Monica McCallum
@memccallum.bsky.social
couch/tabletop gamer and least useful member of the trivia team | organic, biological, and microbial chemist | she/her | views/posts my own
Reposted by Monica McCallum
Hot off the press! Our latest paper led by @fernpizza.bsky.social, understanding how plasmids evolve inside cells. These small, self-replicating DNA circles live inside bacteria and carry antibiotic resistance genes, but also compete with one another to replicate. 1/
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Intracellular competition shapes plasmid population dynamics
From populations of multicellular organisms to selfish genetic elements, conflicts between levels of biological organization are central to evolution. Plasmids are extrachromosomal, self-replicating g...
www.science.org
November 20, 2025 at 9:42 PM
Hot off the press! Our latest paper led by @fernpizza.bsky.social, understanding how plasmids evolve inside cells. These small, self-replicating DNA circles live inside bacteria and carry antibiotic resistance genes, but also compete with one another to replicate. 1/
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Monica McCallum
I’m reading abstracts for ABRCMS and seeing over and over again where students comment about what a transformative experience ABRCMS was for their peers and mentors.
We cannot let this conference disappear because what we will lose will be tremendous. Funders, I hope you are listening.
We cannot let this conference disappear because what we will lose will be tremendous. Funders, I hope you are listening.
September 24, 2025 at 2:01 PM
I’m reading abstracts for ABRCMS and seeing over and over again where students comment about what a transformative experience ABRCMS was for their peers and mentors.
We cannot let this conference disappear because what we will lose will be tremendous. Funders, I hope you are listening.
We cannot let this conference disappear because what we will lose will be tremendous. Funders, I hope you are listening.
Reposted by Monica McCallum
Such a delight to share our work on the evolution of a cheese rind fungus in @currentbiology.bsky.social.
This is the fantastic PhD work of @nicolasleonlouw.bsky.social and resulted from amazing collaborations, a wedding proposal(!), an undergrad course, & more!
🧵
www.cell.com/current-biol...
This is the fantastic PhD work of @nicolasleonlouw.bsky.social and resulted from amazing collaborations, a wedding proposal(!), an undergrad course, & more!
🧵
www.cell.com/current-biol...
Long-term monitoring of a North American cheese cave reveals mechanisms and consequences of fungal adaptation
Using a unique longitudinal sampling approach, Louw et al. demonstrate how a cheese-associated
Penicillium population has adapted in an artisan cheese production facility in Vermont,
USA. Adaptation i...
www.cell.com
September 16, 2025 at 3:56 PM
Such a delight to share our work on the evolution of a cheese rind fungus in @currentbiology.bsky.social.
This is the fantastic PhD work of @nicolasleonlouw.bsky.social and resulted from amazing collaborations, a wedding proposal(!), an undergrad course, & more!
🧵
www.cell.com/current-biol...
This is the fantastic PhD work of @nicolasleonlouw.bsky.social and resulted from amazing collaborations, a wedding proposal(!), an undergrad course, & more!
🧵
www.cell.com/current-biol...
Reposted by Monica McCallum
What was antibiotic resistance like before we ever used antibiotics? How did we change what antibiotic resistance genes looked like over 100 years?
Our paper looking at resistance genes from a century of NCTC historical isolates now out in mGen:
www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/jour...
Our paper looking at resistance genes from a century of NCTC historical isolates now out in mGen:
www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/jour...
Genomic resistance in historical clinical isolates increased in frequency and mobility after the age of antibiotics
Antibiotic resistance is frequently observed shortly after the clinical introduction of an antibiotic. Whether and how frequently that resistance occurred before the introduction is harder to determin...
www.microbiologyresearch.org
September 1, 2025 at 5:49 PM
What was antibiotic resistance like before we ever used antibiotics? How did we change what antibiotic resistance genes looked like over 100 years?
Our paper looking at resistance genes from a century of NCTC historical isolates now out in mGen:
www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/jour...
Our paper looking at resistance genes from a century of NCTC historical isolates now out in mGen:
www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/jour...
Reposted by Monica McCallum
Join me in donating to ABRCMS. For many of us early in our careers (and for many of us now), this is THE conference. Let’s make sure future generations get the same experience.
I was told if each poster judge donated $25, their goal would be quickly met, but I think we can do better! 🙏🏾💪🏾
I was told if each poster judge donated $25, their goal would be quickly met, but I think we can do better! 🙏🏾💪🏾
Calling all @apsphysiology.bsky.social members: let’s help raise some money to support ABRCMS student presentation awards! Goal is $1200/discipline to support 12 awards by Sept 30th! 🧪 abrcms.org/donate/stude...
ABRCMS Fundraising - Student Presentation Awards - ABRCMS
Judges – Help Us Raise Funds for Student Presentation Awards Thank you for your service as a judge at ABRCMS. Your dedication has helped shape the future of countless student scientists, and we’re dee...
abrcms.org
August 21, 2025 at 2:48 AM
Join me in donating to ABRCMS. For many of us early in our careers (and for many of us now), this is THE conference. Let’s make sure future generations get the same experience.
I was told if each poster judge donated $25, their goal would be quickly met, but I think we can do better! 🙏🏾💪🏾
I was told if each poster judge donated $25, their goal would be quickly met, but I think we can do better! 🙏🏾💪🏾
Reposted by Monica McCallum
Check out the Ziemert Lab’s new YouTube channel
m.youtube.com/@ZiemertLab
We’ve uploaded short tutorial videos on how to use our tools for genome mining and natural product discovery.
Thanks Semih, @martinaadamek.bsky.social @turgutmesut.bsky.social ! #GenomeMining #SecMet #naturalproducts
m.youtube.com/@ZiemertLab
We’ve uploaded short tutorial videos on how to use our tools for genome mining and natural product discovery.
Thanks Semih, @martinaadamek.bsky.social @turgutmesut.bsky.social ! #GenomeMining #SecMet #naturalproducts
ZiemertLab
The Ziemert lab is interested in the evolution and distribution of bacterial secondary metabolites. These bioactive compounds are especially important in human medicine as the chemical scaffolds are t...
m.youtube.com
July 8, 2025 at 8:09 PM
Check out the Ziemert Lab’s new YouTube channel
m.youtube.com/@ZiemertLab
We’ve uploaded short tutorial videos on how to use our tools for genome mining and natural product discovery.
Thanks Semih, @martinaadamek.bsky.social @turgutmesut.bsky.social ! #GenomeMining #SecMet #naturalproducts
m.youtube.com/@ZiemertLab
We’ve uploaded short tutorial videos on how to use our tools for genome mining and natural product discovery.
Thanks Semih, @martinaadamek.bsky.social @turgutmesut.bsky.social ! #GenomeMining #SecMet #naturalproducts
Reposted by Monica McCallum
1/"I have a presentation tomorrow."
If you've ever collaborated with wet lab scientists as a bioinformatician…
you’ve heard this. And died inside a little.
If you've ever collaborated with wet lab scientists as a bioinformatician…
you’ve heard this. And died inside a little.
May 28, 2025 at 1:15 PM
1/"I have a presentation tomorrow."
If you've ever collaborated with wet lab scientists as a bioinformatician…
you’ve heard this. And died inside a little.
If you've ever collaborated with wet lab scientists as a bioinformatician…
you’ve heard this. And died inside a little.
Reposted by Monica McCallum
I appreciate the offers from other scientists to help Harvard (students, labs, etc) through this attack, but what would be most helpful is for you to use your position to contact your elected representatives and make it clear this fight isn't just Harvard, it will affect you, and their districts too
May 24, 2025 at 5:47 PM
I appreciate the offers from other scientists to help Harvard (students, labs, etc) through this attack, but what would be most helpful is for you to use your position to contact your elected representatives and make it clear this fight isn't just Harvard, it will affect you, and their districts too
Reposted by Monica McCallum
I am thrilled to share after years of work/procrastination that the MassQL manuscript is finally published in @natmethods.nature.com - "A universal language for finding mass spectrometry data patterns". This was an team effort from all co-authors that helped shape MassQL and how it could be used.
May 12, 2025 at 6:10 PM
I am thrilled to share after years of work/procrastination that the MassQL manuscript is finally published in @natmethods.nature.com - "A universal language for finding mass spectrometry data patterns". This was an team effort from all co-authors that helped shape MassQL and how it could be used.
Reposted by Monica McCallum
Recently, we found out that our R01 funded through PAR-22-241 was withdrawn by NIAID as the NIH no longer prioritizes research programs related to DEI. This has been devastating news for our young research group, and we are now trying to scram together for a path forward 🧵1/12
May 6, 2025 at 8:19 PM
Recently, we found out that our R01 funded through PAR-22-241 was withdrawn by NIAID as the NIH no longer prioritizes research programs related to DEI. This has been devastating news for our young research group, and we are now trying to scram together for a path forward 🧵1/12
Reposted by Monica McCallum
What excitement, instead of one book I got five.
Excited to explore the science behind Victorian mauve with my students this semester.
Excited to explore the science behind Victorian mauve with my students this semester.
January 22, 2025 at 7:57 PM
What excitement, instead of one book I got five.
Excited to explore the science behind Victorian mauve with my students this semester.
Excited to explore the science behind Victorian mauve with my students this semester.
Reposted by Monica McCallum
Preprint alert!! 🎉 Ever struggle to activate a carrier protein? Led by Kenneth Hsu (Haverford '25), the Charkoudian Lab unearthed a novel PPTase from Dictyobacter vulcani 🌋 with remarkable promiscuity (in our case, better than Sfp & AcpS)!
Grateful to be an alum of this phenomenal research team 💗
Grateful to be an alum of this phenomenal research team 💗
A Phosphopantetheinyl Transferase from Dictyobacter vulcani sp. W12 Expands the Combinatorial Biosynthetic Toolkit
The value of microbial natural product pathways extends beyond the chemicals they produce, as the enzymes they encode can be harnessed as biocatalysts. Microbial type II polyketide synthases (PKSs) ar...
www.biorxiv.org
March 28, 2025 at 8:45 PM
Preprint alert!! 🎉 Ever struggle to activate a carrier protein? Led by Kenneth Hsu (Haverford '25), the Charkoudian Lab unearthed a novel PPTase from Dictyobacter vulcani 🌋 with remarkable promiscuity (in our case, better than Sfp & AcpS)!
Grateful to be an alum of this phenomenal research team 💗
Grateful to be an alum of this phenomenal research team 💗
Reposted by Monica McCallum
A whopping 26 study sections are not meeting today: AI, BDE, BTEN, CMAD, CMBG, CPSS, DHMI, EDIT, GVE, HBPP, IHD, ISD, MAI, MCTC, MFSR, NMBH, NPAS, ODCS, ODHS, PN, SMN, SSPB, THI, VID, ZRG1 F02A D 20, ZRG1 MCST U 55*
Wondering if your study section cancelled? I update this sheet daily. As of today, 56/124 study sections that should have met since Jan 2, 2025 have "not met as scheduled." docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
2025 Study section tracking
docs.google.com
February 27, 2025 at 4:24 PM
A whopping 26 study sections are not meeting today: AI, BDE, BTEN, CMAD, CMBG, CPSS, DHMI, EDIT, GVE, HBPP, IHD, ISD, MAI, MCTC, MFSR, NMBH, NPAS, ODCS, ODHS, PN, SMN, SSPB, THI, VID, ZRG1 F02A D 20, ZRG1 MCST U 55*
Reposted by Monica McCallum
🚨 new preprint 🚨
Here we report that deleting the Septin aspB results in cidal activity of the static anti cell wall drug Caspofungin. This wasn’t only in vitro as 🐭 infected with the mutant and treated had 70% survival compared to 30% of the wild-type 1/2
Here we report that deleting the Septin aspB results in cidal activity of the static anti cell wall drug Caspofungin. This wasn’t only in vitro as 🐭 infected with the mutant and treated had 70% survival compared to 30% of the wild-type 1/2
Deletion of core septin gene aspB in Aspergillus fumigatus results in fungicidal activity of caspofungin
Septins are a family of GTP-binding proteins found in many eukaryotic lineages. Although highly conserved throughout many eukaryotes, their functions vary across species. In Aspergillus fumigatus, the...
www.biorxiv.org
February 26, 2025 at 2:18 AM
🚨 new preprint 🚨
Here we report that deleting the Septin aspB results in cidal activity of the static anti cell wall drug Caspofungin. This wasn’t only in vitro as 🐭 infected with the mutant and treated had 70% survival compared to 30% of the wild-type 1/2
Here we report that deleting the Septin aspB results in cidal activity of the static anti cell wall drug Caspofungin. This wasn’t only in vitro as 🐭 infected with the mutant and treated had 70% survival compared to 30% of the wild-type 1/2
Reposted by Monica McCallum
For #BlackHistoryMonth pharmaceutical #chemist Alice Ball (1892-1916) who developed 1st effective treatment for leprosy. 🧪🐡👩🏾🔬 #histsci Though her life was cut tragically short, her research saved 1000s from exile & painful, ineffective lifelong treatment for leprosy, & she was a trailblazer for 🧵
February 24, 2025 at 12:27 PM
For #BlackHistoryMonth pharmaceutical #chemist Alice Ball (1892-1916) who developed 1st effective treatment for leprosy. 🧪🐡👩🏾🔬 #histsci Though her life was cut tragically short, her research saved 1000s from exile & painful, ineffective lifelong treatment for leprosy, & she was a trailblazer for 🧵
Reposted by Monica McCallum
Chemical inhibition of a bacterial immune system https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.02.20.638879v1
February 22, 2025 at 2:45 AM
Chemical inhibition of a bacterial immune system https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.02.20.638879v1
Reposted by Monica McCallum
Super stoked to share this pre-print covering our work on some sulfotransferase enzymes with surprising stereoselectivity!
doi.org/10.26434/che...
doi.org/10.26434/che...
Specificity and Stereoselectivity of Cryptic Sulfotransferases
Sulfotransferases (STs) are ubiquitous enzymes found in all living organisms. These enzymes convert amines to sulfamates, and alcohols to sulfates, on a wide variety of biologically relevant molecules...
doi.org
February 5, 2025 at 11:35 PM
Super stoked to share this pre-print covering our work on some sulfotransferase enzymes with surprising stereoselectivity!
doi.org/10.26434/che...
doi.org/10.26434/che...
Super stoked to share this pre-print covering our work on some sulfotransferase enzymes with surprising stereoselectivity!
doi.org/10.26434/che...
doi.org/10.26434/che...
Specificity and Stereoselectivity of Cryptic Sulfotransferases
Sulfotransferases (STs) are ubiquitous enzymes found in all living organisms. These enzymes convert amines to sulfamates, and alcohols to sulfates, on a wide variety of biologically relevant molecules...
doi.org
February 5, 2025 at 11:35 PM
Super stoked to share this pre-print covering our work on some sulfotransferase enzymes with surprising stereoselectivity!
doi.org/10.26434/che...
doi.org/10.26434/che...
Reposted by Monica McCallum
Has the ACS put out a statement or done anything (apart from great reporting in C&EN) in response to the current state of *gestures at everything*? Really questioning what my membership dues are going towards if they won't play ball here, given the huge implications for chemists nationwide.
January 29, 2025 at 1:16 PM
Has the ACS put out a statement or done anything (apart from great reporting in C&EN) in response to the current state of *gestures at everything*? Really questioning what my membership dues are going towards if they won't play ball here, given the huge implications for chemists nationwide.
Reposted by Monica McCallum
Here are the papers covering those tools. Classical MN www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/... FBMN www.nature.com/articles/s41... IIMN www.nature.com/articles/s41... FBMN-stats chemrxiv.org/engage/chemr... gnps dashboard www.nature.com/articles/s41... modifinder pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/... 3/4
Mass spectral molecular networking of living microbial colonies | PNAS
Integrating the governing chemistry with the genomics and phenotypes of microbial
colonies has been a “holy grail” in microbiology. This work descr...
www.pnas.org
January 8, 2025 at 7:18 PM
Here are the papers covering those tools. Classical MN www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/... FBMN www.nature.com/articles/s41... IIMN www.nature.com/articles/s41... FBMN-stats chemrxiv.org/engage/chemr... gnps dashboard www.nature.com/articles/s41... modifinder pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/... 3/4
Reposted by Monica McCallum
Happy New Year 🎉 Our collab with Strittmatter lab TU Munich shows the power of #massspec to see #bacteria in #tissues
233 bacterial species were mined for markers at different phylogenetic levels. Watch out for those taxon-specifc markers (TSMs) in your #spatialmetabolomics
tinyurl.com/yza6t32w
233 bacterial species were mined for markers at different phylogenetic levels. Watch out for those taxon-specifc markers (TSMs) in your #spatialmetabolomics
tinyurl.com/yza6t32w
January 6, 2025 at 3:24 PM
Happy New Year 🎉 Our collab with Strittmatter lab TU Munich shows the power of #massspec to see #bacteria in #tissues
233 bacterial species were mined for markers at different phylogenetic levels. Watch out for those taxon-specifc markers (TSMs) in your #spatialmetabolomics
tinyurl.com/yza6t32w
233 bacterial species were mined for markers at different phylogenetic levels. Watch out for those taxon-specifc markers (TSMs) in your #spatialmetabolomics
tinyurl.com/yza6t32w
Reposted by Monica McCallum
Interesting biorxiv from Megan Matthews lab on Hydralazine inhibiting cysteamine dioxygenase to treat preeclampsia and senesce glioblastoma. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Hydralazine inhibits cysteamine dioxygenase to treat preeclampsia and senesce glioblastoma
The vasodilator hydralazine (HYZ) has been used clinically for ∼ 70 years and remains on the World Health Organization’s List of Essential Medicines as a therapy for preeclampsia. Despite its longstan...
www.biorxiv.org
January 4, 2025 at 8:49 PM
Interesting biorxiv from Megan Matthews lab on Hydralazine inhibiting cysteamine dioxygenase to treat preeclampsia and senesce glioblastoma. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Monica McCallum
Come be my colleague! We’re hiring an assistant professor in marine natural products and marine biotechnology at SIO - check out this link to learn more: apol-recruit.ucsd.edu/JPF04101
Marine Natural Products/Marine Biotechnology - Assistant Professor
University of California, San Diego is hiring. Apply now!
apol-recruit.ucsd.edu
December 5, 2024 at 1:23 AM
Come be my colleague! We’re hiring an assistant professor in marine natural products and marine biotechnology at SIO - check out this link to learn more: apol-recruit.ucsd.edu/JPF04101
Reposted by Monica McCallum
Can finally confirm: #ABRCMS in person definitely beats the online early-pandemic versions. I didn't have to travel and I'm still wiped out by so many hours of posters... but there was so much exciting science and so many talented undergrad and postbac researchers! Highly recommended. #ABRCMS2024
November 17, 2024 at 2:54 AM
Can finally confirm: #ABRCMS in person definitely beats the online early-pandemic versions. I didn't have to travel and I'm still wiped out by so many hours of posters... but there was so much exciting science and so many talented undergrad and postbac researchers! Highly recommended. #ABRCMS2024