Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Alannah King @dralannah.bsky.social · 7d

Read #8 to learn about how the GPS project is working to support global research into how vaccines impact AMR 💊 🧪

Leading the GPS placement scheme, supporting and meeting talented global pneumococcal researchers, has been incredible. I have learnt so much from them!

Papers coming soon... 🖥️🧬

Wellcome Sanger Institute @sangerinstitute.bsky.social · 7d

Antimicrobial resistance is a major global health threat 🌍

Without action, deaths will keep rising.

See how we’re tackling it in our new blog ⬇️

https://sangerinstitute.blog/2025/10/01/ten-ways-the-sanger-institute-is-tackling-the-global-fight-against-amr/

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Reposted by Alannah King

Nature Reviews Microbiology @natrevmicro.nature.com · 16d

New online! Zoonotic threats hidden in wildlife

Zoonotic threats hidden in wildlife

Nature Reviews Microbiology, Published online: 22 September 2025; doi:10.1038/s41579-025-01239-xThis Genome Watch article explores how metagenomics can be used to investigate viral diversity and track emerging zoonotic disease threats from wildlife.

www.nature.com

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Alannah King @dralannah.bsky.social · 15d

It's likely the next pandemic will come from wildlife. But how can we prepare for the next spillover event, if we don't understand the diversity of viruses out there? 🦔🦠

Check out our Genomewatch article, where we discuss using meta-genomics to study viral diversity in wild mammals 🖥️🧬
rdcu.be/eHIBl

Zoonotic threats hidden in wildlife

Nature Reviews Microbiology - This Genome Watch article explores how metagenomics can be used to investigate viral diversity and track emerging zoonotic disease threats from wildlife.

urldefense.proofpoint.com

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Reposted by Alannah King

Global Pneumococcal Sequencing Project @globalpneumoseq.bsky.social · 20d

[🚨 New paper] The first nationwide, longitudinal WGS analysis of Streptococcus pneumoniae in Taiwan (2006–2022).

1,343 isolates from 27 hospitals, we track serotype, AMR, and genomic lineage before and after PCV13.

#GPS_project #PCV13_impact #Taiwan

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

Genomic analysis of the Streptococcus pneumoniae in Taiwan: a nationwide study from 2006 to 2022

Streptococcus pneumoniae remains a leading respiratory pathogen for children and the elderly. In Taiwan, a national PCV13 catch-up vaccination programme for children began in March 2013. This study in...

www.microbiologyresearch.org

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Reposted by Alannah King

Petra Korlević @petrathepostdoc.bsky.social · Aug 20

happy #WorldMosquitoDay 🦟🦟🦟

what started as some really funny questions at a @skypeascientist.bsky.social call with 7 year olds is now a @sangerinstitute.bsky.social blogpost, check it out to learn funky new mosquito trivia!

sangerinstitute.blog/2025/08/20/h...

screenshot of a Wellcome Sanger Institute blogpost
#SciArt doodle of an adult mosquito talking to 5 little mosquito larvae asking many different bug questions (white speech bubbles above them) on a blue green yellow gradient.
the text below is
20 August 2025
How many mosquitoes are there in the world? And other buzzing questions
Kids often have the best questions, and mosquitoes — the world's deadliest animal — hold so many secrets. Inspired by real questions from 7-year-olds, we dive into some fascinating facts and learn what genomics can reveal about one of nature's tiniest troublemakers.

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Alannah King @dralannah.bsky.social · Aug 2

😛 #caturday

A fluffy, one-eyed tabby cat in loaf position is posing for the camera very elegantly. However, she is also sticking her tongue out, removing some of the elegance.

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Reposted by Alannah King

MitoCarriers @mitocarriers.bsky.social · Jul 25

Our review on the peculiar properties of mitochondrial carriers of the SLC25 family out: portlandpress.com/biochemj/art...

Characterised members of the human SLC25 mitochondrial family. Members of the mitochondrial carriers are shown in rainbow (blue to red) cartoon and surface representations with their primary substrates shown in sphere representations to scale. Only one paralogue is shown.

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Alannah King @dralannah.bsky.social · Jun 24

What do the BIOSCAN project and the Duxford Imperial War Museum have in common? They are both interested in things that fly! ✈️ 🐝

It was amazing to be at the Duxford Air Show with @engagewcs.bsky.social to discuss how the BIOSCAN project uses DNA barcoding to study flying insects in the UK 🧬

Wellcome Genome Campus volunteers standing proudly with their green gazebo at the Duxford Air Show. The gazebo has "Genomics is for everyone" written on it.

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Reposted by Alannah King

EMBL-EBI @ebi.embl.org · Jun 16

If EMBL-EBI managed data resources have ever saved you time & effort, this is your chance to give back!

Fill in a 15-minute survey to help us:
🌍Demonstrate the real-world impact of our resources
🤓Understand your needs
🌟Secure continued funding

Closes 16 July
www.surveymonkey.com/r/QGFMBH8?ch...

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Alannah King @dralannah.bsky.social · Jun 10

This was a wonderful collaboration between researchers at the @sangerinstitute.bsky.social and researchers in Suzhou and Shanghai! Really enjoying being a part of it 😄

Alannah King @dralannah.bsky.social · Jun 10

We sequenced pneumococcal isolates from children with pneumococcal disease in Suzhou, China, 2014-2023 🖥️🧬

94% expressed serotypes in PCV13, which is not part of China’s National Immunisation Programme 💉

96% were multidrug-resistant 💊 🧪

Paper here 📄 www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/jour...

Genomic analysis of invasive and non-invasive disease-causing Streptococcus pneumoniae isolated from children between 2014 and 2023 in Suzhou, China

In 2017, 553,000 clinical cases of Streptococcus pneumoniae in children were reported in China, although the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV), which targets the pneumococcal capsule, is not includ...

www.microbiologyresearch.org

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Alannah King @dralannah.bsky.social · Jun 4

Last week I co-chaired the 2025 Mechanisms of Membrane Transport Gordon Research Seminar! 🎤 🇨🇭

With cutting-edge science from early career researchers, thoughtful discussion, and insightful career conversations, I'm proud of the programme we put together 🧪 Thank you to all speakers and attendees! 🥳

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Reposted by Alannah King

Global Pneumococcal Sequencing Project @globalpneumoseq.bsky.social · Jun 2

Last week in #Europneumo2025, the GPS core team presents

1) Database of 26k pneumococcal genomes @harryhung.bsky.social
2) Global population structure of serotype 12F @dralannah.bsky.social
3) SeroBA - WGS-based tool to detect 102 known pneumococcal serotypes @OliverLorenz

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Alannah King @dralannah.bsky.social · May 27

(Hopefully) Coming soon to a journal near you: serotype 12F is global 🌍, expressed by diverse pneumococcal lineages 🧬🖥️, and often antimicrobial resistant 💊

I had a great time at #Europneumo 2025 presenting a poster on our recent work on the invasive pneumococcal serotype 12F. Watch this space! 🧪

A photo taken from behind of Alannah presenting a landscape academic poster on serotype 12F to an attendee of Europneumo 2025.

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Alannah King @dralannah.bsky.social · May 10

Take time to sleep and rest this #caturday

A close-up photo of the face of a long-haired brown tabby cat sleeping. She has her paw over her face to minimise disturbance. She is sleeping on a grey fabric sofa.

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Reposted by Alannah King

poorly drawn cats @poorlycatdraw.bsky.social · May 3

cats when you give them a bath

a drawing of a cat head and a body made of 5 lines

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Alannah King @dralannah.bsky.social · May 3

Parker is wishing you a happy Bank Holiday weekend with a BIG SCREAM 📣 🐈

(he'd also be grateful if you could please feed him, he's not eaten in at least an hour)

#caturday #cat

A one-eyed orange cat stands on a grey sofa, screaming at the person taking the photo who is not feeding him. A living room and kitchen can be seen in the background.

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Reposted by Alannah King

Global Pneumococcal Sequencing Project @globalpneumoseq.bsky.social · May 1

Do you need a #bioinformatic tool to detect almost all serotypes in #pneumococci?

The new SeroBA v2.0 can detect 102 of 107 known pneumococcal serotypes

www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

SeroBA(v2.0) and SeroBAnk: a robust genome-based serotyping scheme and comprehensive atlas of capsular diversity in Streptococcus pneumoniae

The unprecedented number of Streptococcus pneumoniae (the pneumococcus) genomes sequenced in recent years has accelerated the discovery of novel serotypes and highlighted the genetic diversity both be...

www.biorxiv.org

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Alannah King @dralannah.bsky.social · Apr 29

Struggling to keeping track of >100 pneumococcal serotypes? 🧪

Meet SeroBA(v2.0), an updated tool that can accurately type almost all serotypes from WGS data, plus the SeroBAnk, a pocket guide to the serotypes! 🧬🖥️

Preprint: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
SeroBAnk: www.pneumogen.net/gps/#/serobank

SeroBA(v2.0) and SeroBAnk: a robust genome-based serotyping scheme and comprehensive atlas of capsular diversity in Streptococcus pneumoniae

The unprecedented number of Streptococcus pneumoniae (the pneumococcus) genomes sequenced in recent years has accelerated the discovery of novel serotypes and highlighted the genetic diversity both be...

www.biorxiv.org

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Alannah King @dralannah.bsky.social · Apr 10

Had an inspiring day yesterday visiting UCL to meet Prof. David Goldblatt and his team! I got the opportunity to present and discuss our progress on a recent collaboration, and learn about immunology 🧪

Thank you for the kind invitation to visit - Looking forward to sharing the full story soon! 🖥️🧬

Alannah standing next to a presentation slide about the Global Pneumococcal Sequencing project, mid-presentation. She is wearing light-wash denim dungarees with a grey shirt and brown belt.

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Alannah King @dralannah.bsky.social · Mar 29

Just because Parker fits in the hand luggage, doesn't mean he can join us on holiday... 🏖️ 🐈

#caturday

A fluffy orange cat curled up asleep in a black duffle back. The bag is set on a cream carpet.

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Alannah King @dralannah.bsky.social · Mar 21

This has been a wonderful collaboration with an incredible dataset, and even more incredible team! Grateful to have been a part of it 😊

Alannah King @dralannah.bsky.social · Mar 21

New paper! 📢 We analysed 20+ years of pneumococcal bloodstream isolates in the Netherlands to:

💊 Track antibiotic resistance trends
💉 Assess pneumococcal population shifts post-PCV
📈 Identify rising serotypes not covered by current childhood PCVs

Check it out! 🧬 🧪 doi.org/10.1099/mgen...

Investigating two decades of Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteraemia in the Gelderland area, the Netherlands, using whole-genome sequencing

In the Netherlands, the 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) was introduced to the childhood immunization programme in 2006 and replaced by the 10-valent PCV (PCV10, GSK) in 2011. To describe...

www.microbiologyresearch.org

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Alannah King @dralannah.bsky.social · Feb 15

Happy #caturday to those who celebrate!

A fluffy brown tabby cat curled up asleep on a lap, with her back feet up in the air so you can see allof the pads of her feet.

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Alannah King @dralannah.bsky.social · Feb 10

🚨 Less than one week until the abstract deadline for the Mechanisms of Membrane Transport GRS!! 🚨

📅 Apply by Feb 16th!

If you enjoy learning about novel insights into membrane transporters in beautiful places, this is the conference for you! 🧪

#STEMseminar

Alannah King @dralannah.bsky.social · Jan 2

Do you have new & exciting results to share about transport proteins and channels? 🧪 🤩

Come & join experts & early-career researchers for cutting-edge discussions in lovely Switzerland! 🏔️

Apply now for the 2025 Mechanisms of Membrane Transport GRS! ⬇️
www.grc.org/mechanisms-o...

#STEMseminar

A beautiful summer view in Switzerland! In the foreground is a bubbling stream. Just behind the stream there are cosy brown chalets on lush grass, and further into the background you can see the gorgeous Alps.

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