iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Adair Borges @adairb.bsky.social · 04/03/2026

Finally got around to writing up some of our progress at @dittobio.bsky.social ! Check out our inaugural blog post to learn how my favorite parasites (aka viruses 😎) can improve target selection and help discover blockbuster drug mechanisms for autoimmune disease: www.dittobio.com/blog/2025-03...

dittobio.com

Mapping parasite molecules to treat autoimmune disease | Ditto Bio

How we use parasite biology and our MoleculeMapper platform to improve target selection for autoimmune disease — including a viral molecule that invented the same mechanism as a blockbuster drug.

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Adair Borges @adairb.bsky.social · 25/02/2026

The I-F in me really wants to say something about this

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Adair Borges @adairb.bsky.social · 24/02/2026

A decade ago my benchmate Lina Leon and I were studying viruses and CRISPR together in grad school. Now Lina’s building immune assays at @dittobio.bsky.social to test our therapeutics proteins! Maybe the real PhD is the friends you make along the way [photo cred @jbdsf.bsky.social , 2016]

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Adair Borges @adairb.bsky.social · 17/02/2026

Don't worry, we would never forget about schisto! 🪱

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Adair Borges @adairb.bsky.social · 17/02/2026

If you enjoyed this #TickTalk, stay tuned! We will be posting more parasite facts and beautiful parasite illustrations from @mezarque.bsky.social soon.

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Adair Borges @adairb.bsky.social · 17/02/2026

Studying ticks fundamentally shaped how I think about immune modulation, and the thrill of mining their genomes for treasure is a huge part of what led me to take the leap to start @dittobio.bsky.social

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Adair Borges @adairb.bsky.social · 17/02/2026

To suck your blood without being noticed, it injects you with thousands of molecules like: -anesthetics that block itch and pain, so you don’t feel them - immunomodulatory proteins to evade immune system attacks - and of course tons of anticoagulants to keep the blood flowing 🩸

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Adair Borges @adairb.bsky.social · 17/02/2026

The tick pictured here is the Lone Star tick, aka Amblyomma americanum. It's an impressively long feeder, capable of remaining attached to its human host (you!) for weeks at a time. This ability to persist and silently feed reflects an immense amount of evolutionary engineering.

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Adair Borges @adairb.bsky.social · 17/02/2026

The best immunologists on Earth don't have PhDs. They're parasites. Today's spotlight 🧵(and big inspo for @ dittobio): ticks! And if you like this, stay tuned because we will be sharing cool parasite facts each week #TickTalk

An illustration of the Lone Star tick, Amblyomma americanum

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Adair Borges @adairb.bsky.social · 07/02/2026

Alternatively, if you do get infected lmk 👀

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Adair Borges @adairb.bsky.social · 07/02/2026

🚀 So awesome to get to build together 🧬

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Adair Borges @adairb.bsky.social · 07/02/2026

Inaugural Bluesky post! 🦋 Last May I quit my job to start Ditto Bio with Emily Weiss and @mezarque.bsky.social We turn parasite molecules into drugs for autoimmune disease, and we are now backed by @ycombinator.com.web.brid.gy Stay tuned 👀

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