Tom Thompson Lab

Tom Thompson Lab

@thompsonlab.bsky.social

Structural Biologists at the University of Cincinnati. 18 structures and counting! https://www.tomthompsonlab.com/ Historical: https://x.com/thompsonlab3

67 followers131 following18 posts

Tom Thompson Lab
@thompsonlab.bsky.social

The TT Lab recently celebrated our 10th annual Lab Olympics! We had lots of fun competing in a variety of scientific and athletic challenges. Congratulations to this year's winner, Ed Leach! 🏆

Tom Thompson Lab
@thompsonlab.bsky.social

We have officially solved our fourth follistatin 288 structure in complex with an activin family ligand, this time with activin B. Using our novel structure, computational analysis, and molecular dynamics simulations, we interrogate the antagonist's ligand specificity. www.jbc.org/article/S002...

jbc.orgThe crystal structure of the activin B:Fst288 complex and computational insights into the broad antagonistic activity and specificity of follistatinMembers of the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) family regulate essential biological processes, and their activity is tightly controlled by extracellular antagonists like follistatin 288 (Fst288). While Fst288 potently inhibits several ligands, including activins A and B, GDF8, and GDF11, the structural basis for its interaction with activin B (ActB) has remained largely uncharacterized. This lack of data has limited our understanding of how Fst288 achieves such broad inhibitory activity while maintaining ligand-specific selectivity.
Tom Thompson Lab
@thompsonlab.bsky.social

The 14th TGF-β Family Conference hosted by @faseborg.bsky.social in Porto (July 26-30) was a wonderful opportunity to catch up with longtime colleagues, collaborators, and alumni! The TT Lab presented 4 posters and 2 talks. A port cellar tour and fado performance rounded out the trip🍷🎶 #TGFbSRC

Tom Thompson Lab
@thompsonlab.bsky.social

We are excited to share our latest publication in JBC, which elucidates the role of heparan sulfate in erythroferrone-mediated BMP inhibition! Check out our findings here: www.jbc.org/article/S002...

jbc.orgErythroferrone antagonism of BMPs is governed by a composite heparin-binding motifIron homeostasis is regulated by bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling, which induces hepcidin to negatively regulate serum iron levels and iron import. After a major blood loss event, developing...
Tom Thompson Lab
@thompsonlab.bsky.social

Recently, our grad students and undergrad, led by Melissa, went to Loveland Intermediate School for Science Day to get the next generation excited about science! They taught the students how to make their own ice cream, and showed them how we make flash frozen ice cream dots with LN2 🥶😋

Tom Thompson Lab
@thompsonlab.bsky.social

Congratulations to Dr. Eleanor Mast on the successful defense of her dissertation! She is starting her new position as a postdoctoral researcher in the Kruse Lab at Harvard Medical School and we are very excited for her.

Tom Thompson Lab
@thompsonlab.bsky.social

We’re so proud of our grad student Melissa for giving an amazing talk at the 75th Annual Meeting of the American Crystallographic Association in Lombard, IL!🙌 She shared her work on SOSTDC1 which mediates both BMP and Wnt pathways - beautiful science at the intersection of structure and signaling!🔝👏

Tom Thompson Lab
@thompsonlab.bsky.social

The 14th International BMP Conference at University of Pennsylvania (May 2–6, 2025) was a fantastic gathering of the BMP community! TT Lab contributed 6 posters and 3 talks. We’re especially proud of our first-year grad student Amy who presented on state-of-the-art de novo ligand traps! 👏💪🔝

Tom Thompson Lab
@thompsonlab.bsky.social

An active week for the TT lab! ✨ While last Friday (3.14), we celebrated Pi Day with delicious pies 🥧 and homemade ice cream🍦 this Thursday, our grad students Melissa and Drew took science beyond the lab joining Science Day at Loveland Intermediate School to inspire next generation of scientists! 🧪🔬

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