Glenn Masson

Image of FAF2's predicted helical domain interacting with the UFD1 UT3 domain. Next to this are similar images showing the predicted binding of de novo designed protein binders to the same region. Above is a sequence alignment indicating the key residues involved in the interaction.

🚨⚠️ New Preprint Alert! ⚠️ 🚨
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

Screening p97 cofactors, @prithadg.bsky.social identified FAF2 as the strongest activator of the p97-UFD1-NPL4 complex. Leveraging her mechanistic descoveries, we designed 𝘥𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘰 binders that could also enhance p97 substrate unfolding.

Please spread the word: the Structural Studies Division @mrclmb.bsky.social is looking for a new tenure-track, independent group leader with an exciting plan in any area of Structural (Molecular & Cell) biology, in discovery biology and/or methods development. 🥳

mrc.tal.net/vx/mobile-0/...

Fellowship rejected (after interview), root canal, and a -80 freezer failure all within 24h. Yay!

Another day another birthday party. The brief for this one was rainbow marshmallow sprinkles and I think I achieved that. Now for the ensuing hyperglycemic coma...

I watched much of Ian Chapman's (Head of @ukri.org) appearance this morning at @ukparliament.parliament.uk Science, Innovation and Technology Committee..

A few points and new information that bioscientists may find interesting...

A 🧵

! 🧐

chemrxiv.org/doi/full/10....

I advised two groups at the UoD to wait for the next MRC Capital Equipment grant rather than the BBSRC Capital Equipment grant, as their proposal was perhaps a better fit for the MRC. Turns out the MRC capital equipment grant never materialised!

Suyang Zhang smiles in front of a blurred laboratory background

Exciting opportunity for a #postdoc to join @suyangzhang.bsky.social’s group in the LMB Structural Studies Division to investigate co-transcriptional splicing using cryo-EM and biochemistry.
Read more: www.nature.com/naturecareer...
Apply by 11 FEB
#PostdocJobs #ScienceJobs

Nothing will make Universities flee from embracing and embedding AI faster than sharing IP % points lol

Postdoctoral Research Assistant - UOD2127 Closing date: Wednesday 18 February 2026, 23:59

Please share! We've an exciting one-year postdoctoral position available in my group - drug discovery using HDX-MS for a Parkinson's disease target. Join us on high-impact, translational research at the cutting edge of structural biology. We're a friendly bunch! www.dundee.ac.uk/work-for-us/...

Want to get the data out of a PDF figure? As in, the actual data – not a rough trace-along-the-lines version?

I made an app you might like: adamkucharski.github.io/pdf2plot/

It all started a few years ago... 🧵

love the colour scheme here

Structural basis for a phosphoinositide-driven mTORC2-AKT positive feedback loop https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.08.698367v1

Exploring Resistance to KRAS inhibitors (KRASi) of differentiated Mechanism of Action at Babraham Institute (Cambridge) on FindAPhD.com PhD Project - Exploring Resistance to KRAS inhibitors (KRASi) of differentiated Mechanism of Action at Babraham Institute (Cambridge), listed on FindAPhD.com

Pssst! I have a PhD position available. Please pass it on
www.findaphd.com/phds/project...

PXD053875 🚨

Cyclophilin D (CypD) is a drug-target protein ligand that can be pushed to fHDX-MS in the double-digit mM range. This study proposes a methodological framework for FBDD.

🚨 New dataset alert! 🚨

Yes it's odd. Reputable lab I think as well so I'm surprised by their response.

Without giving the game away it's not the ligand I am concerned about some other bits of the structure. The validation report looks fine. I have numerous other concerns with the manuscript and the fact this wasn't supplied after asking also raised alarm bells. Will ask again, thanks for the advice.

Thanks -structure is held on pdb, no mtz. Will poke the editor a little more forcefully

Reviewing a x-ray crystallography paper, I have asked for the .mtz file, as they talk quite a bit about the density supporting their findings. Authors have refused. Am I out of touch w/ x-ray data now or is that kind of insane? #crystallography @markohyvonen.bsky.social @scurry.bsky.social

Wait wut

Sunday Feature - The Great Egyptian Music Mystery - BBC Sounds Ellie Chan traces the story of a set of unique and puzzling manuscripts

This is great!
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

Waking up to a morning of awkward looks and disappointment every morning...this Ashes series is like Christmas day on repeat.

A wonderful opportunity to be part of the friendliest college in Cambridge! A JRF is a wonderful springboard to academic independence

RAF inhibitors activate the integrated stress response by direct activation of GCN2 - Nature Communications Three BRAF inhibitors are used to treat melanoma and colorectal cancer. Here, the authors demonstrate that these drugs bind and activate the protein kinase GCN2, a previously unappreciated off-target ...

I’m really pleased to share the link to a new Cook Lab paper published today in Nature Communications.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Spatially Resolved Determination of Small Molecule Protein Affinities by Hydrogen Deuterium Exchange Mass Spectrometry Hydrogen Deuterium Exchange Mass Spectrometry (HDX-MS) is an established tool in drug discovery, used to characterize target engagement and conformational dynamics, frequently used in both biopharmace...

📢New preprint has landed! 📢

We show how HDX-MS can derive Kd at AN AMINO ACID RESOLUTION using HDX-MS against drugs.

Comments and criticisms welcome!

Spatially Resolved Determination of Small Molecule Protein Affinities by HDX-MS.

www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Wait, what?

This is so illuminating. For all its potential faults, pubpeer manages to justify its existence very regularly. Just imagine if the Wakefield/MMR paper had been published in the era of pubpeer and had been so rosolutely picked apart - we would be living in a different world.

HRG is critical to immunity and coagulation, but a beast to work with due to disordered sections and PTMs. We gained some structural insights by working with human HRG, which is made in humans! Great collaboration with chums @ St Andrews Dr Alan Stewart & Steve. portlandpress.com/biochemj/art...

Two female scientists in a laboratory discussing an experiment

Our mission is to determine the molecular mechanisms of disease in order to advance human health.
Want to join our vibrant and diverse research institute as a funded PhD or taught MPhil student? Apply by the 2nd December 2025.
More information here: www.cimr.cam.ac.uk/postgraduate...