Sign in

Rachel Darnell

@rachel-darnell19.bsky.social
55 followers 31 following 6 posts

Microbiologist and researcher at Newcastle University (UK). Interested in cell envelope stress responses and their regulatory role in antimicrobial tolerance and resistance in Gram-positive bacteria.

PostsRepliesMedia
Reposted by Rachel Darnell
Henrik Strahl @henrikstrahl.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
We are very happy to announce that our Wellcome Trust Discovery Award proposal on crosstalk between bacterial machines on genes (PI Nikolay Zenkin, Co-Is @sergeymelnikov.bsky.social and me) has been funded! Stay tuned for open postdoc positions!
2232
Reposted by Rachel Darnell
Gavin Thomas (he/him) @gavinhthomas.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Next Wednesday we're running a live webinar on examining the genomes of examples of the 6 ESKAPE pathogens, using tools available in MORF Genomes. Come & learn about AMR gene and genomes using our visual browser-based tools. www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/how-superb...
eventbrite.co.uk
How Superbugs Escape: Comparative Genomics of ESKAPE Pathogens with MORF
Dive into the sneaky world of superbugs and see how the MORF platform helps crack the code on ESKAPE pathogens' escape tricks.
045
Rachel Darnell @rachel-darnell19.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
A new preprint out doi.org/10.64898/202... exploring the bioenergetics and metabolism of the bacterial pathogen Enterococcus faecalis with some very interesting results! Fantastic work from @olivia-paxie.bsky.social during her PhD!
doi.org
183
Reposted by Rachel Darnell
Nature Microbiology @natmicrobiol.nature.com · 17/08/2026
Out Now! Quinone-transporting filaments expand bioenergetic capacity in Gram-positive Bacillota #MicroSky
go.nature.com
Quinone-transporting filaments expand bioenergetic capacity in Gram-positive Bacillota
Nature Microbiology, Published online: 17 August 2026; doi:10.1038/s41564-026-02450-zBacillus subtilis Ncp and NADH dehydrogenase form tube-like filaments with phospholipid-lined chambers that associate with quinones, which can expand bioenergetic capacity and support respiratory electron transfer.
03210
Reposted by Rachel Darnell
heathmurraylab.bsky.social @heathmurraylab.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
Another collaborative paper from the @ilango-aravind.bsky.social & @heathmurraylab.bsky.social team, here focused on the essential DNA replication initiation protein DnaB in Bacillus subtilis. Credit to Aurélie Guyet, Fred Schramm and @winterhalterlab.bsky.social academic.oup.com/nar/article/...
academic.oup.com
Validate User
1117
Reposted by Rachel Darnell
The Daily Pub @thedailypub.bsky.social · 03/06/2026
GeneScanner: profiling genetic variation across bacterial populations.
doi.org
GeneScanner: profiling genetic variation across bacterial populations.
Published in Microbial genomics
032
Reposted by Rachel Darnell
matthieublandenet.bsky.social @matthieublandenet.bsky.social · 14/05/2026
Thanks to the organisers of the ‘2026 Celebration of Microbiology’ for letting me talk about RodA in Bacillus subtilis! It was great to share a summary of the last 3 years with @seamusholden.bsky.social and @henrikstrahl.bsky.social
2102
Reposted by Rachel Darnell
Lis Lowe @lislowe.bsky.social · 15/05/2026
First paper for PhD student in the Bolam / Lowe labs Natalia Łoś on a the characterisation of a new CBM family that binds (beta) mannan! #glycotime @natalia-los.bsky.social 🥳🥳 link.springer.com/article/10.1...
link.springer.com
Unusual molecular architecture of a human gut microbiota β-mannanase reveals a new CBM family - Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences
β-mannans are plant structural and storage polysaccharides prevalent in the human diet. Their degradation in the gastrointestinal tract is mediated by the human gut microbiota (HGM) through expression...
01910
Reposted by Rachel Darnell
Lis Lowe @lislowe.bsky.social · 14/05/2026
Time for @kateduncan.bsky.social to talk about chemistry and why microbes use it via some interactive questions
2104
Reposted by Rachel Darnell
Kate Beckham @kshbeckham.bsky.social · 14/05/2026
Great talk from @kasiamic.bsky.social kicking off the Microbiology Research Celebration. @mhd-newcastle.bsky.social @cbcb-newcastle.bsky.social @medicalsciencesncl.bsky.social
193
Reposted by Rachel Darnell
Dr Katherine Duncan @kateduncan.bsky.social · 14/05/2026
We start of the ‘2026 Celebration of Microbiology’ event @newcastleuni.bsky.social @medicalsciencesncl.bsky.social organised by PhD and Postdoc reps from @mhd-newcastle.bsky.social @cbcb-newcastle.bsky.social Chloe, Natalia, Rachel and Jean-Lou
1145
Reposted by Rachel Darnell
Henrik Strahl @henrikstrahl.bsky.social · 05/05/2026
Our B. subtilis autolysis paper by former group members Kenneth Seistrup and @alansckoh.bsky.social is finally out. This one has been lingering in my drawer for far too long. (1/3). #microsky www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
biorxiv.org
12712
Reposted by Rachel Darnell
Caro Kobras 🐍 @carokobras.bsky.social · 23/04/2026
Super exciting news 🚨 I am hiring a technician to join my brand new lab at the University of Birmingham! @imibirmingham.bsky.social Come and support my BBSRC-funded research on understanding how staphylococci survive antibiotics. Please share! 🧫🧪 www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DRH271/a...
jobs.ac.uk
Assistant Technical Specialist at University of Birmingham
Searching for an academic job? Explore this Assistant Technical Specialist opening on jobs.ac.uk! Click to view more details and browse other academic jobs.
23132
Reposted by Rachel Darnell
hobbslabmicro.bsky.social @hobbslabmicro.bsky.social · 17/04/2026
The programme for this year's BSAC Antibiotic Resistance Mechanisms workshop is live! Take a look at the fantastic speaker line-up: @gmknght.bsky.social @bugsinblood.bsky.social @slowgoing.bsky.social @strain9000.bsky.social to name but a few! bsac.org.uk/arm2026/ @bsacandjac.bsky.social
bsac.org.uk
163
Reposted by Rachel Darnell
hobbslabmicro.bsky.social @hobbslabmicro.bsky.social · 17/04/2026
@conmeehan.bsky.social @rachel-darnell19.bsky.social @johnlees.bacpop.org
002
Reposted by Rachel Darnell
Henrik Strahl @henrikstrahl.bsky.social · 14/01/2026
www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DQC394
jobs.ac.uk
Research Assistant/Associate Bacteria at Newcastle University
Discover Research Assistant/Associate Bacteria jobs and more in higher education on jobs.ac.uk. Apply for further details on the top job board.
001
Reposted by Rachel Darnell
AVERT project @avertproject.bsky.social · 13/01/2026
💼JOB OFFER: There is a great opportunity for #PDRAs to join the #KathrynLilley #UniversityofCambridge lab to work on an ancient set of effector proteins IM30 family, that promote membrane integrity. See: www.cam.ac.uk/jobs/researc.... Apply by the 13th Feb
cam.ac.uk
Research Associate - Lilley Group (Fixed Term)
Postdoctoral Research Associate to apply proteomics technologies to an ancient universal bacterial membrane effector system The post is a key part of an existing major 5-year BBSRC sLoLa award to
024
Reposted by Rachel Darnell
Syma Khalid @sykhalid.bsky.social · 05/12/2025
Our paper on polymyxin interacting with the E. coli outer membrane is out! Simulations by the very talented @dheerajprakaash.bsky.social www.nature.com/articles/s42... To scale outer membrane protein island simulated at coarse-grained resolution with portions refined at all atom resolution.
nature.com
Polymyxins slow down lateral diffusion of proteins and lipopolysaccharide in the E. coli outer membrane - Communications Biology
Multi-scale molecular dynamics simulations reveal that polymyxins form polymyxin-protein aggregates upon associating with the E. coli outer membrane thereby reducing lateral mobility of outer membrane...
55829
Reposted by Rachel Darnell
Neha Ramchandani @neharamchandani.bsky.social · 28/11/2025
I had a great time at the @bsacandjac.bsky.social ARM workshop! I met some wonderful scientists and had great discussions about my work! Also, I walked away with a poster prize!! Thanks for organising @friendlymicrobe.bsky.social @conmeehan.bsky.social
1163
Reposted by Rachel Darnell
Sean Meaden @seanmeaden.bsky.social · 27/11/2025
Two fully-funded PhD openings in my research group at the University of York. If you’re excited about viromes, phage biology, Nanopore sequencing, soils and the odd bit of alpine or agricultural field sampling, we’d love to hear from you! 🌱🦠🏔️ tiny.cc/c4pv001 tiny.cc/e4pv001
tiny.cc
A Farewell to Arms: The Trade-off Between Growth and Defence in Bacteria (York YBDTP Project) at University of York on FindAPhD.com
PhD Project - A Farewell to Arms: The Trade-off Between Growth and Defence in Bacteria (York YBDTP Project) at University of York, listed on FindAPhD.com
01827
Rachel Darnell @rachel-darnell19.bsky.social · 27/11/2025
Presenting a collection of projects spanning my time at the University of Otago and Newcastle University was a squeeze, but I think I managed! @avertproject.bsky.social @bsacandjac.bsky.social
162
Rachel Darnell @rachel-darnell19.bsky.social · 27/11/2025
Just arrived at the BSAC Antibiotic Resistance and Mechanisms workshop in Birmingham, looking forward to some great talks and discussions over the next two days! @bsacandjac.bsky.social @neharamchandani.bsky.social @taylorwr.bsky.social
072
Reposted by Rachel Darnell
Henrik Strahl @henrikstrahl.bsky.social · 24/11/2025
Now properly published at @natcomms.nature.com with few additional experiments incl. demonstration of Daptomycin's ability to depolarise non-growing cells. See the original preprint-thread for a summary of our findings. www.nature.com/articles/s41... #microsky
nature.com
The last resort antibiotic daptomycin exhibits two independent antibacterial mechanisms of action - Nature Communications
The precise mechanism of action of the antibiotic daptomycin is controversial. Here, Buttress et al. provide evidence for two independent antibacterial mechanisms: membrane depolarisation and inhibiti...
07828
Reposted by Rachel Darnell
Kimberly Kline 🏔 @kimingeneva.bsky.social · 17/11/2025
Why does daptomycin resistance appear so fast in Enterococcus? We finally have a clue. DAP resistance in enterococci pops up quickly. What’s been missing is why resistance-associated membrane changes look the way they do, and why the classic path of mutations is so predictable.
35128
Rachel Darnell @rachel-darnell19.bsky.social · 19/11/2025
New paper out in AAC looking at the development of hyper-tolerance and cross-tolerance to cell wall-targeting antimicrobials via mutations in the mevalonate and Epa biosynthesis pathways and the LiaFSR cell envelope stress response. Check it out here: doi.org/10.1128/aac....
doi.org
Prolonged exposure to teixobactin generates cross-tolerance to other cell wall-targeting antimicrobials in Enterococcus faecalis | Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy
Antimicrobial tolerance (AMT) is the ability of a microorganism to survive but not proliferate during high-dose antimicrobial treatment (1). Mechanisms of AMT have been linked to many different cellul...
141