Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted

Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge @gurdoninstitute.bsky.social · 3d

It is with great sadness that we share the news of the death of our founder, colleague, mentor and friend, Professor Sir John Gurdon. His vision and dedication will continue to inspire generations of scientists.
🔗 www.gurdon.cam.ac.uk/nobel-laurea...

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Reposted

Nature @nature.com · 4d

Antimicrobial resistance is projected to cause 39 million deaths worldwide over the next 25 years

go.nature.com/42x5KHD

The rise of ‘nightmare bacteria’: antimicrobial resistance in six charts

Data reveal how the global challenge to reduce deaths and infections from drug-resistant bacteria is not going according to plan.

go.nature.com

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Reposted

Jeremy Berg @jeremymberg.bsky.social · 8d

I just signed this. Please consider do so as well.

alumni.controlshift.app/petitions/tr...

Trump attacks 9 universities: Sign the alumni petition to defend your school now

Are you an alum outraged by Trump's attacks on universities? Defend your school now by signing this alumni petition in support of these 9 universities as well as campus communities across America.

alumni.controlshift.app

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Reposted

Nature @nature.com · 16d

Long-standing institutions are ill-equipped to cope with modern financial and political challenges

go.nature.com/46xZrVl

How universities came to be — and why they are in trouble now

What and who universities are for has changed considerably since the Second World War, leaving long-standing institutions ill-equipped to cope with current financial and political challenges.

go.nature.com

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Thinking Person's Guide to Autism @thinkingautism.com · 19d

Things today's White House autism announcement did not do:

-Discuss strategies to increase supports and services for autistic people/families
-Highlight why autistic people and families deserve respect, not pity or fear
-Endorse one speck of autism research that is not dangerous pseudoscience

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The University of Sheffield @sheffielduni.bsky.social · Aug 8

Half a million people die from Strep A each year globally.

Now, for the first time, Scientists have discovered how some children develop natural immunity to a bacterial infection, a vital breakthrough which could help develop vaccines.

Read more: sheffield.ac.uk/news/breakth...

Breakthrough raises hopes for Strep A vaccine that could save half a million lives globally

Scientists have discovered how some children develop natural immunity to a bacterial infection, a vital breakthrough which could help develop vaccines to save up to half a million lives globally each…

sheffield.ac.uk

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Reposted

Phil Holliger @philholliger.bsky.social · Jul 14

We are looking to recruit a tenure track group leader in the field of Chemical/Synthetic Biology (in the broadest sense) to lead a research program within the Division of Protein & Nucleic Acid Chemistry ( www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DNW809/r... ) at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology (LMB).

Research Group Leader in Chemical/Synthetic Biology at MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology

Start your UK & international job search for academic jobs, research jobs, science jobs and managerial jobs in leading universities and top...

www.jobs.ac.uk

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Reposted

Nature @nature.com · Aug 2

Quantum mechanics is one of the most successful theories in science — and makes much of modern life possible

go.nature.com/4mjXRg3

Physicists disagree wildly on what quantum mechanics says about reality, Nature survey shows

Nature - First major attempt to chart researchers’ views finds interpretations in conflict.

go.nature.com

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Reposted

Da-Neng Wang @danengw.bsky.social · Jul 31

www.bbk.ac.uk/events/event...

Bernal Lecture 2025: The Harvest of an eclectic Mind: Alan Mackay and the Rewriting of the Book of Crystallography

www.bbk.ac.uk

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Reposted

David Sünderhauf @davvi36.bsky.social · Jul 22

Please share! 🦠
Workshop on Phage Therapy in Liverpool on 25th November organised by Stineke van Houte, @jojofoth.bsky.social, @brockhurstlab.bsky.social, & Edze Westra.

Limited FREE tickets & more info here: sites.exeter.ac.uk/vanhoutelab/...

#MicroSky

Conference flyer, all info is on link too

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Reposted

MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology @mrclmb.bsky.social · Jul 18

LMB Director Jan Löwe welcomes UK Global Talent Fund announcement:
"Global talent has always driven LMB breakthroughs. We welcome efforts to remove barriers for researchers wishing to relocate - diverse minds fuel innovation and helps us stay globally competitive."
tinyurl.com/3wahmr27
#LMBinthenews

Leading lights of UK research spearhead search for world's best talent

12 leading universities and research institutions selected to deliver government’s £54 million fund to recruit world’s top researchers.

tinyurl.com

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Reposted

Nature @nature.com · Jul 17

One free-wheeling 1930s cafe nurtured mathematical ideas including the theory of the nuclear bomb

go.nature.com/3GQIqgg

‘Controlled chaos’: how to create an environment that fosters genius

One free-wheeling 1930s cafe nurtured mathematical ideas including the theory of the nuclear bomb. That holds lessons for how to spur creative thought today.

go.nature.com

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Reposted

Thom Sharp @thomsharp.bsky.social · Jul 9

We’re hiring a postdoc! 🔬

Join us in Bristol, UK to study in situ structural immunology using cryoFIB-SEM + cryoET on our new Hydra Bio system. ERC-funded, 3 years, studying phagocytosis to develop new immunotherapeutics.

Closing 29 July 2025.

Info + apply: www.bristol.ac.uk/jobs/find/de...

Details | Working at Bristol | University of Bristol

www.bristol.ac.uk

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Reposted

The University of Sheffield @sheffielduni.bsky.social · Jul 9

The National Student Survey results are in and we're proud to say that we're top of the Russell Group for the third year in a row! And our Student's Union has been ranked number 1 once again.

A testament to the hard work of our brilliant University community 👏🎉

sheffield.ac.uk/news/sheffie...

The Arts Tower with trees and Weston Park in the foreground

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perbullough.bsky.social @perbullough.bsky.social · Jul 4

journals.plos.org/plosgenetics...

It was fun to have contributed to this nice work from @crodrigueslab.bsky.social

SpoIIIL is a forespore factor required for efficient cell-cell signalling during Bacillus subtilis sporulation

Author summary Bacterial endospores allow bacteria to survive stress, persist in the environment and seed new and recurring infections. Cell-cell signalling is a cornerstone of how bacteria develop in...

journals.plos.org

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perbullough.bsky.social @perbullough.bsky.social · Jul 4

Great collaboration!

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Reposted

Rodrigues Lab @crodrigueslab.bsky.social · Jul 3

Checkout the latest paper from our lab in PLOS Genetics: dx.plos.org/10.1371/jour...

Thanks to our wonderful collaborators, @sgribaldo.bsky.social, @cavalab.bsky.social, @perbullough.bsky.social and Cecile Morlot.

SpoIIIL is a forespore factor required for efficient cell-cell signalling during Bacillus subtilis sporulation

Author summary Bacterial endospores allow bacteria to survive stress, persist in the environment and seed new and recurring infections. Cell-cell signalling is a cornerstone of how bacteria develop in...

dx.plos.org

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Reposted

Wiep Klaas Smits (ExpBac/CMAT) @smitslab.bsky.social · Jun 30

Flagellar switch inverted repeats impact heterogeneity in flagellar gene expression and thus C. difficile RT027/MLST1 virulence www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Flagellar switch inverted repeats impact heterogeneity in flagellar gene expression and thus C. difficile RT027/MLST1 virulence

Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile) RT027 strains cause infections that vary in severity from asymptomatic to lethal, but the molecular basis for …

www.sciencedirect.com

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Reposted

Bob Lynn @boblynn.bsky.social · Jun 27

June Almeida: The Woman Who First Identified Coronaviruses
voxmeditantis.com/2025/06/27/j...

#WomenInSTEM #STEM #Virology #Coronaviruses #Discovery

June Almeida: The Woman Who First Identified Coronaviruses

June Almeida, a working-class Glaswegian who left school at 16, revolutionised virology by first visualising coronaviruses in 1964. Despite lacking formal qualifications, her groundbreaking electro…

voxmeditantis.com

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Reposted

Wiep Klaas Smits (ExpBac/CMAT) @smitslab.bsky.social · Jun 26

Paper alert: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...? Proud that we brought together researchers, clinicians and patient/carers to convey our point that it is important to bring novel treatments for bacterial pathogens to patients *also* if they are not on the WHO Bacterial Priority Pathogen list.

Clostridioides difficile should be considered a bacterial priority pathogen

www.sciencedirect.com

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perbullough.bsky.social @perbullough.bsky.social · Jun 27

Unbelievable that it has come to this.

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The University of Sheffield @sheffielduni.bsky.social · Jun 19

The QS World University Rankings 2026 have just been released and we’ve placed 92nd within the World Top 100! Huge congratulations and thanks to everyone in the University of Sheffield community for this achievement; from staff and students to alumni, supporters and friends around the world!

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The Lancet @thelancet.com · Jun 18

"Vaccination is our only way out, but we need political will, funding, and public cooperation."

A new World Report from Samaan Lateef highlights the urgent need for action against the measles outbreak in Afghanistan: tinyurl.com/2dcaenp8

Measles outbreak accelerates in Afghanistan

More than 57 000 suspected cases of measles have been reported, and at least 368 children have died. Samaan Lateef reports.

tinyurl.com

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Reposted

Christie Wilcox @nerdychristie.bsky.social · Jun 16

The most viruslike microbe to date was discovered by accident when researchers sequenced the DNA inside this tiny ocean critter. That story and more of the best from @science.org and science in this edition of #ScienceAdviser: www.science.org/content/arti... 🧪

Hidden inside this dinoflagellate is a tiny microbe so reliant on its host that scientists say it’s the most viruslike cellular organism known. Takuro Nakayama/University of Tsukuba

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perbullough.bsky.social @perbullough.bsky.social · Jun 12

Happy belated birthday! Save a bit for me and you might persuade me to try whisky with an "e" after all.

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