James Manton
@jamesdmanton.bsky.social
Applied physicist & microscopist/microscopologist
Fiddling around with planchettes can hurt…
January 9, 2026 at 1:22 AM
Fiddling around with planchettes can hurt…
Thanks, that's good to know. For our dabbles in cryo-expansion we went straight to high-pressure freezing as that's what our cryo-EM friends recommended, but plunge freezing would make the whole process a bit simpler.
January 8, 2026 at 7:20 PM
Thanks, that's good to know. For our dabbles in cryo-expansion we went straight to high-pressure freezing as that's what our cryo-EM friends recommended, but plunge freezing would make the whole process a bit simpler.
Reposted by James Manton
The Royal Society Netwton International fellowship for non-UK early career researchers opens soon.
If anyone in the world of #upconversion is interested, please let me know because I can host.
royalsociety.org/grants/newton-international/
If anyone in the world of #upconversion is interested, please let me know because I can host.
royalsociety.org/grants/newton-international/
Newton International Fellowships | Royal Society
This fellowship is for non-UK scientists who are at an early stage of their research career and wish to conduct research in the UK.
royalsociety.org
January 5, 2026 at 4:49 PM
The Royal Society Netwton International fellowship for non-UK early career researchers opens soon.
If anyone in the world of #upconversion is interested, please let me know because I can host.
royalsociety.org/grants/newton-international/
If anyone in the world of #upconversion is interested, please let me know because I can host.
royalsociety.org/grants/newton-international/
Reposted by James Manton
Introducing Cyclically Multiplexed Expansion Microscopy (Cy-ExM): a workflow for 3D nanoscale, high-plex imaging in whole cells. Cryo-preserved ultrastructure + iterative labeling + expansion microscopy → 20 targets in one dataset with ~70 nm lateral resolution.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
January 2, 2026 at 6:18 PM
Introducing Cyclically Multiplexed Expansion Microscopy (Cy-ExM): a workflow for 3D nanoscale, high-plex imaging in whole cells. Cryo-preserved ultrastructure + iterative labeling + expansion microscopy → 20 targets in one dataset with ~70 nm lateral resolution.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Interesting stuff! I'm surprised plunge freezing (rather than high pressure freezing) worked nicely for the thicker parts of the cells, particularly the one undergoing mitosis in Figure 1c. Do you think this is because issues from crystalline ice formation don't appear at this resolution?
January 5, 2026 at 3:32 PM
Interesting stuff! I'm surprised plunge freezing (rather than high pressure freezing) worked nicely for the thicker parts of the cells, particularly the one undergoing mitosis in Figure 1c. Do you think this is because issues from crystalline ice formation don't appear at this resolution?
Reposted by James Manton
Organelles do NOT have a single uniform pH.
And if you think they must, because “protons diffuse fast,” this paper is for you.
A thread on why that assumption is wrong; and what we found instead. 🧵 1/n
And if you think they must, because “protons diffuse fast,” this paper is for you.
A thread on why that assumption is wrong; and what we found instead. 🧵 1/n
Organelles harbour pH gradients https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2025.12.12.694065v1
December 17, 2025 at 12:46 AM
Organelles do NOT have a single uniform pH.
And if you think they must, because “protons diffuse fast,” this paper is for you.
A thread on why that assumption is wrong; and what we found instead. 🧵 1/n
And if you think they must, because “protons diffuse fast,” this paper is for you.
A thread on why that assumption is wrong; and what we found instead. 🧵 1/n
Now published with peer-review-induced improvements in Biomedical Optics Express: doi.org/10.1364/BOE.579043
We continue to recommend the use of Sarstedt lumox dishes for ease of use and high-quality imaging performance: bsky.app/profile/jame...
We continue to recommend the use of Sarstedt lumox dishes for ease of use and high-quality imaging performance: bsky.app/profile/jame...
We present a simple method to easily increase the imageable depth of an expansion microscopy gel on a typical inverted microscope ten-fold, using some carefully placed FEP film and a water dipping objective lens:
December 15, 2025 at 3:41 PM
Now published with peer-review-induced improvements in Biomedical Optics Express: doi.org/10.1364/BOE.579043
We continue to recommend the use of Sarstedt lumox dishes for ease of use and high-quality imaging performance: bsky.app/profile/jame...
We continue to recommend the use of Sarstedt lumox dishes for ease of use and high-quality imaging performance: bsky.app/profile/jame...
Reposted by James Manton
I’m excited to announce that I will be starting my research group on computational enzyme design at the Generative Biology Institute, Oxford, UK (@eitoxford.bsky.social)! PhD applications are open, deadline is Jan 8th (www.chem.ox.ac.uk/genbio-dtp). Email [email protected] with any questions!
GenBio DTP
Optional supporting text
www.chem.ox.ac.uk
December 9, 2025 at 2:54 PM
I’m excited to announce that I will be starting my research group on computational enzyme design at the Generative Biology Institute, Oxford, UK (@eitoxford.bsky.social)! PhD applications are open, deadline is Jan 8th (www.chem.ox.ac.uk/genbio-dtp). Email [email protected] with any questions!
Reposted by James Manton
Now out in full form. Again, a big thanks to #teamtomo and @alisterburt.bsky.social for developing the infrastructure to build this on. journals.iucr.org/d/issues/202...
Leopard-EM: an extensible 2D template-matching package to accelerate in situ structural biology
In situ cryo-EM coupled with 2D template matching (2DTM) holds the potential to visualize the cellular structureome in context, but further developments are required to make this a reality. We describ...
journals.iucr.org
December 8, 2025 at 1:54 PM
Now out in full form. Again, a big thanks to #teamtomo and @alisterburt.bsky.social for developing the infrastructure to build this on. journals.iucr.org/d/issues/202...
96.5 C (this is 1 mmol * the Faraday constant). Many ExM protocols call for ~20 w/v% sodium acrylate (words can barely describe my contempt for this unit presented alone!) which works out as roughly 1 mmol in the volume of a 5 mm radius sphere. It's an insane amount, but that's kind of the point...
December 1, 2025 at 11:26 PM
96.5 C (this is 1 mmol * the Faraday constant). Many ExM protocols call for ~20 w/v% sodium acrylate (words can barely describe my contempt for this unit presented alone!) which works out as roughly 1 mmol in the volume of a 5 mm radius sphere. It's an insane amount, but that's kind of the point...
Reposted by James Manton
Applications for the next @royalmicrosoc.bsky.social “Introduction to image analysis” workshop are now open!
Join us for 3 days in Cardiff in May to learn the foundations of #bioimageanalysis using Fiji, Python and @napari.org
www.rms.org.uk/rms-event-ca...
Join us for 3 days in Cardiff in May to learn the foundations of #bioimageanalysis using Fiji, Python and @napari.org
www.rms.org.uk/rms-event-ca...
Introduction to Image Analysis 2026
www.rms.org.uk
December 1, 2025 at 10:09 AM
Applications for the next @royalmicrosoc.bsky.social “Introduction to image analysis” workshop are now open!
Join us for 3 days in Cardiff in May to learn the foundations of #bioimageanalysis using Fiji, Python and @napari.org
www.rms.org.uk/rms-event-ca...
Join us for 3 days in Cardiff in May to learn the foundations of #bioimageanalysis using Fiji, Python and @napari.org
www.rms.org.uk/rms-event-ca...
Given @miguelcmestre.bsky.social's recent experiments, he'd easily have annihilated most of Cambridge...
nuclearsecrecy.com/nukemap/?&kt...
nuclearsecrecy.com/nukemap/?&kt...
NUKEMAP by Alex Wellerstein
NUKEMAP is a website for visualizing the effects of nuclear detonations.
nuclearsecrecy.com
December 1, 2025 at 9:29 PM
Given @miguelcmestre.bsky.social's recent experiments, he'd easily have annihilated most of Cambridge...
nuclearsecrecy.com/nukemap/?&kt...
nuclearsecrecy.com/nukemap/?&kt...
For an internal talk, I wanted an easy way to disprove the prevailing myth that expansion microscopy gels expand due to repulsion between charged polymer strands. I did a quick calculation of the supposed energy released during a standard experiment and it's equivalent to a small nuclear bomb...
December 1, 2025 at 9:29 PM
For an internal talk, I wanted an easy way to disprove the prevailing myth that expansion microscopy gels expand due to repulsion between charged polymer strands. I did a quick calculation of the supposed energy released during a standard experiment and it's equivalent to a small nuclear bomb...
Reposted by James Manton
A great opportunity to come to Glasgow for an interdisciplinary PhD, benefitting from enhanced support and stipend, and a diverse cohort of students alongside you for an inclusive, team experience for your PhD! Please share widely, and spread the word with your undergraduate students.
📣 Applications Now Open!
🌊 Dive into mission-driven interdisciplinary #STEM research with a fully funded 4-year PhD starting Sept 2026
✅ Co-create your project
✅ Enhanced stipend
✅ Cohort-based experience
✅Partner network
📅 Applicant Webinar: Nov 26
👉More info & registration: www.divein.org.uk/apply
🌊 Dive into mission-driven interdisciplinary #STEM research with a fully funded 4-year PhD starting Sept 2026
✅ Co-create your project
✅ Enhanced stipend
✅ Cohort-based experience
✅Partner network
📅 Applicant Webinar: Nov 26
👉More info & registration: www.divein.org.uk/apply
November 19, 2025 at 10:09 AM
A great opportunity to come to Glasgow for an interdisciplinary PhD, benefitting from enhanced support and stipend, and a diverse cohort of students alongside you for an inclusive, team experience for your PhD! Please share widely, and spread the word with your undergraduate students.
Reposted by James Manton
We are happy to share our latest work, 4Pi-SIMFLUX, which combines structured illumination with interferometric detection to achieve near-isotropic 3D localization precision of 2–3 nm and resolve sub-10 nm structural features across whole mammalian cells.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
rdcu.be/eQVxt
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
rdcu.be/eQVxt
4Pi-SIMFLUX: 4Pi single-molecule localization microscopy with structured illumination - Nature Methods
4Pi-SIMFLUX is a single-molecule localization microscopy approach that achieves a near-isotropic resolution below 10 nm in whole mammalian cells.
www.nature.com
November 21, 2025 at 3:00 AM
We are happy to share our latest work, 4Pi-SIMFLUX, which combines structured illumination with interferometric detection to achieve near-isotropic 3D localization precision of 2–3 nm and resolve sub-10 nm structural features across whole mammalian cells.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
rdcu.be/eQVxt
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
rdcu.be/eQVxt
Reposted by James Manton
Our new paper is published in the Journal of Chemical Biology! 🏮 We share StayRose, a red version of StayGold 🏮 StayRose has an unnatural amino acid-based chromophore, and has the same immense photobleach-resistance as StayGold 💡
StayRose: A photostable StayGold derivative redshifted by genetic code expansion
Photobleaching of fluorescent proteins often limits the acquisition of high-quality
images in microscopy. StayGold, a novel dimeric GFP recently monomerized through sequence
engineering, addresses thi...
www.jbc.org
November 17, 2025 at 9:03 AM
Our new paper is published in the Journal of Chemical Biology! 🏮 We share StayRose, a red version of StayGold 🏮 StayRose has an unnatural amino acid-based chromophore, and has the same immense photobleach-resistance as StayGold 💡
Reposted by James Manton
Want to join the LMB as a PhD student in October 2026?
You’ve got two weeks left to apply!
Visit our website for more details: www2.mrc-lmb.cam.ac.uk/students/int...
Applications close on 2nd December 2025.
You’ve got two weeks left to apply!
Visit our website for more details: www2.mrc-lmb.cam.ac.uk/students/int...
Applications close on 2nd December 2025.
November 18, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Want to join the LMB as a PhD student in October 2026?
You’ve got two weeks left to apply!
Visit our website for more details: www2.mrc-lmb.cam.ac.uk/students/int...
Applications close on 2nd December 2025.
You’ve got two weeks left to apply!
Visit our website for more details: www2.mrc-lmb.cam.ac.uk/students/int...
Applications close on 2nd December 2025.
Reposted by James Manton
An Asgard archaeon with internal membrane compartments
Brilliant study led by @fmacleod.bsky.social and Andriko von Kügelgen. Tight collaboration with @buzzbaum.bsky.social and lab. Congrats to all authors!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Brilliant study led by @fmacleod.bsky.social and Andriko von Kügelgen. Tight collaboration with @buzzbaum.bsky.social and lab. Congrats to all authors!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
November 7, 2025 at 10:44 AM
An Asgard archaeon with internal membrane compartments
Brilliant study led by @fmacleod.bsky.social and Andriko von Kügelgen. Tight collaboration with @buzzbaum.bsky.social and lab. Congrats to all authors!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Brilliant study led by @fmacleod.bsky.social and Andriko von Kügelgen. Tight collaboration with @buzzbaum.bsky.social and lab. Congrats to all authors!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by James Manton
Lots of exciting PhD projects on offer at the LMB, including in our group 😊
Considering the LMB for your PhD?
We’ve got over 25 projects available, covering a wide array of topics. Check them out here: www2.mrc-lmb.cam.ac.uk/students/int...
Apply by 2nd DEC for Autumn 2026 admission.
We’ve got over 25 projects available, covering a wide array of topics. Check them out here: www2.mrc-lmb.cam.ac.uk/students/int...
Apply by 2nd DEC for Autumn 2026 admission.
November 10, 2025 at 2:30 PM
Lots of exciting PhD projects on offer at the LMB, including in our group 😊
Reposted by James Manton
We are delighted to announce the Strathclyde Optical Microscopy Course 2026 (SOMC26), taking place in Glasgow from 21st July – 30th July 2026!
Please find more details at shorturl.at/xmUiZ and apply at shorturl.at/MxTlI. Deadline 16 January 2026.
Please find more details at shorturl.at/xmUiZ and apply at shorturl.at/MxTlI. Deadline 16 January 2026.
November 5, 2025 at 3:40 PM
We are delighted to announce the Strathclyde Optical Microscopy Course 2026 (SOMC26), taking place in Glasgow from 21st July – 30th July 2026!
Please find more details at shorturl.at/xmUiZ and apply at shorturl.at/MxTlI. Deadline 16 January 2026.
Please find more details at shorturl.at/xmUiZ and apply at shorturl.at/MxTlI. Deadline 16 January 2026.
Thanks! Great that it worked for you!
October 29, 2025 at 6:37 PM
Thanks! Great that it worked for you!
We've now discovered some neat cell culture dishes that feature a 50 micron thick film of a proprietary polymer with refractive index even closer to water than FEP. They work just as well as our homemade FEP assembly and are available in multiwell plate format too!
www.sarstedt.com/en/products/...
www.sarstedt.com/en/products/...
October 28, 2025 at 8:27 PM
We've now discovered some neat cell culture dishes that feature a 50 micron thick film of a proprietary polymer with refractive index even closer to water than FEP. They work just as well as our homemade FEP assembly and are available in multiwell plate format too!
www.sarstedt.com/en/products/...
www.sarstedt.com/en/products/...
Reposted by James Manton
A new, nerdy paper. We figured out (some) of the rules underlying cell-permeability of probes and designed ligands that light up, grab, and move proteins around. Awesome @hhmijanelia.bsky.social x @uwmadison.bsky.social x @stjuderesearch.bsky.social collaboration! www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
PNAS
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), a peer reviewed journal of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) - an authoritative source of high-impact, original research that broadly spans...
www.pnas.org
October 27, 2025 at 9:43 PM
A new, nerdy paper. We figured out (some) of the rules underlying cell-permeability of probes and designed ligands that light up, grab, and move proteins around. Awesome @hhmijanelia.bsky.social x @uwmadison.bsky.social x @stjuderesearch.bsky.social collaboration! www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Reposted by James Manton
Chris Russo and Anastasiia Gusach have developed a new method to prepare #cryoEM samples that avoids protein damage during freezing
Read more: www2.mrc-lmb.cam.ac.uk/a-new-method...
#LMBResearch
Read more: www2.mrc-lmb.cam.ac.uk/a-new-method...
#LMBResearch
October 22, 2025 at 4:41 PM
Chris Russo and Anastasiia Gusach have developed a new method to prepare #cryoEM samples that avoids protein damage during freezing
Read more: www2.mrc-lmb.cam.ac.uk/a-new-method...
#LMBResearch
Read more: www2.mrc-lmb.cam.ac.uk/a-new-method...
#LMBResearch
Reposted by James Manton
Periodic reminder that the fluorescent compound in mammalian cell culture media, such as DMEM, is riboflavin (not phenol red)
October 14, 2025 at 7:51 PM
Periodic reminder that the fluorescent compound in mammalian cell culture media, such as DMEM, is riboflavin (not phenol red)