Patrick R. Secor

Modulation of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa quorum sensing cascade by MexT-regulated factors | mBio Bacteria interact with both abiotic and biotic factors in their environment. Quorum sensing (QS) is one mechanism that bacteria use to communicate with other bacteria and coordinate behaviors in the p...

New lab paper!

Andrew Frando describes how MexT alters the quorum sensing cascade in P. aeruginosa. /1

With Nicole Smalley; two undergraduates, Jamal Omar and Bobby Parsek; and @dezieleric.bsky.social, @mariecg.bsky.social, and Mylène Trottier at INRS in Montreal

journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...

For what it’s worth, The Wyoming Worm lab has funding for 5 years along with exciting projects with solid foundations. We are is still looking for capable, dedicated, and fun-to-work-with lab members at all career stages. davidfay@uwyo.edu

scholar.google.com/citations?us...

Antiviral reverse transcriptases reveal the evolutionary origin of telomerase Defense-associated reverse transcriptases (DRTs) employ diverse and distinctive mechanisms of cDNA synthesis to protect bacteria against viral infection. However, much of DRT family diversity remains ...

1/10 Genome maintenance by telomerase is a fundamental process in nearly all eukaryotes. But where does it come from?

Today, we report the discovery of telomerase homologs in a family of antiviral RTs, revealing an unexpected evolutionary origin in bacteria.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Microbiology and Immunology – Faculty Position (Ladder Rank) – Assistant Professor University of California, San Francisco is hiring. Apply now!

Our Department of Microbiology & Immunology at UCSF is running a faculty search this year for a new Assistant Professor! Please see the ad below for details. Searching for a great colleague, mentor, and scientist!
aprecruit.ucsf.edu/JPF05807

Faculty Professor Associate - Full-Time | Vaughn Cooper We are recruiting Faculty microbiologists in three (3) different, complementary, and collaborative areas at the University of Pittsburgh associated with the School of Medicine. 1) Fundamental researc...

🚨 Microbiologists! We are recruiting Assistant / Associate Professors in 3 collaborative areas of our U. Pittsburgh School of Medicine.
1) MMG (my dept): fundamental research in med micro
2) Peds ID / I4Kids institute
3) Center for Vaccine Research
🔗 to all 3 w/info: www.linkedin.com/posts/vaughn...

My kids “pet”

#MicroSky

Fall is creeping into the foothills. Montana State University viewed from the south looking north

If you are a postdoc working on any topic related to environmental microbiology and are looking for exposure, the Thermal Biology Institute (tbi.montana.edu) has slots open for virtual talks via zoom this fall. Email me if you are interested! Seminars are most Mondays, 3-4 pm Mountain Time.

Our Pitt Microbiology and Molecular Genetics department in the School of Medicine is recruiting..

Microbiologists! 🧫🦠🔬🧪

Please apply to join our faculty and enjoy these views 👀 while doing great science

cfopitt.taleo.net/careersectio...

Evolution of polyamine resistance in Staphylococcus aureus through modulation of potassium transport | mSphere Staphylococcus aureus is a leading cause of infectious disease-related deaths globally. Understanding factors that govern adaptation and survival of S. aureus and other pathogens in the host environme...

Excited to share the latest work by outstanding PhD student @kdc509.bsky.social. This was one of our first forays into experimental evolution and uncovered some cool connections between potassium transport and antimicrobial resistance in S. aureus. Major kudos to Killian!

My Far Side comic on the lab door is tripping people up. Pull hard!

Elio (1928-2025) by The STC Team — Losing a close friend always saddens one deeply, regardless of age. Losing a person who has so immensely influenced our worldview through his guidance and example makes the sadness e...

schaechter.asmblog.org/schaechter/2...
#MicroSky

I am also looking forward to this conference. Submit an abstract if you haven’t already!

Some Bluesky microbes for you
#microsky

Sharing this Pitt article about my helping to lead ASM because it shares my hopes for the scientific and societal good we can do.

We are all population biologists, whether or not we know it, and this can enrich us.

www.medschool.pitt.edu/news/pitt-s-...

Laura chaired a great session on the biofilm matrix! #MicroSky

Today along the banks of the Yellowstone River

Microbial metal physiology: ions to ecosystems Nature Reviews Microbiology - Metal ions are required for all cells, and their homeostasis relies on ancient mechanisms that facilitate their import, distribution and storage. In this Review,...

Metal ions are universally required for life, and many of the foundational principles of metal homeostasis have emerged from studies of microbial systems. In this review, I provide a introductory overview targeted to those new to the field.
#MicroSky #Metals

rdcu.be/eycU2

Happy to report that both my house and I survived the weekend 🪚

🙌

Still open for applications! We are looking for prospective new faculty doing exciting research in virology or any vector borne diseases

#microsky #phagesky

We took the day off from the lab and spent all day in Paradise Valley, Montana on the Yellowstone River

graphical abstract of the article the extended mobility of plasmids

Here's our new broad review on the extended mobility of plasmids, about all mechanisms driving and limiting their transfer. From conjugation to conduction, phage-plasmids to hitchers, molecular to evolutionary dynamics, ecology to biotech. The state of affairs. 1/9 academic.oup.com/nar/article/...

POSTDOC🚨
With the excellent @anshika22.bsky.social moving to UCI 🥲Anna Zemke and I are again recruiting a postdoc on the HOST-PATHOGEN BIOLOGY of TRACHEOBRONCHITIS. This is a microbiome-device-host immunity problem of broad significance.

Contact Dr. Zemke (zemkea at upmc dot edu) if interested! 👇🏻

On tonight’s ride: The Montana State Ag fields with mustard seed, barley, and beef!

The Montana Biofilm Meeting is off to a strong start! #MicroSky #PhageSky

#MicroSky

Image of the cover of Nature Microbiology showing colorful individual bacterial cells with individual phage virions within and without

Thrilled to welcome @ortizdeora.bsky.social to the Secor Lab! 🧬 Her recent paper in Nat Micro (www.nature.com/articles/s41...) introduces Phollow, a powerful tool to track phage-host interactions. We'll use it to study phages in the tick microbiome + Lyme disease spirochetes.