iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Reposted by Sean Booth

Oliver Meacock @olimeacock.bsky.social · 25/05/2026

Delighted to see this out in its final form! doi.org/10.1093/isme... We established a discussion group focussed on the history of community ecology and how it informs our understanding of microbiota. This review distils those discussions to provide a guide for microbiologists entering the field

doi.org

A microbiologist’s field guide to community ecology

Abstract. Many microbiological outcomes are shaped by the determinants of community composition, including the factors that allow pathogens to invade healt

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Reposted by Sean Booth

Connor Sharp @magicmicrobe.bsky.social · 18/05/2026

What determines who wins in bacterial competition? We review how the environment can influence bacterial warfare! Hopefully interesting for anyone who likes Bacteriocins (my favorite), T6SS, or CDIs! portlandpress.com/essaysbioche...

portlandpress.com

Bacterial weaponry and the ecological factors of competitive success

Abstract. Bacteria have evolved complex protein systems known as bacterial weapons to inhibit or kill their competitors. These bacterial weapons are a remarkably diverse arsenal that influence the com...

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Reposted by Sean Booth

Connor Sharp @magicmicrobe.bsky.social · 27/04/2026

Really excited to share a fully-funded PhD position in my lab at the University of Reading exploring how E. coli uses competition to survive in the microbiome. Perfect for anyone interested in using a mix of biochem and ecology to study pathogens. Deadline May 29th! www.findaphd.com/phds/project...

findaphd.com

Investigating how E. coli exploits bacterial competition in the microbiome at University of Reading on FindAPhD.com

PhD Project - Investigating how E. coli exploits bacterial competition in the microbiome at University of Reading, listed on FindAPhD.com

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Sean Booth @s-booth.bsky.social · 10/03/2026

For my first bluesky post I'm stoked to share this work, done with fellow Foster lab alum Connor Sharp! (@magicmicrobe.bsky.social) We set out to discover why bacteria carry multiple similar weapons for attacking other bacteria. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

A stylized cartoon of a bacterial cell. It is blue with three long wavy filaments curved around it. On the top left are four cyan spiral spikes, on the bottom left are four navy spiral spikes. Floating on the right of the cell are three groups of stylized proteins. Each group has three wrapped up helices, on group is pink, one purple, one magenta.

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Reposted by Sean Booth

Freya Harrison @friendlymicrobe.bsky.social · 05/03/2026

If you check out my lab's recent work, you'll notice how much biofilm structure is destroyed by dehydration & vacuum during standard scanning electron microscopy. These are both images of P. aeruginosa PA14 #biofilm on pig lung tissue at 48h p.i: using cryoSEM retains the biofilm matrix. #MicroSky

In the standard SEM image, aggregates of bacterial cells with no visible matrix sit on top of a network of collagen fibrils. In the cryo image, interconnected aggregates are covered with a smooth coat of matrix, and no collagen is visible - it is under the aggregates, and the only tissue structures visible are patches of elastin fibres.

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