Sign in

Simon Cook

@drsimoncook.bsky.social
1K followers 847 following 654 posts

Researching Cell Signalling at @babrahaminst.bsky.social Walker; watching woodpeckers; tree hugger; listening to The Jam. European. Views my own. NToR (Never Tory or Reform). I could go on for hours and I probably will....

PostsRepliesMedia
Reposted by Simon Cook
Simon Bayly @simonbayly.bsky.social · 14/10/2026
The data being generated in biology at the moment is astounding www.nature.com/articles/s41...
nature.com
Dynamics of human cardiogenesis and its disruption in trisomy 21 - Nature
Single-cell and spatial multiomics are combined to define niches in the developing human heart, revealing pacemaker-cell organization, cardiomyocyte maturation and compaction, and developmental pertur...
031
Reposted by Simon Cook
Alice Roberts @profaliceroberts.bsky.social · 14/10/2026
“You could almost believe that the real purpose of government was to do the bidding of corporations, foreign states and the ultra-rich... Will Burnham allow the mob rule of private business to keep dominating our lives…?” @georgemonbiot.bsky.social asks: www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
theguardian.com
Palantir is worming its way into the British state – it’s time to curb this controversial US company’s influence | George Monbiot
Tom Watson has said ‘mob rule’ must not decide public contracts. Perhaps he should take a look at his new employer, says Guardian columnist George Monbiot
21424146
Simon Cook @drsimoncook.bsky.social · 14/10/2026
Looking for a change? Is this your Time-of-flight? @babrahaminst.bsky.social are seeking an ambitious and scientifically accomplished proteomics specialist to lead our Mass Spectrometry Facility during an exciting period of growth. Come and join us! babraham.current-vacancies.com/Jobs/Advert/...
babraham.current-vacancies.com
Head of Mass Spectrometry Facility - Babraham Institute, Cambridge
We are seeking an ambitious and scientifically accomplished proteomics specialist to lead the Babraham Institutes Mass Spectrometry Facility during an exciting period of growth and investment. This i...
0179
Reposted by Simon Cook
Otto English @ottoenglish.bsky.social · 13/10/2026
More of this please
221239383
Reposted by Simon Cook
Otto English @ottoenglish.bsky.social · 13/10/2026
I think it's absolutely fantastic. It shows what an extraordinary country I live in and that refugees can fully integrate and participate in society
1402154343
Simon Cook @drsimoncook.bsky.social · 10/10/2026
030
Simon Cook @drsimoncook.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
@ericchevet.bsky.social Thank you for a great visit and a fantastic and inspiring seminar!!
020
Simon Cook @drsimoncook.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
As smart as he was handsome and principled!
020
Reposted by Simon Cook
Rebecca Solnit @rebeccasolnit.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Time for this classic again.
156165195566
Simon Cook @drsimoncook.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
And they need to make sure they plant them at the right time of year, not like the muppets who plant trees along new roads, 90% of which die
011
Simon Cook @drsimoncook.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
I am looking forward to welcoming Prof Eric Chevet @ericchevet.bsky.social to The Babraham Institute today when he presents his seminar 'Targeting Endoplasmic Reticulum Proteostasis in cancer'
040
Reposted by Simon Cook
Paul Bernal @paulbernal.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
No, BBC, he has not been arrested over the video of dinghy slashing. He’s been arrested over the dinghy slashing. Words matter.
1964268855
Reposted by Simon Cook
Journal of Cell Science @jcellsci.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Anne Ashford, Simon Cook @drsimoncook.bsky.social @babrahaminst.bsky.social and colleagues use phosphoproteomics to identify novel DYRK1B targets and establish DYRK1B as a regulator of processing body abundance. journals.biologists.com/jcs/article/... #OpenAccess #ReadandPublish
255
Simon Cook @drsimoncook.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
So Reform UK Ltd either doesn't care two hoots about racism or is tacitly seeking to support racists
010
Simon Cook @drsimoncook.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼Completely wrong
000
Simon Cook @drsimoncook.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
You must get a lot of that!
110
Simon Cook @drsimoncook.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
I'm delighted to see this beautiful study out. WNT5A hyperactivation drives the pathological ERK1/2 signalling. #RASopathies and implicaitons for cancer, what's not too like?! Congratulations to Ian, Yeonjoo and all their collaborators! 👏 👏 👏 👏 👏 P.S. Take the rest of the day off!
020
Reposted by Simon Cook
🇨🇦 NanaGale in Alberta @nanagale.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
34683733093
Reposted by Simon Cook
Guy Shrubsole @guyshrubsole.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
“The rise of anti-migration neofascism is more threatening than anything I’ve seen in my lifetime.” Good piece by @pollytoynbee.bsky.social challenging Burnham to confront the rise of the far right in his conference speech next week. Features @hopenothate.org.uk www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
theguardian.com
There is a racism and cohesion crisis in Britain, and someone needs to lead us out of it. His name is Andy Burnham | Polly Toynbee
I want him to start the fightback next week against extremists who peddle hate and those who despise this country. That would be true patriotism, says Guardian columnist Polly Toynbee
1021985
Simon Cook @drsimoncook.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026... These domestic terrorists -for that is what they are - are undermining key infrastructure and key service provision including charities such as the RNLI, which is the best of Britain
theguardian.com
Lifeboat station in Portsmouth forced to temporarily shut after far-right action
RNLI facility had been targeted by activists trying to stop asylum seekers landing in boats from the Channel
000
Reposted by Simon Cook
elia ayoub @ayoub.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Friend shared this video of a man unveiling the library he hid when he fled Damascus in 2011. It’s incredible
25150273940
Reposted by Simon Cook
Guy Shrubsole @guyshrubsole.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Great to see the Wildlife Trusts call to “Make access to major rivers, especially those in urban areas, a statutory right.” Of course, to actually *get to* those rivers, we’d also need a right of responsible access to land, too… @righttoroam.bsky.social www.theguardian.com/environment/...
theguardian.com
Access-to-nature crisis ‘on par with that of Victorian Britain’s filthy air’
Research finds many in England lack proximity to green and blue spaces as Labour urged to speed up manifesto pledge
58418
Simon Cook @drsimoncook.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
Kudos to Jack Prescott for spotting the loss of NEMO in the IKK DKO cells, which started the whole project – a great lesson in embracing the unexpected result! Jack was a great PhD student and friend who died tragically young from a rare cancer during his post-doc and is mourned by us all.
060
Simon Cook @drsimoncook.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
This was a ‘slow burn’ study, started by former PhD student Jack Prescott and completed by Kathy Balmanno who took the story further with help from Ellie Griffiths. Thanks also to our collaborators Nadav Myers and Yosef Shaul at the Weizmann.
110
Simon Cook @drsimoncook.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
These results may be relevant to attempts to disrupt IKK:NEMO interactions as an alternative IKK therapeutic. NEMO binds to >100 proteins, some not linked to NF-kB signalling, so these results may have wider implications for NEMO functions, e.g., aggrephagy (doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-44033-0).
100
Simon Cook @drsimoncook.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
The IKKs were cloned in 1997; NEMO in 1998. Why did nobody notice this before? Possibly because many IKK KO studies simply did not blot for NEMO. We would suggest that this should now be required in all IKK KO or IKK RNAi studies.
110
Simon Cook @drsimoncook.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
5. Re-expressing IKKα in DKO cells partly restored NEMO levels. This required the IKKα NEMO binding domain but not IKKα kinase activity. Thus, as well as their catalytic function, IKKα and IKKβ act as critical kinase-independent scaffolds that stabilise NEMO by direct binding.
100
Simon Cook @drsimoncook.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
4. NEMO is disordered and, in common with many disordered proteins, NEMO is degraded by uncapped 20S proteasomes; this was prevented by incubating NEMO with recombinant IKKs.
100
Simon Cook @drsimoncook.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
3. The TAK-243 E1 inhibitor increased basal NEMO levels in DKO cells but didn’t prevent NEMO turnover, suggesting both Ub-dependent and Ub-independent pathways to the proteasome.
100
Simon Cook @drsimoncook.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
We have now found that :- 1. Knockout of IKKα reduces NEMO expression by ~60%. IKKβ KO on its own did nothing but IKK DKO cells lost 90% of their NEMO. 2. NEMO mRNA levels were unchanged but NEMO turnover was greatly accelerated in IKK DKO cells and this was reversed by proteasome inhibitors.
100
Simon Cook @drsimoncook.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
NEMO is a non-catalytic regulatory scaffold for the IKKs. It is absolutely required for activation of the canonical NF-kB pathway by TNF, IL-1 and LPS. Former PhD student Jack Prescott knocked out the IKKs (doi: 10.1042/BCJ20210783) and noticed unexpected changes in NEMO abundance.
100
Simon Cook @drsimoncook.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
I am delighted to share the latest Preprint from the lab “IKKα and IKKβ serve as kinase-independent scaffolds that prevent proteasomal degradation of NEMO” which can be found on BioRxiv doi.org/10.64898/202...
doi.org
1121
Reposted by Simon Cook
oligarchssuck.bsky.social @oligarchssuck.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
Worst president ever with worst cabinet ever with negotiators who are serving Putin.
1056174255731
Reposted by Simon Cook
Otto English @ottoenglish.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
No evidence at all of crime in Essex being driven by asylum seekers. This Reform use of taxpayers money is all about driving hate and fear against migrants.
113910324
Simon Cook @drsimoncook.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
AI
010
Reposted by Simon Cook
Otto English @ottoenglish.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
A Reform government would force schools to sing the National Anthem and if they don't oblige parents will be encouraged to report them to the authorities. Yeah that's not like really scary and authoritarian schoolsweek.co.uk/reform-there...
schoolsweek.co.uk
Reform: 'There will be consequences for not singing anthem'
Braverman believes parents will tip her off if heads don't follow her anthem and hymns rules
4982281758
Simon Cook @drsimoncook.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
"Minister condemns" That's not enough. Climate Protesters were arrested and put in prison for far less. These thugs were part of a coordinated campaign to wilfully obstruct a highway that is part of national infrastructure. They should've all been arrested www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
theguardian.com
Black-clad Dover protesters condemned for ‘dressing up in costumes’ by minister
Business secretary says masked anti-immigration protest was ‘not something we would want’ on British streets
031
Simon Cook @drsimoncook.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
Too little too late www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
Cambridge launches review into support for Jason Arday before death
The University of Cambridge says the review will look at its "decision-making and actions" before the former professor's death.
000
Reposted by Simon Cook
Guy Shrubsole @guyshrubsole.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
I’ve noticed a disturbing credulity amongst some anti-development activists, who seem to think that Reform UK would want to protect the environment (yes, really). The party’s proposals today to rip up environmental duties on developers ought to slay that idea: www.reformparty.uk/policies/pla...
39342
Reposted by Simon Cook
CUDDY @ptcontagion.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
"How sad it must be, believing that scientists, historians, scholars, and journalists, would devote their entire lives to deceiving you. But a con man proven in court to be a lying felon is your beacon of truth and honesty."
Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson
246130654117
Reposted by Simon Cook
James Murray @james-bg.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
Should be the biggest story today by some distance. Truly mad that it isn’t. www.businessgreen.com/news/4535094...
businessgreen.com
UN: World now all but certain to 'overshoot' critical 1.5C global warming threshold
UNEP sets out 'best-case' scenario of 1.8C for global average temperature rise, but maintains world can still limit, adapt to, and eventually reduce warming to or below 1.5C threshold in future
6145102
Reposted by Simon Cook
leftylady.bsky.social @leftylady.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
TEXANS, VOTE FOR TALARICO!
237158405047
Simon Cook @drsimoncook.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
For no other reason than I saw these guys deliver a blistering set at the Brixton Academy last night I give you the Black Keys www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zs3c...
youtube.com
The Black Keys "Howlin' for You" Remastered 10th Anniversary Edition [Official Audio]
YouTube video by The Black Keys
130
Reposted by Simon Cook
Prof Rachel Oliver @profrachelgan.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Andrew Gilligan is claiming that an actual Baron who sits in the House of Lords is unqualified to lead a Cambridge college. These efforts to tear down Black excellence and revert Oxbridge to an old white men's club need to stop. Far, far too much tragedy has already come from this.
1105
Reposted by Simon Cook
Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan @london.gov.uk · 02/09/2026
2014: Harmful air pollution above legal limits. 2024: Harmful air pollution driven down to legal limits. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
601487419
Simon Cook @drsimoncook.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
How absolutely pathetic. Pathetic of the Child POTUS and pathetic of Apple Maps to roll over www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
010
Reposted by Simon Cook
Mark Hamill @markhamillofficial.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Bravo @mapquest.com…. for not bending the knee! #LakeOntario-Now&Forever🇨🇦
757227785249
Reposted by Simon Cook
Guy Shrubsole @guyshrubsole.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Excellent, pugnacious piece by new Environment Secretary @angelaeagle1.bsky.social on defending England from climate impacts by rewilding & restoring nature - explicitly rejecting the arsonists on the hard right & the grouse moor owners who just want to burn more: www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Extract from Angela Eagle’s Guardian piece: “But some, including the Conservatives, have made the argument that rewilding lowers resilience to fire and that we should reverse restrictions on burning heather on our moors and peatlands. The exact opposite is true.

The evidence clearly shows that wetter, healthy peatlands hold more water and are less likely to develop species that are vulnerable to fires. The damage that has been done to these vital habitats by decades of burning has made them more vulnerable to wildfires in the long term, not less.

The solution to raging wildfires is not more burning of our countryside. It is to restore and better manage our environment.

Where rewilding has been prioritised, as at the National Trust’s Holnicote estate, you can clearly see the stark difference that it makes to the ability to withstand extreme weather. In areas where rivers and wetlands have been restored, the plants are green and blooming. Elsewhere, the ground is brown and dry.”
925187
Simon Cook @drsimoncook.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Yes indeed. Absolutely the wrong decision for UK politics and UK
021
Simon Cook @drsimoncook.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
The same applies to inhibitors. I have reviewed papers where the authors made no attempt to confirm that the inhibitor had hit the target or not. And no attempt to assess selectivity. They just throw the drug on cells and report what they see without any thought. Bad bad science
020