Fiona J Whelan
@whelanfj.bsky.social
Senior Lecturer, Lister Prize Fellow, & UKRI Future Leaders Fellow at U of Manchester. Bioinf, microbes, evol bio, running, cycling, & pub chats. she/her 🇨🇦. whelanlab.co.uk
A huge thank you from the Whelan lab for an excellent #MEEHubs26 conference! Amazing talks, chats, & intl networking! We’re so thankful to have a chance to showcase our work with posters from @ambercutcliffe.bsky.social @fionapoulter.bsky.social @rebeccawallis.bsky.social Michelle Hardman… [1/2]
#Manchester #MEEhubs26 Day 2 is on! Fantastic talks from @olimeacock.bsky.social @melissalawson.bsky.social @evokait.bsky.social on microbial community interactions with keynote by @dundee.ac.uk's Prof. Sarah Coulthurst 🦠↔️🦠
What a story to kick off #MEEHubs26 day 2 (at least in our time zone). Such an elegant story from Sarah Coulthurst!
MERMan Research Group (University of Manchester)@mermanchester.bsky.social · yesterdayManchester kicking off today's MEEHubs with keynote speaker Professor Sarah Coulthurst (Dundee): "The bacterial Type VI secretion system – a versatile antimicrobial weapon" #meehubs26 #meehubs2026
I’m embarrassed that this is the first I’ve heard of the amazing courage of Linda Guamán. Amazing read on what it means to be a scientist in the face of political pressure.
Nature@nature.com · 3w agoLinda Guamán wanted to serve her country, but became mired in a political controversy that led to her being arrested and facing years in prison go.nature.com/4poutIA
The next few sessions were hosted by Chernihiv, Morelia, and Montreal. That's excellent science spanning 9h of time difference! #MEEHubs2026 Sad you missed out on one of these talks? Don't worry! They're all recorded so you can view whenever you want!
Day 1 wrapped up with the Irvine and Ann Arbor hubs hosting. Thanks all for an amazing first day and see you tomorrow! Grab a beer, a coffee, or finish off your z's to prep for a fully packed Day 2. #MEEHubs26 #MEEHubs2026
You know it’s @meehubs.bsky.social if one hub has beer while another has breakfast. The Zürich hub is concluding a fantastic first day of #MEEHubs26 - can’t wait to rewatch what we’ll be missing out on tonight and excited for two more days of science and fun across hubs 🙌🏼🚀
13. Hence our dismal conclusion: rather than finding that LLMs free us to do a better job of what we were doing before they came along, they shift scientific incentives (and the playing field of academic competition) in ways that compel us to do more and more, faster and faster, less and less well.
Our next speaker will be @dagivi.bsky.social speaking about his preprint on metagenomic analysis of communities in urinary tract infections. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Cross-study metagenomics analysis reveals distinct microbial signatures of urinary tract infections
Background Urinary tract infections (UTIs) represent a major public health concern, increasingly complicated by rising antibiotic resistance, diminishing treatment efficacy, and increasing prevalence ...
biorxiv.org
Dr. Kat Napaaqtuk❄️@napaaqtuk.bsky.social · 3w agoIf you are interested in microbiomes, this is an excellent group of international researchers coming together to discuss current research.
Hi #microbiomesky and #mevosky and also #phagesky maybe? Some of us want a microbiome journal club to catch up on microbiology/evolution related microbiome research. Monthly@15:00 CET/09:00 EST/18:30 IST or so Please text my LMU email address if you're interested (not typing it here to avoid spam)
Lavisha Parab@lavishaparab.bsky.social · 3mo agoDoes anyone know of an online microbiome journal club? I'm interested in joining one. More along the lines of evolution and microbiology than immunology or human effects #mevosky #microbiomesky
🚨The program for MEEHubs2026 is now online, as is more detailed information about the hubs! Check it out at meehubs.org and register‼️ Less than a month before the conference kicks off! 🦠
Home
A hub-based conference on Microbial Ecology and Evolution
meehubs.org
I often give similar advice to my former postdocs / students as they begin faculty jobs: the first year or two are really really hard. It gets much better and is worth it. The successful senior faculty had shitty first years too.
Science Magazine@science.org · 3w ago"You feel stretched to the point of breaking. The waves of emotions are rolling over you. I am here, your future self, to tell you that you are enough. You don’t break. You put one foot in front of the other, and you not only make it through, but you have fun." https://scim.ag/3SWodeP
What is MIC Drop? The MIC Drop Podcast is hosted by the Microbiome Innovation Centre based at the University of Liverpool, bringing you all things microbiome-related. ⬇️
Today is #CFWeek and the Whelan lab are in yellow for #WearYellowDay to raise awareness and funds for the life-limiting genetic condition Cystic Fibrosis (CF). CF is without a cure and dominates thousands of lives everyday. Explore @cysticfibrosis.org.uk's great resources to learn more 💛🧬
Latest paper lead by Asia Hoile with @peterhox.bsky.social is out! 🦋 Nymphalid butterflies have reduced forelegs. Gene expression patterns show support for more palp-like genes involved in sensory processes in the forelegs relative to the walking legs. doi.org/10.1111/imb....
Distinctive gene expression in the reduced first thoracic legs of a nymphalid butterfly
Transcriptome analysis reveals that the small non-walking front legs of a butterfly have distinct gene expression to the four walking legs. Reduced front legs express a gene with putative mechanosen...
doi.org
A reminder that this position closes in a few days time!
Fiona J Whelan@whelanfj.bsky.social · 3mo agoAfter a few technical glitches... 📣 Whelan lab is hiring 📣 We are looking for an entry level technician to help us with our culturing and DNA sequencing prep of cystic fibrosis lung microbiome samples. Applications close 28 May 2026 Any queries, please reach out!
It was a thrill to host @dtertigas.bsky.social from @mcmasteriidr.bsky.social today in Manchester! It’s been amazing watching Dominique progress from eager undergrad to PhD extraordinaire! Thank you so much to @mermanchester.bsky.social for being such a captive audience.
In last week’s seminar we heard from @rebeccawallis.bsky.social about her work on the ecology and evolution of pathogens in CF 🫁 And @flanagella.bsky.social taught us about the importance of strain context in antibiotic resistance 💊 Thank you to @microbesng.bsky.social for our snacks!
After a few technical glitches... 📣 Whelan lab is hiring 📣 We are looking for an entry level technician to help us with our culturing and DNA sequencing prep of cystic fibrosis lung microbiome samples. Applications close 28 May 2026 Any queries, please reach out!
Research Technician in Microbiology and Molecular Biology:Oxford Road
jobs.manchester.ac.uk
Fiona J Whelan@whelanfj.bsky.social · 3mo agoThere appears to be some technical issues regarding the further particulars document and the pre-screening questions. We are working to get these sorted out asap, please bare with us and check back here for updates!
There appears to be some technical issues regarding the further particulars document and the pre-screening questions. We are working to get these sorted out asap, please bare with us and check back here for updates!
Fiona J Whelan@whelanfj.bsky.social · 3mo ago📣 Whelan lab is hiring 📣 We are looking for an entry level technician to help us with our culturing and DNA sequencing prep of cystic fibrosis lung microbiome samples. Applications close 20 May 2026. www.jobs.manchester.ac.uk/Job/JobDetai...
Back from two weeks of field work in the Outer Hebrides. Studying stickleback by trapping, wading, snorkeling, drones, and my first field experience of using @bento.bio lab. Normally we guess what the mitochondrial lineage of the crosses we're making but this year we got to know in the field!
It's been a long time coming to finally see this in print! While not the first paper from my lab, it is one of the very first projects we started working on from day 1 links.springernature.com/f/a/1IP7gCfA...
Pooled CRISPRi screening reveals fungal-specific drug target candidates - Nature Microbiology
This study presents a pooled CRISPRi screening approach in Candida albicans to investigate essential genes at scale, revealing environment- and strain-dependent gene sensitivities and conserved vulner...
links.springernature.com
📣 Whelan lab is hiring 📣 We are looking for an entry level technician to help us with our culturing and DNA sequencing prep of cystic fibrosis lung microbiome samples. Applications close 20 May 2026. www.jobs.manchester.ac.uk/Job/JobDetai...
Research Technician in Microbiology and Molecular Biology:Oxford Road
jobs.manchester.ac.uk
Less than 1 week to apply for this postdoc! If you want to find out more about the project have a look at our recent preprint: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6... #mevosky
biorxiv.org
Michael Brockhurst@brockhurstlab.bsky.social · 3mo agoWhy does antibiotic resistance evolution vary between patients? Come to @officialuom.bsky.social @mermanchester.bsky.social to help us find out! 2.5 year @wellcometrust.bsky.social postdoc position in experimental evolution Closing 15 May. Apply here: www.jobs.manchester.ac.uk/Job/JobDetai...
Join us! @wellcometrust.bsky.social postdoc position using experimental evolution to understand real-world resistance dynamics. See preprint for the 🤯 strain collection we will be working with www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6... Closing 15 May. Apply: www.jobs.manchester.ac.uk/Job/JobDetai... #mevosky
biorxiv.org
We have a PhD studentship available to develop genome safeguarding technologies for synthetic phage therapeutics www.findaphd.com/phds/project... It is part of an exciting new @officialuom.bsky.social PhD by Enterprise programme www.bmh.manchester.ac.uk/study/resear...
(PhD by Enterprise) Genome safeguarding technologies for synthetic phage therapeutics against multidrug resistant bacterial infections at The University of Manchester on FindAPhD.com
PhD Project - (PhD by Enterprise) Genome safeguarding technologies for synthetic phage therapeutics against multidrug resistant bacterial infections at The University of Manchester, listed on FindAPhD...
findaphd.com
