Matthew Freeman
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mjafreeman.bsky.social
Matthew Freeman
@mjafreeman.bsky.social
Cell Biologist. Membrane proteins, rhomboids, signalling, inflammation, cancer, unknome...

Head, Dunn School of Pathology, @UniofOxford

And other stuff
Pinned
Starter packs are still valuable but there is now a mature set of communities @bsky.app

So maybe for the last time (unless things change)

An encyclopaedia of starter packs relevant to 'mechanistic' biomedical science (>100 now!)...

...including collective nouns

docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
@mjafreeman.bsky.social's encyclopedia of Bluesky starter packs for 'mechanistic' biologists
docs.google.com
Reposted by Matthew Freeman
Quietly, a remarkable piece of public art is being created, which seeks to both explain the delays of the Botley Road, and share the highlights of West Oxford. We caught up with local artist Chris Shipton to hear more before its unveiling next week.

oxfordclarion.uk/botley-and-t...
Botley and the narrow bridge of art
Amidst the turmoil of the Botley Road bridge works, a remarkable artwork is being created, both to tell the story of the bridge and its complexities, and the rich history of West Oxford. Local artist...
oxfordclarion.uk
November 8, 2025 at 7:48 AM
Reposted by Matthew Freeman
Please RT. Post-doc opportunity alert! 💥 closing 10th December.. Come join our team (www.thelowlab.org) at Imperial, London, working on the structure and mechanism of bacterial secretion systems.

For more details and to apply please see

www.imperial.ac.uk/jobs/search-...
November 4, 2025 at 5:20 PM
Reposted by Matthew Freeman
Great profile of @dunnschool.bsky.social group leader, Girish Mali...definitely a 'scientist to watch'!
One of the ‘Cell Scientists to Watch’ from our #JCSciliaSI is Girish Ram Mali @dyneinassembly.bsky.social @dunnschool.bsky.social. In this interview we learn about Girish’s career path, scientific mentorship, and how science is a human endeavour.

journals.biologists.com/jcs/article/...
October 31, 2025 at 9:01 AM
Yet another outstanding recruit to @dunnschool.bsky.social!

Really looking forward to having Alex Borodavka as a new colleague
We are delighted to announce that Alex Borodavka will soon be joining us as Associate Professor!

The Borodavka group investigates RNA viruses, particularly rotaviruses, and how their genomes are segmented to ensure successful replication.

Find out more: www.path.ox.ac.uk/news-article...
Alexander Borodavka appointed Associate Professor of Cell and Molecular Biology - Dunn School
Dr. Borodavka’s recruitment further strengthens the department’s research on viral biology and infection.
www.path.ox.ac.uk
October 17, 2025 at 4:59 PM
Reposted by Matthew Freeman
Congratulations to the Dunn School postdocs starting their independent research groups across the UK, Germany and China 🥳

- Iqbal Dulloo (@iqbaldulloo.bsky.social)
- Marion Schuller (@schullerm.bsky.social)
- Yongxu Lu
- João Monteiro

www.path.ox.ac.uk/news-article...
Dunn School postdocs start new PI positions - Dunn School
Applications are now open to apply for our four year, fully-funded PhD programme in Molecular Cell Biology in Health and Disease.
www.path.ox.ac.uk
October 14, 2025 at 2:44 PM
Reposted by Matthew Freeman
Wonderful thinker and communicator. I remember a seminar at Gurdon where (in my memory at least!) he gave the entire thing with only a handful of simple slides, and his narrative of what the elegant experiments showed was so lucid and compelling. Amazing career and such a warm generous person.
October 8, 2025 at 7:32 AM
Oh how sad

Really a towering figure, whose work laid the ground for stem cells, regenerative biology etc

I go to know him well over many years and he was definitely one-of a-kind...
October 8, 2025 at 7:28 AM
And an antidote to pretty much everything else currently…
It must be said though, that that story is so *North* Oxford as to look like a spoof. A part of the Oxford fabric, but still.
October 4, 2025 at 9:01 AM
Reposted by Matthew Freeman
It must be said though, that that story is so *North* Oxford as to look like a spoof. A part of the Oxford fabric, but still.
October 4, 2025 at 8:11 AM
Reposted by Matthew Freeman
Ah thank you so much! It is an endless source of fascination to us what people latch on to, and what they don't. This it the original post box post (as it were). We think perhaps people just love community? Or possibly knitting....
bsky.app/profile/oxfo...
Over 30 local residents gathered on Friday to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the post box on Beech Croft Road, North Oxford, installed in 1925. Famous hands are believed to have dropped letters through its slot, from Enid Blyton’s daughter to Phil Selway of Radiohead and John le Carré.
October 4, 2025 at 7:59 AM
If there's anyone in Oxford who doesn't see this weekly newsletter, you are missing out on lots of local news that you won't see elsewhere

Some so dull, it's cool - 30 people gather to celebrate a postbox - but genuinely always worth a look!

Highly recommended
Once more for the weekend long read crowd. 👇
All Oxford’s news in one weekly email. Featuring:
🌳 Free trees
🐝 Rare bumblebees
🗿 The latest new sculptures
📮 Woolly postbox accessories
🏚️ Oxford University's newest building
Plus events, politics news, research and the best of Oxford’s media. Read online or by email
October 4, 2025 at 7:27 AM
A new view of @dunnschool.bsky.social

The Life and Mind Building of @ox.ac.uk has just opened and I got to see this lovely (albeit rather damp) new perspective on our original @dunnschool.bsky.social building
October 3, 2025 at 4:28 PM
If there was a futures market in early career developmental biologists, I'd be buying this gang...
October 1, 2025 at 3:32 PM
Reposted by Matthew Freeman
Congratulations Emma!

@mucosalimmunology.bsky.social joint appointment with the Botnar Institute of Immune Engineering (BIIE) in Basel will link the Dunn School with a new team of world-leading bioengineers working towards novel therapies, vaccines and diagnostics.
www.path.ox.ac.uk/news-article...
Professor Emma Slack forges link with Botnar Institute of Immune Engineering - Dunn School
Professor Emma Slack, the Barclay-Williams Professor of Molecular Immunology at the Dunn School, has accepted a joint appointment at the newly founded Botnar Institute of Immune Engineering (BIIE).
www.path.ox.ac.uk
October 1, 2025 at 10:59 AM
Reposted by Matthew Freeman
Come join us in Oxford! Two positions open right now in @oxfordbiochemistry.bsky.social
It’s a great place to work. Really supportive colleagues, great students, colleges provide a unique social environment - in summary, it’s a lot of fun.
Become my colleague @oxfordbiochemistry.bsky.social !
2 Associate Professorships in the areas of
- prokaryotic/eukaryotic microbiology
- metabolism

my.corehr.com/pls/uoxrecru...
Job Details
my.corehr.com
October 1, 2025 at 7:12 AM
Did you know that the cytoplasmic domain of the pseudoprotease iRhom2 mediates distinct signaling mechanisms to control activation of the cell surface protease ADAM17?

You do now

Brought to you mainly by the outstanding Dr Fangfang Lu

Open access, of course

www.jbc.org/article/S002...
September 30, 2025 at 5:25 PM
Reposted by Matthew Freeman
Let’s ride!
“Riding a bike is associated with a 19% lower risk of all-cause dementia and a 22% lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease, compared with taking nonactive travel modes such as a car, bus or train…” #ISOGG #DNA #epigenetics www.cnn.com/2025/09/20/h...
Cycling linked with lower dementia risk, study finds | CNN
Cycling instead of driving has been linked with a lower risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, a large study has found.
www.cnn.com
September 25, 2025 at 7:12 AM
I was Chair of @biologists.bsky.social when we started this initiative, the brainwave of the @stevenkelly.bsky.social

It was an imaginative idea and I am thrilled to see this landmark

Remember: @biologists.bsky.social are the goodies in scientific publishing!
In our Forest of Biologists we fund the restoration and preservation of ancient woodland and dedicate these trees to our peer reviewers.

There are now over 10,000 trees for peer reviews!

Thank you to all our peer reviewers. Find out more:
forest.biologists.com

#PRW2025 @peerreviewweek.bsky.social
September 22, 2025 at 7:21 PM
Fab thread about one of the (many) things one walks past in Oxford without much thought...
Time to talk about one of my favourite Oxford buildings, 26-27-28 Cornmarket!!

Popularly known as The Old Pret
September 22, 2025 at 7:02 PM
And then there is this...

As reported, hard to imagine a worse idea for UK science, growth, innovation...

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
September 22, 2025 at 9:26 AM
Fingers crossed: this could make a big change in the perception and real substance of UK science and innovation (and all other talent...)
September 22, 2025 at 8:53 AM
Reposted by Matthew Freeman
about the $100K H1B fee, here's some interesting details: "If an employee is in the U.S., he or she will not be subject if (i) applying to extend or amend H-1B status, or (ii) applying to change from another visa category into H-1B status from within the U.S."
September 20, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Reposted by Matthew Freeman
The Company of Biologists and the British Society for Developmental Biology: a model partnership

As part of the #biologists100 anniversary, Saanjbati Adhikari and Raman Das review the relationship between @biologists.bsky.social and @bsdb.bsky.social

doi.org/10.1242/dev....
September 15, 2025 at 3:49 PM
Reposted by Matthew Freeman
In honour of Postdoc Appreciation Week, here are three ways we support postdocs:
1. Since 2023, we’ve supported 24 postdocs as they transition to becoming a group leader through our Pathway to Independence programme. Meet our latest fellows: journals.biologists.com/dev/pages/pi... #NPAW2025
September 15, 2025 at 4:01 PM
Reposted by Matthew Freeman
Three Associate Professor (or Professor) positions available at Oxford Biology. Come be my colleague! www.biology.ox.ac.uk/article/we-a...
We are hiring! Oxford biology has three associate professorships available as we move to new state-of-the-art facilities
www.biology.ox.ac.uk
September 15, 2025 at 11:22 AM