Rob Fagan
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robfagan.bsky.social
Rob Fagan
@robfagan.bsky.social
Lead for Molecular Microbiology @sheffielduni.bsky.social
@molmicrosheffield.bsky.social

#SEN parent, #AngelmanSyndrome

Clostridial cell biology, AMR & bacteriophage structure and function

He/Him

https://sites.google.com/sheffield.ac.uk/fagan-lab/
Pinned
New preprint from us! The latest part of our C. difficile vancomycin resistance story. We identified a new two-component system (VnrRS) that can control expression of the vanG pathway - just needs one amino acid change

@buddlejess.bsky.social @brockhurstlab.bsky.social @claireyt.bsky.social
A novel two-component system controls vancomycin resistance in epidemic Clostridioides difficile
The glycopeptide antibiotic vancomycin is the frontline treatment for C. difficile infection in the UK. There have been only sporadic reports of resistance in the clinic but testing is rare so the tru...
www.biorxiv.org
I did some actual science this week - like actual handled some bacteria! Not sure I can make sense of the results or if they will ever see the light of day but I still feel like I did something
December 18, 2025 at 10:10 PM
Eventful Thursday! Pip cut her paw on something in our house, leading to a quick trip to the vets for some super glue. So she's had to come into the office with me. Apologies to everyone I've talked to today for the barking Labrador in the background!
December 18, 2025 at 1:10 PM
Reposted by Rob Fagan
I had an amazing time at my viva! It was a privilege to work in such an amazing lab and my examiners were so friendly and knowledgeable which led to a great discussion!
Congratulations to the new Dr @bexx-menday.bsky.social! And huge thanks to fantastic examiners Peter Rosenthal and Ellie Harrison
December 12, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Congratulations to the new Dr @bexx-menday.bsky.social! And huge thanks to fantastic examiners Peter Rosenthal and Ellie Harrison
December 5, 2025 at 9:57 PM
Reposted by Rob Fagan
Reposted by Rob Fagan
Kate Willett pass her viva yesterday, congrats Dr Willett! Huge thanks to @robfagan.bsky.social @ @jeremykeown.bsky.social
December 5, 2025 at 7:04 AM
The deadline for the first of our three fully funded PhD studentships is tomorrow! Determining the role of the dual-function VanT in C. diff vancomycin resistance. Collab with @gavinhthomas.bsky.social and Marjan van der Woude
MRC DiMeN Doctoral Training Partnership: Doubling down: determining the dual function of VanT in C. difficile antibiotic resistance. at University of Sheffield on FindAPhD.com
PhD Project - MRC DiMeN Doctoral Training Partnership: Doubling down: determining the dual function of VanT in C. difficile antibiotic resistance. at University of Sheffield, listed on FindAPhD.com
www.findaphd.com
December 3, 2025 at 11:34 AM
It's time for our annual lab hike and Christmas dinner - so of course there's torrential rain. I hope the pub has the fires lit!
December 1, 2025 at 9:26 AM
Inseparable
November 23, 2025 at 11:53 AM
There's just over 2 weeks left to apply for a fully funded PhD studentship with us working on C. difficile vancomycin resistance. Two more studentships - linked in the thread below - close in early January
November 19, 2025 at 1:45 PM
Reposted by Rob Fagan
Absolutely delighted (and proud) that @freyaallen.bsky.social passed her viva with minor corrections today.

Thanks very much @jessicamablair.bsky.social @robfagan.bsky.social for examining!
November 6, 2025 at 10:09 PM
Reposted by Rob Fagan
Thrilled to present the findings from my 2025 #SUREscheme project - 'Investigating the influence of latent bacteriophages on healthcare-associated C. difficile lysogens' - at the showcase yesterday evening. Huge thanks to @funnirudh.bsky.social and @robfagan.bsky.social for making this possible!
November 7, 2025 at 12:49 PM
Reposted by Rob Fagan
🚨 Fully funded PhD studentships 🚨

We have three fully funded PhD studentships available for Oct 26 start. Funded by the MRC DiMeN programme & the BBSRC Yorkshire Biosciences DTP. Details below as they are advertised. Contact me here or via email for more details or to discuss an application
Clostridial Cell Biology Group
We are the Clostridial Cell Biology Group at the University of Sheffield. We study all aspects of cell biology, including the architecture and biogenesis of surface structures on both vegetative cells...
sites.google.com
October 31, 2025 at 3:44 PM
🚨 Fully funded PhD studentships 🚨

We have three fully funded PhD studentships available for Oct 26 start. Funded by the MRC DiMeN programme & the BBSRC Yorkshire Biosciences DTP. Details below as they are advertised. Contact me here or via email for more details or to discuss an application
Clostridial Cell Biology Group
We are the Clostridial Cell Biology Group at the University of Sheffield. We study all aspects of cell biology, including the architecture and biogenesis of surface structures on both vegetative cells...
sites.google.com
October 31, 2025 at 3:44 PM
And just like that PhD student number 9 has finished! Congratulations Dr @anneswilliams.bsky.social and huge thanks to @claireyt.bsky.social and Laurence Wilson for acting as examiners. In the chaos yesterday I didn't get a photo so instead here's a drawing of our puppy by multi-talented Dr Williams
October 23, 2025 at 8:47 AM
The UK needs to be "culturally coherent" apparently - it's incredibly concerning when these disgusting racists feel comfortable enough to say this kind of garbage in public
Tory MP criticised after demanding legally settled families be deported
Katie Lam said move would make UK ‘culturally coherent’ and that a large number of people ‘need to go home’
www.theguardian.com
October 22, 2025 at 12:20 PM
Nesting habits of a 60lb Labrador puppy. So well camouflaged I almost didn't see her....
October 21, 2025 at 1:14 PM
Who says TV isn't educational? I just had our 4 year old explain coastal erosion to me - courtesy of the Octonauts apparently
October 18, 2025 at 6:41 PM
Reposted by Rob Fagan
Beautiful CryoEM work by our University of Sheffield colleagues @molmicrosheffield.bsky.social

Structural basis of multitasking by the apicoplast DNA polymerase from Plasmodium falciparum url: academic.oup.com/nar/article/...
Structural basis of multitasking by the apicoplast DNA polymerase from Plasmodium falciparum
Abstract. Plasmodium falciparum is a eukaryotic pathogen responsible for the majority of malaria-related fatalities. Plasmodium belongs to the phylum Apico
academic.oup.com
October 17, 2025 at 9:53 AM
Starting the day with news of a fire in our office early this morning. Thankfully no one hurt and no lasting damage but an unpleasant start to the day!
October 8, 2025 at 9:26 AM
Reposted by Rob Fagan
LMB PhD studentship available in the Baum lab to use informatics to infer cell structure from genomic data in collaboration with the brilliant Tom Williams. If you write to me and I don’t reply - try again - the spam filter is hungry…
October 2, 2025 at 9:04 AM
Making the most of a few days off before I have to get back to the day job! I think I've finally found the puppy's limit
September 24, 2025 at 12:23 PM
There are definite benefits to living on the edge of the Peak District. 5 min walk from our front door we reach the edge of the woods and after that the only limit is my legs. Today's mission was to clear my head and tire out the puppy
September 18, 2025 at 12:12 PM
Having a few days off to recover from a really full on summer & to get some DIY jobs done so we can sell our house. Was all going well until I got the carpet cleaner out. Managed to do half of one room before the magic white smoke escaped. Now two upset dogs and all the windows open. House stinks 😩
September 16, 2025 at 10:22 AM
Sigh...
September 15, 2025 at 8:09 PM