Stephen Taylor
@s-taylor.bsky.social
Scientific Lead - Pathogen Immunology at UKHSA Porton.
Microbial Immunology, Correlates of Protection, Functional serology, Vaccines for AMR, Mucosal Immunity, Strain Variation, Biofilms, Complement
*opinions my own and not representative of UKHSA
Microbial Immunology, Correlates of Protection, Functional serology, Vaccines for AMR, Mucosal Immunity, Strain Variation, Biofilms, Complement
*opinions my own and not representative of UKHSA
Absolutely this.
Wife and I were fully expecting to get hammered in the budget and have no problem with it.
Just be bold and open and raise income tax FFS (but protect the lower earners!)
Wife and I were fully expecting to get hammered in the budget and have no problem with it.
Just be bold and open and raise income tax FFS (but protect the lower earners!)
I’m not saying I won’t moan about it when the time comes to pay, but I think the Govt should raise my income tax because I am profoundly worried about the state of public services.
November 14, 2025 at 11:05 AM
Absolutely this.
Wife and I were fully expecting to get hammered in the budget and have no problem with it.
Just be bold and open and raise income tax FFS (but protect the lower earners!)
Wife and I were fully expecting to get hammered in the budget and have no problem with it.
Just be bold and open and raise income tax FFS (but protect the lower earners!)
Looking to Science Bluesky for a bit of help....... we're failing to find anti-mouse reagents that are specific for SIgA and normal serum monomeric IgA. (also need them for anti-human too)
Does anyone know of any?
🧪
Does anyone know of any?
🧪
October 29, 2025 at 9:01 PM
Looking to Science Bluesky for a bit of help....... we're failing to find anti-mouse reagents that are specific for SIgA and normal serum monomeric IgA. (also need them for anti-human too)
Does anyone know of any?
🧪
Does anyone know of any?
🧪
Reposted by Stephen Taylor
Imagine we could travel back in time ⏪⌛️to explore the world of bacterial pathogens before humans discovered and industrialised antibiotics
We just did that to study the history of #AMR spread @science.org
doi.org/10.1126/scie...
If you like time travel & biology, this 🧵is for you👇
We just did that to study the history of #AMR spread @science.org
doi.org/10.1126/scie...
If you like time travel & biology, this 🧵is for you👇
Pre- and postantibiotic epoch: The historical spread of antimicrobial resistance
Plasmids are now the primary vectors of antimicrobial resistance, but our understanding of how human industrialisation of antibiotics influenced their evolution is limited by a paucity of data predati...
doi.org
October 6, 2025 at 10:42 AM
Imagine we could travel back in time ⏪⌛️to explore the world of bacterial pathogens before humans discovered and industrialised antibiotics
We just did that to study the history of #AMR spread @science.org
doi.org/10.1126/scie...
If you like time travel & biology, this 🧵is for you👇
We just did that to study the history of #AMR spread @science.org
doi.org/10.1126/scie...
If you like time travel & biology, this 🧵is for you👇
I do despair at the decisions Wes Streeting is making and the one-sided advice he (and the govt generally) seems so keen to take.
Not just on this topic, but on others too tbf
Not just on this topic, but on others too tbf
New Podcast Episode: The Gender Clinic Files Part 1
In this episode:
How Wes Streeting used out of date information
A look at the centuries-long waiting list
How newer clinics are doing much more with less, compared to the old GIC system.
And more!
whatthetrans.com/ep141/
In this episode:
How Wes Streeting used out of date information
A look at the centuries-long waiting list
How newer clinics are doing much more with less, compared to the old GIC system.
And more!
whatthetrans.com/ep141/
October 6, 2025 at 9:52 AM
I do despair at the decisions Wes Streeting is making and the one-sided advice he (and the govt generally) seems so keen to take.
Not just on this topic, but on others too tbf
Not just on this topic, but on others too tbf
After a meeting of the excellent MOVE consortium today, and the Wellcome/Novo Nordisk Mucosal Immunity conference last week, think i'm on a 1-man mission to convince everyone that complement should be in all immune assays.
Hope people aren't sick of hearing it.. because i'm not stopping 😅
Hope people aren't sick of hearing it.. because i'm not stopping 😅
October 1, 2025 at 8:29 PM
After a meeting of the excellent MOVE consortium today, and the Wellcome/Novo Nordisk Mucosal Immunity conference last week, think i'm on a 1-man mission to convince everyone that complement should be in all immune assays.
Hope people aren't sick of hearing it.. because i'm not stopping 😅
Hope people aren't sick of hearing it.. because i'm not stopping 😅
Where is all this background push for pathogen stocks for CHIM studies to be GMP?
It'll kill the field because it's unaffordable. GMP doesn't guarantee a robust bacterial stock, many requirements are surprisingly lax. Is it just CROs sensing an opportunity to corner a market?
It'll kill the field because it's unaffordable. GMP doesn't guarantee a robust bacterial stock, many requirements are surprisingly lax. Is it just CROs sensing an opportunity to corner a market?
October 1, 2025 at 8:11 PM
Where is all this background push for pathogen stocks for CHIM studies to be GMP?
It'll kill the field because it's unaffordable. GMP doesn't guarantee a robust bacterial stock, many requirements are surprisingly lax. Is it just CROs sensing an opportunity to corner a market?
It'll kill the field because it's unaffordable. GMP doesn't guarantee a robust bacterial stock, many requirements are surprisingly lax. Is it just CROs sensing an opportunity to corner a market?
Reposted by Stephen Taylor
Health and science reporters should lead the coverage of all these health-related conspiracy theories & newsroom leaders should keep their both-sides political reporters out of their way.
September 23, 2025 at 6:50 PM
Health and science reporters should lead the coverage of all these health-related conspiracy theories & newsroom leaders should keep their both-sides political reporters out of their way.
Carol Baker is the GOAT.
Those of us working on helping get these much needed maternal vaccines through the pipeline are proud to walk in her footsteps
www.science.org/content/arti...
Those of us working on helping get these much needed maternal vaccines through the pipeline are proud to walk in her footsteps
www.science.org/content/arti...
Vaccine given during pregnancy could protect babies from an invisible killer
Shots target group B streptococcus, a little-known microbe that can cause stillbirths and life-threatening disease in infants
www.science.org
September 18, 2025 at 8:33 PM
Carol Baker is the GOAT.
Those of us working on helping get these much needed maternal vaccines through the pipeline are proud to walk in her footsteps
www.science.org/content/arti...
Those of us working on helping get these much needed maternal vaccines through the pipeline are proud to walk in her footsteps
www.science.org/content/arti...
To all those worried about the Mounjaro shortage and price hikes.
Screw Eli Lilly, Weygovy is absolutely fine.
I lost 62lb/28kg on Weygovy so am happy to swap back. I only moved over due to a short term shortage of Weygovy from my provider late last year
Screw Eli Lilly, Weygovy is absolutely fine.
I lost 62lb/28kg on Weygovy so am happy to swap back. I only moved over due to a short term shortage of Weygovy from my provider late last year
August 29, 2025 at 9:53 AM
To all those worried about the Mounjaro shortage and price hikes.
Screw Eli Lilly, Weygovy is absolutely fine.
I lost 62lb/28kg on Weygovy so am happy to swap back. I only moved over due to a short term shortage of Weygovy from my provider late last year
Screw Eli Lilly, Weygovy is absolutely fine.
I lost 62lb/28kg on Weygovy so am happy to swap back. I only moved over due to a short term shortage of Weygovy from my provider late last year
Can't help but feel the UK Govt is really missing a trick with the current state of the US DH/FDA etc.
Invest like hell to encourage the pharma companies to move their vaccine research over to the UK, we have everything they need for clinical trial infrastructure & vaccine testing
Invest like hell to encourage the pharma companies to move their vaccine research over to the UK, we have everything they need for clinical trial infrastructure & vaccine testing
August 29, 2025 at 9:50 AM
Can't help but feel the UK Govt is really missing a trick with the current state of the US DH/FDA etc.
Invest like hell to encourage the pharma companies to move their vaccine research over to the UK, we have everything they need for clinical trial infrastructure & vaccine testing
Invest like hell to encourage the pharma companies to move their vaccine research over to the UK, we have everything they need for clinical trial infrastructure & vaccine testing
Phenomenal amount of data in this paper.
Really important findings for those of us in public health working on CoP
👏
Really important findings for those of us in public health working on CoP
👏
🧵 Our paper out today in @naturemedicine.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
On development of #StrepA #Immunity over life course in #TheGambia raising hope for #vaccines on the horizon
1/
#Immunosky #IDsky #MicroSky #globalhealth.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
On development of #StrepA #Immunity over life course in #TheGambia raising hope for #vaccines on the horizon
1/
#Immunosky #IDsky #MicroSky #globalhealth.
www.nature.com
August 8, 2025 at 10:30 PM
Phenomenal amount of data in this paper.
Really important findings for those of us in public health working on CoP
👏
Really important findings for those of us in public health working on CoP
👏
I can seriously see a Labour government, headed by a human rights lawyer, being the one that actually takes us out of the ECHR. Mostly just driven by fear of the RW press.
Introducing a new Section 28 and going further than any RW govt we've had. Didn't see this coming at all
Introducing a new Section 28 and going further than any RW govt we've had. Didn't see this coming at all
This is legitimately insane. It's not an exaggeration to say this is actually a full on bathroom ban for trans people because they're banned from using spaces of their sex assigned at birth too!
August 8, 2025 at 7:58 PM
I can seriously see a Labour government, headed by a human rights lawyer, being the one that actually takes us out of the ECHR. Mostly just driven by fear of the RW press.
Introducing a new Section 28 and going further than any RW govt we've had. Didn't see this coming at all
Introducing a new Section 28 and going further than any RW govt we've had. Didn't see this coming at all
Reposted by Stephen Taylor
✨We’ve just launched our new guide to #vaccinations during #pregnancy!
Understand how immunity changes, which vaccines the NHS recommends, and how they protect both parent and baby during pregnancy and beyond.
Download a copy for trusted information: bit.ly/4fuRqVw
Understand how immunity changes, which vaccines the NHS recommends, and how they protect both parent and baby during pregnancy and beyond.
Download a copy for trusted information: bit.ly/4fuRqVw
August 6, 2025 at 10:16 AM
✨We’ve just launched our new guide to #vaccinations during #pregnancy!
Understand how immunity changes, which vaccines the NHS recommends, and how they protect both parent and baby during pregnancy and beyond.
Download a copy for trusted information: bit.ly/4fuRqVw
Understand how immunity changes, which vaccines the NHS recommends, and how they protect both parent and baby during pregnancy and beyond.
Download a copy for trusted information: bit.ly/4fuRqVw
Reposted by Stephen Taylor
Research has an economic return multiplier >1. So taxes don't even really pay for research. Research more than pays for itself, the taxes are just used to kick-start the positive economic cycle. The more money invested in research, the better the economy.
July 25, 2025 at 7:13 PM
Research has an economic return multiplier >1. So taxes don't even really pay for research. Research more than pays for itself, the taxes are just used to kick-start the positive economic cycle. The more money invested in research, the better the economy.
Is there a more depressing travel experience than the Brussels Eurostar facility since Brexit?
Gone is the cafe, now just by a massive, pointless duty free shop, no ability to buy a cup of tea, and people just crammed into a depressing holding area to wait for the train.
Gone is the cafe, now just by a massive, pointless duty free shop, no ability to buy a cup of tea, and people just crammed into a depressing holding area to wait for the train.
July 25, 2025 at 3:32 PM
Is there a more depressing travel experience than the Brussels Eurostar facility since Brexit?
Gone is the cafe, now just by a massive, pointless duty free shop, no ability to buy a cup of tea, and people just crammed into a depressing holding area to wait for the train.
Gone is the cafe, now just by a massive, pointless duty free shop, no ability to buy a cup of tea, and people just crammed into a depressing holding area to wait for the train.
Reposted by Stephen Taylor
Vaccines have literally saved more than 150 million lives over the last 50 years and prevented much more morbidity but hold up guys somebody with a brain worm knows better
June 14, 2025 at 1:31 AM
Vaccines have literally saved more than 150 million lives over the last 50 years and prevented much more morbidity but hold up guys somebody with a brain worm knows better
Reposted by Stephen Taylor
🄰🅆🄴🅂🄾🄼🄴
Stubbusch et al 𝘚𝘊𝘐𝘌𝘕𝘊𝘌
Bacteria 🦠 repurpose Type VI Secretion Systems based on environmental cues:
Nutrient-rich environments ➜ kill competitors
Under starvation ➜ lyse neighbors to scavenge their nutrients
Even “non-pathogens” shift from competition to predation as a survival strategy
Stubbusch et al 𝘚𝘊𝘐𝘌𝘕𝘊𝘌
Bacteria 🦠 repurpose Type VI Secretion Systems based on environmental cues:
Nutrient-rich environments ➜ kill competitors
Under starvation ➜ lyse neighbors to scavenge their nutrients
Even “non-pathogens” shift from competition to predation as a survival strategy
Antagonism as a foraging strategy in microbial communities
In natural habitats, nutrient availability limits bacterial growth. We discovered that bacteria can overcome this limitation by acquiring nutrients by lysing neighboring cells through contact-dependen...
www.science.org
June 14, 2025 at 4:37 AM
🄰🅆🄴🅂🄾🄼🄴
Stubbusch et al 𝘚𝘊𝘐𝘌𝘕𝘊𝘌
Bacteria 🦠 repurpose Type VI Secretion Systems based on environmental cues:
Nutrient-rich environments ➜ kill competitors
Under starvation ➜ lyse neighbors to scavenge their nutrients
Even “non-pathogens” shift from competition to predation as a survival strategy
Stubbusch et al 𝘚𝘊𝘐𝘌𝘕𝘊𝘌
Bacteria 🦠 repurpose Type VI Secretion Systems based on environmental cues:
Nutrient-rich environments ➜ kill competitors
Under starvation ➜ lyse neighbors to scavenge their nutrients
Even “non-pathogens” shift from competition to predation as a survival strategy
What a disgrace. And as an old graduate, with many happy memories, I'm appalled. Thinking of cancelling my charity donation now
@uniofreading.bsky.social
@uniofreading.bsky.social
June 14, 2025 at 8:07 AM
What a disgrace. And as an old graduate, with many happy memories, I'm appalled. Thinking of cancelling my charity donation now
@uniofreading.bsky.social
@uniofreading.bsky.social
Reposted by Stephen Taylor
The head of the UKs Equality and Human Rights Commission just said that the European Convention on Human Rights Article 8 right to privacy doesn't apply to trans people.
Article 8 is why the UK was forced to create the gender recognition act by the European Court of human Rights in the first place.
Article 8 is why the UK was forced to create the gender recognition act by the European Court of human Rights in the first place.
Here it is... the smoking gun that should bring down this entire EHRC committee.
June 11, 2025 at 10:41 PM
The head of the UKs Equality and Human Rights Commission just said that the European Convention on Human Rights Article 8 right to privacy doesn't apply to trans people.
Article 8 is why the UK was forced to create the gender recognition act by the European Court of human Rights in the first place.
Article 8 is why the UK was forced to create the gender recognition act by the European Court of human Rights in the first place.
Reposted by Stephen Taylor
Hi! I specialize in medication toxicity. All available, real-world data has proven mifepristone is actually even safer than many over the counter medicines.
Mortality rates:
Mifepristone: 0.65/100,000
Penicillin 2/100K
Viagra 4/100K
Pregnancy in the US: 22/100,000 (some states see rates >60/100K)
Mortality rates:
Mifepristone: 0.65/100,000
Penicillin 2/100K
Viagra 4/100K
Pregnancy in the US: 22/100,000 (some states see rates >60/100K)
Dr. Marty Makary said Monday that the FDA will review the pill’s safety, after Sen. Josh Hawley amplified a bogus “study” on mifepristone and RFK Jr. said he asked Makary to conduct a “complete review."
www.jezebel.com/thanks-to-th...
www.jezebel.com/thanks-to-th...
Thanks to These Stellar Men and a Bogus Study, the FDA Will Needlessly Investigate the Abortion Pill
Dr. Marty Makary said Monday that the FDA will review the pill’s safety, after Sen. Josh Hawley amplified a bogus “study” on mifepristone and RFK Jr. said he asked Makary to conduct a “complete review...
www.jezebel.com
June 5, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Hi! I specialize in medication toxicity. All available, real-world data has proven mifepristone is actually even safer than many over the counter medicines.
Mortality rates:
Mifepristone: 0.65/100,000
Penicillin 2/100K
Viagra 4/100K
Pregnancy in the US: 22/100,000 (some states see rates >60/100K)
Mortality rates:
Mifepristone: 0.65/100,000
Penicillin 2/100K
Viagra 4/100K
Pregnancy in the US: 22/100,000 (some states see rates >60/100K)
When will the government finally give up on this ridiculous boondoggle of moving UKHSA Porton to Harlow? The amount of public money already wasted shouldn't be chased with more even money for something absolutely no-one wants.
Just let the idea die
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Just let the idea die
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Rachel Reeves seeks 'best outcome' from Harlow UKHSA lab scheme
Work on the new secretive research centre has been on hold since March 2023.
www.bbc.co.uk
May 28, 2025 at 10:11 AM
When will the government finally give up on this ridiculous boondoggle of moving UKHSA Porton to Harlow? The amount of public money already wasted shouldn't be chased with more even money for something absolutely no-one wants.
Just let the idea die
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Just let the idea die
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by Stephen Taylor
I stand by every word. JK Rowling's war on trans people has terrifying consequences for trans people, profoundly negative ones for all women cis or trans who don't conform to gender norms, and ignores the real problems all women face.
Still, it delights the Far Right: there is that.
Still, it delights the Far Right: there is that.
May 26, 2025 at 6:54 AM
I stand by every word. JK Rowling's war on trans people has terrifying consequences for trans people, profoundly negative ones for all women cis or trans who don't conform to gender norms, and ignores the real problems all women face.
Still, it delights the Far Right: there is that.
Still, it delights the Far Right: there is that.
Reposted by Stephen Taylor
Just out! Our peer-reviewed critique of the Cass Review has been published by BMC Medical Research Methodology. Please read and share. We show that the Cass Review is fatally flawed and should not be the basis for policy or practice in transgender healthcare.
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
May 10, 2025 at 12:31 PM
Just out! Our peer-reviewed critique of the Cass Review has been published by BMC Medical Research Methodology. Please read and share. We show that the Cass Review is fatally flawed and should not be the basis for policy or practice in transgender healthcare.
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Reposted by Stephen Taylor
Which FDA-approved vaccines had randomized, placebo-controlled trials?
ALL OF THEM.
Polio?
Measles, mumps, rubella?
Haemophilus influenzae B?
Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis?
Meningococcus?
Varicella?
Pneumococcus?
Rotavirus?
RSV?
Hepatitis B?
Influenza?
HPV?
COVID-19?
Shingles?
YEP.
A thread🧵
1/
ALL OF THEM.
Polio?
Measles, mumps, rubella?
Haemophilus influenzae B?
Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis?
Meningococcus?
Varicella?
Pneumococcus?
Rotavirus?
RSV?
Hepatitis B?
Influenza?
HPV?
COVID-19?
Shingles?
YEP.
A thread🧵
1/
May 5, 2025 at 12:20 AM
Which FDA-approved vaccines had randomized, placebo-controlled trials?
ALL OF THEM.
Polio?
Measles, mumps, rubella?
Haemophilus influenzae B?
Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis?
Meningococcus?
Varicella?
Pneumococcus?
Rotavirus?
RSV?
Hepatitis B?
Influenza?
HPV?
COVID-19?
Shingles?
YEP.
A thread🧵
1/
ALL OF THEM.
Polio?
Measles, mumps, rubella?
Haemophilus influenzae B?
Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis?
Meningococcus?
Varicella?
Pneumococcus?
Rotavirus?
RSV?
Hepatitis B?
Influenza?
HPV?
COVID-19?
Shingles?
YEP.
A thread🧵
1/