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Matt Aliota

@aliotalab.bsky.social
392 followers 150 following 63 posts

University of Minnesota | Arbovirus virology | Vector Biology | Emerging Infectious Diseases | Host-Pathogen Interactions | Opinions Mine

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Matt Aliota @aliotalab.bsky.social · 05/07/2026
Sign me up. I’ll be first in line.
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Theresa Kim, PhD, MS @tyk314.net · 17/06/2026
#NIH has published the new Parent #F99/K00 #predoctoral to #postdoctoral award. The first due date is August 8, 2026. Please see the website to determine eligibility and submission dates. #sciencesky #medsky #funding
files.simpler.grants.gov
PA-27-037: Predoctoral to Postdoctoral Transition Award (Parent F99/K00 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
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Matt Aliota @aliotalab.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
"Fear of smallpox, and a poor understanding of how much benefit could be granted by inoculation, led the Continental Congress to make a proclamation in 1776 banning the procedure." Washington knew better, told the CC they were wrong, and mass inoculated his troops. undark.org/2026/03/13/e...
undark.org
Excerpt: How George Washington Weaponized Smallpox Inoculation
In 1775, Washington deployed colonial soldiers who had survived smallpox to retake Boston during a city-wide epidemic.
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Dimitri Drekonja, MD, MS @dimitridrekonja.bsky.social · 26/03/2026
I would greatly appreciate anyone amplifying this or contributing. The Alex Pretti nursing scholarship is being created. An endowed scholarship awarded to a student with financial need. Preference will be given to students with an interest in supporting America's veterans. Link below. Thank you.
crowdfund.umn.edu
I'm supporting the University of Minnesota Foundation!
Help support academics and scholarships at the University of Minnesota.
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Dimitri Drekonja, MD, MS @dimitridrekonja.bsky.social · 12/02/2026
The ICE surge may be ending, but retribution comes in many forms- including selective termination of funding. This is retaliation, and will harm Minnesotans
MDH news release abiut CDC cancelling a 38 million dollar grant to public health infrastructure.

"CDC terminates grant for Minnesota meant to strengthen public health infrastructure

Today, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed that they have cancelled about $38 million in public health investments for Minnesota, effective as of Feb. 11.  

The terminated funding is from the Public Health Infrastructure Grant (PHIG), and is the latest development in the federal government’s ongoing campaign of retribution against Minnesota This five-year grant began in 2022 and was set to expire in 2027. Nationwide, 107 health departments across all 50 states received this funding, but only Minnesota and three other states are having these funds cancelled."
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Bryan Hansel @bryanhansel.com · 02/02/2026
I updated my map of Minnesota.
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Bryan Hansel @bryanhansel.com · 01/02/2026
I noticed a bunch of different accounts across various social media websites are sharing my Minnesota maps, so I thought that I'd make a new one.
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Matt Aliota @aliotalab.bsky.social · 31/01/2026
He also mentions in his book he went on a trip with David Sabatini www.science.org/content/arti...
science.org
HHMI fires prominent biologist for sexual harassment
After probe by an outside law firm, Sabatini also resigns from Whitehead Institute and MIT says it’s reviewing his faculty position there
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ProgGrrl @proggrrl.bsky.social · 30/01/2026
Tom Morello live in Minneapolis
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Star Tribune Going Out @stribgoingout.startribune.com · 30/01/2026
Bruce Springsteen and Tom Morello play ‘Ghost of Tom Joad’ together at First Avenue in Minneapolis 🎸 🎥: Jon Bream
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Star Tribune Going Out @stribgoingout.startribune.com · 30/01/2026
Bruce Springsteen performs ‘Streets of Minneapolis’ for the first time in Minnesota at First Avenue 🎶 🎥: @chrisrstrib.bsky.social
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Star Tribune Going Out @stribgoingout.startribune.com · 30/01/2026
Tom Morello welcomes Bruce Springsteen to the stage at the Defend Minnesota! benefit concert fundraising for the families of Alex Pretti and Renee Good at First Avenue in Minneapolis 🎸 🎥: @chrisrstrib.bsky.social
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Matt Aliota @aliotalab.bsky.social · 26/01/2026
Posting for no particular reason: www.bbc.com/news/world-l...
bbc.com
Music torture: How heavy metal broke Manuel Noriega
From Panama to Afghanistan, the US Army has repeatedly deployed a secret weapon: heavy rock music.
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CJ Fogler @cjzero.bsky.social · 24/01/2026
The whole interview is worth it
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Matt Aliota @aliotalab.bsky.social · 15/01/2026
Is this not, by definition, a professional agitator? apple.news/Aw2z3_i5dRBe...
apple.news
Minneapolis prepares for ‘March Against Minnesota Fraud’ led by right-wing influencer — The Minnesota Star Tribune
At a weekly public safety meeting, residents raised fears that a Saturday march led by conservative influencer Jake Lang could result in Somali residents being harassed on the street.
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Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 13/01/2026
Any Democratic votes to fund DHS later this month as Minneapolis is being terrorized by DHS is going to be a major slap in the face to Americans living here. Demand major reforms or shut the government down.
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Dimitri Drekonja, MD, MS @dimitridrekonja.bsky.social · 09/01/2026
These Minneapolis Roosevelt moms knew that ICE had murdered another mom just hours before. But they still faced down armed ICE thugs with nothing but righteous rage. That’s courage 👍🏻💪🏼👏🏻
Moms outside Minneapolis Roosevelt high school, facing down armed ice agents who were trying to kidnap someone on school property
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Matt Aliota @aliotalab.bsky.social · 21/10/2025
Just got this tonight. I am on a panel that is supposed to meet Nov 03.
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Governor Tim Walz @governorwalz.mn.gov · 09/10/2025
Can’t believe I have to say this, but in Minnesota you will continue to have the freedom to get your COVID and flu shots.
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Solid Evidence @solidevidence.bsky.social · 04/09/2025
Interested air sampling for pathogens? I'm a big wastewater surveillance proponent, but it is not the answer in every situation. Our team has a short blog about the currently available air samplers if this is something you are interested in. lungfish-science.github.io/2025/09/04/o...
lungfish-science.github.io
Options for Bioaerosol Samplers
Do you want to detect pathogens in the air? You should know what sampling instruments are available.
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Colin Carlson @colincarlson.bsky.social · 28/08/2025
RFK Jr.'s #2 is stepping in as acting CDC director. You need to call your Congress people now and demand hearings until RFK is forced out. They're politically weak for another 48-72 hours, then they'll do unbelievable damage in the next month. Show me that you called and I will give you a reward 👇
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Matt Aliota @aliotalab.bsky.social · 28/08/2025
Good start. Continue to (1) demand his resignation and (2) threaten endless hearings until it happens.
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Matt Aliota @aliotalab.bsky.social · 24/08/2025
Cecropia moth.
Picture of a cecropia moth caterpillar on a box elder tree.
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Matt Aliota @aliotalab.bsky.social · 06/08/2025
Bagged my first 14er. #Quandary Peak.
Picture of a mountain goat. Picture of me, arms raised at the peak.
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Craig Bierle @cbierle.bsky.social · 17/07/2025
I've got an opening for a postdoctoral fellow, and likely a second available in 6-12 mos. If you're interested in infection biology during pregnancy or reproductive immunology, please reach out. To formally apply, Search for posting ID: 369238 myu.umn.edu/employment
myu.umn.edu
Careers
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Matt Aliota @aliotalab.bsky.social · 22/05/2025
The final version is out in the Journal of Virology: journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...
journals.asm.org
Zika virus-induced fetal demise is triggered by strain- and dose-specific RLR-driven activation of the interferon response in the decidua, placenta, and fetus in Ifnar1−/− mice | Journal of Virology
Congenital Zika syndrome is a constellation of fetal abnormalities ranging from fetal demise and microcephaly to infants that are born apparently healthy only to develop neurocognitive impacts later. ZIKV is now endemic in many regions worldwide, but how ...
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Matt Aliota @aliotalab.bsky.social · 14/05/2025
New paper out led by Rachel Lange (Alex Ciota's lab) and Julia Pritchard (my lab) showing that the unique genetic signatures associated with Powassan virus infections in MN and NY are associated with variability in viral fitness and virulence. doi.org/10.4269/ajtm...
doi.org
Differential Virulence and Host-Specific Fitness of Regionally Distinct Human-Derived Powassan Virus Lineage 2 Strains
Powassan virus (POWV; family Flaviviridae) is a tick-borne encephalitic virus endemic to Canada, the United States, and Russia. In the United States, POWV is transmitted by ixodid ticks, and transmiss...
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Matt Aliota @aliotalab.bsky.social · 23/03/2025
Go Bucky!
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Tristan Yates @tristansyates.bsky.social · 11/03/2025
Last year, I was overjoyed to receive an NIH NRSA fellowship to study toddler brains and caregiving effects on memory at Columbia. Last night, my grant was terminated.
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Matt Aliota @aliotalab.bsky.social · 11/03/2025
No pain no Jane! IYKYK. #Trestle.
Picture of the black diamond run, Trestle at Winter Park.
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Matt Aliota @aliotalab.bsky.social · 03/03/2025
Reviewing grants for a study section on March 18/19 that will almost certainly be canceled. I am doing this in solidarity with and in support of my SRO. I get the sense that NIH folks don't know what might get them fired. They are doing the best they can given the circumstances.
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Nate Sherer @natesherer.bsky.social · 02/03/2025
Sad to share news of the loss of a virology legend after a long battle with cancer. We will miss you dearly, Ann Palmenberg. www.cressfuneralservice.com/obituaries/a...
cressfuneralservice.com
Ann Carol Palmenberg, Ph.D Obituary February 20, 2025 - Cress Funeral and Cremation Services
View Ann Carol Palmenberg, Ph.D's obituary, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.
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Quinn Sutherland @reelquinn.bsky.social · 01/03/2025
Particularly vicious protest sign today at Sugarbush, VT
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Matt Aliota @aliotalab.bsky.social · 28/02/2025
Also worth paying attention to this on research involving animals. acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:...
acrobat.adobe.com
Adobe Acrobat
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Dimitri Drekonja, MD, MS @dimitridrekonja.bsky.social · 27/02/2025
Thanks to the @startribune.com for running this the same day I submitted it 👍🏻. Vaccinate your kids (and yourself) www.startribune.com/readers-writ...
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Matt Aliota @aliotalab.bsky.social · 25/02/2025
Crap, this a legit problem for mosquito rearing supplies. Always fun to justify a bolt of wedding tulle to the purchasing admins.
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Harmit Singh Malik @harmitmalik.bsky.social · 23/02/2025
I think people both within science and outside science don’t fully appreciate the miracle that were the Covid-19 vaccines. How much courage it took to get the sequence out, how much work had already gone into figuring out the best viral antigen and how best to present it. 1/
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Matt Aliota @aliotalab.bsky.social · 14/02/2025
My friend and colleague Dave O’Connor is keeping an eye on this here: github.com/dhoconno/rep...
github.com
GitHub - dhoconno/reporter: Plot cumulative awards in NIH RePORTER by date
Plot cumulative awards in NIH RePORTER by date. Contribute to dhoconno/reporter development by creating an account on GitHub.
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American Society for Virology @amersocvirology.bsky.social · 13/02/2025
Dear Virology Community, please see ASV’s statement to our members and the scientific community. asv.org/asv-statemen...
asv.org
ASV Statement for our Members | American Society for Virology
Our American Society for Virology (ASV) promotes the study and combatting of viruses, more than ever recognizing their importance and responding to them with research and education. Our academic…
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Matt Aliota @aliotalab.bsky.social · 14/02/2025
Take a break from doomscrolling and check out this new preprint from Ellie Bohm: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1.... We leveraged the natural variability between ZIKV strains to understand mechanisms that lead to fetal harm.
biorxiv.org
Zika virus-induced fetal demise is driven by strain- and dose-specific RLR-driven activation of the interferon response in the decidua, placenta, and fetus in Ifnar1-/- mice.
Congenital Zika syndrome (CZS), the set of fetal and neonatal complications associated with Zika virus (ZIKV) infection in pregnancy, was first noted during the outbreak in the Americas in 2015-16. Ho...
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Heather Cox Richardson (TDPR) @hcrichardson.bsky.social · 13/02/2025
Folks: I am NOT affiliated with the group that is using my name to support an economic boycott. Please spread this post, if you would.
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Matt Aliota @aliotalab.bsky.social · 09/02/2025
This whole thread 100 times over. @carlbergstrom.com puts into words what I have been struggling to articulate these past few days as I have grappled with similar grief and frustration.
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Emily Mullin @emilymullin.bsky.social · 05/02/2025
Hi all, I'm a WIRED journalist on the science desk. If you're a government scientist or federally funded researcher with info to share about the Trump transition, please feel free to contact me securely on Signal: emullin.06
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Craig Calcaterra @craigcalcaterra.bsky.social · 02/02/2025
The men carrying out Musk's coup are Akash Bobba, Edward Coristine, Luke Farritor, Gautier Cole Killian, Gavin Kliger, and Ethan Shaotran. Make them famous. And, eventually, when possible, arrest them and charge them with multiple felonies. www.wired.com/story/elon-m...
wired.com
The Young, Inexperienced Engineers Aiding Elon Musk's Government Takeover
Engineers between 19 and 24, most linked to Musk’s companies, are playing a key role as he seizes control of federal infrastructure.
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Timothy Snyder @timothysnyder.bsky.social · 02/02/2025
The logic of the coup that is going on now. And how to resist it. snyder.substack.com/p/the-logic-...
snyder.substack.com
The Logic of Destruction
And how to resist it
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Greg Ebel @ebellaboratory.bsky.social · 31/01/2025
One positive thing that happend this otherwise challenging week is that this paper is FINALLY out. Why are Culex tarsalis so good at spreading West Nile virus? We learned a lot by doing this study. A testament to the tenacity and creativity of Dr. Emily Fitzmeyer. journals.plos.org/plospathogen...
journals.plos.org
A single-cell atlas of the Culex tarsalis midgut during West Nile virus infection
Author summary West Nile virus is the leading cause of mosquito-borne disease in N. America. Cx. tarsalis is a highly competent vector of WNV that plays a central role in the transmission and maintena...
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Matt Aliota @aliotalab.bsky.social · 29/01/2025
Just your friendly reminder that museum specimens of ticks and mice contained evidence of infection with the bacterial agent of Lyme disease before the first known American human cases in the mid-1970s.
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Matt Aliota @aliotalab.bsky.social · 29/01/2025
I live in a state that provides free breakfast & lunch to all kids in public schools. My kids prefer home lunch. I still think it is a good idea to provide free breakfast & lunch to all kids in public schools.
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Matt Aliota @aliotalab.bsky.social · 28/01/2025
@agellison.bsky.social MN should be part of this effort: www.nytimes.com/2025/01/28/u.... We get $958,560,877 in funding from NIH.
nytimes.com
States Plan to Sue to Block Trump’s Federal Grants Freeze
Democratic attorneys general from states including New York, California, Illinois, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Massachusetts are moving to keep funds flowing to state governments and cities.
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Matt Aliota @aliotalab.bsky.social · 28/01/2025
Same. And mention your opposition to RFK Jr.'s nomination while you are at it.
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