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Alex Ensminger

@legionella.bsky.social
746 followers 602 following 51 posts

Associate Professor, University of Toronto Depts of Biochemistry, Molecular Genetics Legionella, Metaeffectors, Phage, Toxin-Antitoxin systems Former Tufts Postdoc, MIT PhD My id lives on a lake north of Ann Arbor, Michigan ensmingerlab.com

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Reposted by Alex Ensminger
Shaun Brinsmade (he/him) @shaunbrinsmade.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Interested in host-pathogen interactions? Bacterial physiology? Looking to earn a PhD in Washington, DC, with ties to the NIH and NSF? Check out the PhD Program in Biology at Georgetown and the Brinsmade lab. We're recruiting for Fall 2027! @gubiology.bsky.social biology.georgetown.edu/phd-program/
biology.georgetown.edu
Biology Ph.D. Program | Georgetown University
Pursue your Ph.D. in Biology at Georgetown—where cutting-edge research, expert mentorship, and a supportive community prepare you for scientific leadership.
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Department of Biochemistry & Cell Biology at Dartmouth @dartmouthbcb.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
BCB is recruiting a senior faculty member! We seek internationally recognized candidates at the Full Professor level with outstanding records of solving broad biological problems. Learn more and apply here: apply.interfolio.com/192850
apply.interfolio.com
Apply - Interfolio {{$ctrl.$state.data.pageTitle}} - Apply - Interfolio
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Cezar Khursigara @cmkhursigara.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Molecular & Cellular Biology at the University of Guelph is recruiting an Assistant Professor in Molecular & Cellular Biotechnology through the Canada Impact+ Emerging Leaders program. Please share widely! careers.uoguelph.ca/job/Guelph-A...
careers.uoguelph.ca
Assistant Professor (Canada Impact+ Emerging Leader)
Assistant Professor (Canada Impact+ Emerging Leader)
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John Pfaff @johnpfaff.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
Well, guess I'm permanently using Apple Maps. Feckless, tyrant-appeasing Google Maps on the left, has-a-spine-at-least-for-now Apple Maps on the right. I'm so absolutely sick of being humiliated by both my own government and the corporations that keep pandering to our decrepit POTUS.
Google Maps saying Lake (vomit) America.Apple Maps still showing Lake Ontario.
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Brian Stevenson Ph.D. spirochete lab @bstevensonlab.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
Midwest Microbial Pathogenesis Conference Sepember 25-27, 2026 Minneapolis, MN #MicroSky 🦠🧫🧪🧬
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Alex Ensminger @legionella.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
My neighborhood: toronto.citynews.ca/2026/08/17/t...
toronto.citynews.ca
Toronto Public Health probing Legionnaires' disease outbreak
Legionnaires' disease is a serious form of pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria, which occurs naturally in water.
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Noah Whiteman @nkwhiteman.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
I’m thrilled to share that our search for a tenure-track colleague in my *truly wonderful and collegial* Genetics, Genomics, Evolution and Development Division in the MCB Department at Berkeley @berkeleymcb.bsky.social is live! Please share this broad search widely: aprecruit.berkeley.edu/JPF05481
aprecruit.berkeley.edu
Assistant Professor -Genetics, Genomics, Evolution, and Development - Molecular and Cell Biology
University of California, Berkeley is hiring. Apply now!
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Fred Hutch Basic Sciences Division @basicsci.fredhutch.org · 05/08/2026
Join @FredHutch.org's Basic Sciences Division as an Assistant or Associate Professor and help shape the future of fundamental biology. We welcome applicants whose work will complement, extend, or bring new directions to the division.
apply.interfolio.com
Apply - Interfolio
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George O'Toole (he/him/his) @geiselbiofilm.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
Pls share: U of Washington has an opening for a tenure-track faculty position at the rank of Assistant Professor. This position is expected to specialize in molecular virology or bacteriology. Here is a link: microbiology.washington.edu/index.php/ne...
microbiology.washington.edu
Micro is Hiring! | UW Microbiology
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Weird Al Swearengen @peterlynn.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
The Las Vegas skyline from Blade Runner 2049 vs the Toronto skyline from right now.
The Las Vegas skyline from Blade Runner 2049The Toronto skyline from right now
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Alex Ensminger @legionella.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
Back in Toronto after a quick trip to Boston/Cambridge to celebrate the Isberg lab's 40th anniversary. It was great to catch up with lots of good friends, including the "6 cheese, 4 artichokes, 2 tomato basil" that decided to come home to Toronto with me. #pinocchios
A box of pinocchios pizza from Harvard Square riding in a car with Toronto's CN tower in the background.
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Mikko Taipale @miketilapia.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
Our evil ORFeome paper is out! In collaboration with @alex-stark.bsky.social, we screened ~4,000 viral proteins and secreted effectors from bacteria and parasites, covering hundreds of diverse pathogens, for phenotypes in human cells.
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Kresten Lindorff-Larsen @lindorfflarsen.bsky.social · 23/06/2026
Come join the new Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Design as a group leader Cool science in a great scientific environment in wonderful and very family friendly Copenhagen There are two positions that can either be at TT assistant or associate prof level employment.ku.dk/tenure-track...
employment.ku.dk
Tenure-track Assistant Professor or Associate Professor of De novo Protein Design
The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Design at the University of Copenhagen seeks to appoint two new group leaders in de novo protein design from 1 February 2027 or as soon as possible thereafter. These positions will be at the Assistant or Associate Professor level and associated with the Department of Biology (Faculty of Science) or the Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology (Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences).
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George O'Toole (he/him/his) @geiselbiofilm.bsky.social · 23/06/2026
Our Dept of Microbiology & Immunology @Geisel School of Medicine @Dartmouth has an opening for an Assistant Professor. Looking for programs bridging multiple areas in Micro & Immuno. A great place to be! Programs: www.M2P2.org www.dartmouthbiofilm.org Job ad: apply.interfolio.com/187637
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Reese Richardson @reeserichardson.bsky.social · 28/05/2026
TL;DR: We've identified more than 100 cases of apparent manipulation in Thermo Fisher Scientific's antibody verification data. @sholtodavid.bsky.social @johanduchene.bsky.social reeserichardson.blog/2026/05/28/h...
reeserichardson.blog
How much of Thermo Fisher’s antibody data has been manipulated?
We’ve documented more than 100 instances of apparent data manipulation in Thermo’s catalog
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Mara Duncan @mcduncanlab.bsky.social · 14/05/2026
Apply to the Michigan Pioneer Fellows program to turbo-charge your postdoctoral experience. Open to PhD's with one year or less of experience, the Pioneer Fellows program provides fellows with comprehensive support to launch your research-intensive career. The application deadline is August 3rd.
Advertisement for the Michigan pioneers fellow program.
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Dr. Julie Claycomb @farmgirlphd.bsky.social · 13/05/2026
Attention all #RNA26 Montreal @rnasociety.bsky.social attendees! Get your special edition @rnacanada.ca RNEh? tshirt to celebrate your Canadian RNA pride. Order here: gametime.gearware.com/stores/rna thru Friday, May 29th. Delivery ONLY to RNA2026 in MTL/no shipping. Image design by Jasmine Tsang.
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Carmen Buchrieser @cbuch.bsky.social · 14/04/2026
It is our great pleasure to Welcome you to the 11th International Conference on Legionella from September 7-11 2026 in Zūrich, legionella2026.com Registration is Open legionella2026.com/registration/ Early Bird fée Till June 25. Come and join us for this exciting Event!!
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Melanie Blokesch @mblokesch.bsky.social · 29/03/2026
Open postdoc position in my lab on HGT and interbacterial competition. We seek candidates with a PhD in microbiology (or related fields)+ strong 1st-author publications. Curious, highly motivated, and dedicated team players ready to contribute fully are encouraged to apply. Details: tiny.cc/cz01101
tiny.cc
Open Positions
-
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Alex Ensminger @legionella.bsky.social · 07/02/2026
The website for the 2026 Canadian Society of Microbiologists conference in Edmonton (June 16-19) is now live. event.fourwaves.com/csm2026/pages
event.fourwaves.com
CSM 2026 UAlberta Conference
Join CSM 2026 UAlberta Conference, June 16-19, 2026. Learn more on Fourwaves.
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Alex Ensminger @legionella.bsky.social · 31/01/2026
A fun speech-to-text error (in a quote from Michigan State coach Tom Izzo). www.clickondetroit.com/sports/2026/...
He also referenced a controversial hook-and-hold call on Cam Ward for Yaxel Lendeborg that he believed changed the game, though he admitted uncertainty about the specifics.

Izzo was critical of his team’s overall performance, saying, “I was disappointed in the fish eating, but more disappointed in my team. I just did not think we played well enough.”
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Xavier Charpentier @labxc.bsky.social · 13/01/2026
Une opportunité unique de former des étudiants talentueux à la biologie des bactéries à l'ENS Lyon et mener des recherches sur les phages, l'immunité bactérienne, le transfert génétique horizontal (HGT) et/ou les éléments génétiques mobiles au sein du département de bactériologie du CIRI.
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Hany Anany @guelphage-lab.bsky.social · 08/12/2025
I am honoured to serve as Co-Chair of the LOC for @PhageCanada 2025 Virtual Symposium. With an amazing team, we’ve built a strong program featuring outstanding guest&keynote speakers, plus students and postdocs showcasing excellent phage research from across🇨🇦register now👇(1/2)
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Alex Ensminger @legionella.bsky.social · 20/11/2025
Bill Cassidy is not a dupe*
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Alex Ensminger @legionella.bsky.social · 02/11/2025
"It breaks your heart. It is designed to break your heart. The game begins in the spring, when everything else begins again, and it blossoms in the summer, filling the afternoons and evenings, and then as soon as the chill rains come, it stops and leaves you to face the fall alone." - AB Giamatti.
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Anne Chevallereau @annechevallereau.bsky.social · 22/10/2025
JOB OFFER #PhageSky We have a postdoc position opening in my group to investigate phage-MGE interactions ! We're based in the very nice city of Lyon, France @mmsb-lyon.bsky.social Contact me for more info ! >> Apply on the CNRS webpage emploi.cnrs.fr/Offres/CDD/U...
emploi.cnrs.fr
Portail Emploi CNRS - Offre d'emploi - Postdoctoral researcher Microbiology (M/F)
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Gc Rox @gcrox.bsky.social · 21/10/2025
Microbiology Postdoctoral Position (Please re-post) A funded postdoctoral position in Chicago will open in 2026 to study aspects of Neisseria gonorrhoeae pathogenesis, antigenic variation, genetics, or physiology. If interested, please get in touch with Hank Seifert h-seifert@northwestern.edu
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Asher Cutter @asherdcutter.bsky.social · 09/10/2025
Toronto's ROM is hiring 2 new curators! Botany & Ornithology. Come be part of the Toronto EEB community, with cross-appt in my dept at UofT @romtoronto.bsky.social royalontariomuseum.applytojob.com/apply/XBR2Yc... royalontariomuseum.applytojob.com/apply/Sf2iAO...
royalontariomuseum.applytojob.com
Curator of Birds - Royal Ontario Museum - Career Page
Apply to Curator of Birds at Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto, ON, Canada.
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Mathieu Quesnel-Vallières @rna-ken.bsky.social · 03/10/2025
Open rank tenure-track position in comp bio at the University of Montreal. Great environment, great position. @futurepislack.bsky.social medecine.umontreal.ca/wp-content/u...
medecine.umontreal.ca
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Erin Green @erinrgreen.bsky.social · 04/10/2025
Job alert ‼️ UChicago Micro is hiring! Open to tenured/tenure track faculty at all levels in any area of microbiology. Come join our amazing and growing department. apply.interfolio.com/174404
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George O'Toole (he/him/his) @geiselbiofilm.bsky.social · 30/09/2025
Please share - an Assist Prof position in microbiology employmentopportunities.umb.edu/mob/cw/en-us... @asm.org
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Lori Passmore @lapassmore.bsky.social · 27/09/2025
We have an open post-doc position in my group to study mRNA cleavage and polyadenylation using biochemical reconstitution and cryoEM. Please get in touch if you are interested in joining this amazing team! 🔬🧬🤩 #RNA #cryoEM
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Alex Ensminger @legionella.bsky.social · 23/09/2025
Nice writeup of our discovery of the first Legionella phage from @uoftmedicine.bsky.social. A special thanks to Betty Zou for being interested in our latest work. temertymedicine.utoronto.ca/news/scienti...
temertymedicine.utoronto.ca
Scientists identify first virus to infect Legionella, revealing evolutionary origins of Legionnaire's disease
U of T researchers have made the first discovery of a virus that infects Legionella pneumophila, the bacteria that causes Legionnaires’ disease.
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Alex Ensminger @legionella.bsky.social · 15/09/2025
The boat and dock are out of the water :( but had a nice weekend in Michigan. Thanks to @farmgirlphd.bsky.social, expert boat driver.
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Sofya Garushyants @garushyants.bsky.social · 15/09/2025
hey bluesky 👋 visa hurdles mean I’m looking for opportunities outside the US. I’m a computational biologist (bacterial + phage genomics, postdoc in Koonin’s group @ NIH). I am interested in teaming up on funding apps. reach out if this resonates!
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Shefali @iamshef.bsky.social · 04/09/2025
I can't say enough about how amazing the #peerreview program truly is. If you're an #earlycareer researcher - this is an incredible opportunity. #genetics
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Dr. Julie Claycomb @farmgirlphd.bsky.social · 03/09/2025
Congrats to my better half @legionella.bsky.social and his lab and collaborators on this cool discovery! TLDR, they've identified and re-animated a bacteriophage of Legionella pneumophila, a bacteria long thought to not be susceptible to phage attack. Check it out! 🦠
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Alex Ensminger @legionella.bsky.social · 03/09/2025
Sorry for the late reply ‪@superbug-slayer.bsky.social ‪@roblavigne.bsky.social‬. Here's a Legionella phage & it likely shaped the emergence of Legionnaires' in the first place! www.science.org/doi/10.1126/... (cryoEM w/ @smlea.bsky.social @justindeme.bsky.social). #phage #legionella #legionnaires
A Twitter conversation from 2019 in search of the elusive Legionella phages.
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Alex Ensminger @legionella.bsky.social · 28/08/2025
From outside the Isberg lab, circa 2010. Artist unknown.
A cartoon of three amoebae sitting around a table. One, wearing glasses, appears to be smoking.
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Alex Ensminger @legionella.bsky.social · 27/08/2025
Independence Lake, Michigan - Aug 26, 2025.
A large rainbow over a lake.
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Omaya Dudin 𓂆 ¦🍉¦🦠¦🔬¦ @dudinlab.bsky.social · 27/08/2025
+1 here. Reach us out early enough ! Getting funding and personal timelines aligned rarely happens over night !
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Amanda Amodeo @aaamodeo.bsky.social · 14/08/2025
My Department (Biology) at @dartmouthartsci.bsky.social is hiring this year! We have an opening for a Tenure Track Cell and/or Molecular biologist (broadly defined). Please share with your trainees/labmates/friends and reach out if you have questions. apply.interfolio.com/171625
apply.interfolio.com
Apply - Interfolio {{$ctrl.$state.data.pageTitle}} - Apply - Interfolio
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Alex Ensminger @legionella.bsky.social · 18/08/2025
From former PhD Student Jordan Lin (now a postdoc w/ Ami Bhatt), in which we describe a contact-dependent, cell-extrinsic response to genotoxic stress. #MicroSky. A bacterial toxin-antitoxin system involved in an unusual response to genotoxic stress | EMBO reports www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
embopress.org
A bacterial toxin-antitoxin system involved in an unusual response to genotoxic stress | EMBO reports
imageimageThe GndRX system in Legionella pneumophila is a predicted toxin-antitoxin module that causes death during DNA stress. GndRX has non-canonical functionality and appears to be the consequence ...
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Petra Levin @redrockcity.bsky.social · 15/08/2025
Elio Schaechter was one of my heroes. His 1958 paper with Ole Maaløe and Niels Kjeldgaard (fondly known as “SMK”) is a North Star for so much work in my group. A wonderful scientist, great communicator, and a very kind person. May his memory be a blessing.
Elio Schaechter and Petra in San Diego
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Alex Ensminger @legionella.bsky.social · 15/08/2025
Adventures in owning a 32-yo Malibu Flightcraft... You don't need to be a boat mechanic to guess which of these water pump impellers was old, which is new, and why the engine was overheating last week. Also, thanks to Amazon.com and youtube, I had the boat running again in less than 24 hours.
Two inboard water pump housings with rubber impellers. The left one has totally disintegrated whereas the right one is brand new.
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ᐯIᑕTOᖇ ᑎIᘔET, ᗰᗪ @nizet.bsky.social · 15/08/2025
Saddened to learn of the passing of Moselio "Elio" Schaechter—Distinguished Professor at Tufts, SDSU and UCSD—humanist and visionary leader in the fields of microbiology and scientific communication—mentor, friend, and inspiration to me and so many others Small Things Considered Big Things Achieved
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Alana Kinrich @alanakinrich.medsky.social · 31/07/2025
The only time I diagnosed legionella pneumonia is when I was a resident in NYC, a man came in with cough/fever, said he was an AC repairman, and that his boss told him to go get checked for legionnaires. It was like a test question walked in as a patient and then also gave me the right answer.
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Nature Microbiology @natmicrobiol.nature.com · 30/07/2025
#Review A discussion on the processes driving bacterial evolution and emergence of pathogenesis within hosts, the importance of understanding within-host genetic diversity, and the implications for transmission analysis and infectious disease control. #MicroSky 🦠 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
nature.com
Within-host bacterial evolution and the emergence of pathogenicity - Nature Microbiology
In this Review, Tonkin-Hill et al. discuss the processes driving bacterial evolution and emergence of pathogenesis within hosts, the importance of understanding within-host genetic diversity, and the ...
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Alex Ensminger @legionella.bsky.social · 23/07/2025
The #CIHR Microbiology and Infectious Disease panel had a 13% success rate in Project Grant decisions released last week. Overall success was just over 15% across all panels. Worst success rate in recent memory. This is not what seizing the moment or investing in the future looks like.🇨🇦📉 #canpoli.
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Markus Landthaler @landthalerm.bsky.social · 22/07/2025
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
cell.com
SPIDR enables multiplexed mapping of RNA-protein interactions and uncovers a mechanism for selective translational suppression upon cell stress
SPIDR, a massively multiplexed method that simultaneously maps dozens of RNA-binding proteins to their RNA targets at single-nucleotide resolution, uncovers new RNA-protein interactions and provides c...
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