Two weeks in Turku Lemmens (PhD student in the Raes lab) dives into untargeted metabolomics and ice-cold water during her research stay in a Finnish university town.

Emma Lemmens shares highlights from her research stay in Turku. At the Hanhineva lab, she explored untargeted metabolomics within the HealthFerm project.

The experience boosted her confidence and showed how a PhD is also about growth, connection, and new perspectives.

👉 blog.vib.be/two-weeks-in...

:-(

Interested in synthetic biology & microbiomes? 🧬🧫
We are recruiting a PhD student to develop biosensors to study microbe–microbe & microbe–host interactions.
In beautiful Lausanne, Switzerland🏔️⛵
@dmf-unil.bsky.social @fbm-unil.bsky.social
Apply by 24.05.2026 👇
shorturl.at/6X7M4
Boosts appreciated!

Join us as Assistant/Associate/Full Professor Computational Biology at Institute of Biology Leiden (IBL) / @leidenscience.bsky.social / @unileiden.bsky.social

Application deadline on 15 March 2026
👇
careers.universiteitleiden.nl/job/Assistan...

The ISME20 abstract submission deadline has been extended to 22 February. Microbial ecologists worldwide are invited to submit abstracts for oral, short talk, or poster presentations and contribute to the ISME20 programme.
isme-microbes.org/isme20-abstr...
#ISME20 #MicrobialEcology

Expert opinion

Research briefings in @nature.com about our latest study of the gut microbiome of infants in nurseries!

This work was a true multidisciplinary team effort and a testament to how science can be particularly impactful when built alongside the community. — @livi-ricci.bsky.social and
Nicola Segata

#microsky

Check out our latest preprint from @jnvmartinson.bsky.social and @leosong.bsky.social! 🌟🦠

We found that conjugative plasmids can actively eliminate recipient bacteria that resist plasmid acquisition. 🧵

Last Friday, we had the pleasure of attending the very first Belgian Microbiome Network Symposium in Antwerp!

Huge shoutout to @ruvaur.bsky.social, Sarah Ahannach and Ludovica Marinelli for organizing this great new initiative and bringing the community together!✨

The paradox of immune systems conservation between prokaryotes and eukaryotes - Nature Reviews Microbiology The widespread prokaryotic immune systems, in particular restriction–modification, CRISPR–Cas and defensive toxin–antitoxin systems, are absent in eukaryotes, whereas relatively rare ones, such as Arg...

The immune systems paradox

Some widespread prokaryotic immune systems are absent in eukaryotes, whereas relatively rare ones became central to eukaryotic innate immunity

@audeber.bsky.social & E. Koonin hypothesize the answer is #HGT

shareable link: rdcu.be/e2EmD

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Feel like doing a SynBio PhD in Spain? Check this offer, many fellowships available 👉🏻 lifehub.csic.es/synbio-cofund/

Host factors dictate gut microbiome alterations in chronic kidney disease more strongly than kidney function - Nature Microbiology A covariate-aware analysis reveals that microbiome changes in the gut of patients with chronic kidney disease are better explained by intestinal transit time than by kidney function.

Big congrats to our colleague @krukowskihubert.bsky.social
on the Nature Microbiology paper linking gut transit time and diet to CKD microbiome changes. Another step in microbiome research!🧫
www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Approaches for accelerating microbial gene function discovery using artificial intelligence - Nature Microbiology In this Review, the authors discuss how artificial intelligence can aid microbial gene function discovery.

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

#microsky

Text-based visual stating: “Big Tech doesn’t control this feed anymore. In Europe… You do!” with an underline separating the two lines, and the European Commission logo in the bottom corner.

Before, Big Tech algorithms decided what you saw.

Now you can opt out of the 'personalised' feed or make it chronological!

Ads must be transparent, and deceptive design is banned.

All because of our Digital Services Act.

Your digital life, your rules.

#phagesky
#microsky

This poster is outside my little lab. There is nothing else like it. Please support this artist! @redpenblackpen.bsky.social

Our new book "Self-Doubt" is written by scientists for scientists. You might think you are alone when you doubt your ability or suitability for science - you aren't. We all question ourselves and carry doubt with us daily.

www.amazon.co.uk/Self-Doubt-A...

Hidden struggles: Cambridge scientists share the truth behind their success In a career defined by constant questioning, self-doubt can become an occupational hazard. Now, for the first time, a group of Cambridge scientists reveal the personal struggles they’ve faced – and co...

Science is a tough career. We are so over-trained in scepticism we end up constantly doubting ourselves. The worst part can be thinking you are alone in your self-doubt. By sharing our common experiences, we hope our new book helps those going through a career crisis:

www.cam.ac.uk/stories/camb...

go.bsky.app/D8cSja3

CRISPR in action: practice and theory of genome engineering CRISPR technology has revolutionized genome editing, making precise genetic modifications faster and more accessible than ever before. For researchers entering the field of molecular biology or geneti...

training.vib.be/all-training...

Registration open for the 2026 edition of CRISPR in Action: Practice and Theory of Genome Engineering, organised by @vibtrainconf.bsky.social . Hands-on course combining theory+practice for researchers working with CRISPR technologies | Leuven 🇧🇪 | 17–21 Aug | 12 spots 🔗 Link in comments #CRISPR #VIB

mvif 46 program

It's Friday!
...and a new #MVIF program is out! 🤩

Free registration: cassyni.com/s/mvif-46

Highlights:
🇺🇸 Rebecca L. Knoll
🇯🇵 Akito Sakanaka

Keynote:
🇺🇸 @simrouxvirus.bsky.social

⭐️ Talks:
🇦🇺 @jeremyjbarr.bsky.social
🇨🇦 @erikbakkeren.bsky.social
🇨🇳 Guanxiang Liang

📣 Please spread: we’re hiring a Lab Manager! It is a critical position in our new lab. As our lab moves to Barcelona and joins the @crg.eu, we’re looking for a Lab Manager to help build the lab and set the lab atmosphere.
🔗 Apply here 👉 recruitment.crg.eu/content/jobs...

Sending babies to nursery completely reshapes their microbiomes Socializing at a young age helps to develop greater diversity in their microbiota, according to an analysis of baby-to-baby transmission of gut bacteria.

. @nature.com NEWS: Sending babies to nursery completely reshapes their microbiomes

“Maybe in 20 years, we will find that people still need to thank their friends at day care for the microbes they got when they were there” Nicola Segata says.

www.nature.com/articles/d41...

EMBL is deeply saddened by the passing of our Interim Director General Peer Bork, a pioneering scientist who left an indelible imprint on life science research in Europe and beyond.

We extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues.

www.embl.org/news/people-...

I'll be going!

Note: this GRC is in Italy, so no need to travel to the USA (as for most other GRCs), which will be a relief for many.

If you are looking to build your lab, take a listen to these interviews on @lonelypipette.bsky.social!

www.buzzsprout.com/1356877/epis...

www.eventbrite.be/e/the-belgia...

We’re excited to share the program for the 1st Symposium of the Belgian Microbiome Network 🧫🇧🇪

📅 Feb 6 | 📍 University of Antwerp
👩‍🔬👨‍🔬 Leading Belgian experts across human & planetary health
🤝 A day of science, innovation & community building

👉 Registration link in the comments

In remembrance of Peer Bork  | EMBL EMBL and its community are deeply saddened by the death of Peer Bork, the organisation’s Interim Director General. 

We mourn the passing of Peer Bork, EMBO Member since 2000: www.embl.org/news/embl-announcements/...