Huge congratulations to Nicole Gadda, who led the project with assistance from @jilarie.bsky.social. Both recently defended their dissertation and will be sorely missed!

Rita Tamayo@ritatamayo.bsky.social · last wk.

New from the lab--C. diff uses phase variation to initiate infection in a virulent state but that phenotype presents a fitness cost as disease develops. A programmed reset mechanism primes Clostridioides difficile virulence at the onset of infection | Science Advances www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

New from the lab--C. diff uses phase variation to initiate infection in a virulent state but that phenotype presents a fitness cost as disease develops. A programmed reset mechanism primes Clostridioides difficile virulence at the onset of infection | Science Advances www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

A programmed reset mechanism primes Clostridioides difficile virulence at the onset of infection

Clostridioides difficile is a major cause of antibiotic-associated diarrhea. This pathogen produces toxins essential for disease and flagella that promote intestinal colonization. Flagella and toxins ...

science.org

New preprint from the lab led by Alex Dobrila! We show that butyrate-dependent toxin release in C. difficile is mediated by a broadly-conserved endolysin (EndD), which is under the control of the sporulation sigma factor SigK. Excited to share this story! 👇 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

EndD mediates butyrate-dependent toxin release in Clostridioides difficile

Clostridioides difficile is an urgent threat to human health. Current treatments for C. difficile infections (CDIs) are antibiotics and microbiome restoration therapy (MRT) for recurrent cases. Howeve...

biorxiv.org

For ESIs dealing with grants being rescinded: if an investigator’s 1st substantial independent research award is terminated within the first 3 years of the project period (not due to scientific misconduct ) they can request the reinstatement of ESI status grants.nih.gov/news-events/...

Exciting work from my new colleague @jakechoby.bsky.social!

Jake Choby@jakechoby.bsky.social · last yr.

Excited to share the work with @dweisslab.bsky.social‬ and great collaborators on how gene amplification generates dynamic heteroresistance to new beta-lactams, like cefiderocol. We hope drug developers will consider heteroresistance during antibiotic development rdcu.be/euijW

Evening at Missy Lane's, Durham, NC

This NY Times podcast discusses 1,700 NIH grants that were cancelled mid-stream. They largely fell into two categories: (a) studies of underrepresented populations (e.g., black women, gay men); and (b) studies by researchers from underrepresented groups. www.nytimes.com/2025/06/26/p...

Breaking Down the Massive Cuts to Science Funding

nytimes.com

New review article from the lab! "Maximizing bacterial survival: integrating sense-and-respond and bet-hedging mechanisms": www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti... Led by PhD student Nicole Gadda & former-PhD student from the Cotter lab Lilli Lowrey Access link: authors.elsevier.com/a/1lHuj_,2Ci...

Important: if a bug does not make the WHO's priority list, this does not mean it is not relevant. We present arguments why investment in R&D for surveillance, control and treatment of C. difficile (CDI) is of critical importance: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Clostridioides difficile is a bacterial priority pathogen

sciencedirect.com

ACTION ITEM-----ACTION ITEM Implementation of Schedule F This is what a lot of us have been worried about. This allows for many civil service positions to replaced with political appointees. This could include NIH institute directors and even POs. BUT THERE IS A COMMENT PERIOD... 1/n

the word alert is in a purple circle

ALT: the word alert is in a purple circle

media.tenor.com

Inspiring as always @peiferlabunc.bsky.social

Rita Tamayo@ritatamayo.bsky.social · last yr.

Setting up for printing at #standupforscience, Raleigh courtesy of @biovarg.bsky.social

Setting up for printing at #standupforscience, Raleigh courtesy of @biovarg.bsky.social

BV study section rescheduled for mid-April, posted on the Federal Register yesterday

Super duper. What could go wrong?

Josh Marshall@joshtpm.bsky.social · last yr.

NEW: The National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods is (or was) an advisory committee housed within the USDA which provides outside expert advice to advance food safety across the US and across different levels of govt. It was ordered disbanded this afternoon.

Join us today, in Raleigh NC and around the nation, as we remind our communities what science brings to the nation--solutions to our toughest challenges, new cures for disease and good jobs that pay a living wage standupforscience2025.org

Ready!

Good company makes evening work better

We're now actively rescheduling last week's cancelled study section. Well, there's a Doodle poll anyway...

Bacterial Virulence study section was cancelled this morning. The email was sent 2 hours before the meeting start time. I feel terrible for the investigators 😡

Courage is contagious! #CDC #SAVEUSSCIENCE #ATL

Exactly 👇

Chrystal Starbird@drstarbird.bsky.social · 2y ago

I just received the first strongly worded email from my leaders indicating they would fight this most recent change to IDCs. All I hear was that it wasn’t worth fighting for when it was about trainees, early career scientists, and POC. Heard loud and clear.

So.... Will there finally be pushback from universities? We know people and science don't matter to them, but this is an enormous hit to their bottom line.

Kurt Fraser@kurtfraser.bsky.social · 2y ago

Flat 15% indirect costs across all grants (notes this will work because only 3 places - MIT, UMich, UAB - ever REFUSED a grant for lower than expected previous indirects). Impacts of this cut will presumably destroy research - current indirects are ~50%+ grants.nih.gov/grants/guide...

⚠️ Effective Monday 2/10/25, NIH indirect rate capped at 15%. Applies to existing & future grants. —> Deep budget cuts & program closures coming to a university near you. Is this the break the glass moment for university administrators who have been silent so far about the attack on science?

If institutions are not going to use their multi-billion dollar endowments to protect us, then I agree with the GOP, tax them to hell. What the fuck are they there for?

Teacher agrees (in September) to write my high school senior a recommendation letter for college apps. Says they'll write it over the break. Teacher has a chronic illness and has been out for two weeks. Teacher cannot be reached (unfortunate but understandable). Application deadline is January 1.

Bacterial ncRNAs influence various cellular functions & have complex 3ry structures. @tinalence.bsky.social @ffaberlab.bsky.social &co show that the #ncRNA ModT is conserved in 2,500 bacterial spp and regulates growth transition & sporulation in #Cdifficile via c-di-GMP #PLOSBiology plos.io/4iIpgYm

Just stumbled across this - it's worth 3min of your life!

Mom & I Cover Creep By Radiohead (she is a classical Indian singer 🕉️)

YouTube video by Avie Sheck

youtu.be

Same for grant writing...

Chuck Wendig@chuckwendig.bsky.social · 2y ago

My writing process is usually: a) I got this b) well, fuck c) wait that part was real good d) wait no that part sucks e) I am a god of this place f) the fuck is this shit, who do I think I am, why am I here g) oh man I just figured it all out h) mistakes were made I) existential dread