interact with the innate immune system to promote tail regeneration in Xenopus laevis tadpoles
anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Latest publication from Otago Biochemistry.
PsbE:Phe10 of Cytochrome b559 Modifies Inactivation and Recovery of Photosystem II in Response to High-Light Stress
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
PsbE:Phe10 of Cytochrome b559 Modifies Inactivation and Recovery of Photosystem II in Response to High-Light Stress
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
PsbE:Phe10 of Cytochrome b559 Modifies Inactivation and Recovery of Photosystem II in Response to High‐Light Stress
Cytochrome b559 (Cyt b559) is a Photosystem II (PS II) protein formed by PsbE (the α-subunit) and PsbF (the β-subunit) that is essential for the biogenesis of the photosystem and may contribute to ph...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
November 3, 2025 at 8:43 PM
Latest publication from Otago Biochemistry.
PsbE:Phe10 of Cytochrome b559 Modifies Inactivation and Recovery of Photosystem II in Response to High-Light Stress
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
PsbE:Phe10 of Cytochrome b559 Modifies Inactivation and Recovery of Photosystem II in Response to High-Light Stress
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Reposted by Otago Biochemistry
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
Otago Biochemistry alumnus Max Wilkinson has just started a research group at the prestigious Sloan Kettering Institute in New York! Studying RNA biology using biochemistry, microbiology & structural biology techniques.
He's hiring - postdocs and PhD students.
www.mskcc.org/research/ski...
He's hiring - postdocs and PhD students.
www.mskcc.org/research/ski...
The Max Wilkinson Lab
The Wilkinson laboratory studies reverse transcriptases and retrotransposons using biochemistry, structural biology, and genome mining.
www.mskcc.org
November 2, 2025 at 8:57 PM
Otago Biochemistry alumnus Max Wilkinson has just started a research group at the prestigious Sloan Kettering Institute in New York! Studying RNA biology using biochemistry, microbiology & structural biology techniques.
He's hiring - postdocs and PhD students.
www.mskcc.org/research/ski...
He's hiring - postdocs and PhD students.
www.mskcc.org/research/ski...
Department of Biochemistry MSc Research Presentations
Tue 2nd Nov, 12pm, Rm BIG13
Tue 2nd Nov, 12pm, Rm BIG13
October 29, 2025 at 9:51 PM
Department of Biochemistry MSc Research Presentations
Tue 2nd Nov, 12pm, Rm BIG13
Tue 2nd Nov, 12pm, Rm BIG13
"Ozempic, MRI machines and flat screen televisions all emerged out of fundamental research decades earlier — the very types of study being slashed by the US government."
AND the NZ government!
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
AND the NZ government!
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
October 29, 2025 at 9:14 PM
"Ozempic, MRI machines and flat screen televisions all emerged out of fundamental research decades earlier — the very types of study being slashed by the US government."
AND the NZ government!
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
AND the NZ government!
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Reposted by Otago Biochemistry
Responses to this piece, which argues that hyperbole is a useful and appropriate technique in non-fiction writing, seem to show a really fascinating pattern. Broadly: scientists disagree; non-scientists agree.
Does this really change *everything*?
Back in August, I reviewed the absolutely gorgeous new book Ferns: Lessons In Survival From Earth’s Most Adaptable Plants. And commenters on posts are awesome, because Jeremy Fox asked what he call…
scientistseessquirrel.wordpress.com
October 29, 2025 at 12:38 PM
Responses to this piece, which argues that hyperbole is a useful and appropriate technique in non-fiction writing, seem to show a really fascinating pattern. Broadly: scientists disagree; non-scientists agree.