Sign in

James McDonald

@jamesemcdonald.bsky.social
1.1K followers 900 following 96 posts

Prof. of microbial ecology at the University of Birmingham. Decoding the tree microbiome 🌳🌲. He/him

PostsRepliesMedia
Reposted by James McDonald
Marine C. Cambon @marccamb.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
Lovely to see Sandra Denman presenting our work on bacteria-beetle interactions in AOD at the Herefordshire Parkland Conference @jamesemcdonald.bsky.social @gathomas12.bsky.social @imibirmingham.bsky.social Check out the paper here: doi.org/10.1093/jamb...
Sandra Denman presenting results on bacteria-beetle interactions in Acute Oak Decline
173
James McDonald @jamesemcdonald.bsky.social · 04/06/2026
Fully-funded PhD studentship available with me and Ozge Eyice at University of Birmingham - due to funder requirements this is only available to home (UK) applicants. Get in touch if interested: www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
findaphd.com
Synthetic microbial communities for anaerobic digestion of waste to biogas at University of Birmingham on FindAPhD.com
PhD Project - Synthetic microbial communities for anaerobic digestion of waste to biogas at University of Birmingham, listed on FindAPhD.com
020
Reposted by James McDonald
AMI Journals @ami-journals.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
Call for papers! 📄 Letters in Applied Microbiology invites articles exploring African soil microbiomes and their relation to soil degradation, desertification, salinisation, climate resilience, and food security. 🌱 Submit your research today 🔗 ow.ly/cSNA50YNB8M
012
Reposted by James McDonald
Microbiology Society @microbiologysociety.org · 21/03/2026
Know a leader in microbiome research? 🧬 Nominations are open for the Microbiome Medal (est. 2025), recognising excellence in discovery & service. Open to scientists at any career stage. 📅 Deadline: 10 April 🔗 www.psu.edu/news/researc... #Microbiome #OneHealth #Microbiology
Microbiome Medal featuring Earth at center surrounded by detailed microbial shapes and laurel wreath border.
152
James McDonald @jamesemcdonald.bsky.social · 27/02/2026
Really pleased to be speaking at this event. Come and join us in Switzerland!
063
Reposted by James McDonald
Tory Hendry @thendry.bsky.social · 12/02/2026
Cool paper showing that microbiomes of mature trees can be resilient, with a preview by @zrojer.bsky.social and myself! www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
sciencedirect.com
Seeing the forest: Microbiome resilience in mature trees
In this issue of Cell Host & Microbe, Hussain et al.1 demonstrate surprising microbiome resilience in oak trees under abiotic and biotic stress. In co…
171
James McDonald @jamesemcdonald.bsky.social · 11/02/2026
Delighted to see our work on the impact of drought on the oak microbiome featured on the cover of @cp-cellhostmicrobe.bsky.social Link to the article below this post 👇🏻
43110
Reposted by James McDonald
Professor Lesley Hoyles @bugsinyourguts.bsky.social · 07/01/2026
🎉🎉🎉 New preprint to start the new year 🎉🎉🎉 Patients recovering from bowel surgery may have stomas formed to divert the flow of faeces to the opening on the skin, away from healing intestinal tissue. The visible sign of this process is an ileostomy or colostomy bag. /1 #surgerysky #medsky
134
Reposted by James McDonald
Professor Lesley Hoyles @bugsinyourguts.bsky.social · 15/12/2025
Very much looking forward to 2 days of great talks at #MMEG2025, and to catching up with @resp-micro.bsky.social and @jamesemcdonald.bsky.social.
043
James McDonald @jamesemcdonald.bsky.social · 15/12/2025
Who’s on their way to #MMEG2025 @unibirmingham.bsky.social today?
030
James McDonald @jamesemcdonald.bsky.social · 02/12/2025
Still time to register for MMEG but book fast to avoid disappointment!
152
James McDonald @jamesemcdonald.bsky.social · 01/12/2025
Great to be part of this work led by our collaborators @gathomas12.bsky.social and Jozsef Vuts @rothamsted.bsky.social
060
Reposted by James McDonald
Luke Hillary @lukehillary.bsky.social · 27/11/2025
📢 New preprint is out on bioRxiv 📢: How much does virome prep influence our view of the human gut virome? Short answer: a lot. Long answer: doi.org/10.1101/2025... Different methods lead to distinct community structures, richness, and major virus-host abundance patterns. 🧵 1/5
22613
Reposted by James McDonald
Alejandra Ordonez @alejandra1909.bsky.social · 19/11/2025
The pre print of my PhD research is out! 📣 Check it out for some cool results on high-throuhput microbial isolation, #SynComs and #Tree #Microbiome 🌳🧫 doi.org/10.1101/2025... #PhDone 💯
doi.org
Large-scale culturing of the tree microbiome enables targeted disease suppression
The tree microbiome is essential for host health and pathogen suppression. Synthetic microbial communities (SynComs) are emerging as important tools to understand microbiome dynamics and engineer micr...
0106
James McDonald @jamesemcdonald.bsky.social · 19/11/2025
🧵 1/ New preprint alert! From the FUTURE OAK project, led by the super talented @alejandra1909.bsky.social Large-scale culturing of the tree microbiome enables targeted disease suppression Here's what we found... 👇 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
biorxiv.org
Large-scale culturing of the tree microbiome enables targeted disease suppression
The tree microbiome is essential for host health and pathogen suppression. Synthetic microbial communities (SynComs) are emerging as important tools to understand microbiome dynamics and engineer micr...
23216
James McDonald @jamesemcdonald.bsky.social · 07/11/2025
Had a great week at #PSM2025 - excellent science, great organisation, and super friendly people. Really enjoyed presenting our work on the oak microbiome and leaving here with lots of ideas for future work and collaborations. Thanks @vcarryon.bsky.social & team for organising @microsos.bsky.social
1122
James McDonald @jamesemcdonald.bsky.social · 06/11/2025
A pause on the live posts from @evolvedbiofilm.bsky.social as he is on stage giving the next presentation at #PSM2025 on single species and community living of Bacillus on plants @microsos.bsky.social
081
Reposted by James McDonald
Ákos T Kovács @evolvedbiofilm.bsky.social · 04/11/2025
Thank you, Dirk-Jan! We indeed enjoyed it with our Birmingham-Leiden collaboration group! (Not tapas but restaurant part) -with @marccamb.bsky.social @jamesemcdonald.bsky.social @xinmingxu.bsky.social and María Negre Rodríguez
161
James McDonald @jamesemcdonald.bsky.social · 03/11/2025
@vcarryon.bsky.social opening #PSM2025
061
James McDonald @jamesemcdonald.bsky.social · 03/11/2025
Great to be at #PMS2025 in Malaga. Looking forward to 5 days of science and giving a presentation on our group’s work on Thursday (session 4)
070
Reposted by James McDonald
Paul Carini @uncultured.carinilab.com · 17/10/2025
New paper: Dried soil bacteria enter dormancy with "frozen" RNA & metabolite profiles—but water vapor alone can wake them up! #Microbiology #SoilScience #Dormancy #ClimateChange #MicroSky
32412
Reposted by James McDonald
Applied Microbiology International @amiposts.bsky.social · 13/10/2025
Have research, results, or ideas to share with the microbial ecology community? Don’t miss your chance to present it at #MMEG2025 - abstract submissions close 2 November! 📨 Submit your abstract: appliedmicrobiology.org/ems-event-ca...
135
James McDonald @jamesemcdonald.bsky.social · 09/10/2025
Really Nice work by @evolvedbiofilm.bsky.social and colleagues
010
James McDonald @jamesemcdonald.bsky.social · 06/10/2025
MMEG is coming to @unibirmingham.bsky.social in December - look out for some exciting announcements about the programme in the next few weeks! Abstract submission and registration is open 👇🏻
045
Reposted by James McDonald
Applied Microbiology International @amiposts.bsky.social · 01/09/2025
Save the Date: #MMEG2025 is coming to Birmingham! Join us on 15–16 December 2025 for the 31st edition of MMEG. This year's event is your chance to: 🔬 Share your research 🤝 Connect with peers 🦠 Discover the latest in molecular microbial ecology Register now: appliedmicrobiology.org/ems-event-ca...
166
Reposted by James McDonald
Ákos T Kovács @evolvedbiofilm.bsky.social · 19/09/2025
New preprint from the lab by Adele Pioppi on her #NNF_INTERACT project Successive cultivation under drought selects for specific microbiome members in the wheat rhizosphere www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
2102
Reposted by James McDonald
James McDonald @jamesemcdonald.bsky.social · 16/08/2025
🧵 New preprint alert! From the Future Oak project, led by @cenococcum.bsky.social Landscape-scale impacts of environment and disease on the tree microbiome 🌳🦠 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
biorxiv.org
Environment and disease have tissue-specific effects on the tree microbiome
Trees are essential for ecosystem function, but due to their long lifespan, are disproportionately impacted by climate change and disease. Tree-associated microbiota are critical for tree health and r...
23817
Reposted by James McDonald
Alan McNally @alanmcn1.bsky.social · 03/09/2025
We have a position for an Assist Prof in Microbial Genomics in our School of III. Hod Joan Geoghegan will be happy to field questions if you are interested. No specific area of microbial genomics preferred so please do consider it www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DOO184/a...
jobs.ac.uk
Assistant Professor (Research and Education) in Bacterial Genomics at University of Birmingham
Apply now for the Assistant Professor (Research and Education) in Bacterial Genomics role on jobs.ac.uk - the leading job board for higher education jobs. View details.
03350
Reposted by James McDonald
Microbiology Society @microbiologysociety.org · 25/08/2025
Our newest title, Microbiology Outlooks is now open to submissions! If you have a review, perspective, or commentary to contribute, submit to this forward-looking journal covering all areas of microbiology research: microb.io/Mout. #NewJournal #Mout
042
James McDonald @jamesemcdonald.bsky.social · 19/08/2025
Check out our new preprint on @biorxiv-microbiol.bsky.social
032
Reposted by James McDonald
Ákos T Kovács @evolvedbiofilm.bsky.social · 18/08/2025
See how phi3T phage shifts Bacillus subtilis cell shape in the absence of SPbeta prophage and alters its fitness - our new publication in @commsbio.nature.com from group of @annadragos.bsky.social together with @bramkamplab.bsky.social www.nature.com/articles/s42...
12510
Reposted by James McDonald
Marine C. Cambon @marccamb.bsky.social · 16/08/2025
Go and check out the pre-print of the landscape-scale tree microbiome study from the Future Oak project. Huge amounts of efforts and talent went into this work, with a pinch of "this is crazy, but we can do it". Well done @jamesemcdonald.bsky.social @cenococcum.bsky.social et al. Thread below 👇
085
James McDonald @jamesemcdonald.bsky.social · 16/08/2025
🧵 New preprint alert! From the Future Oak project, led by @cenococcum.bsky.social Landscape-scale impacts of environment and disease on the tree microbiome 🌳🦠 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
biorxiv.org
Environment and disease have tissue-specific effects on the tree microbiome
Trees are essential for ecosystem function, but due to their long lifespan, are disproportionately impacted by climate change and disease. Tree-associated microbiota are critical for tree health and r...
23817
James McDonald @jamesemcdonald.bsky.social · 13/08/2025
Had a great day out with the team at Black County Museum yesterday. Lucky to work with such a great group of scientists and people 🌞🍦 @g-thomas.bsky.social @alejandra1909.bsky.social @sophie-e-powell.bsky.social @alexanderwoodley.bsky.social @marccamb.bsky.social @bpettifor.bsky.social
040
James McDonald @jamesemcdonald.bsky.social · 11/08/2025
Really exciting and important tree microbiome paper published in @nature.com ‘A diverse and distinct microbiome inside living trees’ 👏 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
nature.com
A diverse and distinct microbiome inside living trees - Nature
Microbiome analyses of living trees show that a single tree can host approximately one trillion bacteria, with microbial communities distinctly partitioned between heartwood and sapwood and with minim...
02415
James McDonald @jamesemcdonald.bsky.social · 28/07/2025
Really pleased to be involved in this exciting project led by @hendrikschaefer.bsky.social !
010
James McDonald @jamesemcdonald.bsky.social · 23/07/2025
Wonderful day @bangoruniversity.bsky.social Huge congratulations to Dr. @alejandra1909.bsky.social for passing her viva with minor corrections. Thanks to Carrie Brady and @mojganrabiey.bsky.social for examining and George Turner for chairing. Look out for some cool papers in the near future!
061
Reposted by James McDonald
Ákos T Kovács @evolvedbiofilm.bsky.social · 23/07/2025
See our review on SynComs for tree microbiome engineering by @marccamb.bsky.social @xinmingxu.bsky.social @sofiaifgomes.bsky.social @jamesemcdonald.bsky.social seed grant between @imibirmingham.bsky.social @unibirmingham.bsky.social & @unileiden.bsky.social www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
1239
James McDonald @jamesemcdonald.bsky.social · 22/07/2025
New #openaccess opinion piece, the first of our brilliant collaboration with @evolvedbiofilm.bsky.social @sofiaifgomes.bsky.social @xinmingxu.bsky.social & @marccamb.bsky.social - thanks to @unibirmingham.bsky.social and @unileiden.bsky.social for funding! www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
sciencedirect.com
Synthetic microbial communities for studying and engineering the tree microbiome: challenges and opportunities
Trees are essential to ecosystems in both natural and urban environments, yet they are increasingly threatened by abiotic and biotic stresses linked t…
0105
Reposted by James McDonald
Institute of Microbiology and Infection @imibirmingham.bsky.social · 21/07/2025
Huge congratulations to IMI's Prof Robin May @robinmay9.bsky.social who has been appointed as UKHSA's @ukhsa.bsky.social Interim Chief Scientific Officer - excellent choice! 🎉 www.gov.uk/government/n...
gov.uk
Professor Robin May to join UKHSA as Chief Scientific Officer
UKHSA has appointed Professor Robin May as Interim Chief Scientific Officer.
1205
James McDonald @jamesemcdonald.bsky.social · 16/07/2025
Always a great day at @unibirmingham.bsky.social graduation. Congratulations to all of the School of Biosciences 2025 graduates - and great to see Becca get her degree after being an excellent project student in our lab this year 👏
040
James McDonald @jamesemcdonald.bsky.social · 16/07/2025
If you’re at #2025ISMPMI, drop by @alejandra1909.bsky.social ‘s poster. Some really cool results on pathogen suppression using syncoms in trees
071
James McDonald @jamesemcdonald.bsky.social · 26/06/2025
Final talk of today’s symposium. @rosasanchezlucas.bsky.social presents work from Estrella Luna-Diez’s lab on tree defences @unibirmingham.bsky.social @unileiden.bsky.social #BhamLeidenpartnership
030
James McDonald @jamesemcdonald.bsky.social · 26/06/2025
Really nice talk on developing synthetic microbial communities for plant growth (with a fantastic title slide!) by @xinmingxu.bsky.social @unibirmingham.bsky.social @unileiden.bsky.social #BhamLeidenpartnership
282
James McDonald @jamesemcdonald.bsky.social · 26/06/2025
@dmvinchirav.bsky.social and Vanja Milenkovic present some really excited findings on metabolites associated with drought stress and disease in oak @unibirmingham.bsky.social @unileiden.bsky.social #BhamLeidenpartnership
021
James McDonald @jamesemcdonald.bsky.social · 26/06/2025
Next up, Rachel Calder presents her PhD research on the impact of elevated CO2 on forest soil fungal communities #BIFoR @unibirmingham.bsky.social @unileiden.bsky.social #BhamLeidenpartnership
131
James McDonald @jamesemcdonald.bsky.social · 26/06/2025
@evolvedbiofilm.bsky.social presenting his group’s work on Bacillus - Pseudomonas interactions. A really comprehensive body of work on the influence of metabolites on the outcome of interactions @unibirmingham.bsky.social @unileiden.bsky.social
162
James McDonald @jamesemcdonald.bsky.social · 26/06/2025
We are holding a mini symposium on plant-microbe interactions @unibirmingham.bsky.social today as part of our strategic partnership with @unileiden.bsky.social - exciting talks by Alice Gauthey and @sofiaifgomes.bsky.social
271
Reposted by James McDonald
Ákos T Kovács @evolvedbiofilm.bsky.social · 24/06/2025
Bartje in Birmingham discussing on microbiomes and potential collaborations - a visit supported by a Birmingham-Leiden collaborative seed grant with @jamesemcdonald.bsky.social @unibirmingham.bsky.social @unileiden.bsky.social @leidenscience.bsky.social #BartjeAroundTheWorld
191
James McDonald @jamesemcdonald.bsky.social · 18/06/2025
Nice hilltop walk to end the day after finalising a grant submission and a paper acceptance #treehealth
000