SmithLabUMBC
@smithlabumbc.bsky.social
We are a diverse group of chemists and biochemists studying the structure-function relationship of metalloproteins 🏳️🌈🧪🧬
Find us here: https://t.co/eHC3pQp4dz
Find us here: https://t.co/eHC3pQp4dz
Pinned
The Pseudomonas aeruginosa Membrane Histidine Kinase BqsS/CarS Directly Senses Environmental Ferrous Iron (Fe2+)
Prokaryotic two-component signal transduction systems (TCSs) are widely utilized by bacteria to respond to their environment and are typically compose…
tinyurl.com
🚨Just in press @asbmb.bsky.social JBC!🚨 Alex & Chioma's paper detailing the interaction of Fe(II) with an intact membrane His kinase for the first time! Binding stoichiometry ✅ Fe(II) structure ✅ Direct observation of selectivity ✅ Signal transmission pathway ✅ Read more here: tinyurl.com/49wdkecu
Reposted by SmithLabUMBC
This is the most astonishing graph of what the Trump regime has done to US science. They have destroyed the federal science workforce across the board. The negative impacts on Americans will be felt for generations, and the US might never be the same again.
www.nature.com/immersive/d4...
www.nature.com/immersive/d4...
January 20, 2026 at 10:53 PM
This is the most astonishing graph of what the Trump regime has done to US science. They have destroyed the federal science workforce across the board. The negative impacts on Americans will be felt for generations, and the US might never be the same again.
www.nature.com/immersive/d4...
www.nature.com/immersive/d4...
Reposted by SmithLabUMBC
Been hearing some horrifying chatter about dealing with the new #NIH common form and #ScienCV system, so I put together a short video with some tricks for mitigating some of those pain points.
Hope it helps? 🧪
open.substack.com/pub/emptymod...
Hope it helps? 🧪
open.substack.com/pub/emptymod...
Dealing with ScienCV formatting
Some tips for composing and making your new NIH biosketch not look like garbage
open.substack.com
January 17, 2026 at 3:28 AM
Been hearing some horrifying chatter about dealing with the new #NIH common form and #ScienCV system, so I put together a short video with some tricks for mitigating some of those pain points.
Hope it helps? 🧪
open.substack.com/pub/emptymod...
Hope it helps? 🧪
open.substack.com/pub/emptymod...
Reposted by SmithLabUMBC
We are excited to announce the 💎 2026 Applied Crystallization Workshop 💎 at @getacrystal.bsky.social at University at Buffalo!
Dive into Biomolecular Crystallization! We are holding 2 workshops in 2026. Each will be an intensive, hands-on session to learn about crystallizing your ❤️ biomolecule!
Dive into Biomolecular Crystallization! We are holding 2 workshops in 2026. Each will be an intensive, hands-on session to learn about crystallizing your ❤️ biomolecule!
January 15, 2026 at 8:25 PM
We are excited to announce the 💎 2026 Applied Crystallization Workshop 💎 at @getacrystal.bsky.social at University at Buffalo!
Dive into Biomolecular Crystallization! We are holding 2 workshops in 2026. Each will be an intensive, hands-on session to learn about crystallizing your ❤️ biomolecule!
Dive into Biomolecular Crystallization! We are holding 2 workshops in 2026. Each will be an intensive, hands-on session to learn about crystallizing your ❤️ biomolecule!
It's the best day of the year: lab clean-up day! What will we find this year?! 😁🫠😱
January 9, 2026 at 2:32 PM
It's the best day of the year: lab clean-up day! What will we find this year?! 😁🫠😱
Reposted by SmithLabUMBC
Is your New Year's resolution to unveil structural details for your biological macromolecule?
Reserve a spot in our January protein crystallization run before Friday!
Package Acceptance & Plate Setup:
Tues Jan 12th – Thurs Jan 15th
Tues Jan 20th – Thurs Jan 22nd
Reserve a spot in our January protein crystallization run before Friday!
Package Acceptance & Plate Setup:
Tues Jan 12th – Thurs Jan 15th
Tues Jan 20th – Thurs Jan 22nd
January 7, 2026 at 6:51 PM
Is your New Year's resolution to unveil structural details for your biological macromolecule?
Reserve a spot in our January protein crystallization run before Friday!
Package Acceptance & Plate Setup:
Tues Jan 12th – Thurs Jan 15th
Tues Jan 20th – Thurs Jan 22nd
Reserve a spot in our January protein crystallization run before Friday!
Package Acceptance & Plate Setup:
Tues Jan 12th – Thurs Jan 15th
Tues Jan 20th – Thurs Jan 22nd
Reposted by SmithLabUMBC
Attention NY Area #cryoem #cryoet enthusiasts - The 6th Annual NY Area Cryo-EM meeting is May 27th - Features a workshop/discussion format where new results and techniques will be discussed - We are sponsoring and attending the meeting - zurl.co/WD7l5
January 7, 2026 at 4:00 PM
Attention NY Area #cryoem #cryoet enthusiasts - The 6th Annual NY Area Cryo-EM meeting is May 27th - Features a workshop/discussion format where new results and techniques will be discussed - We are sponsoring and attending the meeting - zurl.co/WD7l5
Reposted by SmithLabUMBC
Is arginine the new cysteine?! Check out our lab's latest in collaboration with @ianseiple.bsky.social's team where we introduce ninhydrin as a selective covalent warhead and probe targeting reactive arginines.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Ninhydrin as a covalent warhead for chemical proteomic-enabled discovery and selective engagement of reactive arginines
Covalent molecules have emerged as next-generation therapeutics and as powerful tools for perturbing fundamental biological processes. Chemical proteomic methods to screen for reactive proteinaceous a...
www.biorxiv.org
January 6, 2026 at 3:40 PM
Is arginine the new cysteine?! Check out our lab's latest in collaboration with @ianseiple.bsky.social's team where we introduce ninhydrin as a selective covalent warhead and probe targeting reactive arginines.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Reposted by SmithLabUMBC
🚨Excellent editorial in ACS Central Sci 📣
Thank you @carolynbertozzi.bskyverified.social for your support and to @louisflwilson.bsky.social for spotting these mistakes + drafting an excellent manuscript
#CryoEM #StructuralBiology
#vidalized
ACS Central Science pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10....
Thank you @carolynbertozzi.bskyverified.social for your support and to @louisflwilson.bsky.social for spotting these mistakes + drafting an excellent manuscript
#CryoEM #StructuralBiology
#vidalized
ACS Central Science pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10....
Pitfalls in the Modeling of Maltoside Detergents in Protein Structures
This publication is Open Access under the license indicated.
Learn More
pubs.acs.org
January 5, 2026 at 1:40 PM
🚨Excellent editorial in ACS Central Sci 📣
Thank you @carolynbertozzi.bskyverified.social for your support and to @louisflwilson.bsky.social for spotting these mistakes + drafting an excellent manuscript
#CryoEM #StructuralBiology
#vidalized
ACS Central Science pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10....
Thank you @carolynbertozzi.bskyverified.social for your support and to @louisflwilson.bsky.social for spotting these mistakes + drafting an excellent manuscript
#CryoEM #StructuralBiology
#vidalized
ACS Central Science pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10....
Reposted by SmithLabUMBC
Greetings! I decided to make a YouTube video of my AlphaFold workshop that I've given a few times in the past year. Caveats aside, people seem to find this useful for thinking about how to model protein interactions and how to interpret various AF outputs 1/2
www.youtube.com/watch?v=u63o...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=u63o...
David's AlphaFold WorkShop 2026
YouTube video by David Fay
www.youtube.com
January 2, 2026 at 11:03 PM
Greetings! I decided to make a YouTube video of my AlphaFold workshop that I've given a few times in the past year. Caveats aside, people seem to find this useful for thinking about how to model protein interactions and how to interpret various AF outputs 1/2
www.youtube.com/watch?v=u63o...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=u63o...
Reposted by SmithLabUMBC
Come to Buffalo & be my colleague!
The Department of Biochemistry at Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo is seeking applications at the Assistant or Associate Professor level.
We have a collegial & active department!!
The Department of Biochemistry at Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo is seeking applications at the Assistant or Associate Professor level.
We have a collegial & active department!!
Assistant or Associate Professor HS, Department of Biochemistry
The Department of Biochemistry is seeking (2) faculty positions at the Assistant or Associate Professor level. We seek candidates who will develop a research program in understanding the molecular bas...
www.ubjobs.buffalo.edu
December 17, 2025 at 7:54 PM
Come to Buffalo & be my colleague!
The Department of Biochemistry at Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo is seeking applications at the Assistant or Associate Professor level.
We have a collegial & active department!!
The Department of Biochemistry at Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo is seeking applications at the Assistant or Associate Professor level.
We have a collegial & active department!!
Time to celebrate the graduates!
December 17, 2025 at 2:50 PM
Time to celebrate the graduates!
Reposted by SmithLabUMBC
I am proud to share a new paper out of our lab. We showed that our antimicrobial works with copper and zinc to kill MRSA & Staph epi. It can function through mature biofilms they form and on multiple surfaces. This outstanding work was led by Yamil Sanchez-Rosario.
journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...
journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...
N-benzyl-N-methyldithiocarbamate (BMDC) combines with metals to produce antimicrobial and anti-biofilm activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Staphylococcus epidermidis | mSphere
Antimicrobial-resistant bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Staphylococcus epidermidis, are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in vulnerable populations, contributing to an escalating health and economic burden. Biofilms are an important reservoir that protects bacteria from immune clearance and antimicrobial agents. However, current strategies to effectively target MRSA biofilms are limited. This research describes a therapeutic approach that can disrupt biofilms in both MRSA and S. epidermidis, thereby enhancing bacterial clearance.
journals.asm.org
December 11, 2025 at 7:50 PM
I am proud to share a new paper out of our lab. We showed that our antimicrobial works with copper and zinc to kill MRSA & Staph epi. It can function through mature biofilms they form and on multiple surfaces. This outstanding work was led by Yamil Sanchez-Rosario.
journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...
journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...
Reposted by SmithLabUMBC
Thrilled to announce a new @natcomms.nature.com paper led by Alastair Stewart and team @victorchang.edu.au with contributions from @mcdevittlab.bsky.social
Using #cryoEM we discovered unique features of the #Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATP synthase including an unexpected role for #zinc in the complex 🦠🔬
Using #cryoEM we discovered unique features of the #Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATP synthase including an unexpected role for #zinc in the complex 🦠🔬
Distinct structural features of Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATP synthase revealed by cryo-electron microscopy - Nature Communications
ATP synthase powers cells by converting proton translocation into energy. Here, authors reveal distinct structural features of the P. aeruginosa ATP synthase that regulate activity and may serve as ta...
doi.org
December 11, 2025 at 1:12 AM
Thrilled to announce a new @natcomms.nature.com paper led by Alastair Stewart and team @victorchang.edu.au with contributions from @mcdevittlab.bsky.social
Using #cryoEM we discovered unique features of the #Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATP synthase including an unexpected role for #zinc in the complex 🦠🔬
Using #cryoEM we discovered unique features of the #Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATP synthase including an unexpected role for #zinc in the complex 🦠🔬
Congratulations to the newest PhD from the lab!!
December 8, 2025 at 8:36 PM
Congratulations to the newest PhD from the lab!!
Looking forward to @hhmi-science.bsky.social Gilliam Fellow Alexander Paredes' Ph.D. thesis defense today at 11 am in Meyerhoff Chemistry and Biochemistry seminar room 120! Don't miss it!!
December 8, 2025 at 3:10 PM
Looking forward to @hhmi-science.bsky.social Gilliam Fellow Alexander Paredes' Ph.D. thesis defense today at 11 am in Meyerhoff Chemistry and Biochemistry seminar room 120! Don't miss it!!
Was feeling really good about a manuscript in review until receiving feedback from a **single** reviewer that was **1461 words long** and asked for a solid R01's-worth of work for a single manuscript revision. Sigh.
December 4, 2025 at 7:19 PM
Was feeling really good about a manuscript in review until receiving feedback from a **single** reviewer that was **1461 words long** and asked for a solid R01's-worth of work for a single manuscript revision. Sigh.
Reposted by SmithLabUMBC
Prof. Laura Dassama (Stanford Chem) is developing a small-molecule therapy for sickle cell disease that removes BCL11A, restoring fetal hemoglobin without gene editing. Her goal is a simpler, more affordable sickle cell therapy. brnw.ch/21wXP8k
November 26, 2025 at 9:10 PM
Prof. Laura Dassama (Stanford Chem) is developing a small-molecule therapy for sickle cell disease that removes BCL11A, restoring fetal hemoglobin without gene editing. Her goal is a simpler, more affordable sickle cell therapy. brnw.ch/21wXP8k
Reposted by SmithLabUMBC
At my blog, I write more about my concerns for aspiring entering grad students in chemistry for Fall 2026. To reiterate - if you don't have a plan for next fall RIGHT NOW, you need to talk to your professors and advisers and develop a plan NOW: chemjobber.blogspot.com/2025/11/towa...
#chemchat 🧪⚗️
#chemchat 🧪⚗️
Towards a data-informed prediction of Fall 2026 US chemistry PhD admissions | a warning to senior undergraduates
As faithful readers of this blog know, I found the statement that Harvard Chemistry and Chemical Biology was cutting its Fall 2026 entering ...
chemjobber.blogspot.com
November 10, 2025 at 7:27 PM
At my blog, I write more about my concerns for aspiring entering grad students in chemistry for Fall 2026. To reiterate - if you don't have a plan for next fall RIGHT NOW, you need to talk to your professors and advisers and develop a plan NOW: chemjobber.blogspot.com/2025/11/towa...
#chemchat 🧪⚗️
#chemchat 🧪⚗️
Pleased to be hosting @jeffmugridge.bsky.social here at @umbc.bsky.social Chemistry & Biochemistry! Look out for his great talk today from 12 - 1 pm in Meyerhoff 120 entitled: "Metals, mechanisms, and messages: how metalloenzymes do chemistry on RNA to control gene expression" 🧪🧬⚛️
November 7, 2025 at 4:04 PM
Pleased to be hosting @jeffmugridge.bsky.social here at @umbc.bsky.social Chemistry & Biochemistry! Look out for his great talk today from 12 - 1 pm in Meyerhoff 120 entitled: "Metals, mechanisms, and messages: how metalloenzymes do chemistry on RNA to control gene expression" 🧪🧬⚛️
🚨Just in press @asbmb.bsky.social JBC!🚨 Alex & Chioma's paper detailing the interaction of Fe(II) with an intact membrane His kinase for the first time! Binding stoichiometry ✅ Fe(II) structure ✅ Direct observation of selectivity ✅ Signal transmission pathway ✅ Read more here: tinyurl.com/49wdkecu
The Pseudomonas aeruginosa Membrane Histidine Kinase BqsS/CarS Directly Senses Environmental Ferrous Iron (Fe2+)
Prokaryotic two-component signal transduction systems (TCSs) are widely utilized by bacteria to respond to their environment and are typically compose…
tinyurl.com
November 6, 2025 at 2:19 PM
🚨Just in press @asbmb.bsky.social JBC!🚨 Alex & Chioma's paper detailing the interaction of Fe(II) with an intact membrane His kinase for the first time! Binding stoichiometry ✅ Fe(II) structure ✅ Direct observation of selectivity ✅ Signal transmission pathway ✅ Read more here: tinyurl.com/49wdkecu
Reposted by SmithLabUMBC
The National Crystallization Center is hiring for two positions: a research scientist position focused on progressing our crystallization optimization projects, and a research support specialist to support operations of the Crystallization Center!
November 5, 2025 at 3:53 PM
The National Crystallization Center is hiring for two positions: a research scientist position focused on progressing our crystallization optimization projects, and a research support specialist to support operations of the Crystallization Center!
What another fantastic biomolecules costume night in CHEM 437!! 🎃 🧪 🧬
October 31, 2025 at 12:09 AM
What another fantastic biomolecules costume night in CHEM 437!! 🎃 🧪 🧬