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DMM Journal
@dmmjournal.bsky.social
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Disease Models & Mechanisms - discovery for human health. A
@biologists.bsky.social Open Access journal that publishes human disease research.
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DMM Journal @dmmjournal.bsky.social · Oct 21
Our new special issue on infectious diseases is now closed! bit.ly/4nc60U5

On the cover: 3D-volume render of tuberculosis granulomas in mice infected with E2Crimson-expressing Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Granuloma boundary in turquoise and infecting bacteria in red.
Three-dimensional volume render of tuberculosis granulomas in C3HeB/FeJ mice infected with E2Crimson-expressing Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Turquoise outlines mark the granuloma boundary, infecting bacteria are highlighted in red. Images were captured by light-sheet fluorescence microscopy and rendered in 3D at day 42 and day 70 post infection, revealing the spatial architecture of lesions and the pathogen distribution deep within intact lung tissue. See article by Beltran et al. (dmm052185).
dmmjournal.bsky.social
Meet Lucie Perillat, 1st author of paper with Ronald Cohn & co that characterized the long-term effects of a Becker #MuscularDystrophy (BMD)-like deletion of Dmd exons in mice. This sheds light on BMD pathology and mechanisms

👩🏽‍🔬https://bit.ly/4o8aFXk
📰http://bit.ly/49wQ6jP
Image of Lucie Perillat
November 26, 2025 at 12:27 PM
dmmjournal.bsky.social
We have a fantastic line up of speakers for our 2026 Journal Meeting organised by @amatrudalab.bsky.social, @bandolab.bsky.social, @banitolab.bsky.social and Elaine Mardis @nationwidekids.bsky.social!

🚨Register your interest now so you're first to get updates🚨

www.biologists.com/meetings/dmm...
Graphic for the Disease Models & Mechanisms meeting: “Innovative Preclinical Models for Pediatric Cancer Research”. This is scheduled for 13–15 October 2026 at Nationwide Children’s Hospital Conference Center in Columbus, Ohio, USA. The design includes a green button labeled “Register your interest,” and a microscopy image of fluorescent cells.
November 25, 2025 at 11:54 AM
dmmjournal.bsky.social
This paper from Minakawa, Seki & co generated 2nd generation transgenic marmoset models of #Spinocerebellar ataxia 3 that replicated progressive motor deficits and neuropathology & provides a powerful platform for studying this disease

journals.biologists.com/dmm/article/...
Histological panel showing degeneration and inclusion body formation in tissues from marmoset model of polyglutamine disease. (A,B) Cerebellum stained with anti-calbindin and anti-GFAP reveals Purkinje cell loss and astrocytic gliosis. (C–H) Lumbar spinal cord sections stained with anti-GFAP, Klüver-Barrera, H&E, anti-1C2, and anti-ubiquitin display demyelination, neuronal degeneration, and ubiquitin-positive inclusions. (I–L) Electron microscopy images show ultrastructural details of inclusion bodies with dense filamentous aggregates. (M,N) Cerebrum stained for GFAP and ubiquitin indicates astrocytic activation and protein inclusions. (O,P) Brainstem sections with anti-Iba1 highlight microglial activation. (Q,R) Peripheral nerve and dorsal root ganglion stained with Toluidine Blue and anti-ubiquitin show axonal degeneration and inclusions. (S,T) Skeletal muscle stained with Hematoxylin and Eosin and anti-1C2 reveals fiber atrophy and nuclear inclusions. Scale bars from 500 μm to 1 μm.
November 24, 2025 at 12:17 PM
dmmjournal.bsky.social
A new #DMMPerspective from Wenqing Xu & @aleprigio.bsky.social explores increasing evidence of #neurodevelopmental aspects in #HuntingtonsDisease & early interventions that might lead to prevention or delay of the disease pathology

journals.biologists.com/dmm/article/...
Diagram illustrating altered neurodevelopment in Huntington’s disease (HD) and proposed early interventions. The top row shows a healthy brain trajectory: wild-type huntingtin (wtHTT) supports normal development from a healthy developing brain to a healthy adult brain. The bottom row shows HD trajectory: presence of mutant huntingtin (mHTT) leads to an aberrant developing brain and later regional brain atrophy. Below, two intervention strategies to preserve developmental compensation are shown: Cell-autonomous approaches target stress response mechanisms (CHCHD2, DRP1, ATM, HSF1, other factors) to preserve mitochondrial health; Non-cell-autonomous approaches support intercellular communication, with compensation by cerebellum, healthy cells, and glial cells.
November 21, 2025 at 7:03 PM
dmmjournal.bsky.social
Our latest #EditorsChoice from Katschke, Jeanne & co @genentech.bsky.social investigated the role of HTRA1 in samples from patients with age-related macular degeneration & mouse models

EC highlight & article:
⚡https://tinyurl.com/ze3czu7r
📰 tinyurl.com/ynhhw5b4
Image of mouse eye section stained with H&E for histological characterization of retinal degeneration due to phototoxicity from constant light exposure. WT HTRA1 was overexpressed in this mouse.
November 21, 2025 at 11:57 AM
dmmjournal.bsky.social
The Tumour Ecosystem conference in Bergamo, Italy (17-19 Mar 2026) is an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the latest exciting breakthroughs on multiple aspects of the tumour microenvironment: bit.ly/4owGcUm
@helloeacr.bsky.social
November 21, 2025 at 10:47 AM
dmmjournal.bsky.social
Meet Jack Barrington, 1st author of paper with Stuart Allan & co showing complex IL1 functions during acute intracerebral #haemorrhage. Jack also received a DMM grant to present this at an international conference

🧑🔬https://tinyurl.com/3fmra89p
📰https://tinyurl.com/y5tcmajm
Image of Jack Barrington
November 20, 2025 at 4:31 PM
dmmjournal.bsky.social
We are pleased to be a media partner for the
@embl.org
Conference: The new cardiobiology: engineering, vascular, and molecular insights, 16 - 19 Feb 2026
Abstract submission: 17 Nov 2025
Registration (On-site): 5 Jan 2026
Registration (Virtual): 9 Feb 2026
bit.ly/43BGa4V
EMBL Conference The new cardiobiology: engineering, vascular, and molecular insights
November 17, 2025 at 1:11 PM
dmmjournal.bsky.social
In our latest Editorial, members of the COST Action TEATIME CA20135 welfare group advocate for automation in animal research alongside advances in AI and machine learning to enhance rigor, robustness and translatability of animal studies

journals.biologists.com/dmm/article/...
Image depicting multiple opportunities for home cage monitoring systems in the future in collaboration with AI and computer science.
November 17, 2025 at 11:16 AM
dmmjournal.bsky.social
New Review from James Amos-Landgraf & colleagues @umissouripress.bsky.social provides guidance on selecting suitable animal models for specific disease aspects of #COVID19 to improve translatability of studies

journals.biologists.com/dmm/article/...
Diagram comparing ACE2 amino acid sequences across seven species and their susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Left shows species list with illustrations: human, African green monkey, rhesus macaque, cynomolgus macaque, mouse, Syrian hamster, and ferret. Right shows a color-coded alignment of ACE2 amino acids at key positions (19–83 and 152–357). Colors indicate amino acid properties: green for hydrophobic (F, G, L, M), purple for polar (N, S, Q, T, Y), blue for basic (H, K, R), and red for acidic (D, E). Humans and primates share similar sequences, correlating with natural susceptibility. Syrian hamster and ferret also show similarity. Mouse differs at multiple positions, replacing hydrophobic residues with polar or charged ones, explaining its resistance and need for transgenic models.
November 14, 2025 at 2:45 PM
dmmjournal.bsky.social
This new Resources & Methods paper from Gyanu Lamichhane & co at John Hopkins establishes a cost-effective BALB/c mouse model of #Mycobacterium abscessus #LungInfection for preclinical drug evaluation and facilitating the development of new treatments

journals.biologists.com/dmm/article/...
Cover for DMM's Infectious Disease Special Issue. Three-dimensional volume render of tuberculosis granulomas in C3HeB/FeJ mice infected with E2Crimson-expressing Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Turquoise outlines mark the granuloma boundary, infecting bacteria are highlighted in red. Images were captured by light-sheet fluorescence microscopy and rendered in 3D at day 42 and day 70 post infection, revealing the spatial architecture of lesions and the pathogen distribution deep within intact lung tissue. See article by Beltran et al. (https://journals.biologists.com/dmm/article/18/9/dmm052185/367500/Correlative-3D-imaging-method-for-analysing-lesion). Cover image is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license.
November 14, 2025 at 10:30 AM
dmmjournal.bsky.social
For our #InfectiousDisease Special Issue we interviewed Dr Sifumba Zolelwa who discusses how her experience as a #tuberculosis survivor, along with her training as a medical doctor, complements her work as a #PatientAdvocate

journals.biologists.com/dmm/article/...
Sifumba Zolelwa
November 13, 2025 at 1:31 PM
dmmjournal.bsky.social
This Perspective from Dilys Santillo, Evangelos Bellos & Vanessa Sancho-Shimizu explores common gut immunity functions in multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children, #IBD & Kawasaki disease to inform prevention & treatment @imperialcollegeldn.bsky.social
journals.biologists.com/dmm/article/...
Cover image for DMM's Infectious Disease Special Issue. Three-dimensional volume render of tuberculosis granulomas in C3HeB/FeJ mice infected with E2Crimson-expressing Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Turquoise outlines mark the granuloma boundary, infecting bacteria are highlighted in red. Images were captured by light-sheet fluorescence microscopy and rendered in 3D at day 42 and day 70 post infection, revealing the spatial architecture of lesions and the pathogen distribution deep within intact lung tissue. See article by Beltran et al. (https://journals.biologists.com/dmm/article/18/9/dmm052185/367500/Correlative-3D-imaging-method-for-analysing-lesion).
November 12, 2025 at 12:01 PM
dmmjournal.bsky.social
Check out this Review for our Special Issue from Rachael Dangarembizi, Amalia Awala & Anja de Lange from the University of Capetown on #neuroinflammation during #fungal infection, which is an essential host defence but also contributes to neuropathology

journals.biologists.com/dmm/article/...
Illustration of central nervous system (CNS) immune barriers against fungal pathogens. (A) Cross-sectional diagram of meninges showing dura mater, arachnoid mater, and pia mater surrounding the brain, with meningeal blood and lymphatic vessels, immune cells (T cells, B cells, macrophages, dendritic cells, microglia), neurons, and extracellular matrix. These layers restrict fungal entry while allowing immune surveillance. (B) Close-up of a dural blood vessel with fenestrations lacking tight junctions, enabling immune cell access but potentially fungal entry. (C) Blood–brain barrier detail: endothelial cells with tight junctions, pericytes, astrocyte end-feet, and basement membrane forming a barrier around small vessels supplying parenchyma. (D) Blood–cerebrospinal fluid barrier at choroid plexus: cuboidal epithelial cells with tight junctions and fenestrated endothelium lining ventricles. Key indicates cell types and structures.
November 11, 2025 at 2:45 PM
dmmjournal.bsky.social
In this Resources & Methods paper, Victoria Ektnitphong, @michaelshiloh.bsky.social & co developed a humanized lung-on-a-chip model that revealed early immune responses to a non-tuberculous #mycobacterium relevant for drug discovery

journals.biologists.com/dmm/article/...
Figure showing Mycobacterium fortuitum infection in an alveolus-on-a-chip (ALoC) without macrophages. Includes: (A) schematic of infection process; (B, C) fluorescent images and 3D reconstruction of infected ALoC with AT1 (magenta), AT2 (green), bacteria (white), and nuclei (blue); (D) Single z-slice of uninfected ALoC showing AT1, AT2, and mixed AT1/AT2 cells (asterisks), nuclei in blue. (E) Pie chart of cell-type proportions in uninfected ALoCs: AT1 (42%), AT2 (41%), AT1/AT2 (17%). (F) Single z-slice of infected ALoC showing AT1, AT2, and mixed AT1/AT2 cells (asterisks), nuclei in blue. (G) Pie chart of cell-type proportions in infected ALoCs: AT1 (44%), AT2 (34%), AT1/AT2 (22%). Scale bars: 30–50 µm.
November 11, 2025 at 11:30 AM
dmmjournal.bsky.social
For our #InfectiousDisease Special Issue we interviewed the marvelous @harmitmalik.bsky.social ! We discussed the #viral arms race, how to support mentees and the beauty of basic science 🔬

journals.biologists.com/dmm/article/...
The viral arms race: an interview with Harmit Malik
Harmit Malik. Photo credit: Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.Harmit Malik is Professor and Associate Director of the Basic Sciences Division at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle, WA,…
journals.biologists.com
November 10, 2025 at 2:05 PM
dmmjournal.bsky.social
Two closely related fungi – Cryptococcus deneoformans (Cd) and Cryptococcus neoformans (Cn) – can cause serious infections. Charles-Niño & co explore how Cd and Cn respond to temperature and how they interact with human tissues, including infection. doi.org/10.1242/dmm....
Cn and Cd skin infection pathogenesis and host responses. In cutaneous wounds infected with Cn H99 strain, there is a massive increase in cellular recruitment to the damaged tissue and substantial release of immune molecules (e.g. MPO and proinflammatory cytokines) compared to that in wounds infected with Cd B3501 strain. High GXM release occurs in the superficial area of the wound infected by H99, whereas hsp60 and hsp70 are highly expressed in dermal tissue as temperature increases due to inflammation, which results in increased wound healing. In cutaneous wounds infected with Cd B3501 strain, robust biofilm formation on the surface of the wound takes place, facilitating fungal survival. There is also a reduction in cellular infiltration and immune molecule production, resulting in delayed wound healing. hsp60 and hsp70 expression in Cd strains is less than that in Cn strains. Created in BioRender by Charles-Niño, C. L. (2025). https://BioRender.com/h63r638.
November 6, 2025 at 2:26 PM
dmmjournal.bsky.social
Caroline Beltran & co describe a novel and unbiased 3D imaging approach that visualises how the lung granulomas that are characteristic of TB infection form, evolve & spatially organise. 🐭 🫁 doi.org/10.1242/dmm....

#Tuberculosis #Granuloma
November 6, 2025 at 9:01 AM
dmmjournal.bsky.social
Bats can carry deadly viruses without getting sick. Now, Ng & Wang give a timely & fascinating #DMMPerspective on the possible translation of discoveries from bats to humans, in the context of treating and preventing #infectiousdiseases. 🦇🧫 doi.org/10.1242/dmm....
Translational value of bat research to humans. (A-D) Investigating emerging infectious disease (A), inflammation (B), longevity (C), metabolism (D).
November 4, 2025 at 5:21 PM
Reposted by DMM Journal
prelights.bsky.social
Biological conduction bridges skip a beat. ❤️

#preLight (from Theodora Stougiannou) of a study generating stem-cell derived AVN-like pacemaker cells + demonstrating their functionality for biological conduction bridge applications in vivo. @uhnresearch.ca
prelights.biologists.com/highlights/h...
Human pluripotent stem cell-derived atrioventricular node-like pacemaker cells exhibit biological conduction bridge properties in vitro and in vivo - preLights
Biological conduction bridges skip a beat. The preprint authors generate AV node-like pacemaker cells from human pluripotent stem cell populations in order to create a biological conduction bridge.
prelights.biologists.com
October 29, 2025 at 3:16 PM
dmmjournal.bsky.social
The G307D variant of TOM1, an endosomal adaptor protein, is linked to inborn errors of immunity. Ryhänen & co use patient cells to show that this mutation disrupts the interaction of TOM1 with TOLLIP, impairing cargo trafficking & autophagy regulation. doi.org/10.1242/dmm....
November 3, 2025 at 2:26 PM
dmmjournal.bsky.social
Using a zebrafish model & human brain tissue, Tapia & co find that high levels of CH25H and 25HC are linked to small brain bleeds following COVID-19 infection. They show that 25HC can damage endothelial cells, especially when cholesterol levels are low. doi.org/10.1242/dmm....
25HC remodels cholesterol metabolism in human brain endothelial cells. (A) Cellular cholesterol remodelling induced by 25HC. 25HC inhibits cholesterol synthesis (1), promotes cholesterol efflux (2), and induces the internalisation and storage of cholesterol in the form of lipid droplets (3). These changes lead to the depletion of plasma membrane-accessible cholesterol (4), which can be rescued with cholesterol supplementation (5).
November 2, 2025 at 8:43 PM
dmmjournal.bsky.social
The deadline to submit to our Special Issue 'In Vitro Models of Human Disease to Inform Mechanism and Drug Discovery' is tomorrow.🚨

We look forward to receiving your next submission for this exciting special issue!
#OpenAccess
bit.ly/4h1092r
Special Issue In Vitro Models of Human Disease to Inform Mechanism and Drug Discovery Edited by Vivian Li, Austin Smith and Joseph Wu Extended deadline: 3 November 2025
November 2, 2025 at 11:13 AM
Reposted by DMM Journal
biologists.bsky.social
Save the date and register for abstract updates for @dmmjournal.bsky.social's 2026 Journal Meeting. 'Innovative Preclinical Models for Pediatric Cancer Research'. biologists.com/meetings/dmm... #DMM2026cancer
Innovative Preclinical Models for Pediatric Cancer Research Organisers: James Amatruda, Pratiti (Mimi) Bandopadhayay, Ana Banito and Elaine Mardis Date: 13 - 15 October 2026 Location: Nationwide Children's Hospital Conference Center, Columbus, Ohio, USA
October 31, 2025 at 8:01 AM
dmmjournal.bsky.social
The call for papers deadline for our Special Issue 'In Vitro Models of Human Disease to Inform Mechanism and Drug Discovery' is less than one week away!🚨

We're looking forward to receiving your next paper for this exciting special issue!
#OpenAccess
bit.ly/4h1092r
Special Issue In Vitro Models of Human Disease to Inform Mechanism and Drug Discovery Edited by Vivian Li, Austin Smith and Joseph Wu Extended deadline: 3 November 2025
October 28, 2025 at 3:29 PM