iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Reposted by Alannah King

Josie Bryant @josiebryant.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Apply to do a PhD at @sangerinstitute.bsky.social with me on global genomics of Mycobacterium abscessus bbsrcdtp.lifesci.cam.ac.uk/project-refe... About the scheme: bbsrcdtp.lifesci.cam.ac.uk/application-...

bbsrcdtp.lifesci.cam.ac.uk

Project Reference: TRG27-SAN-JB1 | Cambridge Biosciences DTP PhD Programme

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Alannah King @dralannah.bsky.social · 21/03/2026

Caturdays are for sleeping, preferably in the sun ☀️ #caturday #cats

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Reposted by Alannah King

John Lees @johnlees.bacpop.org · 17/03/2026

You can now view a tree of 2,399,238 bacterial genomes we made from AllTheBacteria (on the great Taxonium): taxonium.org/atb That's a big tree! (unless you're used to SC2 trees)

taxonium.org

Taxonium

Interactive exploration of large phylogenetic trees

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Reposted by Alannah King

RSPB @rspb.bsky.social · 11/03/2026

Inspection time! A Chaffinch has dropped by your feed to keep an eye on things... 👀 📷 @kiransimpson.bsky.social

A Chaffinch stands proudly on a mossy perch, its chest puffed out and head held high, as if overseeing an important inspection. Its warm orange breast contrasts with its soft grey-blue head, while its sharp gaze gives the impression that it’s carefully assessing the scene.

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Reposted by Alannah King

Josie Bryant @josiebryant.bsky.social · 13/02/2026

Incredible time at #AIR2026 covering breadth of respiratory infection, microbiomes and immunology with some really beautiful biology. Thanks to fellow committee members @resp-micro.bsky.social @drclairesmith.bsky.social @ewanharrison.bsky.social , Alex Kayongo and organisers @eventswcs.bsky.social

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Alannah King @dralannah.bsky.social · 10/03/2026

Completed my first half marathon! 🏆 The big question is... Will it also be my last half marathon, given how fun it ended up being? 👀

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Reposted by Alannah King

RSPB @rspb.bsky.social · 05/02/2026

Well, well, well. It seems you've been paid a visit by the inspector Robin. I do hope for your sake nothing is amiss...

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Alannah King @dralannah.bsky.social · 27/01/2026

Our Genomewatch on genomics to monitor emerging zoonotic threats is in the first Nature Reviews Microbiology of 2026! 🖥️🧬🦠 It's so exciting to see it in print, surrounded by so many other interesting papers! Find our article: rdcu.be/e0TS1 Read the full issue: www.nature.com/nrmicro/volu...

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Reposted by Alannah King

Global Pneumococcal Sequencing Project @globalpneumoseq.bsky.social · 21/11/2025

Performing GPSC/lineage-specific analysis? We have made assemblies and annotations for 73 common GPSCs more accessible than ever: github.com/GlobalPneumo... Annotations were generated using Bakta v1.11.4 with the v6.0 full database.

github.com

GitHub - GlobalPneumoSeq/gpsc-reference-genomes: The reference genomes for common Global Pneumococcal Sequence Clusters (GPSCs)

The reference genomes for common Global Pneumococcal Sequence Clusters (GPSCs) - GlobalPneumoSeq/gpsc-reference-genomes

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Reposted by Alannah King

RSPB @rspb.bsky.social · 31/10/2025

Birds but they get spookier each time. 🎃👻 Enter if you dare...🚪

A black background decorated with gold illustrations of branches, stars, swords, ravens, and tiny ghost shapes. In the centre, bold text reads: “BIRDS BUT THEY GET SPOOKIER EACH TIME.” Two ravens perch on bare branches at the bottom, with candles glowing beside them.

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Alannah King @dralannah.bsky.social · 28/10/2025

SeroBA(v2.0) and the SeroBAnk are published! 🧬🖥️ SeroBA(v2.0) can identify 102/107 pneumococcal serotypes, and the SeroBAnk is a guide to their cps loci, capsular structure, and antisera 🧪 Many collaborations were needed to make this detailed resource! ➡️ www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/jour...

microbiologyresearch.org

SeroBA(v2.0) and SeroBAnk: a robust genome-based serotyping scheme and comprehensive atlas of capsular diversity in Streptococcus pneumoniae

The unprecedented number of Streptococcus pneumoniae (the pneumococcus) genomes sequenced in recent years has accelerated the discovery of novel serotypes and highlighted the genetic diversity both be...

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Alannah King @dralannah.bsky.social · 28/10/2025

Last week I was in Beijing, China for the 5th Asia Pneumococcal Symposium! 🇨🇳 So many amazing talks - I learnt a lot and also recieved valuable feedback on my recent work! 🖥️🧬 🧪 The next Asian Pneumococcal Symposium will be held in Chiba, Japan, in 2027 🇯🇵 I am already looking forward to it!

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Alannah King @dralannah.bsky.social · 01/10/2025

Read #8 to learn about how the GPS project is working to support global research into how vaccines impact AMR 💊 🧪 Leading the GPS placement scheme, supporting and meeting talented global pneumococcal researchers, has been incredible. I have learnt so much from them! Papers coming soon... 🖥️🧬

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Alannah King @dralannah.bsky.social · 23/09/2025

It's likely the next pandemic will come from wildlife. But how can we prepare for the next spillover event, if we don't understand the diversity of viruses out there? 🦔🦠 Check out our Genomewatch article, where we discuss using meta-genomics to study viral diversity in wild mammals 🖥️🧬 rdcu.be/eHIBl

urldefense.proofpoint.com

Zoonotic threats hidden in wildlife

Nature Reviews Microbiology - This Genome Watch article explores how metagenomics can be used to investigate viral diversity and track emerging zoonotic disease threats from wildlife.

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Reposted by Alannah King

Global Pneumococcal Sequencing Project @globalpneumoseq.bsky.social · 18/09/2025

[🚨 New paper] The first nationwide, longitudinal WGS analysis of Streptococcus pneumoniae in Taiwan (2006–2022). 1,343 isolates from 27 hospitals, we track serotype, AMR, and genomic lineage before and after PCV13. #GPS_project #PCV13_impact #Taiwan www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/jour...

microbiologyresearch.org

Genomic analysis of the Streptococcus pneumoniae in Taiwan: a nationwide study from 2006 to 2022

Streptococcus pneumoniae remains a leading respiratory pathogen for children and the elderly. In Taiwan, a national PCV13 catch-up vaccination programme for children began in March 2013. This study in...

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Reposted by Alannah King

Petra Korlević @petrathepostdoc.bsky.social · 20/08/2025

happy #WorldMosquitoDay 🦟🦟🦟 what started as some really funny questions at a @skypeascientist.bsky.social call with 7 year olds is now a @sangerinstitute.bsky.social blogpost, check it out to learn funky new mosquito trivia! sangerinstitute.blog/2025/08/20/h...

screenshot of a Wellcome Sanger Institute blogpost
#SciArt doodle of an adult mosquito talking to 5 little mosquito larvae asking many different bug questions (white speech bubbles above them) on a blue green yellow gradient.
the text below is
20 August 2025
How many mosquitoes are there in the world? And other buzzing questions
Kids often have the best questions, and mosquitoes — the world's deadliest animal — hold so many secrets. Inspired by real questions from 7-year-olds, we dive into some fascinating facts and learn what genomics can reveal about one of nature's tiniest troublemakers.

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Reposted by Alannah King

MitoCarriers @mitocarriers.bsky.social · 25/07/2025

Our review on the peculiar properties of mitochondrial carriers of the SLC25 family out: portlandpress.com/biochemj/art...

Characterised members of the human SLC25 mitochondrial family. Members of the mitochondrial carriers are shown in rainbow (blue to red) cartoon and surface representations with their primary substrates shown in sphere representations to scale. Only one paralogue is shown.

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Alannah King @dralannah.bsky.social · 24/06/2025

What do the BIOSCAN project and the Duxford Imperial War Museum have in common? They are both interested in things that fly! ✈️ 🐝 It was amazing to be at the Duxford Air Show with @engagewcs.bsky.social to discuss how the BIOSCAN project uses DNA barcoding to study flying insects in the UK 🧬

Wellcome Genome Campus volunteers standing proudly with their green gazebo at the Duxford Air Show. The gazebo has "Genomics is for everyone" written on it.

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Reposted by Alannah King

EMBL-EBI @ebi.embl.org · 16/06/2025

If EMBL-EBI managed data resources have ever saved you time & effort, this is your chance to give back! Fill in a 15-minute survey to help us: 🌍Demonstrate the real-world impact of our resources 🤓Understand your needs 🌟Secure continued funding Closes 16 July www.surveymonkey.com/r/QGFMBH8?ch...

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Alannah King @dralannah.bsky.social · 10/06/2025

We sequenced pneumococcal isolates from children with pneumococcal disease in Suzhou, China, 2014-2023 🖥️🧬 94% expressed serotypes in PCV13, which is not part of China’s National Immunisation Programme 💉 96% were multidrug-resistant 💊 🧪 Paper here 📄 www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/jour...

microbiologyresearch.org

Genomic analysis of invasive and non-invasive disease-causing Streptococcus pneumoniae isolated from children between 2014 and 2023 in Suzhou, China

In 2017, 553,000 clinical cases of Streptococcus pneumoniae in children were reported in China, although the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV), which targets the pneumococcal capsule, is not includ...

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Alannah King @dralannah.bsky.social · 04/06/2025

Last week I co-chaired the 2025 Mechanisms of Membrane Transport Gordon Research Seminar! 🎤 🇨🇭 With cutting-edge science from early career researchers, thoughtful discussion, and insightful career conversations, I'm proud of the programme we put together 🧪 Thank you to all speakers and attendees! 🥳

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Reposted by Alannah King

Global Pneumococcal Sequencing Project @globalpneumoseq.bsky.social · 02/06/2025

Last week in #Europneumo2025, the GPS core team presents 1) Database of 26k pneumococcal genomes @harryhung.bsky.social 2) Global population structure of serotype 12F @dralannah.bsky.social 3) SeroBA - WGS-based tool to detect 102 known pneumococcal serotypes @OliverLorenz

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Alannah King @dralannah.bsky.social · 27/05/2025

(Hopefully) Coming soon to a journal near you: serotype 12F is global 🌍, expressed by diverse pneumococcal lineages 🧬🖥️, and often antimicrobial resistant 💊 I had a great time at #Europneumo 2025 presenting a poster on our recent work on the invasive pneumococcal serotype 12F. Watch this space! 🧪

A photo taken from behind of Alannah presenting a landscape academic poster on serotype 12F to an attendee of Europneumo 2025.

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Reposted by Alannah King

poorly drawn cats @poorlycatdraw.bsky.social · 03/05/2025

cats when you give them a bath

a drawing of a cat head and a body made of 5 lines

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Alannah King @dralannah.bsky.social · 03/05/2025

Parker is wishing you a happy Bank Holiday weekend with a BIG SCREAM 📣 🐈 (he'd also be grateful if you could please feed him, he's not eaten in at least an hour) #caturday #cat

A one-eyed orange cat stands on a grey sofa, screaming at the person taking the photo who is not feeding him. A living room and kitchen can be seen in the background.

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Alannah King @dralannah.bsky.social · 29/04/2025

Struggling to keeping track of >100 pneumococcal serotypes? 🧪 Meet SeroBA(v2.0), an updated tool that can accurately type almost all serotypes from WGS data, plus the SeroBAnk, a pocket guide to the serotypes! 🧬🖥️ Preprint: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1... SeroBAnk: www.pneumogen.net/gps/#/serobank

biorxiv.org

SeroBA(v2.0) and SeroBAnk: a robust genome-based serotyping scheme and comprehensive atlas of capsular diversity in Streptococcus pneumoniae

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Alannah King @dralannah.bsky.social · 10/04/2025

Had an inspiring day yesterday visiting UCL to meet Prof. David Goldblatt and his team! I got the opportunity to present and discuss our progress on a recent collaboration, and learn about immunology 🧪 Thank you for the kind invitation to visit - Looking forward to sharing the full story soon! 🖥️🧬

Alannah standing next to a presentation slide about the Global Pneumococcal Sequencing project, mid-presentation. She is wearing light-wash denim dungarees with a grey shirt and brown belt.

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Alannah King @dralannah.bsky.social · 29/03/2025

Just because Parker fits in the hand luggage, doesn't mean he can join us on holiday... 🏖️ 🐈 #caturday

A fluffy orange cat curled up asleep in a black duffle back. The bag is set on a cream carpet.

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Alannah King @dralannah.bsky.social · 21/03/2025

New paper! 📢 We analysed 20+ years of pneumococcal bloodstream isolates in the Netherlands to: 💊 Track antibiotic resistance trends 💉 Assess pneumococcal population shifts post-PCV 📈 Identify rising serotypes not covered by current childhood PCVs Check it out! 🧬 🧪 doi.org/10.1099/mgen...

microbiologyresearch.org

Investigating two decades of Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteraemia in the Gelderland area, the Netherlands, using whole-genome sequencing

In the Netherlands, the 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) was introduced to the childhood immunization programme in 2006 and replaced by the 10-valent PCV (PCV10, GSK) in 2011. To describe...

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Alannah King @dralannah.bsky.social · 10/02/2025

🚨 Less than one week until the abstract deadline for the Mechanisms of Membrane Transport GRS!! 🚨 📅 Apply by Feb 16th! If you enjoy learning about novel insights into membrane transporters in beautiful places, this is the conference for you! 🧪 #STEMseminar

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Alannah King @dralannah.bsky.social · 01/02/2025

Guest #caturday from Blinco! He's still a kitten (but growing quick!) and likes to sleep cuddling his tail

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Alannah King @dralannah.bsky.social · 25/01/2025

Happy #caturday from Rosie and her cone! 🐾 Turns out her eye was not actually removed when she was a kitten, as we were told when we adopted her! It was very atrophied in the back of her eye socket. One operation later, she's healing nicely and hopefully won't be bothered by the eye again 😄

A fluffy tabby cat in a blue cone stares up at the camera. The area around her right eye has been shaved, and a line of stitches can be seen keeping her wound and eye socket closed. She is furious.

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Alannah King @dralannah.bsky.social · 02/01/2025

Do you have new & exciting results to share about transport proteins and channels? 🧪 🤩 Come & join experts & early-career researchers for cutting-edge discussions in lovely Switzerland! 🏔️ Apply now for the 2025 Mechanisms of Membrane Transport GRS! ⬇️ www.grc.org/mechanisms-o... #STEMseminar

A beautiful summer view in Switzerland! In the foreground is a bubbling stream. Just behind the stream there are cosy brown chalets on lush grass, and further into the background you can see the gorgeous Alps.

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Noémie Lefrancq @noemielefrancq.bsky.social · 02/01/2025

Incredibly excited to share that our manuscript was just published in @nature.com ! What a way to start the new year! 🎉 buff.ly/4gyYCzx We present phylowave, a framework that enables to learn the fitness dynamics of pathogens from phylogenies. 🧵 A thread... 1/n #IDSky #IDModelling

buff.ly

Learning the fitness dynamics of pathogens from phylogenies - Nature

Phylowave, an innovative phylogenetic approach, can identify the main circulating pathogen lineages with increased fitness and the associated genetic changes, enabling the timely identification of…

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Reposted by Alannah King

Joana Meier @joanameier.bsky.social · 11/11/2024

My entire team wrote an opinion paper about Common misconceptions of speciation research. Each section is written by 1-2 team members. The bulk of the writing happened during two writing retreats. It was a lot of fun and I am very happy with the result. academic.oup.com/evolinnean/a...

academic.oup.com

Common misconceptions of speciation

Abstract. Speciation is a complex process that can unfold in many different ways. Speciation researchers sometimes simplify core principles in their writin

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Alannah King @dralannah.bsky.social · 14/12/2024

"No no, take another one, I had my tongue out" 😝 #caturday #cats

Two cats are on a multi-level cat tree. The top cat is a fluffy, orange long-haired cat lying calmly, looking downward with a serene expression. The bottom cat is a long-haired dark brown tabby with her mouth wide open and tongue out.

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Alannah King @dralannah.bsky.social · 04/12/2024

Do you dream about streamlining the analysis of #pneumococcal genomes at scale? 💭 Try out the GPS pipeline to do everything for you in one go! QC ✅ In silico serotype ✅ GPSC ✅ MLST ✅ Susceptibilities to 20 antibiotics ✅ De novo assemblies ✅ New preprint led by @harryhung.bsky.social! #genomics

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Alannah King @dralannah.bsky.social · 23/11/2024

Happy #caturday! Meet Parker (🍊) and Rosie (🤎), our two gorgeous one-eyed cats! As I also have only one eye, adopting these two felt like destiny ✨

An orange fluffy cat (left) and a fluffy tabby cat (right), each with one eye, on a sofa looking gorgeous!

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