Rachel Gregor
@rachelgregor.bsky.social
Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto in Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry. Fascinated by microbial communities and their chemistry. https://www.gregorlab.com/
Pinned
Rachel Gregor
@rachelgregor.bsky.social
· Aug 25
Vitamin auxotrophies shape microbial community assembly on model marine particles
Abstract. Microbial community assembly is governed by the flow of carbon sources and other primary metabolites between species. However, central metabolism
doi.org
🌊🦠🧪 Delighted to share this work now out in @isme-microbes.bsky.social: doi.org/10.1093/isme... The currency of microbial life is chemistry, but there’s so much still unknown about how metabolic interactions shape communities. 1/
Reposted by Rachel Gregor
Excited to share our latest research in @natmicrobiol.nature.com . We uncover hundreds of inhibitory interactions between common chemical pollutants and human gut bacteria. A thread🧵 (1/10) #microbiomesky #microsky @kiranrpatil.bsky.social lab @mrc-tu.bsky.social www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Industrial and agricultural chemicals exhibit antimicrobial activity against human gut bacteria in vitro - Nature Microbiology
Screening of 1,076 compounds reveals 168 chemical pollutants with inhibitory effects on gut bacteria and genetic screens indicate commonality between pollutant and antibiotic resistance.
www.nature.com
November 26, 2025 at 10:30 AM
Excited to share our latest research in @natmicrobiol.nature.com . We uncover hundreds of inhibitory interactions between common chemical pollutants and human gut bacteria. A thread🧵 (1/10) #microbiomesky #microsky @kiranrpatil.bsky.social lab @mrc-tu.bsky.social www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Rachel Gregor
Models and co-culture experiments assess four mechanisms of phytoplankton–bacteria interactions www.nature.com/articles/s41... #jcampubs
Models and co-culture experiments assess four mechanisms of phytoplankton–bacteria interactions - Nature Microbiology
Mathematical representations of overflow metabolism, mixotrophy, exoenzymes and reactive oxygen species detoxification recapitulate dynamics in co-cultures of Prochlorococcus and eight heterotrophic b...
www.nature.com
November 24, 2025 at 2:52 PM
Models and co-culture experiments assess four mechanisms of phytoplankton–bacteria interactions www.nature.com/articles/s41... #jcampubs
Reposted by Rachel Gregor
Every biologist knows the story of Fleming's chance discovery of penicillin. But is it true?
Here, with @asimovpress.bsky.social, I write about inconsistencies in the canonical story, and explore a few alternative theories about what really happened in that St. Mary's lab in the summer of 1928.
Here, with @asimovpress.bsky.social, I write about inconsistencies in the canonical story, and explore a few alternative theories about what really happened in that St. Mary's lab in the summer of 1928.
The Penicillin Myth
Competing theories seek to explain inconsistencies surrounding Alexander Fleming’s famed discovery.
press.asimov.com
November 24, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Every biologist knows the story of Fleming's chance discovery of penicillin. But is it true?
Here, with @asimovpress.bsky.social, I write about inconsistencies in the canonical story, and explore a few alternative theories about what really happened in that St. Mary's lab in the summer of 1928.
Here, with @asimovpress.bsky.social, I write about inconsistencies in the canonical story, and explore a few alternative theories about what really happened in that St. Mary's lab in the summer of 1928.
Reposted by Rachel Gregor
Strain matters: host responses reflect symbiont origin in the squid-vibrio symbiosis
in #mSystems from Margaret McFall-Ngai
journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...
in #mSystems from Margaret McFall-Ngai
journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...
Strain matters: host responses reflect symbiont origin in the squid-vibrio symbiosis | mSystems
Variation among strains of a bacterial species is a powerful factor underlying the
intensity of host responses during pathogenic infections. Less is known about the
cellular and molecular responses of...
journals.asm.org
November 23, 2025 at 10:16 AM
Strain matters: host responses reflect symbiont origin in the squid-vibrio symbiosis
in #mSystems from Margaret McFall-Ngai
journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...
in #mSystems from Margaret McFall-Ngai
journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...
Reposted by Rachel Gregor
Thrilled to share our new work uncovering how membrane transporters determine resource-size preferences in gut bacteria, and showing that deleting a single protein domain can shift a transporter’s preference from long to short fructans. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Niche partitioning by resource size in the gut microbiome
Niche partitioning promotes diversity of the human gut microbiota. However, the molecular basis of resource specialization and niche separation in the gut remains poorly understood. Here we show that ...
www.biorxiv.org
November 17, 2025 at 10:43 PM
Thrilled to share our new work uncovering how membrane transporters determine resource-size preferences in gut bacteria, and showing that deleting a single protein domain can shift a transporter’s preference from long to short fructans. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Incredibly cool work by @smorenogamez.bsky.social et al, from the ecology to the mechanism and back again. This is Darwin's finches at the microbial scale- how do niches emerge based on resource size in the gut? #MicroSky #microbiome #microbiomesky
Thrilled to share our new work uncovering how membrane transporters determine resource-size preferences in gut bacteria, and showing that deleting a single protein domain can shift a transporter’s preference from long to short fructans. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Niche partitioning by resource size in the gut microbiome
Niche partitioning promotes diversity of the human gut microbiota. However, the molecular basis of resource specialization and niche separation in the gut remains poorly understood. Here we show that ...
www.biorxiv.org
November 19, 2025 at 4:49 PM
Incredibly cool work by @smorenogamez.bsky.social et al, from the ecology to the mechanism and back again. This is Darwin's finches at the microbial scale- how do niches emerge based on resource size in the gut? #MicroSky #microbiome #microbiomesky
Reposted by Rachel Gregor
Happy to share our new AMR resource which has phenotypic AMR (usually MIC data) collected from publications and databases. This is paired with assemblies and annotations
We're excited for users who might train new models, find phenotype/genotype mismatches, or any other use
We're excited for users who might train new models, find phenotype/genotype mismatches, or any other use
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing health threat, making infections harder to treat and complicating routine medical care.
EMBL-EBI’s new AMR portal brings together laboratory resistance data and bacterial genomes in one open platform.
#WAAW2025 #ActOnAMR
www.ebi.ac.uk/about/news/t...
🧬💻
EMBL-EBI’s new AMR portal brings together laboratory resistance data and bacterial genomes in one open platform.
#WAAW2025 #ActOnAMR
www.ebi.ac.uk/about/news/t...
🧬💻
A new gateway to global antimicrobial resistance data
New online portal connects bacterial genomes with experimental resistance data to support antimicrobial resistance research.
www.ebi.ac.uk
November 19, 2025 at 12:27 PM
Happy to share our new AMR resource which has phenotypic AMR (usually MIC data) collected from publications and databases. This is paired with assemblies and annotations
We're excited for users who might train new models, find phenotype/genotype mismatches, or any other use
We're excited for users who might train new models, find phenotype/genotype mismatches, or any other use
Reposted by Rachel Gregor
The University at Albany Biomedical Sciences Department is hiring at the Assistant Professor level. We are looking for researchers at the intersection of infectious disease and artificial intelligence:
albany.interviewexchange.com/jobofferdeta...
#infectiousdisease #artificialintelligence
albany.interviewexchange.com/jobofferdeta...
#infectiousdisease #artificialintelligence
albany.interviewexchange.com
November 18, 2025 at 10:45 PM
The University at Albany Biomedical Sciences Department is hiring at the Assistant Professor level. We are looking for researchers at the intersection of infectious disease and artificial intelligence:
albany.interviewexchange.com/jobofferdeta...
#infectiousdisease #artificialintelligence
albany.interviewexchange.com/jobofferdeta...
#infectiousdisease #artificialintelligence
Reposted by Rachel Gregor
We've updated our recent @biorxivpreprint.bsky.social on 'Hidden but discoverable diversity in the global microbiome', led by @vishnuprasoodanan.bsky.social & @omaistrenko.bsky.social
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Hidden but discoverable diversity in the global microbiome
Cataloguing Earth's biodiversity remains one of the most formidable challenges in biology, and the greatest diversity is expected to reside among the smallest organisms: microbes. Yet the ongoing cens...
www.biorxiv.org
November 18, 2025 at 8:53 PM
We've updated our recent @biorxivpreprint.bsky.social on 'Hidden but discoverable diversity in the global microbiome', led by @vishnuprasoodanan.bsky.social & @omaistrenko.bsky.social
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Rachel Gregor
On #LGBTQSTEMDay, Bruno Francesco Rodrigues de Oliveira, a founding member of the Pride in Microbiology Network, reveals how it has developed since it was launched three years ago - and what needs to happen next. www.the-microbiologist.com/opinion/prid...
Pride in Microbiology Network: the road so far
Bruno Francesco Rodrigues de Oliveira, a founding member of the Pride in Microbiology Network, reveals how it has developed since it was launched three years ago - and what needs to happen next.
www.the-microbiologist.com
November 18, 2025 at 9:31 AM
On #LGBTQSTEMDay, Bruno Francesco Rodrigues de Oliveira, a founding member of the Pride in Microbiology Network, reveals how it has developed since it was launched three years ago - and what needs to happen next. www.the-microbiologist.com/opinion/prid...
Reposted by Rachel Gregor
The @crick.ac.uk is recruiting Early Career Group Leaders
- Lab set-up, research costs, salaries for up to 5 researchers
- Support for up to 12 years
- Access to our core facilities
- Competitive salary
- Fantastic colleagues
- All areas of biology
Deadline 27 Nov
www.crick.ac.uk/careers-stud...
- Lab set-up, research costs, salaries for up to 5 researchers
- Support for up to 12 years
- Access to our core facilities
- Competitive salary
- Fantastic colleagues
- All areas of biology
Deadline 27 Nov
www.crick.ac.uk/careers-stud...
Early career group leaders
We appoint researchers from across biology and biomedicine to set up their first groups at the Crick.
www.crick.ac.uk
October 10, 2025 at 8:20 AM
The @crick.ac.uk is recruiting Early Career Group Leaders
- Lab set-up, research costs, salaries for up to 5 researchers
- Support for up to 12 years
- Access to our core facilities
- Competitive salary
- Fantastic colleagues
- All areas of biology
Deadline 27 Nov
www.crick.ac.uk/careers-stud...
- Lab set-up, research costs, salaries for up to 5 researchers
- Support for up to 12 years
- Access to our core facilities
- Competitive salary
- Fantastic colleagues
- All areas of biology
Deadline 27 Nov
www.crick.ac.uk/careers-stud...
Reposted by Rachel Gregor
Diving through the purple sulfur bacteria layer of Fayetteville Green Lake with our ROV last month. This is the most intense density of PSB that I've seen in many years!
November 8, 2025 at 6:30 PM
Diving through the purple sulfur bacteria layer of Fayetteville Green Lake with our ROV last month. This is the most intense density of PSB that I've seen in many years!
Reposted by Rachel Gregor
Starting this week, I set aside one hour each week to meet ECRs outside my group who want to discuss career development, mentorship, or any non-technical professional questions.
Here is a blog that explains my motivation for this and how to schedule a meeting:
merenlab.org/2025/11/16/E...
Here is a blog that explains my motivation for this and how to schedule a meeting:
merenlab.org/2025/11/16/E...
ECR connection: Meet Meren when you need to
A means for ECRs to get advice from a senior scientist outside of their support network
merenlab.org
November 16, 2025 at 4:56 PM
Starting this week, I set aside one hour each week to meet ECRs outside my group who want to discuss career development, mentorship, or any non-technical professional questions.
Here is a blog that explains my motivation for this and how to schedule a meeting:
merenlab.org/2025/11/16/E...
Here is a blog that explains my motivation for this and how to schedule a meeting:
merenlab.org/2025/11/16/E...
Reposted by Rachel Gregor
NEW pub in @science.org 🥳
Is it sponges (panels A & B) or comb jellies (C & D) that root the animal tree of life?
For over 15 years, #phylogenomic studies have been divided.
We provide new evidence suggesting that...
🔗: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Is it sponges (panels A & B) or comb jellies (C & D) that root the animal tree of life?
For over 15 years, #phylogenomic studies have been divided.
We provide new evidence suggesting that...
🔗: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
November 13, 2025 at 8:34 PM
NEW pub in @science.org 🥳
Is it sponges (panels A & B) or comb jellies (C & D) that root the animal tree of life?
For over 15 years, #phylogenomic studies have been divided.
We provide new evidence suggesting that...
🔗: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Is it sponges (panels A & B) or comb jellies (C & D) that root the animal tree of life?
For over 15 years, #phylogenomic studies have been divided.
We provide new evidence suggesting that...
🔗: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Rachel Gregor
Nearly ten years in the making and finally out in print!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Entotheonella are insanely biosynthetically rich bacteria, but few genomes were available.
Working with far-flung collaborators, we obtained genomes for 14 candidate species from 8 sponges.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Entotheonella are insanely biosynthetically rich bacteria, but few genomes were available.
Working with far-flung collaborators, we obtained genomes for 14 candidate species from 8 sponges.
Chemical richness and diversity of uncultivated ‘Entotheonella’ symbionts in marine sponges - Nature Chemical Biology
Marine sponges host bacteria that produce diverse bioactive compounds. Here, the authors conduct a large-scale metagenomic, single-bacterial and biochemical study to reveal the untapped biosynthetic p...
www.nature.com
November 14, 2025 at 12:48 PM
Nearly ten years in the making and finally out in print!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Entotheonella are insanely biosynthetically rich bacteria, but few genomes were available.
Working with far-flung collaborators, we obtained genomes for 14 candidate species from 8 sponges.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Entotheonella are insanely biosynthetically rich bacteria, but few genomes were available.
Working with far-flung collaborators, we obtained genomes for 14 candidate species from 8 sponges.
Reposted by Rachel Gregor
With much gratitude to everyone who supported the wonderful #STAMPS summer course at the MBL, I share that STAMPS will not be offered in 2026.
💔😿
💔😿
November 11, 2025 at 1:05 AM
With much gratitude to everyone who supported the wonderful #STAMPS summer course at the MBL, I share that STAMPS will not be offered in 2026.
💔😿
💔😿
Reposted by Rachel Gregor
Bluetorial-Jim Watson
I met Jim Watson a few times but did not know him well. However, I was greatly influenced by his book “The Double Helix”. He was a complicated human being with some very, very bad features, but some good contributions.
What follows is my personal perspective.
1/41
I met Jim Watson a few times but did not know him well. However, I was greatly influenced by his book “The Double Helix”. He was a complicated human being with some very, very bad features, but some good contributions.
What follows is my personal perspective.
1/41
a cartoon says hey everybody an old man 's talking while bart simpson looks on
ALT: a cartoon says hey everybody an old man 's talking while bart simpson looks on
media.tenor.com
November 8, 2025 at 1:58 PM
Bluetorial-Jim Watson
I met Jim Watson a few times but did not know him well. However, I was greatly influenced by his book “The Double Helix”. He was a complicated human being with some very, very bad features, but some good contributions.
What follows is my personal perspective.
1/41
I met Jim Watson a few times but did not know him well. However, I was greatly influenced by his book “The Double Helix”. He was a complicated human being with some very, very bad features, but some good contributions.
What follows is my personal perspective.
1/41
Reposted by Rachel Gregor
On the event of James Watson's death, I highly recommend this 2023 commentary from @matthewcobb.bsky.social and Nathaniel Comfort with crucial new insights into the discovery of the double helix. (And also check out Cobb's brand new biography of Francis Crick) www.nature.com/articles/d41...
What Rosalind Franklin truly contributed to the discovery of DNA’s structure
Franklin was no victim in how the DNA double helix was solved. An overlooked letter and an unpublished news article, both written in 1953, reveal that she was an equal player.
www.nature.com
November 7, 2025 at 9:25 PM
On the event of James Watson's death, I highly recommend this 2023 commentary from @matthewcobb.bsky.social and Nathaniel Comfort with crucial new insights into the discovery of the double helix. (And also check out Cobb's brand new biography of Francis Crick) www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Reposted by Rachel Gregor
Can we leverage bacterial competition for targeted replacement of harmful strains? Maybe! Our recent piece in @natmicrobiol.nature.com provides a theoretical framework and a set of experiments to show what it might take: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Strain displacement in microbiomes via ecological competition - Nature Microbiology
Mathematical modelling and experimental tests reveal principles that govern displacement of a resident strain by an invader in microbial communities.
www.nature.com
November 7, 2025 at 10:34 PM
Can we leverage bacterial competition for targeted replacement of harmful strains? Maybe! Our recent piece in @natmicrobiol.nature.com provides a theoretical framework and a set of experiments to show what it might take: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Rachel Gregor
Preprint: Bacteria sense virus-induced genome degradation via methylated mononucleotides
tinyurl.com/ch3damp
We show how molecular byproducts released during virus-induced cell exploitation are used as signals to trigger host immunity
Revealed by the amazing Ilya Osterman. See his thread below👇
tinyurl.com/ch3damp
We show how molecular byproducts released during virus-induced cell exploitation are used as signals to trigger host immunity
Revealed by the amazing Ilya Osterman. See his thread below👇
November 6, 2025 at 10:39 AM
Preprint: Bacteria sense virus-induced genome degradation via methylated mononucleotides
tinyurl.com/ch3damp
We show how molecular byproducts released during virus-induced cell exploitation are used as signals to trigger host immunity
Revealed by the amazing Ilya Osterman. See his thread below👇
tinyurl.com/ch3damp
We show how molecular byproducts released during virus-induced cell exploitation are used as signals to trigger host immunity
Revealed by the amazing Ilya Osterman. See his thread below👇
Reposted by Rachel Gregor
The ocean’s got rhythm — and so do its viruses.
With the Bermuda Atlantic Time-Series (BATS), we dove deep — every 4 to 12 hours — to see how viral populations swing through day and night.
With the Bermuda Atlantic Time-Series (BATS), we dove deep — every 4 to 12 hours — to see how viral populations swing through day and night.
November 5, 2025 at 3:01 PM
The ocean’s got rhythm — and so do its viruses.
With the Bermuda Atlantic Time-Series (BATS), we dove deep — every 4 to 12 hours — to see how viral populations swing through day and night.
With the Bermuda Atlantic Time-Series (BATS), we dove deep — every 4 to 12 hours — to see how viral populations swing through day and night.
Reposted by Rachel Gregor
We are recruiting new faculty in IMES at MIT!
IMES (Institute for Medical Engineering and Science) is the MIT home of the famous HST program. As faculty are also appointed in a department at MIT, we have diverse research programs, all focused on human health.
faculty-searches.mit.edu/imes-search/
IMES (Institute for Medical Engineering and Science) is the MIT home of the famous HST program. As faculty are also appointed in a department at MIT, we have diverse research programs, all focused on human health.
faculty-searches.mit.edu/imes-search/
MIT Faculty Searches MIT INSTITUTE FOR MEDICAL ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE FACULTY SEARCH
faculty-searches.mit.edu
October 14, 2025 at 8:07 PM
We are recruiting new faculty in IMES at MIT!
IMES (Institute for Medical Engineering and Science) is the MIT home of the famous HST program. As faculty are also appointed in a department at MIT, we have diverse research programs, all focused on human health.
faculty-searches.mit.edu/imes-search/
IMES (Institute for Medical Engineering and Science) is the MIT home of the famous HST program. As faculty are also appointed in a department at MIT, we have diverse research programs, all focused on human health.
faculty-searches.mit.edu/imes-search/
Reposted by Rachel Gregor
The ocean plays an important role in locking away carbon from the atmosphere. A new imaging system developed by @cadurkin.bsky.social and team provides real-time observations of the tiny particles of marine snow that drive carbon storage in the deep sea.
Learn more: www.mbari.org/news/new-mba...
Learn more: www.mbari.org/news/new-mba...
New MBARI technology reveals ocean carbon storage in real time • MBARI
SINKER is an innovative new instrument equipped with advanced microscopes and cameras to collect detailed data about carbon sinking in marine snow.
www.mbari.org
October 29, 2025 at 9:16 PM
The ocean plays an important role in locking away carbon from the atmosphere. A new imaging system developed by @cadurkin.bsky.social and team provides real-time observations of the tiny particles of marine snow that drive carbon storage in the deep sea.
Learn more: www.mbari.org/news/new-mba...
Learn more: www.mbari.org/news/new-mba...
Reposted by Rachel Gregor
Whatever strategy you’re about to suggest, we’ve thought about it. docs.google.com/document/d/1...
ChatGPT Harm Reduction for Writing Assignments
ChatGPT Harm Reduction for Writing Assignments Because this document has escaped containment, a couple points of explanation. I wrote this for myself and a few colleagues as we work out how to handle...
docs.google.com
October 28, 2025 at 1:02 PM
Whatever strategy you’re about to suggest, we’ve thought about it. docs.google.com/document/d/1...
Reposted by Rachel Gregor
Do you want to do a Masters in Evolutionary Biology? The call for applying to the MEME program is now open! MEME is a fantastic 2-year MSc between four European Universities on all areas of Evolutionary Biology. Apply and study in Sweden/France/the Netherlands/Germany/USA/Switzerland! www.evobio.eu
October 24, 2025 at 9:04 AM
Do you want to do a Masters in Evolutionary Biology? The call for applying to the MEME program is now open! MEME is a fantastic 2-year MSc between four European Universities on all areas of Evolutionary Biology. Apply and study in Sweden/France/the Netherlands/Germany/USA/Switzerland! www.evobio.eu