Sign in

thexavierlab.bsky.social

@thexavierlab.bsky.social
191 followers 30 following 82 posts

Genes to functions. Microbiome in health & disease. Computational biology. Chemical biology. Innate & adaptive immunity. broadinstitute.org/xavier-lab molbio.massgeneral.org/faculty/343

PostsRepliesMedia
thexavierlab.bsky.social @thexavierlab.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
@broadinstitute.org
000
thexavierlab.bsky.social @thexavierlab.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
We teamed up with Harri Lahdesmaki at Alto University to develop & validate PepGen, the first fully generative model capable of synthesizing MHCII peptide binders conditioned on allele, partial sequences, & continuous affinity Read the results here: academic.oup.com/bioinformati...
academic.oup.com
PepGen: conditional generation of peptides for MHC binding
AbstractMotivation. Peptide-MHC II binding drives adaptive immunity, yet discovery of novel binder peptides remains challenging due to open binding grooves
110
thexavierlab.bsky.social @thexavierlab.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
New preprint from our collaboration with Caroline Uhler and @broadinstitute.org on TissueFormer, a new tool for predicting spatial gene expression from histology images at cellular resolution www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
biorxiv.org
Multi-Modal Foundation Model with Whole-Slide Attention Enables Transferrable Digital Pathology at Single-Cell Resolution
Paired histopathology and spatial transcriptomics data are advancing our understanding of tissue biology and disease, but modeling both modalities at single-cell resolution while mapping local and dis...
032
thexavierlab.bsky.social @thexavierlab.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
First author Marie is now the Group Leader in Microbiome Studies at the Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford – Congratulations, Marie!
000
thexavierlab.bsky.social @thexavierlab.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
Out now in @natmicrobiol.nature.com Marie Pust and colleagues developed metastrand, a tool to quantify strand-specific transcription in microbiomes at gene-level resolution, and used it to reveal microbial adaptations associated with IBD. www.nature.com/articles/s41... #metastrand #IBD
nature.com
Antisense transcription reveals disease-associated adaptations in the human gut microbiome - Nature Microbiology
Metastrand integrates strand-aware metatranscriptomic and metagenomic data to distinguish microbial sense from antisense transcription at gene-level resolution, and a use case study highlights the imp...
152
thexavierlab.bsky.social @thexavierlab.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
Building on our previous lung atlas, which identified pathogenic CTHRC1-high #fibroblasts enriched within fibrotic niches, this study further defines the molecular mechanisms that drive IPF. doi.org/10.1016/j.xg... @mgbresearch.bsky.social @broadinstitute.org
doi.org
Redirecting
000
thexavierlab.bsky.social @thexavierlab.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
New work with Ben Medoff's lab, online now! ADAMTS14 regulates YAP-driven fibroblast activation in IPF. We define an ADAMTS14–collagen V–focal adhesion pathway that contributes to $fibrosis, highlighting ADAMTS14 as a potential therapeutic target. doi.org/10.1093/ajrc...
doi.org
ADAMTS14 is a Novel Modulator of Fibroblast Mechanoactivation in Pulmonary Fibrosis
AbstractRationale. Yes-associated protein (YAP)-mediated fibroblast mechanoactivation is an important driver of fibrosis in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (
101
thexavierlab.bsky.social @thexavierlab.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
Check out this @NatureMedicine Comment about the importance of studying heritage diets and the World Diet Initiative’s efforts to translate dietary diversity into health benefits for the global community: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
nature.com
Studying vanishing dietary diversity before it is lost: the World Diet Initiative - Nature Medicine
Heritage diets are disappearing as food systems homogenize; their effects on immunity, metabolism and host–microbiome biology remain poorly understood. The World Diet Initiative offers a framework to ...
010
thexavierlab.bsky.social @thexavierlab.bsky.social · 18/06/2026
Join us and @genelayinstitute.bsky.social on July 31st for the Annual Symposium! This year's speakers include Marco Colonna, Shimon Sakaguchi, Stefani Spranger, and Gabriel Victora. Register using the QR code in the flyer! #inflammation #immunity #disease #genelayinstitute
032
thexavierlab.bsky.social @thexavierlab.bsky.social · 08/06/2026
Good luck at UCSF (Anna), University of Washington (Regan), and MIT (Tanvi). We will miss you!
000
thexavierlab.bsky.social @thexavierlab.bsky.social · 08/06/2026
It's that time of year again--we are saying goodbye to more of our youngest and brightest lab members as they transition to the next steps of their careers, either in grad school or in other institutions. This week, we are saying goodbye to Anna, Regan, and Tanvi.
110
thexavierlab.bsky.social @thexavierlab.bsky.social · 28/05/2026
New website launch for the World Diet Initiative—an international effort to map global dietary patterns and their impacts on human health. The site is now accepting heritage diet submissions to build the open-access World Diet Atlas. www.worlddietinitiative.org
000
thexavierlab.bsky.social @thexavierlab.bsky.social · 22/05/2026
Congratulations to postdoc Sacha Lebon on publishing his graduate work! Using single-cell profiling, his study reveals how intestinal epithelial stem cells sense and respond to bacterial invasion. www.nature.com/articles/s41...
010
Reposted by @thexavierlab.bsky.social
Cell Host & Microbe @cp-cellhostmicrobe.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
Early-life interventions & airway microbiome Nasal microbial gene atlas in infants w/cystic fibrosis. Hypertonic saline inhalation reshapes microbiome, selects salt-tolerant H. influenzae & ⬆️transporters linked to antibiotic tolerance @thexavierlab.bsky.social www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...
cell.com
An infant nasal microbial gene atlas uncovers intervention-driven microbiome shifts and salt-resistant pathogen expansion
Steinberg et al. generated an infant nasal microbial gene atlas using samples from infants with and without cystic fibrosis. Frequent hypertonic saline inhalation reshapes airway microbiome function, ...
032
Reposted by @thexavierlab.bsky.social
Cell Host & Microbe @cp-cellhostmicrobe.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
What the nose knows of cystic fibrosis microbes and hypertonic saline Bouzek Previews work by @thexavierlab.bsky.social presenting microbial gene atlas of nasopharyngeal swabs in infants w/cystic fibrosis & healthy controls & IDing impacts of clinical interventions www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...
cell.com
What the nose knows of cystic fibrosis microbes and hypertonic saline
In this issue of Cell Host & Microbe, Steinberg et al. present a microbial gene atlas of nasopharyngeal swabs in infants with cystic fibrosis and healthy controls using shotgun metagenomic sequencing....
022
thexavierlab.bsky.social @thexavierlab.bsky.social · 18/05/2026
Excited to share this new preprint from a large collaborative effort using #exome + #genome sequencing, moving beyond GWAS to implicate 68 genes in #IBD through rare protein-coding variation. bit.ly/43h72GA @broadinstitute.org @mgbresearch.bsky.social
bit.ly
Exome sequencing directly implicates 68 genes in inflammatory bowel disease
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic immune-mediated disorder of the gastrointestinal tract whose genetic basis is only partly resolved because most risk variants identified by genome-wide as...
032
thexavierlab.bsky.social @thexavierlab.bsky.social · 27/04/2026
Excited to share our new @cp-immunity.bsky.social review, discussing how advances in functional genomics and chemical biology are enabling the translation of IBD genetics into mechanistic understanding and new therapeutic hypotheses. www.cell.com/immunity/ful... #IBD #inflammatoryboweldisease
cell.com
Mechanisms of inflammatory bowel diseases: Insights from human genetics and chemical biology
Advancements in human genetics have catalyzed rapid discovery in immunology. Graham and Xavier review how functional genomics and chemical biology have joined forces to uncover mechanisms of mucosal i...
042
thexavierlab.bsky.social @thexavierlab.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
We found and validated in vitro that early-life perturbations (hypertonic saline inhalation therapy) can select for microbial traits linked to salt and antibiotic tolerance. www.cell.com/cell-host-mi... #antibiotics #cysticfibrosis #microbial @broadinstitute.org @mgbresearch.bsky.social
cell.com
An infant nasal microbial gene atlas uncovers intervention-driven microbiome shifts and salt-resistant pathogen expansion
Steinberg et al. generated an infant nasal microbial gene atlas using samples from infants with and without cystic fibrosis. Frequent hypertonic saline inhalation reshapes airway microbiome function, ...
000
thexavierlab.bsky.social @thexavierlab.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
Out now in @cp-cellhostmicrobe.bsky.social! In collaboration with Swiss clinicians, we built the largest nasal microbial gene atlas in infants w/ and w/o cystic fibrosis to date (cont.)
121
thexavierlab.bsky.social @thexavierlab.bsky.social · 23/03/2026
Our latest work, with Mika Kivimaki's lab, now online @alzdemjournals.bsky.social: we used single-cell and GWAS data to uncover genes in peripheral blood immune cells associated with Alzheimer’s disease. doi.org/10.1002/alz.... @broadinstitute @MGHMolBio @MGBResearchNews #Alzheimers
doi.org
Population and single‐cell analyses reveal immune cell‐specific expression profiles associated with Alzheimer's disease risk
INTRODUCTION Dysregulation of the peripheral immune system may increase Alzheimer's disease (AD) risk, but the underlying cell type-specific mechanisms remain unclear. METHODS We conducted Mendeli...
131
thexavierlab.bsky.social @thexavierlab.bsky.social · 16/03/2026
New work with @CarolineUhler, now online in @natcomms.nature.com! We developed TRIM, a multimodal framework integrating T cell RNA and TCR profiling to predict T cell responses to cancer treatment. www.nature.com/articles/s41... @broadinstitute @MGHMolBio @MGBResearchNews
nature.com
Multimodal framework for the joint analysis of single-cell RNA and T cell receptor sequencing data predicts T cell response to cancer immunotherapy - Nature Communications
Recent technologies enable joint profiling of T cell RNA and T cell receptor (TCR) sequences at single-cell resolution. The authors here develop a TCR-RNA Integrating Model (TRIM) to predict intra tum...
010
thexavierlab.bsky.social @thexavierlab.bsky.social · 04/03/2026
@mgbresearch.bsky.social @broadinstitute.org
000
thexavierlab.bsky.social @thexavierlab.bsky.social · 04/03/2026
New study, in collaboration with Kenya Honda, out now in @nature.com. We show how a low protein diet drives a microbiota-dependent induction of thermogenic brown adipocytes via FXR & FGF21 pathways. www.nature.com/articles/s41...
nature.com
Microbiota-mediated induction of beige adipocytes in response to dietary cues - Nature
In mice, a low-protein diet leads to a gut-microbiota-driven remodelling of adipose tissue towards brown fat, showing that gut microorganisms have a role in detecting and responding to a lack of prote...
153
thexavierlab.bsky.social @thexavierlab.bsky.social · 27/02/2026
Thank you to all the authors, including @dalygene.bsky.social and @masakanai.bsky.social for their hard work and contributions! @mgbresearch.bsky.social
000
thexavierlab.bsky.social @thexavierlab.bsky.social · 27/02/2026
This paper charts a clear path to understanding how genetics can not only find the genetic variants linked to a disease, but also dissect them into clearly distinct groups that represent independent components of the disease. (3/4) www.nature.com/articles/s41...
nature.com
Genome-wide association analyses of autoimmune hypothyroidism reveal autoimmune and thyroid-specific contributions and an inverse relationship with cancer risk - Nature Genetics
Genome-wide analyses identify 418 independent associations with autoimmune hypothyroidism and classify risk loci into distinct groupings related to systemic autoimmunity and thyroid-specific dysfuncti...
100
thexavierlab.bsky.social @thexavierlab.bsky.social · 27/02/2026
By performing a genome-wide association analysis of over 81,000 people with #AIHT in the FinnGen cohort and UK Biobank, the team was also able to distinguish genetic factors related specifically to thyroid biology from those linked to more general autoimmune processes. (2/4)
100
thexavierlab.bsky.social @thexavierlab.bsky.social · 27/02/2026
Check out this great write-up of a recent study between the @broadinstitute.org , University of Helsinki, and other institutions which has found more than 400 genetic markers that are linked to autoimmune hypothyroidism (AIHT). (1/4) www.broadinstitute.org/news/study-r...
broadinstitute.org
Study reveals genetic balancing act between autoimmunity and cancer risk
Researchers pinpoint genetic factors linked to both higher risk of a common autoimmune disorder and lower cancer risk
112
thexavierlab.bsky.social @thexavierlab.bsky.social · 27/02/2026
Excited to share our new study defining the multicellular ecosystem of atopic dermatitis. Integrating >700k single cells from healthy and inflamed skin, we uncover disease-specific immune circuits linked to disrupted keratinocyte differentiation. www.nature.com/articles/s41...
nature.com
Multi-modal skin atlas identifies a multicellular immune-stromal community associated with disrupted cornification and specific T cell expansion in atopic dermatitis - Nature Communications
In atopic dermatitis (AD), skin barrier disruption leads to chronic inflammation. Here, the authors use single-cell sequencing to map human skin, uncovering AD-specific cell states and populations inv...
000
thexavierlab.bsky.social @thexavierlab.bsky.social · 23/02/2026
For an in-depth walkthrough, check out this Tweetorial by first author @00kumar.bsky.social bsky.app/profile/00ku...
000
Reposted by @thexavierlab.bsky.social
Kumar Thurimella, PhD @00kumar.bsky.social · 20/02/2026
7/ Thanks to Elena Wu and senior authors Damian Plichta, @carriesokol.bsky.social, @thexavierlab.bsky.social, Sergio Bacallado. A cross-disciplinary effort across @broadinstitute.org, @massgeneralbrigham.bsky.social, @cam.ac.uk, @cuanschutz.bsky.social, @gatescambridge.bsky.social
112
thexavierlab.bsky.social @thexavierlab.bsky.social · 23/02/2026
(1/2) New paper out now in Cell Systems @cellpress.bsky.social describing development of a deep learning framework to predict allergenic microbial proteases! www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti... @broadinstitute.org @mgbresearch.bsky.social
sciencedirect.com
Identifying microbial protease allergens through protein language model-guided homology
Emerging research links the gut, skin, and oral microbiomes to allergies, with serine proteases (SPs) identified as potential allergens. This study le…
122
thexavierlab.bsky.social @thexavierlab.bsky.social · 18/02/2026
We’re looking forward to the upcoming 2nd International Conference on Individualized Infection Medicine in Hannover, 19–21 March 2026. Registration is still open! www.ciim-hannover.de/aktuelles/sy...
ciim-hannover.de
CiiM | Symposium 2026
Registration is open. Due to limited capacity, early registration is strongly recommended. Once the maximum number of participants is reached, a waiting list will be established.
010
thexavierlab.bsky.social @thexavierlab.bsky.social · 17/02/2026
Nice to see our recent CARD9 work covered in @natrevdrugdiscov.nature.com, with a focus on our two-step screening approach for identifying binders of challenging targets. www.nature.com/articles/d41...
nature.com
Two-step screen for CARD9 inhibitors
Discover the world’s best science and medicine | Nature.com
030
thexavierlab.bsky.social @thexavierlab.bsky.social · 22/01/2026
Congratulations to Alok and all the authors! @broadinstitute.org @mgbresearch.bsky.social
000
thexavierlab.bsky.social @thexavierlab.bsky.social · 22/01/2026
Excited to share our latest study in Cell Genomics, combining single-nucleus RNA-seq, spatial transcriptomics, and histology to dissect the molecular determinants of lung fibrosis! www.cell.com/cell-genomic... #fibrosis #lung #ILD
cell.com
Spatial transcriptomics reveals altered communities and drivers of aberrant epithelia and pro-fibrotic fibroblasts in interstitial lung diseases
Using single-nucleus RNA sequencing and spatial transcriptomics, Jaiswal et al. identify disease-associated cell communities that include aberrant transitional alveolar epithelium and pro-fibrotic fib...
122
thexavierlab.bsky.social @thexavierlab.bsky.social · 16/01/2026
@broadinstitute.org @mgbresearch.bsky.social
000
thexavierlab.bsky.social @thexavierlab.bsky.social · 16/01/2026
These studies firmly establish a foundation for development of an inhibitor of CARD9 inflammatory response. More broadly, this approach illustrates a strategy for using human genetics and chemical biology to guide small-molecule discovery against challenging immune targets. (7/7)
120
thexavierlab.bsky.social @thexavierlab.bsky.social · 16/01/2026
The optimized compound blocked CARD9-dependent NFκB activation and cytokine release in human dendritic cells and reduced inflammation in mouse model of fungal infection expressing humanized CARD9 (hCARD9), demonstrating the feasibility of pharmacological targeting of CARD9. (6/7)
110
thexavierlab.bsky.social @thexavierlab.bsky.social · 16/01/2026
Using time-resolved FRET (TR-FRET) displacement screens, surface plasmon resonance (SPR), and structure-activity relationship studies we identified a benzodiazepine compound with selective CARD9 binding and cellular activity. (5/7)
110
thexavierlab.bsky.social @thexavierlab.bsky.social · 16/01/2026
To explore pharmacological modulation of CARD9, we took a binder-first strategy: a DNA-encoded library screen and subsequent structural studies revealed a ligandable pocket in the CARD9 coiled-coil domain, guiding subsequent chemical exploration. (4/7)
110
thexavierlab.bsky.social @thexavierlab.bsky.social · 16/01/2026
In prior work, we leveraged CARD9Δ11 to study CARD9 regulation and identified the E3 ligase TRIM62 as a CARD9-interacting protein that regulates CARD9 activation through post-translational modification. (3/7) www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
110
thexavierlab.bsky.social @thexavierlab.bsky.social · 16/01/2026
CARD9 is a key immune adaptor required for immune responses against fungi and bacteria and is implicated in multiple inflammatory diseases. The truncation variant CARD9Δ11 protects against Crohn’s disease, suggesting CARD9 inhibition as a strategy for therapeutic intervention. (2/7)
110
thexavierlab.bsky.social @thexavierlab.bsky.social · 16/01/2026
(🧵1/7) New work, now online in @CellCellPress! Using a phased, binder-first strategy, we identified a ligandable pocket on CARD9 and discovered a small-molecule inhibitor of CARD9 inflammatory signaling. www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
sciencedirect.com
Human genetics guides the discovery of CARD9 inhibitors with anti-inflammatory activity
Human genetic association studies highlight key genes involved in disease pathology, yet targets identified by these analyses often fall outside the t…
131
Reposted by @thexavierlab.bsky.social
Laura Kiessling @laurakiessling.bsky.social · 15/01/2026
Fun collaboration with @thexavierlab.bsky.social and Ribbeck groups to figure out how this human lectin plays multiple roles in controlling the #microbiome: stabilizing the mucus barrier and reducing bacteria that breach it. news.mit.edu/2026/protein... #glycotime
news.mit.edu
A protein found in the GI tract can neutralize many bacteria
MIT researchers found that a protein called intelectin-2 has broad spectrum antimicrobial activity against bacteria found in the GI tract. Additionally, intelectin-2 can crosslink molecules that make ...
0156
thexavierlab.bsky.social @thexavierlab.bsky.social · 15/01/2026
Amazing work–with potential therapeutic implications–by the @laurakiessling.bsky.social group reveals dual actions of interlectin-2 in stabilizing mucosal barriers and targeting bacteria that escape a compromised barrier www.nature.com/articles/s41...
nature.com
Intelectin-2 is a broad-spectrum antimicrobial lectin - Nature Communications
Intelectin-2 defends mucosal interfaces by crosslinking mucus and blocking microbial growth. This study reveals that mouse and human intelectin-2 recognizes galactose-rich glycans to bind and target d...
073
thexavierlab.bsky.social @thexavierlab.bsky.social · 07/01/2026
@mgbresearch.bsky.social
000
thexavierlab.bsky.social @thexavierlab.bsky.social · 07/01/2026
Very excited to share our latest work in @Nature integrating single-cell & spatial transcriptomics with bidirectional CRISPR screens to unravel an immune–stromal cell circuit dependent on the transcription factor GLIS3 that regulates intestinal fibrosis during chronic inflammation. Congrats, Vlad!
152
thexavierlab.bsky.social @thexavierlab.bsky.social · 12/12/2025
New in @NatureComms — collaborative work with the Knip & Orešič labs uncovers microbially conjugated bile acids in early life linked to immune development and type 1 diabetes risk. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41339624/ @broadinstitute.org @mgbresearch.bsky.social
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Microbiome-derived bile acid signatures in early life and their association with islet autoimmunity - PubMed
Emerging studies reveal that gut microbes can conjugate diverse amino acids to bile acids, known as microbially conjugated bile acids. However, their regulation and health effects remain unclear. Here, we analyzed early-life microbially conjugated bile acid patterns and their link to islet autoimmun …
000
thexavierlab.bsky.social @thexavierlab.bsky.social · 11/12/2025
Register now for the International Human Microbiome Consortium (#IHMC) 2026, June 3–5 in Seoul, Korea! Join this global gathering of researchers for an exciting program highlighting the latest discoveries in human #microbiome science: www.ihmc2026seoul.com/html/
ihmc2026seoul.com
IHMC 2026 SEOUL
IHMC 2026 SEOUL 사이트입니다.
000
Reposted by @thexavierlab.bsky.social
Masahiro Kanai @masakanai.bsky.social · 01/12/2025
Excited to share our new FinnGen single-nucleus multiome preprint! 🧬 We profiled ~10M PBMCs (snRNA-seq + snATAC-seq) from 1,108 Finnish donors to map how genetic variants drive complex disease through chromatin and gene regulation 🧵👇 🔗 Link: www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1...
13318