Fiona Whelan
Biochemistry, cryo-EM, crystallography, dabbling in microED, biophysics, modelling; always up for coffee! Uni of Adelaide for the moment.
- Reposted by Fiona WhelanWe are joined by Arun Shukla, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, on the structure, function and regulation of GPCRs; and Lauren Porter, NIH, on using AlphaFold's 'black box' to predict the conformations of fold-switching proteins. Lorne Proteins 2026 🏖️ 🔗 Register today: www.lorneproteins.org
- Reposted by Fiona Whelan𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟓𝟏𝐬𝐭 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐞 🏖️ 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 🤩!! 𝐃𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞, 𝐟𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐛𝐢𝐨𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲, 𝐛𝐢𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐲𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐬, 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐮𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐛𝐢𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚 𝐰𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞... 🌊 ☀️ 🏐 😎 🔗 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐛𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐓𝐎𝐃𝐀𝐘! www.lorneproteins.org
- Reposted by Fiona WhelanLorne Proteins 2026 🏖️ Leach Lecturer Carol Robinson, Oxford, on establishing mass spec as a viable technique for structure/function studies; and John Kuriyan, Vanderbilt University, on the structural plasticity and evolutionary potential of DNA clamp loaders. 🔗 Register now: www.lorneproteins.org
- Reposted by Fiona Whelan🏨 🛌 Don’t miss staying at Mantra Lorne – bookings close 5 December! Make the most of the full Lorne Proteins experience by staying where the action is. 🌊 Ocean views, a short walk to the lecture theatre, and the perfect setting for collaboration. 😎 🔗 Book accommodation here: www.lorneproteins.org
- Reposted by Fiona Whelan(っ◔◡◔)っ ♥ 𝐇𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐲𝐞𝐭? ♥ Join leading researchers, students and industry partners in Lorne 🏖️ for an inspiring week of science and collaboration. Secure your place today and ensure you’re part of the 2026 program. 🔗 Register now: www.lorneproteins.org
- Reposted by Fiona WhelanAre you looking for female speakers in CryoEM for seminars and conferences? Are you a woman in CryoEM and not yet on the ‚woman in CryoEM‘ list? Find your speakers and add/update name and affiliation! docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
- On the way to the tail end of #CryOz2025 for a #cryoET workshop. 🚉 Can we acquire wedges of EVs on the #AdelaideUniversity #Glacios and reconstruct something meaningful? Looking forward to finding out 😁 @molecularhorizons.bsky.social Thanks #MicroscopyAustralia for support to attend.
- Reposted by Fiona Whelan🌐🧬I am excited to present you a round table I am doing together with Matteo Marengo Gabriel Michaux as part of our emerging Nucleate Parisian chapter led by Clara Brouaux 🔥. Title: **Inside AI: Choosing the Right Path to Value Creation** 1/3
- Delighted to be involved in this study aiming to address limitations in mRNA nanoparticle stability to improve access to critical vaccine technologies-out now in Advanced Science. Cryo-EM imaging & statistical analysis of LNP microstructures shows reduced degradation at elevated temps 🫰
- Reposted by Fiona Whelan📣 Abstract Deadline Extended! Due to popular demand, we’ve extended the submission deadline — giving you a few extra days to finalise your abstract. Don’t miss out on being part of Lorne’s legacy! 👉 Submit today: www.lorneproteins.org #LorneProteins #DeadlineExtended #ProteinScience
- #AusBiotech kicked off with an enlightening session on curating #Bioprecincts and the essentiality of a good coffee shop! Today marks the official start of this inspiring global meeting. Finding out where #AdelaideBioMedCity research & workforce training fit into our national #biomedtech capability.
- Reposted by Fiona Whelan🌟 Conference Support Opportunities Available Help emerging researchers and students attend Lorne Proteins through travel and registration bursaries. Learn more and make a difference here 👉 www.lorneproteins.org/conferencesu... #LorneProteins #FutureScientists #ScienceSupport
- Reposted by Fiona Whelan📢 Call for Abstracts – One Month to Go! Don’t miss your chance to present at the 51st Lorne Proteins Conference. Share your research, connect with global scientists, and be part of a legacy 51 years strong. 👉 Submit your abstract now: www.lorneproteins.org #LorneProteins #ProteinScience
- Reposted by Fiona Whelan🎨 Design the Next Lorne Proteins T-Shirt! Got an eye for design? We’re calling on creative scientists to design the official 2026 conference T-shirt! 📅 Entries close 10 November 2025 👉 Submit your design here: #LorneProteins #TshirtCompetition #CreativeScience
- Reposted by Fiona WhelanLorne 2026 is set to be excellent! Especially with a Transporter Satellite Meeting!!
- Momentum is building! Join us for the 51st Lorne Proteins Conference Feb 8–12, 2026, Mantra Lorne on the Great Ocean Road, for fun networking activities 🏐 🎾 🥗 🪩 and breathtaking surf-coast accessibility 🏖️ 🏊 🏄 in the generous breaks between sessions! 🔗 Register here: www.lorneproteins.org/register
- Reposted by Fiona Whelan📢 𝙰𝚋𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚝 𝚂𝚞𝚋𝚖𝚒𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜 𝙲𝚕𝚘𝚜𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚂𝚘𝚘𝚗!! 𝙳𝚘𝚗’𝚝 𝚖𝚒𝚜𝚜 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚌𝚑 𝚊𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝙻𝚘𝚛𝚗𝚎 𝙿𝚛𝚘𝚝𝚎𝚒𝚗 𝙲𝚘𝚗𝚏𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟼. 𝙰𝚋𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚝 𝚜𝚞𝚋𝚖𝚒𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜 𝚌𝚕𝚘𝚜𝚎 𝟸𝟺𝚝𝚑 𝙾𝚌𝚝𝚘𝚋𝚎𝚛 – 𝚜𝚑𝚘𝚠𝚌𝚊𝚜𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚔 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚐𝚕𝚘𝚋𝚊𝚕 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚝𝚎𝚒𝚗 𝚜𝚌𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚖𝚞𝚗𝚒𝚝𝚢 𝚒𝚗 𝚐𝚕𝚘𝚛𝚒𝚘𝚞𝚜 𝙻𝚘𝚛𝚗𝚎! 🏖️ 🏄♀️ 🏊 👉 𝚂𝚞𝚋𝚖𝚒𝚝: www.lorneproteins.org/submissions
- Reposted by Fiona Whelan𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 recognises up to 5️⃣ scientists who are within 5 years of their PhD, with a talk secured in a dedicated session! It’s always a highlight of the meeting & a fantastic opportunity to showcase exciting new science 🤩 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝟐𝟒 𝐎𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓: www.lorneproteins.org/submissions
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- 👇 We want you! Don’t miss out on our inaugural "Indigenous Researcher Award" from the Lorne Proteins conference. Full support to attend the 2026 conference. Deadline October 24. www.lorneproteins.org/researcher
- Reposted by Fiona Whelan👇 We want you! Don’t miss out on our inaugural "Indigenous Researcher Award" from the Lorne Proteins conference. Full support to attend the 2026 conference. Deadline October 24. www.lorneproteins.org/researcher
- Martini 3, where did my fourth chain go?
- Reposted by Fiona WhelanMomentum is building! Join us for the 51st Lorne Proteins Conference Feb 8–12, 2026, Mantra Lorne on the Great Ocean Road, for fun networking activities 🏐 🎾 🥗 🪩 and breathtaking surf-coast accessibility 🏖️ 🏊 🏄 in the generous breaks between sessions! 🔗 Register here: www.lorneproteins.org/register
- With a delegation visiting IIT Roorkee- Great to meet Pravindra Kumar and Saugata Hazra and tour the amazing facilities here. The student talks were excellent 👏👏 Thanks for having us Roorkee!
- Reposted by Fiona WhelanApplicants wanted 2: Open position for Postdoc Researcher for Developing Microfluidics for Research on Synthetic Cells careers.tudelft.nl/job/Delft-Po...
- Reposted by Fiona WhelanApplicants wanted 3: Open position for Postdoc Researcher for Single-molecule Protein Sequencing with Origami Nanopores careers.tudelft.nl/job/Delft-Po...
- Reposted by Fiona WhelanApplicants wanted 4: Open position for Postdoc Researcher for Studying in Vitro Transport Across the Nuclear Pore Complex careers.tudelft.nl/job/Delft-Po...
- Reposted by Fiona Whelan🥁🥁🥁 The 51st Lorne Conference on Protein Structure and Function is officially live! After the resounding success of the 50th Lorne Conference in 2025 celebrating five decades of pioneering science and community, the legacy continues... 🏄🏖️🌞 February 8–12, 2026 Register here: www.lorneproteins.org
- Reposted by Fiona Whelan(1/7) Training biomolecular foundation models shouldn't be so hard. And open-source structure prediction is important. So today we're releasing two software packages: AtomWorks and RosettaFold3 (RF3) [https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.08.14.670328v2](www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...)
- Reposted by Fiona WhelanFor lovers of #crystallography: The latest issue of the @IUCr Newsletter is out at www.iucr.org/news/newslet....
- Reposted by Fiona WhelanStoked to finally have a preprint out for Phold, our tool that uses protein structural information to enhance phage genome annotation #phagesky 1/n www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
- Reposted by Fiona WhelanGet Ready to Empower the Next Generation of Scientists at Glycopalooza 2025!! 🥳 As part of the 52nd SFG Annual Meeting, Glycopalooza 2025 is a trainee-focused event designed to empower the next generation of scientists through mentoring, career exploration and community building ⬇️
- Reposted by Fiona Whelan🦠🧍♀️From bacterial to human immunity. We report in @science.org the discovery of a human homolog of SIR2 antiphage proteins that participates in the TLR pathway of animal innate immunity. Co-led wt @enzopoirier.bsky.social by D. Bonhomme and @hugovaysset.bsky.social www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
- Reposted by Fiona WhelanTenure-track faculty search of the UCSF Biochemistry & Biophysics Department is open for applications! We are looking for creative, innovative scientists asking fundamental questions in any area of biology. Join our vibrant, collaborative, and supportive community! aprecruit.ucsf.edu/JPF05702
- Reposted by Fiona Whelan🧬🧶
- ChimeraX daily builds can predict binding affinity of small molecules using Boltz 2 on your Mac, Windows or Linux computer. www.rbvi.ucsf.edu/chimerax/dat...
- Reposted by Fiona WhelanWhen particles have orientation bias, the resulting maps are often streaked along the missing directions. In this case study, we cover why orientation bias produces anisotropic #cryoEM maps and how you may be able to recover from it! guide.cryosparc.com/processing-d...
- Reposted by Fiona Whelango.bsky.app/8zZNEGV Great resource to connect early career folks with more senior scientists looking to hire postdocs! 🧪at://did:plc:hsnbex4tim4ajhv3dmgr4x5a/app.bsky.graph.starterpack/3lu4ibqptju2g
- A great review from Na Li et al., Bing-Zhi Li and Zhi-Hua Liu highlighting the importance of discovery of novel O-demethylases for #greenchemistry recovery of valuable compounds from renewable aromatic biopolymers in #lignin (~150 million tonnes per annum) via #bioconversion tinyurl.com/2km28b4y
- Reposted by Fiona Whelan[This post could not be retrieved]
- Reposted by Fiona WhelanExciting Leadership Opportunity - Applications are open for role of Co-Director, Brain and Mind Centre at the @Sydney_Uni #LeadershipforGood ☑️ Find out more and apply here: lnkd.in/gUGmJSfn @ian-hickie.bsky.social
- Delighted to share that I will be starting a new role as Senior Lecturer in Biotechnology at the University of Adelaide, (aka Adelaide University in 2026) 🎉 . I will continue supporting cryo-EM for SA researchers in an academic capacity at Adelaide Microscopy 🔬 Onwards and upwards!
- A really engaging TIBS Spotlight article highlighting our recent structures of a cytochrome P450 SyoA. Thanks to Professor Jennifer DuBois for elegantly contextualising the work within the broader field of lignin valorisation. Upcycling lignin with a controlled burn tinyurl.com/2s3w9ej6 🔥🫰
- Great to be involved in this research on the Ghrelin receptor, out now in Molecular Cell - with potential for translation to improve quality of life for Parkinson's disease patients! Download now for free via this link: authors.elsevier.com/c/1lARg3vVUP... www.uq.edu.au/news/article...
- Reposted by Fiona WhelanPostdoc opportunity, please share! We are looking for a #postdoc to join our international team* in our quest to understand how Type 4 Secretion Systems facilitate the transfer of #antibioticresistance genes and other virulence factors in Gram-positive #bacteria.🧫👇 *5 people & 5 nationalities 🇸🇪🇳🇱🇳🇿🇺🇸🇪🇬
- We are looking for a postdoc! Join us to work in an exciting integrated structural biology project, focusing on understanding how Type 4 Secretion System facilitate horizontal gene transfer in bacteria! Please share! www.nature.com/naturecareer...
- Reposted by Fiona Whelan🇨🇦 Come be our colleague! @uottawascience.bsky.social is hiring a supervisor for our X-Ray Core Facility, with new high end equipment coming soon. Ottawa is a beautiful place to live. Please share widely! 10 days left to apply: uottawa.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/uOttaw...
- Reposted by Fiona WhelanJust a reminder that our tenure track group leader position in the Structural Studies Division of @mrclmb.bsky.social will close in four days! mrc.tal.net/vx/lang-en-G...
- Reposted by Fiona WhelanUni of Wollongong Cryo EM job closes on Sunday people! @gokhan-tolun.bsky.social might be able to answer questions? 🧬🧶
- Reposted by Fiona WhelanTesla Model 3 crushed by an Olmec statue By Mexican sculptor @chavismarmol.bsky.social
- Reposted by Fiona WhelanTomorrow is the last day to apply!
- Reposted by Fiona WhelanHappy to share that the final version of record for our ( @nanigrotjahn.bsky.social) #teamtomo mitochondrial cotranslation story is online at @jcb.org! We combined STA with surface morphometrics to learn how ribosomes bind to and alter mitochondrial membranes in yeast. rupress.org/jcb/article/...
- Reposted by Fiona WhelanOn this eve of the @standupforscience.bsky.social day, I would like to express my deepest and most sincere solidarity with all scientists in the USA in these troubled times, and more generally with all honest scientists in all countries and all American citizens fighting for human progress.
- Reposted by Fiona WhelanWe're hiring! Join the Blythe lab as a full-time junior researcher starting Summer 2025. Explore GPCR trafficking and signaling using biochemistry, cell biology, and proteomics. Mentorship, hands-on experience, and career growth await! Apply now: hr.myu.umn.edu/jobs/ext/367... (UMN job ID #367053)
- Reposted by Fiona WhelanMaking my first bluesky post to share information about the West Coast Structural Biology Workshop: wcsbw2025.macromolecules.xyz There's still one week left to register and submit your abstract for this exciting conference with beautiful views of the Pacific ocean. Come join us next month!!
- Reposted by Fiona Whelan🚨 Amazing Opportunity 🚨 U Alberta is looking for a director for their new #cryoEM facility Support excellent researchers (who are really nice people) using state-of-the-art infrastructure. + reasonable cost of living + near some of most beautiful places in world + 🇨🇦 apps.ualberta.ca/careers/post...
- Reposted by Fiona WhelanTitle: Engineering Plasmids with Synthetic Origins of Replication biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/202…
- Reposted by Fiona WhelanOur webinar on Cryo-EM structure refinement with density guided simulations in GROMACS is less than a couple of weeks away Register here ➡️ bit.ly/41b6L7W
- Reposted by Fiona WhelanInteresting 🤔 🧶🧬
- Happy to report our enzyme found a home! rdcu.be/eaGXG New kid on the block P450 O-demethylase SyoA-the specificity of a monooxygenase with the simplicity of catalysis driven by peroxide. Retrofit your P450 with this active site chemistry today! #lignin #syringol Out today in Nature Communications.
- And for anyone keen to get the skinny on the people and the context behind the paper, head over to go.nature.com/4k6mnB8 to see @alixharlington.bsky.social 's mystical #blender render of this rare enzyme. Sound the #molecularnodes alarm @bradyajohnston.bsky.social 👍
- Reposted by Fiona WhelanIf working for Google no longer fits with your core values, and you are an AI/ML expert with an interest in proteins, you could apply for our open group leader position in the Structural Studies Division of the @mrclmb.bsky.social. Happy to chat! www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
- #LorneProteins2025 Sparrow Session Charlie Bond: PPR proteins (35 aa). Modular repeats. Bind nucleic acid, shuffle nucleic acid binding sequ by shuffling specific repeats. Form a helical hairpin. 100s in plants.. siRNAs turn on or off messages for variegation.
- #LorneProteins2025 Alisa Glukhova-Sparrow Session: PORCN as regulator of Wnt signalling. Does it oligomerise? No. Thermostability enhanced with C59. Amenable to cryoEM? 34 mG/mL!! 2.4 Å resolution. Active site still occupied in the apo purified protein. Extremely rigid. Rotation of a Trp +/- inhib.
- #LorneProteins2025 APS session Sheena D'Arcy. PKL; Homotetramer 3 domains TIM barrel/dimer interface active site cap/allosteric activator. HDX to determine allosteric H bonding networks with allosteric regulators bound. Elegant allosteric expts for rational drug design. ✨️
- #LorneProteins2025 APS session: #glycotime with Mark Larance O-fucosylation; human fucosyltransferases. Domain specific EGF-like & thrombospondin fucosylation. Platelet proteome..whither FUT11? EMI domain FUT AF3 model. Foldseek to identify novel substrates with similar fold/divergent sequence! 👀
- #LorneProteins2025 AMPS session: Christian Makhoul on HD CAG repeat expansion. Protein painting in human stem cell based HD model to identify HTT interactions/networks via CYS reactivity. Auto regulation of repeat expansion? Amazing insights and international collaborative networks 👏🌎
- Edit: APS Session!
- Albert Heck: Joint APS session #LorneProteins2025 Novel insights from MS. Antibodies in human blood. Purify all Igs. Proteases to cleave the hinge region:Fabs are released. L chain and part of H: all of CDRs. Lc-ms intact mass. 10^9 masses.. Really? IgG clonal repertoire is personalised!
- Our inspirational Leach Lecturer Frances Separovic. A champion of women in STEM. "A reluctant chemist". Croatia to Broken Hill. A peace lover. First in family to finish primary school. And one cool Professor 😎. #LorneProteins2025
- Leach Lecture time! Celebrating the fine tradition of our favourite informal protein conference #LorneProteins2025. Remembering Syd Leach with his daughter Deb.
- Reposted by Fiona WhelanGreat talk from Hannah Shafaat UCLA on how to make a minimal metaloprotein @lorneproteins.bsky.social
- Hannah Shafaat-metalloenzymes. Pulse EPR, Raman spec. 2ndary coordination sphere mutants-NMR Most active mutants shifts peak position & line width. Psychrophilic activity tied to higher dynamics. Predict increased catalysis by engineering ⬆️ dynamics. #LorneProteins2025
- #LorneProteins2025 Michael Parker with a chance for Lorne anecdotes! Temp records 45.7 deg C! To 8 deg C 😆 That's Lorne 🤷♀️ Conference diversity initiative dating back over a decade. Now entrenched in the program 👏
- #LorneProteins2025 Chris Greening - enzymatically driven ATP and electricity generation from air. Organisms that can live on air. Passive diffusion. Trace gas oxidation widespread strategy. Soil bacteria - Important for atmosphere, biodiversity and ecosystems! Amazing work supported by a great team
- Kicking off #LorneProteins2025 with Olga Boudker putting AV through their paces! Glu transporters 30 Å elevator transport - Bidirectional, dependent on sodium gradient direction. Ancestral gene prediction. Fresh water ancestor Na binding sites lost. Uncoupled transporters connected to aa metabolism.
- #biochemsoc IDP meeting was brilliant. Enlightening and frightening for an in crystallo researcher, thanks Vincent Hilser and biochemsoc.
- We'll miss you Richie t.co/J38yC8r3VE
- @shaunwkeaveny passing me by!! Yesssss! Friday is outdoing itself.
- Material witness: Could polythene clothes be cool? rdcu.be/dKSX Well, they sound cool.
- Gene-edited 'micropigs' to be sold as pets at Chinese institute nature.com/news/gene-edited-mi… I'm distracted.
