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cwhitch.bsky.social
Prof Cynthia Whitchurch FAA🏳️‍🌈
@cwhitch.bsky.social
3.3K followers 2.2K following 54 posts
Microbiologist, interested in alternate bacterial lifestyles - cell wall deficiency, biofilms, AMR
Posts Replies Media Videos
Reposted by Prof Cynthia Whitchurch FAA🏳️‍🌈
joeyzacks.bsky.social
Registration is now open for @keystonesymposia.bsky.social "Beyond #Antibiotics: Emerging Strategies Combating #BacterialInfection." Deadline for scholarships and abstract selected short talks is Jan 7! Join us this May for an amazing meeting! keysym.us/KSBeyondAntibiotics26 #KSBeyondAntibiotics26
Beyond Antibiotics: Emerging Strategies for Combating Bacterial Infection | Keystone Symposia
Join us at the Keystone Symposia on Beyond Antibiotics: Emerging Strategies for Combating Bacterial Infection, May 2026, in Breckenridge, with field leaders!
keysym.us
November 19, 2025 at 5:37 PM
Reposted by Prof Cynthia Whitchurch FAA🏳️‍🌈
scelse.bsky.social
SCELSE’s annual Scientific Retreat begins tomorrow. Two days of presentations, posters, and breakout discussions will sharpen the next phase of our biofilm and microbiome research aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. @cwhitch.bsky.social @fillouxlab.bsky.social
November 17, 2025 at 11:59 AM
Reposted by Prof Cynthia Whitchurch FAA🏳️‍🌈
scelse.bsky.social
To know about #FMT is one thing — but to speak with experts pioneering it is another. SCELSE's Prof Cynthia Whitchurch @cwhitch.bsky.social visited Sydney's Microbiome Research Centre, to explore gut microbiome links to mental health and disease for future collaborations.
To know about Fecal Microbiota Transplantation #FMT is one thing — but to speak directly with the experts pioneering its application is another. Prof Cynthia Whitchurch, SCELSE Research Director, had the opportunity to meet experts on microbiome at the Microbiome Research Centre (MRC) in Sydney, as she explored potential collaboration opportunities in gut microbiome research. She was impressed by MRC’s laser focus on advancing microbiome science — from uncovering how microbial communities influence disease to translating these insights into evidence-based guidance for clinicians, patients, and the public, while training the next generation of microbiome researchers. Her discussions with Prof Georgina Hold, Dr Howard Yim, Dr Xiato Jiang, and Dr Michelle Fitzmaurice explored the connection between the gut microbiome, mental health, and FMT — a promising avenue for addressing chronic and complex diseases. “Understanding how we can harness the microbiome to prevent and treat disease is one of the most exciting challenges in modern science,” said Prof Whitchurch. “I look forward to continuing this conversation when MRC Director Prof Emad El-Omar visits SCELSE in Singapore.” 📍 Microbiome Research Centre, Sydney, Australia, 31 Oct 2025 Pix(L-R): Dr Howard Yim (MRC), Prof Cynthia Whitchurch (SCELSE), Prof Georgina Hold (MRC), Dr Xiaotao Jiang (MRC), Dr Michelle Fitzmaurice (MRC)
November 5, 2025 at 4:55 AM
Reposted by Prof Cynthia Whitchurch FAA🏳️‍🌈
who.int
Between 2018–2023, antibiotic resistance increased in over 40% of the pathogen–antibiotic combinations monitored, with an average annual rise of 5–15%.

Resistance is highest in the WHO South-East Asian & Eastern Mediterranean Regions, where 1 in 3 reported infections were resistant 👉 bit.ly/438Ta1u
Text reads “Antibiotic resistance is rising,” with an upward arrow and a “40%” warning icon. Below, a text box says: “Between 2018 and 2023, resistance increased in over 40% of the monitored pathogen–antibiotic combinations, with an annual rise of 5–15%.”
October 15, 2025 at 8:00 AM
Reposted by Prof Cynthia Whitchurch FAA🏳️‍🌈
lab-puhar.bsky.social
Our first effort exploring gut bacteria-extracellular ATP interactions is published! We show that eATP rewires gene expression and physiology in harmless and pathogenic bacteria, impacting production of bioactive metabolites, antimicrobial sensitivity, and virulence. A 🧵
www.cell.com/cell-reports...
Tronnet et al., Cell Rep. 2025 graphical abstract: Extracellular ATP is an environmental cue in bacteria
October 14, 2025 at 5:20 PM
Reposted by Prof Cynthia Whitchurch FAA🏳️‍🌈
embers1.bsky.social
Antibiotic resistance is accelerating.
October 14, 2025 at 8:48 AM
Reposted by Prof Cynthia Whitchurch FAA🏳️‍🌈
s-lab.bsky.social
We have a PhD opportunity available in our group @johninnescentre.bsky.social through the NRP Doctoral Training Partnership. Help us uncover the Hidden Diversity of Bacterial NLRs.

Start date: October 2026. For more information and how to apply👉 biodtp.norwichresearchpark.ac.uk/projects/bey...
Beyond Immunity: Uncovering the Hidden Diversity of Bacterial NLRs (SCHLIMPERT_J26DTP) | Doctoral Training Partnership
Join us in exploring the hidden functions of ancient immune proteins in bacteria. Bacteria, like plants and animals, have evolved sophisticated systems to detect and respond to threats.
biodtp.norwichresearchpark.ac.uk
October 13, 2025 at 6:46 AM
Reposted by Prof Cynthia Whitchurch FAA🏳️‍🌈
drlauranolan.bsky.social
My lab @scelse.bsky.social NTU is growing! Fun evening out with the team, I'm so fortunate to work with such a great group of scientists!
October 11, 2025 at 10:32 AM
Reposted by Prof Cynthia Whitchurch FAA🏳️‍🌈
annizlab.bsky.social
Quite an interesting protein search AI model combining sequence, structure, and function text - faster and more accurate than similarity searches. Who has tried it🤩🙌? Only a few secs to search bacterial TFs and integrases #microsky 🧬🧪
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
A trimodal protein language model enables advanced protein searches - Nature Biotechnology
A protein foundation model represents protein sequence, structure and function.
www.nature.com
October 10, 2025 at 1:27 PM
Reposted by Prof Cynthia Whitchurch FAA🏳️‍🌈
pilhoferlab.bsky.social
🧐Checkout our preprint revealing the stepwise firing💥 mechanism of a Contractile Injection System @xujwet.bsky.social&@chipericson.bsky.social trapped the complex by structure-guided engineering🧪 in multiple intermediate states and imaged them by multimodal #cryoEM❄️🔬
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
October 8, 2025 at 9:18 PM
Reposted by Prof Cynthia Whitchurch FAA🏳️‍🌈
vdlorenzo.bsky.social
Off to @caltechlcssp.bsky.social to follow up the conversation started past Feb in Asilomar on *Biotech Beyond Conventional Containment*. Time to rethink the (now banned) release of Lab-trained microorganisms for extensive environmental remediation in view of new genet technols & urgent global needs
October 5, 2025 at 4:38 AM
Reposted by Prof Cynthia Whitchurch FAA🏳️‍🌈
vscooper.micropopbio.org
Holy moly
October 8, 2025 at 8:59 PM
Reposted by Prof Cynthia Whitchurch FAA🏳️‍🌈
khadershabaana.bsky.social
Dear #microbiology and #immunology community- I took a break from social media after I deleted my Twitter account, but am back here. Please help me rebuild my community by following me and amplifying this message- I will follow you back. Thank you and I look forward to our many interactions!
October 5, 2025 at 4:10 PM
Reposted by Prof Cynthia Whitchurch FAA🏳️‍🌈
lifeinwisconsin.bsky.social
It should be noted that Google has noticed the backlash enough that they quietly published a code that would removed AI results for their searches.

An enterprising person built a default site to search without AI, and the results are goddamn refreshing as hell.
udm14.org
&udm=14 | the search engine Konami code
A quick way to get an AI-free search without any extra work.
udm14.org
October 5, 2025 at 9:36 AM
Reposted by Prof Cynthia Whitchurch FAA🏳️‍🌈
veeninglab.com
Finally out, such an awesome piece of work, very proud of this one: www.cell.com/cell-systems... #MicroSky
October 4, 2025 at 8:48 AM
Reposted by Prof Cynthia Whitchurch FAA🏳️‍🌈
lancetmicrobe.bsky.social
New comment

Rethinking the role of animals in antimicrobial resistance

www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...

#IDSky #ClinMicro #AMR #OneHealth #OpenAccess #OA
September 29, 2025 at 2:59 PM
Reposted by Prof Cynthia Whitchurch FAA🏳️‍🌈
zaminiqbal.bsky.social
Delighted to see our paper studying the evolution of plasmids over the last 100 years, now out! Years of work by Adrian Cazares, also Nick Thomson @sangerinstitute.bsky.social - this version much improved over the preprint. Final version should be open access, apols.
Thread 1/n
September 25, 2025 at 9:29 PM
Reposted by Prof Cynthia Whitchurch FAA🏳️‍🌈
ulikluemper.bsky.social
🐟💊🦠Our new study in @natwater.nature.com 🐟💊🦠

"Microbial risks triggered by oral administration of antibiotics in fish aquaculture persist long after the legally mandated antibiotic withdrawal time"

www.nature.com/articles/s44...

#microsky #amr
1/8
Microbial risks triggered by oral administration of antibiotics in fish aquaculture persist long after the legally mandated antibiotic withdrawal time - Nature Water
Florfenicol treatment substantially increased the abundance and mobility of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the common carp gut microbiome. The resistome and mobilome profiles failed to return t...
www.nature.com
September 21, 2025 at 11:11 AM
Reposted by Prof Cynthia Whitchurch FAA🏳️‍🌈
natmicrobiol.nature.com
#NewResearch

Opposing forces generated by exopolysaccharide trail binding versus type IV pilus retraction generate a high cyclic diGMP–high cyclic AMP state in Pseudomonas aeruginosa that promotes social motility.

#MicroSky 🦠

www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Pseudomonas aeruginosa senses exopolysaccharide trails using type IV pili and adhesins during biofilm formation - Nature Microbiology
Opposing forces generated by exopolysaccharide trail binding versus type IV pilus retraction generate a high cyclic diGMP–high cyclic AMP state in Pseudomonas aeruginosa that promotes social motility.
www.nature.com
September 8, 2025 at 5:52 AM
Reposted by Prof Cynthia Whitchurch FAA🏳️‍🌈
jonathanstea.bsky.social
For our scientists.

By @ellecordova.bsky.social
September 8, 2025 at 3:06 AM
Reposted by Prof Cynthia Whitchurch FAA🏳️‍🌈
annizlab.bsky.social
If you're interested in learning microbiology🦠, AI 🤖, and bioinformatics 🧬, check out our lab’s knowledge graph (built by Jeff—our in-house software engineer). An efficient way to train PhD students!
genomiverse.net/JeffsKnowled...
#Microbesky #Microbiomesky #AI4S #Bioinformatics
genomiverse.net
September 3, 2025 at 3:04 AM
Reposted by Prof Cynthia Whitchurch FAA🏳️‍🌈
annizlab.bsky.social
NTU shared our DNA alignment tool designed for microbes 🦠🧬☰! #Microbiomesky #Microsky blogs.ntu.edu.sg/science/2025...
September 1, 2025 at 4:36 AM
Reposted by Prof Cynthia Whitchurch FAA🏳️‍🌈
annizlab.bsky.social
MIT News: news.mit.edu/2024/human-g... — Sharing our new publication in Cell Genomics: cell.com/cell-genomic... about why our human gut microbiome rarely updates its CRISPR defense systems!
Bacteria in the human gut rarely update their CRISPR defense systems
MIT research finds intestinal bacterial interact much less often with viruses that trigger immunity updates than bacteria in the lab. The results will help to assess gut microbiome health.
news.mit.edu
August 30, 2025 at 1:54 AM
Reposted by Prof Cynthia Whitchurch FAA🏳️‍🌈
gthibault.bsky.social
Pleased to welcome my new colleague from SBS @ NTU Singapore, Anni Zhang @annizlab.bsky.social, to the platform.

She is a dynamic addition to our school, and it's always a pleasure to discuss science with her. Looking forward to her contributions here. Find more about her lab 👇
annizlab.bsky.social AnniZLab: [🦠, 🧬 , ✨] @annizlab.bsky.social · Aug 30
Hi everyone, I'm a bioinformatician & microbiologist. My new lab @Nanyang Technological University uncovers diverse microbial mechanisms (regulatory networks, selective sweeps, host-microbe interactions, ...) via machine learning! genomiverse.net
Requirements
genomiverse.net
August 30, 2025 at 2:29 AM
Reposted by Prof Cynthia Whitchurch FAA🏳️‍🌈
annizlab.bsky.social
Hi everyone, I'm a bioinformatician & microbiologist. My new lab @Nanyang Technological University uncovers diverse microbial mechanisms (regulatory networks, selective sweeps, host-microbe interactions, ...) via machine learning! genomiverse.net
Requirements
genomiverse.net
August 30, 2025 at 2:19 AM