Maggie Smith
@factor50.bsky.social
Retired Professor of Microbiology in the UK. Love bacteriophages, Streptomyces, fun, outdoors, culture and politics.
Congratulations Mike! Well deserved. 👏👏👏
This was nice. Thanks to the wonderful mentees who nominated me.
December 20, 2025 at 4:24 PM
Congratulations Mike! Well deserved. 👏👏👏
Reposted by Maggie Smith
Manchester Institute of Biotechnology is looking for a new Professor. There are a few priority areas including microbial engineering (broadly defined, from pathways to cells to microbiomes). Closing 12 Jan.
Join us in the best city in the UK 😜
www.jobs.manchester.ac.uk/Job/JobDetai...
Join us in the best city in the UK 😜
www.jobs.manchester.ac.uk/Job/JobDetai...
Professorial Appointment within the Manchester Institute of Biotechnology:Manchester Institute of Biotechnology
Applications are invited for a professorial appointment to be based in the Manchester Institute of Biotechnology (MIB) at the University of Manchester (UoM). The successful candidate will join a dynamic research environment at an exciting time and will help shape the institute research priorities and national/international profile. We are open to high quality applications from across the broad engineering biology and biotechnology landscape. Specific areas of interest include but are not limited to chemical biology of disease related proteins, natural product biosynthesis and enzyme discovery; structural biology and mechanistic enzymology; and microbial engineering.
www.jobs.manchester.ac.uk
December 20, 2025 at 12:21 PM
Manchester Institute of Biotechnology is looking for a new Professor. There are a few priority areas including microbial engineering (broadly defined, from pathways to cells to microbiomes). Closing 12 Jan.
Join us in the best city in the UK 😜
www.jobs.manchester.ac.uk/Job/JobDetai...
Join us in the best city in the UK 😜
www.jobs.manchester.ac.uk/Job/JobDetai...
Reposted by Maggie Smith
So happy to see Mark recognised for his incredible work. Over a ~40 year career he and his group discovered ECF sigma factors, characterised many key developmental regulators of the Streptomyces lifecycle, and identified new mechanisms of bacterial gene regulation, antibiotic action and resistance.
NEWS - Professor Mark Buttner receives Marjory Stephenson Prize 2026
Professor Buttner, one of our Emeritus Fellows, has received the @microbiologysociety.org Marjory Stephenson Prize for 2026. Congratulations Mark! 👏
Read about his exceptional research and career: www.jic.ac.uk/news/profess...
Professor Buttner, one of our Emeritus Fellows, has received the @microbiologysociety.org Marjory Stephenson Prize for 2026. Congratulations Mark! 👏
Read about his exceptional research and career: www.jic.ac.uk/news/profess...
December 11, 2025 at 8:23 PM
So happy to see Mark recognised for his incredible work. Over a ~40 year career he and his group discovered ECF sigma factors, characterised many key developmental regulators of the Streptomyces lifecycle, and identified new mechanisms of bacterial gene regulation, antibiotic action and resistance.
Reposted by Maggie Smith
Highlights from our recent participation!
Members of the Multi-Defence Consortium presented both talks and posters on phage defence systems — showcasing exciting progress across the field.
Great discussions, great science, and we’re excited to share more soon!
#MicroEvo25
Members of the Multi-Defence Consortium presented both talks and posters on phage defence systems — showcasing exciting progress across the field.
Great discussions, great science, and we’re excited to share more soon!
#MicroEvo25
November 27, 2025 at 5:26 PM
Highlights from our recent participation!
Members of the Multi-Defence Consortium presented both talks and posters on phage defence systems — showcasing exciting progress across the field.
Great discussions, great science, and we’re excited to share more soon!
#MicroEvo25
Members of the Multi-Defence Consortium presented both talks and posters on phage defence systems — showcasing exciting progress across the field.
Great discussions, great science, and we’re excited to share more soon!
#MicroEvo25
Congratulations to all the Microbiology Society Prize winners!
The Microbiology Society is pleased to announce the winners of our 2026 Prizes! The winners will be awarded and deliver Prize Lectures at Annual Conference 2026 in Belfast from 13–16 April. Find out more about it: microb.io/PrizeWinners.... Meet the winners below. #Microbio26
November 19, 2025 at 3:43 PM
Congratulations to all the Microbiology Society Prize winners!
Congratulations!
Absolutely delighted to have been awarded a Royal Society University Research Fellowship! I will be moving to the University of Manchester @mermanchester.bsky.social to research early endosymbiont evolution
#microsky #symbiosky
#microsky #symbiosky
Meet the new cohort of exceptional researchers who have been awarded more than £83 million worth of early career fellowships by the Royal Society, working on research spanning the sciences: #RSGrants: https://bit.ly/49jMkKx
November 14, 2025 at 6:26 PM
Congratulations!
Reposted by Maggie Smith
Exciting news! I have two positions open in my lab at the UoManchester: one PDRA and one Research Tech.
Join our team to study evolutionary mycology and help us understand antifungal resistance in fungal pathogens. A fantastic opportunity to join the brilliant Manchester Fungal Infection Group!
Join our team to study evolutionary mycology and help us understand antifungal resistance in fungal pathogens. A fantastic opportunity to join the brilliant Manchester Fungal Infection Group!
November 5, 2025 at 3:35 PM
Exciting news! I have two positions open in my lab at the UoManchester: one PDRA and one Research Tech.
Join our team to study evolutionary mycology and help us understand antifungal resistance in fungal pathogens. A fantastic opportunity to join the brilliant Manchester Fungal Infection Group!
Join our team to study evolutionary mycology and help us understand antifungal resistance in fungal pathogens. A fantastic opportunity to join the brilliant Manchester Fungal Infection Group!
Improved LSRs for integrating DNA into the human genome. Great work!
#synbio significant technological development of large Ser recombinases.
I’m sure @factor50.bsky.social would love to have a look
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
I’m sure @factor50.bsky.social would love to have a look
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Site-specific DNA insertion into the human genome with engineered recombinases - Nature Biotechnology
Engineered DNA recombinases efficiently and specifically insert genetic cargos without the use of landing pads.
www.nature.com
November 8, 2025 at 10:29 AM
Improved LSRs for integrating DNA into the human genome. Great work!
Reposted by Maggie Smith
#microsky #phagesky
Mycobacterium #phage review by Graham Hatfull covering the state of the art
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Mycobacterium #phage review by Graham Hatfull covering the state of the art
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
All the world’s a phage | PNAS
A renewed interest in bacteriophages has emerged from the explosive discovery of the
complex pan-immune bacterial defense system and a revival of t...
www.pnas.org
October 31, 2025 at 10:00 AM
#microsky #phagesky
Mycobacterium #phage review by Graham Hatfull covering the state of the art
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Mycobacterium #phage review by Graham Hatfull covering the state of the art
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Reposted by Maggie Smith
R.I.P Hamilton Smith, 1978 Nobel Laureate for the discovery of type II restriction-modification systems (HindII).
October 26, 2025 at 6:54 PM
R.I.P Hamilton Smith, 1978 Nobel Laureate for the discovery of type II restriction-modification systems (HindII).
Reposted by Maggie Smith
Reposted by Maggie Smith
TONIGHT! Come along if you’re within reach of Sheffield and/or on a mercy dash from the south to get some Hendo’s. This is going to be fab. I’m (a) super excited; (b) on my way!
musicintheround.co.uk/events/chris...
musicintheround.co.uk/events/chris...
CHRIS ADDISON'S INCOMPLETE GUIDE TO CHAMBER MUSIC
CHRIS ADDISON'S INCOMPLETE GUIDE TO CHAMBER MUSIC - Music in the Round %
musicintheround.co.uk
October 10, 2025 at 9:30 AM
TONIGHT! Come along if you’re within reach of Sheffield and/or on a mercy dash from the south to get some Hendo’s. This is going to be fab. I’m (a) super excited; (b) on my way!
musicintheround.co.uk/events/chris...
musicintheround.co.uk/events/chris...
Reposted by Maggie Smith
Thanks Sheffield, that was a super fun evening!
October 10, 2025 at 9:45 AM
Thanks Sheffield, that was a super fun evening!
This was really fun. See it if you can.
@threeacresacow.bsky.social thanks for a great evening. Fully re-energised
October 10, 2025 at 9:14 AM
This was really fun. See it if you can.
Reposted by Maggie Smith
hosting.northumbria.ac.uk/nu-omics/vom...
#phagesky #phage #microsky
Come and join us for Viruses of Microbes UK 2026 at @northumbriauni.bsky.social ! Fantastic chance for ECRs to showcase their work 🙂
#phagesky #phage #microsky
Come and join us for Viruses of Microbes UK 2026 at @northumbriauni.bsky.social ! Fantastic chance for ECRs to showcase their work 🙂
VOM-UK Conferences - NU-OMICS
Viruses of Microbes UK (VoM-UK) Conference The Virus of Microbes UK (VoM-UK) Conference is hosted by Microbiome Excellence Peak of Excellence at Northumbria University. This two-day conference takes place annually at the end of January/beginning of February and is a chance for researchers to gather and share their knowledge. The VoM-UK conference is designed to […]
hosting.northumbria.ac.uk
October 9, 2025 at 9:21 AM
hosting.northumbria.ac.uk/nu-omics/vom...
#phagesky #phage #microsky
Come and join us for Viruses of Microbes UK 2026 at @northumbriauni.bsky.social ! Fantastic chance for ECRs to showcase their work 🙂
#phagesky #phage #microsky
Come and join us for Viruses of Microbes UK 2026 at @northumbriauni.bsky.social ! Fantastic chance for ECRs to showcase their work 🙂
Reposted by Maggie Smith
Huge congratulations to Emma Davis, the winner of 2025's Early Career Microbiologist of the Year prize! We agree with Emma that all of the finalists' talks were brilliant and a massive well done to everyone involved!
October 7, 2025 at 5:17 PM
Huge congratulations to Emma Davis, the winner of 2025's Early Career Microbiologist of the Year prize! We agree with Emma that all of the finalists' talks were brilliant and a massive well done to everyone involved!
Reposted by Maggie Smith
Come and work with me and @ariannebabina.bsky.social on #Streptomyces evolution and antibiotic production
Origins of a tangled bank: Adaptation and evolution in antibiotic-producing Streptomyces
www.gla.ac.uk/postgraduate...
please repost
Origins of a tangled bank: Adaptation and evolution in antibiotic-producing Streptomyces
www.gla.ac.uk/postgraduate...
please repost
University of Glasgow - Postgraduate study - Centres for Doctoral Training - NorthWest Biosciences - Our Projects - Underpinning Bioscience - Paul A Hoskisson
www.gla.ac.uk
September 30, 2025 at 11:02 AM
Come and work with me and @ariannebabina.bsky.social on #Streptomyces evolution and antibiotic production
Origins of a tangled bank: Adaptation and evolution in antibiotic-producing Streptomyces
www.gla.ac.uk/postgraduate...
please repost
Origins of a tangled bank: Adaptation and evolution in antibiotic-producing Streptomyces
www.gla.ac.uk/postgraduate...
please repost
Reposted by Maggie Smith
Nature research paper: Prophages block cell surface receptors to preserve their viral progeny
go.nature.com/3IwINxb
go.nature.com/3IwINxb
Prophages block cell surface receptors to preserve their viral progeny - Nature
Zip promotes the accumulation of free phages in bacterial lysogen communities, safeguarding phage progeny.
go.nature.com
July 18, 2025 at 9:56 AM
Nature research paper: Prophages block cell surface receptors to preserve their viral progeny
go.nature.com/3IwINxb
go.nature.com/3IwINxb
Reposted by Maggie Smith
Super proud of amazing lab alumnus @mbottery.bsky.social who has been awarded a prestigious @wellcometrust.bsky.social fellowship to grow his lab @officialuom.bsky.social studying the evolution of fungal pathogens!
Mike has multiple postdoc positions available on his exciting project (details 👇)
Mike has multiple postdoc positions available on his exciting project (details 👇)
Thrilled to announce I've been awarded a @wellcometrust.bsky.social Career Development Award at @fbmh-uom.bsky.social , University of Manchester! My research will investigate the remarkable adaptability of Aspergillus fumigatus, a deadly fungal pathogen, to help combat drug resistance.
July 15, 2025 at 8:04 AM
Super proud of amazing lab alumnus @mbottery.bsky.social who has been awarded a prestigious @wellcometrust.bsky.social fellowship to grow his lab @officialuom.bsky.social studying the evolution of fungal pathogens!
Mike has multiple postdoc positions available on his exciting project (details 👇)
Mike has multiple postdoc positions available on his exciting project (details 👇)
Reposted by Maggie Smith
URGENT: FlyBase has lost practically all its funding overnight; even user fees are tied up in denied grant funding. 🤬🤯
Any lab using @flybase.bsky.social please donate using the link in post below.
This incredible community, on whose backs our #Drosophila labs depend, can't be left out to dry.
Any lab using @flybase.bsky.social please donate using the link in post below.
This incredible community, on whose backs our #Drosophila labs depend, can't be left out to dry.
My lab studies bacterial infections. We spend a lot of time looking at (or for) species-specific genetic and genomic databases for hosts and microbes. FlyBase is the best of all—there is literally no comparison. Its existence is under threat. Please donate.
www.philanthropy.cam.ac.uk/give-to-camb...
www.philanthropy.cam.ac.uk/give-to-camb...
Drosophila Genetic Database
The Drosophila Genetic Database, FlyBase, is on the brink of collapse due to the sudden termination of the FlyBase NIH grant, which includes salaries for 5 literature curators based at the University ...
www.philanthropy.cam.ac.uk
June 3, 2025 at 5:20 PM
URGENT: FlyBase has lost practically all its funding overnight; even user fees are tied up in denied grant funding. 🤬🤯
Any lab using @flybase.bsky.social please donate using the link in post below.
This incredible community, on whose backs our #Drosophila labs depend, can't be left out to dry.
Any lab using @flybase.bsky.social please donate using the link in post below.
This incredible community, on whose backs our #Drosophila labs depend, can't be left out to dry.
Sign the Petition
Not in our name: Women in support of the trans+ community
chng.it
June 2, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Congratulations to Professor Graham Hatfull on being elected as a Royal Society Fellow!! So pleased to see this. royalsociety.org/people/james...
Fellow Detail Page | Royal Society
Explore the history of the Royal Society, including our motto and discover our timeline of key events.
royalsociety.org
May 22, 2025 at 2:04 PM
Congratulations to Professor Graham Hatfull on being elected as a Royal Society Fellow!! So pleased to see this. royalsociety.org/people/james...
Reposted by Maggie Smith
Like antibiotics, we know antimicrobial peptides select for resistance in bacteria, but worse that peptide resistance can also cross-protect against host peptides, potentially undermining immunity. Caution required, not talk of “goldmines” on R4 Today
March 6, 2025 at 7:25 AM
Like antibiotics, we know antimicrobial peptides select for resistance in bacteria, but worse that peptide resistance can also cross-protect against host peptides, potentially undermining immunity. Caution required, not talk of “goldmines” on R4 Today
Reposted by Maggie Smith
Given hyperbole about this paper www.nature.com/articles/s41... in the news today (eg www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...) it is a good day to post this classic from >20 years ago: www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/jour...
Arming the enemy: the evolution of resistance to self-proteins
A remarkable range of novel antibiotics is attracting increasing interest as a major new weapon in the campaign against bacterial infection. They are based on the toxic peptides that provide the innat...
www.microbiologyresearch.org
March 6, 2025 at 6:57 AM
Given hyperbole about this paper www.nature.com/articles/s41... in the news today (eg www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...) it is a good day to post this classic from >20 years ago: www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/jour...