Auclair Lab
@auclairlab.bsky.social
We explore many fields of chemistry and biology (many of them concerning enzymes).
Located at McGill University, Montreal.
Student-ran account: posts not by Dr. Auclair, DMs not monitored.
RP/follow ≠ endorsement.
https://www.auclair-group.mcgill.ca
Located at McGill University, Montreal.
Student-ran account: posts not by Dr. Auclair, DMs not monitored.
RP/follow ≠ endorsement.
https://www.auclair-group.mcgill.ca
Pinned
🚨 NEW PAPER ALERT 🚨
In BBA Proteins and Proteonomics, fresh from the Auclair lab, Yuqin investigates the fractal kinetics of moist-solid enzymatic PET depolymerization by HiC.
Congratulations to Yuki!
doi.org/10.1016/j.bb...
In BBA Proteins and Proteonomics, fresh from the Auclair lab, Yuqin investigates the fractal kinetics of moist-solid enzymatic PET depolymerization by HiC.
Congratulations to Yuki!
doi.org/10.1016/j.bb...
🚨 NEW PAPER ALERT 🚨
In BBA Proteins and Proteonomics, fresh from the Auclair lab, Yuqin investigates the fractal kinetics of moist-solid enzymatic PET depolymerization by HiC.
Congratulations to Yuki!
doi.org/10.1016/j.bb...
In BBA Proteins and Proteonomics, fresh from the Auclair lab, Yuqin investigates the fractal kinetics of moist-solid enzymatic PET depolymerization by HiC.
Congratulations to Yuki!
doi.org/10.1016/j.bb...
September 29, 2026 at 5:03 PM
🚨 NEW PAPER ALERT 🚨
In BBA Proteins and Proteonomics, fresh from the Auclair lab, Yuqin investigates the fractal kinetics of moist-solid enzymatic PET depolymerization by HiC.
Congratulations to Yuki!
doi.org/10.1016/j.bb...
In BBA Proteins and Proteonomics, fresh from the Auclair lab, Yuqin investigates the fractal kinetics of moist-solid enzymatic PET depolymerization by HiC.
Congratulations to Yuki!
doi.org/10.1016/j.bb...
McGill students are invited to Green Chemistry McGill's 5th annual Global Conversation on Sustainability, happening this Friday at 10:30 AM!
In-person and virtual attendance are both possible. (But between the two of us, we're pretty excited about the food, too...!)
In-person and virtual attendance are both possible. (But between the two of us, we're pretty excited about the food, too...!)
September 21, 2026 at 1:12 PM
McGill students are invited to Green Chemistry McGill's 5th annual Global Conversation on Sustainability, happening this Friday at 10:30 AM!
In-person and virtual attendance are both possible. (But between the two of us, we're pretty excited about the food, too...!)
In-person and virtual attendance are both possible. (But between the two of us, we're pretty excited about the food, too...!)
🚨 NEW PAPER ALERT 🚨
We're going back-to-back! In ACS Sustain. Chem. Eng., Nu Thuy Tu Ton and Hannah Girard investigate mechanoenzymatic depolymerization of alginate. This method obtained lower-MW oligosaccharides with narrower polydispersity.
Congrats to Tu and Hannah!
doi.org/10.1021/acss...
We're going back-to-back! In ACS Sustain. Chem. Eng., Nu Thuy Tu Ton and Hannah Girard investigate mechanoenzymatic depolymerization of alginate. This method obtained lower-MW oligosaccharides with narrower polydispersity.
Congrats to Tu and Hannah!
doi.org/10.1021/acss...
September 17, 2026 at 1:25 AM
🚨 NEW PAPER ALERT 🚨
We're going back-to-back! In ACS Sustain. Chem. Eng., Nu Thuy Tu Ton and Hannah Girard investigate mechanoenzymatic depolymerization of alginate. This method obtained lower-MW oligosaccharides with narrower polydispersity.
Congrats to Tu and Hannah!
doi.org/10.1021/acss...
We're going back-to-back! In ACS Sustain. Chem. Eng., Nu Thuy Tu Ton and Hannah Girard investigate mechanoenzymatic depolymerization of alginate. This method obtained lower-MW oligosaccharides with narrower polydispersity.
Congrats to Tu and Hannah!
doi.org/10.1021/acss...
🚨 NEW PAPER ALERT 🚨
In Organic Letters, the Auclair lab's Dr. Blue Lan and Dr. Jake Pierscianowski report an accessible, tunable, heteroatom-containing scaffold capable of aggregation-induced emission (AIE). Uses in pH sensing and cell imaging are explored. Check it out!
doi.org/10.1021/acs....
In Organic Letters, the Auclair lab's Dr. Blue Lan and Dr. Jake Pierscianowski report an accessible, tunable, heteroatom-containing scaffold capable of aggregation-induced emission (AIE). Uses in pH sensing and cell imaging are explored. Check it out!
doi.org/10.1021/acs....
Lights, Molecule,
Action: 3-(Diarylmethylene)isobenzofuranones
as Heteroatom-Containing, Tunable Aggregation-Induced Emission Luminogens
Abstract. New aggregation-induced emission
luminogens (AIEgens)
featuring
the 3-(diarylmethylene)isobenzofuranone scaffold are reported herein.
This struct
doi.org
September 15, 2026 at 5:37 PM
🚨 NEW PAPER ALERT 🚨
In Organic Letters, the Auclair lab's Dr. Blue Lan and Dr. Jake Pierscianowski report an accessible, tunable, heteroatom-containing scaffold capable of aggregation-induced emission (AIE). Uses in pH sensing and cell imaging are explored. Check it out!
doi.org/10.1021/acs....
In Organic Letters, the Auclair lab's Dr. Blue Lan and Dr. Jake Pierscianowski report an accessible, tunable, heteroatom-containing scaffold capable of aggregation-induced emission (AIE). Uses in pH sensing and cell imaging are explored. Check it out!
doi.org/10.1021/acs....
The Auclair lab welcomes three new graduate students this fall!
Jacob Couture (Université de Montréal) and Amy Gingrich (McMaster University) are joining us as PhD students.
Savita Brickman-Maxwell (University of Toronto Mississauga) joins as an MSc student.
🎉
Jacob Couture (Université de Montréal) and Amy Gingrich (McMaster University) are joining us as PhD students.
Savita Brickman-Maxwell (University of Toronto Mississauga) joins as an MSc student.
🎉
September 5, 2026 at 1:37 PM
The Auclair lab welcomes three new graduate students this fall!
Jacob Couture (Université de Montréal) and Amy Gingrich (McMaster University) are joining us as PhD students.
Savita Brickman-Maxwell (University of Toronto Mississauga) joins as an MSc student.
🎉
Jacob Couture (Université de Montréal) and Amy Gingrich (McMaster University) are joining us as PhD students.
Savita Brickman-Maxwell (University of Toronto Mississauga) joins as an MSc student.
🎉
New article: in Nature Metabolism, a study of itaconate as an inhibitor of adipose tissue thermogenesis.
Featuring work from Dr. Jake Pierscianowski of the Auclair lab!
doi.org/10.1038/s422...
Featuring work from Dr. Jake Pierscianowski of the Auclair lab!
doi.org/10.1038/s422...
Macrophage-derived itaconate is a negative regulator of adipose tissue thermogenesis - Nature Metabolism
Tang et al. reveal that macrophage-derived itaconate acts as a paracrine inhibitor of adipose tissue thermogenesis by blocking succinate uptake into brown adipose tissue.
doi.org
July 24, 2026 at 8:30 PM
New article: in Nature Metabolism, a study of itaconate as an inhibitor of adipose tissue thermogenesis.
Featuring work from Dr. Jake Pierscianowski of the Auclair lab!
doi.org/10.1038/s422...
Featuring work from Dr. Jake Pierscianowski of the Auclair lab!
doi.org/10.1038/s422...
Ryan and Luis of the Auclair Lab had a great experience at the CCVC/CGCC Summer Camp, learning about the cutting edge of green chemistry and catalysis in Quebec!
June 22, 2026 at 12:10 AM
Ryan and Luis of the Auclair Lab had a great experience at the CCVC/CGCC Summer Camp, learning about the cutting edge of green chemistry and catalysis in Quebec!
Admin's taking a quick break from posting - the Auclair lab's going to CSC!
Find us:
Ryan, Tu: poster session Monday
Luis: poster session Tuesday
Karine: Wednesday 1AM, room 706
Tarasha: Thursday 4:40 PM, room 501
Gen: Thurs 5PM, room 501
Natalia: Thurs 5PM, room 706 (double booked 😢)
Find us:
Ryan, Tu: poster session Monday
Luis: poster session Tuesday
Karine: Wednesday 1AM, room 706
Tarasha: Thursday 4:40 PM, room 501
Gen: Thurs 5PM, room 501
Natalia: Thurs 5PM, room 706 (double booked 😢)
May 25, 2026 at 3:21 PM
Admin's taking a quick break from posting - the Auclair lab's going to CSC!
Find us:
Ryan, Tu: poster session Monday
Luis: poster session Tuesday
Karine: Wednesday 1AM, room 706
Tarasha: Thursday 4:40 PM, room 501
Gen: Thurs 5PM, room 501
Natalia: Thurs 5PM, room 706 (double booked 😢)
Find us:
Ryan, Tu: poster session Monday
Luis: poster session Tuesday
Karine: Wednesday 1AM, room 706
Tarasha: Thursday 4:40 PM, room 501
Gen: Thurs 5PM, room 501
Natalia: Thurs 5PM, room 706 (double booked 😢)
We're happy to announce that two of our articles were certified as top viewed articles for 2025!
Dr. Ali Zaker's work on the microstructure of PET and Dr. Blue Lan's TBD-catalyzed synthesis of 3-hydroxyisoindolin-1-ones were recognized in ChemSusChem and EurJOC respectively. Links below!
Dr. Ali Zaker's work on the microstructure of PET and Dr. Blue Lan's TBD-catalyzed synthesis of 3-hydroxyisoindolin-1-ones were recognized in ChemSusChem and EurJOC respectively. Links below!
May 21, 2026 at 3:55 PM
We're happy to announce that two of our articles were certified as top viewed articles for 2025!
Dr. Ali Zaker's work on the microstructure of PET and Dr. Blue Lan's TBD-catalyzed synthesis of 3-hydroxyisoindolin-1-ones were recognized in ChemSusChem and EurJOC respectively. Links below!
Dr. Ali Zaker's work on the microstructure of PET and Dr. Blue Lan's TBD-catalyzed synthesis of 3-hydroxyisoindolin-1-ones were recognized in ChemSusChem and EurJOC respectively. Links below!
We were delighted to host Prof. Hal Alper and Amelia Bergeson from @utaustin.bsky.social to Montreal this week!
Prof. Alper is a longtime collaborator of ours and gave a fascinating talk about engineering biology.
Prof. Alper is a longtime collaborator of ours and gave a fascinating talk about engineering biology.
May 14, 2026 at 12:04 PM
We were delighted to host Prof. Hal Alper and Amelia Bergeson from @utaustin.bsky.social to Montreal this week!
Prof. Alper is a longtime collaborator of ours and gave a fascinating talk about engineering biology.
Prof. Alper is a longtime collaborator of ours and gave a fascinating talk about engineering biology.
🚨 NEW PAPER 🚨
Fresh off the presses in @jacs.acspublications.org, the Auclair lab achieves nearly quantitative mechanoenzymatic depolymerization of highly crystalline PET plastic, revealing a unique processive mechanism exclusive to moist-solid conditions.
doi.org/10.1021/jacs...
Fresh off the presses in @jacs.acspublications.org, the Auclair lab achieves nearly quantitative mechanoenzymatic depolymerization of highly crystalline PET plastic, revealing a unique processive mechanism exclusive to moist-solid conditions.
doi.org/10.1021/jacs...
Moist-Solid Biocatalysis Enables Processive Depolymerization of Crystalline PET
Enzymatic depolymerization of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is typically limited to the amorphous regions of the plastic, therefore requiring energy-intensive pretreatment. Here, using the commerci...
doi.org
May 8, 2026 at 10:06 PM
🚨 NEW PAPER 🚨
Fresh off the presses in @jacs.acspublications.org, the Auclair lab achieves nearly quantitative mechanoenzymatic depolymerization of highly crystalline PET plastic, revealing a unique processive mechanism exclusive to moist-solid conditions.
doi.org/10.1021/jacs...
Fresh off the presses in @jacs.acspublications.org, the Auclair lab achieves nearly quantitative mechanoenzymatic depolymerization of highly crystalline PET plastic, revealing a unique processive mechanism exclusive to moist-solid conditions.
doi.org/10.1021/jacs...
The Auclair lab had a great time at the 2026 Open Plastic Symposium hosted at @queensuresearch.bsky.social!
Jane and Ryan (not pictured) gave oral presentations, while Alana and Natalia presented posters.
Jane and Ryan (not pictured) gave oral presentations, while Alana and Natalia presented posters.
May 7, 2026 at 1:01 PM
The Auclair lab had a great time at the 2026 Open Plastic Symposium hosted at @queensuresearch.bsky.social!
Jane and Ryan (not pictured) gave oral presentations, while Alana and Natalia presented posters.
Jane and Ryan (not pictured) gave oral presentations, while Alana and Natalia presented posters.
The Auclair lab congratulates Suzana Diaconescu-Grabari for her successful Master's thesis submission! 🎉
May 1, 2026 at 4:12 PM
The Auclair lab congratulates Suzana Diaconescu-Grabari for her successful Master's thesis submission! 🎉
Important lab cleaning duty: the popcorn machine
April 17, 2026 at 3:57 PM
Important lab cleaning duty: the popcorn machine
Spinning some lysate. For comparison, F1 engines hit a maximum of 15,000 rpm (well, maybe they're not going that high this year...) #chemsky
April 7, 2026 at 12:25 PM
Spinning some lysate. For comparison, F1 engines hit a maximum of 15,000 rpm (well, maybe they're not going that high this year...) #chemsky
NEW ARTICLE: In Science Advances, an investigation of the malarial parasite Plasmodium falciparum's PPCS enzyme, part of the CoA biosynthesis pathway.
A collaboration between the Auclair, Creek, Corry, Strauss, and Saliba groups, spanning Canada and Australia. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
A collaboration between the Auclair, Creek, Corry, Strauss, and Saliba groups, spanning Canada and Australia. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
The Plasmodium falciparum PPCS is a unique heteromeric complex with prokaryote-like activity and is a target of pantothenate analogs
PPCS in the P. falciparum CoA biosynthesis pathway forms a heteromeric complex, uses CTP instead of ATP, and is a drug target.
www.science.org
March 17, 2026 at 2:58 PM
NEW ARTICLE: In Science Advances, an investigation of the malarial parasite Plasmodium falciparum's PPCS enzyme, part of the CoA biosynthesis pathway.
A collaboration between the Auclair, Creek, Corry, Strauss, and Saliba groups, spanning Canada and Australia. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
A collaboration between the Auclair, Creek, Corry, Strauss, and Saliba groups, spanning Canada and Australia. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Some updates:
The Auclair lab congratulates Aracelli Chang on a successful Master's thesis submission!
And we're happy to officially welcome Dr. Jacob Pierscianowski back as a post-doc! Dr. Jake defended his thesis with us last year.
The Auclair lab congratulates Aracelli Chang on a successful Master's thesis submission!
And we're happy to officially welcome Dr. Jacob Pierscianowski back as a post-doc! Dr. Jake defended his thesis with us last year.
March 4, 2026 at 1:08 AM
Some updates:
The Auclair lab congratulates Aracelli Chang on a successful Master's thesis submission!
And we're happy to officially welcome Dr. Jacob Pierscianowski back as a post-doc! Dr. Jake defended his thesis with us last year.
The Auclair lab congratulates Aracelli Chang on a successful Master's thesis submission!
And we're happy to officially welcome Dr. Jacob Pierscianowski back as a post-doc! Dr. Jake defended his thesis with us last year.
One decade ago: the Auclair lab first examined small molecules to resensitize bacteria to macrophages. #chemsky #biosky
doi.org/10.1002/cbic...
doi.org/10.1002/cbic...
Small Molecule Restores Itaconate Sensitivity in Salmonella enterica: A Potential New Approach to Treating Bacterial Infections
Become more sensitive: Although new antibiotics and resistance inhibitors provide temporary solutions to resistance, they are bound to become obsolete. In this work, we propose a new approach, coined...
doi.org
February 25, 2026 at 6:49 PM
One decade ago: the Auclair lab first examined small molecules to resensitize bacteria to macrophages. #chemsky #biosky
doi.org/10.1002/cbic...
doi.org/10.1002/cbic...
Congratulations to Natalia for receiving a PROTEO graduate scholarship! proteo.ca/en/news-and-...
Recipients of the graduate scholarship competition – Winter 2026 Edition - PROTEO
Congratulations to our scholarship winners ! Laureates – Winter 2026 Edition Master student : Joseph Descarreaux, Université Laval Christina Rossignol-Garon, Université Laval PhD students : Ilona Metayer, Polytechnique Montréal Arunima Sandeep, Université du Québec à Montréal Valentin Cerfeuillet, Université de Sherbrooke Mohamad Radwan, Université McGill Natalia Munoz Patino, Université McGill
proteo.ca
January 28, 2026 at 7:20 PM
Congratulations to Natalia for receiving a PROTEO graduate scholarship! proteo.ca/en/news-and-...
We're officially back for the new year. The built-up freezer ice looks so neat it's almost a shame to de-ice it all.
January 5, 2026 at 8:11 PM
We're officially back for the new year. The built-up freezer ice looks so neat it's almost a shame to de-ice it all.
