David Balchin
@davidbalchin.bsky.social
Group leader at the Francis Crick institute and head of the Protein Biogenesis lab. Interested in protein folding, ribosomes and molecular chaperones.
Our story on GroEL/ES action during cotranslational folding is now published @natcomms.nature.com. Led by former-student Alzbeta Roeselova, and in collaboration with Rado Enchev's lab @crick.ac.uk.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
GroEL/ES chaperonin unfolds then encapsulates a nascent protein on the ribosome - Nature Communications
The GroEL/ES chaperonin can act during protein synthesis to promote folding. Here, Roeselová et al. show how GroEL captures, remodels and sequesters nascent proteins in its central chamber, while they...
www.nature.com
November 14, 2025 at 1:49 PM
Our story on GroEL/ES action during cotranslational folding is now published @natcomms.nature.com. Led by former-student Alzbeta Roeselova, and in collaboration with Rado Enchev's lab @crick.ac.uk.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by David Balchin
Postdoc position available in my lab in Jena (Germany.
jobs.leibniz-fli.de/jobposting/6...
If you're interested in protein biochemistry of amyloid proteins and chaperones, this job may be for you. B2 Level German is required as the candidate will be involved in teaching in German.
jobs.leibniz-fli.de/jobposting/6...
If you're interested in protein biochemistry of amyloid proteins and chaperones, this job may be for you. B2 Level German is required as the candidate will be involved in teaching in German.
Postdoc (m/f/x)
Our Research Group led by Janine Kirstein, Professorin at Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, is looking for a highly motivated and talented Postdoctoral Researcher (m/f/x) to join a research project ...
jobs.leibniz-fli.de
November 4, 2025 at 7:39 AM
Postdoc position available in my lab in Jena (Germany.
jobs.leibniz-fli.de/jobposting/6...
If you're interested in protein biochemistry of amyloid proteins and chaperones, this job may be for you. B2 Level German is required as the candidate will be involved in teaching in German.
jobs.leibniz-fli.de/jobposting/6...
If you're interested in protein biochemistry of amyloid proteins and chaperones, this job may be for you. B2 Level German is required as the candidate will be involved in teaching in German.
Reposted by David Balchin
Crick group leaders work across disciplines, supported by core funding and mentoring to build ambitious, curiosity-driven research.
Apply now to join us ➡️ www.crick.ac.uk/careers-stud...
Apply now to join us ➡️ www.crick.ac.uk/careers-stud...
October 27, 2025 at 2:07 PM
Crick group leaders work across disciplines, supported by core funding and mentoring to build ambitious, curiosity-driven research.
Apply now to join us ➡️ www.crick.ac.uk/careers-stud...
Apply now to join us ➡️ www.crick.ac.uk/careers-stud...
Reposted by David Balchin
I love AlphaFold—but please include PAE (Predicted Aligned Error) plots for every “interaction.” Pretty PDBs ≠ proof. If the PAE doesn’t show an interface, it ain’t one. Show the plots. Structural biology's reputation is on the line.
October 24, 2025 at 5:44 PM
I love AlphaFold—but please include PAE (Predicted Aligned Error) plots for every “interaction.” Pretty PDBs ≠ proof. If the PAE doesn’t show an interface, it ain’t one. Show the plots. Structural biology's reputation is on the line.
Reposted by David Balchin
We're now recruiting early career group leaders at the Crick to lead ambitious research programmes and explore bold scientific questions.
Hear our Director, Edith Heard, explain why the Crick is a unique place for curiosity-driven research.
Apply now ➡️ www.crick.ac.uk/careers-stud...
Hear our Director, Edith Heard, explain why the Crick is a unique place for curiosity-driven research.
Apply now ➡️ www.crick.ac.uk/careers-stud...
October 9, 2025 at 2:06 PM
We're now recruiting early career group leaders at the Crick to lead ambitious research programmes and explore bold scientific questions.
Hear our Director, Edith Heard, explain why the Crick is a unique place for curiosity-driven research.
Apply now ➡️ www.crick.ac.uk/careers-stud...
Hear our Director, Edith Heard, explain why the Crick is a unique place for curiosity-driven research.
Apply now ➡️ www.crick.ac.uk/careers-stud...
Reposted by David Balchin
2026 PhD recruitment is now open.
As well as our main PhD recruitment, which is open to all, we are pleased to be offering scholarships for candidates of Black or mixed Black heritage. Learn more and apply on our website:
www.crick.ac.uk/careers-stud...
As well as our main PhD recruitment, which is open to all, we are pleased to be offering scholarships for candidates of Black or mixed Black heritage. Learn more and apply on our website:
www.crick.ac.uk/careers-stud...
PhD student recruitment
PhD recruitment information.
www.crick.ac.uk
October 7, 2025 at 3:14 PM
2026 PhD recruitment is now open.
As well as our main PhD recruitment, which is open to all, we are pleased to be offering scholarships for candidates of Black or mixed Black heritage. Learn more and apply on our website:
www.crick.ac.uk/careers-stud...
As well as our main PhD recruitment, which is open to all, we are pleased to be offering scholarships for candidates of Black or mixed Black heritage. Learn more and apply on our website:
www.crick.ac.uk/careers-stud...
Reposted by David Balchin
Motivated graduates with backgrounds in biological or biomedical sciences, physics, chemistry, mathematics, engineering and/or computer science are invited to apply to our 4-year fully funded PhD programme.
Apply by 05 November 2025
www.crick.ac.uk/careers-and-...
Apply by 05 November 2025
www.crick.ac.uk/careers-and-...
PhD students
Our PhD programme attracts the brightest scientific minds and is an opportunity for talented people to embark on their career in biomedical research.
www.crick.ac.uk
October 2, 2025 at 12:53 PM
Motivated graduates with backgrounds in biological or biomedical sciences, physics, chemistry, mathematics, engineering and/or computer science are invited to apply to our 4-year fully funded PhD programme.
Apply by 05 November 2025
www.crick.ac.uk/careers-and-...
Apply by 05 November 2025
www.crick.ac.uk/careers-and-...
Reposted by David Balchin
I am excited to share our new preprint on the CAGE complex, a mysterious hollow protein complex that I first saw years ago while surveying Tetrahymena ciliary lysate www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1... #cilia #protistsonsky 🧬🧪
September 23, 2025 at 5:08 PM
I am excited to share our new preprint on the CAGE complex, a mysterious hollow protein complex that I first saw years ago while surveying Tetrahymena ciliary lysate www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1... #cilia #protistsonsky 🧬🧪
Our article on human multidomain protein biogenesis is now published in @natsmb.nature.com
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
The human ribosome modulates multidomain protein biogenesis by delaying cotranslational domain docking - Nature Structural & Molecular Biology
By studying dynamic folding intermediates on the human ribosome, Pellowe et al. show that newly made domains help each other to fold but do not stably interact until synthesis is complete, avoiding in...
www.nature.com
September 19, 2025 at 1:52 PM
Our article on human multidomain protein biogenesis is now published in @natsmb.nature.com
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by David Balchin
Time to close the EMBO-FEBS Susan Lindquist School on Proteostasis 2025 in Espoo, Finland. Four intensive days of fabulous presentations, discussions, and mentoring, fostering scientific exchange between senior and junior members of the proteostasis field. Thank you to all participants!
September 19, 2025 at 12:39 PM
Time to close the EMBO-FEBS Susan Lindquist School on Proteostasis 2025 in Espoo, Finland. Four intensive days of fabulous presentations, discussions, and mentoring, fostering scientific exchange between senior and junior members of the proteostasis field. Thank you to all participants!
Reposted by David Balchin
Why are α-synuclein aggregates in Parkinson’s disease (PD) toxic at the cell biological level?
Our new study shows that α-syn fibrils hijack the ESCRT membrane repair system, triggering a feedback loop that worsens aggregation.
You can find it at: authors.elsevier.com/sd/article/S...
Our new study shows that α-syn fibrils hijack the ESCRT membrane repair system, triggering a feedback loop that worsens aggregation.
You can find it at: authors.elsevier.com/sd/article/S...
ScienceDirect.com | Science, health and medical journals, full text articles and books.
authors.elsevier.com
September 10, 2025 at 7:07 PM
Why are α-synuclein aggregates in Parkinson’s disease (PD) toxic at the cell biological level?
Our new study shows that α-syn fibrils hijack the ESCRT membrane repair system, triggering a feedback loop that worsens aggregation.
You can find it at: authors.elsevier.com/sd/article/S...
Our new study shows that α-syn fibrils hijack the ESCRT membrane repair system, triggering a feedback loop that worsens aggregation.
You can find it at: authors.elsevier.com/sd/article/S...
Reposted by David Balchin
Curious about the structure and functional analysis of one of the most abundant and enigmatic extracellular #chaperones and one of the highest genetic risk factor for developing late onset #Alzheimer’s disease? Check out our paper on Clusterin/ApoJ!
#proteostasis #apolipoprotein
rdcu.be/ezRLv
#proteostasis #apolipoprotein
rdcu.be/ezRLv
Structural analyses define the molecular basis of clusterin chaperone function
Nature Structural & Molecular Biology - The authors reveal a three-domain architecture of glycoprotein clusterin and show that the hydrophobic tails are crucial for clusterin’s functions...
rdcu.be
August 8, 2025 at 2:58 PM
Curious about the structure and functional analysis of one of the most abundant and enigmatic extracellular #chaperones and one of the highest genetic risk factor for developing late onset #Alzheimer’s disease? Check out our paper on Clusterin/ApoJ!
#proteostasis #apolipoprotein
rdcu.be/ezRLv
#proteostasis #apolipoprotein
rdcu.be/ezRLv
Reposted by David Balchin
Reposted by David Balchin
This preprint from Helen Sakharova is one of the coolest things to come out of my lab: “Protein language models reveal evolutionary constraints on synonymous codon choice.” Codon choice is a big puzzle in how information is encoded in genomes, and we have a new angle. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Protein language models reveal evolutionary constraints on synonymous codon choice
Evolution has shaped the genetic code, with subtle pressures leading to preferences for some synonymous codons over others. Codons are translated at different speeds by the ribosome, imposing constrai...
www.biorxiv.org
August 7, 2025 at 8:29 AM
This preprint from Helen Sakharova is one of the coolest things to come out of my lab: “Protein language models reveal evolutionary constraints on synonymous codon choice.” Codon choice is a big puzzle in how information is encoded in genomes, and we have a new angle. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by David Balchin
🚨 Happy to share our first pre-print 🎉 on the causes of ribosome-associated degradation of CFTR and other transmembrane proteins.
We explore how protein folding, ER insertion, and elongation dynamics influence translation arrests in this new class of RQC targets.👇
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
We explore how protein folding, ER insertion, and elongation dynamics influence translation arrests in this new class of RQC targets.👇
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Principles of ribosome-associated protein quality control during the synthesis of CFTR
Prolonged translational arrests caused by defective mRNAs activate the ribosome-associated protein quality control (RQC) pathway, which marks harmful incomplete proteins for degradation. Multipass tra...
www.biorxiv.org
August 1, 2025 at 10:36 AM
🚨 Happy to share our first pre-print 🎉 on the causes of ribosome-associated degradation of CFTR and other transmembrane proteins.
We explore how protein folding, ER insertion, and elongation dynamics influence translation arrests in this new class of RQC targets.👇
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
We explore how protein folding, ER insertion, and elongation dynamics influence translation arrests in this new class of RQC targets.👇
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by David Balchin
Last call to apply for the Susan Lindquist School on Proteostasis EMBO-FEBS Lecture Course, 16-19 Sept 2025 in Espoo, Finland! Open for postdocs and PhD students. DL June 15! meetings.embo.org/event/25-pro...
June 10, 2025 at 7:55 AM
Last call to apply for the Susan Lindquist School on Proteostasis EMBO-FEBS Lecture Course, 16-19 Sept 2025 in Espoo, Finland! Open for postdocs and PhD students. DL June 15! meetings.embo.org/event/25-pro...
Reposted by David Balchin
Join the Hallegger Lab in Oxford! A post-doc position available to develop neuronal cell models to characterise how TDP-43 aggregation leads to its dysfunction in MND.
Highly collaborative project funded by My Name'5 Doddie Foundation
@MNDoddie5
Please repost and share widely!
Highly collaborative project funded by My Name'5 Doddie Foundation
@MNDoddie5
Please repost and share widely!
June 3, 2025 at 7:31 PM
Join the Hallegger Lab in Oxford! A post-doc position available to develop neuronal cell models to characterise how TDP-43 aggregation leads to its dysfunction in MND.
Highly collaborative project funded by My Name'5 Doddie Foundation
@MNDoddie5
Please repost and share widely!
Highly collaborative project funded by My Name'5 Doddie Foundation
@MNDoddie5
Please repost and share widely!
New from our lab @crick.ac.uk, in collaboration with the Enchev and Bukau labs.
By studying a protein that is difficult to fold, we discover fascinating new mechanisms by which the ribosome supports protein biogenesis.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
By studying a protein that is difficult to fold, we discover fascinating new mechanisms by which the ribosome supports protein biogenesis.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
June 2, 2025 at 4:12 PM
New from our lab @crick.ac.uk, in collaboration with the Enchev and Bukau labs.
By studying a protein that is difficult to fold, we discover fascinating new mechanisms by which the ribosome supports protein biogenesis.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
By studying a protein that is difficult to fold, we discover fascinating new mechanisms by which the ribosome supports protein biogenesis.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by David Balchin
Thrilled to share our new method in-cyclo NMR that lets us watch molecular machines in action — decoding molecular machine kinetics with atomic precision and exceptional time resolution in one go! 🚀 Check it out: doi.org/10.1038/s414... #NMR #StructuralBiology
June 2, 2025 at 9:16 AM
Thrilled to share our new method in-cyclo NMR that lets us watch molecular machines in action — decoding molecular machine kinetics with atomic precision and exceptional time resolution in one go! 🚀 Check it out: doi.org/10.1038/s414... #NMR #StructuralBiology
Reposted by David Balchin
Our research group studies #ribosomes. Our favorite region of interest is the ribosomal tunnel. We realized that it has been missing a Wikipedia page until now, so we decided to create one. Read, edit, enjoy👇
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ribosom...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ribosom...
April 30, 2025 at 2:06 PM
Our research group studies #ribosomes. Our favorite region of interest is the ribosomal tunnel. We realized that it has been missing a Wikipedia page until now, so we decided to create one. Read, edit, enjoy👇
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ribosom...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ribosom...
Reposted by David Balchin
🚨 Deadline extended! 🚨
Registration for the 2nd UK Proteostasis Network meeting in Dundee is open until 30 April!
🧬 Plenty of chances for selected talks from abstracts
📅 3–5 June 2025
📍 Dundee
🗓️ Program now live!
Sign up and view the programme here: dundee.ac.uk/events/joint...
Registration for the 2nd UK Proteostasis Network meeting in Dundee is open until 30 April!
🧬 Plenty of chances for selected talks from abstracts
📅 3–5 June 2025
📍 Dundee
🗓️ Program now live!
Sign up and view the programme here: dundee.ac.uk/events/joint...
Joint 2025 Autophagy UK and Proteostasis UK conference | University of Dundee, UK
Welcome to the 2025 joint “Autophagy UK and Proteostasis UK” conference!
dundee.ac.uk
April 22, 2025 at 10:39 AM
🚨 Deadline extended! 🚨
Registration for the 2nd UK Proteostasis Network meeting in Dundee is open until 30 April!
🧬 Plenty of chances for selected talks from abstracts
📅 3–5 June 2025
📍 Dundee
🗓️ Program now live!
Sign up and view the programme here: dundee.ac.uk/events/joint...
Registration for the 2nd UK Proteostasis Network meeting in Dundee is open until 30 April!
🧬 Plenty of chances for selected talks from abstracts
📅 3–5 June 2025
📍 Dundee
🗓️ Program now live!
Sign up and view the programme here: dundee.ac.uk/events/joint...
Reposted by David Balchin
📢 New PhD Opportunity
🧬🧪 Excited to share a fully funded PhD studentship is available in my lab @gdsc-sussex.bsky.social
📅 Deadline: 2nd May 2025
👉 www.sussex.ac.uk/study/fees-f...
Please share with anyone who might be interested.
🧬🧪 Excited to share a fully funded PhD studentship is available in my lab @gdsc-sussex.bsky.social
📅 Deadline: 2nd May 2025
👉 www.sussex.ac.uk/study/fees-f...
Please share with anyone who might be interested.
PhD Studentship: Structure and function of tyrosine fusion kinases in leukaemia and their regulation by the HSP90 molecular chaperone at University of Sussex
Discover a PhD Studentship: Structure and function of tyrosine fusion kinases in leukaemia and their regulation by the HSP90 molecular chaperone on jobs.ac.uk. Apply now and explore other PhD opportun...
www.jobs.ac.uk
April 16, 2025 at 9:16 AM
📢 New PhD Opportunity
🧬🧪 Excited to share a fully funded PhD studentship is available in my lab @gdsc-sussex.bsky.social
📅 Deadline: 2nd May 2025
👉 www.sussex.ac.uk/study/fees-f...
Please share with anyone who might be interested.
🧬🧪 Excited to share a fully funded PhD studentship is available in my lab @gdsc-sussex.bsky.social
📅 Deadline: 2nd May 2025
👉 www.sussex.ac.uk/study/fees-f...
Please share with anyone who might be interested.
Reposted by David Balchin
🚨 Fully-funded 4-yr MRes+PhD studentship @Imperial 🚨
Join our team (w/ Prof Hugh Brady @Imperial + Dr Jacob Bush @GSK) on an exciting PhD project developing a covalent cyclic peptide discovery platform with a focus on immuno-oncology targets 🔬🔥
📅 Deadline: 27 April 2025
Join our team (w/ Prof Hugh Brady @Imperial + Dr Jacob Bush @GSK) on an exciting PhD project developing a covalent cyclic peptide discovery platform with a focus on immuno-oncology targets 🔬🔥
📅 Deadline: 27 April 2025
April 14, 2025 at 1:14 PM
🚨 Fully-funded 4-yr MRes+PhD studentship @Imperial 🚨
Join our team (w/ Prof Hugh Brady @Imperial + Dr Jacob Bush @GSK) on an exciting PhD project developing a covalent cyclic peptide discovery platform with a focus on immuno-oncology targets 🔬🔥
📅 Deadline: 27 April 2025
Join our team (w/ Prof Hugh Brady @Imperial + Dr Jacob Bush @GSK) on an exciting PhD project developing a covalent cyclic peptide discovery platform with a focus on immuno-oncology targets 🔬🔥
📅 Deadline: 27 April 2025
Reposted by David Balchin
doi.org/10.1515/hsz-...
I am super happy to share this review as my first post on Bluesky. After submitting my PhD thesis at the start of the year, my PI Elke Deuerling suggested to write this review with her, covering many of the findings of my thesis. I am excited to see it published today!
I am super happy to share this review as my first post on Bluesky. After submitting my PhD thesis at the start of the year, my PI Elke Deuerling suggested to write this review with her, covering many of the findings of my thesis. I am excited to see it published today!
The nascent polypeptide-associated complex (NAC) as regulatory hub on ribosomes
The correct synthesis of new proteins is essential for maintaining a functional proteome and cell viability. This process is tightly regulated, with ribosomes and associated protein biogenesis factors...
doi.org
April 1, 2025 at 2:57 PM
doi.org/10.1515/hsz-...
I am super happy to share this review as my first post on Bluesky. After submitting my PhD thesis at the start of the year, my PI Elke Deuerling suggested to write this review with her, covering many of the findings of my thesis. I am excited to see it published today!
I am super happy to share this review as my first post on Bluesky. After submitting my PhD thesis at the start of the year, my PI Elke Deuerling suggested to write this review with her, covering many of the findings of my thesis. I am excited to see it published today!
Reposted by David Balchin
We're hiring again! Now looking for a postdoctoral fellow to join us on our mission to improve methods for testing human variants at scale. 🔎🧬🧪
Many potential projects to tackle, all in the top-tier research environment of the @crick.ac.uk.
crick.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/External/job...
Many potential projects to tackle, all in the top-tier research environment of the @crick.ac.uk.
crick.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/External/job...
April 1, 2025 at 11:49 AM
We're hiring again! Now looking for a postdoctoral fellow to join us on our mission to improve methods for testing human variants at scale. 🔎🧬🧪
Many potential projects to tackle, all in the top-tier research environment of the @crick.ac.uk.
crick.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/External/job...
Many potential projects to tackle, all in the top-tier research environment of the @crick.ac.uk.
crick.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/External/job...