Happy to have this collaborative work with Zach Armstrong now out in Angewandte chemie doi.org/10.1002/anie... .
We use a linked assay, coupled with fluorescent probes, to analyse mucin active carbohydrate sulfatase kinetics, cellular location, and inhibition.
Time for @kateduncan.bsky.social to talk about chemistry and why microbes use it via some interactive questions
First paper for PhD student in the Bolam / Lowe labs Natalia Łoś on a the characterisation of a new CBM family that binds (beta) mannan! #glycotime @natalia-los.bsky.social 🥳🥳
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Doing the periodic cleaning of used plasmid miniprep columns and realized in honor of Earth Day it may be worth reminding you molecular biologists:
Plasmid miniprep columns can be cleaned and reused essentially indefinitely! Just add 1 M HCl, soak overnight and wash 3x w/ water. Save $ and plastic
Funny how absence can tell its own story. Seeing the university display the Pride flag right opposite my window was heartwarming every June. It's been two years now without it. Sign of the times I guess.. 🏳️🌈
We start of the ‘2026 Celebration of Microbiology’ event @newcastleuni.bsky.social @medicalsciencesncl.bsky.social organised by PhD and Postdoc reps from @mhd-newcastle.bsky.social @cbcb-newcastle.bsky.social Chloe, Natalia, Rachel and Jean-Lou
Don't be shy to take on a little two-week side project. These five months will be the most precious three years of your academic journey.
I'm excited that this collaborative work with Alan @acartmell47.bsky.social is finally out. We have developed some powerful tools to study carbohydrate sulfatases (a tricky class of enzyme!) and shown how they can be used with enzymes from host-associated bacteria.
We have a PhD studentship open! (UK only sadly) but if you are or know a student keen to work on some *really* weird mycobacterial enzymes then get in touch! #glycotime Advert below www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
Our study on Bacteroides iron piracy is now out in @pnas.org. We show how surface-exposed lipoproteins bind xenosiderophores with different iron-chelating chemistries and propose a mechanism for xenosiderophore import across the outer membrane. Lots of structures (mostly X-ray this time)!