iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

First day of 6th grade. Go get em boys!

Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

After the World Cup left KC, we squeezed in a few trips to close out the summer. Cape May, Wyoming mountains, and wake surfing in Utah/FoCo. The boys start school tomorrow, so this was the last hurrah.

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

5/ MUTYH needs to engage both strands with its N- and C-terminal domains. Modeling shows it cannot do that in an NCP without clashing into the histones. Steric exclusion, not altered lesion presentation, is the barrier.

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

4/ MD simulations from the Bignon lab agree: the same two-state conformational exchange and the same local backbone perturbations in nucleosomal and non-nucleosomal DNA.

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

3/ Why? Not because the lesion looks different. Our group solved Cryo-EM structures at SHL+2, +3, +4, and -6 all show 8oxoG in the syn conformation, Hoogsteen paired with A, matching non-nucleosomal DNA.

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

2/ The Delaney lab used globally substituted NCPs covering 34 unique 8oxoG:A positions, MUTYH excised A from essentially every site in duplex DNA but from only two sites in the nucleosome, both at SHL-6.5 in the entry/exit region (thanks David lab as well).

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

1/ Latest publication from the Freudenthal lab in Biomolecules: 8oxoG:A base pairs are structurally accommodated in the nucleosome, yet effectively invisible to MUTYH. doi.org/10.3390/biom...

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 12/07/2026

What an incredible game to round out the World Cup in KC!

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

What a soccer weekend! Kicked things off at KC House, where I heard about exciting things happening in KC, then headed to a wild Algeria vs Austria match with great friends. Beautiful game, even better company. ⚽️🇩🇿

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 17/06/2026

Bucket list checked. Arrowhead was fully taken over by Argentina last night and the passion was unreal. We took the boys to watch them beat Algeria 3-0, capped by the first world cup hat trick for Messi. Started at KC FanFest, ended watching history. One we’ll never forget. 🇦🇷⚽️

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 03/06/2026

Huge thanks also to the team that made this video and captured the lab so well, the colleagues and collaborators who shaped how I do science, and the KU Cancer Center and KUMC for building a place that values people and mentorship. @kucancercenter.bsky.social @universityofkansas.bsky.social

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 01/06/2026

And none of it happens without my co-organizer Ryan Barnes and members of the Freudenthal and Barnes labs who kept everything running smoothly. Couldn't have done it without you. Thank you also to our 14 sponsors for making it all possible, particularly the NIEHS and KUCC.

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 01/06/2026

Our keynote speakers gave inspiring talks, and the trainees absolutely hit it out of the park. We were proud to hand out 17 trainee awards (nearly $8,000 in travel/awards).

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 01/06/2026

That's a wrap on the 25th Annual Midwest DNA Repair Symposium at the University of Kansas Medical Center. Two days, 175 attendees, 4 keynotes, 22 talks, and 85 posters of genuinely incredible science (also some fun socializing of course). I am still smiling, but a bit tired. 🧬🌻

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 20/05/2026

A season of change in the lab. 🎓 Hooding ceremony for Spencer Thompson who is headed back to the clinic. 🧬 Zach Onyszchuk joins the lab as a graduate student 🔬 Nicholas @nicholaswashton.bsky.social joins the lab as Senior Scientist Excited for what's ahead!!

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 11/05/2026

Action packed Mother’s Day weekend celebrating Jean, cheering on Pierce at his big improv show and watching Grayson’s team bring home tournament gold. This is what great moms do, even on the weekends meant to celebrate them. Grateful for you, Jean. ❤️

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

Big congrats to Spencer Thompson on defending his thesis today! Beautiful @lumicks.bsky.social C-Trap single-molecule work and a major MD/PhD milestone. Proud PI! BioRxiv coming soon.

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 25/03/2026

Great way to wrap up the ski season at Steamboat over spring break last week on a wonderful trip with family and friends. The boys definitely leveled up and are now hitting black diamonds! ⛷️

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 12/03/2026

Great seminar visit to UC Riverside hosted by Linlin Zhao. Excellent discussions with a terrific group of trainees and scientists exploring a wide range of exciting science. Thanks to Linlin for the warm hospitality!

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 04/03/2026

Great first Fusion meeting! 🧬 Presented our telomere/ribonucleotide work. Huge congrats to Abbey Vito for winning Best Poster and Most Engaged 🏆👏 Always great catching up with friends in the field. And the weather didn’t hurt ☀️

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 17/02/2026

Wonderful few days skiing in New Mexico. Every trip the boys get stronger, more controlled, and confident. It is fun to watch the progression in real time. Some fresh snow helped too!

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 03/02/2026

📣 The 2026 Midwest DNA Repair Symposium is coming to Kansas City (registration is open) 🗓 May 30–31, 2026 ✨ Talks will be selected from abstracts, with a strong focus on trainees and new investigators. Please RT & share with your labs! 🔗 sites.google.com/view/kumc-mi...

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 21/01/2026

Fun filled weekend in San Diego and LA! Really nice to escape the cold and catch up with Mark and Amiel.

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 22/11/2025

Grateful to host Sen. Moran and NIH Director Jay Bhattacharyya in the lab today. Proud of our trainees, who showcased their work using the @lumicks.bsky.social C-Trap and the KU Cryo-EM Facility. Their dedication shows how federal investment drives cancer research at @kucancercenter.bsky.social.

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 31/10/2025

🎃 Happy Halloween from the Freudenthal Lab! 🐟🖤 Anglerfish PI + Emo Researchers = Bioluminescent Despair #Scienceunderpressure

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 29/10/2025

One of my favorite activities of the year is our annual pumpkin carving competition with the Bose Lab. Everyone’s pumpkins were amazing!

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 11/10/2025

The Sangre de Cristo Mountains outside Santa Fe were beautiful today! Wonderful day for a hike.

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 26/09/2025

How it started: Assistant to the Professor 👨‍🔬✨ How it’s going: Professor mode unlocked 👨‍🏫 Also clear evidence that science doesn’t just build knowledge… it ages ya too. 😉 🙏Grateful to all the mentors, colleagues, trainees, friends & family who made this journey possible. I am here because you all!

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 22/09/2025

What an incredible @EMGSUS 2025 meeting last week! 🎉 Great science, community, and presentations. #EMGS2025 Special congrats to our lab members🏆 #proudPI: Abbey Vito – 1st, Student Oral Presentation Eli Newcomb – 1st, ECI Oral Presentation Spencer Thompson – 2nd, Student Poster

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 15/08/2025

Great catching up with Matt during his visit with @barneslab.bsky.social!

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 11/08/2025

The summer just flew by this year and today is the first day of 5th grade for these two. Go get em boys. 🥹

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 04/08/2025

Spencer Thompson gave a great talk at the @kucancercenter.bsky.social Cancer Biology symposium this past week. He has really got this talk looking clean and sounding clear. #proudPI @lumicks.bsky.social

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 12/07/2025

Great way to end two summer student internships with the KUcancercenter symposium. Fantastic work by Carson Gray (undergrad) and Esther Solange (high school student)! Kudos to Abbey Vito, Peyton Oden, and Justin Ling for being wonderful mentors.

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 13/06/2025

Congratulations Kaitlin Dehart on an outstanding PhD defense! I can’t believe another student has graduated from lab. #proudPI🥹

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 28/05/2025

Happy 10th birthday boys! It has been a busy few days celebrating your birthday with laser tag in KC and a trip to the Bahamas. Proud of the incredible boys you are becoming. 🎉🎂🎂🥳

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 19/05/2025

Very proud of Peyton Oden for winning the best student talk award at the Midwest DNA repair meeting! Congrats to all the award winners.

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 17/05/2025

Peyton Oden gave a great talk about how APE1 finds DNA damage using our c-trap at the 24th annual Midwest DNA repair meeting. @lumicks.bsky.social

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 17/05/2025

Excited for the summer fishing season!

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 15/05/2025

Some mornings we just don’t want to get out of bed.

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 11/05/2025

Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there, but especially Jean Marie!

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 08/05/2025

The cryo-em core at kumc is looking for a lab manager. This is an exciting opportunity to join a growing facility. kumc.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/kumc-j...

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 27/04/2025

Amazing show at the sphere seeing Dead and Co for a quick weekend trip!

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 25/04/2025

It was great to hear all about the exciting science going on in Luis Batista’s lab and thanks for inviting him Ryan Barnes! Ended the evening at Swordfish Tom’s 🥃

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 11/04/2025

It was great hosting @cijilim.bsky.social for a seminar visit today! He is doing awesome science and a wonderful steward for collaborative science.

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 03/04/2025

Congratulations Dr. Cortez! You gave an incredible thesis defense and we all very proud of you.🥳🍾🎉

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 03/04/2025

Tomorrow we have another exciting thesis defense from the Freudenthal lab! This time it is our rock climbing, dessert loving, MD/PhD candidate Luis Cortez. 🥳DM for a zoom link if interested

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 01/04/2025

Today Spencer gave a wonderful talk over his current work as a Newark award nominee for the Department of Molecular Biosciences!

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 28/03/2025

Wonderful way to end my visit at the Hollingsworth Cancer Center at MUSC. Incredible science discussions, southern hospitality, and always great to be back in Charleston.

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Bret Freudenthal @freudlab.bsky.social · 19/03/2025

Fresh foot of snow makes for an awesome powder day in Steamboat!

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