Professor & NHMRC Fellow at
@MonashUni
's Dept of Microbiology. Using microbes to tackle global challenges in health and sustainability.
#FirstGen
🐶🇦🇺🌈🎹🌱
1. A year later, I want to share the worst experience I had in academia. A combination of scientific misconduct, peer review interference, bullying, abuse of power, and lack of credit in one horrible story. I won’t give names or reveal details that implicate person responsible.
In
@Nature
today (open access), we report the structural and mechanistic basis of how bacteria harvest energy from air. We reveal a novel enzyme, Huc, consumes atmospheric levels of hydrogen gas and transfers the derived electrons for aerobic respiration.
Our new paper at
@PNASNews
shows microbial life in Antarctic soils is taxonomically and functionally unique. Diverging almost a billion years ago, most bacteria present live on air: using atmospheric H2 to conserve energy, fix CO2, and even make water.
Overjoyed to be promoted to full professor at
@MonashUni
. Many thanks to the many brilliant team members, mentors, collaborators, leaders, and inspirations over the years who have made journey possible. Many exciting things to come, including through research-to-action programs.
In our new paper at Cell (
@CellCellPress
), we reveal secrets of how the third form of life, archaea, make energy. We uncover new lineages of hydrogen-using enzymes, both minimal and complex. These help archaea thrive in all sorts of extreme environments.
I often mention my successes on here, but good to mention failures too. We had 3 manuscript rejections within 6 hours today (two after 4 months waiting). All major advances led by brilliant PhD students. Painful, but we dust off, learn from helpful comments & find new homes!
Our new paper in
@PNASNews
reveals a new invertebrate-microbe interaction! Termites control microbial communities in their mounds by emitting hydrogen gas. This hydrogen in turn fuels growth of potentially defensive Actinobacteria in the mounds.
Our paper showing hydrogen is an important energy source in the deep, vast oceans is now published in Nature Microbiology (
@NatureMicrobiol
). The culmination of a five-year effort featuring insights from local and global waters and pure cultures. 1/3
Two new 3-yr postdocs (salary $91-$103K) available in our lab in Melbourne. Both centred on microbial gas oxidation (H2, CH4, CO): one culture-based (June start), one metagenome-based (late 2022 start). Keen to develop future leaders. Please send EOIs to chris.greening
@monash
.edu
Trees don't just sequester CO2. Their microbes also cycle methane too! In our new paper
@NatureComms
, we reveal methane-consuming bacteria are highly abundant and active in tree bark. Specifically acidophilic Methylomonas and possibly Methylacidiphilaceae.
Sharing our most important biochemistry article to date. So much here: basis of a global biogeochemical cycle; an enzyme that extracts energy from air; an oxygen insensitive H2 catalyst; a crazy tunnel; and the highest res cryo-EM enzyme structure to date
What a night! Elated to receive PM Prize for Life Scientist of the Year. Reflects a collective effort from our awesome team. So thankful to my collaborators, mentors, teachers, supporters, and funders. And loved meeting so many amazing people this week, including fellow awardees.
🏆 Congratulations Professor Chris Greening (
@greeninglab
) of Monash University (
@MonashUni
) for receiving the 2023 Frank Fenner Prize for Life Scientist of the Year.
#PMPrizes
Overjoyed to receive the Fenner Medal and follow in some great footsteps. Many thanks to the many team members, collaborators, mentors, and supporters who made this possible, and
@Jamie_Rossjohn
for nominating me.
@MonashUni
@Science_Academy
#Honorifics22
Blanketed by 100s of metres of ice and 100s of kilometres from the sea, today we show a unique microbial community resides below Antarctica's biggest ice shelf. It's fuelled by ammonium and other chemicals, not sunlight, with archaea as key producers.
My take on recruiting: look at the people who have performed excellently in challenging environments and despite disadvantage, not those that have done as expected in excellent places. The former are more likely to value opportunities, be true assets, and become future leaders.
Honoured to have written this review on bacterial organelles with
@TrevorLithgow
for
@NatureRevMicro
. Contrary to popular belief, bacterial cells are highly organised and many (most?) harbour organelles. They allow bacteria to do some incredible things.
Our lab is recruiting for a full-time research assistant. One year initial contract, Jan/Feb start, ~$75K salary, 17.5% super. Ideal for someone proficient in either microbial genetics or genomics. Please email me with CV & cover letter. Open only to Aus citizens or visa holders.
The current gen of PhD and postdoc graduates have far too few opportunities to become independent. This must change. It's essential that universities worldwide recognise, trust, invest in, and empower emerging leaders early on. They will do amazing things and boost culture.
It's recently emerged that atmospheric gases (H2, CO, CH4) are key energy sources for microbial growth and survival. At
@NatureRevMicro
,
@Rhys__G
and I cover the distribution, biochemistry, physiology, ecology, and significance of trace gas oxidation.
We are hiring a new postdoc to join our wonderful team in Melbourne. Focused on molecular biology and biochemistry of bacterial and archaeal hydrogenases, including Huc. Proven genetics or biochem experience needed. Email CV & cover letter if interested!
14. The greatest victim here is the postdoc, who acted nothing but brilliantly throughout. Not only did she invest much time into a failed project without any credit, but she also had another lead-author publication sabotaged by a vindictive collaborator. Student suffered too.
As I prepare to give my first ever keynote today, I thought it'd be encouraging (for many out there) to note that I would always get physically ill in the 24 hours before I gave talks due to nerves. Finally resolved itself in 2021 after much practice and gaining confidence.
Hi! I'm Chris (he/him), a professor of microbiology at Monash University, Melbourne, Australia. In my spare time, I love getting outdoors, playing piano, and getting walked by my dogs. Don't tell my dogs, but wombats are still my favourite animals (pic with one this weekend!) 🏳️🌈
Yearly Pride Month call out for science twitter! Reply with the following information:
- Name and Pronouns
- Field
- A picture of yourself
- Hobbies outside of science
- A random Fact about yourself
Follow each other and find new interesting people and tag others!
Our laboratory is recruiting a research assistant specialised in molecular biology. They will be responsible for cloning, knockouts/knockdowns, and protein expression with mycobacteria and clostridia. Previous mol bio experience needed. Please email with CV if you're interested.
Thanks all for your kind words and support. It's a privilege to be nominated alongside so many stellar teams and individuals. While my nomination is for an individual award, it wouldn't be possible without numerous team members, mentors, collaborators, supporters and inspirations
Jill Banfield and I are looking for a postdoc to work on hydrogen metabolism in subsurface microbial communities and hydrogenase function. The appointee will be based at UC Berkeley, USA, but also spend time at Monash University, Australia. Email us if interested.
@BanfieldLab
Professor Craig Cary tragically passed away yesterday. A brilliant scientist who wrote many influential papers in both Antarctic and hydrothermal microbiology. An even greater mentor, who uplifted so many with his relentless enthusiasm, creativity, and encouragement. 1/2
Great to see our article is out at
@mSystemsJ
as an editor's pick.
1. Bacteria show strong biogeography similar to higher organisms
2. Standard filtering obscures these patterns
3. Zeta diversity is a powerful new metric to partition rare vs common taxa.
Our team and
@Chownlab
are recruiting for 3yr postdoctoral fellowship and 3.5yr PhD studentship. Q1 2023 start. Focused on how climate change will affect microbial biodiversity and biogeochemistry in terrestrial Antarctica. Ads out soon, but informal inquiries welcome meanwhile.
15. Another regret here is responding badly to the editor responsible here. From 'conditionally accept' to 'reject' was terrible to experience as an author, but I now understand why the editor made that hard decision. Things patched up and now on editorial board of that journal.
Nitrite-oxidising bacteria perform a key step in the global nitrogen cycle. In our latest at
@ISMEJournal
, we show one of the best-known nitrite oxidisers -- Nitrospira moscoviensis -- primarily relies on hydrogen not nitrite in natural environments.
16. I massively appreciate everyone's kind words and advice. While justified, the consequences of naming or contacting the researcher's institution are too great for me. It can lead to a v long damaging process for all parties, especially as it crosses borders, that I can't risk.
1. Growing up surrounded by homophobia, I feel incredibly fortunate to now live in a city, country, and time where I’m largely accepted. But there are still plenty of times I am caught off guard, both good and bad, by LGBTIQ views. Some random, hopefully colourful musings:
Our article on 'Microbial oxidation of atmospheric trace gases' is the cover image for Nature Reviews Microbiology (
@NatureRevMicro
) this month. Check out the issue () and the review ().
@MonashBDI
@Rhys__G
Our huge new preprint is out, the sequel to our Huc paper.
1. Isolation of enzyme that consumes carbon monoxide from air
2. Discovery of quinone extraction as a new mechanism of energy coupling
3. Determination of structural basis of these activities
1/
While I'm high-functioning these days, ADHD can get better of me. Case in point:
#ISME18
poster sessions. Sensory overload overwhelms me to the point my head feels like it'll explode! Sorry to all those I didn't engage fully with, but I still checked all posters between sessions.
A great way to land back in Australia! Learned I am one of two recipients of this year's Jim Pittard award (for researchers <5 years post-PhD) from the Australian Society for Microbiology (
@AUSSOCMIC
). My first major award! Excited and daunted to present in Adelaide this June.
5. I didn’t budge. I noted the study was too flawed to be publishable and would warrant retraction if published. As a result, I removed myself from the paper and collaboration, and my postdoc and student later decided to do same. We didn’t want to be associated with such a study.
Proud of my first 100 km ride. I've never been athletic and BMI was 28.9 at end of 2022. But through better diet and regular exercise over last few months, I can now do things I never dreamed of. Dropped 3 BMI points (almost there!), have great RHR and BP, and never felt better.
After a bad few months, we had a spectacular day in Melbourne. So many great things: 80% vaxxed, cases falling, lockdown ended, MP Tim Smith gone, great weather, our latest PhD student arrived after 18 month border closure. Took opportunity for 50 km round bike trip to the CBD.
4. After alerting the lead researcher, he initially responded warmly. But things took a dark turn during a private Zoom. He told me that he was reviewing two of my papers “as a favour” (one led by the postdoc) and insinuated I shouldn’t pursue the contamination issue further.
Fantastic
@abcnews
covered our new Nature paper, but
@Macquarie_Uni
comments miss the point. From a fundamental angle, we've characterised the first catalyst that can extract energy from air and this is a major breakthrough. From applied angle... (1/2)
Opportunity to postdoc with my team in Melbourne, Australia in industrial microbiology. Conversion of waste gases into protein feeds by optimising / engineering gas-consuming bacteria. We're looking for a leader who can take great project to next level.
Our mammoth article on how metabolic flexibility explains bacterial distributions in coastal sands is now online open-access at
@ISMEJournal
. Co-led by
@HelenaYajou
and
@BobLeung4
, it is much expanded and improved from preprint version.
It's official! So glad Professor Jill Banfield (
@BanfieldLab
) has started a fractional appointment at Monash (
@MonashUni
). I look forward to learning so much from her.
Thanks so much for the huge support and kindness. It means so much to me. We're looking at a long, uncertain journey with mum still in coma. For those few who have been needlessly demanding things, please remember importance of family! For everyone else, you're amazing. Thank you
The third form of life, the archaea, developed a complex hydrogen economy billions of years ago. In
@ConversationEDU
, we explain how this has shaped climate change and even our own evolution. Based on our latest papers in
@CellCellPress
and
@NatureComms
.
For
#ComingOutDay
, I don’t normally share my personal experiences, but I feel passionately enough to do so here. My initial coming out experiences almost destroyed me, but things healed with time. I am now out, proud, successful, and in a loving long-term relationship.
9. My postdoc's paper was rejected. Collaborator/reviewer
#2
wrote a private rant about how they changed their mind about the study they previously endorsed. Clearly revenge against me and the postdoc. After a meltdown, editors were very helpful after we explained the situation.
11. More worryingly, the preprint was heavily spun to indicate authors had done an unprecedented job of avoiding contamination. Yet there were online pictures of them (now removed) of them doing extractions of low-biomass samples on bench and sampling without PPE.
7. Soon enough, I received some very aggressive emails. Collaborator flexed position of authority (top management role in his institute). I was told I couldn't use precious samples (which he helped finance collection of) for another project led by my student. First vindictive act
Our new preprint shows how an obligately aerobic bacterium adapts to hypoxia. It switches to fermentation, but unlike anaerobes, stores rather than excretes carbon. This novel hybrid metabolism helps it thrive environments with variable oxygen levels.
We academics project so much that we sometimes hide our humanity. I tried to break this mould at
@Monash_FMNHS
's ECR Symposium today by exposing my struggles and vulnerabilities while talking about my journey. Throwing a few indie game and Ted Lasso references along the way!
2. My postdoc, student, and I collaborated with a researcher by sequencing / assembling / annotating metagenomes of their previously extracted DNA. After spending six months on this data, we realised extracts were heavily contaminated due to errors during sampling and extraction.
13. I feel responsible for getting into mess. I took the track record of the researcher at face value and should have looked more closely at their publications. Analysing their published datasets revealed very extension contamination amid much spin. I was naïve in many ways.
Why looking into the microbial world is similarly amazing as looking out into the cosmos. New opinion piece from me in the appropriately named COSMOS magazine (
@CosmosMagazine
).
I'll be speaking at the
#LGBTQIA
Network next month. I'll cover some of our lab's key discoveries, from enzyme to ecosystem level, and discuss my wider life / career journey.
When: Sep 7th, 6pm
Where: In-person (Surry Hills, Syd) and Online.
Register:
So proud of Dr
@RachaelLappan
(group leader / DECRA fellow) and Dr
@SophieIHolland
(postdoc) who have just arrived in Antarctica to conduct a month of fieldwork. Representing Securing Antarctica's Environmental Future (
@saef_arc
). Looking the part in the pics below!
Excited to confirm the lab will be moving to Monash's Microbiology Dept (
@MonashBDI
) from Jan 2020. I'll be starting my NHMRC EL2 fellowship. The brilliant dept and school provide perfect alignments and environment for us to deliver on this and build an ambitious medical program.
Massive congrats to
@BobLeung4
for submitting his PhD thesis today. An exceptionally creative, enthusiastic, and meticulous researcher, Bob has produced much exceptional work. He's also a brilliant all-round person adored by all his colleagues. Truly an honour to supervise him.
New manuscript on trace gas oxidation in aerobic archaea out at
@NatureComms
. Much expanded from the preprint, we show atmospheric hydrogen oxidation by novel hydrogenases enhances survival and may facilitate dispersal at suboptimal temperatures. 1/2
I've been asked "how can you be so productive if you have ADHD". I respond "ADHD often helps". It was mainly a disability growing up, but now I can harness it to be creative, energetic, supportive and hyperfocused. Interesting work and calm supportive workplace critical though./1
Massive congratulations to
@BobLeung4
who is graduating today. There were tears of joy! A stellar PhD student who has driven much innovation and raised the bar for environmental microbiology research.
3. Evidence: metagenomes were >50% human DNA despite being from pristine environments, v skewed rank-abundance curves in amplicons, most bacteria detected known reagent/human contaminants, bins matched 100% to human isolates, identical bins recovered in divergent samples, etc.
12. That said, the most incriminating evidence of extensive contamination was removed, such as the bins, in an attempt to mislead researchers. For most researchers without knowledge of contamination, the paper is likely to look great. But it is overwhelmingly contaminants.
8. I alerted one of the journals about the Zoom conversation given the paper was still in review there. For the other journal, the paper had been conditionally accepted based on the opinions of three reviewers and so I decided not to contact them. Big mistake on several levels.
Our new
@NatureMicrobiol
is online: Here,
@Sean_K_Bay
,
@ele_chiri
, and team profile the metabolism of soil microbial communities using genome-resolved metagenomics, in situ and ex situ biogeochemistry, and thermodynamic modelling. Five key findings:
6. That said, we allowed them to use all of our data if they want to. We saw it as a sunken investment of time, effort, and money, but we didn’t want to sabotage the study. We wanted to part ways in a cordial manner. Our older collaborator resented his work being judged by us.
10. A few months later, the work of our former collaborators appeared as a preprint. Though we asked not to be authors, the six months of work done by my postdoc, student, and me was not acknowledged or cited despite our work being a prominent part of the preprint. *shrugs*
Ten years ago, I left the UK to embark on a PhD and a new life in the antipodes. This was such a huge, uncertain step. I've learned and developed so much since, and met my beloved partner, furbabies, plus great friends, colleagues, and mentors. Thank you NZ and AU for everything.
Applications now open for 3-yr postdoc position (salary $91-$103K) Using microbial physiology and genetic engineering to improve performance of hydrogen- and methane-oxidising bacteria. Ideal for innovative leaders who can work in interdisciplinary teams.
At
@TrendsMicrobiol
today, postdoc Francesco Ricci (
@fra_ricci
) and I propose chemosynthesis is the foundational process driving the productivity and biodiversity across much our oceans: from the dawn of life to modern times.
A few years ago, I filmed for an astrobiology documentary, Life Beyond Earth. I didn't hear anything about it since and assumed nothing came of it. But today, I learned from our awesome collaborator
@xiyang_dong
that he randomly saw a documentary on Chinese TV with me in it!
A long-standing conundrum is how the frozen hyper-arid soils of Antarctica can sustain so many microorganisms. In this new preprint, we provide an answer: they use atmospheric hydrogen to both meet energy needs and generate metabolic water at vast rates.
Great afternoon discussing science, life and the universe with my PhD mentor Greg Cook in NZ. Beautiful and invigorating 70 km ride to Dunedin's albatross colony and back. Otago Peninsula remains my fave place in whole world!
Our latest preprint shows archaea live on air too! Acidianus scavenges atmospheric H2 and CO, at a wide range of temperatures, using novel hydrogenases. Work led by the brilliant
@BobLeung4
during his PhD. We'd value any feedback before we submit in Jan!
Massive congratulations to
@RachaelLappan
for receiving
@AUSSOCMIC
's Jim Pittard Award for Outstanding ECR. Rachael has led brilliant work spanning medical, environmental, and one health microbiology. Also a brilliant educator, supervisor and advocate.
Our article showing atmospheric hydrogen supports mixotrophic growth of three bacterial phyla is now online open access at
@ISMEJournal
. Congrats to all involved, especially PhD student
@Zahra_F_Islam
(her third ISME paper) and Hons student Cait Welsh.
Missed the memo for how I should dress for a photoshoot today. Thankfully our marine biology postdoc
@Fra_Ricci_
helped me fix things up and I was wading through lakes in no time. That blazer looks perfect on him.
Today we launched
@MonashBDI
's new 'Health in a Changing World' program. Bringing together 40 laboratories, we investigate the health impacts of climate change and pollution, and use these insights to help develop new therapies, interventions and policies.
Today we launched our special issue of Microbiology Australia. 12 articles on using microbes for good, including tackling climate, pollution, food, and biodiversity crises. Honoured to be chief editor with
@Zahra_F_Islam
,
@ch_birnbaum
, and
@PetrovskiLab
.
Actinos are primary producers too! In new OA paper
@ISMEJournal
, we used the steep aridity gradients of Negev Desert to test how carbon fixation strategies vary with moisture. Major shift from photosynthesis to chemosynthesis using atmospheric hydrogen.
Thanks to the Vic government's extraordinary response, we managed to eliminate COVID-19 in Melbourne after a huge devastating second wave. After almost a year WFH the lab gathered for a three-day retreat, and were able to properly reconnect socially & scientifically. So grateful.
Congrats to new group leader Vanessa Marcelino and Sam Forster for leading this new paper in
@NatureComms
: We show reduced metabolic redundancy in human gut microbiota is linked to multiple disease states. Hydrogen sulfide cycling especially important.
Our new article at
@ISMEJournal
reveals how methane-oxidising bacteria in termite mounds mitigate greenhouse gas emissions: Mixing microbiology and biogeochemistry, this was a great team effort co-led with
@ele_chiri
, Philipp Nauer, and Stefan Arndt.
Huge congratulations to
@Zahra_F_Islam
for submitting her PhD today. Through much perseverance and innovation, Zahra has had a highly accomplished PhD with four published papers, three of them in the top journal for microbial ecology (
@ISMEJournal
). She has a great future ahead.