Baylink Lab
@baylinklab.bsky.social
🦠Enthusiastic microthanatologists (i.e. the study of how to kill microbes) & lovers of redox biology and bacterial chemotaxis🧫
Washington State University - Esch LEAD Professor - Inclusion of Rural Individuals in Science (IRIS)
www.baylink-lab.com
Washington State University - Esch LEAD Professor - Inclusion of Rural Individuals in Science (IRIS)
www.baylink-lab.com
The video captures frames every 1 s over a few minutes. The attached image shows a 'max' projection over 30 minutes that illustrates the path of their movement similar to a time-lapse.
September 23, 2025 at 11:42 PM
The video captures frames every 1 s over a few minutes. The attached image shows a 'max' projection over 30 minutes that illustrates the path of their movement similar to a time-lapse.
You’ve heard of #Lymedisease, but have you ever seen the bacteria that causes it? 🦠 Borrelia burgdorferi, the spiral-shaped culprit transmitted by ticks, swims with a creepy wriggling motion and uses #chemotaxis to navigate. Both fascinating... and disgusting #Microsky 🧪 #IDsky @shawlab.bsky.social
September 23, 2025 at 11:39 PM
You’ve heard of #Lymedisease, but have you ever seen the bacteria that causes it? 🦠 Borrelia burgdorferi, the spiral-shaped culprit transmitted by ticks, swims with a creepy wriggling motion and uses #chemotaxis to navigate. Both fascinating... and disgusting #Microsky 🧪 #IDsky @shawlab.bsky.social
Lots of new-to-protein-structure folks are using AF3, which is great! However, non-experts might be inclined to feed AF3 incorrect information, such as modeling a monomer when the biologically-relevant state is a dimer. We found this can decrease model accuracy due to missing tertiary interactions.
August 12, 2025 at 4:35 PM
Lots of new-to-protein-structure folks are using AF3, which is great! However, non-experts might be inclined to feed AF3 incorrect information, such as modeling a monomer when the biologically-relevant state is a dimer. We found this can decrease model accuracy due to missing tertiary interactions.
Wonderful how Alphafold has opened up protein structure prediction to non-experts but you still have to feed it correct information (like oligomeric state!). A small test case shows AF3 makes excellent guesses on natural variants but inaccuracies occur from dubious user inputs.
#microsky #IDsky 🧪🦠
#microsky #IDsky 🧪🦠
August 12, 2025 at 4:22 PM
In our new study in @elife.bsky.social
with the cheeky title "Navigating Contradictions" we used these tiny glass needles to study chemotaxis & learn how Salmonella and other gut pathogens make decisions when they encounter conflicting stimuli.
#microsky #IDsky 🦠🧪 #gastrosky
tinyurl.com/yckdn8v6
with the cheeky title "Navigating Contradictions" we used these tiny glass needles to study chemotaxis & learn how Salmonella and other gut pathogens make decisions when they encounter conflicting stimuli.
#microsky #IDsky 🦠🧪 #gastrosky
tinyurl.com/yckdn8v6
July 15, 2025 at 8:54 PM
In our new study in @elife.bsky.social
with the cheeky title "Navigating Contradictions" we used these tiny glass needles to study chemotaxis & learn how Salmonella and other gut pathogens make decisions when they encounter conflicting stimuli.
#microsky #IDsky 🦠🧪 #gastrosky
tinyurl.com/yckdn8v6
with the cheeky title "Navigating Contradictions" we used these tiny glass needles to study chemotaxis & learn how Salmonella and other gut pathogens make decisions when they encounter conflicting stimuli.
#microsky #IDsky 🦠🧪 #gastrosky
tinyurl.com/yckdn8v6
Scientists: anyone else's first draft of manuscript figures look like these?
🧪 #chemotaxis #microsky #motility
🧪 #chemotaxis #microsky #motility
June 24, 2025 at 3:41 AM
Scientists: anyone else's first draft of manuscript figures look like these?
🧪 #chemotaxis #microsky #motility
🧪 #chemotaxis #microsky #motility
At @wsuvetmed.bsky.social we are launching a new program to help students bridge the gap to careers in the biomedical industry.
What skills and experiences should we focus on to better prepare and connect our trainees with industry opportunities?
🧪🦠 #microsky #medsky #WSU
What skills and experiences should we focus on to better prepare and connect our trainees with industry opportunities?
🧪🦠 #microsky #medsky #WSU
June 21, 2025 at 12:06 AM
At @wsuvetmed.bsky.social we are launching a new program to help students bridge the gap to careers in the biomedical industry.
What skills and experiences should we focus on to better prepare and connect our trainees with industry opportunities?
🧪🦠 #microsky #medsky #WSU
What skills and experiences should we focus on to better prepare and connect our trainees with industry opportunities?
🧪🦠 #microsky #medsky #WSU
The video shows 5 minutes of S. Typhimurium IR715 responding through chemotaxis to a mixture of chemical effectors present in human feces at fecal-relevant concentrations. This image shows max projections of the start and end points across different mixtures, showing how indole regulates attraction.
June 18, 2025 at 2:04 PM
The video shows 5 minutes of S. Typhimurium IR715 responding through chemotaxis to a mixture of chemical effectors present in human feces at fecal-relevant concentrations. This image shows max projections of the start and end points across different mixtures, showing how indole regulates attraction.
Like watching Salmonella swim around? We do!
In our revisions for our study in @elife.bsky.social we saw that #salmonella tolerates indole as long as nutrients are around, but the degree of their attraction depends on [indole].
Study: doi.org/10.7554/eLif...
🧪🦠 #Microsky #IDsky #Gastrosky
In our revisions for our study in @elife.bsky.social we saw that #salmonella tolerates indole as long as nutrients are around, but the degree of their attraction depends on [indole].
Study: doi.org/10.7554/eLif...
🧪🦠 #Microsky #IDsky #Gastrosky
June 18, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Like watching Salmonella swim around? We do!
In our revisions for our study in @elife.bsky.social we saw that #salmonella tolerates indole as long as nutrients are around, but the degree of their attraction depends on [indole].
Study: doi.org/10.7554/eLif...
🧪🦠 #Microsky #IDsky #Gastrosky
In our revisions for our study in @elife.bsky.social we saw that #salmonella tolerates indole as long as nutrients are around, but the degree of their attraction depends on [indole].
Study: doi.org/10.7554/eLif...
🧪🦠 #Microsky #IDsky #Gastrosky
We are "microthanatologists" and we are getting better at killing our microbes of interest!
Micro: small
Thanatology: the study of death
🧪🦠🧫 #IDsky
Micro: small
Thanatology: the study of death
🧪🦠🧫 #IDsky
May 10, 2025 at 9:47 PM
We are "microthanatologists" and we are getting better at killing our microbes of interest!
Micro: small
Thanatology: the study of death
🧪🦠🧫 #IDsky
Micro: small
Thanatology: the study of death
🧪🦠🧫 #IDsky
April 22, 2025 at 5:31 PM
Here are before and after fecal treatment 'time lapse' images. Each squiggle is the swimming path of 1 bacterium over 5 seconds.
April 21, 2025 at 11:27 PM
Here are before and after fecal treatment 'time lapse' images. Each squiggle is the swimming path of 1 bacterium over 5 seconds.
Bringing you your weekly update of chemotactic creepy crawlies.
Here is a strain of E. coli isolated from a urinary tract infection being attracted to human 💩. Yummy! Each white dot is a bacterium. Interestingly the cells shaped like long pool noodles seem less interested.
🦠🧫🧪 #IDsky #gastrosky
Here is a strain of E. coli isolated from a urinary tract infection being attracted to human 💩. Yummy! Each white dot is a bacterium. Interestingly the cells shaped like long pool noodles seem less interested.
🦠🧫🧪 #IDsky #gastrosky
April 21, 2025 at 11:20 PM
Bringing you your weekly update of chemotactic creepy crawlies.
Here is a strain of E. coli isolated from a urinary tract infection being attracted to human 💩. Yummy! Each white dot is a bacterium. Interestingly the cells shaped like long pool noodles seem less interested.
🦠🧫🧪 #IDsky #gastrosky
Here is a strain of E. coli isolated from a urinary tract infection being attracted to human 💩. Yummy! Each white dot is a bacterium. Interestingly the cells shaped like long pool noodles seem less interested.
🦠🧫🧪 #IDsky #gastrosky
Another way to view this type of data is with 'max projections' that show a time lapse of the bacterial movement. Here is before and after exposure to fecal treatment. The green lines are all swimming E. coli shown over a 5 s interval.
April 18, 2025 at 11:48 PM
Another way to view this type of data is with 'max projections' that show a time lapse of the bacterial movement. Here is before and after exposure to fecal treatment. The green lines are all swimming E. coli shown over a 5 s interval.
When E. coli gets a whiff of fresh 💩 it’s game on. They use chemotaxis to swim towards the source and enjoy the buffet of tasty L-serine, L-aspartate, glucose & other nutrients.
Bacteria do this inside your intestines everyday!
🧪🧫🦠 #IDsky #gastrosky #chemotaxis
Bacteria do this inside your intestines everyday!
🧪🧫🦠 #IDsky #gastrosky #chemotaxis
April 18, 2025 at 11:40 PM
When E. coli gets a whiff of fresh 💩 it’s game on. They use chemotaxis to swim towards the source and enjoy the buffet of tasty L-serine, L-aspartate, glucose & other nutrients.
Bacteria do this inside your intestines everyday!
🧪🧫🦠 #IDsky #gastrosky #chemotaxis
Bacteria do this inside your intestines everyday!
🧪🧫🦠 #IDsky #gastrosky #chemotaxis
🧪🧫 Which of these new putative drugs is more likely to make it to clinical trial? Your choices are a golden yellow powder or a lovely amber orange powder. Taking bets now - will reveal the answer in 5-10 years.
April 16, 2025 at 11:57 PM
🧪🧫 Which of these new putative drugs is more likely to make it to clinical trial? Your choices are a golden yellow powder or a lovely amber orange powder. Taking bets now - will reveal the answer in 5-10 years.
🌄🧑🌾People from rural & remote areas are underrepresented in science but their impacts have been profound. Dr. Maurice Hilleman, raised on a Montana farm, developed vaccines for mumps, Hep B, and more that may save 8 million+ lives a year. #Ruralinclusion #Vaccines 🧪 🦠 🧫
See👉 doi.org/10.1016/j.ti...
See👉 doi.org/10.1016/j.ti...
April 11, 2025 at 6:07 PM
🌄🧑🌾People from rural & remote areas are underrepresented in science but their impacts have been profound. Dr. Maurice Hilleman, raised on a Montana farm, developed vaccines for mumps, Hep B, and more that may save 8 million+ lives a year. #Ruralinclusion #Vaccines 🧪 🦠 🧫
See👉 doi.org/10.1016/j.ti...
See👉 doi.org/10.1016/j.ti...
Can any marine biologist identify? Found washed up on beach on Oregon coast. 🧪 #marinebiology #oceanography 🐟
April 11, 2025 at 2:33 AM
Can any marine biologist identify? Found washed up on beach on Oregon coast. 🧪 #marinebiology #oceanography 🐟
🧪This mesmerizing green and purple cloud happens inside our gastrointestinal tract everyday! Swimming bacteria use chemotaxis to rapidly find nutrients. Takes only a few seconds.
WAY faster than phagocytes (~20 min). Bacteria will literally swim circles around them 🦠💨
#MicroSky #IDSky #GastroSky
WAY faster than phagocytes (~20 min). Bacteria will literally swim circles around them 🦠💨
#MicroSky #IDSky #GastroSky
April 7, 2025 at 4:35 PM
🧪This mesmerizing green and purple cloud happens inside our gastrointestinal tract everyday! Swimming bacteria use chemotaxis to rapidly find nutrients. Takes only a few seconds.
WAY faster than phagocytes (~20 min). Bacteria will literally swim circles around them 🦠💨
#MicroSky #IDSky #GastroSky
WAY faster than phagocytes (~20 min). Bacteria will literally swim circles around them 🦠💨
#MicroSky #IDSky #GastroSky
Have you been impacted by stomach cancer, ulcers, or infection with Helicobacter pylori? Or an MD treating them?
We would love to connect with you and hear your story!
We are medical researchers developing new treatments for these gastric diseases 🔬
#GastroSky #Gastroenterology #cancer 🧪🦠
We would love to connect with you and hear your story!
We are medical researchers developing new treatments for these gastric diseases 🔬
#GastroSky #Gastroenterology #cancer 🧪🦠
March 27, 2025 at 6:03 PM
Have you been impacted by stomach cancer, ulcers, or infection with Helicobacter pylori? Or an MD treating them?
We would love to connect with you and hear your story!
We are medical researchers developing new treatments for these gastric diseases 🔬
#GastroSky #Gastroenterology #cancer 🧪🦠
We would love to connect with you and hear your story!
We are medical researchers developing new treatments for these gastric diseases 🔬
#GastroSky #Gastroenterology #cancer 🧪🦠
Our new study on bacterial #chemotaxis is out at @elife.bsky.social!
Key result is Salmonella loves 💩 and swims towards it, even though 💩 is also the major source of gut indole, a repellent. ‼️Knowing the response to a single effector doesn't easily predict bacterial taxis.
#MicroSky #IDSky 🦠🧪
Key result is Salmonella loves 💩 and swims towards it, even though 💩 is also the major source of gut indole, a repellent. ‼️Knowing the response to a single effector doesn't easily predict bacterial taxis.
#MicroSky #IDSky 🦠🧪
March 26, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Our new study on bacterial #chemotaxis is out at @elife.bsky.social!
Key result is Salmonella loves 💩 and swims towards it, even though 💩 is also the major source of gut indole, a repellent. ‼️Knowing the response to a single effector doesn't easily predict bacterial taxis.
#MicroSky #IDSky 🦠🧪
Key result is Salmonella loves 💩 and swims towards it, even though 💩 is also the major source of gut indole, a repellent. ‼️Knowing the response to a single effector doesn't easily predict bacterial taxis.
#MicroSky #IDSky 🦠🧪
Video shows S. Typhimurium responding to a centrally injected source of 5 mM indole, a microbiota-produced metabolite in the gut.
Can also be visualized in these 'time lapse' images of before and after treatment.
Can also be visualized in these 'time lapse' images of before and after treatment.
March 23, 2025 at 4:14 PM
Video shows S. Typhimurium responding to a centrally injected source of 5 mM indole, a microbiota-produced metabolite in the gut.
Can also be visualized in these 'time lapse' images of before and after treatment.
Can also be visualized in these 'time lapse' images of before and after treatment.
Observation on bacterial chemotaxis related to chemorepulsion: maybe happens faster than chemattraction? 🦠💨 For Salmonella we see attraction needs 1-2 min, but repulsion from indole only ~10 s. #Microbiology #Chemotaxis 🧪 🦠
March 23, 2025 at 4:12 PM
Observation on bacterial chemotaxis related to chemorepulsion: maybe happens faster than chemattraction? 🦠💨 For Salmonella we see attraction needs 1-2 min, but repulsion from indole only ~10 s. #Microbiology #Chemotaxis 🧪 🦠
It turns out you can make some interesting science doodles with PyMol (which is usually used to make rendering of protein structures and chemical interactions) if you are creative with the settings. 🧪 🦠 🧬
#SchrödingerSponsorMePlease
#SchrödingerSponsorMePlease
March 20, 2025 at 6:37 PM
It turns out you can make some interesting science doodles with PyMol (which is usually used to make rendering of protein structures and chemical interactions) if you are creative with the settings. 🧪 🦠 🧬
#SchrödingerSponsorMePlease
#SchrödingerSponsorMePlease
We have a better setup now, but this was an early ‘success’ video of capturing bacterial chemotaxis in action!🦠💨Shows something important—bacteria are strong swimmers! Despite the flow, Salmonella head straight for the nutrients. Makes sense, gut has a ton of flow! 🧪 #Microbiology #Microsky #idsky
March 18, 2025 at 2:39 AM
We have a better setup now, but this was an early ‘success’ video of capturing bacterial chemotaxis in action!🦠💨Shows something important—bacteria are strong swimmers! Despite the flow, Salmonella head straight for the nutrients. Makes sense, gut has a ton of flow! 🧪 #Microbiology #Microsky #idsky