Sign in

Kai Heimel

@kaiheimel.bsky.social
237 followers 331 following 3 posts

Researcher, father of 2, Heisenberg-Professor and football player. Fungi, plant pathogens, the secretory pathway and the Unfolded Protein Response. University of Göttingen

PostsRepliesMedia
Reposted by Kai Heimel
Nationale Akademie der Wissenschaften Leopoldina @leopoldina.org · 03/09/2026
🦠 Die Leopoldina ehrt Mikrobiologin Regine Kahmann für ihr Lebenswerk mit der Cothenius-Medaille. Herzlichen Glückwunsch! ✨
13914
Reposted by Kai Heimel
Robert Arkowitz @robertarkowitz.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
🔬🧪🦠 An exciting opportunity to work at the interface of Fungal Cell Biology & Biophysics in Nice, FR in a collaborative project on roles of cytoplasmic crowding in fungal pathogen morphogenesis, antifungal responses and host interaction. ibv.unice.fr/news/postdoc... Please share/retweet
Postdoc or Research associate/engineer position
in Fungal Cell Biology/Biophysics
2713
Reposted by Kai Heimel
Edward Wallace @ewjwallace.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
Postdoctoral position available! Help us to understand how fungi cause disease, by bringing data-driven engineering biology and cool fluorescent protein tools into fungal pathogens. Details: ewallace.github.io/news/postdoc... Please share!
ewallace.github.io
Postdoctoral position in fungal engineering biology
11117
Reposted by Kai Heimel
Gulnara Tagirdzhanova @metalichen.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
Our study on giant transposons Starship 🚀🧬 in the genome of the lichen fungus Xanthoria is now out in @pnas.org! What did we find out about Starships in #lichen fungi? 👇Updated thread below 🖥️ 🧪 🦠 🧫 #SymbioSky 1/6 www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
17145
Reposted by Kai Heimel
Juan Carlos De la Concepcion @delaconcepcionjc.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
PLEASE SHARE! New job openings in my lab @zmbp-tuebingen.bsky.social. We have a broad interest into the mechanistic basis of how molecular complexes are rewired during cellular development in plants and during invasion by pathogens. 🌱🍄🔬 See details below 👇 #PlantSciJobs
274105
Reposted by Kai Heimel
Thorsten Langner @thorstenlangner.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
‼️Job altert🚨📢 please spread the word: We're looking for a postdoctoral researcher to join our new department "Phytopathology and Plant Protection" at @unihalle.bsky.social. www.verwaltung.uni-halle.de/DEZERN3/AUSS...
35067
Reposted by Kai Heimel
Michael Feldbrügge @mfeldbruegge.bsky.social · 15/06/2026
Just in time for the RNA localisation conference, we uploaded a manuscript describing the link between endosomal mRNA transport and local mitochondrial activity. Great collaboration during MibiNet www.biorxiv.org/cgi/content/... @mibinet.bsky.social #EMBOrnaLocalization
Model for regulation of local mitochondrial activity
03511
Reposted by Kai Heimel
Altegoerlab @faltegoer.bsky.social · 09/06/2026
As promised: We have an open 2-year postdoc position in my lab at HHU Düsseldorf, starting September 2026. Come join us and help pioneering structural biology of fungal GPCRs! More about the lab: altegoerlab.de Apply here: karriere.hhu.de/index.php?ac... Please share with interested candidates!
karriere.hhu.de
Postdoc (m/f/d) structural biology of fungal G-Protein coupled receptors
02625
Reposted by Kai Heimel
MPI for Evolutionary Biology @mpi-evolbio.bsky.social · 27/05/2026
Congratulations to Prof. Eva Stukenbrock on her appointment to the Leopoldina. Her research on fungal pathogens helps us better understand evolution and protect crops. www.evolbio.mpg.de/3882989/eva-... #EvolutionaryBiology #Leopoldina
26926
Reposted by Kai Heimel
Joris Sprakel @jorissprakel.bsky.social · 21/05/2026
Chemical probes + imaging can reveal spatiotemporal patterns of a wide range of physico-chemical features in plants, without the need for genetic access. We reviewed what tools exist and how they can be used & engineered. Chemistry meets plant cell biology! www.annualreviews.org/content/jour...
annualreviews.org
Chemical Probes for Functional Plant Imaging
The advent of spatial and quantitative biology has led to immense advances in understanding the complex inner workings of plants, down to the molecular scale. Functional imaging of live plants, which ...
02111
Reposted by Kai Heimel
Daniel Lüdke @danielluedke.bsky.social · 06/05/2026
Some predictions are high-confidence. These go to eleven! Huge congrats to the whole team ❤️ Such a privilege to work with you all.
12312
Reposted by Kai Heimel
Eva Stukenbrock @estukenbrock.bsky.social · 13/04/2026
So diverse and yet conserved. Check out opinion paper by Leonhard Pachinger @leopach.bsky.social on antimicrobial effectors produced by fungal pathogens: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
sciencedirect.com
Antimicrobial effectors of plant-associated fungi: multipurpose proteins with fast-evolving surfaces and structurally conserved cores
Plants are exposed to a variety of devastating pathogens, causing significant yearly yield losses. In order to facilitate infections, plant pathogens …
02317
Reposted by Kai Heimel
The EMBO Journal @embojournal.org · 10/04/2026
Convergent evolution of aerobic fermentation through divergent mechanisms acting on key shared glycolytic genes @hittingerlab.bsky.social , @linder-surprise.bsky.social et al show how distinct genetic routes can converge on the same genetic outcome link.springer.com/article/10.1...
068
Reposted by Kai Heimel
Nick Talbot @talbotlabtsl.bsky.social · 07/04/2026
A new study from our group, led by Iris Eisermann, of the septin interactome during appressorium development, revealing many new interactors and significantly widening the biological function of septins in fungal pathogenesis. 👇 @thesainsburylab.bsky.social
03721
Reposted by Kai Heimel
Slavica Janevska @slavi-jan.bsky.social · 03/04/2026
📣 Check out this excellent #Postdoc opportunity @leibniz-hki.de which is part of Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions #MSCA #COFUND. Consider applying to join my lab if you’re interested in opportunistic infections caused by #Fusarium (research area 5). Call ends 26 May 2026 www.fellows4fungi.eu
fellows4fungi.eu
Fellows4FungiMSCA Postdoctoral Network - Leibniz-HKI
01818
Reposted by Kai Heimel
eLife @elife.bsky.social · 01/04/2026
A surprising observation of hundreds of nuclei in a single cell led researcher Norio Takeshita to investigate the remarkable powers of a fungus renowned across Japan. Read the latest interview from Inside Discovery: buff.ly/0i4KBTi @fungalcell.bsky.social
Norio Takeshita on the right, with a quote from his article on the left.
0128
Reposted by Kai Heimel
Michael Feldbrügge @mfeldbruegge.bsky.social · 01/04/2026
Breakthrough article 😊 Joint effort of teams Zarnack & König & Feldbrügge clarifies how multiple RNA-binding domains cooperate to identify functional important binding sites in vivo doi.org/10.1093/nar/... @zarnack-group.bsky.social @könig-lab.bsky.social @mibinet.bsky.social #EMBOrnaLocalization
doi.org
Dissecting the RNA-binding capacity of the multi-RRM protein Rrm4 essential for endosomal mRNA transport
Abstract. RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) utilize multiple RNA-binding domains (RBDs) to engage with extensive messenger RNA (mRNA) networks. Understanding the
12516
Reposted by Kai Heimel
Michael Habig @michaelhabig.bsky.social · 25/03/2026
Now out! We show that TEs can be horizontally transferred between fungal species via Starships. Once transferred, these TEs can become active, changing the genome organization and affecting the lifestyle of the recipient fungus. www.nature.com/articles/s41... @oggenfussursula.bsky.social #TEsky
nature.com
Transposable elements hitchhike on Starships across fungal genomes - Nature Communications
Large mobile genetic elements known as Starships act as vehicles for transferring transposable elements (TEs) between fungi. Here, Griem-Krey et al. show that these ‘hitchhiking’ TEs can drive rapid e...
09256
Reposted by Kai Heimel
MAdLand @watertoland.bsky.social · 26/03/2026
📣 Job opportunity: ERC-funded position as a Five-Year Postdoctoral Researcher (all genders welcome) in @jandevries.bsky.social lab in Göttingen, Germany. Find more info here: www.uni-goettingen.de/de/644546.ht... #plantsci
uni-goettingen.de
Stellenanzeigen - Georg-August-Universität Göttingen
Webseiten der Georg-August-Universität Göttingen
02123
Reposted by Kai Heimel
Clémence Marchal @clemmar.bsky.social · 02/03/2026
There is a week left to apply for two available positions in my lab @ipbhalle.bsky.social - PhD: ipb-halle.mhm.jobs/12-phd-posit... - Postdoc: ipb-halle.mhm.jobs/13-postdocto... Earliest start date: 01/05/2026. We are interested in plant immune receptor biochemistry and evolution. Please share!
03639
Reposted by Kai Heimel
Thomas Spallek @thomas-spallek.bsky.social · 12/02/2026
Big news from our lab: we can now stably edit the genome of a parasitic plant! Transgene-free, genome-edited P. japonicum in one generation! This will transform how we study #parasiticplants and other hard-to-transform plants. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
35721
Reposted by Kai Heimel
New Phytologist @newphyt.bsky.social · 10/02/2026
✨ Paper spotlight ✨ (🧵 1/6) CLE peptides in plant biotic interactions nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Fig. 1 CLAVATA3/EMBRYO SURROUNDING REGION (CLE) in biotic plant interactions.
1119
Reposted by Kai Heimel
Clémence Marchal @clemmar.bsky.social · 05/02/2026
Please share! We are looking for a postdoctoral scientist (2 years, extension possible) starting from 01/05/2026 at @ipbhalle.bsky.social! The project focuses on plant immune receptor biochemistry and structural biology. Deadline 09/03/2026. Apply at: ipb-halle.mhm.jobs/11-postdocto...
ipb-halle.mhm.jobs
Postdoctoral position in biology (m/f/d) (2/2026)
Leibniz Institute of Plant Biochemistry (Halle) offers a Postdoctoral position in Biology
04856
Reposted by Kai Heimel
Thomas Spallek @thomas-spallek.bsky.social · 22/01/2026
New #preprint from the lab: When one plant parasitizes another, the impact goes beyond nutrient loss. We show that parasitism weakens the host plant’s immunity, leaving it highly susceptible to microbial infections. Find out why: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6... #PlantImmunity #ParasiticPlants
biorxiv.org
0106
Reposted by Kai Heimel
VAAM e.V. @vaam-microbes.bsky.social · 16/12/2025
From life-saving medicine to gourmet cheese – our microbe of the year 2026 is Penicillium 🌟 This brush mold 🧫gave us penicillin & launched the antibiotic era 💊, and is a common workhorse in biotech labs🧪. And it makes your cheese delicious 🧀🐭 #VAAM #MikrobeDesJahres #MicrobeOfTheYear #Penicillium
193
Reposted by Kai Heimel
scheuring-lab.bsky.social @scheuring-lab.bsky.social · 03/12/2025
New preprint from our lab: Salicylic acid- induced alkalinization of the apoplast requires TMK1 and results in growth attenuation www.biorxiv.org/cgi/content/... Big thanks to all who contributed @guidogrossmann.bsky.social @julien-gronnier.bsky.social @kaltraxhelilaj.bsky.social
11911
Reposted by Kai Heimel
Marion Perrier @marionperrier.bsky.social · 04/12/2025
Anyone looking for roommates for #Fungal26 in Asilomar? I will participate and I am looking for someone to share a room for the week! I'm a female PhD student, looking to share a room with another female. Please DM me if you'd like to team up with me 😄 Reposts appreciated!
1610
Reposted by Kai Heimel
irtgprotect.bsky.social @irtgprotect.bsky.social · 03/12/2025
What a start to the final month of our IRTG! Congratulations to Anja Sieven from the @kaiheimel.bsky.social lab on her defence!
151
Reposted by Kai Heimel
Mike Csukai @mcsukai.bsky.social · 30/10/2025
Want good Bioinformatics resources for Phytopathogens? Plant pathology community at @bspp.bsky.social and @britmycolsoc.org.uk please take the time to complete the Phytopathogen Genomics Resources Survey:- 🔗 zurl.co/gKjC1 Your input is important for FungiDB/@veupathdb.org & Ensembl @ebi.embl.org.
01111
Reposted by Kai Heimel
Julia Frunzke @frunzkelab.bsky.social · 08/10/2025
Please RT: We have an opening for a junior group leader position in „Phage Biology & Biotechnology“. www.fz-juelich.de/de/karriere/... Interested candidates are encouraged to contact me via email for further details. @spp2330.bsky.social; @mibinet.bsky.social
fz-juelich.de
Junior Group Leader - Phage Biology & Biotechnology
As a leading research institution for microbial biotechnology the Institute of Bio- and Geosciences - Biotechnology (IBG-1, https://www.fz-juelich.de/de/ibg/ibg-1 ) at the Forschungszentrum Jülich foc...
03857
Reposted by Kai Heimel
Volker Lipka @volkerlipka.bsky.social · 22/09/2025
We proudly present a new preprint by Leon Pierdzig et al: Wall teichoic acids, glycopolymers specific to Gram-positive bacteria, trigger defense and cell death in Arabidopsis. Cysteine-rich RLKs act as key components in their perception. doi.org/10.1101/2025...
32814
Reposted by Kai Heimel
Tiffany Lowe-Power stands with Minnesota @tlowepower.bsky.social · 22/09/2025
Please repost -- The Univ. California Davis dept of Plant Pathology is hiring a Fungal biologist / Mycologist Applications due Dec 1 Application portal: recruit.ucdavis.edu/JPF07339 Screenshot shows part of the job posting (with alt-text of the same text)
he Department of Plant Pathology at the University of California, Davis is seeking applications for a fulltime, tenure-track Assistant Professor position in Mycology, with a focus on plant pathogenic, symbiotic, 
or mycotoxigenic fungi and fungal-like organisms (e.g., oomycetes). We are looking for a highly 
motivated and creative scientist with a strong background in mycology and/or the biology of fungi and 
fungal-like organisms that interact with plants. The successful candidate will be expected to develop a 
world-class, externally funded research program that integrates both fundamental and applied aspects 
of fungal biology within the context of plant pathology. We welcome applicants pursuing a wide range 
of research topics related to plant-associated fungi, including but not limited to mechanisms of fungal 
pathogenesis or symbiosis with plants, population genomics and evolution of fungal plant pathogens, 
plant-associated fungal microbiomes and plant-microbe interactions, and/or one health approaches to 
fungal diseases and antifungal resistance. Applicants working in other relevant research areas involving 
pathogenic, symbiotic, or mycotoxigenic fungi or fungal-like organisms that affect plant health are also 
encouraged to apply. The successful candidate will have significant opportunities for collaboration with 
faculty in plant pathology, microbiology, genomics, and agricultural sciences, and to contribute to 
addressing issues of importance to California’s agricultural and natural ecosystems.
The appointee primary teaching responsibilities will be teaching Introductory Mycology, an upperdivision lab class, and SAS 30, Mushroom, Molds & Society, a general education class for non-majors. 
Additional graduate and undergraduate teaching responsibilities may be assigned based on 
departmental needs and the candidate’s expertise. The department offers modern instructional 
facilities, including a newly renovated teaching laboratory.
257101
Reposted by Kai Heimel
Aaron Vogan @fungage-lab.bsky.social · 07/03/2025
We did it! We caught Starship #transposons moving between #fungal species in the lab, including between species separated by ~100my. We think Starships are a mediator of HGT in fungi, akin to conjugative elements in bacteria. Check out the preprint. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Illustration depicting the ways in which fungi can exchange genetic material with each other. Starship mediated HGT is confirmed experimentally in this preprint.
3256136
Reposted by Kai Heimel
Charissa de Bekker PhD (she/her) @zombieantdoc.bsky.social · 29/07/2025
Only a couple of weeks till the @eseb2025.bsky.social conference! I’m so honored to be one of the keynote speakers, and incredibly excited about the amazing scientific program and the opportunity to meet up with old friends and make new ones! #eseb2025
02810
Reposted by Kai Heimel
Armin Djamei @effectomics.bsky.social · 15/07/2025
#2025ISMPMI Corinna Thurow reveals their exiting findings that transdifferentiation induced by Verticillium dahliae is achieved by the TRADE effector targeting Varicose host scaffold protein.
013
Reposted by Kai Heimel
Morgan Carter @morgancarterphd.bsky.social · 15/07/2025
Corinna Thurow is the last talk today before the free afternoon. Verticillium effector (TRADE) interacts with host varicose protein (VCS). Used a forward screen to figure out insensitive mutants and identified a WIND1 transcription factor. #2025ISMPMI
A person giving a scientific talk showing a slide with varicose mutant plants and a workflow for mass spec from a TRADE pulldown
154
Kai Heimel @kaiheimel.bsky.social · 16/05/2025
Wonderful new story from our friends and collaborators @UBC Vancouver @ubcbotany.bsky.social @irtgprotect.bsky.social, bringing unanticipated insights into the biology of highly researched fungal pathogens (Botrytis cinerea and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum) www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
science.org
Distribution of haploid chromosomes into separate nuclei in two pathogenic fungi
Nuclei define eukaryotes, enabling macromolecular compartmentalization and cellular regulation. Each nucleus is believed to contain one or more haploid sets of chromosomes (1N). However, we discovered...
170
Reposted by Kai Heimel
Rita Strack @ritastrack.bsky.social · 01/05/2025
I had some absolutely incredible papers come online this week, and I need to take a minute to post about each of them. First, let me tell you about the CarboTag probes for imaging plant cell walls! From the Sprakel lab (a short thread) www.nature.com/articles/s41...
310623
Reposted by Kai Heimel
Eva Stukenbrock @estukenbrock.bsky.social · 11/04/2025
New post doc opportunity in our team at Kiel University in the north of Germany. We are looking for a motivated molecular biologists to unravel plant-microbe interactions in grasses. Please see: www.uni-kiel.de/personal/de/... More to our research and group here: www.environmental-genomics.de
uni-kiel.de
Aktuelle Ausschreibungen
Aktuelle Ausschreibungen
03740
Reposted by Kai Heimel
Thomas Spallek @thomas-spallek.bsky.social · 18/03/2025
Please check out our Commentary on the recent PNAS paper from the @charlesmelnyk.bsky.social lab about systemic signals in Phtheirospermum japonicum: www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
pnas.org
PNAS
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), a peer reviewed journal of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) - an authoritative source of high-impact, original research that broadly spans...
152
Reposted by Kai Heimel
Nick Talbot @talbotlabtsl.bsky.social · 05/03/2025
Michael Feldbrugge introducing Rrm4-endosome-mediated transport of mRNA for spatial regulation of translation, vital for morphogenetic proteins such as septins for deployment in specific sub-cellular domains #ECFG17
0102
Reposted by Kai Heimel
Gulnara Tagirdzhanova @metalichen.bsky.social · 04/03/2025
Next, @kaiheimel.bsky.social on pathogenicity of Ustilago. MAT-locus signalling and the pheromone pathway is involved in orchestrating appressoria formation and effector production. Very cool! #ecfg17
141
Reposted by Kai Heimel
Eduardo Eyras @edueyras.bsky.social · 02/03/2025
Great opportunity! PhD position in @mfeldbruegge.bsky.social lab #PhD #RNA
155
Reposted by Kai Heimel
Michael Feldbrügge @mfeldbruegge.bsky.social · 01/03/2025
Why do RBPs need multiple RNA-binding domains? We show transcriptome-wide that the endosomal mRNA transporter Rrm4 uses its three RRMs to differentiate functional binding sites from accessory ones. Great collaboration with @koenig-lab.bsky.social and Zarnack lab www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
biorxiv.org
Dissecting the RNA binding capacity of the multi-RRM protein Rrm4 essential for endosomal mRNA transport
RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) utilize multiple RNA-binding domains (RBDs) to engage with extensive mRNA networks. Understanding the intricate interplay of modular RBDs is essential for uncovering RBP fu...
01810
Reposted by Kai Heimel
Michael Feldbrügge @mfeldbruegge.bsky.social · 28/02/2025
Hello Bluesky Community, I am new to bluesky and trying out my first steps. Looking forward for nice interactions
5263
Reposted by Kai Heimel
Charissa de Bekker PhD (she/her) @zombieantdoc.bsky.social · 26/02/2025
Such a great opportunity to present our research at #CMINorwich2025 in front of a room filled with microbiologists with such diverse and exciting research interests.
0143
Reposted by Kai Heimel
Julia Frunzke @frunzkelab.bsky.social · 10/02/2025
Very excited to be part of this great work spearheaded by Nick Wierckx and his team @fz-juelich.de, @hhu.de enabling microbial upcycling of nylon published in Nature Microbiology! www.nature.com/articles/s41... @mibinet.bsky.social
1188
Reposted by Kai Heimel
Uni Göttingen @uni-goettingen.de · 05/02/2025
Unser Senat hat sich heute dafür ausgesprochen, dass Axel Schölmerich übergangsweise mit der Wahrnehmung der Aufgaben eines Präsidenten beauftragt werden soll. Der ehemalige Rektor der @ruhr-uni-bochum.de war in verschiedenen Rollen in der akademischen Selbstverwaltung tätig. Mehr: s.gwdg.de/ZnoURD
Das Aulagebäude der Universität Göttingen

Foto: Frank Stefan Kimmel
051
Reposted by Kai Heimel
Sonja Billerbeck @billerbecks.bsky.social · 03/02/2025
In the original article, we explored how #KillerYeast protect themselves from self-intoxication. For the ionophore toxin #K2, Rianne found that its immunity is encoded within its secretion signal peptide. doi.org/10.1016/j.celr…
131
Reposted by Kai Heimel
scheuring-lab.bsky.social @scheuring-lab.bsky.social · 31/01/2025
Had a great trip to @irtgprotect.bsky.social Göttingen. Heard about exciting science and was amazed by the amount of plant pathologists there! Thanks Daniela Nordzieke for the invitation and @volkerlipka.bsky.social @kaiheimel.bsky.social @thomas-spallek.bsky.social @ifeussner.bsky.social
051