Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Tatum Mortimer

Kate Baker @ksbakes.bsky.social · Jul 27

There are half a million cases of invasive non-Typhoidal Salmonella (iNTS) every year and while you might know S. Typhimurim and Enteritidis, you may not have heard of S. Panama 💩 🩸 🧫 💊 Check out our latest in @lancetmicrobe.bsky.social doi.org/10.1016/j.la... and the 🧵 below to find out more 1/n

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Megan Behringer @megbehri.bsky.social · 12d

Our lab is hiring!!
We are looking for a research assistant who will be involved with our experimental evolution studies on how stress affects population dynamics in E. coli.
Great opportunity for recent grads!
E-mail for more info and apply here:
ecsr.fa.us2.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/Candid...

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Tim Read @timothyread.bsky.social · Sep 10

Delighted to see the first version of our new ELife paper. A collaboration with Levi Morran, we show how an intact antibiotic resistance gene (mecA) changes the course of S. aureus evolution on a new host. Kudos to Michelle Su and Kim Hoang for making this happen.

elifesciences.org/reviewed-pre...

Host and antibiotic jointly select for greater virulence in Staphylococcus aureus

elifesciences.org

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Madeleine Kline @mckline98.bsky.social · Jul 3

⚠️ New preprint ⚠️: Two new antibiotics are likely coming for gonorrhea 💊. How should we deploy them in the US to minimize drug resistance? @kroster.bsky.social @dhelekal.bsky.social Eva Rumpler @yhgrad.bsky.social [1/10]
www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1...

Comparing Strategies to Introduce Two New Antibiotics for Gonorrhea: A Modeling Study

Introduction Drug resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae is an urgent public health threat. The anticipated approval of two new antimicrobials for gonorrhea prompts the need for evidence-based rollout st...

www.medrxiv.org

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Helen Branswell 🇨🇦 @helenbranswell.bsky.social · Jul 9

Using doxycycline after unprotected sex — doxy PEP — is effective at reducing some sexually transmitted infections in some people. But new research suggests is probably also driving development of resistance to tetracycline antibiotics in some bacteria. www.statnews.com/2025/07/09/d...

Use of antibiotic to reduce STIs appears to be fueling some antibiotic resistance, research shows

The use of the antibiotic doxycycline to reduce STIs appears to be fueling some antibiotic resistance, according to new research.

www.statnews.com

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Yonatan Grad @yhgrad.bsky.social · Jul 10

Now out in NEJM. Kudos to @dhelekal.bsky.social and @tatumdmortimer.bsky.social : www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/...

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Tatum Mortimer @tatumdmortimer.bsky.social · Jul 9

The Poultry Diagnostic and Research Center at UGA is looking for an avian microbiologist (open rank, tenure-track position) to lead the bacteriology/mycology diagnostic section! Find out more about the position and apply here: www.ugajobsearch.com/postings/437...

Avian Diagnostic Microbiologist

The University of Georgia, College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Population Health invites applications for a tenure-track position at the rank of Assistant or Associate Professor in the field...

www.ugajobsearch.com

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Tatum Mortimer @tatumdmortimer.bsky.social · Jun 26

If you are an early career research attending @stihiv2025.org and interested in learning more about data visualization in R, @odileharrison.bsky.social , Sim Dabee, and I are organizing a workshop during the conference (11:30am-1:30pm on Wednesday). Register here: forms.gle/e4UL1NG62PUD...

ECR Data Visualisation Workshop

Please complete this application to attend the Data Viz workshop. This event will be held at the 2025 STI & HIV World Congress in Montreal, Canada on Wednesday, July 30th from 11:30-13:30. Effective...

forms.gle

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CCDD @ccdd-hsph.bsky.social · Jun 23

Dr. Yonatan Grad @yhgrad.bsky.social, Professor of immunology and infectious diseases comments on the potential impact of recent decisions related to vaccines made by Health and Human Services Secretary (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Read it here at bit.ly/3T2KPqX

RFK Jr. moves on vaccines could have broad ramifications for public health, says expert | Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

Yonatan Grad, professor of immunology and infectious diseases, comments on the potential impact of recent decisions related to vaccines made by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr...

bit.ly

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Bailey Bowcutt @baileybowcutt.bsky.social · May 30

I got the opportunity to speak with Science about my individual research fellowship being terminated. I was awarded the NSF GRFP before I chose Harvard for graduate school, but I still got cut. I study how we can improve treatments for a common antibiotic resistant bacteria, so this is sad to see

Jeffrey Mervis @policyhound.bsky.social · May 29

After 73 years, is NSF's graduate research fellowship program circling the drain? www.science.org/content/arti...

Will NSF’s flagship training program survive under Trump?

Despite 50 Nobelists and 75,000 alumni, NSF’s graduate research fellows could be a vanishing breed

www.science.org

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Gc Rox @gcrox.bsky.social · May 23

All of NIH funding to Northwestern University is frozen. This pause includes noncompeting approved funding, new and competing grants with fundable scores. No reimbursements for money already spent have been received since March. This situation is rarely reported so please Please get the word out!

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Yonatan Grad @yhgrad.bsky.social · May 23

In this preprint, we consider the explanations for the observed drop in gonorrhea incidence in the US and the evidence needed to evaluate them.

A critical takeaway: without the CDC data & monitoring, we're unlikely to know. Those huge cuts to the CDC undermine efficient, effective healthcare.

Kirstin Oliveira Roster @kroster.bsky.social · May 21

New preprint. After years of increases, gonorrhea diagnosis rates dropped in the US in 2022 and 2023. While the news is promising, understanding WHY is key to sustaining progress.
dash.harvard.edu/handle/1/427...

Why are gonorrhea diagnoses declining in the US?

After a decade of rising cases, the US CDC reported a decline in the rate of gonorrhea diagnoses for two years in a row in 2022 and 2023, especially among young adults. Primary and secondary syphilis ...

dash.harvard.edu

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Kirstin Oliveira Roster @kroster.bsky.social · May 21

New preprint. After years of increases, gonorrhea diagnosis rates dropped in the US in 2022 and 2023. While the news is promising, understanding WHY is key to sustaining progress.
dash.harvard.edu/handle/1/427...

Why are gonorrhea diagnoses declining in the US?

After a decade of rising cases, the US CDC reported a decline in the rate of gonorrhea diagnoses for two years in a row in 2022 and 2023, especially among young adults. Primary and secondary syphilis ...

dash.harvard.edu

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Bailey Bowcutt @baileybowcutt.bsky.social · May 22

I'm a current Harvard graduate student and I found out today that I had my NSF GRFP terminated without notification. I was awarded this individual research fellowship before even choosing Harvard as my graduate school

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Courtney Ellison @ckellison.bsky.social · May 22

Excited to share the newest preprint from the lab for my first post! Driven by @tayellisonwrites.bsky.social and @ianyyen.bsky.social with Lynne Howell we show the protein FimX has diverged in function away from regulating pilus extension to instead regulate pilus localization in A. baylyi

FimX regulates type IV pilus localization via the Pil-Chp chemosensory system in Acinetobacter baylyi

Type IV pili (T4P) are widespread dynamic appendages required for diverse prokaryotic behaviors including twitching motility, biofilm formation, and DNA uptake leading to natural transformation. Altho...

www.biorxiv.org

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Kat Holt @katholt.bsky.social · May 22

Excited to share the first beta release of AMRrules at #ABPHM! (Poster 42 tonight)
interpretamr.github.io/AMRrules

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Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health @hsph.harvard.edu · May 16

With nearly all of Harvard Chan School’s direct federal grants terminated, we are relying on philanthropy to power our research and support our educational programs. Every gift, regardless of size, advances our vision of health, dignity, and justice for every human. Support our work: hsph.me/whygive

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Michael Baym @baym.lol · May 13

Yesterday, the NIH R35 “Outstanding Investigator” grant to fund scientists in my lab studying antibiotic resistance was terminated for reasons not related to the content of the science, or any actions taken by me or members of my lab

A screenshot of the termination notice showing "Outstanding Investigator Grants"

A screenshot of the termination notice with "This award is terminated effective the date of this award, due to unsafe antisemitic actions that suggest the institution lacks concern for the safety and wellbeing of Jewish students." highlighted

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Dr. Michael D. L. Johnson @copperbae.bsky.social · May 1

Are you able to mentor a summer student and have a good project that can be virtually administered, sign up to be an NSURP mentor today! If you can't, hit that share button please and thank you! #NoLabNoProblem #NSURP
uarizona.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...

Online Survey Software | Qualtrics Survey Solutions

The most powerful, simple and trusted way to gather experience data. Start your journey to experience management and try a free account today.

uarizona.co1.qualtrics.com

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Yonatan Grad @yhgrad.bsky.social · Apr 7

Our preprint and much other work was only possible because of data generated by the CDC STD lab, which was shuttered in the HHS layoffs last week. This is a huge blow to efforts to monitor resistance, guide clinical care, & inform policy www.statnews.com/2025/04/05/c... @helenbranswell.bsky.social

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David Helekal @dhelekal.bsky.social · Mar 28

(1/10) New preprint: Expansion of tetM-carrying Neisseria gonorrhoeae in the US, 2018-2024; Link: www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1...

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Dr. Michael D. L. Johnson @copperbae.bsky.social · Feb 24

Although we are not federally funded for this summer, WE WILL STILL RUN The National Summer Undergraduate Research Project (NSURP) in 2025. We remain committed to the work that needs to be done and will continue to meet people where they are. 1/4 nsurp.org

NSURP.org

National Summer Undergraduate Research Project

nsurp.org

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Stephen Kissler @skissler.bsky.social · Feb 14

Some of the most talented people I know have joined, or were about to join, the EIS. This is an immense loss.

Helen Branswell 🇨🇦 @helenbranswell.bsky.social · Feb 14

Doing the unthinkable: The deep cuts to the #CDC's workforce today are expected to decimate the Epidemic Intelligence Service, a program that has trained public health rapid responders for decades.
Envy of the world. Poof!
www.statnews.com/2025/02/14/t...

CDC cuts expected to devastate Epidemic Intelligence Service, a ‘crown jewel’ of public health

Members of the CDC's Epidemic Intelligence Service were warned Friday that many of them were about to be fired

www.statnews.com

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Marco Galardini @mgalactus.bsky.social · Feb 12

Our paper describing the microGWAS pipeline was published yesterday in Microbial Genomics. Lots of fixes and additions to the code/documentation since the preprint, including a hard to reproduce bug that only showed up in a specific HPC 🥵

www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/jour...

microGWAS: a computational pipeline to perform large-scale bacterial genome-wide association studies

Identifying genetic variants associated with bacterial phenotypes, such as virulence, host preference and antimicrobial resistance, has great potential for a better understanding of the mechanisms inv...

www.microbiologyresearch.org

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David Helekal @dhelekal.bsky.social · Feb 7

How do changes in antibiotic use, various pathways to resistance, multiple drug resistance, and more come together to shape the success and failure of bacterial lineages in a real-world epidemic? #AMR #microsky
A preprint: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
(1/15)

Quantifying the impact of antibiotic use and genetic determinants of resistance on bacterial lineage dynamics

The dynamics of antimicrobial resistance in bacteria are informed by the fitness advantages conferred by genetic determinants of resistance in the presence of antibiotic pressure and the potential fit...

www.biorxiv.org

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