Michael Webster
@michaelwebster.bsky.social
Group Leader @ The John Innes Centre.
Photosynthetic Gene Expression 🌿🧬 |
Cryo-EM
Photosynthetic Gene Expression 🌿🧬 |
Cryo-EM
👇
New online: AlphaSync is an enhanced AlphaFold structure database synchronized with UniProt
AlphaSync is an enhanced AlphaFold structure database synchronized with UniProt
Nature Structural & Molecular Biology, Published online: 11 November 2025; doi:10.1038/s41594-025-01719-xAlphaSync synchronizes AlphaFold Protein Structure Database predictions with UniProt sequences, providing up-to-date protein structures with residue-level annotations for humans, model organisms and pathogens through an accessible web interface and application programming interface.
go.nature.com
November 13, 2025 at 6:41 AM
👇
Reposted by Michael Webster
The Wilkinson Lab is open for science! @mskcancercenter.bsky.social
🧬We'll be finding funky new RNA biology, mainly by looking at reverse transcriptases (i.e. the Best Enzymes In The World)🧬
annnd: I'm hiring - come join! Especially postdocs and PhD students - please get in touch (NYC is great)
🧬We'll be finding funky new RNA biology, mainly by looking at reverse transcriptases (i.e. the Best Enzymes In The World)🧬
annnd: I'm hiring - come join! Especially postdocs and PhD students - please get in touch (NYC is great)
Wilkinson Lab
We discover and study reverse transcriptases
wilkinsonlab.bio
October 31, 2025 at 7:00 PM
The Wilkinson Lab is open for science! @mskcancercenter.bsky.social
🧬We'll be finding funky new RNA biology, mainly by looking at reverse transcriptases (i.e. the Best Enzymes In The World)🧬
annnd: I'm hiring - come join! Especially postdocs and PhD students - please get in touch (NYC is great)
🧬We'll be finding funky new RNA biology, mainly by looking at reverse transcriptases (i.e. the Best Enzymes In The World)🧬
annnd: I'm hiring - come join! Especially postdocs and PhD students - please get in touch (NYC is great)
Reposted by Michael Webster
25 years on from publishing the structure of the bacterial 30S ribosomal subunit, alumni, collaborators & friends of Venki Ramakrishnan’s group joined us for a symposium celebrating the legacy of this work.
Read about the event and find photos here: www2.mrc-lmb.cam.ac.uk/25-years-of-...
#LMBNews
Read about the event and find photos here: www2.mrc-lmb.cam.ac.uk/25-years-of-...
#LMBNews
October 29, 2025 at 12:11 PM
25 years on from publishing the structure of the bacterial 30S ribosomal subunit, alumni, collaborators & friends of Venki Ramakrishnan’s group joined us for a symposium celebrating the legacy of this work.
Read about the event and find photos here: www2.mrc-lmb.cam.ac.uk/25-years-of-...
#LMBNews
Read about the event and find photos here: www2.mrc-lmb.cam.ac.uk/25-years-of-...
#LMBNews
Reposted by Michael Webster
Applications are now OPEN for the JIF Rotation PhD Programme
This prestigious 4-year #PhD programme trains graduate students in Plant and Microbial Sciences at the JIC, @thesainsburylab.bsky.social and @earlhaminst.bsky.social.
🗓️ Closing date - 13 November 2025
www.jic.ac.uk/training-car...
This prestigious 4-year #PhD programme trains graduate students in Plant and Microbial Sciences at the JIC, @thesainsburylab.bsky.social and @earlhaminst.bsky.social.
🗓️ Closing date - 13 November 2025
www.jic.ac.uk/training-car...
Rotation biology PhDs | John Innes Centre
Prestigious studentships, for entry in October 2022, this multi-disciplinary PhD programme includes; plant science, microbiology, biological chemistry, applied mathematics…
www.jic.ac.uk
October 8, 2025 at 6:47 PM
Applications are now OPEN for the JIF Rotation PhD Programme
This prestigious 4-year #PhD programme trains graduate students in Plant and Microbial Sciences at the JIC, @thesainsburylab.bsky.social and @earlhaminst.bsky.social.
🗓️ Closing date - 13 November 2025
www.jic.ac.uk/training-car...
This prestigious 4-year #PhD programme trains graduate students in Plant and Microbial Sciences at the JIC, @thesainsburylab.bsky.social and @earlhaminst.bsky.social.
🗓️ Closing date - 13 November 2025
www.jic.ac.uk/training-car...
Reposted by Michael Webster
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
Start independent research at the JIC with us 👇.
Really interested in finding those with an interest in structural biology and biochemistry of plants and microbes.
Please do get in touch by email if you'd like to know more 👍
Really interested in finding those with an interest in structural biology and biochemistry of plants and microbes.
Please do get in touch by email if you'd like to know more 👍
VACANCY - Independent research fellowships leading to tenured positions
We’re inviting applications from outstanding researchers who either hold, or wish to apply for, Independent Research Fellowships.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: 10 November 2025
Click here to apply: jic.link/Fellows
We’re inviting applications from outstanding researchers who either hold, or wish to apply for, Independent Research Fellowships.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: 10 November 2025
Click here to apply: jic.link/Fellows
October 3, 2025 at 6:36 PM
Start independent research at the JIC with us 👇.
Really interested in finding those with an interest in structural biology and biochemistry of plants and microbes.
Please do get in touch by email if you'd like to know more 👍
Really interested in finding those with an interest in structural biology and biochemistry of plants and microbes.
Please do get in touch by email if you'd like to know more 👍
Reposted by Michael Webster
@UniBasel is setting up a new endowed professorship at the Biozentrum to make fundamental discoveries at the interface between biophysics and climate-relevant environmental biology
www.biozentrum.unibas.ch/news/detail/...
www.biozentrum.unibas.ch/news/detail/...
New endowed professorship strengthens climate research at the University of Basel
The University of Basel is setting up a new endowed professorship at the Biozentrum to make fundamental discoveries at the interface between biophysics and climate-relevant environmental biology. This...
www.biozentrum.unibas.ch
September 13, 2025 at 5:18 AM
@UniBasel is setting up a new endowed professorship at the Biozentrum to make fundamental discoveries at the interface between biophysics and climate-relevant environmental biology
www.biozentrum.unibas.ch/news/detail/...
www.biozentrum.unibas.ch/news/detail/...
Brilliant insight on something that takes a lot of patience to discover, thanks for sharing Oli.
This one is a bit of a departure from the usual and definitely a work in progress!
We found that by using ab initio reconstruction at very high res, in very small steps, we could crack some small structures that had eluded us - e.g. 39kDa iPKAc (EMPIAR-10252), below.
Read on for details... 1/x
We found that by using ab initio reconstruction at very high res, in very small steps, we could crack some small structures that had eluded us - e.g. 39kDa iPKAc (EMPIAR-10252), below.
Read on for details... 1/x
September 13, 2025 at 7:20 AM
Brilliant insight on something that takes a lot of patience to discover, thanks for sharing Oli.
Reposted by Michael Webster
NEWS - Talented early-career researcher receives major @wellcometrust.bsky.social funding
The innovative research project of JIC early-career plant scientist, Dr @miguelmontez.bsky.social, has attracted a prestigious funding award from a global health charity.
www.jic.ac.uk/news/talente...
The innovative research project of JIC early-career plant scientist, Dr @miguelmontez.bsky.social, has attracted a prestigious funding award from a global health charity.
www.jic.ac.uk/news/talente...
Talented early-career researcher receives major Wellcome Trust funding | John Innes Centre
The innovative research project of an early-career plant scientist at the John Innes Centre has attracted a prestigious funding award from a global health charity…
www.jic.ac.uk
September 9, 2025 at 10:09 AM
NEWS - Talented early-career researcher receives major @wellcometrust.bsky.social funding
The innovative research project of JIC early-career plant scientist, Dr @miguelmontez.bsky.social, has attracted a prestigious funding award from a global health charity.
www.jic.ac.uk/news/talente...
The innovative research project of JIC early-career plant scientist, Dr @miguelmontez.bsky.social, has attracted a prestigious funding award from a global health charity.
www.jic.ac.uk/news/talente...
Reposted by Michael Webster
Happy to share a new preprint from the Clarke & Vallese (@fravallese.bsky.social) labs reporting #cryoem structures of two RBC stomatin complexes – with AQP1 & UT-B - continuing the SPFH theme from our recent vault preprint! This was a fun one and has been cooking for a while - read on for more! ⬇️
August 30, 2025 at 2:11 PM
Happy to share a new preprint from the Clarke & Vallese (@fravallese.bsky.social) labs reporting #cryoem structures of two RBC stomatin complexes – with AQP1 & UT-B - continuing the SPFH theme from our recent vault preprint! This was a fun one and has been cooking for a while - read on for more! ⬇️
Reposted by Michael Webster
👉 my.corehr.com/pls/uoxrecru...
Join us and be part of shaping the future of #plantscience at Oxford as we move to the new Life and Mind Building lifeandmind.web.ox.ac.uk/home (recognised for its potential to change the World edition.cnn.com/2025/01/01/s...) @biology.ox.ac.uk www.biology.ox.ac.uk
Join us and be part of shaping the future of #plantscience at Oxford as we move to the new Life and Mind Building lifeandmind.web.ox.ac.uk/home (recognised for its potential to change the World edition.cnn.com/2025/01/01/s...) @biology.ox.ac.uk www.biology.ox.ac.uk
'
my.corehr.com
August 25, 2025 at 9:42 AM
👉 my.corehr.com/pls/uoxrecru...
Join us and be part of shaping the future of #plantscience at Oxford as we move to the new Life and Mind Building lifeandmind.web.ox.ac.uk/home (recognised for its potential to change the World edition.cnn.com/2025/01/01/s...) @biology.ox.ac.uk www.biology.ox.ac.uk
Join us and be part of shaping the future of #plantscience at Oxford as we move to the new Life and Mind Building lifeandmind.web.ox.ac.uk/home (recognised for its potential to change the World edition.cnn.com/2025/01/01/s...) @biology.ox.ac.uk www.biology.ox.ac.uk
Reposted by Michael Webster
VACANCY - We’re currently hiring into two new senior roles:
Group Leader in Discovery Plant Sciences: okt.to/tqoasR
🗓️ Closing date: 25 August 2025
·An Independent Fellowship in Plant-Associated Microbial Interactions: okt.to/fDV0ha
🗓️ Closing date: 5 September 2025
Group Leader in Discovery Plant Sciences: okt.to/tqoasR
🗓️ Closing date: 25 August 2025
·An Independent Fellowship in Plant-Associated Microbial Interactions: okt.to/fDV0ha
🗓️ Closing date: 5 September 2025
August 21, 2025 at 1:20 PM
VACANCY - We’re currently hiring into two new senior roles:
Group Leader in Discovery Plant Sciences: okt.to/tqoasR
🗓️ Closing date: 25 August 2025
·An Independent Fellowship in Plant-Associated Microbial Interactions: okt.to/fDV0ha
🗓️ Closing date: 5 September 2025
Group Leader in Discovery Plant Sciences: okt.to/tqoasR
🗓️ Closing date: 25 August 2025
·An Independent Fellowship in Plant-Associated Microbial Interactions: okt.to/fDV0ha
🗓️ Closing date: 5 September 2025
Reposted by Michael Webster
VACANCY - We're looking for a Research Software Engineer to join the Informatics Platform, to solve novel challenges and provide support in bioinformatics and scientific computing.
okt.to/gZ487w
Closing date - 8 September 2025
Salary - £37,500 to £45,350
Contract - Full-time until 30 March 2027
okt.to/gZ487w
Closing date - 8 September 2025
Salary - £37,500 to £45,350
Contract - Full-time until 30 March 2027
August 20, 2025 at 4:40 PM
VACANCY - We're looking for a Research Software Engineer to join the Informatics Platform, to solve novel challenges and provide support in bioinformatics and scientific computing.
okt.to/gZ487w
Closing date - 8 September 2025
Salary - £37,500 to £45,350
Contract - Full-time until 30 March 2027
okt.to/gZ487w
Closing date - 8 September 2025
Salary - £37,500 to £45,350
Contract - Full-time until 30 March 2027
Reposted by Michael Webster
VACANCY - We’re recruiting for a visionary group leader to lead fundamental research on Discovery Plant Science as part of our vibrant research community
Successful candidate will be offered a six-year tenure-track position with the opportunity to apply for tenure:
www.jic.ac.uk/vacancies/gr...
Successful candidate will be offered a six-year tenure-track position with the opportunity to apply for tenure:
www.jic.ac.uk/vacancies/gr...
August 9, 2025 at 5:15 PM
VACANCY - We’re recruiting for a visionary group leader to lead fundamental research on Discovery Plant Science as part of our vibrant research community
Successful candidate will be offered a six-year tenure-track position with the opportunity to apply for tenure:
www.jic.ac.uk/vacancies/gr...
Successful candidate will be offered a six-year tenure-track position with the opportunity to apply for tenure:
www.jic.ac.uk/vacancies/gr...
Reposted by Michael Webster
PRESS RELEASE - Major funding boost to bring world leading researchers to the John Innes Centre
We have been awarded an equal share of the new £54 million Global Talent Fund, to attract and support leading researchers and their teams to relocate to the UK:
www.jic.ac.uk/press-releas...
We have been awarded an equal share of the new £54 million Global Talent Fund, to attract and support leading researchers and their teams to relocate to the UK:
www.jic.ac.uk/press-releas...
July 18, 2025 at 9:57 AM
PRESS RELEASE - Major funding boost to bring world leading researchers to the John Innes Centre
We have been awarded an equal share of the new £54 million Global Talent Fund, to attract and support leading researchers and their teams to relocate to the UK:
www.jic.ac.uk/press-releas...
We have been awarded an equal share of the new £54 million Global Talent Fund, to attract and support leading researchers and their teams to relocate to the UK:
www.jic.ac.uk/press-releas...
Reposted by Michael Webster
VACANCY - We’re seeking an Optical Microscopy Support Specialist to join our Bioimaging Platform, to help train users on light microscopes, collaborate on imaging projects and provide technical support.
www.jic.ac.uk/vacancies/op...
Closing date - 11 August 2025
Contract - Full time, indefinite
www.jic.ac.uk/vacancies/op...
Closing date - 11 August 2025
Contract - Full time, indefinite
Optical Microscopy Support Specialist | John Innes Centre
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an Optical Microscopy Support Specialist to join the Bioimaging Platform at the John Innes Centre.
www.jic.ac.uk
July 15, 2025 at 5:51 PM
VACANCY - We’re seeking an Optical Microscopy Support Specialist to join our Bioimaging Platform, to help train users on light microscopes, collaborate on imaging projects and provide technical support.
www.jic.ac.uk/vacancies/op...
Closing date - 11 August 2025
Contract - Full time, indefinite
www.jic.ac.uk/vacancies/op...
Closing date - 11 August 2025
Contract - Full time, indefinite
Reposted by Michael Webster
We’re pleased to announce two new vacancies for senior roles at our institute:
Group Leader in Discovery Plant Sciences: www.jic.ac.uk/vacancies/gr...
🗓️ Closes 25 August
Independent Fellowship in Plant-Associated Microbial Interactions: www.jic.ac.uk/vacancies/in...
🗓️ Closes 5 September
Group Leader in Discovery Plant Sciences: www.jic.ac.uk/vacancies/gr...
🗓️ Closes 25 August
Independent Fellowship in Plant-Associated Microbial Interactions: www.jic.ac.uk/vacancies/in...
🗓️ Closes 5 September
July 17, 2025 at 3:56 PM
We’re pleased to announce two new vacancies for senior roles at our institute:
Group Leader in Discovery Plant Sciences: www.jic.ac.uk/vacancies/gr...
🗓️ Closes 25 August
Independent Fellowship in Plant-Associated Microbial Interactions: www.jic.ac.uk/vacancies/in...
🗓️ Closes 5 September
Group Leader in Discovery Plant Sciences: www.jic.ac.uk/vacancies/gr...
🗓️ Closes 25 August
Independent Fellowship in Plant-Associated Microbial Interactions: www.jic.ac.uk/vacancies/in...
🗓️ Closes 5 September
Reposted by Michael Webster
🚨 New @biorxivpreprint alert! 🚨
We are thrilled to share our latest findings—building on our earlier work on suppressors of helper NLRs of the NRC family—a Phytophthora infestans L-shaped effector captures resistosome assembly intermediates of tomato NRC3!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
1/10
We are thrilled to share our latest findings—building on our earlier work on suppressors of helper NLRs of the NRC family—a Phytophthora infestans L-shaped effector captures resistosome assembly intermediates of tomato NRC3!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
1/10
July 16, 2025 at 12:27 PM
🚨 New @biorxivpreprint alert! 🚨
We are thrilled to share our latest findings—building on our earlier work on suppressors of helper NLRs of the NRC family—a Phytophthora infestans L-shaped effector captures resistosome assembly intermediates of tomato NRC3!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
1/10
We are thrilled to share our latest findings—building on our earlier work on suppressors of helper NLRs of the NRC family—a Phytophthora infestans L-shaped effector captures resistosome assembly intermediates of tomato NRC3!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
1/10
Reposted by Michael Webster
GROUP LEADER VACANCY
JIC is recruiting a Group Leader in Discovery Plant Sciences.
If you think your research would synergise and thrive at JIC, please apply.
www.jic.ac.uk/vacancies/gr...
JIC is recruiting a Group Leader in Discovery Plant Sciences.
If you think your research would synergise and thrive at JIC, please apply.
www.jic.ac.uk/vacancies/gr...
Group Leader in Discovery Plant Sciences | John Innes Centre
The John Innes Centre (JIC) seeks a visionary Group Leader to lead research on Discovery Plant Science.
www.jic.ac.uk
July 16, 2025 at 10:46 AM
GROUP LEADER VACANCY
JIC is recruiting a Group Leader in Discovery Plant Sciences.
If you think your research would synergise and thrive at JIC, please apply.
www.jic.ac.uk/vacancies/gr...
JIC is recruiting a Group Leader in Discovery Plant Sciences.
If you think your research would synergise and thrive at JIC, please apply.
www.jic.ac.uk/vacancies/gr...
Norwich has a great structural biology community, join us :)
Tweeps, please spread the word. We're still looking at recruiting a structural biologist (any level) to study plant-pathogen protein complexes especially in the context of coevolution. Direct inquiries welcome.
Please include a cover letter.
Applicant from US welcome? medium.com/@kamounlab/2...
Please include a cover letter.
Applicant from US welcome? medium.com/@kamounlab/2...
May 10, 2025 at 12:36 PM
Norwich has a great structural biology community, join us :)
Reposted by Michael Webster
New work from Matti Turtola showing that mRNA poly(A) tail length is controlled by a kinetic ruler. A real pleasure to work with him!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
A kinetic ruler controls mRNA poly(A) tail length
Poly(A) tails of newly synthesized mRNAs have uniform lengths, arising through cooperation between the cleavage and polyadenylation complex (CPAC) and poly(A) binding proteins (PABPs). In the budding ...
www.biorxiv.org
May 2, 2025 at 5:10 PM
New work from Matti Turtola showing that mRNA poly(A) tail length is controlled by a kinetic ruler. A real pleasure to work with him!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Michael Webster
That's a fancy video. I was certainly surprised to see the Very Important Protein in Plants discovered in a tropical jungle🌴😅. It's pure marketing ofc (The Krios: Now in Black), but I do like the messaging about discovering the molecular world all around us-- including plants and cyanobacteria🧪🧶🧬🔬🌾🌊
April 3, 2025 at 11:45 AM
That's a fancy video. I was certainly surprised to see the Very Important Protein in Plants discovered in a tropical jungle🌴😅. It's pure marketing ofc (The Krios: Now in Black), but I do like the messaging about discovering the molecular world all around us-- including plants and cyanobacteria🧪🧶🧬🔬🌾🌊
Reposted by Michael Webster
New cryo-EM/ET story - a brilliant collaboration with Sergey Melnikov's lab in Newcastle @sergeymelnikov.bsky.social and Stefan Pfeffer's lab in Heidelberg @pfeffercryolab.bsky.social. Great work in particular by Karla Helena-Bueno and @sophiekopetschke.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Structurally heterogeneous ribosomes cooperate in protein synthesis in bacterial cells - Nature Communications
Cells can simultaneously produce structurally dissimilar ribosomes, suggesting functional specialization of distinct ribosome populations. Here, the authors show that distinct ribosomes cooperate rath...
www.nature.com
March 21, 2025 at 9:30 AM
New cryo-EM/ET story - a brilliant collaboration with Sergey Melnikov's lab in Newcastle @sergeymelnikov.bsky.social and Stefan Pfeffer's lab in Heidelberg @pfeffercryolab.bsky.social. Great work in particular by Karla Helena-Bueno and @sophiekopetschke.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Michael Webster
The final version of our work on the in-cell architecture of the mitochondrial respiratory chain is now online in @science.org 🎉
You can find the full story here www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
@verenaresch.bsky.social did a wonderful job on the cover and animation, she really brought it to life 👩🎨
You can find the full story here www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
@verenaresch.bsky.social did a wonderful job on the cover and animation, she really brought it to life 👩🎨
In a new Science study, cryo–electron tomography captures the in-cell architecture of the mitochondrial respiratory chain, illuminating how the coordinated action of molecular machines drives life’s fundamental energy conversion.
Learn more in this week's issue: scim.ag/3FA3Ygq
Learn more in this week's issue: scim.ag/3FA3Ygq
March 20, 2025 at 6:20 PM
The final version of our work on the in-cell architecture of the mitochondrial respiratory chain is now online in @science.org 🎉
You can find the full story here www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
@verenaresch.bsky.social did a wonderful job on the cover and animation, she really brought it to life 👩🎨
You can find the full story here www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
@verenaresch.bsky.social did a wonderful job on the cover and animation, she really brought it to life 👩🎨
Reposted by Michael Webster
Been thinking about creating a collection of good protein structure figures, as inspiration for my own work.
#1 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
#1 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
March 3, 2024 at 8:37 AM
Been thinking about creating a collection of good protein structure figures, as inspiration for my own work.
#1 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
#1 www.nature.com/articles/s41...