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Kate Beckham

@kshbeckham.bsky.social

910 followers 670 following 23 posts

Royal Society University Research Fellow | NUAcT Fellow @ Newcastle University @mhd-newcastle.bsky.social Investigating mycobacterial transport systems #structuralbiology #microbiology Instagram @kshbeckham

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Kate Beckham @kshbeckham.bsky.social · 16d

Keep up to date with all the latest from the MHD theme ✨

Microbes in Health and Disease @mhd-newcastle.bsky.social · 16d

Now we are on Bluesky, over the next couple of days we would like to introduce some of the MHD groups on Bluesky who you can follow for more research updates. Or check out our handy MHD starter pack 😀
go.bsky.app/SoVnvW3

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Reposted by Kate Beckham

Alessandra Dantas @alesdantas.bsky.social · 14h

Prof Quinn telling us about her novel findings on bacterial type-VI secretion mediated killing of fungi. @mhd-newcastle.bsky.social @nclfungalgroup.bsky.social #Candida2025

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Kate Beckham @kshbeckham.bsky.social · 6d

Very cool. Congrats @augustsilale.bsky.social et al :) ✨✨

Augustinas Silale @augustsilale.bsky.social · 6d

We think this much larger BAM enables biogenesis of outer membrane β-barrel and surface-exposed lipoprotein complexes, which are a hallmark of the Bacteroidota.

Reposted by Kate Beckham

Microbes in Health and Disease @mhd-newcastle.bsky.social · 9d

Now for a final round of PI introductions :

Professor John Common investigates the skin microbiome as an ecosystem, studying how its interactions with the host barrier and immune system contribute to diseases such as atopic dermatitis, acne, and ichthyosis

www.ncl.ac.uk/medical-scie...

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Reposted by Kate Beckham

Microbes in Health and Disease @mhd-newcastle.bsky.social · 9d

Dr Emma Briggs @emmamariebriggs.bsky.social

Studies how trypanosomatid parasites regulate cell cycle arrest and proliferation in response to environmental cues—using CRISPR, microscopy and single-cell transcriptomics to uncover molecular switches and potential drug targets driving transitions

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Reposted by Kate Beckham

Microbes in Health and Disease @mhd-newcastle.bsky.social · 9d

Dr Manuel Banzhaf

The Banzhaf group uses high-throughput methods to dissect the life style of bacterial pathogens and how to use this knowledge to optimize antimicrobial treatments.

Follow @banzhaflab.bsky.social for more updates

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Reposted by Kate Beckham

Ellie Boardman @ellieboardman.bsky.social · 12d

Nice to see our summer student Niamh who did a great job in the lab this year supported by a Vacation Studentship! @proftracypalmer.bsky.social

Microbiology Society @microbiologysociety.org · 22d

Meet the Vacation Studentship 2025 grant awardees 🤩! We loved receiving these photos! When you publish with us, we have the funds to continue supporting Early Career Microbiologists in developing their knowledge and skills.

A graphic with photos of Early Career Microbiologist during their lab-time during the Vacation Studentship, which is a grant provided by the Microbiology Society. In the photos people are smiling.

A lot of photos on the screen of individuals working in the lab.

Another page of photos on the screen of individuals working in the lab.

The last page is text explaining how publishing revenue supports the Society to give grants to Early Career Microbiologists.

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Reposted by Kate Beckham

Microbes in Health and Disease @mhd-newcastle.bsky.social · 15d

Next up,

Dr Kate Beckham @kshbeckham.bsky.social

The Beckham lab is interested mycobacterial membrane transport processes. They focusing on understanding the steps occurring at the mycobacterial outer membrane.

www.ncl.ac.uk/cbcb/staff/p...

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Reposted by Kate Beckham

Microbes in Health and Disease @mhd-newcastle.bsky.social · 15d

Next up :

Dr Kate Duncan @kateduncan.bsky.social

The Duncan group study the chemical language of bacteria (& what influences it) for antibiotic discovery from our oceans.

Check out www.medicinesfromthesea.com for more info

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Reposted by Kate Beckham

Microbes in Health and Disease @mhd-newcastle.bsky.social · 15d

The Salgado group focuses on structural and functional characterisation of proteins involved in pathogenicity pathways in C. difficile. They are particularly interested in S-layer and sporulation proteins and their role in infection.

Follow @pssalgado.bsky.social

salgadolab.org

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Reposted by Kate Beckham

Microbes in Health and Disease @mhd-newcastle.bsky.social · 15d

Day 2 of MHD introductions 😃

Dr Lis Lowe @lislowe.bsky.social

The Lowe lab is focussed on microbial glycobiology. They work on bacterial Cazymes from commensals and pathogens, and are particularly interested in enzymes that target microbial glycans such as the cell walls of Mycobacteria.

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Reposted by Kate Beckham

Microbes in Health and Disease @mhd-newcastle.bsky.social · 15d

The @stewartlab.bsky.social use systems biology and cutting-edge human intestinal organoid models to understand diet-microbe-host interaction across the life course, with the ambition to discover novel therapies to improve gut health.

www.ncl.ac.uk/medical-scie...

www.neonatalresearch.net

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Reposted by Kate Beckham

Microbes in Health and Disease @mhd-newcastle.bsky.social · 15d

The Connolly group focuses on pathogenic Escherichia coli. They study how pathogen gene expression is regulated in response host-cues and determine how these expression changes lead to infection-relevant phenotypes.

Follow @ruamicro.bsky.social for more

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Reposted by Kate Beckham

Microbes in Health and Disease @mhd-newcastle.bsky.social · 15d

Dr Alistair Brown’s group is interested in mycobacterial biology, focusing on antimicrobial drug discovery and elucidation of drug mechanisms of action. They aim to understand how existing and novel compounds affect mycobacterial growth, survival, and persistence.

@mycobacterium-ncl.bsky.social

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Reposted by Kate Beckham

Microbes in Health and Disease @mhd-newcastle.bsky.social · 15d

Dr Chien-Yi Chang's lab studies how Gram-negative bacteria sense and respond to different environments using molecular and bioimaging approaches.

👉 @davychang.bsky.social

chienyichang.wixsite.com/changlab

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Reposted by Kate Beckham

Microbes in Health and Disease @mhd-newcastle.bsky.social · 15d

The Bolam lab uses a range of biochemical, microbiological, genetic and structural techniques to study the molecular mechanisms utilised by our resident gut bacteria to recognise, acquire and degrade complex glycans from both dietary and host sources.

Follow @dave-bolam.bsky.social

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Reposted by Kate Beckham

Microbes in Health and Disease @mhd-newcastle.bsky.social · 16d

The Quinn group are interested in stress-sensing and signalling mechanisms in human pathogenic fungi and their importance in virulence. They are also interested anti-fungal mechanisms mediated by the bacterial type-vi secretion system.
👉 @nclfungalgroup.bsky.social
www.ncl.ac.uk/medical-scie...

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Reposted by Kate Beckham

Microbes in Health and Disease @mhd-newcastle.bsky.social · 16d

The Palmer group are interested in the mechanisms bacteria use to compete with one another during colonisation. Her group are focused on the type vii secretion system and the toxins it exports.
Follow @proftracypalmer.bsky.social for more insights.
www.ncl.ac.uk/medical-scie...

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Reposted by Kate Beckham

Microbes in Health and Disease @mhd-newcastle.bsky.social · 16d

Next up, @nickj-dent-res.bsky.social
His group is interested in all aspects of oral biofilms and how they contribute to oral health and disease. They look at adhesion and colonisation of surfaces, intermicrobial interactions and the role of the biofilm matrix.

blogs.ncl.ac.uk/nickjakubovi...

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Reposted by Kate Beckham

Microbes in Health and Disease @mhd-newcastle.bsky.social · 16d

@jmarlesw.bsky.social is a structural biochemist. His group are interested in how bacteria sense and respond to their environment. Jon is Academic Lead for our Electron Microscopy Facility and is excited for our new Tundra microscope to be up and running.

www.marles-wright-lab.org

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Reposted by Kate Beckham

Microbes in Health and Disease @mhd-newcastle.bsky.social · 16d

Next introducing Dr Alessandra Dantas.

The Dantas group is interested in stress responses, antifungal resistance and in understanding the molecular mechanisms driving fungal adaptation to environmental stressors.

@alesdantas.bsky.social

www.ncl.ac.uk/dental/about...

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Reposted by Kate Beckham

Microbes in Health and Disease @mhd-newcastle.bsky.social · 16d

Last introduction for the today..

Dr Kesha Josts @kjosts.bsky.social

The Josts lab are working on the mechanisms of iron transport in bacterial pathogens, with a focus on Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

www.ncl.ac.uk/cbcb/staff/p...

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Kate Beckham @kshbeckham.bsky.social · 16d

Keep up to date with all the latest from the MHD theme ✨

Microbes in Health and Disease @mhd-newcastle.bsky.social · 16d

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Reposted by Kate Beckham

Rhys Grinter @rhyswg.bsky.social · 18d

The outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria blocks many antibiotics. Our latest work reveals that L-type pyocins bypass this barrier by inactivating the BAM complex, killing Pseudomonas aeruginosa without entering the cell, providing a new blueprint for beating antibiotic resistance.

A Protein Antibiotic Inhibits the BAM Complex to Kill Without Cell Entry

Many antibiotics are ineffective against Gram-negative pathogens such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa because they cannot penetrate the bacterial outer membrane. Here, we show that protein antibiotics calle...

www.biorxiv.org

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Kate Beckham @kshbeckham.bsky.social · 16d

Very cool Fabian. Congrats :)

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Reposted by Kate Beckham

Microbes in Health and Disease @mhd-newcastle.bsky.social · 21d

We are now live on Bluesky!

Follow us to find out more about the research and activities going on the Microbes in Health and Disease theme @newcastleuni.bsky.social

#dreamtheme

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