Matt Barber
@biobarber.bsky.social
Associate Professor at the University of Oregon. Microbes, evolution, and infectious disease.
Dad and husband.
barberlab.org
Dad and husband.
barberlab.org
Excited for this new preprint from former postdoc @caitlinkowa.bsky.social identifying unexpected functions for the bacterial stringent response in antimicrobial fatty acid susceptibility in S. aureus #microsky
www.biorxiv.org
February 5, 2026 at 9:52 PM
Excited for this new preprint from former postdoc @caitlinkowa.bsky.social identifying unexpected functions for the bacterial stringent response in antimicrobial fatty acid susceptibility in S. aureus #microsky
Reposted by Matt Barber
Excited to share our latest publication, led by Dr. Ellie McCallum and Juan Burckhardt!
bit.ly/4kfzQaf
You can access the article for free here: authors.elsevier.com/a/1mWb4L7PXu... And more information is available on the updated preprint: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
bit.ly/4kfzQaf
You can access the article for free here: authors.elsevier.com/a/1mWb4L7PXu... And more information is available on the updated preprint: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Glowing bacterial sensors detect gut illness in mice before symptoms emerge
UBC researchers have engineered gut bacteria that dim their fluorescent glow in the presence of illness.
bit.ly
January 28, 2026 at 7:54 PM
Excited to share our latest publication, led by Dr. Ellie McCallum and Juan Burckhardt!
bit.ly/4kfzQaf
You can access the article for free here: authors.elsevier.com/a/1mWb4L7PXu... And more information is available on the updated preprint: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
bit.ly/4kfzQaf
You can access the article for free here: authors.elsevier.com/a/1mWb4L7PXu... And more information is available on the updated preprint: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Applications are open for PREP Bio at the University of Oregon! A great opportunity for postbacs looking for additional research experience while preparing for graduate school. More here: cas.uoregon.edu/UO-PREP-Bio
UO PREP Biology program
cas.uoregon.edu
January 28, 2026 at 10:29 PM
Applications are open for PREP Bio at the University of Oregon! A great opportunity for postbacs looking for additional research experience while preparing for graduate school. More here: cas.uoregon.edu/UO-PREP-Bio
Proud of our local school district! 💪
Trump admin drops appeal in anti-DEI funding case against K-12 schools, colleges
The Trump administration dropped its appeal in the anti-DEI funding threat to K-12 schools and colleges, according to the Associated Press.The Eugene 4J school
nbc16.com
January 22, 2026 at 4:36 AM
Proud of our local school district! 💪
Silver Falls State Park 💚
January 19, 2026 at 12:44 AM
Silver Falls State Park 💚
Reposted by Matt Barber
An article today in @natmed.nature.com lays out a "New Vision" for NIAID, stating that following Covid "much of the American public lost trust in the NIAID, the National Institutes of Health (...), and in the greater scientific community"
Let's have a look at what they cite in support of that 1/n
Let's have a look at what they cite in support of that 1/n
January 16, 2026 at 10:06 PM
An article today in @natmed.nature.com lays out a "New Vision" for NIAID, stating that following Covid "much of the American public lost trust in the NIAID, the National Institutes of Health (...), and in the greater scientific community"
Let's have a look at what they cite in support of that 1/n
Let's have a look at what they cite in support of that 1/n
Reposted by Matt Barber
very sad news. Peer Bork was one of the leaders of our field, a wonderful scientist, and he's much too young to be gone. www.embl.org/news/embl-an...
In remembrance of Peer Bork | EMBL
EMBL and its community are deeply saddened by the death of Peer Bork, the organisation’s Interim Director General.
www.embl.org
January 16, 2026 at 6:33 PM
very sad news. Peer Bork was one of the leaders of our field, a wonderful scientist, and he's much too young to be gone. www.embl.org/news/embl-an...
Reposted by Matt Barber
One of the most incredible shots I've ever gotten, in Yellowstone. This coyote walked over a ridge in the blowing snow and posed for me, with a small grin on its face, the snowfalkes like stars in the background.
The desolation and beauty of life and nature is grounding, and so good for the soul.
The desolation and beauty of life and nature is grounding, and so good for the soul.
December 28, 2025 at 2:03 AM
One of the most incredible shots I've ever gotten, in Yellowstone. This coyote walked over a ridge in the blowing snow and posed for me, with a small grin on its face, the snowfalkes like stars in the background.
The desolation and beauty of life and nature is grounding, and so good for the soul.
The desolation and beauty of life and nature is grounding, and so good for the soul.
Reposted by Matt Barber
Late job posting: My department is hiring a tenure-track faculty member in microbiology! Please share with anyone interested in working at a PUI. We have a preference for someone who can teach Medical Microbiology, but other than that the focus is open-ended. Happy to answer qs.
Microbiologist (AA27034)
All Job Postings will close at 12:01 a.m. CT on the specified Closing Date (if designated). Working Title: Microbiologist (AA27034) Institution: Minnesota State University, Mankato Classification Titl...
minnstate.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com
December 19, 2025 at 9:28 PM
Late job posting: My department is hiring a tenure-track faculty member in microbiology! Please share with anyone interested in working at a PUI. We have a preference for someone who can teach Medical Microbiology, but other than that the focus is open-ended. Happy to answer qs.
Reposted by Matt Barber
This week officially marked the end of my time as a PhD student at the University of Oregon. Amidst transferring PhD programs in the middle of my first year, moving cross country during March of 2020 and starting my PhD during the COVID lockdown, I still found a way to get it done
1/
1/
December 19, 2025 at 11:14 PM
This week officially marked the end of my time as a PhD student at the University of Oregon. Amidst transferring PhD programs in the middle of my first year, moving cross country during March of 2020 and starting my PhD during the COVID lockdown, I still found a way to get it done
1/
1/
Reposted by Matt Barber
Registration is now open for @keystonesymposia.bsky.social "Beyond #Antibiotics: Emerging Strategies Combating #BacterialInfection." Deadline for scholarships and abstract selected short talks is Jan 7! Join us this May for an amazing meeting! keysym.us/KSBeyondAntibiotics26 #KSBeyondAntibiotics26
Beyond Antibiotics: Emerging Strategies for Combating Bacterial Infection | Keystone Symposia
Join us at the Keystone Symposia on Beyond Antibiotics: Emerging Strategies for Combating Bacterial Infection, May 2026, in Breckenridge, with field leaders!
keysym.us
November 19, 2025 at 5:37 PM
Registration is now open for @keystonesymposia.bsky.social "Beyond #Antibiotics: Emerging Strategies Combating #BacterialInfection." Deadline for scholarships and abstract selected short talks is Jan 7! Join us this May for an amazing meeting! keysym.us/KSBeyondAntibiotics26 #KSBeyondAntibiotics26
Reposted by Matt Barber
The Rowley/Ytreberg/Patel labs at UI have led a multidisciplinary study to characterize a new yeast toxin! Published in the ASM's flagship Journal - mBio. Eight undergraduate authors contributed to the study, a great team effort! journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/... @uidaho.bsky.social
The Saccharomyces killer toxin K62 is a protein of the aerolysin family | mBio
Pore-forming toxins are potent biological weapons used across nature, from virulence
factors to immune defense proteins. This study identifies K62, a little-known antifungal
toxin produced by a wild y...
journals.asm.org
November 13, 2025 at 8:45 PM
The Rowley/Ytreberg/Patel labs at UI have led a multidisciplinary study to characterize a new yeast toxin! Published in the ASM's flagship Journal - mBio. Eight undergraduate authors contributed to the study, a great team effort! journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/... @uidaho.bsky.social
Reposted by Matt Barber
We have a funded NERC PhD studentship!
Selfish X chromosomes are these bizarre things where males carrying the selfish X suffer from imploding testes. Lots to do in this space, especially in evolutionary, stress, and infection biology.
Please share!
#PhDchat #AcademicSky @uniexecec.bsky.social
Selfish X chromosomes are these bizarre things where males carrying the selfish X suffer from imploding testes. Lots to do in this space, especially in evolutionary, stress, and infection biology.
Please share!
#PhDchat #AcademicSky @uniexecec.bsky.social
November 15, 2025 at 3:02 PM
We have a funded NERC PhD studentship!
Selfish X chromosomes are these bizarre things where males carrying the selfish X suffer from imploding testes. Lots to do in this space, especially in evolutionary, stress, and infection biology.
Please share!
#PhDchat #AcademicSky @uniexecec.bsky.social
Selfish X chromosomes are these bizarre things where males carrying the selfish X suffer from imploding testes. Lots to do in this space, especially in evolutionary, stress, and infection biology.
Please share!
#PhDchat #AcademicSky @uniexecec.bsky.social
Going to break my social media hiatus for a belated congratulations to @kdc509.bsky.social on an outstanding thesis defense last week! I cannot say enough good things about Killian - an amazing scientist and human being.
November 15, 2025 at 2:24 AM
Going to break my social media hiatus for a belated congratulations to @kdc509.bsky.social on an outstanding thesis defense last week! I cannot say enough good things about Killian - an amazing scientist and human being.
Reposted by Matt Barber
We are looking for a postdoc to study single-cell transcriptional heterogeneity in the human skin microbiome.
We have a new protocol mostly developed, but need someone to see it through. Experience with protocol dev or RNAseq appreciated.
Funded by a new grant from MIT-HEALS.
We have a new protocol mostly developed, but need someone to see it through. Experience with protocol dev or RNAseq appreciated.
Funded by a new grant from MIT-HEALS.
September 12, 2025 at 4:49 PM
We are looking for a postdoc to study single-cell transcriptional heterogeneity in the human skin microbiome.
We have a new protocol mostly developed, but need someone to see it through. Experience with protocol dev or RNAseq appreciated.
Funded by a new grant from MIT-HEALS.
We have a new protocol mostly developed, but need someone to see it through. Experience with protocol dev or RNAseq appreciated.
Funded by a new grant from MIT-HEALS.
🚨Job alert!🚨
We are looking for a new lab manager to join our group at the University of Oregon! Applicants with experience in microbiology, evolutionary genetics, or protein biochemistry are especially encouraged to apply. See the link below for more information: barberlab.org/contact/
We are looking for a new lab manager to join our group at the University of Oregon! Applicants with experience in microbiology, evolutionary genetics, or protein biochemistry are especially encouraged to apply. See the link below for more information: barberlab.org/contact/
Contact
View of the University of Oregon campus from nearby Hendricks Park Lab Address:322 Pacific Hall5289 University of OregonEugene, OR 97403 Lab Phone:541-346-1537 Joining the lab Lab Manager: We are c…
barberlab.org
September 12, 2025 at 7:20 PM
🚨Job alert!🚨
We are looking for a new lab manager to join our group at the University of Oregon! Applicants with experience in microbiology, evolutionary genetics, or protein biochemistry are especially encouraged to apply. See the link below for more information: barberlab.org/contact/
We are looking for a new lab manager to join our group at the University of Oregon! Applicants with experience in microbiology, evolutionary genetics, or protein biochemistry are especially encouraged to apply. See the link below for more information: barberlab.org/contact/
Contact
View of the University of Oregon campus from nearby Hendricks Park Lab Address:322 Pacific Hall5289 University of OregonEugene, OR 97403 Lab Phone:541-346-1537 Joining the lab Lab Manager: We are c…
barberlab.org
September 12, 2025 at 7:17 PM
🚨Job alert!🚨
We are looking for a new lab manager to join our group at the University of Oregon! Applicants with experience in microbiology, evolutionary genetics, or protein biochemistry are especially encouraged to apply. See the link below for more information: barberlab.org/contact/
We are looking for a new lab manager to join our group at the University of Oregon! Applicants with experience in microbiology, evolutionary genetics, or protein biochemistry are especially encouraged to apply. See the link below for more information: barberlab.org/contact/
Reposted by Matt Barber
#Microsky 🦠 🧪
🎙️ Job Announcement: Penn State is seeking an ASSISTANT PROFESSOR in MICROBIOLOGY (any subdiscipline) in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
Learn more and Join the Microbiome Jubilee: psu.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/PSU_Ac...
Learn more and Join the Microbiome Jubilee: psu.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/PSU_Ac...
Assistant Professor in Microbiology
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS: CURRENT PENN STATE EMPLOYEE (faculty, staff, technical service, or student), please login to Workday to complete the internal application process. Please do not apply here, a...
psu.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com
September 8, 2025 at 1:26 PM
#Microsky 🦠 🧪
Reposted by Matt Barber
The “problem” with vaccines? They so effective at preventing deaths that they create generations of people that question whether disease was a problem in the first place because they have never experienced the horrors of a world without vaccines.
September 4, 2025 at 7:44 PM
The “problem” with vaccines? They so effective at preventing deaths that they create generations of people that question whether disease was a problem in the first place because they have never experienced the horrors of a world without vaccines.
Reposted by Matt Barber
✨ Exciting News ✨I am thrilled to share that I have accepted a position as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology (IDM), at the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health!
September 3, 2025 at 3:48 PM
✨ Exciting News ✨I am thrilled to share that I have accepted a position as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology (IDM), at the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health!
Reposted by Matt Barber
I am honored to be named an ASM Distinguished Lecturer! Looking forward to participating in upcoming ASM Branch Meetings and supporting our next generation of microbiologists.
ASM Distinguished and Waksman Foundation Lecturer Roster
ASM is a nonprofit professional society that publishes scientific journals and advances microbiology through advocacy, global health and diversity in STEM programs.
asm.org
September 1, 2025 at 7:17 PM
I am honored to be named an ASM Distinguished Lecturer! Looking forward to participating in upcoming ASM Branch Meetings and supporting our next generation of microbiologists.
Reposted by Matt Barber
I am delighted to announce that the UW Department of Biochemistry has opened searches for TWO tenure-track positions.
Descriptions and links in the following two posts.
Descriptions and links in the following two posts.
August 28, 2025 at 8:47 PM
I am delighted to announce that the UW Department of Biochemistry has opened searches for TWO tenure-track positions.
Descriptions and links in the following two posts.
Descriptions and links in the following two posts.
Reposted by Matt Barber
Excited to announce a search for an Associate or Full Professor in Infectious Disease Modeling at Penn State's Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics. Details at link and below.
psu.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/PSU_Ac...
psu.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/PSU_Ac...
Full or Associate Professor in Infectious Disease Modeling
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS: CURRENT PENN STATE EMPLOYEE (faculty, staff, technical service, or student), please login to Workday to complete the internal application process. Please do not apply here, a...
psu.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com
August 26, 2025 at 12:40 PM
Excited to announce a search for an Associate or Full Professor in Infectious Disease Modeling at Penn State's Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics. Details at link and below.
psu.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/PSU_Ac...
psu.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/PSU_Ac...
Reposted by Matt Barber
Excited to share the most recent work from our lab! In which we seek out the cellular source of homeostatic IFNL in the gut and find that gut pDC are ‘rewired’ to produce IFNL over type I IFNs.
Plasmacytoid dendritic cells in the intestine preferentially produce interferon lambda at homeostasis contributing to tonic localized innate immune responses https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.08.25.672167v1
August 30, 2025 at 1:35 AM
Excited to share the most recent work from our lab! In which we seek out the cellular source of homeostatic IFNL in the gut and find that gut pDC are ‘rewired’ to produce IFNL over type I IFNs.