Jim Van Deventer
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vandeventerjim.bsky.social
Jim Van Deventer
@vandeventerjim.bsky.social
Chemical and Biological Engineering, Tufts University. Antibody engineering with expanded genetic codes, enhancing genetic code expansion in yeast, and more.
Reposted by Jim Van Deventer
Our 7yo has coined a new word: "interrupdate."

I think he meant it as a fancier or more nuanced version of "interrupt," but I'm sure we can all see the possibilities.
November 10, 2025 at 10:38 PM
Today, I'm grateful to have two PhD students presenting at the American Institute of Chemical Engineers annual meeting.

Briana Lino: release factor engineering to enhance noncanonical amino acid incorporation

Sean Williams: protein-small molecule hybrid discovery

(1/2)

#ChemSky
November 3, 2025 at 1:32 PM
Today, I'm grateful for kid #2's excitement about Halloween. However, I am NOT grateful for the resulting inability to sleep past 3am and its effects on MY sleep...
October 31, 2025 at 10:43 AM
...With thought-provoking presentations from Han Xiao and Ali Deliz Liang this morning!

#Chemsky
Today, I'm grateful for the International Genetic Code Expansion (GCE) Webinar.
gce4all.oregonstate.edu/tools-and-tr...

This series has done a really good job of featuring a wide range of speakers using noncanonical amino acids and GCE in creative ways! (1/2)
International GCE Webinar | GCE4All
gce4all.oregonstate.edu
October 16, 2025 at 4:21 PM
Today, I'm grateful for the International Genetic Code Expansion (GCE) Webinar.
gce4all.oregonstate.edu/tools-and-tr...

This series has done a really good job of featuring a wide range of speakers using noncanonical amino acids and GCE in creative ways! (1/2)
International GCE Webinar | GCE4All
gce4all.oregonstate.edu
October 16, 2025 at 4:14 PM
Today, I'm grateful for Thundercat.

No, I will not be taking questions.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhVg...
Thundercat: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert
YouTube video by NPR Music
www.youtube.com
October 13, 2025 at 2:59 PM
Today, I'm grateful for the Maria Flytzani-Stephanopoulos Symposium on Single-Site Catalysis at Tufts. This symposium celebrates Maria's legacy in the field by bring together current researchers in the field (1/2).

#ChemSky #Catalysis #SingleAtoms

sites.tufts.edu/mfscatalysis...
Maria Flytzani-Stephanopoulos Symposium on Single-Site Catalysis
sites.tufts.edu
October 10, 2025 at 2:08 PM
Today, I'm grateful for Jeremy Berg. I'll let his words speak for themselves.

#Science #Courage
I have been trying to get this published as an op-ed, but I am going to post it here since I think it is timely in light of the "consent" extortion events.

Deafening Quiet from the Scientific Establishment

jeremymberg.github.io/jeremyberg.g...

1/14
jeremymberg.github.io
October 8, 2025 at 2:43 PM
Today, I'm grateful for a seminar and visit from Michael Wong, Rice University Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, to Tufts ChBE. Excellent seminar and creative ideas about PFAS. Time to revisit my long-dormant fluorinated protein expertise?

www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...

#ChemSky
Hydration dynamics at fluorinated protein surfaces | PNAS
Water-protein interactions dictate many processes crucial to protein function including folding, dynamics, interactions with other biomolecules, an...
www.pnas.org
October 7, 2025 at 1:49 PM
Today, I'm grateful for the background information associated with Nobel Prizes. I enjoy reading about the scientific foundations that led to the prizes. The popular science information is accessible even when I don't have background in a prize area (1/n).

www.nobelprize.org

#ChemSky #NobelPrize
The official website of the Nobel Prize - NobelPrize.org
The Nobel Prize rewards science, humanism and peace efforts. This is one of the central concepts in the will of Alfred Nobel, and it also permeates the outreach activities that have been developed for...
www.nobelprize.org
October 6, 2025 at 12:48 PM
Today, I'm grateful for "Office Hours," a podcast supported by the Biomedical Engineering Society. Host Liz Wayne @lizwaynephd.bsky.social is doing tremendous work here. I especially enjoy the discussions surrounding why Liz and her guests have chosen careers in academia (1/2).

#BMES #ChemSky
October 3, 2025 at 1:24 PM
Reposted by Jim Van Deventer
🚨New manuscript alert!🚨We show that a natural, bacterial-derived, #antimicrobial #AMP can be used and engineered for targeted manipulation of specific species in a microbial community from the top-down! #microbiome. Thanks to @vandeventerjim.bsky.social for helping!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Engineered antimicrobial-derived peptides to manipulate mixed microbial systems
Due to complexity of microbial communities and coarseness of currently available manipulation techniques (e.g. transplantation, antibiotic-treatment), it is often difficult to fully elucidate the inte...
www.biorxiv.org
October 1, 2025 at 12:39 PM
Today, as the shutdown of the US government draws closer, I'd just like to express my gratitude for the program officers, scientific review officers, and other employees of US granting agencies (1/2).
September 30, 2025 at 2:15 PM
Okay, I'm grateful for something else today: excellent seminar by Ben Woolston, Asst. Professor, Chemical Engineering, Northeastern University (not sure if he's on Blue Sky). Crazy microbes doing C1 metabolism, and microbes producing + sensing hydrogen sulfide. #ChemSky

woolstonlab.org
Woolston Lab
Learn about the Woolston lab's cutting-edge metabolic engineering research in gas fermentation, C1 metabolism, and the gut microbiome
woolstonlab.org
September 29, 2025 at 6:13 PM
Today, I'm grateful to be able to welcome a first-year PhD student into the Van Deventer Lab. Welcome, Peter Tinker, to the group!
September 29, 2025 at 11:40 AM
Today, I'm grateful for 30% off all bagged coffee at the local Whole Foods. Even off of the legendary roaster George Howell's coffees (always legendarily priced these days, too). Goodness! What a treat!

#CoffeeObsessed
September 25, 2025 at 1:49 PM
Today, I'm grateful for Nala Sinephro and her music. This artist has released a couple of absolutely gorgeous albums that I've listened to more times than I can count.

nalasinephro.com
Nala Sinephro – Endlessness
The Official Store for the artist Nala Sinephro. New Album 'Endlessness' will be released on September 6th by Warp Records.
nalasinephro.com
September 24, 2025 at 1:06 PM
Today, I'm grateful for the courage of Wired editors:

www.wired.com/politics-iss...
ALL HAIL THE TECHNOCRACY
Tech went all in on Trump this year. It's just the beginning.
www.wired.com
September 22, 2025 at 1:26 PM
Today, I’m grateful it was a competitive showing for Everton www.bbc.com/sport/footba...
Liverpool score twice in the first half to overcome Everton in the Merseyside derby at Anfield.
Liverpool score twice in the first half to overcome Everton in the Merseyside derby at Anfield.
www.bbc.com
September 20, 2025 at 2:01 PM
Today, I'm grateful for two things:

1. Cake for breakfast (this needs no further explanation).
2. My Chemical and Biological Engineering colleagues. Committed to world-class research, heavily invested in teaching and mentoring, and genuinely collegial people.

engineering.tufts.edu/chbe/people/...
Faculty | Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering
engineering.tufts.edu
September 19, 2025 at 12:09 PM
Today, I'm grateful for first year undergraduate students. Oh my goodness, so much enthusiasm and curiosity, so willing to try different things...it's fun teaching them. I hope coffee engineering can help them increase these attributes while also preparing them for the rigors of engineering!
September 17, 2025 at 2:48 PM
Today, I'm grateful for a new episode of "The Chain" podcast (Episode 77). Great conversation between Derek Lowe @dereklowe.bsky.social and chris bahl @cdbahl.com with a wide range of thoughts, provocations, and opinions (1/2).

www.healthtech.com/thechain
The Chain Podcast
The Chain podcast explores the lives, careers, research, and discoveries of protein engineers and scientists, the impact their work is having on the field, and where the industry is headed.
www.healthtech.com
September 16, 2025 at 1:42 PM
Today, I'm grateful for Kpop Demon Hunters. I mean, how could I not be (at least mostly)? It's the only music that plays in my family's house + cars, the kids are obsessed with it, and I've had the music stuck in my head for the past month without going insane...

www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzCA...
KPop Demon Hunters | Official Trailer | Netflix
YouTube video by Netflix
www.youtube.com
September 15, 2025 at 3:44 PM
Today, I'm grateful for football (No, not American football, proper football. You know, the football that's played globally?). Especially our city league and our kids' games. It was fun to be out at the Daniel Joyce Middle School in Woburn, MA, cheering them on.
September 13, 2025 at 7:22 PM