Biological Sciences

Bacteria infected with phage. Dots show phage replication sites.

Our researchers have uncovered new insights into how bacteria defend themselves against phages, a type of virus 🦠

The findings could help to develop new treatments for antibiotic resistant bacteria.

Read more 👉‬ https://tr.pulse.ly/tzludunyjy

Another #technician team building day wrapped up - who knew that spaghetti and marshmallows could be so much fun! @unisouthampton.bsky.social @sotonbiosciences.bsky.social

Kiwa is a membrane-embedded defense supercomplex activated at phage attachment sites Zhang, Todeschini, and Wu et al. show that the bacterial defense system Kiwa senses phage attachment at the membrane and assembles a transmembrane complex that halts infection by blocking phage DNA re...

Thrilled to see our Kiwa story out today! A membrane-associated supercomplex that senses infection and blocks replication and transcription.

www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...

Huge congratulations to Yi and Zhiying for bringing it home, to Thomas for starting us off, and to all the collaborators.

How ancient viruses could help fight antibiotic resistance The viruses that kill bacteria may be our best bet against antibiotic resistance – if we can understand how they win.

"If bacteria had a list of things to fear, phages would be at the top."

Dr Franklin Nobrega writes about how understanding the 'rules of engagement' in an ancient, microscopic battle could be key in the fight back against antibiotic-resistant infections.
theconversation.com/how-ancient-...

'It's just a weird, weird bird': Why we got the dodo so absurdly wrong The extinct flightless pigeon has captured imaginations for over 400 years. Experts and artists are now revealing how much we have distorted what the dodo was really like.

The Dodo went extinct more that 350 years ago, and yet it still has a very large presence... Here is a lovely piece from BBC Future about our work and 'it'. with Karen Fawcett and Julian Hume
www.bbc.com/future/artic...
@sotonbiosciences.bsky.social @uosmedia.bsky.social

Large blue letters spelling "UoS" are displayed in front of the Guildhall. The sky is bright blue with scattered clouds.

A group of six graduates in caps and gowns pose outdoors under a bright, partly cloudy sky. Behind them is a modern building with large glass windows.

A group stands smiling outside the Guildhall, under a clear blue sky. In the center, three people in graduation gowns and caps with their family standing next to them.

Four individuals in graduation gowns and caps stand in front of the Guildhall, under a blue sky. Colourful flags are visible on either side.

Graduation officially kicks off today, and we're so proud to be celebrating with you! 🎓 🫶🏻

This moment marks the end of one incredible chapter and the start of an exciting new journey. Here's to the Class of 2025!

#WeAreUoS

Big news! 🎉 Emily Gwyer Findlay has been awarded an MRC Senior Non-Clinical Fellowship—one of the most prestigious UKRI awards, and possibly a first for Southampton! Her research will explore how neutrophils shape autoimmune disease in human lymph nodes.
#ScienceNews #Autoimmunity #ResearchWins

University of Southampton Delhi campus' vertical banner along a sidewalk featuring the university's logo.

Reception area at the University of Southampton Delhi.

An empty lecture hall at University of Southampton Delhi with tiered rows of blue upholstered seats.

A spacious, modern cafeteria of University of Southampton Delhi campus featuring rows of square wooden tables with a mix of white, pink, and black chairs.

Take a sneak peek at our new Delhi campus 🏫✨

Exciting times! We're getting ready to welcome our first students to our flagship India campus 🎊

A vibrant and colorful installation of 400 handmade spheres, each uniquely crafted from various materials such as paper, fabric, and plastic.

400 globes crafted by local community groups are on display at Winchester School of Art for the Small Worlds exhibition, in partnership with the Climate Unity Project 🌎

Visitors are invited to explore the exhibition until 16 August and contribute to the initiative by creating their own spheres.

YouTube video by University of Southampton Ceratosuchops: The Dinosaur Discovered on the Isle of Wight

youtube.com/shorts/pKJWR...

Are you a student or a member of staff at the @unisouthampton.bsky.social planning/thinking about a new public engagement project? 🤔

Then join us THIS WEEK to ask questions about the Call Guidance and the application form.

📍 MS Teams
🗓️ Thursday 17th July
⌚️ 13:00 - 14:00
↘️ bit.ly/UoSDevFundINFO25

White and yellow text, on a blue background with several round pictures of the UoS Roadshow taken at Southampton Mela 2024. The text says: University of Southampton, We are going to Southampton Mela Festival, Saturday 12th July 2025, 12-5PM, #UoSRoadshow. Accompanying logo: Southampton Mela Festival, artasia.org.uk.

We are ready to go! 🎉

Join researchers and staff from @unisouthampton.bsky.social, and friends of the Public and Community Engagement Hubs at #SouthamptonMela Festival this Saturday 12th July (12-5PM)!

#UoSRoadshow #UoSPCEHubs #WeAreUoS
@southamptonctu.bsky.social @johnhansardgallery.bsky.social

Had the best time at #HETS today. Brilliant workshops, inspiring talks and of course excellent grub! #technicansmakeithappen

@sotonbiosciences.bsky.social @tech-commit.bsky.social @unisotontechs.bsky.social

It was a delightful experience that members of our team had shared and discussed about our research to Lord Patrick Vallance, the Minister of State for Science, at the Royal Society soirée!

#RoyalSociety #PhageCollection #SummerScienceExhibition

View of the Guggenheim museum in Bilbao

Entrance of the BCE building where the conference was held. Red flags on the left

Group photo of some of the dinner at the food society on the night 2 of the carbohydrate "born to be bound" symposium

Lovely regional wine served in frozen big glasses

Wonderful Bilbao! Thank you to all organizers for the wonderful time at #RSEQ2025 and fantastic #glycotime 🏟️🥂 It was *super* fun catching up with many old and new friends ❤️🍬🧪

And so, the GostlingEvoPalaeoLab and volunteers from the Dinosaur on Your Window Sill head off to a school fête to talk dinosaur and bird evolution.
#palaeoSaturday

Great day in the Palaeo lab at Dinosaur Isle with @christijanibarker.bsky.social and @jamesmacdonell.bsky.social looking at Isle of Wight dinosaurs. Keep an eye out for some exciting developments...
@sotonbiosciences.bsky.social @unisouthampton.bsky.social

Person looking down over a map.

The 2025/26 Public Engagement Development Fund Call is now open!

Staff, PGRs and community partners can apply for funding to develop, explore and deliver projects that strengthen public engagement with our university’s research and its impact.

Read more 👉 bit.ly/44tkR57

Pioneering partnership will tackle world’s most devastating diseases Pioneering partnership will tackle world’s most devastating diseases

Exciting news! We’re proud to launch the new Institute for Medical Innovation alongside @uhsft.bsky.social

The IMI will put Southampton at the heart of medical discovery, bringing experts together in one brand new building to deliver life-changing breakthroughs.

Find out more 👉 tr.ee/ZgQQiL

White and light pink text on a textured purple background that says: University of Southampton, Southampton Arts and Humanities Festival, 6th – 15th November 2025, Online and in-person activities and events. Submit an activity. #UoSArtsHumFest. Accompanying image: a young exhibitor (with long black straight hairs divided in two ponytails) facing a poster board covered with handwritten letters and messages.

📢 The exhibitors call for Southampton Arts and Humanities Festival 2025 is NOW OPEN!

The festival will be back at @unisouthampton.bsky.social on 6th - 15th November.

↗️ Visit www.southamptonartshumfest.co.uk/ArtsHumFest-registration to find out more and submit your contribution!

#UoSArtsHumFest

Sneak peak into our set up at the Royal Society... we are ready to roll!

Hope to see many of you there this week!

#SummerScience #RoyalSociety #FightingSuperbugs

A new Cambrian stem-group echinoderm reveals the evolution of the anteroposterior axis Woodgate et al. describe a new bilaterally symmetrical echinoderm, Atlascystis acantha, from the Cambrian of Morocco. Comparisons of plate growth with other echinoderms reveal that Atlascystis possess...

🌟 Fossil find of the week!

@echinerd.bsky.social new paper in Current Biology reveals how Cambrian echinoderms evolved from bilateral ancestors to the star-shaped sea creatures we know today. 🧬🌊

🔗 Read more: www.cell.com/current-biol...

#Echinoderms #Evolution #Cambrian

Phage therapy: I found a bacteria-eating virus in my loo It's hoped phages could give us new ways of treating infections which are immune to antibiotics.

We’re excited to bring the @phagecollection.bsky.social to #SummerScience at @royalsociety.org next week.

Big thanks to James Gallagher for covering the project in the BBC
Read more here: www.bbc.com/news/article...

Hope to see some of you there! #PhageTherapy #AMR #OpenScience

Best of luck to 🍀@phagecollection.bsky.social @fnobrega.bsky.social @esmebrinsden.bsky.social and team for the @royalsociety.org exhibition next week!! 👇👇🦠 🔬🧫 #SummerScience

Intra-phage immunity: Set a (pro)phage to catch a phage In this issue, Brenes and Laub screen temperate phages for defenses against other temperate phages. This uncovers an array of prophage-encoded immune systems in E. coli. The work expands the concept o...

Intra-phage immunity: Set a (pro)phage to catch a phage:

@fnobrega.bsky.social highlights work screening temperate phages for defenses against other temperate phages, uncovering array of prophage-encoded immune systems in E. coli.
www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...

Congratulations Prof Mark Chapman shortlisted for 2025 VC award ⭐ @unisouthampton.bsky.social in Public Good and Social Mobility for his brilliant #sotonbeans project! 🫛🫘🌱 find out more below 👇 🌞 and best of luck Mark! 🤞🤞 #VCAwards2025 #citizenscience

research.soton.ac.uk/sotonbeans/a...

YouTube video by Environmental and Life Sciences at Southampton Professor Ivo Tews | Inaugural Lecture Series | University of Southampton

Our Faculty Inaugural Lecture Series has showcased the careers of some of our newly promoted Professors. Prof. Ivo Tews delivered an engaging lecture on Protein Crystallography: A Journey into Time and Space.
Watch here 👇
youtu.be/La98j80b_fo

I had an absolute blast at the #rhizosphere6 conference in Edinburgh! It was so lovely catching up with some many existing and new colleagues! Very first conference with my lab! @sotonbiosciences.bsky.social @unisouthampton.bsky.social

Thank you to everyone who attended the 3rd UK MGE workshop. What an incredible few days of science and community building! Next stop: York 2026, hosted by @pcmfogg.bsky.social. See you all next year! #UKMGE

First ever conference for my PhD student, Sarah Connery! Representing @unisouthampton.bsky.social @sotonbiosciences.bsky.social at #rhizosphere6 - playing around with synthetic communities