Rebecca Lowry Palmer
@bexlowrypalms.bsky.social
mum of two+microbiologist. Navigating career in science post kids 👩🏽🔬
Currently - PDRA Manchester uni, MERMan research group - bacterial mutation rates and DNA repair 🦠
Personal projects underway - Bdellovibrio: evolution, ecology and agriculture 🌱
Currently - PDRA Manchester uni, MERMan research group - bacterial mutation rates and DNA repair 🦠
Personal projects underway - Bdellovibrio: evolution, ecology and agriculture 🌱
Reposted by Rebecca Lowry Palmer
New PDRA position with @knightjar.bsky.social @coytelab.bsky.social & me
Community assembly processes in soil microbiomes with focus on bioinformatics and computational modelling of data from field and lab experiments
www.jobs.manchester.ac.uk/Job/JobDetai...
Community assembly processes in soil microbiomes with focus on bioinformatics and computational modelling of data from field and lab experiments
www.jobs.manchester.ac.uk/Job/JobDetai...
'Research Associate in Microbiome Ecology:Manchester
We wish to appoint a PostDoctoral Research Associate to an exciting project exploring the assembly, stability and function of microbial decomposer communities.
www.jobs.manchester.ac.uk
February 6, 2026 at 2:07 PM
New PDRA position with @knightjar.bsky.social @coytelab.bsky.social & me
Community assembly processes in soil microbiomes with focus on bioinformatics and computational modelling of data from field and lab experiments
www.jobs.manchester.ac.uk/Job/JobDetai...
Community assembly processes in soil microbiomes with focus on bioinformatics and computational modelling of data from field and lab experiments
www.jobs.manchester.ac.uk/Job/JobDetai...
Reposted by Rebecca Lowry Palmer
New preprint!
Ever wondered why only a fraction of genomes encode CRISPR immunity? 🧬 🦠
Turns out CRISPR is rarely beneficial against virulent phages, being most beneficial against those for which resistance mutations are rare!
An epic effort by Rosanna Wright
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Ever wondered why only a fraction of genomes encode CRISPR immunity? 🧬 🦠
Turns out CRISPR is rarely beneficial against virulent phages, being most beneficial against those for which resistance mutations are rare!
An epic effort by Rosanna Wright
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Resistance mutation supply modulates the benefit of CRISPR immunity against virulent phages
Only a fraction of bacterial genomes encode CRISPR-Cas systems but the selective causes of this variation are unexplained. How naturally virulent bacteriophages (phages) select for CRISPR immunity has...
www.biorxiv.org
October 6, 2025 at 6:27 AM
New preprint!
Ever wondered why only a fraction of genomes encode CRISPR immunity? 🧬 🦠
Turns out CRISPR is rarely beneficial against virulent phages, being most beneficial against those for which resistance mutations are rare!
An epic effort by Rosanna Wright
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Ever wondered why only a fraction of genomes encode CRISPR immunity? 🧬 🦠
Turns out CRISPR is rarely beneficial against virulent phages, being most beneficial against those for which resistance mutations are rare!
An epic effort by Rosanna Wright
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Rebecca Lowry Palmer
Last ECR talk of the day from Logan Sauers on IgA transcriptomics #UoM_EEday
January 12, 2026 at 2:54 PM
Last ECR talk of the day from Logan Sauers on IgA transcriptomics #UoM_EEday
This was a brilliant talk, what an amazing career so far - I never knew there were so many different types of placenta!! @evol-molly.bsky.social's work on miRNA and pregnancy outcomes is SO important.
Last but certainly not least @evol-molly.bsky.social speaking about genome-type and phenome-types at #UoM_EEday
January 13, 2026 at 8:34 AM
This was a brilliant talk, what an amazing career so far - I never knew there were so many different types of placenta!! @evol-molly.bsky.social's work on miRNA and pregnancy outcomes is SO important.
I was absolutely delighted to give a talk at the University of Manchester Ecology and Evolution day yesterday. An incredible collection of talks and posters were presented and we had some great discussions - thank you to @whelanfj.bsky.social and @knightjar.bsky.social for organising!
January 13, 2026 at 8:31 AM
I was absolutely delighted to give a talk at the University of Manchester Ecology and Evolution day yesterday. An incredible collection of talks and posters were presented and we had some great discussions - thank you to @whelanfj.bsky.social and @knightjar.bsky.social for organising!
Reposted by Rebecca Lowry Palmer
@bexlowrypalms.bsky.social up next speaking about her work on bdellovibrio #UoM_EEday
January 12, 2026 at 10:29 AM
@bexlowrypalms.bsky.social up next speaking about her work on bdellovibrio #UoM_EEday
I'll believe it when I see it, fortune cookie 😂
December 18, 2025 at 9:15 PM
I'll believe it when I see it, fortune cookie 😂
It's been a wild week for MERMan! Congratulations Rana, you are incredible ✨✨✨
Congratulations to Dr Rana Alruthaya, who successfully defended her PhD today on AMR diversity in Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates from non-CF bronchiectasis patients. She's the 10th PhD student from MERMan. Well done Rana! @dannagifford.bsky.social @brockhurstlab.bsky.social @knightjar.bsky.social
December 18, 2025 at 9:10 PM
It's been a wild week for MERMan! Congratulations Rana, you are incredible ✨✨✨
So proud of @zahraaalbaqsami.bsky.social - you are amazing ✨✨✨✨
Congratulations to PhD student Zahraa Albaqsami @zahraaalbaqsami.bsky.social for successfully defending her PhD today! Zahraa's thesis looked at thermal adaptation and mutation in the archaeon Sulfolobus acidocaldarious.
Thanks to examiners @rokkrasovec.bsky.social and Thorsten Allers!
Thanks to examiners @rokkrasovec.bsky.social and Thorsten Allers!
December 17, 2025 at 11:54 PM
So proud of @zahraaalbaqsami.bsky.social - you are amazing ✨✨✨✨
Reposted by Rebecca Lowry Palmer
Whelan lab cake for the win at the Division of Evolution, Infection and Genomics and MCF Winter Celebration 🥳
#bakeoff #whelanlab
#bakeoff #whelanlab
December 11, 2025 at 5:29 PM
Whelan lab cake for the win at the Division of Evolution, Infection and Genomics and MCF Winter Celebration 🥳
#bakeoff #whelanlab
#bakeoff #whelanlab
Reposted by Rebecca Lowry Palmer
We had two fantastic visiting speakers today
MERMan alumnus @rowancallumg.bsky.social spoke about his current work with viral cheating in influenza with @asherleeks.bsky.social
And @lavishaparab.bsky.social talked about phage infection trade-offs
Thanks to @microbesng.bsky.social for our snacks!
MERMan alumnus @rowancallumg.bsky.social spoke about his current work with viral cheating in influenza with @asherleeks.bsky.social
And @lavishaparab.bsky.social talked about phage infection trade-offs
Thanks to @microbesng.bsky.social for our snacks!
December 3, 2025 at 5:32 PM
We had two fantastic visiting speakers today
MERMan alumnus @rowancallumg.bsky.social spoke about his current work with viral cheating in influenza with @asherleeks.bsky.social
And @lavishaparab.bsky.social talked about phage infection trade-offs
Thanks to @microbesng.bsky.social for our snacks!
MERMan alumnus @rowancallumg.bsky.social spoke about his current work with viral cheating in influenza with @asherleeks.bsky.social
And @lavishaparab.bsky.social talked about phage infection trade-offs
Thanks to @microbesng.bsky.social for our snacks!
Reposted by Rebecca Lowry Palmer
More amazing posters presented by our researchers @zahraaalbaqsami.bsky.social and Rana at #MicroEvo25!
November 27, 2025 at 4:52 PM
More amazing posters presented by our researchers @zahraaalbaqsami.bsky.social and Rana at #MicroEvo25!
Reposted by Rebecca Lowry Palmer
What a week! Thanks to everyone who attended the UK Phage Therapy workshop and #MicroEvo25 in Liverpool… every talk, poster, question, chat, and round of applause helps to build our microbial evolution community! Thanks to @microbiologysociety.org and @ukri.org for support
November 27, 2025 at 9:34 PM
What a week! Thanks to everyone who attended the UK Phage Therapy workshop and #MicroEvo25 in Liverpool… every talk, poster, question, chat, and round of applause helps to build our microbial evolution community! Thanks to @microbiologysociety.org and @ukri.org for support
So proud of @magdalenakurteu.bsky.social, so much effort goes into everything she does and her presentations always have such amazing hand drawn figures - very well deserved 👏🏼
Massive congratulations to our own @magdalenakurteu.bsky.social for winning the poster prize at #MicroEvo25!! Her poster describes coalescence dynamics in hot spring microbial communities, and featured wonderful photos from Icelandic field work
November 27, 2025 at 7:34 PM
So proud of @magdalenakurteu.bsky.social, so much effort goes into everything she does and her presentations always have such amazing hand drawn figures - very well deserved 👏🏼
Reposted by Rebecca Lowry Palmer
So excited to be here for @microbiologysociety.org ‘s #microevo25 meeting!
November 26, 2025 at 9:49 AM
So excited to be here for @microbiologysociety.org ‘s #microevo25 meeting!
Reposted by Rebecca Lowry Palmer
Fantastic talk about the impact of inflammation on Pseudomonas aeruginosa evolution by @taoranfu.bsky.social #MicroEvo25
November 26, 2025 at 11:14 AM
Fantastic talk about the impact of inflammation on Pseudomonas aeruginosa evolution by @taoranfu.bsky.social #MicroEvo25
Reposted by Rebecca Lowry Palmer
Come and see @willpjsmith.bsky.social at poster 71 to find out more about microbial warfare! #MicroEvo25
November 26, 2025 at 12:26 PM
Come and see @willpjsmith.bsky.social at poster 71 to find out more about microbial warfare! #MicroEvo25
Reposted by Rebecca Lowry Palmer
Learn about hot spring microbial communities from @magdalenakurteu.bsky.social at poster 62 🌋 #MicroEvo25
November 26, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Learn about hot spring microbial communities from @magdalenakurteu.bsky.social at poster 62 🌋 #MicroEvo25
Reposted by Rebecca Lowry Palmer
Find out more about DNA repair protein single-molecule tracking from @bexlowrypalms.bsky.social at poster 18🔬 #MicroEvo25
November 26, 2025 at 12:30 PM
Find out more about DNA repair protein single-molecule tracking from @bexlowrypalms.bsky.social at poster 18🔬 #MicroEvo25
Reposted by Rebecca Lowry Palmer
Metagenomic editing of commensal bacteria in vivo using CRISPR-associated transposases www.science.org/doi/abs/10.1... #jcampubs
Metagenomic editing of commensal bacteria in vivo using CRISPR-associated transposases
Although metagenomic sequencing has revealed a rich microbial biodiversity in the mammalian gut, methods to genetically alter specific species in the microbiome are highly limited. Here, we introduce ...
www.science.org
November 13, 2025 at 8:58 PM
Metagenomic editing of commensal bacteria in vivo using CRISPR-associated transposases www.science.org/doi/abs/10.1... #jcampubs
Reposted by Rebecca Lowry Palmer
✨I am thrilled to announce that my #ERCStG project will be funded by @erc.europa.eu. It explores how predatory bacteria interact with bacteria, which they invade and kill 🔬. I am very grateful to the ERC, the panel, reviewers, mentors, collaborators and colleagues! 🙏
#ERCStG => tiny.cc/174s001
#ERCStG => tiny.cc/174s001
September 4, 2025 at 4:02 PM
✨I am thrilled to announce that my #ERCStG project will be funded by @erc.europa.eu. It explores how predatory bacteria interact with bacteria, which they invade and kill 🔬. I am very grateful to the ERC, the panel, reviewers, mentors, collaborators and colleagues! 🙏
#ERCStG => tiny.cc/174s001
#ERCStG => tiny.cc/174s001
Reposted by Rebecca Lowry Palmer
Happy to share that our story on the bacterial archaellum was published today in @natmicrobiol.nature.com
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Congrats to the authors: @sshamphavi.bsky.social @loumollat.bsky.social @mariejoest.bsky.social Najwa Taib and @sgribaldo.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Congrats to the authors: @sshamphavi.bsky.social @loumollat.bsky.social @mariejoest.bsky.social Najwa Taib and @sgribaldo.bsky.social
September 17, 2025 at 5:41 PM
Happy to share that our story on the bacterial archaellum was published today in @natmicrobiol.nature.com
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Congrats to the authors: @sshamphavi.bsky.social @loumollat.bsky.social @mariejoest.bsky.social Najwa Taib and @sgribaldo.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Congrats to the authors: @sshamphavi.bsky.social @loumollat.bsky.social @mariejoest.bsky.social Najwa Taib and @sgribaldo.bsky.social
Reposted by Rebecca Lowry Palmer
Can Pseudomonas spp. Biocontrols help us to tackle Kiwi Canker? Isabella Frost is finding out! #PPATH2025
September 11, 2025 at 9:22 AM
Can Pseudomonas spp. Biocontrols help us to tackle Kiwi Canker? Isabella Frost is finding out! #PPATH2025
Reposted by Rebecca Lowry Palmer
Pseudomonas is under attack again, with Rebecca Lowry Palmer harnessing Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus as a Biocontrol Agent Against Pseudomonas syringae in Tomato Plants. #ECPP2025 #PPATH2025
September 9, 2025 at 10:53 AM
Pseudomonas is under attack again, with Rebecca Lowry Palmer harnessing Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus as a Biocontrol Agent Against Pseudomonas syringae in Tomato Plants. #ECPP2025 #PPATH2025
Very excited to be in Nottingham for the @bspp.bsky.social #bspp2025 giving a talk and poster presentation on my work with Bdellovibrio, plants and microbial evolution 🌱
September 9, 2025 at 8:14 AM
Very excited to be in Nottingham for the @bspp.bsky.social #bspp2025 giving a talk and poster presentation on my work with Bdellovibrio, plants and microbial evolution 🌱