Farncombe
Phage

It’s been hectic enough that I didn’t even get a chance to highlight a recent publication from the lab - the first in 5 years in which my student is not a first author! In this case, Brad Cook (Cytophage Technologies Inc) approached me about his views on transduction and phage therapy, which aligned with mine on temperate phages. The credit goes to him for getting the ball rolling, and we put together what I think is a very tidy set of arguments highlighting the common reasons people discard a phage for therapy, and whether those criteria make sense (spoilers: some do. probably). It’s open access, so check it out here!

There’s so much going on this CSM, this is practically going to be a day-by-day. On Day 2, three of us presented posters, and Rabia delivered a phenomenal Armand-Frappier talk that for many was the highlight of the conference. The only reason I’m not featuring that as the image is because the one I’ve chosen is more unusual - Dr. Hynes presenting his first poster in 7 years, with the now trademarked “Jordan stance”. Click through for shots of Rabia (and Gayatri, and Jordan) all presenting!

Phage Canada, despite a last minute venue change and frantic rebooking, managed to gather on Thursday at the CSM. And from 20 RSVPs, a reservation for 30… and about 45 attendees, I think it was a roaring success. But don’t take my word for it - check out the pictures!

There’s so much going on this CSM, this is practically going to be a day-by-day. On Day 2, three of us presented posters, and Rabia delivered a phenomenal Armand-Frappier talk that for many was the highlight of the conference. The only reason I’m not featuring that as the image is because the one I’ve chosen is more unusual - Dr. Hynes presenting his first poster in 7 years, with the now trademarked “Jordan stance”. Click through for shots of Rabia (and Gayatri, and Jordan) all presenting!

I just returned from the Inaugural Danish Viruses of Microbes meeting, in Copehagen. It was an honour to be invited to give a keynote lecture, and humbling to see how quickly they’ve gotten this network of the ground and running an event of this magnitude! Hats off!

Those of you following the lab website closely (of which I’m sure there are many) may have had an inkling, given Gayatri’s ability to win awards presenting despite the nausea….In what has become a three-peat tradition, we gathered for a grad student baby shower/gender reveal. Here is the lab & family, at the Driving Park, gather ed to celebrate the “Mommy to Bee”, Gayatri. Out of my family, we were 6:1 in predicting a girl (see the pink fingernails, if you zoom in), but you only get to know if we were right by biting into one of Rabia’s delicious cupcakes. Click through for the (much smaller) lab group shot.

Gayatri was invited to give a talk at a research day largely themed around eco-toxicology. Which we had to look up. But it turns out, that’s what we’re doing all along… so it was a good fit. Gayatri was great, as always!

We only did a “mini” cleanup in January, but, surprisingly, that didn’t create too much backlog. Maybe it was our second “mini” cleanup a month back in anticipation of a Povost visit. That said, we’re back on schedule; some good down-on-our-knees scrubbing, spicy food (click through for the image), and a thorough tossing out of old stocks. The result? Well, in Ayesha’s words, here’s the picture Rabia made her take.

At today’s FHS Plenary award, Gayatri was awarded an Outstanding Graduate Student Award, and Ayesha took a prize in the Pecha-Kucha competition! I think that might make us the only lab ever to win twice in the latter… 2 points is a trend, right?

After a round 1 presentation I didn’t get to see at this year’s FHS plenary, Ayesha was invited to the finals - and that I could attend, and boy am I glad I did - she did superbly!