iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Reposted by John Burns

Nicole Coots @nicolecoots.bsky.social · 5h

Really happy to be here at Bigelow Labs with John Burns and a bunch of my other favorite scientists 😊😊😊 we're hunting for John's pet radiolarian, called Plagiacantha 💕 @burnsajohn.bsky.social @bigelowlab.bsky.social #protistsonsky

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John Burns @burnsajohn.bsky.social · 8h

A planktic melange from the Gulf of Maine featuring juicy diatom chains from 100m depth waters.

A microscope image of a bunch of diatoms from a plankton tow in the Gulf of Maine

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Iñaki Ruiz-Trillo @multicellgenome.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

We have a new branch in the family tree of animals: Atreyea- a previously unrecognized lineage among the closest unicell relatives of animals. Led by @konsmitsi.bsky.social & @freejakoba.bsky.social together with a fantastic team of collaborators. 🔗 papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.... #protistsOnSky

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Maggi Brisbin @margaretbrisbin.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Loved this NYT article abt @couchmicroscopy.bsky.social and @burnsajohn.bsky.social discovering new Paulinella species (in Journal of Phycology!). Cool science, good reporting, & reminded me of past fun hotel labs ❤️🤓🦠🌊 What was your best nontraditional lab? www.nytimes.com/2026/09/26/s...

Brisbin lab grad student Lilianna Giuffrida filtering seawater in our makeshift airbnb lab in Puerto Rico - hoping to discover factors driving bioluminescence in Vieques BioBays

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Nicole Coots @nicolecoots.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

The International Society of Protistology is funding community initiatives like workshops and symposia! The deadline is soon (09/30) but the funding will also be available next year :-) Send to anyone that might benefit from this/plz retweet! #ProtistsonSky protistologists.org/call-for-app...

protistologists.org

Call for Applications: Community Initiative Support Fund - International Society of Protistologists

The International Society of Protistologists is an association of scientists devoted to research on single-celled eukaryotes, or protists. The ISOP promotes the presentation and discussion of new or i...

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John Burns @burnsajohn.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Took my Evo Cell Bio @ColbyCollege class out for field sampling of protists today and in the meantime grabbed a quick snap of stomata on an aquatic plant with a #foldscope. I was surprised to see it... didn't even know about structure of aquatic plants!

Small aquatic plants at Johnson pond of Colby College

Foldscope image of aquatic plant cells with visible stomata!

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Greg Egan @gregegansf.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

While the Fields Medal celebrates the under-40s, the mathematician Joan Birman has, at the age of 99, solved a major open problem in representations of the Braid groups, a topic she has worked on for more than 60 years.

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Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences @bigelowlab.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

#BigelowLab is hiring three new Senior Research Scientists in natural products chemistry, deep-sea ecosystem exploration and research, or another area aligned with our strategic plan (linked from the listing). Applications due Nov. 1. FMI: www.bigelow.org/about/careers.html #sciencejobs

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Anh Hoang Le, PhD 🏳️‍🌈🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇻🇳 @anhhle2702.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Very happy to share my postdoc paper is out now in @natcellbio.nature.com titled "Tissue flow acts as a guidance cue for immune cell polarization and directional migration". If you love imaging and immune cells, this is for you! #microscopymonday www.nature.com/articles/s41... A 🧵: 1/n

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Ben Engel @cellarchlab.com · 04/09/2026

This is a beautiful and important study with mechanistic structural insights into ESCRT function. Congrats Mareike!! 🧪

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John Burns @burnsajohn.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

I was late to the party, but it was super fun to contribute to this project. And what a beautiful result. And I got to see my first IRL paulinella, see the dedication and leadership of @couchmicroscopy.bsky.social, and make new friends! Bonus [probably] P. murrayi rolling around while dividing.

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John Burns @burnsajohn.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

I encourage everyone to read this excellent thread. You will learn amazing science. You will also get to walk the path of observation, intense curiosity, and dedicated experimentation that leads to real discovery. Absolutely stunning work, shared with palpable delight.

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Jelena Godrijan 🫧❾🌊🦋 @godi.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

⚠️New genomic model for #coccolithophore biology: the haploid genome of Calcidiscus leptoporus! Its genome, resolved alongside six recurrent phycosphere bacteria, reveals a distributed B-vitamin network linking host genomic gaps to microbial capacity. Paper: doi.org/10.1093/isme... 🌊 #ProtistsOnSky

doi.org

The Calcidiscus leptoporus genome reveals vitamin-mediated holobiont interactions

Abstract. Coccolithophores are major marine phytoplankton that contribute to ocean carbon cycling through both organic carbon fixation and calcium carbonat

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Harmit Singh Malik @harmitmalik.bsky.social · 15/02/2025

Someone awesome in my circle shared some terrific news with me today but was hesitant to do so because of all that is going on in the science world. It may appear insensitive that you are celebrating when other colleagues are struggling but I entreat you to celebrate & share good news. 1/

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Peter Morrell @peterlmorrell.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

What has population genomics told us about the dynamics of selection and plant adaptation? academic.oup.com/mbe/article/... After a quarter century, what have we learned from plant resequencing studies? Thanks to Brandon Graut, Stephen Wright, and Tianpeng Wang for being great coauthors. 1 of 2

academic.oup.com

What has population genomics told us about the dynamics of selection and plant adaptation?

Abstract. Population genomics has transformed our understanding of how natural selection shapes plant genomes. The explosion of whole-genome resequencing d

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Molecular Biology and Evolution @molbioevol.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

Pinheiro de Castro et al. trace the evolution of cyanogenic glucosides biosynthesis in Heliconiini butterflies, providing evidence for the genetic basis of this phenotype and empirical evidence for plasticity-first evolution. 🔗 academic.oup.com/mbe/article/... #societyjournal #evobio #molbio

MBE | Plasticity-first evolution via CYP405 loss shaped chemical defenses in butterflies

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John Burns @burnsajohn.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

Right on schedule: the first radiolarian at the Bigelow dock of 2026. Bloom incoming. And a whole lot of cell picking with friends. #protistsonsky

Microacope image of the radiolarian Plagiacantha sp.

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Lukas VF Novak @animalculum.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

No brain required: This is how the single-celled Stentor learns phys.org/news/2026-04... Molecular pathways for learning in the single-cell #Stentor coeruleus www.cell.com/current-biol... #Protists #Microbes #Ciliates #ProtistsOnSky

schematic representation of a molecular regulatory network inside a microbial cell

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Anthony M. Bonacolta @ambonacolta.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

Widespread Association of Ciliates Colonizing Gills of Shrimps Inhabiting Vents and Seeps Across the Pacific Ocean - Hey et al - 2026 - Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology - Wiley Online Library onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/... #ProtistsOnSky

onlinelibrary.wiley.com

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Lukas VF Novak @animalculum.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

Microscopic life on volcanic ice giants: #diatoms of the Ecuadorian glaciers isdr.org/microscopic-... @youngisdr.bsky.social #Protists #Algae #Microbes #Ecuador #Glaciers

electron microscopy picture of a boat-shaped microbial cell

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John Dolan @tintinnman.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

Great plate of some of my favorite "µm bugs" that are very, very difficult to photgraph with their crazy anatomies. Borgert, A. 1901. Die tripyleen Radiolarien des Mittelmeeres. Mitth. Zoolog. Station zu Neapel, 14:239-246. #protistsonsky Lost Art of Scientific Illustration

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Evgenii Protasov @evgenii-protasov.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

A novel jakobid genus from the soil of an indoor plant #microbiology #protists #eukaryotes #ProtistsOnSky www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

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Sarah McAnulty, Ph.D. @sarahmackattack.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

WE GOT SQUID BABYYYYY

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Mark Peifer (He, him) @peiferlabunc.bsky.social · 18/06/2026

The array of organs in the animal body differ dramatically in their architecture, but cell-cell adhesion mediated by cadherins is a common principle. Our lab usually focuses on epithelia but cadherins are also active in migrating mesenchymal cells like these migrating testis myoblasts 1/n 🧪

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Jonathan Eisen @phylogenomics.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

Job Opening. Faculty Position in Plant Evolutionary Biology at University of California, Davis in the Department of Evolution and Ecology (EVE, my home department). More detail here. recruit.ucdavis.edu/JPF07777

POSITION DESCRIPTION

The College of Biological Sciences at the University of California, Davis invites applications and nominations for a 9-month, tenure-track position in the Department of Evolution and Ecology at the ASSISTANT PROFESSOR level. The Department of Evolution and Ecology is seeking a plant evolutionary biologist with interests in the evolution of plants at any taxonomic, geographic, organizational, or evolutionary scale. Candidates must have a Ph.D. (or equivalent) in the biological sciences, evolutionary biology, ecology, genetics, or a related field, and will be expected to complement and build upon existing faculty strengths in the Department of Evolution and Ecology and across UC Davis.

We welcome applicants working on any group of plants and using empirical, computational, experimental, and/or theoretical approaches. Possible areas of study are broad, and include macroevolutionary research on plant diversification, trait evolution in a phylogenetic context, major evolutionary innovations, comparative genomics, and evolutionary developmental biology, as well as research focusing at or below the species level including population biology, quantitative genetics, adaptive evolution, speciation, biogeography, and the evolution of life histories or species interactions.

(truncated due to character limit)

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Paola Batta-Lona @zooplanktomics.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

📣 Submit your abstract to #ASLO2027 Session SS05! Ecosystems Under Pressure: cumulative impacts from coastal seas to the deep ocean. Topics include cumulative impacts, biodiversity, offshore development, AI, monitoring, & ecosystem-based management. ⏰ Deadline: 15 Sept 2026 🌊

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Jeffrey Ross-Ibarra @jrossibarra.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

I am excited to announce a job for an Asst Prof in Plant Evolution in the dept. of Evolution and Ecology at @ucdavis.bsky.social. We're looking broadly, from macro (speciation, comparative genomics, evo-devo) to micro (pop biology, adaptive evolution, evo-eco). recruit.ucdavis.edu/JPF07777

recruit.ucdavis.edu

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Tristan @tristamoeba.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

Checkout 𝘚𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘢 𝘭𝘶𝘬𝘰𝘭𝘪, a new species of amoeba isolated from cow poop that aggregates on the tips of dung fibers doi.org/10.64898/202... #ProtistsOnSky

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Johana Rotterova @micrott.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

Working with anaerobes, ocean deoxygenatation and going to #ASLO2027? Join our session SS42! #MicroSky #ProtistsOnSky #SymbiosisSky

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Luciana Santoferrara @lusantof.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

@micrott.bsky.social and I are co-chairing SS42 — Aquatic Deoxygenation and Microbes Across Domains of Life at #ASLO2027! 🌊🔬Abstract submissions are open. We welcome work on aquatic #deoxygenation and its links to #bacteria, #archaea & #protists. 📅 Deadline: Sept. 15 🔗 aslo.org/san-juan-2027/

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John Burns @burnsajohn.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

I'm giving a public talk next Wednesday, August 5, on approaches to studying mid-water animals in situ. It will be light on technical details, and more conceptual and a journey to the deep than a regular science talk. Please join if you are interested! #marinelife www.bigelow.org/news/cafe-sc...

A chandelier siphonophore suspended in the deep Atlantic ocean.

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John Burns @burnsajohn.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

Beautiful work from Brazil describing testate amoeba shells found on a moss sample from a tree on a tall mountain in the Amazon Rainforest: "High-altitude Amazonian eukaryotic shells (Arcellinida, Amoebozoa)" www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti... #protistsonsky

From the paper's figure 1: Scanning electron microscopy images of Arcellinida shells

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Kenneth Dumack @dumack.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

New preprint! 🧵 Best #Cercozoa genome alert! For a decade, I’ve studied protist ecology through questions like who eats whom. But beyond “they eat this, they eat that,” what do #protists do to their environment, biochemically speaking? #protistsonsky @huesnaoeztoprak.bsky.social

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John Burns @burnsajohn.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

I don't know about sheep, but I bet tintinnids dream of electric tardigrades (water-sheep?). Everyone should read the actual sci-fi book and the awesome paper from Kirsty's group! youtube.com/shorts/_OnGl...

youtube.com

Water Bear Snacking on Volvox Algae 🦠 #microscope #science #animals

YouTube video by tardibabe

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Kirsty Wan @micromotility.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

Do #tintinnids dream of electric sheep? 🤯 Here is a single cell capable of building a lorica and living inside it for protection... it also swims, feeds, hunts Can even detect and habituate to mechanical cues! #celllearning #protistsonsky #cilia Read more in our preprint doi.org/10.64898/202...

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Anthony M. Bonacolta @ambonacolta.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

Really enjoyed The Dark Frontier by @jjmarlow.bsky.social. As someone who’s never been on a research cruise, it was fun reading about how open ocean research is conducted and how this research directly impacts the policy decisions that will determine the future of deep sea ecosystems 🌊

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John Burns @burnsajohn.bsky.social · 11/07/2026

I recently did this interview with NEB covering a lot of the work I've been involved with lately (e.g. @dudinlab.bsky.social) Hopefully there's something interesting in there and nothing too egregious! Some of the work fits #protistsonsky. Enjoy? www.neb.com/en-us/podcas...

neb.com

Interview with John Burns: Unravelling Marine Mysteries

John Burns of Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences shares how he thinks about the information that drives biology.

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Javier del Campo @fonamental.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

A single-cell blueprint for cellular diversity in the Green Lineage www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti... #algae #protists #singlecell

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John Dolan @tintinnman.bsky.social · 10/07/2026

On the artist of the iconic sketch of Globigerina: J.J.W. Article in free access for 50 days at authors.elsevier.com/a/1nPdH56A9x... #protistsonsky

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John Dolan @tintinnman.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

New article on J.J. Wild - the artist of the Challenger Expedition and his portraits of protists-> lost art of scientific illustration - #protistsonsky hal.science/hal-05682869

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Ben Larson @blarson.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

I had a ton of fun the other day talking with @nonresidentdesi.bsky.social and @scifri.bsky.social 's Flora Lichtman and Rasha Aridi about murderous microbes and the things that we are trying to learn from them. Happy for the opportunity to bring some new awareness to the world of protists!

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Vasily Zlatogursky @zlatogursky.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

1/11 🤩Sooooo happy to see this work on a new new group #algae. Looks like #centrohelids - predatory ancient eukaryotic lineage sometimes harbor vertically-inherited plastids from #dictyochophytes. Amazing work, @annewalraven.bsky.social, glad to be on board! More below:

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