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Alex Cocker

@alex-cocker.bsky.social
308 followers 857 following 19 posts

Bi science guy #BiInSci 🏳️‍🌈 | Immunology researcher | He/Him General lover of all things nerdy 🤓

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Reposted by Alex Cocker
Zack Polanski @zackpolanski.bsky.social · 10/02/2026
A £240m defence contract without tender. Their fingerprints all over our health care data. A meeting in the USA but without any minutes. Everything around Palantir stinks. www.thenational.scot/news/2584192...
thenational.scot
Zack Polanski pressures Wes Streeting over Palantir after Mandelson texts released
ZACK Polanski has piled fresh pressure on Wes Streeting over Palantir’s NHS contracts after the Health Secretary’s newly-released text messages…
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British Society for Immunology @britsocimm.bsky.social · 06/10/2025
We're delighted to see immunologists once again recognised by the #NobelPrize! 🏆 Warm congratulations to the winners - their contributions have been vital in shaping our understanding of the immune system. More here: www.immunology.org/news/british...
immunology.org
British Society for Immunology response to 2025 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine | British Society for Immunology
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Viki Male @vikilovesfacs.bsky.social · 05/10/2025
The relentless Jessica McDonald has spent two weeks and hundreds of emails to fact check claims about the safety of #CovidVaccination in #pregnancy made at the #ACIP meeting. She couldn't have been any quicker. A lie can get around the world before the truth can get its shoes on.
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Dan Davis @dandavis101.bsky.social · 19/09/2025
Our new paper, in collaboration with Bristol Myers Squibb, on a Natural Killer cell immune therapy, is just published here: www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/... #immunesynapse #nkcells #immunetherapy #microscopy
pnas.org
Nanoscale restructuring of the immune synapse with an engager enhances NK cell function | PNAS
Engagers are antibody-based therapies which bind immune cell receptors and a target cell ligand. Next-gen engagers typically bind two activating re...
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Alex Cocker @alex-cocker.bsky.social · 19/09/2025
Check out this excellent paper from Khodor Hazime and @dandavis101.bsky.social! It's got NK cells, it's got engagers, plus super-resolution microscopy!
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Dr Dean Burnett @drdeanburnett.bsky.social · 23/07/2025
Got a bit of writer's block, so maybe this will help. Or not. Or maybe nobody will respond Or maybe too many will? I'm not sure I have more than 12 opinions, so that would also be bad
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Good Law Project @goodlawproject.org · 28/06/2025
The EHRC’s rushed guidance caused harm from the moment it was released. But now they’re u-turning 👀 goodlawproject.org/ehrc-formall...
goodlawproject.org
EHRC formally abandons single-sex toilet stipulation | Good Law Project
The EHRC’s rushed guidance caused harm from the moment it was released. But now they’re u-turning.
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Alex Cocker @alex-cocker.bsky.social · 27/06/2025
This looks great!
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What The Trans?! 🏳️‍⚧️ @whatthetrans.com · 28/04/2025
April's nearly over. But the protests aren't stopping. We still have a bunch of protests happening all over the country next month. Check out if there are any near you on our website! And please get in contact if you know of any not on the list!
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Alex Cocker @alex-cocker.bsky.social · 24/04/2025
Cannot recommend presenting and attending these enough, it's a great chance to share your work and highlight the work that LGBTQ+ Immunologists do!
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Matthew Hodson @matthewhodson.bsky.social · 19/04/2025
Postscript: Emerging LGBTQ rights were weaponised for political gain in the 1980s. The same is happening now, with trans rights the focus of hostility. I will stand up for trans rights and dignity. Peaceful protest is powerful.
Trans Liberation emergency demo in Parliament Square, 1pm Sat 19th April (today, at time of writing).
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Jess O'Thomson @jessothomson.co.uk · 19/04/2025
I will be attending this protest today. We need urgent action to protect trans human rights. See you there. feministgenderequality.network/urgent-parli...
feministgenderequality.network
URGENT: Parliament Square This Saturday 1pm– Stand for Trans Rights - Feminist Gender Equality Network
🚨 URGENT: Parliament Square This Saturday 1pm– Stand for Trans Rights This Saturday at 1:00 p.m in Parliament Square, there will be a critical protest in support of trans rights, following todays Supr...
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Disability Rights UK @disrightsuk.bsky.social · 17/04/2025
🚨DR UK's Statement Opposing the Supreme Court's Ruling on 'Biological Sex' 'We stand in solidarity with the Trans community as they experience an onslaught of rights erosions and attacks on their lives.' Read our full statement here: www.disabilityrightsuk.org/news/disabil...
Disability Rights UK is deeply saddened by the UK Supreme Court’s ruling that declares trans women are not 'biological women'. As part of a movement that has always called for ‘nothing about us without us’ – we’re particularly concerned by the court’s exclusion of Trans voices in their decision, and their failure to be led by the lived experience of one of society’s most silenced groups. Decisions about any group’s rights should never be made without the involvement of those most impacted.  

We stand in solidarity with the Trans community as they experience an onslaught of rights erosions and attacks on their lives. No marginalised group faces injustice in a silo – systemic barriers and discrimination impact all of us. None of us are free until all of us are free.  

Around half of Trans people are also Disabled. Government policies already place disproportionate barriers on accessing vital healthcare, and now this ruling also erodes their protections against discrimination. Setting the precedent that it’s okay to weaken the rights of one group, undermines everyone else's rights. Prioritising a bio-essentialist view of gender harms everyone, especially Disabled people. A person’s anatomy, hormone levels, or ability to conceive does not define whether they are a ‘real’ woman.
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Tristan J Barber @tristanjbarber.bsky.social · 17/04/2025
Yesterday it felt like the Supreme Court slammed a massive door, one shockingly and almost immediately embraced by almost every political party. With ever limited access to gender affirming care, the mountain young people needing it have to climb just got even higher, the world yet more toxic (1/2)
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British HIV Association @bhiva.bsky.social · 16/04/2025
Short BHIVA statement following UK Supreme Court ruling on the legal definition of a woman. Upholding the rights of women does not need to erode the rights of our trans peers. We all face many intersecting issues, often stemming from the same misogynistic, homophobic, and anti-trans groups. 1/2
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Jess O'Thomson @jessothomson.co.uk · 16/04/2025
My analysis of today's UK Supreme Court judgment. The UK Supreme Court Rules That Trans Women Aren't Women Under the Equality Act 2010 www.wearequeeraf.com/uk-supreme-c...
wearequeeraf.com
UK Supreme Court Rules That Trans Women Aren’t Women under the Equality Act 2010
The legal definition of a woman in the UK now excludes trans people: This is what it means for Trans+ rights in the country
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David K Smith @professor-dave.bsky.social · 17/04/2025
Head of Human Rights Commission on #r4today confirms trans women cannot access women's public toilets. She says trans people 'should advocate for sex-neutral third spaces'. And in the meantime? How are they supposed to have a wee when they are out and about? How does that not infringe their rights??
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David K Smith @professor-dave.bsky.social · 16/04/2025
Under this ruling, can anyone confirm what spaces trans women or trans men with a gender recognition certificate can use according to their gender? Public toilets? Changing rooms in a single gender clothes shop? Or does it legally restrict all such freedoms? BBC News - www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cv...
bbc.co.uk
UK Supreme Court rules legal definition of a woman is based on biological sex - live updates
Judges say the
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Chise @sailorrooscout.bsky.social · 07/04/2025
THIS IS HUGE! Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have developed an antiviral chewing gum that may help reduce the spread of viruses. In lab studies, it cut down viral loads of two herpes simplex viruses (HSV-1 and HSV-2) and two influenza A strains (H1N1 and H3N2) by more than 95%. 🧪🧵⬇️
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Worboys Lab @worboyslab.bsky.social · 26/03/2025
Our lab has a postdoc position available to use super-resolution microscopy to understand how nanoscopic localisation of immune checkpoints dictates their function. Please get in touch if interested in applying. www.jobs.manchester.ac.uk/Job/JobDetai... #ImmunoSky #Imaging #Microscopy
jobs.manchester.ac.uk
Research Associate in Imaging Human Immunology:Oxford Road
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Doryen Bubeck @doryenbubeck.bsky.social · 15/03/2025
www.youtube.com/watch?v=H14P...
youtube.com
Big questions, tiny machines
YouTube video by Imperial College London
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Alex Cocker @alex-cocker.bsky.social · 14/03/2025
Went to this yesterday and it was great! Thank you to all the panelists and organisers, please keep this event going!
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γδ T cell Forum @forum-gd.bsky.social · 13/03/2025
media.tenor.com
a man in a suit sits in a car with the words tick tock below him
ALT: a man in a suit sits in a car with the words tick tock below him
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Zarah Sultana MP @zarahsultana.bsky.social · 13/02/2025
No-one risks their life in the Channel in a flimsy boat unless they have no choice. Labour’s cruel move to block refugees from citizenship — bypassing Parliament — shows a dangerous rightward shift, ditching human rights & international law. It must be reversed.
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Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan @london.gov.uk · 13/02/2025
Getting tested for HIV is the first step to accessing the best treatment & support. This #NationalHIVTestingWeek, take the test and take control of your health: ✔ Get a free, confidential test at a clinic or GP ✔ Order online: startswithme.org.uk
startswithme.org.uk
It Starts With Me
Be part of the generation that stops HIV. Your body, your sexual health, your wellbeing – looking after them starts with you.
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Claudia Contini @continiclau.bsky.social · 06/02/2025
One week left to apply to this exciting PhD project! 👇👇👇
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Microbiology Society @microbiologysociety.org · 04/02/2025
Come and meet with fellow queer microbiologists at our LGBTQ+ Networking Event on Tuesday 1 April 20:30 GMT, with a Trans and Nonbinary pre-meet. For further information and to secure your place, visit our website: microb.io/Microbio25 #Microbio25
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Claudia Contini @continiclau.bsky.social · 24/01/2025
🚨Three weeks left to apply for this #fullyfunded #PhDopportunity in my group! 🚨 Are you an UK-Home student interest in #SyntheticCells science? We are looking for you! @imperialcollegeldn.bsky.social @imperiallifesci.bsky.social @imperialsci.bsky.social
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Beck Laboratory @becklab.bsky.social · 17/01/2025
In a great collaboration with @hummerlab.bsky.social and the Kräusslich lab: HIV capsid doesn't break at the NPC; instead, it cracks open the NPC itself! Details in Cell: authors.elsevier.com/sd/article/S... @mpibp.bsky.social @uniheidelberg.bsky.social A thread below:
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Zarah Sultana MP @zarahsultana.bsky.social · 15/01/2025
After 15 months of genocide in Gaza, a ceasefire has been declared — but the US, UK & others must be held accountable for arming these atrocities. We’ll keep speaking out until the siege lifts, aid flows, schools & hospitals are rebuilt, the Occupation ends & Palestine is free.
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Tara Sutherland @drtesutherland.bsky.social · 15/01/2025
Still time to apply for this truly interdisciplinary BBSRC funded PhD project in Aberdeen with @mdmorgan.bsky.social and myself. Develop computation models to analyse ECM-cell interactions and then test them a lab setting! Deadline 17th Jan
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Dan Davis @dandavis101.bsky.social · 13/01/2025
Congrats Olatz!!
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Tara Sutherland @drtesutherland.bsky.social · 13/01/2025
Still time to apply to join our lab in Aberdeen as a post-doc, in a well-funded position. If you're interested in immune-ECM cross talk and want to use cutting edge spatial technologies, apply now. www.abdnjobs.co.uk/vacancy/rese...
abdnjobs.co.uk
Research Fellow (IMS301RX) | University of Aberdeen
The Sutherland lab, based at the University of Aberdeen, studies lung diseases at the interface between immunology and extracellular matrix biology. We are seeking to appoint a highly motivated, creat...
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Al Jazeera English @aljazeera.com · 11/01/2025
Israel's relentless attacks across Gaza continue to worsen the humanitarian situation, with Doctors Without Borders warning of a 'catastrophic situation' for patients as hospitals run out of fuel for power generators. 🔴 Follow our LIVE coverage: aje.io/jgxs7w
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John Tregoning @prof-tregoning.bsky.social · 09/01/2025
My book is out today - buy it (please)
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Claudia Contini @continiclau.bsky.social · 03/01/2025
We are live! 🎉 Our official group website is now online! 🎉 Discover our #projects, meet the #team and stay tuned for job #openings and exciting #news ! 👉 Check it out here: continilab.com
continilab.com
Contini Lab
Bottom-up Synthetic Biology: from Soft Matter to Cell Mimicry
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Tara Sutherland @drtesutherland.bsky.social · 17/12/2024
What a journey! So proud of you @hetompkins.bsky.social for getting through the last 4 years and passing your viva (and enjoying it). Thanks for joining the lab way back and being the first graduate of the Sutherland lab.
PhD examiners and supervisor after a Phd viva
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Arthur Webber 🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈 @bernietranders.bsky.social · 11/12/2024
Listening to Wes talk about how trans people are unheard particularly annoyed me and I turn my irritation into shitposts unfortunately
The two panel scooby doo meme where Fred reveals the identity of the villain. The top panel has Wes streeting’s face over Fred and says “it’s really difficult to be a transgender young person in the UK. Let’s find out what’s causing that.” The lower panel features Wes as the revealed villain
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Alex Cocker @alex-cocker.bsky.social · 11/12/2024
Merry aXe-mas from the Davis lab!
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Preprint Club - Immunology @preprintclub.bsky.social · 10/12/2024
#PreprintClub is now on Bluesky! Who are we and what are we doing? We are a group of enthusiastic scientists that gather together once a week to discuss fresh preprints in the field of #immunology. 🦠🧬
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Claudia Contini @continiclau.bsky.social · 06/12/2024
Hello, BlueSky!🌟 I'm a PI at #ImperialCollegeLondon, specializing in #cellmimicry. My group works on bottom-up #syntheticbiology, designing #biomimetic systems at the micro and nanoscale to mimic biological properties for insights into life-processes and biotechnological applications.
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Al Jazeera English @aljazeera.com · 03/12/2024
The number of humanitarian workers killed in the Gaza Strip since the start of the war has reached 341, says the spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. 🔴 LIVE updates ⤵️
aje.io
Food availability across Gaza ‘at an all-time low’, UN says
The deadly Israeli attacks on southern Lebanon come as US and France say they are monitoring ceasefire violations.
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Alex Cocker @alex-cocker.bsky.social · 03/12/2024
Think of all the new CD numbers there could be for immunologists to get excited about!
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Paul Norman @pn0rmski.bsky.social · 27/11/2024
Our paper officially out today: tinyurl.com/yrawpvuc We identify an NK cell receptor lineage introgressed from ancient humans, now common across Oceania. It binds uniquely well to HLA-A*24, also common in the region. Huge collaboration with Doherty Inst, Monash, Central Queensland, Oxford and others
tinyurl.com
An archaic HLA class I receptor allele diversifies natural killer cell-driven immunity in First Nations peoples of Oceania
Predominant genetic variants found in First Nations peoples of the Oceania region influence the function of natural killer cells and may explain population-specific susceptibility to diseases, includi...
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franz @franzanth.bsky.social · 26/11/2024
Hello, I've officially moved the Content Scrapers blocklist to its own dedicated account. The old list will stay for the time being, but you'll need to manually re-subscribe to the new list if you want to stay up to date with the latest additions to the blocklist.
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Arthur Webber 🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈 @bernietranders.bsky.social · 24/11/2024
I got approved for bottom surgery in May 2023 and found out in April 2024 that they forgot to send my referral. 🧵 A short thread on how fucking dreadful NHS gender clinics actually are
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Tara Sutherland @drtesutherland.bsky.social · 21/11/2024
Nicely introduced @becky-dodd.bsky.social! New lab pre-print 🎉 explores a new approach of bringing ECM analysis into high-dimensional spatial datasets in the context of lung allergic pathology....cell-cell communication is important but don't forget the ECM! www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
biorxiv.org
Extracellular matrix phenotyping by imaging mass cytometry defines distinct cellular matrix environments associated with allergic airway inflammation
The extracellular matrix (ECM) forms the scaffold in which cells reside and interact. The composition of this scaffold guides the development of local immune responses and tissue function. With the ad...
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Kwajo Tweneboa @kwajo.bsky.social · 21/11/2024
To all my followers please do RT and share🙏🏽 All united to end violence against women and girls.
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Harriet James Hill @harriet-james.bsky.social · 20/11/2024
Monday was such a joy! Thank you so much Matthew for creating this community and letting me be a part of it 💕🙌 Read his whole thread for the reasons why events like these are so important!
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Viki Male @vikilovesfacs.bsky.social · 20/11/2024
I’ve kept my handle from the old place to make it easier to find me here. But I do loves FACS! And today I took delivery of a dedicated bench top sorter for my lab! 🥰
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