Joe Zackular
Assistant Prof at UPenn & Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Co-Director of Center for Microbial Medicine (https://tinyurl.com/2xve6jfp) at CHOP
We study host-pathogen interactions, C. diff, Enterococcus, gut microbiota, mRNA vaccines.
zackularlab.org
- Reposted by Joe ZackularNSF GRFP applicants (and mentors): Was your application Returned Without Review and deemed ineligible despite fitting in the allowed topics? 1) Write NSF 2) Write your Congressperson 3) CC us at grfp@grant-witness.us so we can compile + follow up Details and template at grant-witness.us/grfp-letter
- Reposted by Joe ZackularCommensal-myeloid crosstalk in neonatal skin regulates IL-1 signaling and cutaneous type 17 inflammation @cp-immunity.bsky.social www.cell.com/immunity/ful... @scharschmidtlab.bsky.social
- Reposted by Joe ZackularAs the CDC removes vaccines from its childhood schedule, vaccination rates decline and measles spreads, parents are trying to figure out how to keep their children safe — including, in some cases, by limiting their activities or seeking vaccinations early. I talked to a number of them. Gift link:
- Reposted by Joe ZackularI'm hearing from multiple people that students who submitted ecology GRFP proposals are having those proposals rejected without review, despite ecology being listed as an eligible field. If this is a programmatic change, this is devastating. Ecology is the study of Earth's life support systems.
- Reposted by Joe ZackularLactic acid lover? Check out @ronni.bsky.social 's new work in @cp-cellhostmicrobe.bsky.social showing how Enterococcus faecalis-derived LA suppresses macrophage activation, in turn promoting bacterial persistence and polymicrobial wound infection in vivo. www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
- Reposted by Joe ZackularExcited to announce the upcoming 2026 Microbial Toxins and Pathogenicity GRC and GRS meeting taking place July 12 - 17, 2026 at Waterville Valley in New Hampshire. This meeting will be chaired by yours truly and co-chaired by @sunnyshinlab.bsky.social www.grc.org/microbial-to...
- Reposted by Joe ZackularRFK Jr. appointee Kirk Milhoan has just clearly stated, out loud, that he wants to experiment on the people of the United States by seeing what happens as vaccination coverage plummets and infectious diseases spread.
- Reposted by Joe ZackularTrump has been in office for one year. We at @nature.com did a deep dive looking at the administration's disruption of science in numbers. Take a look—the numbers are staggering. By me, @dangaristo.bsky.social, Jeff Tollefson, @kimay.bsky.social, & help from @noamross.net @scott-delaney.bsky.social
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- Reposted by Joe ZackularI’m stoked to share my postdoc work with @sunnyshinlab.bsky.social, a collaborative effort with @metabailism.bsky.social & Brian Goldspiel, aided by many valued collaborators: Environmental Amino Acid Sensing Regulates the Rate of ASC Translation and NLRP3 Inflammasome Assembly. Some big takeaways:
- Environmental Amino Acid Sensing Regulates the Rate of ASC Translation and NLRP3 Inflammasome Assembly biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/20…
- Reposted by Joe ZackularThis is the most astonishing graph of what the Trump regime has done to US science. They have destroyed the federal science workforce across the board. The negative impacts on Americans will be felt for generations, and the US might never be the same again. www.nature.com/immersive/d4...
- Reposted by Joe ZackularI’m thrilled to share our work on phage triggers of the bacterial immune system in its final form @natmicrobiol.nature.com www.nature.com/articles/s41...
- Reposted by Joe ZackularGetting asked about how academics can continue to do science & inspire trainees even in the midst of a continued (escalated) assault on science, reason, truth, & human rights. I don’t have great answers. I would love to hear from mentors about advice they’re giving to trainees/ colleagues.
- Reposted by Joe ZackularEnterococcus fans: Check out our latest on E. faecalis EET, advancing our understanding of both the fundamental physiology of this bug and new mechanisms of its virulence. This is the product of a thrilling collaboration with friends in Singapore @gthibault.bsky.social led by @aarontan.bsky.social.
- We’ve discovered how the superbug E. faecalis prevents chronic wounds from healing. It’s not a toxin. It’s metabolism. The bacteria use extracellular electron transport (EET) to electrochemically generate ROS, effectively "freezing" skin cells in place. doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aeb5297
- Reposted by Joe ZackularCenter for Microbial Medicine clinicians and researchers team up to tackle bacterial infections in NICUs. Check out the amazing work being done by @pjplanet.bsky.social @ahmedmicrobes.bsky.social Lakshmi Srinivasan and more! @chopresearch.bsky.social www.research.chop.edu/cornerstone-...
- Reposted by Joe ZackularWell said. I don't have much to add. thehill.com/opinion/heal...
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- Reposted by Joe ZackularGreat news! The unethical hepatitis B vaccine trial planned for Guinea-Bissau has been cancelled. Public pressure and insisting that clinical trials pass ethics analysis worked. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026... 1/2
- Reposted by Joe ZackularThe appropriations bill that includes NIH is being finalized. The Senate bill includes a bipartisan amendment from Senators Capito (WV) and Baldwin (WI) limiting multi-year funding of grants. The House version does not and OMB has issued a veto threat if the House includes such language. 1/3
- Reposted by Joe ZackularDHS Releases Watchlist Of Mothers Driving Cars theonion.com/dhs-releases-watchl…
- Reposted by Joe ZackularCongratulations to Sean Yu-Hao Wang, Will DePas, @catarmbruster.bsky.social and colleagues on their use of experimental evolution to identify regulators of Mycobacterium abscessus biofilm production! www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
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- Reposted by Joe ZackularIf you are submitting an NIH grant in February, you will be required to use SciENcv to prepare you biosketch. IT IS MUCH WORSE THAN YOU CAN POSSIBLY IMAGINE. Set aside *at least* 4 hours just to transfer an existing an biosketch into SciENcv.
- Reposted by Joe ZackularRegistration is open for the 2026 Gordon Research Conference on Microbial Stress Response to be held on July 19-24 2026!! Submit your abstract by February 15th to be considered for a short talk. Apply now before it fills up!! Hope to see you there!! www.grc.org/microbial-st...
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- Reposted by Joe Zackular⏰ Deadline Jan 7 (11:59 pm MST) to submit a short talk abstract or apply for a scholarship for the Keystone Symposium Beyond Antibiotics. Hear from @joeyzacks.bsky.social, @maribyndloss.bsky.social: youtu.be/8Ppjx-MnvxA keysym.us/KSBeyondAnti... @kimingeneva.bsky.social & @dariavantyne.bsky.social
- Really happy to have this study led by @ashleyweiss.bsky.social and Jilarie Santos-Santiago published in the Journal of Bacteriology (@asm.org) over the holiday break!! Always awesome to team up with the amazing @ritatamayo.bsky.social lab! #Cdiff #enterococci journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...
- Excited to share this collaborative study with @ritatamayo.bsky.social showing that E. faecalis influences C. diff morphology through the phase variable CmrRST system! This work was co-led by the amazing team of @ashleyweiss.bsky.social and Jilarie Santos-Santiago!
- Reposted by Joe Zackular🦠 folks, amplifying this. Joe has done amazing work with and for the microbiology community. If you're able, please kick in a few bucks.
- I know many of you know Joe James (of Binning Singletons) Joe and his family had a terrible tragedy occur on Christmas. If you can give, this is a good family to help out gofund.me/5cbfe22fe
- Reposted by Joe ZackularI know many of you know Joe James (of Binning Singletons) Joe and his family had a terrible tragedy occur on Christmas. If you can give, this is a good family to help out gofund.me/5cbfe22fe
- Happy New Year, all! Reminder that the deadline for abstract selected talks is Jan 7th for @keystonesymposia.bsky.social meeting "Beyond Antibiotics: Emerging Strategies Combating Bacterial Infection." Register today and join us in Breckenridge!! It is going to be an awesome meeting!
- Registration is now open for @keystonesymposia.bsky.social "Beyond #Antibiotics: Emerging Strategies Combating #BacterialInfection." Deadline for scholarships and abstract selected short talks is Jan 7! Join us this May for an amazing meeting! keysym.us/KSBeyondAntibiotics26 #KSBeyondAntibiotics26
- Reposted by Joe ZackularFriday we lost a brilliant mind, colleague, and friend to her battle with pancreatic cancer. Those who knew her will remember Helene Andrews-Polymenis for her warmth, generosity and leadership. She will be missed by many. RIP
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[Not loaded yet] - Reposted by Joe ZackularHelene was so giving to others about her battle, and went through to make it into maybe the top 1% of survivors of pancreatic cancer, before succumbing Dec 19, 2025 all while losing her father to it. She supported @letswinpc.org and the family asks for you to consider supporting them as well.💔
- Reposted by Joe ZackularBREAKING: RFKJr directs that the US instantly stop recommending all vaccinations for children. www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...
- Reposted by Joe ZackularIt's time for the 2025 Gibbons Lab Research Roundup! Yeehaw! 🤠 @isbscience.org In these dark times, let the joy of scientific discovery and trainee success be your balm ❤️🩹 🧵...
- Reposted by Joe ZackularTwo pieces of fun news: 1. We've launched a new website for our lab: www.brysonlab.org 2. With some new funding, we are recruiting for new postdocs and graduate students. The projects build upon our previous studies of antigen presentation and phagosome biology and go into new exciting dimensions!
- Reposted by Joe Zackular🧵Enterococcus faecalis is not just an extracellular organism. 🧵 A growing body of work shows it can survive + REPLICATE inside host cells, and that intracellular life may seed persistence, dissemination, and reinfection. 1/n #MMBR @asm.org journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...
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- Reposted by Joe ZackularInteresting new paper by @kimingeneva.bsky.social and colleagues 'Enterococcus faecalis persists and replicates intracellularly within neutrophils' journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...
- Reposted by Joe Zackular🤩 Long ago in 2021, Irina Afonina saw E. faecalis prophage tail fibers co-purify with membrane vesicles, but we didn't know their fxn: pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC.... In this new preprint, Mike Gilmore and colleagues show us what the tail fibers (aka efagins) actually do! Super cool work. 🤩
- Efagins evolved independently to target the enterococcal cell wall biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/20…
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- Reposted by Joe ZackularNew PhD project @imibirmingham.bsky.social, supervision by @drjorhodes.com and myself, now open! 'Multi-omic surveillance of microbial dynamics in river and flood-impacted environments: implications for public health in a changing climate' www.findaphd.com/phds/project... Deadline 9 Jan 2026!
- Reposted by Joe Zackular“Today is a defining moment for our country,” Michael Osterholm, a public health expert at the University of Minnesota, said. “We can no longer trust federal health authorities when it comes to vaccines.” www.nytimes.com/2025/12/05/h...
- Reposted by Joe ZackularThis is extraordinary. Prasad's memo was something else, but to have 12 former FDA commissioners get together so quickly and say what a threat it is...just wow. www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.... #medsky #vaccine #fda
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- Reposted by Joe ZackularRegistration is now open for @keystonesymposia.bsky.social "Beyond #Antibiotics: Emerging Strategies Combating #BacterialInfection." Deadline for scholarships and abstract selected short talks is Jan 7! Join us this May for an amazing meeting! keysym.us/KSBeyondAntibiotics26 #KSBeyondAntibiotics26
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- Reposted by Joe ZackularJust an absolutely gutting essay by Tatiana Schlossberg, a writer, mother of two young children, and cousin of RFK Jr who is dying of leukemia. www.newyorker.com/culture/the-...
- Reposted by Joe ZackularEXCLUSIVE: CDC to end all monkey studies. Decision handed down by recent college grad and former DOGE employee who is now deputy chief of staff at the agency. Animals were being used in studies of HIV prevention. Some may be euthanized. My latest for @science.org
- Reposted by Joe ZackularHot off the press! Our latest paper led by @fernpizza.bsky.social, understanding how plasmids evolve inside cells. These small, self-replicating DNA circles live inside bacteria and carry antibiotic resistance genes, but also compete with one another to replicate. 1/ www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
