Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Jonny Nixon-Abell @abelljonny.bsky.social · 9d

I may be a little biased here but I think this is SUCH a cool story….a new HCN1-focussed mechanism in Dravet syndrome (infant epilepsy). Helps to explain why current treatments haven’t worked and offers a novel genuinely druggable target.Awesome 🤩🤩🤩
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Increased HCN1 activity in human excitatory neurons drives excessive network bursting in Dravet syndrome

Dravet syndrome (DS) is a severe childhood epilepsy caused by mutations of the sodium channel NaV1.1. These mutations are thought to compromise the ability of inhibitory interneurons to regulate netwo...

www.biorxiv.org

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Jonny Nixon-Abell @abelljonny.bsky.social · 29d

😍😍😍. Congrats folks.!!

Itay Budin @ibudin.bsky.social · 29d

Very excited to share new work out today in @natchembio.nature.com on a new approach - FACES - for selectively imaging of phospholipids and other biomolecules at spatial resolutions down to individual membrane leaflets (1/n) www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Leaflet-specific phospholipid imaging using genetically encoded proximity sensors - Nature Chemical Biology

An approach combining bioorthogonal chemistry with genetically encoded fluorogen-activating proteins enables subcellular imaging of phospholipids and glycans, as well as the visualization of lipid tra...

www.nature.com

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Reposted by Jonny Nixon-Abell

Miranda Hunter @mrndhntr.bsky.social · Aug 27

My recent postdoctoral work is out today in @nature.com! We found that physical confinement makes melanoma cells more invasive and drug tolerant. Thanks to all who made this work possible @whitefishlab.bsky.social @mskcancercenter.bsky.social #NIH #NCI www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Mechanical confinement governs phenotypic plasticity in melanoma - Nature

Mechanical confinement of cancer cells at the tumour–microenvironment interface induces phenotype switching through chromatin remodelling by HMGB2, leading to a more invasive and drug-resistant state ...

www.nature.com

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Jonny Nixon-Abell @abelljonny.bsky.social · Aug 27

Congrats Miranda!!!

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Reposted by Jonny Nixon-Abell

Kai Johnsson @kjohnsson.bsky.social · Jul 3

Finally out in Nature Chem Bio:
SNAP-tag2 for faster and brighter protein labeling
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Thank you Steffi and Veselin.

SNAP-tag2 for faster and brighter protein labeling - Nature Chemical Biology

SNAP-tag is a widespread tool for labeling protein for bioimaging. Now, Kühn et al. report SNAP-tag2 with increased labeling kinetics and brightness, which translates into a better performance in live...

www.nature.com

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Reposted by Jonny Nixon-Abell

Hyman Lab @hymanlab.bsky.social · Jun 16

The german research foundation DFG will fund the new graduate school for

"Biomolecular Condensates: from physics to biological function" here in Dresden

This new graduate school is part of 18 new graduate schools funded by the DFG in germany!

Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft @dfg.de · Jun 16

Förderentscheidung für 18 neue #Graduiertenkollegs, darunter 4 internationale Verbünde mit Partnern in den USA, Italien, Kanada und Frankreich. Themen reichen von klimaneutralem Stahl bis zur Erforschung von Infektionserkrankungen . ➡️ www.dfg.de/de/service/p...

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Jonny Nixon-Abell @abelljonny.bsky.social · Apr 26

Hugely significant finding for contact site research - can’t wait to read properly!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Structural basis of lipid transfer by a bridge-like lipid-transfer protein - Nature

The LPD-3 complex structure reveals protein–lipid interactions that suggest a model for how the native LPD-3 complex mediates bulk lipid transport and provides a foundation for mechanistic studies of ...

www.nature.com

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Reposted by Jonny Nixon-Abell

Denis Wirtz @deniswirtz.bsky.social · Mar 24

Do you see any underlying driver/correlator for these numbers?

Number of canceled NIH grants by institution:

1 Columbia U 163
2 Johns Hopkins 12
3 Emory 6
4 U. Michigan 5
5 U. Minnesota 5
6 U Miami Med Sch. 4
7 UCSF 4
8 U Chicago 3

Source: taggs.hhs.gov/Content/Data...

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Jonny Nixon-Abell @abelljonny.bsky.social · Mar 24

Thanks Alex!

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Reposted by Jonny Nixon-Abell

David Kuster @rnadavid.bsky.social · Mar 23

ANXA11 biomolecular condensates facilitate protein-lipid phase coupling on lysosomal membranes!

Annexin A11 tethers RNP granules to membranes in a Ca2+ dependent manner.

@abelljonny.bsky.social, @michael-e-ward.bsky.social, et al.

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

ANXA11 biomolecular condensates facilitate protein-lipid phase coupling on lysosomal membranes - Nature Communications

Nixon-Abell et al. show that ANXA11 condensation on lysosomal membranes causes a coupled phase transition of the underlying lipids and mechanical stiffening of the overall ensemble involved in RNP gra...

www.nature.com

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Jonny Nixon-Abell @abelljonny.bsky.social · Mar 24

Thank you 😊

Jonny Nixon-Abell @abelljonny.bsky.social · Mar 24

😊 Very happy to see this out! A real group effort from the Hyslop lab (@thecimr.bsky.social) including brilliant collaborations with
@knowleslab.bsky.social,
Vendruscolo lab, @michael-e-ward.bsky.social lab,
@deriverylab.bsky.social lab,
@profmarciniak.bsky.social lab
🎉🎉🎉

ANXA11 biomolecular condensates facilitate protein-lipid phase coupling on lysosomal membranes - Nature Communications

Nixon-Abell et al. show that ANXA11 condensation on lysosomal membranes causes a coupled phase transition of the underlying lipids and mechanical stiffening of the overall ensemble involved in RNP gra...

www.nature.com

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Jonny Nixon-Abell @abelljonny.bsky.social · Mar 22

Great interview with the always inspiring JLS - absolutely shaped so much about mine and so many others careers…

Interview with Jennifer Lippincott-Schwartz

ABSTRACT. Jennifer Lippincott-Schwartz is a Senior Group Leader and Head of 4D Cellular Physiology at Howard Hughes Medical Institute's (HHMI) Janelia Research Campus. Throughout her career, Jennifer ...

journals.biologists.com

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Jonny Nixon-Abell @abelljonny.bsky.social · Mar 13

Thanks! 😊

Jonny Nixon-Abell @abelljonny.bsky.social · Mar 12

Yep. Even with the starter packs ‘active’ 🤷

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Jonny Nixon-Abell @abelljonny.bsky.social · Mar 12

I have not - it’s another useful suggestion I should try. Thanks!

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Jonny Nixon-Abell @abelljonny.bsky.social · Mar 12

Then where are the less established folks haha?!? But yes your point about US is surely a factor.

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Jonny Nixon-Abell @abelljonny.bsky.social · Mar 12

Plenty of good starter packs…even so, I find I encounter far fewer papers that are relevant for my interests here…maybe this trick from @flodebarre.bsky.social will help though!

Reposted by Jonny Nixon-Abell

Nikhil Garg @nkgarg.bsky.social · Mar 10

*Please repost* @sjgreenwood.bsky.social and I just launched a new personalized feed (*please pin*) that we hope will become a "must use" for #academicsky. The feed shows posts about papers filtered by *your* follower network. It's become my default Bluesky experience bsky.app/profile/pape...

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Jonny Nixon-Abell @abelljonny.bsky.social · Mar 12

I had not seen this but this is great!! Thanks for the suggestion. Only downside is that it’s only papers from followers right. Although still a big improvement from my current feeds!

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Jonny Nixon-Abell @abelljonny.bsky.social · Mar 12

This is true on ‘discover’ and even the ‘following’ feeds. Any suggestions on how to help with this?!

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Jonny Nixon-Abell @abelljonny.bsky.social · Mar 12

I have to say…unlike the Twitter heyday (and even still X now), I just don’t get good science content on Bluesky. In particular, I can’t find people posting new cell biology/microscopy/neurobiology papers at anywhere near the same frequency. My feed on Twitter used to be 90%+ of this content…

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Jonny Nixon-Abell @abelljonny.bsky.social · Mar 10

Such a cool story! Congrats guys…

Joe Chambers @joechambers.bsky.social · Mar 10

Delighted to share our latest paper on alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency, in @naturegenet.bsky.social.

A fun collaboration between groups of @matthoare20.bsky.social, @profmarciniak.bsky.social, and Peter Campbell.

@thecimr.bsky.social ky.social, @sangerinstitute.bsky.social, Early Cancer Institute

Selection for somatic escape variants in SERPINA1 in the liver of patients with alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency - Nature Genetics

The expansion of clones with distinct SERPINA1 somatic mutants in the livers of alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (A1AT) patients is consistent with convergent evolution. These variants interfere with th...

www.nature.com

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Reposted by Jonny Nixon-Abell

Hank Green @hankgreen.bsky.social · Mar 2

We are experiencing an assault on science unparalleled by anything I’ve seen in my life. It’s not one issue or another anymore, the entire institution is under attack by the most powerful individuals in the country.

This Friday, where will you be?

standupforscience2025.org

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Jonny Nixon-Abell @abelljonny.bsky.social · Feb 20

This is such a great programme and a big thanks to Venkat Pisupati who has done all the heavy listing from our group to make this possible.

Cambridge Institute for Medical Research @thecimr.bsky.social · Feb 20

We're having a great half term week with a fantastic group of young scientists who've given up their school holiday to experience life as a research scientist. Run with @mrc-mbu.bsky.social and St Catharine's College, www.cimr.cam.ac.uk/inspiring-sc... aims to widen participation in STEM & medicine

Young woman in a lab coat preparing solutions at a laboratory sink

Young woman sitting at a microscope, with computer screen next to her showing colourful images of cells captured from the microscope

Young female student and male research scientist pipetting into eppendorf tubes

Young male student pipetting into trays of eppendorf tubes

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