iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Reposted by Alex Bisson

HHMI @hhmi-science.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

Antibiotic resistance isn't just a genetic problem; it's ecological. New research from #HHMIInvestigator Harmit Malik & co shows that when a dangerous bacterium shares space w/a common fungus, it can be pushed toward resistance it wouldn't develop alone — but with a built-in weakness bit.ly/4g1jLnZ

Photo of Harmit Malik
Credit: Fred Hutch Cancer Center

15113 51

Alex Bisson @archaeon-alex.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

I never used a hood and haven't used a burner for almost 15 years. most contaminations happen by surface contact (hands, pipettes, etc). Hoods keep small amounts of bacteria in the air outside of your mammalian cultures. Not very helpful when you introduce a bunch of bacteria inside the flow.

000 0

Alex Bisson @archaeon-alex.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

Maybe I am missing something, but how tracking down E. coli growth misleads on contamination, regardless of particle size?

100 1

Alex Bisson @archaeon-alex.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

they are pretty good to pop air bubbles from your agar plates ;)

100 1

Alex Bisson @archaeon-alex.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

some of our archaeal strains are dramatically genomically unstable. Impossible to isolate clones. And not suppressors. Look at these colonies with specific chr GFP integrations.

020 2

Alex Bisson @archaeon-alex.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Still need to see an admin missing out on profiting out of unfounded panic. That's the whole reason they exist.

010 1

Alex Bisson @archaeon-alex.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Sybr = permeable to tissues Ethidium = not so much. They fed to mice and they were just cool with it. bitesizebio.com/95/ethidium-... rrresearch.fieldofscience.com/2006/10/here...

bitesizebio.com

Ethidium Bromide: Understanding the Danger

This article provides an informed reality check about the utility and dangers of, and myths surrounding, ethidium bromide.

010 1

Alex Bisson @archaeon-alex.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

I think your criticism lands on mechanism/modeling, but not so much on the E. coli contamination? I did similar experiments 10 years ago where I would streak and plate fresh liquid LB every day, at different times of the day for 30 days. Striking results showing MORE contamination under the flame.

100 1

Alex Bisson @archaeon-alex.bsky.social · 12/07/2026

I can see a collaboration coming up here!

120 2

Alex Bisson @archaeon-alex.bsky.social · 10/07/2026

Experimental/Direct Evo is not my field/expertise, so I'm not sure there's someone doing it right now. In the past there was someone forcing archaea-bacteria co-evo to see if they could make an euk again... doesn't seem to have worked.

110 1

Alex Bisson @archaeon-alex.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

A call out to our former postdoc John Mallon (not in social media), who contributed to both device development and “biology” :). John evolved a salt-loving archaeon to love salt a bit less (2.6M down to 1.3M!). Cells recovered growth rate AND cell morphology. Congrats Phil, Sebastian, and John!

2185 18

Reposted by Alex Bisson

Benoit Bruneau @benoitbruneau.bsky.social · 18/06/2026

"Curiosity-driven research is really the seed corn for the major breakthroughs and applications. But it’s also important in its own right, because discovery and the expansion of knowledge are virtues in themselves." Thanks @neilshubin.bsky.social (gift article) www.nytimes.com/2026/06/12/s...

nytimes.com

Neil Shubin on Trusted Science in a ‘Deeply Partisan Age’

0197 19

Reposted by Alex Bisson

angela oliverio @oliverio.bsky.social · 09/06/2026

So cool! I watched this 10x in a row.

0112 11

Reposted by Alex Bisson

Manya Kapoor @manyakapoor.bsky.social · 08/06/2026

Yes definitely! As a starting point, our lab had compiled a database of dynamics measurements for various TFs obtained through SMT, FRAP, FCS etc. (www.mir-lab.com/dynamics-dat...) and we want to continue to expand it.

mir-lab.com

Dynamics Database | Mustafa Mir Lab | United States

Compilation of protein dynamics data from literature

111 1

Reposted by Alex Bisson

Mir Lab @mirlab.bsky.social · 07/06/2026

1/🧵 Can transcription factor condensate formation be explained without phase separation? Our new preprint introduces SPARK, a simulation tool that reproduces condensate behavior (clustering, fusion, FRAP) from diffusion & binding kinetics alone. Movie: 60 sec FRAP sim www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

37836 78

Reposted by Alex Bisson

Manya Kapoor @manyakapoor.bsky.social · 07/06/2026

Thank you, we hope people use it to think about condensates in various systems! SPARK isn’t sequence-based but rather works by modulating kinetic parameters (diffusion coeff, binding probability, residence time etc.) which does affect properties like brightness and persistence of condensates (Fig 1)

111 1

Alex Bisson @archaeon-alex.bsky.social · 07/06/2026

Foh sho. I only meant that there's published data on binding kinetics specif to DNA sequences. This could be explored to design/evaluate chimeras inducing LLPS and LLPS-independent condensates. I think predicting/estimating kinetic parameters is the hard step, specially in vivo

120 2

Alex Bisson @archaeon-alex.bsky.social · 07/06/2026

Something else I have been thinking and your model could help narrowing down parameters is to design synthetic condensates with specific properties using plasmids with specific binding sequences and chimeric fusions with specific DNA-binding motifs. (2/2)

100 1

Alex Bisson @archaeon-alex.bsky.social · 07/06/2026

Sounds like a very useful tool. But also an interesting concept that can be applied to other systems. For example, I've been thinking if it's possible to adapt TF kinetic models (because people have been studying them in cells more intensely than most) to any condensate to rule out LLPS. (1/2)

100 1

Alex Bisson @archaeon-alex.bsky.social · 07/06/2026

Congrats, looks really good! Still need to read in depth, but how much of the prediction can be applied to other Dna-binding systems?

120 2

Alex Bisson @archaeon-alex.bsky.social · 07/06/2026

I'm such a huge fan of your work. I have a couple originals hanging on my wall 🙂 Keep up the inspiring work!

110 1

Alex Bisson @archaeon-alex.bsky.social · 05/05/2026

We're specifically looking for someone who has built things and loves crazy projects than any particular degree/background. In this position, you'll work both in the Great Salt Lake (Utah) and at IU constructing synthetic salt lake "playas". Please spread the word! [3/3]

021 2

Alex Bisson @archaeon-alex.bsky.social · 05/05/2026

Supported by @hypothesisfund.bsky.social, we are developing new technologies to image microbes "in natura" across phases of salt brine, crystal, and liquid environments that can be deployed in the field under salty/dusty/hot conditions. [2/3]

131 3

Alex Bisson @archaeon-alex.bsky.social · 05/05/2026

The Bisson Lab at IU (bissonlab.com) is hiring makers/builders/engineers across all career stages to join our team in one of the most exciting and crazy projects I've set to work on. Candidates can email us: saltylab@iu.edu More info in the thread [1/3]

1812 12

Reposted by Alex Bisson

Martin Thanbichler @thanbichlerlab.bsky.social · 04/05/2026

Discussion Meeting of the VAAM special group "Microbial Cell Biology" October 5–7, 2026 | Marburg, Germany More information: mcb2026.eventbrite.com

11812 18

Alex Bisson @archaeon-alex.bsky.social · 17/04/2026

contrats Ben! So happy for you and for microbial cell biology for such a beautiful paper! Our lab has a great paper for our next Journal Club!

000 0

Alex Bisson @archaeon-alex.bsky.social · 31/03/2026

"Elsevier incurred costs of around £1.7 billion last year, which included investment to develop new technology and for improving services." Let that sink for a min. $1.7B expenses ($2.7B revenue and $1B profit) and they expect us to believe they're developing any sorts of technology.

030 3

Reposted by Alex Bisson

epithelial mechanics fan club @epimechfc.bsky.social · 01/03/2026

We had covered the history of traction force microscopy (TFM) earlier: bsky.app/profile/epim... But what about applying TFM into more physiologically relevant systems, such as those in 3D? I am @barrasa-fano.bsky.social and I'll be your guide through this thread on #3DTractionForceMicroscopy.

12914 29

Reposted by Alex Bisson

DrPrincessTheSpaceCat @prcatstronaut.bsky.social · 23/02/2026

HALOPHILES YESSSSSSSS

051 5

Reposted by Alex Bisson

Javier Espadas @javierespadas.bsky.social · 23/02/2026

Can't miss this amazing study on the ribosome structure of the Haloferax archaeon 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼!! Congrats to my good friend @diorgeps.bsky.social and all the other ppl involved!!

182 8

Alex Bisson @archaeon-alex.bsky.social · 24/02/2026

Diorge's thread is great, but I am the most impressed how, thanks to many labs (including Davis-MIT), cryo pipelines became streamlined that one can perturb cells and screen for complex sub-populations. So much cell (structural) biology will come out from Diorge's future lab! (2/2)

030 3

Alex Bisson @archaeon-alex.bsky.social · 24/02/2026

Another paper on a topic we never worked on before: a new ribosomal hibernation! Under the leadership of the super-postdoc Diorge, Davis Lab (ribo-cryoEM master), and @vikramalva.bsky.social (protein-evo whisperer), we identified AHA (not the song, but archaeal hibernation AMPKγ factor). (1/2)

1195 19

Reposted by Alex Bisson

Vikram Alva @vikramalva.bsky.social · 23/02/2026

Very cool work led by @diorgeps.bsky.social from the labs of @archaeon-alex.bsky.social & Joey Davis (MIT)! They solved the Haloferax volcanii ribosome and characterize AHA, a conserved archaeal hibernation factor. With several recent related preprints, it’s an exciting moment for the field!

0124 12

Reposted by Alex Bisson

Megan Behringer @megbehri.bsky.social · 13/02/2026

Excited to share this new Preprint from our lab led by PhD Candidate Carl Stone (defending Tuesday). Here we present a framework for longitudinal rbTn-Seq and apply it to the Microbial extended growth curve to resolve the fitness seascape through growth, death, and long-term stationary phase!

0157 15

Reposted by Alex Bisson

eLife @elife.bsky.social · 09/02/2026

The interplay between biomolecular assembly and phase separation. 🔗 buff.ly/lvTQhIM

$Lowering the temperature allows transitions from the ‘sol-sol’ to the ‘sol-gel’ region, which manifest with a jump in the total volume fraction of the protein-rich phase.$

0155 15

Alex Bisson @archaeon-alex.bsky.social · 29/12/2025

Over the moon for being on the 4th. Everyone is beyond above the curve there.

000 0

Alex Bisson @archaeon-alex.bsky.social · 29/12/2025

I can't blame you. Yes, I'll have to go to CH and get a bit of your awesomeness. Congrats on the new (yet another) breathtaking paper. You're a machine. ❤️

110 1

Alex Bisson @archaeon-alex.bsky.social · 29/12/2025

Thank you, Jen. I've been very lucky in my life, and this is indeed huge for me and my lab.

010 1

Alex Bisson @archaeon-alex.bsky.social · 29/12/2025

Thanks, Ariane! Maybe we should connect and see if there is anything we can collaborate. We are always happy to image new bugs and have tons of questions perfect for cell-struct Approaches!

000 0

Alex Bisson @archaeon-alex.bsky.social · 29/12/2025

Thanks, Duygu! Now that we're close enough, maybe we can organize a joint lab retreat!

100 1

Reposted by Alex Bisson

Florian Jug @florianjug.bsky.social · 28/12/2025

🚨 Alarm!!! 🚨 AI/ML course for microscopy image analysis!!! 🧐 In 2026 at Janelia (@hhmijanelia.bsky.social), no tuition, housing and meals provided! Isn’t that borderline unbelievable?!? 20 students, ~14 TAs and lecturers 🗓️ June 4-18 2026 ✍️ Jan 15 2026 ✍️ 🔁 pls!! www.janelia.org/you-janelia/...

janelia.org

Deep Learning for Microscopy Image Analysis

Topics The following will be covered extensively during lectures, exercises, and project work: Image denoising and restoration (fully supervised and self-supervised) Image translation (e.g.,

07962 79

Alex Bisson @archaeon-alex.bsky.social · 27/12/2025

Thanks, Michael! I hope you can come visit and give a talk here. Both Micro and Evo-Sys folks would love your science

120 2

Alex Bisson @archaeon-alex.bsky.social · 27/12/2025

Thanks, Omaya! I hope to convince you to come visit us.

100 1

Reposted by Alex Bisson

Omaya Dudin 𓂆 ¦🍉¦🦠¦🔬¦ @dudinlab.bsky.social · 26/12/2025

Another #notTHECover unfortunately. But this gorgeous, Tron-like vibe, drawn by the amazing @munafomarzia.bsky.social for our recent #ExM work with @gautamdey.bsky.social & @centriolelab.bsky.social will still be printed out in the lab. Read here: www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...

410019 100