iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Simon Butterworth @simon-butterworth.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

The protein interaction data and predicted structural models are openly available through our new web app. Please reach out if you have any suggestions for improvements! starpath.wi.mit.edu

starpath.wi.mit.edu

StArPath

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Simon Butterworth @simon-butterworth.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

I’m pleased to share my latest research using crosslinking mass spectrometry to define the Toxoplasma protein interactome. This was a great collaboration with the Ovchinnikov, Sheiner, and Hu labs. I’m excited for the potential of XL-MS in parasitology and beyond! www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

biorxiv.org

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Francesca Torelli @fratorelli.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

Landed back in London after an unforgettable @toxo18.bsky.social conference in Brazil! Thank you to the organisers for selecting a wonderful location and program. Grateful to be part of this ever-evolving community that feels home and to meet old colleagues and future collaborators!

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Moritz Treeck @moritztreeck.bsky.social · 23/06/2025

What happens when the parasite that causes malaria in humans experiences fever-induced heat stress in its host red blood cell? Check out David Jones' PhD work now on BioRxiv www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

biorxiv.org

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Pooja Swali @poojaswali.bsky.social · 22/05/2025

Excited to announce our paper on ancient Borrelia genomes is finally out! 🦠💀We document the evolutionary history of louse-borne relapsing fever, published today in @science.org‬ with @lucyvandorp.bsky.social and @pontus-skoglund.bsky.social #aDNA 🏺🧪🧬 Main findings and paper below: 🧵⬇️

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The Francis Crick Institute @crick.ac.uk · 29/04/2025

Crick researchers have uncovered how the intestinal Cryptosporidium parasite uses a protein to alter its host’s gut environment, enabling the parasite to survive and replicate. www.crick.ac.uk/news/2025-04...

crick.ac.uk

Researchers uncover how intestinal parasite Cryptosporidium alters host cells

Researchers at the Francis Crick Institute have shown that the Cryptosporidium parasite exports a protein into infected intestinal cells, altering the gut environment and enabling the parasite to surv...

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Moritz Treeck @moritztreeck.bsky.social · 17/04/2025

A common virulence factor that protects Toxoplasma (and probably related parasites) from clearance in genetically diverse murine hosts. A heroic CRISPR screening effort from @fratorelli.bsky.social with some help from colleagues. Thanks to anonymous reviewers for some good suggestions. 1/2

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Francesca Torelli @fratorelli.bsky.social · 16/04/2025

🎉 Finally online 🎉 GRA12, the first identified common virulence factor across Toxoplasma strains and murine subspecies! Check this improved manuscript after reviewers’ helpful suggestions www.nature.com/articles/s41...

nature.com

GRA12 is a common virulence factor across Toxoplasma gondii strains and mouse subspecies - Nature Communications

CRISPR screens reveal Toxoplasma’s GRA12 as a strain- and mouse species-transcendent virulence factor. GRA12 protects parasites from IFNγ-activated macrophage clearance and parasitophorous vacuole col...

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Francesca Torelli @fratorelli.bsky.social · 06/02/2025

Rumors are true! I joined the very welcoming @jennyrohn.bsky.social lab at UCL to dive into 3D organoids, persistent bugs and GAG layer! Exciting times ahead ✨

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The Francis Crick Institute @crick.ac.uk · 05/02/2025

This image shows cultured human cells called fibroblasts in purple, infected with a kind of parasite called Toxoplasma gondii. #microscopy 🧪🔬 Image credit: @simon-butterworth.bsky.social

Thin, wispy purple tendrils cover the image, with a few small green blobs scattered in the foreground.

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Moritz Treeck @moritztreeck.bsky.social · 16/12/2024

The hypothesis for this work was formed when we expectedly observed some Toxoplasma mutants with known fitness defects not showing defects in in vivo CRISPR screens. The results indicate that CRISPR screens can miss important virulence factors through paracine effects that function in the host.

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eLife @elife.bsky.social · 15/12/2024

In Toxoplasma gondii, a parasite infamous for manipulating the behaviour of its hosts that infects an estimated ⅓ of humans, genetic defects are rescued if co-infected with normal parasites, thanks to supportive secreted proteins. buff.ly/3BtpD86

A cyst containing Toxoplasma gondii in mouse brain tissue. Thousands of resting parasites (stained red) are enveloped by a thin parasite cyst wall.

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Sateriale Lab @saterialelab.bsky.social · 23/11/2024

Cryptosporidium is an important public health threat, and it deserves better genetic tools to study it! Here we’ve developed a targeted in vivo CRISPR genetic screen to identify parasite genes required for survival and virulence… www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

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