Ohio State professor works to save the world, one virus at a time It’s rare to know early in one’s life what their career might look like, with interests and potential paths always changing as people learn more about the world around them. Matthew Sullivan, however,...

🌍🦠 Viruses shape life on Earth — and @Matthew B. Sullivan is at the forefront.

As #MicroverseVisitingProfessor & long-term collaborator within our #ClusterOfExcellence, he advances research on viral roles in microbiomes.

🔗 artsandsciences.osu.edu/news/ohio-st...

And another success from the microverse: Congratulations to our spokesperson Kirsten Küsel!
@kuesellab.bsky.social

Congratulations to our long-standing colleague Prof. Wilhelm Boland! – You’ve more than earned it.

Quantifying Protein Homodimer Affinities and the Effect of Molecular Glues and Interface Residues Using Native Mass Spectrometry Biological processes rely on finely tuned homo- and heteromeric interactions between (biomacro)molecules. The strength of an interaction, typically given by the dissociation constant (KD), plays a crucial role in basic research and must be monitored throughout the development of drugs and agrochemicals. An ideal method for KD determination is applicable to various analytes with a large range of affinities, tolerates complex matrix compositions, does not require labeling, and simultaneously provides information on the structural integrity of the binding partners. Native mass spectrometry meets these criteria but typically struggles with homooligomeric complexes due to overlapping mass signals. To overcome this, we resolve monomer/dimer contributions to overlapping MS-peaks by separately analyzing the charge state distribution of each oligomeric species via sample dilution and covalent cross-linking. Following this approach, we show that quantitative laser-induced liquid bead ion desorption mass spectrometry (qLILBID-MS) accurately captures the affinities of Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) and chemically induced dimers of Tryparedoxin (Tpx), an oxidoreductase from human pathogenic Trypanosoma brucei parasites, with various molecular glues and homodimer affinities. Conveniently, qLILBID-MS requires a fraction of sample used by other methods such as isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) and yields previously inaccessible protein homodimer KDs in the high micromolar range, which allowed us to monitor the gradual decrease in homodimer affinity via mutation of crucial dimer interface contacts. Overall, qLILBID-MS is a sensitive, robust, fast, scalable, and cost-effective alternative to quantify protein/protein interactions, that can accelerate contemporary drug discovery workflows, e.g. the efficient screening for proximity inducing molecules like proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTACs) and molecular glues.

New paper out with our friends the Nina Morgner Lab on how to quantify homodimer affinities by native MS 💕
pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...

Never thought it possible, but this concludes our JACS triple - 3 papers in 3 months 😋🥳🧪

@crc1507.bsky.social @microverse.bsky.social
@lifeprofile.bsky.social

Opening Slide - Microverse meets MibiNet

#ThrowbackThursday to #VAAM2026 in BER! 🧫
“Microverse meets MibiNet” drew 80+ participants—one of our highlights. Chaired by Kirsten Küsel & Julia Frunzke, keynote by Leo Eberl.

Thanks to everyone for inspiring exchange!
🤝@vaam-microbes.bsky.social, @mibinet.bsky.social &@kuesellab.bsky.social

Kai Papenfort elected Fellow of the European Academy of Mic… Kai Papenfort, Principal Investigator in the Cluster of Excellence “Balance of the Microverse“ at the Universi…

𝗕𝗶𝗴 𝗻𝗲𝘄𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲 🔬
Kai Papenfort, PI in our #ClusterOfExcellence at @uni-jena.de, has been elected Fellow of the European Academy of Microbiology. His work on small RNAs reveals how tiny molecules shape microbial life.
Congrats! 👏
Read more:
www.microverse-cluster.de/en/news/kai-...

What a great talk by our #PhDCandidate Tim at the @jsmc-info.bsky.social seminar today! He presented his work on the evolution of candidalysin, specifically the role of it in non-Candida albicans species and the function of a predicted candidalysin ancestor.
@microverse.bsky.social
@leibniz-hki.de

🔬 Join Forsche Schüler Tag on April 23, 2026, in Jena!

Explore labs, try experiments, and discover microbiology, biotech, and more. Open to students from grade 8.

Step into research and experience the Microverse!

#ForscheSchüler #STEM #Science #Jena
👉 www.beutenberg.de/veranstaltun...

Title of the Emmy Noether Programme with red arrow and the date's informatieon: Thursday, 02 April 2026, 10:30-12:00 a.m. (in English) and shortlink: www.dfg.de/prospects

#ECR, PhDs and postdocs, take note - here is our alternative date for the info session about the DFG's Emmy Noether Programme, its eligibility requirements and your funding opportunities. Full Details:▶️ www.dfg.de/en/research-...

Final symposium after 12 successful years: DFG-funded CRC1127 ChemBioSys - Chemical Mediators in complex Biosystems led by Christian Hertweck & Georg Pohnert is coming to an end 🥲 but so many cool things grew from it 🌱🦠

Wonderful plenary by Roderich Süssmuth in the beautiful @uni-jena.de aula 🤩

A selfie of a woman with a green beanie smiling in front of a building. There is written on top of it "Medical Science Building" in capital letters.

Sunset over a street with very warm orange and pink colors. There is a blue mailbox in front.

A small park surrounded by buildings, with lights all around it. In the center there is a pole with a large US flag waving in the wind.

8 people smiling in a bowling alley. 2 of them are holding a bowling ball in their hands.

My research exchange at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor is coming to an end! This stay was possible thanks to the scientist exchange funds grant of @microverse.bsky.social.

Here is a thread🧵of thankfulness for my wonderful stay in Michigan!

Happy International Women’s Day! 🌍🔬
Quick look at Ruth Ella Moore: In 1933, she became first African American woman in the U.S. to earn a PhD in natural sciences. Her research on tuberculosis, immunology, & dental caries left lasting mark on microbiology. #IWD2026
@leibniz-hki.de & @uni-jena.de

Jobs - Balance of the Microverse

Microbes run the world.
We just need someone to tell their story.

We’re hiring a Student Assistant (HiWi) in Science Communication at the Microverse Cluster.

Make the invisible visible. Apply by March 31, 2026 👇
www.microverse-cluster.de/en/career/jo...

The VEO Group at @uni-jena.de @microverse.bsky.social has an open position for a Bioinformatics Technician until the end of 2032! Join us to unlock the secrets of the Microverse from big datasets: jobs.uni-jena.de/jobposting/0...

Portrait of Prof. Jürgen Popp

Prof. Juergen Popp, Scientific Director @leibnizipht.bsky.social and Professor of Physical Chemistry at #UniJena, has been awarded the 2026 Ellis R. Lippincott Award for his pioneering contributions to translational clinical Raman spectroscopy. Congratulations! 👏
➡️ www.uni-jena.de/391182/juerg...

We were featured in C&EN! 🤯🥳🧪
Amazing experience with @pstallforth.bsky.social & @mlakemeyer.bsky.social! 😍

More on bacterial cooperation, D,L-peptidases, natural product structure determination & backstory:
cen.acs.org/biological-c...
@microverse.bsky.social @lifeprofile.bsky.social
@uni-jena.de

Microverse meets MibiNet at #VAAM2026! 🦠🤝

Join our joint session on microbial networking!
📅 March 23, 17:00
📍 Estrel Berlin, HS104
✨ Keynote: Leo Eberl
Chaired by Kirsten Küsel (@kuesellab.bsky.social)

Talks: Martina Herrmann & Kerstin Thriene.
🎉 vaam-kongress.de/registration

🤝@uni-jena.de, @leibniz-hki.de & @lifeprofile.bsky.social

The VEO Group has a position open for a Scientific Coordinator Bioinformatics: 👇
jobs.uni-jena.de/jobposting/5...

Fungal-Worm Lab IMB Academia Sinica

Predator vs. Prey: A Fungal Tale 🍄🪱
How does a fungus turn into a hunter? Yen-Ping Hsueh (@maxplanckcampus.bsky.social)joined us at @leibniz-hki.de to explore how A. oligospora traps nematodes—a wild evolutionary trade-off!

📺 Watch the hunt: www.youtube.com/@fungal-worm...
#JEMS

First benches detected! 🔭
Rosalind Allen's lab is the first to set up in the new #MicroverseCenterJena.

Moving in this year:
✨ 10 Research Groups
✨ Microverse Imaging Center
✨ 5,000 m² of science space

Follow along as we fill this building with life! 🚛
#MicroverseOnTheMove @uni-jena.de

Everyone knows that space and spatial structure is super important in shaping the Microverse 🌎🌍🌏 Check out this amazing review where @marcelbaecker.bsky.social and @bramvandijk.bsky.social et al bring together a huge body of knowledge @microverse.bsky.social @binfutrecht.bsky.social

@hellmichgroup.bsky.social 🤝 @mlakemeyer.bsky.social

Microbial Tag-Team: Researchers Decode Joint Defense Strate… A team at the Cluster of Excellence "Balance of the Microverse" reveals how two bacterial species cooperat…

Microbial Tag-Team! 🦠🤝
Researchers at our #ClusterOfExcellence found that bacteria cooperate to survive: One makes the compound, the other uses "molecular scissors" to turn it into a weapon against predators. A breakthrough for #DrugDiscovery! 💊
➡️ www.microverse-cluster.de/en/news/micr...

Different Roles, One Shared Mission! 🔬✨
Success in the Microverse Ecosystem is about more than just research—it's about the perspectives and support systems that empower women to lead. 🚀

Happy #InternationalDayOfWomenAndGirlsInScience!
🤝@leibniz-hki.de & @uni-jena.de

Previously unknown viruses discovered in groundwater Researchers have created a comprehensive picture of viral diversity and function in a groundwater system. They identified over 257,000 viral operational taxonomic units, i.e. viruses at species level,...

Invisible Actors: Over 257,000 viruses found in groundwater—99% of them previously unknown! 🦠
Our team discovered that these viruses act as "metabolic hackers," shaping essential ecosystem cycles deep underground.

Read the feature via The Microbiologist ⤵️ www.the-microbiologist.com/news/previou...

Kirsten Küsel and Kyle Mason-Jones, speaker at the CMFI Microbiology Colooquium in Tübingen February 5, 2026. © CMFI / University of Tübingen

Great Microbiology Colloquium at CMFI today!
Kirsten Küsel (@kuesellab.bsky.social @microverse.bsky.social) shared insights on the groundwater microbiome, plus Kyle Mason-Jones (@unituebingen.bsky.social) on soil bacteriophages. Thanks to all for great talks and discussions!

@kuesellab.bsky.social

Water sampling point in Hainich. Photo: Akbar Adjie Pratama

Until now, the role of viruses in the groundwater ecosystem was largely unknown, but an international research team including scientists from our @microverse.bsky.social has now provided the first comprehensive analysis of viral diversity and function.

➡️ www.uni-jena.de/en/387310/in...

The invisible worlds beneath our feet Deep beneath the Earth’s surface, in the pores and crevices of rock, live huge communities of microorganisms. Th…

Rocks beneath us are teeming with life! 🪨 Microbes attached to rock are 1,000x more abundant than in water & vital for carbon storage. A true hidden majority. 🌍 👇 www.microverse-cluster.de/en/news/the-...
🤝@uni-jena.de & @kuesellab.bsky.social