Tamanash Bhattacharya
@tamanash.bsky.social
Helen Hay Whitney Foundation fellow in Harmit Malik lab at Fred Hutch | I study evolutionary adaptation | http://tamanashbhattacharya.wordpress.com
Pinned
The Sindbis virus nsP3 opal codon protects viral RNA and fitness by maintaining replication spherule integrity
Most alphaviruses encode an in-frame opal stop codon between nsP3 and nsP4 in their nsP ORF. This opal stop codon mediates a temperature-dependent balance between viral polymerase production and prote...
www.biorxiv.org
New preprint alert! 🦟 <-> 🦠 <-> 🧑
I am thrilled to share our latest study on alphavirus host adaptation. More specifically, on how a single codon helps blunt alphavirus-induced host innate immune responses in mosquito and human cells. Continue reading for more!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
I am thrilled to share our latest study on alphavirus host adaptation. More specifically, on how a single codon helps blunt alphavirus-induced host innate immune responses in mosquito and human cells. Continue reading for more!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Tamanash Bhattacharya
Are you an early-stage graduate student (2nd or 3rd year) or early-stage postdoc based in the US or Canada, working primarily in Drosophila? Would you like to help improve the experience of all trainees working in Drosophila research? If so, read on.
(Please repost to reach a broad audience.)
(Please repost to reach a broad audience.)
November 12, 2025 at 4:49 AM
Are you an early-stage graduate student (2nd or 3rd year) or early-stage postdoc based in the US or Canada, working primarily in Drosophila? Would you like to help improve the experience of all trainees working in Drosophila research? If so, read on.
(Please repost to reach a broad audience.)
(Please repost to reach a broad audience.)
Reposted by Tamanash Bhattacharya
@andersonfbrito.bsky.social and I are seeking input from the community on hosting/sharing arbovirus sequencing data (DENV, CHIKV, OROV, ZIKV, & YFV) on @pathoplexus.org.
Please consider filling out this VERY SHORT survey about your interest and/or concerns.
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
Please consider filling out this VERY SHORT survey about your interest and/or concerns.
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
Community survey on the addition of Dengue, Chikungunya, Oropouche, Zika and Yellow fever virus to Pathoplexus
Pathoplexus is a new platform for sharing pathogen sequence data, launched in August 2024 [1], with the primary aim of making sharing and accessing pathogen genomic data easier, faster, and more effic...
docs.google.com
October 30, 2025 at 8:11 PM
@andersonfbrito.bsky.social and I are seeking input from the community on hosting/sharing arbovirus sequencing data (DENV, CHIKV, OROV, ZIKV, & YFV) on @pathoplexus.org.
Please consider filling out this VERY SHORT survey about your interest and/or concerns.
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
Please consider filling out this VERY SHORT survey about your interest and/or concerns.
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
Reposted by Tamanash Bhattacharya
More pictures of the brilliance that is (lab manager) Aida de la Cruz with her creation.
October 25, 2025 at 2:41 AM
More pictures of the brilliance that is (lab manager) Aida de la Cruz with her creation.
Reposted by Tamanash Bhattacharya
Muyuan Chen has turned structural biology into an immersive experience with his new video game Meowtabolism, now available on Steam.
Try the demo here: store.steampowered.com/app/4045010/...
Give Muyuan feedback: steamcommunity.com/app/4045010
#ScienceGaming #StructuralBiology #CryoEM #STEMOutreach
Try the demo here: store.steampowered.com/app/4045010/...
Give Muyuan feedback: steamcommunity.com/app/4045010
#ScienceGaming #StructuralBiology #CryoEM #STEMOutreach
October 4, 2025 at 1:34 PM
Muyuan Chen has turned structural biology into an immersive experience with his new video game Meowtabolism, now available on Steam.
Try the demo here: store.steampowered.com/app/4045010/...
Give Muyuan feedback: steamcommunity.com/app/4045010
#ScienceGaming #StructuralBiology #CryoEM #STEMOutreach
Try the demo here: store.steampowered.com/app/4045010/...
Give Muyuan feedback: steamcommunity.com/app/4045010
#ScienceGaming #StructuralBiology #CryoEM #STEMOutreach
Reposted by Tamanash Bhattacharya
Excitingly, we are now hiring at all levels!! Please reach out if you are interested in RNA viruses, viral replication, innate immunity, RNA imaging, or are just excited about having fun doing cool science! Information about specific positions here www.genoyerlab.com/join
Join — Genoyer Lab
www.genoyerlab.com
October 3, 2025 at 6:10 PM
Excitingly, we are now hiring at all levels!! Please reach out if you are interested in RNA viruses, viral replication, innate immunity, RNA imaging, or are just excited about having fun doing cool science! Information about specific positions here www.genoyerlab.com/join
New preprint alert! 🦟 <-> 🦠 <-> 🧑
I am thrilled to share our latest study on alphavirus host adaptation. More specifically, on how a single codon helps blunt alphavirus-induced host innate immune responses in mosquito and human cells. Continue reading for more!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
I am thrilled to share our latest study on alphavirus host adaptation. More specifically, on how a single codon helps blunt alphavirus-induced host innate immune responses in mosquito and human cells. Continue reading for more!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
The Sindbis virus nsP3 opal codon protects viral RNA and fitness by maintaining replication spherule integrity
Most alphaviruses encode an in-frame opal stop codon between nsP3 and nsP4 in their nsP ORF. This opal stop codon mediates a temperature-dependent balance between viral polymerase production and prote...
www.biorxiv.org
September 29, 2025 at 11:23 AM
New preprint alert! 🦟 <-> 🦠 <-> 🧑
I am thrilled to share our latest study on alphavirus host adaptation. More specifically, on how a single codon helps blunt alphavirus-induced host innate immune responses in mosquito and human cells. Continue reading for more!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
I am thrilled to share our latest study on alphavirus host adaptation. More specifically, on how a single codon helps blunt alphavirus-induced host innate immune responses in mosquito and human cells. Continue reading for more!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Tamanash Bhattacharya
And now this is the first statement from a named White House official, hours before the proclamation is set to go into effect.
Despite saying “to be clear,” her first tweet in this thread contained an FAQ posted yesterday which contains NONE of the information she lists below.
Despite saying “to be clear,” her first tweet in this thread contained an FAQ posted yesterday which contains NONE of the information she lists below.
September 20, 2025 at 9:12 PM
And now this is the first statement from a named White House official, hours before the proclamation is set to go into effect.
Despite saying “to be clear,” her first tweet in this thread contained an FAQ posted yesterday which contains NONE of the information she lists below.
Despite saying “to be clear,” her first tweet in this thread contained an FAQ posted yesterday which contains NONE of the information she lists below.
Reposted by Tamanash Bhattacharya
Any academic folks on H1B visas (even with stamps in passports) please get legal advice from your University attorneys before leaving the US.
September 20, 2025 at 4:09 AM
Any academic folks on H1B visas (even with stamps in passports) please get legal advice from your University attorneys before leaving the US.
Reposted by Tamanash Bhattacharya
So excited to see the first part of my thesis work with @harmitmalik.bsky.social and @melodygcampbell.bsky.social in print! www.science.org/doi/10.1126/... We have a bit of evolution and a whole lotta structure to figure out how new protein domains work
Molecular exaptation by the integrin αI domain
An ancient protein domain insertion seamlessly preserved conformational signaling while providing a novel surface for adaptation.
www.science.org
September 10, 2025 at 7:34 PM
So excited to see the first part of my thesis work with @harmitmalik.bsky.social and @melodygcampbell.bsky.social in print! www.science.org/doi/10.1126/... We have a bit of evolution and a whole lotta structure to figure out how new protein domains work
Reposted by Tamanash Bhattacharya
Excited to share that I’ll be joining @uicbios.bsky.social as an Asst. Prof. in Jan 2026! My lab will explore the epi/genetic principles of host–microbe interactions, symbiosis, and vector biology. We’ll be hiring postdocs and techs—details and lab website coming soon!
bios.uic.edu/news-stories...
bios.uic.edu/news-stories...
Meet the Faculty | Biological Sciences | University of Illinois Chicago
bios.uic.edu
September 9, 2025 at 6:39 PM
Excited to share that I’ll be joining @uicbios.bsky.social as an Asst. Prof. in Jan 2026! My lab will explore the epi/genetic principles of host–microbe interactions, symbiosis, and vector biology. We’ll be hiring postdocs and techs—details and lab website coming soon!
bios.uic.edu/news-stories...
bios.uic.edu/news-stories...
Reposted by Tamanash Bhattacharya
Reposted by Tamanash Bhattacharya
Our study from the Steckelberg lab is out now in @narjournal.bsky.social !! We dove into a new nuclease-blocking viral #RNA structure important for viral infection, which provided evidence of similar structure-based strategies across diverse viral families. academic.oup.com/nar/article/...
A conserved viral RNA fold enables nuclease resistance across kingdoms of life
Abstract. Viral exoribonuclease-resistant RNA (xrRNA) structures block cellular nucleases to produce subgenomic viral RNAs during infection. High sequence
academic.oup.com
September 2, 2025 at 6:58 PM
Our study from the Steckelberg lab is out now in @narjournal.bsky.social !! We dove into a new nuclease-blocking viral #RNA structure important for viral infection, which provided evidence of similar structure-based strategies across diverse viral families. academic.oup.com/nar/article/...
Reposted by Tamanash Bhattacharya
In new study led by Xiaohui Ju, we define how mutations to Chikungunya virus envelope proteins affect entry in human vs mosquito cells.
Sheds light on functional constraints & enables us to make loss-of-tropism mutants, which could be of use for vaccines.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Sheds light on functional constraints & enables us to make loss-of-tropism mutants, which could be of use for vaccines.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Determinants of human versus mosquito cell entry by the Chikungunya virus envelope proteins
Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) infects both humans and mosquitoes during its transmission cycle. How the virus’s envelope proteins mediate entry in cells from such different species is unclear. MXRA8 is a ...
www.biorxiv.org
September 4, 2025 at 11:12 PM
In new study led by Xiaohui Ju, we define how mutations to Chikungunya virus envelope proteins affect entry in human vs mosquito cells.
Sheds light on functional constraints & enables us to make loss-of-tropism mutants, which could be of use for vaccines.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Sheds light on functional constraints & enables us to make loss-of-tropism mutants, which could be of use for vaccines.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Tamanash Bhattacharya
Go home Evolution you're drunk
A common type of ant in Europe breaks a fundamental rule in biology: its queens can produce male offspring that are a whole different species
go.nature.com/4mOb5T9
go.nature.com/4mOb5T9
‘Almost unimaginable’: these ants are different species but share a mother
Ant queens of one species clone ants of another to create hybrid workers that do their bidding.
go.nature.com
September 3, 2025 at 3:47 PM
Go home Evolution you're drunk
Reposted by Tamanash Bhattacharya
Finally out! Did you ever wonder how a phylum with 10 core genes can make a conserved organelle? Read the paper! It's all about intrinsically disordered proteins! | PNAS www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
PNAS
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), a peer reviewed journal of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) - an authoritative source of high-impact, original research that broadly spans...
www.pnas.org
August 27, 2025 at 6:07 PM
Finally out! Did you ever wonder how a phylum with 10 core genes can make a conserved organelle? Read the paper! It's all about intrinsically disordered proteins! | PNAS www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Reposted by Tamanash Bhattacharya
New from the Choi lab!
Our study shows how West Nile virus polymerase recognizes its RNA promoter, stem-loop A. Excitingly, RNA decoys mimicking this structure can block viral replication + infection.
👏 Mandi Feinberg & My Le in collaboration with the Barrett Lab!
journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...
Our study shows how West Nile virus polymerase recognizes its RNA promoter, stem-loop A. Excitingly, RNA decoys mimicking this structure can block viral replication + infection.
👏 Mandi Feinberg & My Le in collaboration with the Barrett Lab!
journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...
Interaction of West Nile virus NS5 with orthoflavivirus SLA RNAs and their effects on viral replication and inhibition | Journal of Virology
West Nile virus (WNV) causes West Nile disease in humans. Approximately 1 in 150 cases
develops serious neurological complications, such as meningitis or encephalitis. Currently,
no vaccines or antivi...
journals.asm.org
August 21, 2025 at 3:29 PM
New from the Choi lab!
Our study shows how West Nile virus polymerase recognizes its RNA promoter, stem-loop A. Excitingly, RNA decoys mimicking this structure can block viral replication + infection.
👏 Mandi Feinberg & My Le in collaboration with the Barrett Lab!
journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...
Our study shows how West Nile virus polymerase recognizes its RNA promoter, stem-loop A. Excitingly, RNA decoys mimicking this structure can block viral replication + infection.
👏 Mandi Feinberg & My Le in collaboration with the Barrett Lab!
journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...
Reposted by Tamanash Bhattacharya
Our lab has an opening for a research technician to contribute to our efforts to understand RSV evolution & its impact on antibody countermeasures (see journals.asm.org/doi/full/10....). The tech will also help w lab management.
If interested, apply here: careers-fhcrc.icims.com/jobs/29940/job
If interested, apply here: careers-fhcrc.icims.com/jobs/29940/job
August 20, 2025 at 12:19 AM
Our lab has an opening for a research technician to contribute to our efforts to understand RSV evolution & its impact on antibody countermeasures (see journals.asm.org/doi/full/10....). The tech will also help w lab management.
If interested, apply here: careers-fhcrc.icims.com/jobs/29940/job
If interested, apply here: careers-fhcrc.icims.com/jobs/29940/job
Reposted by Tamanash Bhattacharya
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 Tamanash Bhattacharya
This preprint from Helen Sakharova is one of the coolest things to come out of my lab: “Protein language models reveal evolutionary constraints on synonymous codon choice.” Codon choice is a big puzzle in how information is encoded in genomes, and we have a new angle. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Protein language models reveal evolutionary constraints on synonymous codon choice
Evolution has shaped the genetic code, with subtle pressures leading to preferences for some synonymous codons over others. Codons are translated at different speeds by the ribosome, imposing constrai...
www.biorxiv.org
August 7, 2025 at 8:29 AM
This preprint from Helen Sakharova is one of the coolest things to come out of my lab: “Protein language models reveal evolutionary constraints on synonymous codon choice.” Codon choice is a big puzzle in how information is encoded in genomes, and we have a new angle. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Tamanash Bhattacharya
I'm excited to announce our new biorxiv preprint, wherein we investigate the evolution of the weirdest genetic locus I've ever seen! Behold the tgr genes of the social amoeba, which mediate self/non-self discrimination during facultative multicellularity 🐅 🧵 1/
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Hypermutable hotspot enables the rapid evolution of self/non-self recognition genes in Dictyostelium
Cells require highly polymorphic receptors to perform accurate self/non-self recognition. In the amoeba Dicytostelium discoideum, polymorphic TgrB1 & TgrC1 proteins are used to bind sister cells and e...
www.biorxiv.org
August 5, 2025 at 12:56 AM
I'm excited to announce our new biorxiv preprint, wherein we investigate the evolution of the weirdest genetic locus I've ever seen! Behold the tgr genes of the social amoeba, which mediate self/non-self discrimination during facultative multicellularity 🐅 🧵 1/
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Tamanash Bhattacharya
Delighted to share Elena Romero's work on HIV recombination now out in MBE! academic.oup.com/mbe/article/...
We wanted to understand if intra-host HIV populations with high viral loads might have more recombination due to increased opportunities for coinfection. #VirEvol 🧪
We wanted to understand if intra-host HIV populations with high viral loads might have more recombination due to increased opportunities for coinfection. #VirEvol 🧪
Animated GIF - Find & Share on GIPHY
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January 11, 2024 at 11:42 PM
Delighted to share Elena Romero's work on HIV recombination now out in MBE! academic.oup.com/mbe/article/...
We wanted to understand if intra-host HIV populations with high viral loads might have more recombination due to increased opportunities for coinfection. #VirEvol 🧪
We wanted to understand if intra-host HIV populations with high viral loads might have more recombination due to increased opportunities for coinfection. #VirEvol 🧪
Reposted by Tamanash Bhattacharya
I spoke to Renaud Pourpe (of @lonelypipette.bsky.social fame with @epigenetique.bsky.social) about the unique challenges faced by postdocs and early-career PIs worldwide on the transition from postdoc to PI.
Lots of useful advice shared (by others):
www.alba.network/diversity-po...
Check it out.
Lots of useful advice shared (by others):
www.alba.network/diversity-po...
Check it out.
ALBA-IBRO Diversity Podcast - Season 2
Episode 4 is out. In season 2, we focus on the transition from postdoc to PI, highlighting the unique challenges faced by postdocs and early-career PIs worldwide. Hosted by the Lonely Pipette.
www.alba.network
August 2, 2025 at 11:01 PM
I spoke to Renaud Pourpe (of @lonelypipette.bsky.social fame with @epigenetique.bsky.social) about the unique challenges faced by postdocs and early-career PIs worldwide on the transition from postdoc to PI.
Lots of useful advice shared (by others):
www.alba.network/diversity-po...
Check it out.
Lots of useful advice shared (by others):
www.alba.network/diversity-po...
Check it out.
Reposted by Tamanash Bhattacharya
Do you love phage? I have an opening for a postdoc in my lab at the University of South Florida College of Marine Science (@cmarinescience.bsky.social) looking at interactions between marine phage and iron, which is an important limiting trace metal in the oceans (1/5) 🧵#phagesky 🦠🌊
August 1, 2025 at 1:45 PM
Do you love phage? I have an opening for a postdoc in my lab at the University of South Florida College of Marine Science (@cmarinescience.bsky.social) looking at interactions between marine phage and iron, which is an important limiting trace metal in the oceans (1/5) 🧵#phagesky 🦠🌊
Reposted by Tamanash Bhattacharya
This week we said farewell to the amazing @caitlinkowa.bsky.social as she moves to start her new lab at Dartmouth. So grateful for all her leadership and mentoring the last few years.
If you’re interested in all things skin microbes (especially fungi) check out her lab! I can’t recommend enough.
If you’re interested in all things skin microbes (especially fungi) check out her lab! I can’t recommend enough.
HOME
Visit the post for more.
caitlinkowalski.com
August 1, 2025 at 12:05 AM
This week we said farewell to the amazing @caitlinkowa.bsky.social as she moves to start her new lab at Dartmouth. So grateful for all her leadership and mentoring the last few years.
If you’re interested in all things skin microbes (especially fungi) check out her lab! I can’t recommend enough.
If you’re interested in all things skin microbes (especially fungi) check out her lab! I can’t recommend enough.
Reposted by Tamanash Bhattacharya
Very proud to have our lab’s first work published in @cp-cellhostmicrobe.bsky.social!
In this work, we use functional metagenomics to find phage defenses from human and soil microbiomes!
Congrats to first author @luis840alberto.bsky.social !
www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...
(1/3)
In this work, we use functional metagenomics to find phage defenses from human and soil microbiomes!
Congrats to first author @luis840alberto.bsky.social !
www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...
(1/3)
July 29, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Very proud to have our lab’s first work published in @cp-cellhostmicrobe.bsky.social!
In this work, we use functional metagenomics to find phage defenses from human and soil microbiomes!
Congrats to first author @luis840alberto.bsky.social !
www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...
(1/3)
In this work, we use functional metagenomics to find phage defenses from human and soil microbiomes!
Congrats to first author @luis840alberto.bsky.social !
www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...
(1/3)