Chris Mancuso
@mancusosci.bsky.social
Engineering non-model microbes @ Cultivarium | soft spot for microbiomes and DIY tech | he/him
Reposted by Chris Mancuso
Hot off the press! Our latest paper led by @fernpizza.bsky.social, understanding how plasmids evolve inside cells. These small, self-replicating DNA circles live inside bacteria and carry antibiotic resistance genes, but also compete with one another to replicate. 1/
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Intracellular competition shapes plasmid population dynamics
From populations of multicellular organisms to selfish genetic elements, conflicts between levels of biological organization are central to evolution. Plasmids are extrachromosomal, self-replicating g...
www.science.org
November 20, 2025 at 9:42 PM
Hot off the press! Our latest paper led by @fernpizza.bsky.social, understanding how plasmids evolve inside cells. These small, self-replicating DNA circles live inside bacteria and carry antibiotic resistance genes, but also compete with one another to replicate. 1/
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Chris Mancuso
Very happy to share our recent work @cultivarium.bsky.social on genetic tools for Ideonella sakaiensis, a (Betaproteo-)bacterium that degrades PET plastic.
We identified a plasmid vector for the strain and generated a large RB-TnSeq library, screening for genes impacting plastic degradation.
We identified a plasmid vector for the strain and generated a large RB-TnSeq library, screening for genes impacting plastic degradation.
November 12, 2025 at 7:05 PM
Very happy to share our recent work @cultivarium.bsky.social on genetic tools for Ideonella sakaiensis, a (Betaproteo-)bacterium that degrades PET plastic.
We identified a plasmid vector for the strain and generated a large RB-TnSeq library, screening for genes impacting plastic degradation.
We identified a plasmid vector for the strain and generated a large RB-TnSeq library, screening for genes impacting plastic degradation.
Reposted by Chris Mancuso
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 Chris Mancuso
Such a delight to share our work on the evolution of a cheese rind fungus in @currentbiology.bsky.social.
This is the fantastic PhD work of @nicolasleonlouw.bsky.social and resulted from amazing collaborations, a wedding proposal(!), an undergrad course, & more!
🧵
www.cell.com/current-biol...
This is the fantastic PhD work of @nicolasleonlouw.bsky.social and resulted from amazing collaborations, a wedding proposal(!), an undergrad course, & more!
🧵
www.cell.com/current-biol...
Long-term monitoring of a North American cheese cave reveals mechanisms and consequences of fungal adaptation
Using a unique longitudinal sampling approach, Louw et al. demonstrate how a cheese-associated
Penicillium population has adapted in an artisan cheese production facility in Vermont,
USA. Adaptation i...
www.cell.com
September 16, 2025 at 3:56 PM
Such a delight to share our work on the evolution of a cheese rind fungus in @currentbiology.bsky.social.
This is the fantastic PhD work of @nicolasleonlouw.bsky.social and resulted from amazing collaborations, a wedding proposal(!), an undergrad course, & more!
🧵
www.cell.com/current-biol...
This is the fantastic PhD work of @nicolasleonlouw.bsky.social and resulted from amazing collaborations, a wedding proposal(!), an undergrad course, & more!
🧵
www.cell.com/current-biol...
Reposted by Chris Mancuso
Open postdoc position in in my lab in Berlin @mpiib-berlin.mpg.de.
Join us to push the frontier in ancient microbial genomics. Please apply until Oct 17th. Reach out in case you have any questions.
www.mpiib-berlin.mpg.de/2193291/job_...
Join us to push the frontier in ancient microbial genomics. Please apply until Oct 17th. Reach out in case you have any questions.
www.mpiib-berlin.mpg.de/2193291/job_...
September 15, 2025 at 8:03 AM
Open postdoc position in in my lab in Berlin @mpiib-berlin.mpg.de.
Join us to push the frontier in ancient microbial genomics. Please apply until Oct 17th. Reach out in case you have any questions.
www.mpiib-berlin.mpg.de/2193291/job_...
Join us to push the frontier in ancient microbial genomics. Please apply until Oct 17th. Reach out in case you have any questions.
www.mpiib-berlin.mpg.de/2193291/job_...
Reposted by Chris Mancuso
#Newresearch
This Bayesian statistical method uses timeseries microbiome data to infer interaction modules and is tested using a faecal transplant experiment in mice.
#MicroSky
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
This Bayesian statistical method uses timeseries microbiome data to infer interaction modules and is tested using a faecal transplant experiment in mice.
#MicroSky
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Learning ecosystem-scale dynamics from microbiome data with MDSINE2 - Nature Microbiology
This Bayesian statistical method uses timeseries microbiome data to infer interaction modules and is tested using a faecal transplant experiment in mice.
www.nature.com
September 12, 2025 at 3:51 PM
#Newresearch
This Bayesian statistical method uses timeseries microbiome data to infer interaction modules and is tested using a faecal transplant experiment in mice.
#MicroSky
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
This Bayesian statistical method uses timeseries microbiome data to infer interaction modules and is tested using a faecal transplant experiment in mice.
#MicroSky
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Chris Mancuso
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.
Reposted by Chris Mancuso
A new study by @mancusosci.bsky.social and @contaminatedsci.bsky.social shows that intraspecies microbial conflict can block new strains from settling in. If we want long-lasting probiotics, we must account for battles within species, not just between them. www.nature.com/articles/s41...
July 2, 2025 at 3:02 PM
A new study by @mancusosci.bsky.social and @contaminatedsci.bsky.social shows that intraspecies microbial conflict can block new strains from settling in. If we want long-lasting probiotics, we must account for battles within species, not just between them. www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Excited to see our work out in Nature Micro today! Big thanks to everyone involved in seeing it over the finish line!
Our paper demonstrating that within-species warfare interactions are ecologically important on human skin is now published in Nature Micro! www.nature.com/articles/s41...
June 30, 2025 at 1:31 PM
Excited to see our work out in Nature Micro today! Big thanks to everyone involved in seeing it over the finish line!
Reposted by Chris Mancuso
Our work on the facial skin microbiome of non-human primates is out in mSystems!
We show there is no close relative of Cutibacterium on the faces of gorillas and chimps at the Lincoln Park Zoo, furthering the mysterious origin of the dominant human skin colonizer.
journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...
We show there is no close relative of Cutibacterium on the faces of gorillas and chimps at the Lincoln Park Zoo, furthering the mysterious origin of the dominant human skin colonizer.
journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...
The microbiome of the human facial skin is unique compared to that of other hominids | mSystems
Understanding how and why human skin bacteria differ from our closest animal relatives
provides crucial insights into human evolution and health. While we have known that
human facial skin hosts disti...
journals.asm.org
May 30, 2025 at 12:14 PM
Our work on the facial skin microbiome of non-human primates is out in mSystems!
We show there is no close relative of Cutibacterium on the faces of gorillas and chimps at the Lincoln Park Zoo, furthering the mysterious origin of the dominant human skin colonizer.
journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...
We show there is no close relative of Cutibacterium on the faces of gorillas and chimps at the Lincoln Park Zoo, furthering the mysterious origin of the dominant human skin colonizer.
journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...
Reposted by Chris Mancuso
#Bacteria use weapons to outcompete rivals, but what happens if they're transferred? @prokaryota.bsky.social @jdpal.bsky.social &co show that HGT of toxin #plasmids is rare but recipients can thrive under relaxed nutrient competition, reshaping bacterial warfare @plosbiology.org 🧪 plos.io/43vC3X7
May 22, 2025 at 9:00 AM
#Bacteria use weapons to outcompete rivals, but what happens if they're transferred? @prokaryota.bsky.social @jdpal.bsky.social &co show that HGT of toxin #plasmids is rare but recipients can thrive under relaxed nutrient competition, reshaping bacterial warfare @plosbiology.org 🧪 plos.io/43vC3X7
Reposted by Chris Mancuso
Do people in the same household share strains when they have the same species?
How many cells transmit when a strain is shared?
Can strain composition be dynamic when species composition is stable?
We answer these and related questions for the facial skin microbiome in our latest paper.
🧵[1/10]
How many cells transmit when a strain is shared?
Can strain composition be dynamic when species composition is stable?
We answer these and related questions for the facial skin microbiome in our latest paper.
🧵[1/10]
May 1, 2025 at 6:41 PM
Do people in the same household share strains when they have the same species?
How many cells transmit when a strain is shared?
Can strain composition be dynamic when species composition is stable?
We answer these and related questions for the facial skin microbiome in our latest paper.
🧵[1/10]
How many cells transmit when a strain is shared?
Can strain composition be dynamic when species composition is stable?
We answer these and related questions for the facial skin microbiome in our latest paper.
🧵[1/10]
Reposted by Chris Mancuso
Excited to share our latest, out today in @naturemicrobiol.bsky.social Bacteriocin production facilitates nosocomial emergence of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium www.nature.com/articles/s41... @idpittstop.bsky.social
Bacteriocin production facilitates nosocomial emergence of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium - Nature Microbiology
Genomic and functional analyses of healthcare-associated vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium reveal that bacteriocin T8 is enriched in emergent lineages and provides a competitive advantage in v...
www.nature.com
March 21, 2025 at 1:46 PM
Excited to share our latest, out today in @naturemicrobiol.bsky.social Bacteriocin production facilitates nosocomial emergence of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium www.nature.com/articles/s41... @idpittstop.bsky.social
Reposted by Chris Mancuso
🧪 The NSF director is lying to you.
Let’s fact check 7 claims from yesterday’s letter to the community, while pointing out 3 critical omissions. 🧵
Let’s fact check 7 claims from yesterday’s letter to the community, while pointing out 3 critical omissions. 🧵
March 12, 2025 at 12:51 PM
🧪 The NSF director is lying to you.
Let’s fact check 7 claims from yesterday’s letter to the community, while pointing out 3 critical omissions. 🧵
Let’s fact check 7 claims from yesterday’s letter to the community, while pointing out 3 critical omissions. 🧵
Reposted by Chris Mancuso
Edited for brevity: I expect the professional society that I have supported with national & regional membership dues, conference fees for myself and mentees, journal publication fees, & my time as an editor and reviewer, to support widely held values & to advocate on behalf of ALL microbiologists, 🧵
February 3, 2025 at 11:40 AM
Edited for brevity: I expect the professional society that I have supported with national & regional membership dues, conference fees for myself and mentees, journal publication fees, & my time as an editor and reviewer, to support widely held values & to advocate on behalf of ALL microbiologists, 🧵
Reposted by Chris Mancuso
My letter to ASM leaders that I sent is too long to be posted here, so I'm going to post highlights in case anyone else needs information for their letter. 🧵
@asm.org this better not be anticipatory obedience. I have 5 lab members planning on going to ASM microbe this year. I will absolutely pivot to another meeting if ASM gives in to anti-DEI efforts.
@vscooper.micropopbio.org and @mostlymicrobes.bsky.social while downloading scientist spotlights for teaching from the site; ASM has also scrubbed the entire IDEAA page including resources on LGBTQ+ scientists at asm.org/IDEAA/resources/pride-month
February 3, 2025 at 11:36 AM
My letter to ASM leaders that I sent is too long to be posted here, so I'm going to post highlights in case anyone else needs information for their letter. 🧵
Reposted by Chris Mancuso
The first review article from my lab, helmed by @celiasouque.bsky.social, "From Petri Dishes to Patients to Populations: Scales and Evolutionary Mechanisms Driving Antibiotic Resistance" is now online and open access at Annual Reviews Microbiology:
www.annualreviews.org/content/jour...
www.annualreviews.org/content/jour...
November 21, 2024 at 3:27 PM
The first review article from my lab, helmed by @celiasouque.bsky.social, "From Petri Dishes to Patients to Populations: Scales and Evolutionary Mechanisms Driving Antibiotic Resistance" is now online and open access at Annual Reviews Microbiology:
www.annualreviews.org/content/jour...
www.annualreviews.org/content/jour...
Reposted by Chris Mancuso
Out in Nature Microbiology, we predicted phage-bacteria interactions in E. coli species using only genomic information.
Adsorption, not defense systems, is the main driver at this scale (relevant for a phage therapy context), leading to tailored cocktails!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
🧵👇
Adsorption, not defense systems, is the main driver at this scale (relevant for a phage therapy context), leading to tailored cocktails!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
🧵👇
Prediction of strain level phage–host interactions across the Escherichia genus using only genomic information - Nature Microbiology
Phage–host interactions are computationally predicted using only genomic information, highlighting future research directions and enabling generation of custom phage cocktails.
www.nature.com
November 5, 2024 at 10:08 AM
Out in Nature Microbiology, we predicted phage-bacteria interactions in E. coli species using only genomic information.
Adsorption, not defense systems, is the main driver at this scale (relevant for a phage therapy context), leading to tailored cocktails!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
🧵👇
Adsorption, not defense systems, is the main driver at this scale (relevant for a phage therapy context), leading to tailored cocktails!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
🧵👇
Reposted by Chris Mancuso
We used in-vitro laboratory evolution to "stress test" the next generation class of antibiotics based on antisense oligos ("asobiotics"). Head over to our new preprint to find out more!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
October 30, 2024 at 4:33 PM
We used in-vitro laboratory evolution to "stress test" the next generation class of antibiotics based on antisense oligos ("asobiotics"). Head over to our new preprint to find out more!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Chris Mancuso
Want to make beautiful scientific figures? Easy!
The NIH released a library of 2000+ free scientific illustrations called *BioArt*.
Check it out! bioart.niaid.nih.gov
#AcademicSky #PsychSciSky 🧠🟦 🧪
The NIH released a library of 2000+ free scientific illustrations called *BioArt*.
Check it out! bioart.niaid.nih.gov
#AcademicSky #PsychSciSky 🧠🟦 🧪
October 30, 2024 at 9:45 AM
Want to make beautiful scientific figures? Easy!
The NIH released a library of 2000+ free scientific illustrations called *BioArt*.
Check it out! bioart.niaid.nih.gov
#AcademicSky #PsychSciSky 🧠🟦 🧪
The NIH released a library of 2000+ free scientific illustrations called *BioArt*.
Check it out! bioart.niaid.nih.gov
#AcademicSky #PsychSciSky 🧠🟦 🧪
Reposted by Chris Mancuso
Dear mail-in voters,
If your state's return deadline is Election Day (Nov. 5), the U.S. Postal Service recommends that you mail your ballot by Tuesday (Oct. 29).
Sincerely,
The reporter who wrote this:
www.npr.org/2024/09/20/n...
If your state's return deadline is Election Day (Nov. 5), the U.S. Postal Service recommends that you mail your ballot by Tuesday (Oct. 29).
Sincerely,
The reporter who wrote this:
www.npr.org/2024/09/20/n...
Voters are advised to return their ballots early because of mail delay concerns
Election officials are raising concerns about the U.S. Postal Service's ability to handle this fall’s expected influx of election mail. But USPS say it’s ready to deliver the country’s ballots.
www.npr.org
October 28, 2024 at 12:40 PM
Dear mail-in voters,
If your state's return deadline is Election Day (Nov. 5), the U.S. Postal Service recommends that you mail your ballot by Tuesday (Oct. 29).
Sincerely,
The reporter who wrote this:
www.npr.org/2024/09/20/n...
If your state's return deadline is Election Day (Nov. 5), the U.S. Postal Service recommends that you mail your ballot by Tuesday (Oct. 29).
Sincerely,
The reporter who wrote this:
www.npr.org/2024/09/20/n...
Given the recent X-odus, I'll reintroduce my postdoc research:
Commensal skin bacteria not only attack pathogens, but also fight among themselves! This intraspecies (& interspecies) warfare not only limits which strains can coexist on each person, it also makes cool-looking petri dishes 😎
Commensal skin bacteria not only attack pathogens, but also fight among themselves! This intraspecies (& interspecies) warfare not only limits which strains can coexist on each person, it also makes cool-looking petri dishes 😎
October 21, 2024 at 9:04 PM
Given the recent X-odus, I'll reintroduce my postdoc research:
Commensal skin bacteria not only attack pathogens, but also fight among themselves! This intraspecies (& interspecies) warfare not only limits which strains can coexist on each person, it also makes cool-looking petri dishes 😎
Commensal skin bacteria not only attack pathogens, but also fight among themselves! This intraspecies (& interspecies) warfare not only limits which strains can coexist on each person, it also makes cool-looking petri dishes 😎
Being a postdoc is strange. One day you're writing a faculty applications highlighting your unique and valuable skillset, the next you're making 2L of 8x concentrated artificial sweat...
September 24, 2024 at 5:04 PM
Being a postdoc is strange. One day you're writing a faculty applications highlighting your unique and valuable skillset, the next you're making 2L of 8x concentrated artificial sweat...
Reposted by Chris Mancuso
We are on the look out for postdocs to join the Lieberman Lab at MIT. Areas include:
-Connecting bacterial warfare to strain dynamics in vivo
-Evolution and transmission of microbes in humans
-Revisiting role of microbes in acne vulgaris
Take a look at our recent preprints and reach out!
-Connecting bacterial warfare to strain dynamics in vivo
-Evolution and transmission of microbes in humans
-Revisiting role of microbes in acne vulgaris
Take a look at our recent preprints and reach out!
July 11, 2024 at 1:00 PM
We are on the look out for postdocs to join the Lieberman Lab at MIT. Areas include:
-Connecting bacterial warfare to strain dynamics in vivo
-Evolution and transmission of microbes in humans
-Revisiting role of microbes in acne vulgaris
Take a look at our recent preprints and reach out!
-Connecting bacterial warfare to strain dynamics in vivo
-Evolution and transmission of microbes in humans
-Revisiting role of microbes in acne vulgaris
Take a look at our recent preprints and reach out!
Reposted by Chris Mancuso
Those of you at SMBE, check out Poster #86 on Tuesday by grad student Evan Qu: "Phylogeny-aware strain profiling limits false positive detections and quantifies divergence time of novel strains"
July 7, 2024 at 9:41 PM
Those of you at SMBE, check out Poster #86 on Tuesday by grad student Evan Qu: "Phylogeny-aware strain profiling limits false positive detections and quantifies divergence time of novel strains"