DURHAM LAB - News

Moss-microbe-metabolite project with McDaniel Lab and JGI

10/7/2020

We are excited to announce our embarkment into a new project that focuses on metabolite exchange between moss and symbiotic cyanobacteria. Graduate student Rebecca Key will lead the work as part of her dissertation, combining molecular and chemical 'omics measurements to track C, N, and S cycling between moss and associated microbes. The project is supported by JGI’s Community Science Program and led by PI Stuart McDaniel (UF Biology) along with coPIs Bryndan Durham and Todd Rosenstiel (PSU).

Image of moss colonies on agar plates; c/o Rebecca Key.

Return to work

8/29/2020

Over the past month, we have made a slow and staged return back into the lab. Much of our time has been spent working with colleagues in ICBR to get the new LC-MS system installed and up-and-running through remote instruction and training. Check out the story by UF Research.

Left to right, Dr. Sixue Chen (Professor and Director of ICBR Proteomics Facility), Dr. Jin Koh (ICBR Proteomics & Mass Spectrometry Scientific Director), and Dr. Bryndan Durham after installation of the Evosep One and timsTOF fleX system.

Left to right, Dr. Jin Koh, Dr. Wei Zhu (Chen Lab), and Rebecca Key (Durham Lab) work together during instrument training.

Lab DEI statement

7/13/2020

During the #ShutDownAcademia #ShutDownSTEM #Strike4BlackLives and #Academics4BlackLives movements, we spent time confronting and reflecting on the historical and systemic racism faced by Black people in our world and in our in educational system. To make the beliefs of our lab group explicit for current and future members, we have written a statement on our diversity, equity, and inclusion values and our commitment to continuous ally-ship.

In this lab, we believe: science is real (microscope image), love is love (rainbow anatomical heart), black lives matter (brown raised fist), feminism is for everyone (female symbol), microbes are cool (single-celled organisms), immigrants are welcome (statue of liberty).

Poster reads: "In this lab, we believe: science is real (microscope image), love is love (rainbow anatomical heart), Black lives matter (brown raised fist), feminism is for everyone (female symbol), microbes are cool (single-celled organisms), immigrants are welcome (statue of liberty)." This poster represents our pledge and commitment to continuous allyship, with original image c/o Sammy Katta (https://sammykatta.com/diversity).

Preprint on ocean metabolomes with collaborators

5/10/2020

New preprint uploaded on bioRxiv from collaborators. Boysen et al., describe day-night cycles in microbial metabolites in the open ocean. Daily oscillations in cellular redox and energetics exert a strong influence on the surface ocean metabolome.
Very exciting collaborative work with colleagues in the Simon's Foundation SCOPE Program. Check out the preprint here!

Image of R/V Kilo Moana during the diel study; c/o Tara Clemente.

timsTOF fleX has arrived

3/24/2020

Bruker's timsTOF fleX mass spectrometry system has arrived on UF's campus. The instrument will be operated in ICBR's mass spectrometry core. We are anxiously awaiting instrument setup and training once campus - and our lab - reopen.

Image of wooden boxes in UF's ICBR; c/o Sixue Chen.

New review article on ocean sulfur cycling

9/4/2019

Durham & former PhD advisor, Mary Ann Moran at the University of Georgia, have published a review article in Nature Reviews Microbiology entitled "Sulfur metabolites in the pelagic ocean." The co-authors examine how phytoplankton and bacteria produce & transform sulfur metabolites in the ocean, highlighting the critical role that sulfur plays in mediating microbial interactions and ocean ecosystem function. Link in image.

Cartoon representation of sulfur metabolites in the ocean that depicts some of their functions and the microbes that transform them.

We are moving in!

8/16/2019

The Durham Lab move is underway! We are located on the fourth floor in the Cancer & Genetics Research Complex.

Image showing the outside of the CGRC building.

New paper on marine sulfonates

7/22/2019

Durham & colleagues from the University of Washington have published an article in Nature Microbiology, showing the importance of sulfonates in marine microbial interactions. Check out the blog post (link in image) and the manuscript here!

Image of sunset off the back deck of the R/V Kilo Moana.