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Stephen J. Tucker

@profkalium.bsky.social
395 followers 298 following 38 posts

Ion Channel Biophysics, K+ Channels, OXION PhD programme, University of Oxford, Dept Physics & Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery etc... But all views my own

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Reposted by Stephen J. Tucker
Sergey Ovchinnikov @sokrypton.org · 14/09/2026
Finally a more intuitaive way to learn pLDDT/pAE? 😎 sokrypton.github.io/protein_figh... (Character idea from @hannes-stark.bsky.social & Alex Waldherr)
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Reposted by Stephen J. Tucker
Bantshire University @bantshireuni.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
🚨 STUDENTS: A siren warning will blast from your phone daily at 7am to test our new 'Lecture Attendance' alert system.
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Reposted by Stephen J. Tucker
Journal of General Physiology @jgp.org · 13/08/2026
Equivalent gain-of-function variants in KCNK3 and KCNK9 and their contribution to distinct TASK K2P channelopathies. From Kate Crowther, Thibault Jouen-Tachoire, Reza Maroofian @reza-maroofian.bsky.social, Stephen J. Tucker @profkalium.bsky.social @ox.ac.uk & colleagues: rupress.org/jgp/article/...
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Stephen J. Tucker @profkalium.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
Whoops! Most arXiv papers contain information never meant to be shared www.nature.com/articles/d41...
nature.com
Whoops! Most arXiv papers contain information never meant to be shared
Passwords, GPS coordinates and private conversations have all been found in the metadata and source files of millions of preprint submissions.
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Reposted by Stephen J. Tucker
Dmitry Grozoubinski @explaintrade.com · 12/05/2026
Why does the UK keep inventing these impenetrable and arcane processes for selecting a leader when "Bake Off" already exists.
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Stephen J. Tucker @profkalium.bsky.social · 25/02/2026
Our latest work on the structural determinants for GPCR-mediated inhibition of TASK K2P channels by diacylglycerol is now finally published open access @embojournal.org link.springer.com/article/10.1...
link.springer.com
Structural determinants for GPCR-mediated inhibition of TASK K2P channels by diacylglycerol and its dysfunction in disease - The EMBO Journal
Two-Pore Domain K+ (K2P) channels are crucial determinants of the resting membrane potential and of cellular electrical excitability in many different cell types. TASK-1 and TASK-3 K2P channel activit...
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Stephen J. Tucker @profkalium.bsky.social · 05/02/2026
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...?
cell.com
Molecular architecture of human dermal sleeping nociceptors
Integration of electrophysiology with single-cell transcriptomics defines the molecular signature of human dermal sleeping nociceptors and reveals oncostatin M as a selective modulator of these neuron...
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Reposted by Stephen J. Tucker
Derek Lowe @dereklowe.bsky.social · 04/02/2026
Welcome, piles of slop filling up the journals with clouds of useless wordy garbage. Case in point:
science.org
What the Literature is Filling Up With
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Reposted by Stephen J. Tucker
Richard Sever @richardsever.bsky.social · 03/02/2026
"AI is rapidly populating medical records with synthetic content, creating a feedback loop [that] drives a rapid erosion of pathological variability and diagnostic reliability...this renders AI generated documentation clinically useless after just two generations" www.medrxiv.org/content/10.6...
medrxiv.org
AI-generated data contamination erodes pathological variability and diagnostic reliability
Generative artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly populating medical records with synthetic content, creating a feedback loop where future models are increasingly at risk of training on uncurated AI ...
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Reposted by Stephen J. Tucker
Journal of General Physiology @jgp.org · 26/12/2025
A critical residue mediates proper assembly and gating of GIRK2 channels. New study from Ha Nguyen, Paul A. Slesinger and colleagues @sinaibrain.bsky.social: rupress.org/jgp/article/... #Biochemistry #MolecularPharmacology #ProteinStructure #ProteinDynamics #Biophysics #IonChannels
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Reposted by Stephen J. Tucker
Oded Rechavi @odedrechavi.bsky.social · 29/01/2026
“ok so this is embarrassing but just for the record and just so we have it, your C.V says "Nature Scientific Reports"? sorry to have to even ask”
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Stephen J. Tucker @profkalium.bsky.social · 26/01/2026
Light-induced analgesia via UV-activation of TRAAK K2P K+ channels. A great new paper from Guillaume Sandoz and colleagues that I was fortunate enough to be able to contribute to. www.nature.com/articles/s41...
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Reposted by Stephen J. Tucker
Phill Stansfeld @pstansfeld.bsky.social · 25/12/2025
🌟 New Tool Alert! 
We present MemPrO – a toolkit for orienting and building membrane protein systems: 
✅ Membrane protein orientation 
✅ Mixed membrane building 
✅ Double membranes & curvature 
✅ Peptidoglycan cell wall support 🔗 github.com/pstansfeld/mempro 
📖 pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...
pubs.acs.org
MemPrO: A Predictive Tool for Membrane Protein Orientation
Membrane proteins play a vital role in numerous cellular processes, including ion transport, intercellular communication, and antibiotic resistance. Ensuring their accurate orientation within lipid bi...
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Reposted by Stephen J. Tucker
Andrew Plested @andrewplested.bsky.social · 18/12/2025
A beautiful website/open textbook with superb cartoon illustrations of neurons, synapses, NMDA receptors, you name it! A world away from the mountains of garbage on ResearchGate. These superb illustrations by @eliza-coli.bsky.social should be better known! openpress.sussex.ac.uk/introduction...
openpress.sussex.ac.uk
Neuronal transmission – Introduction to Biological Psychology
An open textbook for Biological Psychology undergraduate students.
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Reposted by Stephen J. Tucker
PlessLab @plesslab.bsky.social · 26/11/2025
To all trainees interested in channels and transporters: the joint FEBS/EMBO course will go ahead in Erice, Italy from May 13-19 2026: network.febs.org/posts/new-jo... Further details to come soon. Please share and repost.
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Reposted by Stephen J. Tucker
Oded Rechavi @odedrechavi.bsky.social · 23/11/2025
"We thank the reviewers for their helpful suggestions"
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Stephen J. Tucker @profkalium.bsky.social · 13/09/2025
Translational ion channel research at its best. The 2025 Lasker~DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award goes to Michael Welsh, Tito González, and Paul Negulescu for their role in developing a novel drug treatment for cystic fibrosis.
youtu.be
Targeting cystic fibrosis where it counts
YouTube video by Albert and Mary Lasker Foundation
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Stephen J. Tucker @profkalium.bsky.social · 06/09/2025
Cocaine-activated ion channels... www.nature.com/articles/s41...
nature.com
Cocaine chemogenetics blunts drug-seeking by synthetic physiology - Nature
Cocaine chemogenetics in rats is a selective approach for countering drug reinforcement by clamping dopamine release in the presence of cocaine.
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Stephen J. Tucker @profkalium.bsky.social · 27/08/2025
Fantastic to see @richardsever.bsky.social and John Inglis honoured with this award for their contribution to @biorxivpreprint.bsky.social and the way preprints have transfomed scientific communication in the biosciences.
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Stephen J. Tucker @profkalium.bsky.social · 20/08/2025
Great new work from the Newstead & Bennett labs @ox.ac.uk www.nature.com/articles/s41...
nature.com
SLC45A4 is a pain gene encoding a neuronal polyamine transporter - Nature
The SLC45A4 gene encodes a neuronal polyamine transporter and is linked to pain response in humans and mice.
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Reposted by Stephen J. Tucker
Ardem Patapoutian @ardemp.bskyverified.social · 13/08/2025
Over 20 years after Julius’s lab and mine cloned TRPM8, it is rewarding to see this science helping patients. The TRPM8 agonist Tryptyr treats dry eye by increasing tear production. A reminder that NIH-funded curiosity-driven research translates to medicines. tryptyr.myalcon.com?gad_source=1...
tryptyr.myalcon.com
TRYPTYR (acoltremon ophthalmic solution) 0.003% eye drops | Alcon US
TRYPTYR is a prescription eye drop used for the treatment of the signs and symptoms of dry eye disease. See prescribing information, how to save, and more.
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Reposted by Stephen J. Tucker
profserious @profserious.bsky.social · 10/08/2025
Very few people seem to understand university finances and, distressingly, this includes many academics and most policymakers. This is an attempt to condense the key points you need to know. open.substack.com/pub/profseri...
open.substack.com
Understanding University Finances
... a very short guide
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Stephen J. Tucker @profkalium.bsky.social · 06/08/2025
Our latest preprint on the mechanism of GqPCR regulation of TASK K2P channels. biorxiv.org/content/earl...
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Stephen J. Tucker @profkalium.bsky.social · 30/07/2025
Open to applicants currently based overseas, the Accelerated International Route provides up to £4 million over a five-year period to outstanding mid-career STEM researchers looking to relocate to the UK.
royalsociety.org
Faraday Discovery Fellowships Accelerated International Route | Royal Society
The Faraday Discovery Fellowships Accelerated International Route provides a fast-track option for attracting mid-career researchers looking to relocate to the UK from overseas, providing up to £4m ov...
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Reposted by Stephen J. Tucker
Dan Minor @electrosomeucsf.bsky.social · 15/06/2025
New work from our lab. Structures of K2P6.1 (TWIK2) that yield a new and suprising perspective on how lipids affect K2P channels. Great work from Abishek Mondal and Sangeeta Niranjan in my lab. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
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Reposted by Stephen J. Tucker
The Royal Society @royalsociety.org · 04/06/2025
We are reviewing the current state of scientific publishing, and we want to hear from researchers on their perceptions of publishing in the current context and how it might develop in future. Complete our short survey now:
forms.royalsociety.org
The Future of Scientific Publishing - survey
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Reposted by Stephen J. Tucker
Wojciech Kopec @wojciechkopec.bsky.social · 22/05/2025
www.qmul.ac.uk/media/news/2...
qmul.ac.uk
Electrophysiology at atomic resolution: scientists simulate ion channel currents with unprecedented accuracy
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Stephen J. Tucker @profkalium.bsky.social · 16/05/2025
Fascinating new study on origin of thermosensitivity in TREK K2P channels.... link.springer.com/article/10.1...
link.springer.com
Thermosensitivity of TREK K2P channels is controlled by a PKA switch and depends on the microtubular network - Pflügers Archiv - European Journal of Physiology
Temperature sensing is an essential component of animal perception and enables individuals to avoid painful or lethal temperatures. Many temperature sensors in central and peripheral neurons are ion c...
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Reposted by Stephen J. Tucker
Steve Wang @stevewang251.bsky.social · 26/04/2025
Heard from a former (undergrad) student who just defended her PhD. Students: tell your old profs about your successes and achievements. It's not bragging, and we love to hear about it. It's one of the best parts of being an educator. #academicsky
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Stephen J. Tucker @profkalium.bsky.social · 25/04/2025
Fascinating new work and CryoEM structures from Stephen Long's group showing the BEST Cl- channel is regulated by extracellular GABA | PNAS www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
pnas.org
The pentameric chloride channel BEST1 is activated by extracellular GABA | PNAS
Bestrophin-1 (BEST1) is a chloride channel expressed in the eye and other tissues of the body. A link between BEST1 and the principal inhibitory ne...
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Stephen J. Tucker @profkalium.bsky.social · 23/04/2025
Great work from colleagues @ndcnoxford.bsky.social describing structures of the human adult muscle-type nicotinic receptor in resting and desensitized states. www.cell.com/cell-reports...
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Reposted by Stephen J. Tucker
Greg Jenner (Historian) @gregjenner.bsky.social · 23/04/2025
Someone on Threads noticed you can type any random sentence into Google, then add “meaning” afterwards, and you’ll get an AI explanation of a famous idiom or phrase you just made up. Here is mine

• Al Overview
The idiom "you can't lick a badger twice" means you can't trick or deceive someone a second time after they've been tricked once. It's a warning that if someone has already been deceived, they are unlikely to fall for the same trick again.
Here's a more detailed explanation:
• Licking: "Licking" in this context means to trick or deceive someone.
• Badger: The badger is a wild animal, and the phrase likely originates from the historical sport of badger baiting where dogs were used to harass
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Reposted by Stephen J. Tucker
Ash Jogalekar @ashjogalekar.bsky.social · 19/04/2025
Friday night levity: Only my old professor Fred Menger could start an important paper this way and get away with it. He's always been a hoot, and a brilliant hoot to boot.
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Reposted by Stephen J. Tucker
Chris Lintott @chrislintott.bsky.social · 17/04/2025
At some point we need to have a discussion about the ethics of participation in press releases as scientists. From today’s K2-18b saga, Nikku Madhusudhan in the press release says ‘The signal came through loud and clear’ (1/n)
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Stephen J. Tucker @profkalium.bsky.social · 31/03/2025
Two days of Ion Channels on the beautiful Hinxton Hall Genome Campus talking about the work from my team @kavlioxford.bsky.social #IonChannels25
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Reposted by Stephen J. Tucker
Hugues Nury @hugbum.bsky.social · 27/03/2025
New preprint! @tatilab.bsky.social imaged the honeybee GABAA RDL receptor. ~10% of insecticides target insect GABAA receptors. She found a new allosteric modulation pocket, a PIP2 site, a closed avermectin-bound conformation, and maybe an unusual desensitized state. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
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Ed Twomey @cryoet.bsky.social · 26/03/2025
Here's our newest study: we reveal the molecular principles of neuronal excitation by glutamate, and how physiological temperatures influence this process. www.nature.com/articles/s41... www.nature.com/articles/d41... Led by @anish-mondal07.bsky.social, published in @natureportfolio.nature.com
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Stephen J. Tucker @profkalium.bsky.social · 21/03/2025
Amazing new study on Kv channels and how sleep protects neuronal membranes against oxidative damage www.nature.com/articles/s41...
nature.com
Sleep pressure accumulates in a voltage-gated lipid peroxidation memory - Nature
Sleep-inducing neurons in Drosophila rely on Hyperkinetic, the β-subunit of the KV1 channel Shaker, to monitor sleep need by translating lipid peroxidation events into changes in the oxidation state o...
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Reposted by Stephen J. Tucker
The Kavli Foundation @kavlifoundation.org · 13/03/2025
(1 of 2) If you’re a researcher focused on basic science, chances are that you’ve received #SciComm advice to make your work relevant by discussing its possible applications. But what if your day-to-day work doesn't focus on areas with direct applications?  publuu.com/flip-book/68...
publuu.com
Insights and Practical Considerations for Communicating Basic Science
Welcome to interactive presentation, created with Publuu. Enjoy the reading!
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Reposted by Stephen J. Tucker
Richard Sever @richardsever.bsky.social · 11/03/2025
"exciting to see this key piece of infrastructure really get the attention that it deserves" @katiecorker.bsky.social on the new non-profit that will run bioRxiv and medRxiv www.nature.com/articles/d41...
nature.com
Preprint sites bioRxiv and medRxiv launch new era of independence
The popular repositories, where life scientists post research before peer review, will be managed by a new organization called openRxiv.
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Stephen J. Tucker @profkalium.bsky.social · 11/03/2025
openRxiv - the new home for bioRxiv and medRxiv
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Stephen J. Tucker @profkalium.bsky.social · 07/03/2025
Fascinating study from @physiologyiscool.bsky.social showing that Kir7.1 is the physiological target for hormones and steroids that regulate uteroplacental function | Science Advances www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
science.org
Kir7.1 is the physiological target for hormones and steroids that regulate uteroplacental function
Progesterone and progestins activate Kir7.1 to control uterine excitability, offering insights for preterm birth therapy.
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Reposted by Stephen J. Tucker
Masud Husain @masudhusain.bsky.social · 06/03/2025
Why academia is sleepwalking into self-destruction. My editorial @brain1878.bsky.social If you agree with the sentiments please repost. It's important for all our sakes to stop the madness academic.oup.com/brain/articl...
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Stephen J. Tucker @profkalium.bsky.social · 27/02/2025
A pretty view from my recent drive down the Oregon coast.
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Stephen J. Tucker @profkalium.bsky.social · 26/02/2025
A great phrase... "A growing thicket of THIK structures" 😂
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Stephen J. Tucker @profkalium.bsky.social · 26/02/2025
Our latest work on the structure/function of the THIK-1 K2P channel is now out! Lots of interesting features in this important drug target. Another study on THIK-1 from @electrosomeucsf.bsky.social also appears in NSMB. rdcu.be/ebmow Congrats to Karin, my team and all my fantastic collaborators
rdcu.be
Cryo-EM structure of the human THIK-1 K2P K+ channel reveals a lower Y gate regulated by lipids and anesthetics
Nature Structural & Molecular Biology - In this study, Rödström et al. use cryo-EM to reveal a range of structural features in THIK-1 K+ channel and demonstrate how these features...
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Stephen J. Tucker @profkalium.bsky.social · 25/02/2025
newsmediauk.org/blog/2025/02...
newsmediauk.org
UK Creative Industries Launch ‘Make it Fair Campaign - News Media Association
The UK’s creative industries have today launched a bold campaign to highlight how their content is at risk of being given away for free to AI firms as the government proposes weakening copyright law. ...
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Stephen J. Tucker @profkalium.bsky.social · 25/02/2025
More K2P channel structures - this time TWIK2 with an interesting twist in the filter.... Congrats to @vikasnavaratna.bsky.social and team....
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Craig Kaplan @triggerloop.bsky.social · 24/02/2025
Look at this crazy thing
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Stephen J. Tucker @profkalium.bsky.social · 19/02/2025
Our 160th Chancellor www.ox.ac.uk/news/2025-02...
ox.ac.uk
Lord Hague's Chancellor admission speech | University of Oxford
Speech by Lord Hague of Richmond on his admission as Chancellor of the University of Oxford, 19 February 2025
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