Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Rock Lab @rocklabtb.bsky.social · 5h

Ditto. Thanks for this Sarah. www.statnews.com/2025/10/06/g...

The NIH ordered me to stop my ‘dangerous’ gain-of-function research. It isn’t dangerous at all

Safe gain-of-function research is necessary to identify new treatments for diseases like for tuberculosis — but the NIH has imposed unfounded stops.

www.statnews.com

7 22

Reposted by Rock Lab

Heran Darwin, PhD @heran.bsky.social · 23h

We're hiring! Check out our ad and please re-post or forward to interested #Microbiology parties: apply.interfolio.com/174783

Apply - Interfolio {{$ctrl.$state.data.pageTitle}} - Apply - Interfolio

apply.interfolio.com

27 17

Reposted by Rock Lab

Shabaana Khader @khadershabaana.bsky.social · 3d

UChicago Microbiology is searching for tenured or tenure-track faculty working in host-pathogens interactions, viral and bacterial pathogenesis, and emerging infectious diseases. Come join our vibrant Department! microbiology.uchicago.edu
Apply here apply.interfolio.com/174404

Apply - Interfolio {{$ctrl.$state.data.pageTitle}} - Apply - Interfolio

apply.interfolio.com

2 69 61

Reposted by Rock Lab

Department of Microbiology, The University of Chicago @uocmicrobiology.bsky.social · 1d

UChicago Microbiology is searching for tenured or tenure-track faculty working in host-pathogens interactions, viral and bacterial pathogenesis, and emerging infectious diseases. Come join our vibrant Department! microbiology.uchicago.edu
Apply here apply.interfolio.com/174404

Department of Microbiology | The University of Chicago

microbiology.uchicago.edu

21 16

Rock Lab @rocklabtb.bsky.social · 7d

Congratulations!

Cell - a Cell Press journal @cp-cell.bsky.social · 7d

Now online! Evolution of Mycobacterium tuberculosis transcription regulation is associated with increased transmission and drug resistance

Evolution of Mycobacterium tuberculosis transcription regulation is associated with increased transmission and drug resistance

Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates have a complex phylogenetic structure and vary in clinical phenotypes. Combining high-throughput RNA-seq and global population genomics reveals gene expression as an axis of variation in host interaction. Underscoring this, variants in a regulator of a key virulence pathway are associated with increased transmission and drug resistance.

dlvr.it

2

Reposted by Rock Lab

Cell - a Cell Press journal @cp-cell.bsky.social · 7d

Now online! Evolution of Mycobacterium tuberculosis transcription regulation is associated with increased transmission and drug resistance

Evolution of Mycobacterium tuberculosis transcription regulation is associated with increased transmission and drug resistance

Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates have a complex phylogenetic structure and vary in clinical phenotypes. Combining high-throughput RNA-seq and global population genomics reveals gene expression as an axis of variation in host interaction. Underscoring this, variants in a regulator of a key virulence pathway are associated with increased transmission and drug resistance.

dlvr.it

2 15

Reposted by Rock Lab

Samara Reck-Peterson @samreckpeterson.bsky.social · 8d

We are hiring an Assistant Professor of Biochemistry and Biophysics at Weill Cornell Medicine. Come join our collaborative research environment with state-of-the-art facilities in NYC! Application review starts Oct 22.
biochem.weill.cornell.edu/join-our-fac...

Join our Faculty | Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics

Call for applications:We invite applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position in the newly established Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics. We are conducting an open search for ou...

biochem.weill.cornell.edu

28 18

Reposted by Rock Lab

Journal of Experimental Medicine @jem.org · 11d

Congratulations to JEM Editorial Board Co-Chair Carl Nathan on receiving the 2025 David & Beatrix Hamburg Award from @nam.edu for his fundamental work in improving understanding of #InnateImmunity:

National Academy of Medicine to Present Hamburg Award to Carl F. Nathan for Seminal Discoveries That Improve Understanding of Innate Immunity - NAM

WASHINGTON — The National Academy of Medicine (NAM) today announced that Carl F. Nathan is the recipient of the 2025 David and Beatrix Hamburg Award for

nam.edu

4 8

Rock Lab @rocklabtb.bsky.social · 19d

Congratulations Tanya!

1

Rock Lab @rocklabtb.bsky.social · 22d

Very interesting, excited to see where this goes.

NY-CURES @nycures.bsky.social · Sep 4

🚀 NY-CURES Launch — Championing State-Wide Investment in Science! 🚀

Our new coalition advocates for sustained public support of New York’s vibrant biomedical research ecosystem — creating cures, economic gains & strengthening communities.

Sign up. Stay informed. Join the movement: www.nycures.org/

1

Reposted by Rock Lab

Joanne Flynn @joanneflynn19.bsky.social · Aug 20

We are hiring! The Dept of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics is looking for faculty at the Assistant or Associate professor level (tenure track). Please consider joining our vibrant microbiology and immunology community at the University of Pittsburgh School of medicine

1 110 110

Reposted by Rock Lab

The Rockefeller University @handle.invalid · Aug 20

Applications for faculty positions at Rockefeller are now open! We are seeking exceptional, creative scientists to join our faculty.

Learn more below:

Faculty recruitment - Our Scientists

Applications for faculty positions are currently being accepted. Application deadline is October 6, 2025.

www.rockefeller.edu

20 19

Reposted by Rock Lab

Carl Zimmer @carlzimmer.com · Jul 31

Senate committee endorses NIH budget increase, rebuking Trump administration’s proposed 40% cut www.statnews.com/2025/07/31/n...

Senate committee endorses NIH budget increase, rebuking Trump administration’s proposed 40% cut

Senators from both parties endorsed a $400 million increase to the budget of the National Institutes of Health on Thursday

www.statnews.com

2 36 140

Rock Lab @rocklabtb.bsky.social · Jul 31

Congrats to all authors! Very cool mechanism. www.nature.com/articles/s41...

SuFEx-based antitubercular compound irreversibly inhibits Pks13 - Nature

A preclinical covalent compound, CMX410, contains a aryl fluorosulfate warhead that targets the acyltransferase domain of Mtb Pks13, an essential enzyme in cell-wall biosynthesis, making it a pro...

www.nature.com

1 3

Reposted by Rock Lab

Hank Green @hankgreen.bsky.social · Jul 28

I doubt that there is a single family in America that hasn’t benefitted directly from the NIH.

67 620 4.9K

Rock Lab @rocklabtb.bsky.social · Jul 29

Thanks for your leadership on this @asm.org. asm.org/articles/pol...

ASM Leads Letter on Federal Biosecurity & Biosafety Policy | ASM.org

The American Society for Microbiology leads a stakeholder letter expressing concerns on the implementation of EO 14292.

asm.org

6 14

Reposted by Rock Lab

Michael Glickman @michaelglickman.bsky.social · Jul 28

Happy to share the most recent preprint from the lab, the thesis work of Dr. Adam Krebs and a collaboration with many, including the Geissmann lab @mskcancercenter.bsky.social
Here is a short paper thread. #tuberculosis #macrophages 🦠
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Human iPSC derived alveolar macrophages reveal macrophage subtype specific functions of itaconate in M. tuberculosis host defense

M. tuberculosis must survive within multiple macrophage populations during infection, including alveolar macrophages (AM) and recruited inflammatory macrophages. In mice, itaconate, produced in macrop...

www.biorxiv.org

1 15 30

Rock Lab @rocklabtb.bsky.social · Jul 26

"In addition to interrupting lifesaving science, the suspensions will threaten jobs and take money away from universities and their surrounding economies in 10 states representing all regions of the country..."

Rock Lab @rocklabtb.bsky.social · Jul 26

"In TAG’s view, the suspended TB studies do not pose a substantial risk to the American public in comparison with the clear and present danger of TB, which is the world’s leading cause of death from a single infectious agent."

www.treatmentactiongroup.org/statement/tr...

Treatment Action Group Statement on Suspension of TB Funding Over White House Gain-of-Function Fictions – Treatment Action Group

Treatment Action Group (TAG) opposes in the strongest possible terms the suspension of at least 22 TB research awards by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) following a May 2025 White House execut...

www.treatmentactiongroup.org

3

Rock Lab @rocklabtb.bsky.social · Jul 26

Hard agree. But for the grants I know that were hit, the “substantial” qualifier is too generous—there’s no risk.

4

Rock Lab @rocklabtb.bsky.social · Jul 26

"In TAG’s view, the suspended TB studies do not pose a substantial risk to the American public in comparison with the clear and present danger of TB, which is the world’s leading cause of death from a single infectious agent."

www.treatmentactiongroup.org/statement/tr...

Treatment Action Group Statement on Suspension of TB Funding Over White House Gain-of-Function Fictions – Treatment Action Group

Treatment Action Group (TAG) opposes in the strongest possible terms the suspension of at least 22 TB research awards by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) following a May 2025 White House execut...

www.treatmentactiongroup.org

1 9 6

Rock Lab @rocklabtb.bsky.social · Jul 17

Well done Liam!

bioRxiv Microbiology @biorxiv-microbiol.bsky.social · Jul 17

An activator of a two-component system controls cell separation and intrinsic drug resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.07.16.665149v1

2

Reposted by Rock Lab

Max Kozlov @maxkozlov.bsky.social · Jul 16

The politically appointed NIH deputy director Matt Memoli overrode career staff and the NIAID director to suspend additional projects he deemed risky — mainly about tuberculosis and ones that made the bacterium less dangerous, the WaPo reports.

Trump officials halt ‘dangerous’ research, overriding NIH career scientists

The Trump administration’s actions on NIH gain-of-function research have raised concerns among scientists, who argue the move could block experiments that are safe and potentially lead to new treatmen...

wapo.st

2 31 47

Reposted by Rock Lab

Science Magazine @science.org · Jul 11

Exclusive: In response to White House concerns about allegedly risky research on viruses, bacteria, and other pathogens, the National Institutes of Health has begun a crackdown on dozens of studies it was funding, ScienceInsider has learned. scim.ag/44oJIbw

Exclusive: NIH suspends dozens of pathogen studies over ‘gain-of-function’ concerns

Trump executive order leads to pauses on U.S.-funded research into TB, influenza, COVID-19, and other diseases, dismaying some scientists

scim.ag

4 30 54

Reposted by Rock Lab

Pedro Beltrao @pedrobeltrao.bsky.social · Jul 5

Great work from Horia Todor in Carol Gross's lab showing it's possible to predict complexes in "competition" pools in AF3 resulting in the first all-by-all prediction for a species. After length correcting the ipTM score predicts well known interactions and correlating ipTM vectors also has value.

bioRxiv SysBio @biorxiv-sysbio.bsky.social · Jul 5

Predicting the protein interaction landscape of a free-living bacterium with pooled-AlphaFold3 https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.07.01.662654v1

1 12 30

Reposted by Rock Lab

Ferric Fang, MD @fangferric.bsky.social · Jul 4

Reminder for science budget watchers-- House and Senate Appropriations Committees are working on FY26 spending bills to determine NSF and NIH funding. The White House recommended a 57% reduction for NSF and 40% for NIH. But Congress sets the budget.

www.ascb.org/science-poli...

www.ascb.org

2 27 45