Hall Lab

Hall Lab

@halllab.bsky.social

Prof Lindsay Hall’s research group at University of Birmingham & Quadram Institute. Early life microbiota (we love Bifidobacterium!), and influence of diet, host and pathogens.

2.2K followers438 following91 posts

Hall Lab
@halllab.bsky.social

Fab to see Leon's review now published in Gut Microblogy! 🎉 It explores how undernutrition, infection & EED shape early-life gut microbiome assembly in LMICs, and what this means for child health interventions. Congratulations Leon and all co-authors 👏 🔗 www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

sciencedirect.comEarly-life gut microbiome assembly in low- and middle-income countries: Interactions between undernutrition, infection, and environmental enteric dysfunctionThe uninterrupted assembly of the early-life gut microbiome is central to growth, immune maturation, and resistance to infection. In low- and middle-i…
Hall Lab
@halllab.bsky.social

Huge congratulations to @hannahtriv.bsky.social and the team on this fantastic work! 👏 Brilliant to see long-read metagenomics revealing new insights into the gut microbiome and antimicrobial resistance in advanced liver disease. Highlights the potential role of MDR Enterococcus in cirrhosis! 🧬🦠

Hannah Trivett@hannahtriv.bsky.social

Delighted to share our new paper in Genome Medicine! We used long-read #metagenomics to uncover striking changes in the gut #microbiome with advanced #LiverDisease, including E. faecium dominance and #AMR @halllab.bsky.social #Genomics #ECR #Resistome #Cirrhosis link.springer.com/article/10.1...

link.springer.comDecoding the microbiome and resistome of advanced chronic liver disease through long-read metagenomics - Genome MedicineBackground Patients with advanced chronic liver disease (ACLD) and underlying cirrhosis frequently require repeated courses of antimicrobial therapy, with both the frequency and spectrum of antimicrob...
Hall Lab
@halllab.bsky.social

Fantastic set of blogs from the brilliant @hologen.bsky.social students 👏 A great way to learn more about the exciting research happening across the network, including what our very own Chujun is working on for her PhD! Definitely worth a read 👇

HoloGen MSCA Doctoral Network @hologen.bsky.social

🚀 Latest blogs from our fab @hologen.bsky.social Doctoral Network students are now live! They've done a great job of making their projects accessible & engaging for a wider audience. Well worth a read if you'd like to learn more about what they're all up to 👇 🔗 www.hologen-network.eu/blog.html

hologen-network.euBlog
Hall Lab
@halllab.bsky.social

Excited to see our review on bifidobacterial adaptation to the gut ecosystem published in Nature Reviews Microbiology 🎉 Congratulations to all co-authors, including Grace and @charliejones17.bsky.social from our team.

APC Microbiome Ireland@apcmicrobiomeirel.bsky.social

Bifidobacteria use glycans in the gut. A new paper in @natrevmicro.nature.com reviews their ecology. C Tarracchini, C Milani, CNL Jones, F Turroni, G Burgess, J Mahony, LJ Hall, M Ventura, D van Sinderen. 📰 buff.ly/5oujQt0 @uccmicrobiology.bsky.social #Microbiome #Microsky #Bifidobacterium

Hall Lab
@halllab.bsky.social

Happy #PostdocAppreciationWeek! 🦠🤩 Our team wouldn't be the same without our postdocs, past and present. Thank you for your expertise, generous support, mentorship, and for generating so much exciting science and data. You've helped, and will continue to help, shape everything we do.

Hall Lab reposted

Hannah Trivett
@hannahtriv.bsky.social

Delighted to share that I’ve been awarded one of just four 2026 @pacbio.bsky.social Metagenomics SMRT Grants! 🧬 The grant will support my work in the @halllab.bsky.social at @unibirmingham.bsky.social , exploring long-read #metagenomics, #AMR & #DNAmethylation 🔬👩🏼‍🔬 #microbialgenomics #ECR #PacBio

PacBio@pacbio.bsky.social

We’re excited to announce 4 winners for the 2026 Metagenomics SMRT Grant! 🧬 From infant resistomes and hereditary cancer to soil pathogens and HPV persistence, see how these researchers are driving discovery with PacBio HiFi sequencing. Meet the awardees: https://bit.ly/4rotusF

Hall Lab
@halllab.bsky.social

Fab 2nd International Symposium on Bifidobacterial Biology in Parma last week! Excellent talks, fantastic food and great company - we had a blast!

Hall Lab
@halllab.bsky.social

This is great to hear - and it was fun contributing to this piece with @whelanfj.bsky.social - who did all the actual hard work!!

Fiona J Whelan@whelanfj.bsky.social

Lovely news from @microbiologysociety.org that our recent Perspective was one of the most viewed article in MGen last month. The idea was all @halllab.bsky.social 's. We gravitate towards using the newest, shiniest methods to answer a Q but sometimes the tried and true is still the best option.

microbiologyresearch.orgAn ode to the 16S rRNA gene: its history, importance, caveats and future in microbiome researchThe 16S rRNA gene has - and continues to - play an important role in microbiology. It’s universality across prokaryotes and variation across species has allowed the sequencing of its hypervariable reg...

Hall Lab reposted

Microbiome Virtual International Forum
@microbiomevif.bsky.social

📢 Season 6 is currently in the works. In the meantime, #MVIF recordings from Season 5 are available for you to enjoy. If you missed any of the talks, now's a great time to catch up 👉 cassyni.com/c/mvif/series

Microbiome Virtual International Forum@microbiomevif.bsky.social

💫 #MVIF Season 5 💫 Feel free to join the keynotes by presenting your work–abstract submission is open: www.microbiome-vif.org/en-US/how-to... #MVIF is proudly supported by #illumina @corundumsb.bsky.social and our non-commercial co-organizing partners Seerave Foundation @cunysph.bsky.social

Hall Lab reposted

Tami Lieberman
@contaminatedsci.bsky.social

Get your applications in today or tomorrow if you're interested!

Tami Lieberman@contaminatedsci.bsky.social

Interested in a *staff computational scientist* position? We are looking for an experienced computational biologist (ideally with microbiology experience) to support published packages while also driving new research. Pay range $73k-$111k w excellent benefits. careers.peopleclick.com/careerscp/cl...

careers.peopleclick.comComputational Biology Program ScientistMIT - Computational Biology Program Scientist - Cambridge MA 02139
Hall Lab
@halllab.bsky.social

New paper out in Nature Comms 🎉 Congrats to first author @sekid.bsky.social & thanks team & collaborators We show that B. bifidum & E. coli can cooperate in the breastfed infant gut through nutrient cross-feeding, helping shape early-life microbiome development 🦠👶 www.nature.com/articles/s41...

nature.comHuman milk oligosaccharide mediates mutualism between Escherichia coli and Bifidobacterium bifidum - Nature CommunicationsEscherichia coli is widespread in healthy breastfed infants, yet its ecological role is unclear. Here, the authors provide insights into the mechanisms supporting its persistence and co-existence with...

Hall Lab reposted

Freya Harrison
@friendlymicrobe.bsky.social

My super department @warwicklifesci.bsky.social is hiring 6 assistant profs in the wake of recent retirements. We're looking for people in microbiology/infection, cellular disease / immunity; environmental biology; and plant/crop science. #MicroSky warwick-careers.tal.net/vx/lang-en-G...

warwick-careers.tal.netAssistant Professor x6 (111522-0426) - University of WarwickTitle: Assistant Professor x6 (111522-0426). Application Deadline: . Position Type: Permanent
Hall Lab
@halllab.bsky.social

Honoured to have been elected a Fellow of the European Academy of Microbiology @femsmicro.org. This recognition means a lot - and it really reflects the fantastic work of teams and collaborators across the years in advancing early life microbiome research 🤩 fems-microbiology.org/european-aca...

fems-microbiology.orgEuropean Academy of Microbiology welcomes 95 new FellowsDiscover the latest election of 95 new Fellows by the European Academy of Microbiology, highlighting diverse expertise in the field.
Hall Lab
@halllab.bsky.social

Really looking forward to this and also hearing all the other exciting talks! Big thanks again for then invite 😀

Microbiome Virtual International Forum@microbiomevif.bsky.social

Happy Monday! We have a new #MVIF program to share with you 🤩 Highlights 🇧🇪 Andrey Radev 🇮🇷 Zahra Nezamivand Chegini Keynote 🇬🇧 Lindsay Hall (@halllab.bsky.social) Talks 🇺🇸 Chris Robinson 🇨🇭 @lukasmalf.bsky.social 🇮🇷 Mohammad Salimi Free registration: cassyni.com/s/mvif-47

Hall Lab
@halllab.bsky.social

ISBB 2026 registration is now open! 🧫🧬 📍Parma, Italy (University of Parma) 📅 17-19 Sept 2026 Updated programme + confirmed speakers now online. Early reg: 5 May 2026 | Abstracts: 30 June 2026. Website/registration: www.bifidosympo26.it #ISBB2026 #Bifidobacterium #microbiome #microbiology

bifidosympo26.itISBB 2026 – The 2nd International Symposium on Bifidobacterial BiologyThe 2nd International Symposium on Bifidobacterial Biology (ISBB) – Parma, Italy – September 18–19, 2026.

Hall Lab reposted

MicrobesNG
@microbesng.bsky.social

🚨 Calling all ECR's #MicrobialGenomics & #Microbiome symposium in Nottingham (5th June)- present/chair/posters Abstract submission is 5 pm TODAY!!! Keynotes @halllab.bsky.social & @alexmsalmeida.bsky.social #MNGPopUp #MicroSky please share

Professor Lesley Hoyles@bugsinyourguts.bsky.social

Only a few days left to register for our free ECR POPUP event covering all things metagenomics and genomics. Don't forget to submit an abstract if you want to present your work (poster or talk).

Hall Lab reposted

Willem van Schaik
@wvschaik.bsky.social

Only 2 more days to apply for this post as Research Fellow in the Health Protection Research Unit - Public Health Genomics at the University of Birmingham. Come and join us to exciting, cutting-edge genomics and metagenomics work to deliver public health benefits www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DQE112/r...

jobs.ac.ukResearch Fellow at University of BirminghamDiscover Research Fellow jobs and more in higher education on jobs.ac.uk. Apply for further details on the top job board.
Hall Lab
@halllab.bsky.social

We’re recruiting for an RA @unibirmingham.bsky.social! Support our #microbiome research - lab work + sample/data organisation & coordination. Looking for an organised, proactive & great team player. 🗓️ Closes 04/02/26 . To Mar 2028 Apply via UoB portal: edzz.fa.em3.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/Candid...

edzz.fa.em3.oraclecloud.comResearch Associate - Department of Microbes, Infection and Microbiomes - 106850 - Grade 6As a Research Associate in the Hall Lab, you will play a crucial role in supporting microbiome research initiatives aimed at enhancing our understanding of the role of early life microbes in promoting...
Hall Lab
@halllab.bsky.social

This is a super exciting opportunity - at the interface of cutting edge (meta) genomic methods & public health with #UKHSA. One aspect is working with us to define underappreciated pathogens contributing to maternal-infant infections and how the microbiome influences risk! Further details below 👇

Ed Cunningham-Oakes@edcoakes.bsky.social

Love microbes & omics? 🦠🧬 We’re hiring a Postdoc in Public Health Genomics at @unibirmingham.bsky.social Work on cutting-edge research with wonderful people! @wvschaik.bsky.social @halllab.bsky.social @pathogenomenick.bsky.social @scalene.bsky.social @alanmcn1.bsky.social 📅 Closes 4th Feb

edzz.fa.em3.oraclecloud.comResearch Fellow - Department of Microbes, Infection and Microbiomes - 105518 - Grade 7The post holder will work within the newly established NIHR Health Protection Unit for Public Health Genomics, a partnership between the University of Birmingham and the UK Health Security Agency. You...
Hall Lab
@halllab.bsky.social

Happy New Year – new role! 🎉 We’re looking for a PostDoc to join us in @halllab.bsky.social @unibirmingham.bsky.social. Full-time, fixed-term to March 2028. Note tight closing date: 11 Jan 2026. CV + cover letter (submit via portal). Further details 👇 edzz.fa.em3.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/Candid...

edzz.fa.em3.oraclecloud.comResearch Fellow - Department of Microbes, Infection and Microbiomes - 106849 - Grade 7To create and contribute to the creation of knowledge by undertaking a specified range of activities as part of an Investigator project funded by Wellcome, focusing on understanding microbial and diet...
Hall Lab
@halllab.bsky.social

As the year wraps up, a huge thank you to the team for an outstanding year of hard work. It’s been a fab one, with exciting outputs & great opportunities to share our work. Here’s to 2026: welcoming new faces, generating new #microbiome discoveries & continuing to enjoy the process & the laughs! 🤩

Hall Lab reposted

Institute of Microbiology and Infection
@imibirmingham.bsky.social

The 2nd round of PhD projects for the DTP in Microbial Genomics for Health Protection, in collaboration with the UK Health Security Agency @ukhsa.bsky.social, has just launched, funded by @nihr.bsky.social 6 PhD projects are available (UK students only) www.birmingham.ac.uk/research/cen...

birmingham.ac.ukPhD Microbial Genomics for Health Protection, Biosciences - University of BirminghamPhD in Microbial Genomics, exciting new Doctoral Training Programme in Microbial Genomics for Health Protection in collaboration with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) launches
Hall Lab
@halllab.bsky.social

Delighted to share Magda's new review in Annual Review of Food Science and Technology 🎉 We explore how microbe-diet interactions shape health across the life course and the promise (and challenges!) of microbiome-informed precision nutrition 👇 doi.org/10.1146/annu...

doi.orgMicrobe–Diet Interactions and Personalized NutritionNutrition plays a fundamental role in shaping human health across the life course, influencing both host physiology and the composition and function of the gut microbiota. In turn, the gut microbiota ...
Hall Lab
@halllab.bsky.social

Whoop whoop! 🎉 @hannahtriv.bsky.social’s first-author paper is officially out as a preprint! Some super interesting long-read metagenomics results - especially the dominance of MDR Enterococcus faecium in very sick liver patients. Huge shout-out to the whole team and fab collaborators!

Hannah Trivett@hannahtriv.bsky.social

I am pleased to share that my first postdoc paper from the @halllab.bsky.social is now on bioRxiv! 🎉 We used long-read #metagenomics to explore how the gut microbiome and #antimicrobialresistance landscape shift across advanced chronic #liverdisease (ACLD) www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

biorxiv.orgDecoding the microbiome and resistome of advanced chronic liver disease through long-read metagenomicsIntroduction - Patients with advanced chronic liver disease (ACLD) and underlying cirrhosis frequently require repeated courses of antimicrobial therapy, with both the frequency and spectrum of antimi...

Hall Lab reposted

HoloGen MSCA Doctoral Network
@hologen.bsky.social

HoloGen Doctoral Network Retreat #2 – Barcelona! 🌞 All our PhD candidates together for the first time – a week of project presentations, hands-on workshops, industry talks, and an amazing sailing social on the Med. Science + collaboration + tapas = success! #HoloGen #PhDLife #Microbiome #MSCADN

Hall Lab
@halllab.bsky.social

🚨 Join us on 2-4th March 2026 for this fantastic UK-based #microbiome conference! A stellar line-up of speakers, plus plenty of opportunities for selected talks and flash poster pitches. 🗓️ Abstract deadline: 24th November 2025 - don’t miss out!

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Hall Lab
@halllab.bsky.social

🧫 #MMEG2025 is back! 📍 University of Birmingham | 15-16 Dec 🎤 20+ ERC talks, posters & flash talks 🍽️ Social at Indian Brewery Taproom Keynote: Prof. Corinne Whitby Abstracts due 2 Nov - get those abstracts submitted! Join us for a cracking microbial ecology community meeting 👉

Applied Microbiology International@amiposts.bsky.social

Have research, results, or ideas to share with the microbial ecology community? Don’t miss your chance to present it at #MMEG2025 - abstract submissions close 2 November! 📨 Submit your abstract: appliedmicrobiology.org/ems-event-ca...

Hall Lab
@halllab.bsky.social

New paper out! 🎉 Our collab with Jorge & Amanda shows that Bifido can remotely control placental endocrine function (in 🐀) - modulating >400 proteins! 🚀 Published in J Transl Med - translational-medicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.... Gut microbes shaping the placenta - pretty amazing stuff! 🧫🤰

translational-medicine.biomedcentral.comPlacental endocrine function is controlled by maternal gut Bifidobacterium in germ-free mice - Journal of Translational MedicineBackground Recent studies have shown that the maternal gut microbiota can regulate placental growth, particularly the transport region, in association with fetal growth. However, the specific role of certain microorganisms in modulating the hormonal production of the placenta, which is critical for supporting fetal development and maintaining a healthy pregnancy, remains largely unexplored. In this context, the objective of this study is to determine whether the maternal colonisation with the early life gut bacterium Bifidobacterium breve UCC2003 regulates placental endocrine function. Methods Pregnant germ-free mice were colonized with or without Bifidobacterium breve UCC2003 (BIF) during pregnancy. The endocrine region of the placenta (junctional zone, Jz) was collected to assess its metabolic profile using metabolomics, the expression of key nutrient uptake genes, hormones and synthetic genes by qPCR, and proteome using LC-MS/MS. Results BIF colonised dams had increased lactate and taurine concentrations in the placental Jz. BIF presence was also associated with upregulated expression of nutrient carriers, particularly those involved in large neutral amino acid and monocarboxylate uptake (e.g., Slc7a8 and Slc16a4). Additionally, key hormones, such as prolactins and pregnancy-specific glycoproteins, were upregulated. The Jz proteome was changed in BIF colonised dams, with over 400 proteins dysregulated. Pathway analysis revealed more than 150 biological processes were altered, including transcriptional activity, protein synthesis, cell cycle progression, and metabolic regulation. Proteins regulated by BIF in the placental Jz were correlated with fetal growth and nutrient levels (namely glucose). Notably, maternal-associated BIF reduced the number of fetal resorptions (early fetal loss). Conclusions In germ-free mice, maternal-associated gut Bifidobacterium breve UCC2003 regulates placental endocrine capacity, by altering its metabolic profile and ability to produce endocrine factors. This study provides the first clear evidence that the maternal gut microbiota not only influences placental transport function, but also regulates its endocrine outputs. Graphical Abstract
University of Cambridge@cam.ac.uk

Scientists have found that a bacteria common in probiotic drinks can help prevent #pregnancy complications 🤰 New #research from @pdncambridge.bsky.social and @halllab.bsky.social Read: bit.ly/3IGIu3k #reproduction @cambridgebiosci.bsky.social @cam-repro.bsky.social @unibirmingham.bsky.social 🧪

bit.ly‘Good’ gut bacteria boosts placenta for healthier pregnancyWhen Bifidobacterium breve, widely available in probiotic drinks, is present in the gut of pregnant females it boosts the placenta’s production of pregnancy

Hall Lab reposted

James McDonald
@jamesemcdonald.bsky.social

MMEG is coming to @unibirmingham.bsky.social in December - look out for some exciting announcements about the programme in the next few weeks! Abstract submission and registration is open 👇🏻

Applied Microbiology International@amiposts.bsky.social

Save the Date: #MMEG2025 is coming to Birmingham! Join us on 15–16 December 2025 for the 31st edition of MMEG. This year's event is your chance to: 🔬 Share your research 🤝 Connect with peers 🦠 Discover the latest in molecular microbial ecology Register now: appliedmicrobiology.org/ems-event-ca...

Hall Lab
@halllab.bsky.social

📢🚨 Check out @drgdavidson.bsky.social's 3-year senior PDRA role below @uniofeastanglia.bsky.social! Super exciting project exploring wildlife ecology 🐾 and gut microbiome bioinformatics 🧬! 👉 Apply: vacancies.uea.ac.uk/vacancies/18... 💬 Informal enquiries to Gabrielle welcome!

vacancies.uea.ac.ukvacancies.uea.ac.uk
Gabrielle Davidson@drgdavidson.bsky.social

📢🚨Please share! We’re hiring! 📢🚨Have a strong interests in wildlife ecology and gut microbiome bioinformatics? 3 year Senior Research Associate for NERC Pushing the Frontiers grant. Apply here: vacancies.uea.ac.uk/vacancies/18.... Informal enquiries welcome! drgldavidson.github.io/ACMEresearch

Hall Lab
@halllab.bsky.social

Come join us 2-4th March 2026 for a cracking #microbiome conference in Hinxton UK! Speaker line up is AMAZING and lots of opportunities for ECRs for selected talks, flash talks and posters. Bursaries are also available! See details below 👇

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Hall Lab
@halllab.bsky.social

We were gutted that @eliza-coli.bsky.social’s stunning illustration wasn’t chosen for the front cover - I mean, just look at it! ✨ Working with Eliza was a joy & if you’re looking for a brilliant scientific illustrator to bring your projects to life, I can’t recommend her highly enough 🎨🧫🦠

Eliza_coli@eliza-coli.bsky.social

Bifidobacteria co-evolve with their hosts - new research by the @halllab.bsky.social published in @cp-cellhostmicrobe.bsky.social and illustrated by me! Another #NotTheCover for the books, but in this case, it's really their loss 😋 🧫🧪🐡 #microbiome #cartoon

Hall Lab
@halllab.bsky.social

Such an engaged audience at #EESMicrobiome with lots of great questions after my talk! Big thanks to the organisers for inviting me to present some of the teams recent early life #microbiome work. Conference has been AMAZING so far!

EMBL Events@events.embl.org

🦠🔬 We’re starting #EESMicrobiome Session 3: Early life microbiome – development and impact 🔸Chaired by Tami Lieberman (MIT) & Mani Arumugam (University of Copenhagen) 🎤 First talk: 'Exploring early life microbiome interactions' by Lindsay Hall @unibirmingham.bsky.social @halllab.bsky.social

Hall Lab
@halllab.bsky.social

🚨 An excellent opportunity for scientists in Africa, at all career stages, working on maternal & child microbiome research 🚨 📚 Blended learning (3 months) incl. prep modules, hands-on training (12-17 Apr 2026) & mentoring. coursesandconferences.wellcomeconnectingscience.org/event/human-...

coursesandconferences.wellcomeconnectingscience.orgHuman Gut Microbiome Metagenomics – Africa — 20260412Build skills in microbiome metagenomics, bioinformatics, and data interpretation to advance maternal and child health research
Hall Lab
@halllab.bsky.social

Excited to share our @cp-cellhostmicrobe.bsky.social led by Magda showing how Bif has co-evolved with different animal hosts 🐒🐭🐷🐦 Key takeaways: 🔹 Host ancestry + diet shape Bif evolution 🔹 Mammals enriched for carb-busting enzymes 🔹 Untapped diversity in non-human hosts = new probiotic potential

Cell Host & Microbe@cp-cellhostmicrobe.bsky.social

Bifido adaptations across hosts @halllab.bsky.social survey insects, reptiles, birds & mammals to uncover how Bifidobacterium adapts to hosts. Bifidobacterium & host exhibit strong co-phylogenetic associations, driven by vertical transmission & dietary selection www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...

cell.comHost-specific microbiome and genomic signatures in Bifidobacterium reveal co-evolutionary and functional adaptations across diverse animal hostsBifidobacterium are beneficial members of the microbiota across animal hosts. Kujawska et al. demonstrate that bifidobacteria have likely co-evolved more closely with mammals, particularly primates, a...