Vahidi Lab@UofGuelph 🇨🇦

1/🧵Human ClpP protease is targeted in cancer therapy with the activator ONC201 @chimerix Yet all structures of ClpP have captured it in its inactive state, even when bound to activators! ClpP is paradoxically activated by inhibitors at low concentrations before inhibition starts

Can enzymes retain catalytic activity in the gas phase? Using tandem MS, molecular dynamics simulations, and enzyme variants courtesy of the @VahidiLab, Kirsty (@kirstynyk) uncovers new insight towards this question. Now published in JACS (@J_A_C_S)! pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/ja…

CIHR funding rate: 13.6%. Early 2000s: 30%+. Canada’s new $1.7B Impact+ program recruits talent — but without increased Tri-Council base funding, we risk further strain on an already stretched system. We’re calling for $1B over 5 years. Support here: tinyurl.com/33c5av46

Molecular mechanisms of mitochondrial AAA+ proteases - Journal of Biological Chemistry jbc.org/article/S0021-…

Join 2026 BPS Lecturer Lewis Kay on Tuesday, February 24, 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM at #bps2026 for an informal discussion. Dr. Kay will share insights from his scientific career—from pioneering discoveries to lessons learned along the way—and reflect on how the field continues to evolve

MCB @ U of Guelph is hiring (again)! 🎉 Tenure-track Assistant Professor in Biochemistry Part of our strategic cluster hire. Apply now 👉 careers.uoguelph.ca/job/Guelph-Ass… #Biochemistry #FacultyJobs #AcademicTwitter #MolBio

Out in @pnas today Showcasing the power of NMR! NMR and enzyme kinetics show USP7 enzyme transiently sampling a low-populated active state, and its disease-causing variant enhancing these dynamics pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pn… Stellar work by students Gabi Valles and Emilie Korchak

Congrats to Monica Goncalves and Madison Turner for winning the 2025 Dr. Donald R. Phillips Molecular & Cellular Biology Scholarship! The award recognizes research excellence, academic achievement, and meaningful contributions to MCB. Congrats to their supervisor, @VahidiLab!

Don’t miss the Ann Oaks Lecture in Biological Sciences, with Dr. Lewis Kay, professor of molecular genetics, biochemistry & chemistry @UofT 🗓️May 28 at 2 p.m. 📍ALEX 100 More info: uoguelph.ca/cbs/events/202…

Congratulations to MSc @UofG_MCB student Erin Rudolph, who came 2nd at the #UofG Three Minute Thesis finals for her presentation on Mast Cells: The Fire Alarm of Immunity!🔥

Excited to share our new publication with @VahidiLab! We reveal how human mitochondrial ClpP is allosterically activated—even by inhibitors—unlocking new strategies to target ClpP in AML. pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pn…

New findings from #UofG researchers could help unlock better treatments for leukaemia and tuberculosis. The studies focus on specialized enzymes that destroy damaged proteins and reveal how these enzymes can be switched on or off. Learn more: uoguel.ph/fxwpf

A fantastic lab and an excellent PI!

Credit to outstanding trainees and collaborators, including @NatalieZeytuni and @UdayAdwaith

New #UofG research may unlock better treatments for leukemia and tuberculosis, which affect millions worldwide. “If we can trap these enzymes, there is a chance we can make some very potent therapeutics," says Dr. Siavash Vahidi. @UofGCBS Read more: news.uoguelph.ca/2025/04/protei…

Now published at: doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2…

1/🧵Human ClpP protease is targeted in cancer therapy with the activator ONC201 @chimerix Yet all structures of ClpP have captured it in its inactive state, even when bound to activators! ClpP is paradoxically activated by inhibitors at low concentrations before inhibition starts

Thrilled to share our new paper revealing an auto-inhibited state of the M. tuberculosis 20S proteasome—highlighting allosteric sites with therapeutic potential. A fantastic collaboration with the @VahidiLab! 🔗 nature.com/articles/s4146… #cryoEM #TBresearch #StructuralBiology

Mechanism of allosteric activation in human mitochondrial ClpP protease | PNAS pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pn…

Bit of a late post, but I had the incredible opportunity to attend and present my work at the Biophysical Society Annual Meeting this year! It was my first #BPS and also my first conference outside Canada. I got to learn from so many inspiring biophysicists doing amazing science!

Professor Lewis Kay @LEK_Lab @UofT is honoured with the 2025 Alexander Hollaender Award in Biophysics awarded by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences @theNASciences for outstanding contributions to the field of biophysics utoronto.ca/celebrates/lew… #NMRnews #NMRchat #NMR 🧲

@ValerieGabelica @an_chem An excellent move and something several other journals I review for already implement.

New year's resolution as editor for @an_chem: reviewers will receive a blind copy the decisions of manuscripts I handed. I hope reviewers will appreciate the opportunity to see how their comments factored in and what other reviewers have spotted.