akankshathawani.bsky.social
Akanksha Thawani, PhD
@akankshathawani.bsky.social
330 followers 560 following 17 posts
Incoming Assistant Professor, Columbia University | @DamonRunyon.org Postdoc, UC Berkeley | PhD Princeton University | Mobile elements, Structural biology and Genome engineering | http://thawanilab.org
thawanilab.org
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akankshathawani.bsky.social
Akanksha Thawani, PhD @akankshathawani.bsky.social · Aug 19
Extremely excited to share that I’m joining Columbia University @columbiauniversity.bsky.social as an Assistant Professor!

We will explore how the mobile genome works—how transposons shape us, our DNA and how they can be harnessed to build useful technologies. #NewPI #RNAsky #TEsky

thawanilab.org
The Thawani Lab at Columbia University
The Thawani Lab at Columbia University describing their research on mobile genome, cryo-electron microscopy and genome engineering
thawanilab.org
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akankshathawani.bsky.social
Akanksha Thawani, PhD @akankshathawani.bsky.social · 7d
Check out this extremely cool work by @fueyoraquel.bsky.social on how human specific ERVs contribute to early development!
fueyoraquel.bsky.social
Raquel Fueyo @fueyoraquel.bsky.social · 7d
Today in @nature.com, we present our work leveraging functional genomics and human blastoids to uncover a human-specific mechanism in preimplantation development driven by the endogenous retrovirus HERVK.
Special thanks to the reviewers whose comments improved our manuscript a lot! rdcu.be/eI3tD
A human-specific regulatory mechanism revealed in a pre-implantation model
Nature - Genetic manipulation of blastoids reveals the role of recently emerged transposable elements and genes in human development.
rdcu.be
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Reposted by Akanksha Thawani, PhD
benadler.bsky.social
Ben Adler @benadler.bsky.social · 7d
Today in @nature.com , we highlight how a cousin of CRISPR-Cas10, mCpol, establishes an evolutionary trap in anti-phage immune systems.

Check out @erinedoherty.bsky.social and my work from @doudna-lab.bsky.social lab here:
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
A miniature CRISPR–Cas10 enzyme confers immunity by inhibitory signalling - Nature
Panoptes, an anti-phage defence system against virus-mediated immune suppression, is revealed.
www.nature.com
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akankshathawani.bsky.social
Akanksha Thawani, PhD @akankshathawani.bsky.social · Aug 20
Thank you Flora!
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akankshathawani.bsky.social
Akanksha Thawani, PhD @akankshathawani.bsky.social · Aug 19
🧪 We’re hiring at all levels! If you're interested in transposons, genome biology, cryoEM, RNA, chromatin, or genome engineering—let’s talk! Particularly interested in enthusiastic technicians and postdoctoral fellows!

Email me and check out our lab website to learn more! #TeamScience #WeAreHiring
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akankshathawani.bsky.social
Akanksha Thawani, PhD @akankshathawani.bsky.social · Aug 19
Grateful for many other supporters in this journey: the entire @leadingedgeprogram.bsky.social community, @bwfund.bsky.social, @damonrunyon.org, and a number of mentors within and outside @ucberkeleyofficial.bsky.social. It's been a joy ride!
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akankshathawani.bsky.social
Akanksha Thawani, PhD @akankshathawani.bsky.social · Aug 19
Huge thanks to my incredible mentors—Eva @nogaleslab.bsky.social, Kathy Collins and members of these two labs for their support and generosity during my postdoc. I've learned so much from you.
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akankshathawani.bsky.social
Akanksha Thawani, PhD @akankshathawani.bsky.social · Aug 19
Extremely excited to share that I’m joining Columbia University @columbiauniversity.bsky.social as an Assistant Professor!

We will explore how the mobile genome works—how transposons shape us, our DNA and how they can be harnessed to build useful technologies. #NewPI #RNAsky #TEsky

thawanilab.org
The Thawani Lab at Columbia University
The Thawani Lab at Columbia University describing their research on mobile genome, cryo-electron microscopy and genome engineering
thawanilab.org
8 30 120
akankshathawani.bsky.social
Akanksha Thawani, PhD @akankshathawani.bsky.social · Aug 18
Congrats Luuk!
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Reposted by Akanksha Thawani, PhD
raflynn5.bsky.social
Ryan Flynn @raflynn5.bsky.social · Aug 6
RNA N-glycosylation enables immune evasion and homeostatic efferocytosis by chemically caging acp3U. Excited to report this work lead by Vinnie @vinnieviruses.bsky.social and in collaboration with @vijayrathinam.bsky.social in @nature.com www.nature.com/articles/s41...
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Reposted by Akanksha Thawani, PhD
cedricfeschotte.bsky.social
Cedric Feschotte @cedricfeschotte.bsky.social · Aug 5
Looking forward to this new installment of the Woods Hole Mobile DNA Meeting! Fantastic program, laid-back atmosphere, and gorgeous setting at the Marine Biological Laboratory ⛵️🪼🐋
Abstract submission closes Aug 7 but registration after that date is possible. www.eventsquid.com/event.cfm?ev...
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Reposted by Akanksha Thawani, PhD
mitchguttman.bsky.social
Mitch Guttman @mitchguttman.bsky.social · Jul 26
Many proteins bind RNA, yet we still don’t know what RNAs most bind because methods map one RBP at a time. In @cp-cell.bsky.social, with the Jovanovic lab, we describe SPIDR – a method for mapping the RNA binding sites of dozens of RBPs in a single experiment. www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
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Reposted by Akanksha Thawani, PhD
transposableman.bsky.social
Dr. Tyler A. Elliott @transposableman.bsky.social · Aug 1
#TEsky Structural basis for the evolution of a domesticated group II intron–like reverse transcriptase to function in host cell DNA repair doi.org/10.1073/pnas...
Structural basis for the evolution of a domesticated group II intron–like reverse transcriptase to function in host cell DNA repair | PNAS
A previous study found that a bacterial group II intron–like reverse transcriptase (G2L4 RT) evolved to function in double-strand break repair (DSB...
doi.org
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Reposted by Akanksha Thawani, PhD
typaslab.bsky.social
Typas Lab @typaslab.bsky.social · Jul 30
Ready to lead pioneering research that bridges systems-level investigations of biological systems to molecular mechanism? The EMBL Molecular Systems Biology Unit in Heidelberg is hiring a Group Leader!
Group Leader – Molecular Systems Biology Unit
Are you ready to lead groundbreaking research in Molecular Systems Biology? Join us at EMBL! We are seeking a motivated scientist to lead an independent research group, addressing original biological ...
embl.wd103.myworkdayjobs.com
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Reposted by Akanksha Thawani, PhD
audeber.bsky.social
Aude Bernheim @audeber.bsky.social · Jul 24
🦠🧍‍♀️From bacterial to human immunity.

We report in @science.org the discovery of a human homolog of SIR2 antiphage proteins that participates in the TLR pathway of animal innate immunity.
Co-led wt @enzopoirier.bsky.social by D. Bonhomme and @hugovaysset.bsky.social

www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org
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Reposted by Akanksha Thawani, PhD
ksxue.bsky.social
Katherine Xue @ksxue.bsky.social · Jul 17
The Xue lab at UC Irvine is looking for a staff scientist to support our work investigating how microbes interact and evolve in the gut microbiome! Open to a wide range of previous experience levels, see ad for more.
recruit.ap.uci.edu/JPF09601
Junior, Assistant, or Associate Specialist – Xue Lab
University of California, Irvine is hiring. Apply now!
recruit.ap.uci.edu
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akankshathawani.bsky.social
Akanksha Thawani, PhD @akankshathawani.bsky.social · Jul 3
Congrats @kedmonds.bsky.social @maxewilkinson.bsky.social et al on your beautiful work being out!
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Reposted by Akanksha Thawani, PhD
aktast.bsky.social
Tugce Aktas @aktast.bsky.social · Jun 30
We wrote a review on Transposable Elements (TEs) and almost all aspects of TE silencing and their roles in biological processes & disease.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation of transposable elements and their roles in development and disease - Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology
Transposable elements (TEs) comprise nearly half of the human genome. This Review discusses transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms that repress TE activity, how TEs escape this suppressio...
www.nature.com
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Reposted by Akanksha Thawani, PhD
nogaleslab.bsky.social
Nogales Lab @nogaleslab.bsky.social · Jun 24
Deeply touched and honored by the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, my alma mater, (@uam.es) making me Doctor Honoris Causa. Thank you to the Department of Physical Chemistry for nominating me for this recognition. It was a memorable day for me and my family👩‍🎓
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Reposted by Akanksha Thawani, PhD
nogaleslab.bsky.social
Nogales Lab @nogaleslab.bsky.social · Jun 24
Like a dream, my name next to that of @isabelallende.com, and to be recognized by Universidad Internacional Menéndez Pelayo UIMP. Soon after, Irene Vallejo @irenevalmore.bsky.social will receive the same honor. I feel proud to be linked to these truly inspiring, talented women! Thank you UIMP!
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Reposted by Akanksha Thawani, PhD
cryoempapers.bsky.social
cryoEM papers @cryoempapers.bsky.social · Jun 21
Structures of vertebrate R2 retrotransposon complexes during target-primed reverse transcription and after second-strand nicking pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40540573/ #cryoem
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akankshathawani.bsky.social
Akanksha Thawani, PhD @akankshathawani.bsky.social · Jun 23
Link to the article: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Structures of vertebrate R2 retrotransposon complexes during target-primed reverse transcription and after second-strand nicking
Cryo-EM and functional analyses reveal features of vertebrate R2 retrotransposon proteins that support transgene insertion.
www.science.org
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akankshathawani.bsky.social
Akanksha Thawani, PhD @akankshathawani.bsky.social · Jun 23
It was a joy ride to be working on this project alongside Anthony Rodríguez-Vargas, @nozhathassan.bsky.social, Briana Van Treeck and my fearless mentors Kathy and @nogaleslab.bsky.social!

And thanks for the very important support from the NIH, @hhmi.org and @damonrunyon.org for this work! (5/n)
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akankshathawani.bsky.social
Akanksha Thawani, PhD @akankshathawani.bsky.social · Jun 23
Besides the initiation of insertion, we could also determine the #cryoEM structure of another biochemical intermediate where the first strand synthesis and second strand nicking has completed (4/n)
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akankshathawani.bsky.social
Akanksha Thawani, PhD @akankshathawani.bsky.social · Jun 23
The expanded zinc finger array within these new R2s covers the upstream target site entirely to enable more precise junction formation (3/n)
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akankshathawani.bsky.social
Akanksha Thawani, PhD @akankshathawani.bsky.social · Jun 23
We identified features of the avian R2 retrotransposons that we previously identified and a newly identified element from a turtle genome that support transgene insertion (2/n)
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