Christopher LaRock
@larocklab.com
Associate Professor of Microbiology & Immunology. Scientist & Lab Leader. Streptococcus, invasive infection, host-pathogen interaction, cell death, antibiotic failure, academia, mentoring. Only my opinions
Reposted by Christopher LaRock
Next time you feel like things are tough, just remember that the winner of fat bear week came in second place twice and then won despite having a broken jaw all summer
32 Chunk voted as Fat Bear Week 2025 winner after 2 years as runner-up
As one of the largest bears that resides along Brooks River at Katmai National Park and Preserve in Alaska, 32 Chunk was estimated to be over 1,200 pounds.
www.cbsnews.com
October 1, 2025 at 1:36 AM
Next time you feel like things are tough, just remember that the winner of fat bear week came in second place twice and then won despite having a broken jaw all summer
Reposted by Christopher LaRock
Apparently, chimpanzees consume equivalent of 1-2 standard alcoholic drinks per day in the wild via fermented fruit!! (h/t Nick Villarino)
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Ethanol ingestion via frugivory in wild chimpanzees
Natural daily consumption of dietary alcohol by chimpanzees suggests human attraction to alcohol may come from our ancestral diet.
www.science.org
September 18, 2025 at 3:45 PM
Apparently, chimpanzees consume equivalent of 1-2 standard alcoholic drinks per day in the wild via fermented fruit!! (h/t Nick Villarino)
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Christopher LaRock
An overview of current and future applications of AI in infectious disease prevention and management, exploring the broad potential, available experimental evidence, real-life implementation examples, and technical normative, ethical, and policy barriers… #IDSky
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
Artificial intelligence and infectious diseases: an evidence-driven conceptual framework for research, public health, and clinical practice
As artificial intelligence (AI) is projected to radically shape health care, its role
in infectious disease prevention and management is drawing attention. AI offers promising
opportunities to help ta...
www.thelancet.com
September 18, 2025 at 1:01 PM
An overview of current and future applications of AI in infectious disease prevention and management, exploring the broad potential, available experimental evidence, real-life implementation examples, and technical normative, ethical, and policy barriers… #IDSky
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
Reposted by Christopher LaRock
2025 #LaskerAward winner Lucy Shapiro asked: How do living organisms translate information from a linear genetic code into three-dimensional structures?
And with that, she broke open a new field. 🧪
@pnas.org
#Lasker2025 #systemsbiology
And with that, she broke open a new field. 🧪
@pnas.org
#Lasker2025 #systemsbiology
The Lasker~Koshland Special Achievement Award in Medical Science awarded to Lucy Shapiro | PNAS
Scientists can contribute to society in numerous ways. Some scientists discover new biological principles and found entirely new fields. Some scien...
www.pnas.org
September 15, 2025 at 4:45 PM
2025 #LaskerAward winner Lucy Shapiro asked: How do living organisms translate information from a linear genetic code into three-dimensional structures?
And with that, she broke open a new field. 🧪
@pnas.org
#Lasker2025 #systemsbiology
And with that, she broke open a new field. 🧪
@pnas.org
#Lasker2025 #systemsbiology
Reposted by Christopher LaRock
"Microbial allies: bacteria help fight against cancer"
✨ News story from #LMS @mrc-lms.bsky.social, covering the beautiful study led by #postdoc Daniel Martinez @dmartimarti.bsky.social - congrats! ✨
#PostdocAppreciationWeek #PAW2025
#Cancer #Microbiome #Chemotherapy
lms.mrc.ac.uk/microbial-al...
✨ News story from #LMS @mrc-lms.bsky.social, covering the beautiful study led by #postdoc Daniel Martinez @dmartimarti.bsky.social - congrats! ✨
#PostdocAppreciationWeek #PAW2025
#Cancer #Microbiome #Chemotherapy
lms.mrc.ac.uk/microbial-al...
Microbial allies: bacteria help fight against cancer
An international team of scientists led by researchers at the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences (LMS), Imperial College London and the University of Cologne have discovered that microbes associated w...
lms.mrc.ac.uk
September 16, 2025 at 9:24 PM
"Microbial allies: bacteria help fight against cancer"
✨ News story from #LMS @mrc-lms.bsky.social, covering the beautiful study led by #postdoc Daniel Martinez @dmartimarti.bsky.social - congrats! ✨
#PostdocAppreciationWeek #PAW2025
#Cancer #Microbiome #Chemotherapy
lms.mrc.ac.uk/microbial-al...
✨ News story from #LMS @mrc-lms.bsky.social, covering the beautiful study led by #postdoc Daniel Martinez @dmartimarti.bsky.social - congrats! ✨
#PostdocAppreciationWeek #PAW2025
#Cancer #Microbiome #Chemotherapy
lms.mrc.ac.uk/microbial-al...
Reposted by Christopher LaRock
Outbreaks of dengue are killing thousands in South America each year and is getting worse.
Brazil hopes to turn the tide with a vaccine and an army of mosquitoes infected with Wolbachia bacteria.
These lower the odds mosquitoes can transmit the virus to humans.
🧪🦠
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Brazil hopes to turn the tide with a vaccine and an army of mosquitoes infected with Wolbachia bacteria.
These lower the odds mosquitoes can transmit the virus to humans.
🧪🦠
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
How billions of hacked mosquitoes and a vaccine could beat the deadly dengue virus
Outbreaks of dengue are killing thousands of people in South America each year and getting worse. Brazil hopes to turn the tide with a home-grown vaccine and an army of mosquitoes infected with Wolbac...
www.nature.com
September 17, 2025 at 4:33 AM
Outbreaks of dengue are killing thousands in South America each year and is getting worse.
Brazil hopes to turn the tide with a vaccine and an army of mosquitoes infected with Wolbachia bacteria.
These lower the odds mosquitoes can transmit the virus to humans.
🧪🦠
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Brazil hopes to turn the tide with a vaccine and an army of mosquitoes infected with Wolbachia bacteria.
These lower the odds mosquitoes can transmit the virus to humans.
🧪🦠
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Reposted by Christopher LaRock
Robert Redford (RIP) survived a childhood bout of polio though bedridden for 2 weeks
In 2014, he directed a short film on the architecture and mission of La Jolla's Salk Institute—honoring founder Jonas Salk, inventor of the polio vaccine that has saved countless lives, and architect Louis Kahn
In 2014, he directed a short film on the architecture and mission of La Jolla's Salk Institute—honoring founder Jonas Salk, inventor of the polio vaccine that has saved countless lives, and architect Louis Kahn
CATHEDRALS OF CULTURE - Clip ROBERT REDFORD: Salk Institute -- La Jolla, California, USA - HD
YouTube video by neueroadmovies
youtu.be
September 17, 2025 at 2:52 AM
Robert Redford (RIP) survived a childhood bout of polio though bedridden for 2 weeks
In 2014, he directed a short film on the architecture and mission of La Jolla's Salk Institute—honoring founder Jonas Salk, inventor of the polio vaccine that has saved countless lives, and architect Louis Kahn
In 2014, he directed a short film on the architecture and mission of La Jolla's Salk Institute—honoring founder Jonas Salk, inventor of the polio vaccine that has saved countless lives, and architect Louis Kahn
Reposted by Christopher LaRock
Please share my 1 min video on the importance of maintaining NIH funding of infectious diseases and drug discovery research vs rising antibiotic resistance
Drastic budget cuts harm our health and imperil the next generation of scientists
More @UCSanDiego “Behind Every Breakthrough” bit.ly/3FlXQs3
Drastic budget cuts harm our health and imperil the next generation of scientists
More @UCSanDiego “Behind Every Breakthrough” bit.ly/3FlXQs3
August 7, 2025 at 8:40 PM
Please share my 1 min video on the importance of maintaining NIH funding of infectious diseases and drug discovery research vs rising antibiotic resistance
Drastic budget cuts harm our health and imperil the next generation of scientists
More @UCSanDiego “Behind Every Breakthrough” bit.ly/3FlXQs3
Drastic budget cuts harm our health and imperil the next generation of scientists
More @UCSanDiego “Behind Every Breakthrough” bit.ly/3FlXQs3
Reposted by Christopher LaRock
Lawmakers to NIH: Use it or lose it.
14 Republican Senators—including key appropriators—are urging the White House to release NIH FY25 funds without delay, warning that stalled spending could harm future research budgets.
Read more: www.ascb.org/science-poli...
14 Republican Senators—including key appropriators—are urging the White House to release NIH FY25 funds without delay, warning that stalled spending could harm future research budgets.
Read more: www.ascb.org/science-poli...
“Use It or Lose It!” - ASCB
Fourteen Republican Senators have written to Russell Vought, Director of the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB)—the agency responsible for developing the President’s annual budget propo...
www.ascb.org
July 30, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Lawmakers to NIH: Use it or lose it.
14 Republican Senators—including key appropriators—are urging the White House to release NIH FY25 funds without delay, warning that stalled spending could harm future research budgets.
Read more: www.ascb.org/science-poli...
14 Republican Senators—including key appropriators—are urging the White House to release NIH FY25 funds without delay, warning that stalled spending could harm future research budgets.
Read more: www.ascb.org/science-poli...
Reposted by Christopher LaRock
On Aug. 1, ASM & partner societies filed an expanded amicus brief with SCOTUS to defend scientific integrity & protect early-career researchers. The brief highlights the harm caused by NIH grant terminations, including canceling the MOSAIC program. asm.org/press-releas...
Scientific Societies File Supreme Court Amicus Brief in Support of NIH Grantees
ASM and fellow societies filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court, calling for the swift restoration of NIH grant funding supporting early-career scientists, such as the MOSAIC program.
asm.org
August 4, 2025 at 9:23 PM
On Aug. 1, ASM & partner societies filed an expanded amicus brief with SCOTUS to defend scientific integrity & protect early-career researchers. The brief highlights the harm caused by NIH grant terminations, including canceling the MOSAIC program. asm.org/press-releas...
Reposted by Christopher LaRock
Super excited to share our paper online 🚨today🚨 in Cell Host & Microbe! Xiaomei Ren @xiaomeiren.bsky.social and Mason Clark @rmasonclark.bsky.social co-led discovery of ecological factors for Acinetobacter baumannii carriage in the gut, a reservoir for pathogen spread. 🎉
tinyurl.com/443kfefk
tinyurl.com/443kfefk
Amino acid competition shapes A. baumannii gut carriage
Acinetobacter baumannii uses ornithine to compete w/ microbiota & persist in gut. Amino acid supplementation & differences in diet promote A. baumannii gut colonization in mice & humans
@laurenpalmer.bsky.social
www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...
Acinetobacter baumannii uses ornithine to compete w/ microbiota & persist in gut. Amino acid supplementation & differences in diet promote A. baumannii gut colonization in mice & humans
@laurenpalmer.bsky.social
www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...
Amino acid competition shapes Acinetobacter baumannii gut carriage
Ren and Clark et al. show that Acinetobacter baumannii uses ornithine to compete with
the resident microbiota and persist in the gut. Additional evidence demonstrates that
amino acid supplementation a...
www.cell.com
August 4, 2025 at 8:26 PM
Super excited to share our paper online 🚨today🚨 in Cell Host & Microbe! Xiaomei Ren @xiaomeiren.bsky.social and Mason Clark @rmasonclark.bsky.social co-led discovery of ecological factors for Acinetobacter baumannii carriage in the gut, a reservoir for pathogen spread. 🎉
tinyurl.com/443kfefk
tinyurl.com/443kfefk
Reposted by Christopher LaRock
Why did invasive #strepA infections increase in young children after the pandemic?
In this new @imperialinfect.bsky.social PREPRINT *not peer-reviewed* we look at antibody responses to #strepA and resp viruses in European children before and after the pandemic:
www.medrxiv.org/cgi/content/...
In this new @imperialinfect.bsky.social PREPRINT *not peer-reviewed* we look at antibody responses to #strepA and resp viruses in European children before and after the pandemic:
www.medrxiv.org/cgi/content/...
Immunity to Streptococcus pyogenes and Common Respiratory Viruses at Age 0-4 Years after COVID-19 restrictions: A Cross-Sectional Study
Importance The upsurge in invasive disease caused by Streptococcus pyogenes among children reported in several European countries during 2022-2023 has not been fully explained.
Objective To test the ...
www.medrxiv.org
April 25, 2025 at 5:16 PM
Why did invasive #strepA infections increase in young children after the pandemic?
In this new @imperialinfect.bsky.social PREPRINT *not peer-reviewed* we look at antibody responses to #strepA and resp viruses in European children before and after the pandemic:
www.medrxiv.org/cgi/content/...
In this new @imperialinfect.bsky.social PREPRINT *not peer-reviewed* we look at antibody responses to #strepA and resp viruses in European children before and after the pandemic:
www.medrxiv.org/cgi/content/...
In which the Whitney lab describes cool new family of antimicrobial toxins present in some Gram+ pathogens 💊
Proteolytically activated antibacterial toxins inhibit the growth of diverse Gram-positive bacteria https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.04.13.648598v1
April 14, 2025 at 3:37 PM
In which the Whitney lab describes cool new family of antimicrobial toxins present in some Gram+ pathogens 💊
Reposted by Christopher LaRock
My quote of the day
(A long one)
Of all the traits which qualify a scientist for citizenship in the republic of science, I would put a sense of responsibility as a scientist at the very top.
1/n
(A long one)
Of all the traits which qualify a scientist for citizenship in the republic of science, I would put a sense of responsibility as a scientist at the very top.
1/n
April 13, 2025 at 10:52 AM
My quote of the day
(A long one)
Of all the traits which qualify a scientist for citizenship in the republic of science, I would put a sense of responsibility as a scientist at the very top.
1/n
(A long one)
Of all the traits which qualify a scientist for citizenship in the republic of science, I would put a sense of responsibility as a scientist at the very top.
1/n
Reposted by Christopher LaRock
It is not easy to discover a receptor.
by Karla Stachel's group. @karlasatchell.bsky.social
Vibrio MARTX toxin binding of biantennary N-glycans at host cell surfaces | Science Advances www.science.org/doi/full/10....
by Karla Stachel's group. @karlasatchell.bsky.social
Vibrio MARTX toxin binding of biantennary N-glycans at host cell surfaces | Science Advances www.science.org/doi/full/10....
Vibrio MARTX toxin binding of biantennary N-glycans at host cell surfaces
The large pore-forming toxin MARTX with broad tissue tropism binds the essential unit of N-glycans on eukaryotic cell membranes.
www.science.org
April 13, 2025 at 2:34 PM
It is not easy to discover a receptor.
by Karla Stachel's group. @karlasatchell.bsky.social
Vibrio MARTX toxin binding of biantennary N-glycans at host cell surfaces | Science Advances www.science.org/doi/full/10....
by Karla Stachel's group. @karlasatchell.bsky.social
Vibrio MARTX toxin binding of biantennary N-glycans at host cell surfaces | Science Advances www.science.org/doi/full/10....
Reposted by Christopher LaRock
Gene editing and many other useful biotechnology tools came from studies of bacteria fighting off viral invaders, but scientists have only begun to unlock the secrets of this microbial warfare. Read the Nature feature on what breakthroughs could be next. 🧪
Microbial warfare brought us CRISPR. What big breakthroughs could be next?
Gene editing and many other useful biotechnology tools came from studies of bacteria fighting off viral invaders. But scientists have only begun to unlock the secrets of this ancient arms race.
go.nature.com
April 13, 2025 at 4:37 PM
Gene editing and many other useful biotechnology tools came from studies of bacteria fighting off viral invaders, but scientists have only begun to unlock the secrets of this microbial warfare. Read the Nature feature on what breakthroughs could be next. 🧪
Reposted by Christopher LaRock
"PLOS will not compromise on issues of scientific rigor and editorial integrity."
From a PLOS post about recent Executive Orders. I'm an editor for PLOSOne and very glad to see this family of journals not comply with anti-scientific political diktats.
#AcademicChatter #StandUpForScience
From a PLOS post about recent Executive Orders. I'm an editor for PLOSOne and very glad to see this family of journals not comply with anti-scientific political diktats.
#AcademicChatter #StandUpForScience
PLOS statement on recent US Executive Orders and scientific integrity - The Official PLOS Blog
Since its founding over twenty five years ago PLOS has been dedicated to advancing open science, ensuring that knowledge is accessible to…
theplosblog.plos.org
March 14, 2025 at 3:27 PM
"PLOS will not compromise on issues of scientific rigor and editorial integrity."
From a PLOS post about recent Executive Orders. I'm an editor for PLOSOne and very glad to see this family of journals not comply with anti-scientific political diktats.
#AcademicChatter #StandUpForScience
From a PLOS post about recent Executive Orders. I'm an editor for PLOSOne and very glad to see this family of journals not comply with anti-scientific political diktats.
#AcademicChatter #StandUpForScience
Reposted by Christopher LaRock
I'm already hearing rumblings from academic leaders that tenure clock extensions may be part of how early career researchers weather this new storm.
A reminder that clock extensions are not the easy solution some think them to be: www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
We must do better by junior faculty.
A reminder that clock extensions are not the easy solution some think them to be: www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
We must do better by junior faculty.
Extended time, elevated expectations: The unappreciated downsides of pausing the tenure clock | PNAS
Extended time, elevated expectations: The unappreciated downsides of pausing the tenure
clock
www.pnas.org
March 12, 2025 at 10:24 PM
I'm already hearing rumblings from academic leaders that tenure clock extensions may be part of how early career researchers weather this new storm.
A reminder that clock extensions are not the easy solution some think them to be: www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
We must do better by junior faculty.
A reminder that clock extensions are not the easy solution some think them to be: www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
We must do better by junior faculty.
Reposted by Christopher LaRock
Francis Collins, the NIH Director for 12 years, led the Human Genome Project and other NIH efforts for 32 years, resigned today. Key words from his resignation letter
www.nytimes.com/2025/03/01/u...
www.nytimes.com/2025/03/01/u...
March 1, 2025 at 6:07 PM
Francis Collins, the NIH Director for 12 years, led the Human Genome Project and other NIH efforts for 32 years, resigned today. Key words from his resignation letter
www.nytimes.com/2025/03/01/u...
www.nytimes.com/2025/03/01/u...
Reposted by Christopher LaRock
The average American voter thinks that the government is too big but that it should spend more money on everything it does. This explains a decent share of the political chaos of this country.
March 2, 2025 at 7:48 PM
The average American voter thinks that the government is too big but that it should spend more money on everything it does. This explains a decent share of the political chaos of this country.
Reposted by Christopher LaRock
To: Elon Musk/DOGE
From: Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA)
Subject: Five Things I Accomplished Last Week (🧵)
#1. Destroyed a previously normal heart valve in an otherwise healthy 58-year-old man
From: Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA)
Subject: Five Things I Accomplished Last Week (🧵)
#1. Destroyed a previously normal heart valve in an otherwise healthy 58-year-old man
February 24, 2025 at 8:16 AM
To: Elon Musk/DOGE
From: Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA)
Subject: Five Things I Accomplished Last Week (🧵)
#1. Destroyed a previously normal heart valve in an otherwise healthy 58-year-old man
From: Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA)
Subject: Five Things I Accomplished Last Week (🧵)
#1. Destroyed a previously normal heart valve in an otherwise healthy 58-year-old man
Reposted by Christopher LaRock
Wondering if your study section cancelled? I update this sheet daily. As of today, 56/124 study sections that should have met since Jan 2, 2025 have "not met as scheduled." docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
2025 Study section tracking
docs.google.com
February 24, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Wondering if your study section cancelled? I update this sheet daily. As of today, 56/124 study sections that should have met since Jan 2, 2025 have "not met as scheduled." docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
Reposted by Christopher LaRock
Although we are not federally funded for this summer, WE WILL STILL RUN The National Summer Undergraduate Research Project (NSURP) in 2025. We remain committed to the work that needs to be done and will continue to meet people where they are. 1/4 nsurp.org
NSURP.org
National Summer Undergraduate Research Project
nsurp.org
February 24, 2025 at 5:47 PM
Although we are not federally funded for this summer, WE WILL STILL RUN The National Summer Undergraduate Research Project (NSURP) in 2025. We remain committed to the work that needs to be done and will continue to meet people where they are. 1/4 nsurp.org
Reposted by Christopher LaRock
Universities show their true colors during crises so I'm proud to read that my US employer, Yale School of Medicine, is funding faculty whose labs have been hit by political meddling
In addition to bridge funding I gather Yale lawyers are directly challenging anti-science actions in Washington
In addition to bridge funding I gather Yale lawyers are directly challenging anti-science actions in Washington
February 21, 2025 at 12:27 AM
Universities show their true colors during crises so I'm proud to read that my US employer, Yale School of Medicine, is funding faculty whose labs have been hit by political meddling
In addition to bridge funding I gather Yale lawyers are directly challenging anti-science actions in Washington
In addition to bridge funding I gather Yale lawyers are directly challenging anti-science actions in Washington