After a long old time bring this together, I am super pleased to share the pre-print of this (very cool, I think) paper I worked on with so many amazing and supportive scientists. I am SO chuffed to present the findings of my PhD to world!

Check out Molly's exciting preprint (and thread) on #Bifidobacterium and mechanisms of starch utilisation! Great work pulling this together @MicrobioMolly! 💪👏🤩🥔🦠🧫

Delighted to see the results of @MicrobioMolly's PhD online. A really interesting dive into the mechanisms underpinning #starch use by bifidobacteria in the human gut #microbiome @TheQuadram @hall_lab

@hall_lab @Starchlab @HC_Harris Finally, a big thanks to @TheQuadram and @uniofeastanglia, @BBSRC for allowing me to do this research!

Huge thanks to all involved in this paper, not least my co-authors, and especially to @hall_lab @Starchlab @HC_Harris for supervising my PhD and their continual support. Now to get it published in a journal! 😅

How bifidobacteria break down starch from common weaning foods like tubers and cereals impacts on our understanding of microbiome maturation. These new mechanisms of interaction between bifidobacteria + starch could be helpful for development of probiotics and functional foods.

Based on when certain proteins were expressed, we discovered a new cluster of amylase genes, the largest one with a resistant starch binding module. Similar genes were found in a few other species especially found in infants, so these genes could be important for weaning.

We studied bifidobacteria from different niches to figure out how they are using starch which resists digestion. We looked into a whole range of other attributes of the bugs, such as genomes and metabolites, proteins and RNA transcripts produced in the presence of starch.

Bifidobacteria are fundamental to health. As the microbiome matures, there is a lot going on, especially when infants transition from milk to solids. This window of life is critical for development and life-long health, but not much is known about bifidobacteria during weaning.

Novel amylase genes enable utilisation of resistant starch by bifidobacteria relevant to early-life microbiome development https://t.co/EfUiiOi1xd #biorxiv_micrbio

Other than Henry V, are there any other historical figures you've changed your opinion of since starting the podcast? #RIHlive

Four working in @TheQuadram core sequencing at the same time! Welcome new member @Carajanemoss (left of 3) Thanks for the training support @MicrobioMolly and @tseech91

So... I handed in my PhD thesis a few weeks ago and now I'm a Sequencing Scientist @QIBSequencing! I'm extremely happy to have the opportunity to learn and develop new skills whilst I search for a position in microbiome research. More soon!

340 WGS libraries made this week from 14 separate projects loaded onto an @illumina Nextseq2000. Amazing start @MicrobioMolly @tseech91 @TheQuadram

My thesis chapters currently

Was super glad to meet our Oxford-QIB scientists this week, LOVED that poster so so much. Come back soon!

Scientists have developed tattoos that change color in response to glucose, albumin, and pH levels. The new tech could let people with diabetes or kidney disease track and control their health without having to take frequent blood samples. https://t.co/WTuwxRWudm

Gonna tell my kids this was the metaverse

I'm not ok

👀