Lydia Finley
@lydfinley
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Cell biologist with an interest in pretty much everything
Joined March 2017
Our new work describing a “non-canonical” TCA cycle that is engaged in a cell-state dependent manner is out today in @Nature Congratulations to lead authors @paigearnold2 @__btjackson @GSKGradSchool @MSKCancerCenter. A few highlights:.
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Do you ❤️ the TCA cycle? (trick question). Our new review discusses the origins, discovery, and many functions of the mammalian TCA cycle. By @paigearnold2 @SKI_CellBiology out now in @jbiolchem
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Pretty wild: cancer cells more likely to spread during sleep (!) Interesting and dramatic example of how physiology intersects with fundamental cell biology-- here, circadian hormone rhythms and intravasation.
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What is cancer metabolism? My ❤️letter to the field surveys how metabolic networks support cell functions, key papers in the field, and a call to study normal cell metabolism, too @cellcellpress @MSKCancerCenter
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Back by popular demand: our follow-the emoji TCA cycle, v2.0
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Our work identifying alpha-ketoglutarate as an effector of p53-mediated tumor suppression, the result of a fantastic collaboration with Scott Lowe’s lab @sloankettering, is out today in @nature! /n.
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Our latest work @sloan_kettering, which illustrates how the metabolic profile of stem cells dictates their ability to form a neoplasm, is out today in @naturecellbio! 1/n.
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How do cells cope with transient disruption in nutrient supply? Work from the Overholtzer lab shows lysosomes store amino acids, helping sustain protein synthesis during starvation. So much to learn about how nutrients are trafficked through the cell!
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Come join us tomorrow for an amazing day of science @MSKCancerCenter celebrating Craig Thompson and his continually pioneering work that got us all to ❤️ metabolism. For the alums: what paper made you join his lab? For me.
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Hi twitter! We are excited to share our very first preprint! Led by Pavlina Todorova, we show that it’s not just what nutrients you use, but how you get them, that has implications for cell fate control. Thread!
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Officially out in @NatMetabolism📖: our latest work showing changes how cells acquire amino acids during early development. Congratulations to Pavlina! @SKI_CellBiology.
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Wildly creative work from @mbarnalab @Nature showing how a unique insertion in axolotl mTOR drives nutrient sensitivity and regeneration Exciting to think about other secrets embedded in axolotl sequences!.
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How do cancer cells survive in the CSF? Gorgeous work from the Boire lab @sloan_kettering shows how cells can exploit high affinity iron capture via lipocalin to survive despite low extracellular iron: Congrats Adrienne et al!.
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My main strategy for life in science: find the little wins. Thank you @NatMetabolism and @curiousdrgeorge for the chance to share a bit about the early days starting the lab @sloan_kettering
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Because a good paper brings me great joy, I’m sporadically sharing some of my favorite classic metabolism papers (feel free to add your own picks!). Starting with one from Eagle himself, which shows (at least one reason) why sparse cells are stressed:
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Exercise-induced lactoyl-phenylalanine signals to suppress appetite! Absolutely beautiful work from @longlabstanford Exciting to think about the ways that perturbations ripple through our metabolic networks. What else can lactate do? 🤩.
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We know mitochondria get transferred between cells-- what are they doing? Beautiful cell biology (seriously check out the cool tools) by @roh_johnson_lab shows that the mito are *defective* and trigger ROS-dependent signaling that induces proliferation:
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What are the hallmarks of stem cell metabolism? In our new review in @CellStemCell, @__btjackson @MSKCancerCenter explains why there aren't any metabolic hallmarks; rather, metabolic networks are customized to support many different functions in stem cells
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This little friend was hanging outside the lab and now I want to study chameleon metabolism because apparently they change color by altering the space between guanine crystals in the skin (!!) truly metabolism is everywhere
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Speaking of NAD/NADH (aren't we always?), time to revisit an ultimate #metabolismclassic while I sit at an airport gate: here, a deep dive from Krebs and colleagues dissecting the drivers and implications of the redox ratio in the cytosol and mitochondria
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Our newest preprint identifies a role for p53 in balancing nutrient supply and demand by enabling phospholipid headgroup recycling 1/.
p53 enables phospholipid headgroup scavenging #biorxiv_cellbio.
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Fascinating: lactate sensor shows that mitochondrial lactate pools are ~5x bigger than nucleo-cytosolic pools are there implications for our reliance on whole cell pyr/lac as readout of cytosolic NAD/NADH?.
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Core metabolic pathways depend on electrons flowing through the ETC; what happens when they get stuck? @S__Baksh and I highlight work from @JessicaSpinel16 in @ScienceMagazine showing that fumarate siphons electrons to keep metabolism going in hard times:
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My favorite part of the Warburg effect? How the gaps in our understanding about why it happens and what it means have fueled the field for a century 🤯 . AKA, it's ok if we don't have it all figured out. Thanks @NatMetabolism for the chance to share!
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How do cells get their lipid headgroups? @HiteLabMSKCC + @KivancBirsoy show that FLVCR1 is the major transporter for *both* choline and ethanolamine in mammalian cells. Big new addition to the Kennedy pathway + structures to boot!
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Thrilled to announce that the annual @NYASciences Cancer Metabolism Symposium will be devoted to the Rising Stars of Cancer Metabolism! Our goal is to highlight some of the incredible new labs in the field 1/4.
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Ever wonder if your tRNAs are fully charged? Cool new method developed by Natasha Pavlova in Craig Thompson's lab introduces CHARGE-seq to show how nutrient fluctuations affect tRNA charging: Congrats Natasha, @3ryanKing et al!.
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Our review discussing the link between metabolism and tumor initiation is out @NatureRevEndo Congrats @jules_stef @MSKCancerCenter for tackling this tough topic—lots of reasons why metabolism may affect tumor initiation, but few studies so far. Lots to do!.
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Our new review discussing the ways that TCA cycle related metabolites may exert specific effects on cell fate written by @S__Baksh is now free to read @TrendsCellBio (Spoiler: it's a puzzle!).
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Thrilled that the lab's first paper, identifying reduced glutamine dependence as a selectable feature of pluripotent stem cells, is out today in @NatMetabolism! Congrats to @SantoshVardhana and Paige!
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Out in @J_Cell_Sci, a little bit on what our lab does and the serendipitous events that got me interested in metabolism and cell fate: Thanks to @mate_palfy for the interview!.
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And for further reading. here emojis helpfully show you how carbons transit through the TCA cycle 🤓
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Time for summer fun 🌞⛱️: let's talk about the Crabtree effect 🦀🦀, an ultimate #metabolismclassic, describing the ability of glucose to represses mitochondrial respiration 1/n
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New SnapShot of cancer metabolism-- our attempt to condense cancer metabolism to a glance-- made by the super-talented @jules_stef, is out now in @MolecularCell:
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GFP induces immunogenicity in mice 🙀🙀🙀 Seems like potentially major implications for GFP models even beyond cancer. What about other fluorophores? Congrats to authors on really important work!.
Online Now: Elimination of fluorescent protein immunogenicity permits modeling of metastasis in immune-competent settings
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Save the date!! The annual Cancer Metabolism & Signaling Symposium @NYASciences will be APRIL 17, 2024 at @nyulangone. Amazing speakers: @puigserver_lab @Gerta_Hoxhaj @ishahjain @RichPossemato @carmofonlab @MaraShermanLab @mvh_lab Celeste Simon and #NoTwitterNav. Details to come!
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Absolutely amazing to watch @paigearnold2 masterfully defend her thesis @GSKGradSchool @MSKCancerCenter yesterday! Congratulations Dr. Arnold!!
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Reminder that anyone can come hear Ralph DeBerardinis @RJDLab give his Paul Marks Prize lecture tomorrow in person (ZRC!) or on zoom at 3p EST. Send your questions after the talk and I'll do my best hybrid-moderating!
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Massive work from the @SchietingerLab @sloan_kettering identifying a stem-like autoimmune progenitor population of T cells responsible for beta cell destruction in type 1 diabetic mice🤯 🥳
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Cheers to @S__Baksh for matching to MGH today! We hate to lose you to Boston but can’t wait to see what’s next 🥳🥳🥳
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Structural basis of lipid head group entry to the Kennedy pathway by FLVCR1 @nature .Congratulations @HiteLabMSKCC @MSKCancerCenter!! .My favorite part: residues specifying Etn vs Cho uptake. Potential clues for evolution of nutrient uptake programs?
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Gorgeous example of metabolism dictating development: regional changes in oxygen consumption and mitochondrial “leak” metabolism establish the Spemann-Mangold Organizer in Xenopus embryos. Instant classic example of how metabolism can instruct development:
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Track changes are red.Please don’t feel blue.I did like your draft.I just wrote it anew. (are we still doing these? @S__Baksh this is my #academicvalentine to you).
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In honor of Piet Borst winning the @LaskerFDN Special Achievement Award, here's his wonderful retrospective on discovering the malate-aspartate shuttle, a super-interesting read and blueprint for how to think about problems in metabolism
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Big news: seminar cookies are back @MSKCancerCenter! Seems fitting timing given that I probably hold the record for most chocolate-chocolate chip cookies consumed in the past 10 years
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@Caroline_Bartma @JSheltzer Agree— @IntlekoferLab and I discussed the shared metabolic features of proliferating cells in a review we wrote last year
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📢Registration is open for the extra-special 2021 edition of the @NYASciences Cancer Metabolism meeting! This year we are focusing on the future of the field, featuring 🌟rising stars:
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Huge congratulations to our very own @GSKGradSchool @sloan_kettering student @paigearnold2 who was just awarded the @WeintraubAward!!! Both great thesis work and new-lab setup skills 🤩Congrats to all the winners!
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Join us next week for an amazing lineup of speakers covering frontiers of cancer metabolism research and fantastic career+networking opportunities for trainees, especially those looking for postdoc labs. Register here-> We hope to see you on the 23rd!.
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Happy Friday to all Slack users @MSKCancerCenter: we now have a TCA cycle emoji for your heavy use. Critical new work from the visionary @jules_stef
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This is a spectacular review on the current status of targeting cancer metabolism. Worth a read (and a bookmark!).
New Review! Emerging therapies in cancer metabolism
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Out today in @NatMetabolism, our thoughts on what we mean when we talk about 'stem cell' or 'cancer cell' metabolism, written with Andy @IntlekoferLab @sloan_kettering:
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Another #metabolismclassic, one that we all know the 'punchline' of, but I still continually revisit because of its beautifully written logic showing how to unravel metabolic pathways, and because it’s full of great nuggets: Krebs' TCA cycle 1/6.
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SAVE THE DATE for a Keystone Symposia on developmental metabolism, May 7-9, 2025 . Organized w/@RJDlab and feat. #notwitternav as a keynote + spectacular speaker lineup, it'll be 3 days learning about how metabolites shape development 🥚🐣. Join us!.
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It is fundamentally antithetical to our quest for inclusion in science to ask people who may have vulnerable pregnancies to choose between their safety and their participation in a conference. We cannot hold conferences in these states.
Calling on all conference organizers and professional scientific societies - please do not organize conferences in states that restrict women’s rights. I will certainly not attend and I urge other scientists to not attend. Yes, I know there are also good people in these states 1/.
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Looking forward to participating in this excellent seminar series at 11:30 today. Will definitely miss that one wonderful audience member who always helpfully nods along. (Won't miss the one that always falls asleep.).
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Thrilled to celebrate Dr @__btjackson for a spectacular thesis defense @GSKGradSchool @TriIMDPhD. It’s been a joy to work with you and we can’t wait to see what’s next!
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Look at this crew! Thompson lab, NYC era. Lucky to have worked with these amazing people
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We meant to study glucose metabolism and histone aceylation, but then our controls surprised us. Loved working with @SantoshVardhana, Bryce, Direna, Richard et al on Brd4 independent stem cell maintenance:
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Has anyone checked on @CellCellPress.
Just published! We proudly present "Hallmarks of Cancer: New Dimensions" by Douglas Hanahan, the third update to the seminal series. @Ludwig_Cancer
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Registration is open for the @NYASciences Cancer Metabolism Symposium! Submit your abstract for consideration for a short talk/poster prize 🏆 or just join us for a day of amazing science in NYC 🗽
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We are looking for motivated postdoctoral fellows interested in the metabolism of stem cells and cancer cells. Please help spread the word or contact us at if you are interested in joining our group!.
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Dave changed the course of my career and I wasn’t even in his lab. He brought me and Bryce Carey together to pursue a shared dream. His influence is immense and won’t be forgotten.
It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved colleague and friend, C. David Allis. Aside from his groundbreaking contributions to biomedical science, David will be remembered for his warmth, humility, and relentless optimism.
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I've really missed interacting with the cancer metabolism community over the past 2 years. Here's our attempt (led by @LabDeNicola @isaac_s_harris et al) to fill (some of) the void: a *free* conference aimed at connecting trainees and faculty
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Such a great day of cancer metabolism! Thanks to all speakers and attendees for making this annual tradition so much fun, and especially thanks to my incomparable co-organizer @LyssiotisLab
Kicking off the @NYASciences #cancermetabolism2022 meeting with opening remarks from @lydfinley!. Disclaimer: I will be live-tweeting this event 🙌🏼😁
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Plus extra bonus: emojis do the non-canonical TCA cycle (this one was much easier to make)
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For undergrads looking to do summer biomedical research: the SURP program @GSKGradSchool @sloan_kettering is now accepting applications! Opportunity for 10 weeks of paid research (+housing!) studying both basic and cancer biology in NYC:
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The role of metabolism in development is one of the most exciting topics in biology (in my totally unbiased view); check out this webinar + special issue for some emerging stories in this wide-open field (we still know so little!!!!!).
We are delighted to announce that the topic of our next #Devpres webinar & our upcoming special issue is ‘Metabolic and Nutritional Control of Development and Regeneration’. To register for #Devpres on Wed 7 Dec & for more on our call for papers:
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Save the date! Our 5th annual cancer metabolism symposium at the @NYASciences is on May 9th with stellar speakers including @RJDLab, @HaigisLab, @TGOliver2, @drbentu and many others. We are already looking forward to it!.
How are researchers using insights into cancer metabolism to develop safe and effective metabolism-targeted therapies? Learn more at our #metabolism2019 symposium on Thurs, May 9. Register today:
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Join us in NYC (or virtually) on April 21 for the annual @NYASciences Cancer Metabolism Symposium! Registration is now open; submit your abstract for an opportunity for a short talk
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The best part of science is the colleagues, so here's a shout-out to @JessicaSpinel16 who, when asked for a random edited cell line, sent it out within 48 h along with a careful note about the little one's favorite foods and preferences. Thank you Jess!.
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This discussion of p53 functions by Laura Attardi in @TrendsCellBio is one of the best reviews I've read in a while; worth reading just for the framework for thinking about how to uncover important outputs of any TF in any biology, not just cancer
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@UshmaNeill @KevinWNg @Nature @paigearnold2 @__btjackson @GSKGradSchool @MSKCancerCenter working on it now (sneakpeak):
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This is one of the best reads of 2019, especially for metabolism lovers. Take home: "In conclusion, an abiotic chemical pathway that resembles core carbon biochemistry is promoted by ferrous iron."
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Another #metabolismclassic, here from La Noue et al establishing principles of mitochondrial aspartate efflux—seminal work explaining how the malate-aspartate shuttle can actually work despite apparently unfavorable conditions:.
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Celebrating summer and a whole lot else. Congratulations to this crew on all their accomplishments this past year!
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I'll be sharing brand ⭐️new⭐️ work at #AACR23 in a session alongside @mvh_lab and @EnedaToska; come join us at 12:30 in the Tangerine ballroom for discussion on Metabolic Influence on the Cancer Cell State!.
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Great idea! Same here— happy to chat with any trainees missing out on the Tumor Metabolism Keystone (yet again!).
Any trainees who were planning on attending the now cancelled Keystone Tumor Metabolism meeting - if you want to meet virtually to talk about science or your career path get in touch! DM/email. Happy to chat!.
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This is an incredible tour de force: "we present the first comprehensive stable isotope-resolved metabolomic analysis across all stages of preimplantation development" 🤯
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Amazing to see the cancer metabolism community come together over the past 2 days. Thank you to everyone from all reaches of our field-- academia, industry, funding, and publishing-- for sharing your science and your wisdom. Feeling lucky to be in this field!.
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It drives me crazy seeing people taking picture after picture of slides during seminars. It just discourages speakers from sharing unpublished data. Take notes or ask questions!.
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Genetically encoded ratiometric SAM sensors developed by the @JaffreyLab! 2 especially cool things in work just out @nchembio .
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Celebrating an end to 2019 by anointing the "paper Lydia wouldn't shut up about in 2019" award:.
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For the PDH lovers: proteomics/activity/structure of PDHC from cell extracts (!) captures massive pyruvate oxidation chambers. Would be very cool to model inborn errors onto these structures.
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More lovely work from the Hite lab @sloan_kettering in @elife showing how lysosomes control ion fluxes, here by solving the structure of the chloride/proton transporter CLC-7 complex:
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To all graduate students thinking about doing a postdoc in a metabolism lab: here is a great opportunity to meet with almost 2 dozen amazing new PIs who will be transforming the field!.
📢Registration is open for the extra-special 2021 edition of the @NYASciences Cancer Metabolism meeting! This year we are focusing on the future of the field, featuring 🌟rising stars:
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There are crazy neat cell biology tricks in this paper-- worth reading just for experimental inspiration alone! Also, TOR stuff, if you're into that.
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Krebs cycle and meteorites, does it get any better? 🌀 ☄️☄️ ‼️.
@SophiaRauscher found that catalytic amounts of transition metals allow hydrogen to drive a key sequence of the reverse Krebs cycle under mild aqueous non-enzymatic conditions. She also tested three Fe meteorites and all three catalyzed the reaction under H2. Yes, METEORITES! 2/3
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The annual @NYASciences cancer metabolism symposium is one of my favorite science days of the year. I'm sad to miss seeing everyone in person, but looking forward to hearing from an outstanding lineup of speakers tomorrow. Register to join us! 👇
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Can't emphasize this enough: negative data guides us just as much as "positive" data and we (ok, me!) never know what experiments were truly critical until we better understand the system. So: keep track of everything.
Idk what new PhD student needs to hear this but create a system to organize and keep track of your experiments and data from day 1, including your negative data.
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I got tired of periodically forgetting up which carbons get lost on each cycle. Here is the carbon emoji tracking no one asked for!.
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Hi friends at #DiscoverBMB @ASBMB I'm speaking about metabolism (what else?) and disease tomorrow at 11:35 in Hemisfair ballroom. Please come! It's a big room! We can talk about metabolism!.
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