Nair (Synthetic Biology & Systems Bioengineering) Lab @Tufts
@nair-lab.bsky.social
Nair #SynBio #SystemsBiology #ProteinEngineering #MetabolicEngineering #MicrobiomeEngineering lab #ChemicalEngineering @Nair_lab@mastodon.social @nair_lab (X)
I'm honored to be selected as Tufts Rising Innovator of the year for 2025! This is awarded for demonstrating an ambitious entrepreneurial spirit by actively developing new innovations and moving them to the market.
Video: tuftsu.wistia.com/medias/imcxj...
Story: now.tufts.edu/2025/11/17/s...
Video: tuftsu.wistia.com/medias/imcxj...
Story: now.tufts.edu/2025/11/17/s...
Nikhil Nair - Tufts Rising Innovator of the Year
1 min 43 sec video
tuftsu.wistia.com
November 19, 2025 at 5:36 PM
I'm honored to be selected as Tufts Rising Innovator of the year for 2025! This is awarded for demonstrating an ambitious entrepreneurial spirit by actively developing new innovations and moving them to the market.
Video: tuftsu.wistia.com/medias/imcxj...
Story: now.tufts.edu/2025/11/17/s...
Video: tuftsu.wistia.com/medias/imcxj...
Story: now.tufts.edu/2025/11/17/s...
Attending #AIChE2025 #AIChE in Boston next week? Connect with us! The group is presenting 5 talks on Wednesday & Thursday!
October 28, 2025 at 5:09 PM
Attending #AIChE2025 #AIChE in Boston next week? Connect with us! The group is presenting 5 talks on Wednesday & Thursday!
Congratulations to Trevor (@biotechalchemist.bsky.social) and the recent success he's had with building on his thesis work and spinning out Caravel Bio!
www.prnewswire.com/news-release...
www.prnewswire.com/news-release...
Meet Caravel: Pioneering a New Era of Biotechnology with the First Unified Platform for Protein Discovery and Delivery
/PRNewswire/ -- Caravel Bio, the first joint platform for protein discovery and delivery that enables new applications of synthetic biology, today announces...
www.prnewswire.com
October 16, 2025 at 5:30 PM
Congratulations to Trevor (@biotechalchemist.bsky.social) and the recent success he's had with building on his thesis work and spinning out Caravel Bio!
www.prnewswire.com/news-release...
www.prnewswire.com/news-release...
Plan to attend #aiche2025 in Boston next month? Friends, alumni, colleagues, please visit the Tufts ChBE reception on Sunday night at 7 pm. #aiche
October 15, 2025 at 3:20 PM
Plan to attend #aiche2025 in Boston next month? Friends, alumni, colleagues, please visit the Tufts ChBE reception on Sunday night at 7 pm. #aiche
🚨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...
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
🚨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...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Nair (Synthetic Biology & Systems Bioengineering) Lab @Tufts
Today, I’m grateful that I can finally share Briana Lino’s @blino237.bsky.social work on engineering eukaryotic release factor 1 (eRF1) for enhanced noncanonical amino acid incorporation. I highlight some key findings in this thread (1/n).
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
High throughput screening of eukaryotic release factor 1 variants to enhance noncanonical amino acid incorporation
Noncanonical amino acids (ncAAs) enable diversification of protein functions, but the efficiency of genetic code expansion (GCE) in eukaryotes is hindered by competition between suppressor tRNAs and r...
www.biorxiv.org
September 11, 2025 at 1:28 PM
Today, I’m grateful that I can finally share Briana Lino’s @blino237.bsky.social work on engineering eukaryotic release factor 1 (eRF1) for enhanced noncanonical amino acid incorporation. I highlight some key findings in this thread (1/n).
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Nair (Synthetic Biology & Systems Bioengineering) Lab @Tufts
Today, I'm grateful to Tufts University--the university is trying to do good in the world, at a time when it's very easy for institutions of higher learning to stray wildly from their core missions.
(Disclosure: Tufts is my employer)
now.tufts.edu/2025/09/09/t...
(Disclosure: Tufts is my employer)
now.tufts.edu/2025/09/09/t...
Tufts Will Be Tuition-Free for U.S. Families Earning Less Than $150,000
Tufts University announces that U.S. students from families earning less than $150,000 will not have to pay undergraduate tuition.
now.tufts.edu
September 9, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Today, I'm grateful to Tufts University--the university is trying to do good in the world, at a time when it's very easy for institutions of higher learning to stray wildly from their core missions.
(Disclosure: Tufts is my employer)
now.tufts.edu/2025/09/09/t...
(Disclosure: Tufts is my employer)
now.tufts.edu/2025/09/09/t...
I'm very excited to lead the @darpa.mil #SWITCH effort on #sustainable #biomanufacturing at #TuftsUniversity with Matt McNulty, Amin Nikkhah, and Todd Chappell! See more here:
now.tufts.edu/2025/08/19/w...
now.tufts.edu/2025/08/19/w...
Working Toward Reducing Chemical Industry Dependence on Petroleum
Tufts researchers receive up to $4.5 million from DARPA to create robust, flexible biosynthetic manufacturing
now.tufts.edu
August 22, 2025 at 6:34 PM
I'm very excited to lead the @darpa.mil #SWITCH effort on #sustainable #biomanufacturing at #TuftsUniversity with Matt McNulty, Amin Nikkhah, and Todd Chappell! See more here:
now.tufts.edu/2025/08/19/w...
now.tufts.edu/2025/08/19/w...
New pre-print from the lab! We show for the first time that tagatose can be synthesized from glucose! After assessing several pathways, we identified a phosphatase specific to gal-1-P. We also perform modeling to understand the molecular determinants of specificity.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
A Novel Phosphatase Reverses the Leloir Pathway to Promote Tagatose Synthesis from Glucose
D-Tagatose is a natural, low-calorie, rare monosaccharide that has gained substantial interest as an alternative sweetener. It offers numerous benefits, including a low glycemic index, prebiotic prope...
www.biorxiv.org
August 1, 2025 at 4:09 PM
New pre-print from the lab! We show for the first time that tagatose can be synthesized from glucose! After assessing several pathways, we identified a phosphatase specific to gal-1-P. We also perform modeling to understand the molecular determinants of specificity.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Nair (Synthetic Biology & Systems Bioengineering) Lab @Tufts
Great piece @nytimes.com with a database of thousands of NIH grants ended or delayed.
No matter the intention, the effects are clear: a huge slowdown in biomedical research into diseases & new therapeutics.
Share with your Rep & Senators, and spread awareness!
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
No matter the intention, the effects are clear: a huge slowdown in biomedical research into diseases & new therapeutics.
Share with your Rep & Senators, and spread awareness!
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Here are the nearly 2,500 medical research grants canceled or delayed by Trump
Some cuts have been starkly visible, but the country’s medical grant-making machinery has also radically transformed outside the public eye.
www.nytimes.com
June 4, 2025 at 12:36 PM
Great piece @nytimes.com with a database of thousands of NIH grants ended or delayed.
No matter the intention, the effects are clear: a huge slowdown in biomedical research into diseases & new therapeutics.
Share with your Rep & Senators, and spread awareness!
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
No matter the intention, the effects are clear: a huge slowdown in biomedical research into diseases & new therapeutics.
Share with your Rep & Senators, and spread awareness!
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
The Nair lab is looking for a #post-doc experienced in yeast pathway and genome engineering. Please DM or email me if you are interested!! Please spread the word! #synbio #metabolicengineering
April 22, 2025 at 1:26 PM
The Nair lab is looking for a #post-doc experienced in yeast pathway and genome engineering. Please DM or email me if you are interested!! Please spread the word! #synbio #metabolicengineering
Reposted by Nair (Synthetic Biology & Systems Bioengineering) Lab @Tufts
ICE kidnapped another student.
This time a grad student at Tufts, Rumeysa Ozturk. Turkish national, in the United States on a student visa. Her lawyer does not know where she is being held.
Rumeysa wrote op-eds criticizing the university's response to student demands on Gaza.
This time a grad student at Tufts, Rumeysa Ozturk. Turkish national, in the United States on a student visa. Her lawyer does not know where she is being held.
Rumeysa wrote op-eds criticizing the university's response to student demands on Gaza.
Tufts says federal authorities detained graduate student
The university received reports that an international graduate student was taken into custody from an off-campus apartment Tuesday night, President Sunil Kumar wrote in a letter to the school communit...
www.wbur.org
March 26, 2025 at 5:05 PM
ICE kidnapped another student.
This time a grad student at Tufts, Rumeysa Ozturk. Turkish national, in the United States on a student visa. Her lawyer does not know where she is being held.
Rumeysa wrote op-eds criticizing the university's response to student demands on Gaza.
This time a grad student at Tufts, Rumeysa Ozturk. Turkish national, in the United States on a student visa. Her lawyer does not know where she is being held.
Rumeysa wrote op-eds criticizing the university's response to student demands on Gaza.
Reposted by Nair (Synthetic Biology & Systems Bioengineering) Lab @Tufts
The Van Deventer Lab’s first manuscript describing chemically expanded antibody discovery is now published! The genetically encoded “Clickable CDR-H3 Library” can become many, chemically diverse antibody libraries, enabling new drug discovery opportunities (1/n).
pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10....
pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10....
Design, Construction, and Validation of a Yeast-Displayed Chemically Expanded Antibody Library
In vitro display technologies, exemplified by phage and yeast display, have emerged as powerful platforms for antibody discovery and engineering. However, the identification of antibodies that disrupt...
pubs.acs.org
March 18, 2025 at 9:17 PM
The Van Deventer Lab’s first manuscript describing chemically expanded antibody discovery is now published! The genetically encoded “Clickable CDR-H3 Library” can become many, chemically diverse antibody libraries, enabling new drug discovery opportunities (1/n).
pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10....
pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10....
I'm excited to be named a senior member of the NAI! Thank you to all my group members and colleagues at Tufts for supporting my group's research!
now.tufts.edu/2025/02/20/f...
now.tufts.edu/2025/02/20/f...
Five Tufts Faculty Named Senior Members of National Academy of Inventors
Tufts faculty newly named to the National Academy of Inventors have led to innovations in healing wounds, assessing health, treating rare disorders, and more
now.tufts.edu
February 24, 2025 at 3:08 PM
I'm excited to be named a senior member of the NAI! Thank you to all my group members and colleagues at Tufts for supporting my group's research!
now.tufts.edu/2025/02/20/f...
now.tufts.edu/2025/02/20/f...
Reposted by Nair (Synthetic Biology & Systems Bioengineering) Lab @Tufts
Want hands-on battery research experience? Join the Battery Research Summer School!
4 days of real labs, real data, real problem-solving. Learn to cycle, test & troubleshoot Li-ion batteries.
📅 June 3-6 | 📍 Tufts University
📌 More info: www.eventbrite.com/e/1234043610...
4 days of real labs, real data, real problem-solving. Learn to cycle, test & troubleshoot Li-ion batteries.
📅 June 3-6 | 📍 Tufts University
📌 More info: www.eventbrite.com/e/1234043610...
February 4, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Want hands-on battery research experience? Join the Battery Research Summer School!
4 days of real labs, real data, real problem-solving. Learn to cycle, test & troubleshoot Li-ion batteries.
📅 June 3-6 | 📍 Tufts University
📌 More info: www.eventbrite.com/e/1234043610...
4 days of real labs, real data, real problem-solving. Learn to cycle, test & troubleshoot Li-ion batteries.
📅 June 3-6 | 📍 Tufts University
📌 More info: www.eventbrite.com/e/1234043610...
This pre-print is now published and available in final form here:
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
January 8, 2025 at 4:00 PM
This pre-print is now published and available in final form here:
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
🚨🆕New manuscript🆕🚨from the lab!! Started by @biotechalchemist.bsky.social and completed by Todd Chappell. This work assesses the utility of >30 #spore coat proteins for #surfacedisplay - almost 3x currently described! We found that SscA is a great carrier not used before‼️
biorxiv.org/cgi/content/...
biorxiv.org/cgi/content/...
biorxiv.org
November 25, 2024 at 5:40 PM
🚨🆕New manuscript🆕🚨from the lab!! Started by @biotechalchemist.bsky.social and completed by Todd Chappell. This work assesses the utility of >30 #spore coat proteins for #surfacedisplay - almost 3x currently described! We found that SscA is a great carrier not used before‼️
biorxiv.org/cgi/content/...
biorxiv.org/cgi/content/...
🆕New pre-print🆕! Our first foray into 🥩cultivated meat🍖 with David Kaplan, Kyong Lee, and supported by Tufts University for Cellular Agriculture, Consortium! We report that microbial lysates can be used as serum alternatives for in vitro animal cell proliferation.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org
November 4, 2024 at 7:34 PM
🆕New pre-print🆕! Our first foray into 🥩cultivated meat🍖 with David Kaplan, Kyong Lee, and supported by Tufts University for Cellular Agriculture, Consortium! We report that microbial lysates can be used as serum alternatives for in vitro animal cell proliferation.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
🚨New paper🚨by @aaronlove89 is out now in @ScienceAdvances! As #synbio systems get more complex, we want to understand how to minimize resource competition between heterologous genes and host functions. (1/8)
https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adk3485
https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adk3485
February 22, 2024 at 2:17 PM
🚨New paper🚨by @aaronlove89 is out now in @ScienceAdvances! As #synbio systems get more complex, we want to understand how to minimize resource competition between heterologous genes and host functions. (1/8)
https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adk3485
https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adk3485
After ~15 months of (reviews, transfers, and rebuttals)^n, this paper was finally accepted today! Kinda exhausted😫 - but proud of PhD student Aaron Love for powering 💪 through! More details with the final print but here's the revised pre-print in the meantime: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
January 3, 2024 at 6:18 PM
After ~15 months of (reviews, transfers, and rebuttals)^n, this paper was finally accepted today! Kinda exhausted😫 - but proud of PhD student Aaron Love for powering 💪 through! More details with the final print but here's the revised pre-print in the meantime: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
🚨🆕New collaborative #manuscript🚨with Bennet, Mace, & Lee labs. We optimize the production of landomycins in #Streptomyces cyanogenus and characterize their #antimicrobial and #anticancer properties.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
November 13, 2023 at 3:08 PM
🚨🆕New collaborative #manuscript🚨with Bennet, Mace, & Lee labs. We optimize the production of landomycins in #Streptomyces cyanogenus and characterize their #antimicrobial and #anticancer properties.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...