Reposted by Chris JigginsGabriela Montejo-Kovacevich @gmkov.bsky.social · 02/10/20264 years fully funded in a very fun department! 047
Reposted by Chris JigginsThe Economist @economist.com · 01/10/2026They need reformbit.lyBritain’s taxes are strewn with loopholes and perverse incentivesThey need reform 172
Reposted by Chris JigginsHenry North @henrylnorth.bsky.social · 30/09/2026Congrats to @ssorkhabi.bsky.social on their first manuscript — a perspective that asks ‘What, if anything, can studies of adaptation to altitude reveal about responses to climate change?’ It was great fun to think about this with @gmkov.bsky.social, @chrisjiggins.bsky.social and Marianne Elias 🏔️ecoevorxiv.orgWhat, if anything, can studies of adaptation to altitude reveal about responses to climate change? 0133
Reposted by Chris JigginsJoe Hanly @hanliconius.bsky.social · 28/09/2026I also worked out some kinks in the country- and institute- assignments (mostly variants of 'the Türkiye problem'). The @sangerinstitute.bsky.social effect is wild: 15 genomes per day from the UK (vs 30 genomes per day worldwide): 031
Reposted by Chris JigginsRob Knell @robknell.bsky.social · 24/09/2026If you’re a scientist then you *must* watch The Love Hypothesis on Amazon Prime: a fascinating documentary about what *really* goes on in our labs. This educational clip is likely to feature in stats lectures for years to come. 🧪 2245
Reposted by Chris JigginsArnaud Martin @evolvwing.bsky.social · 20/09/2026Such an essential piece. To share with students, trainees, and colleagues all around. (from 7 years ago) www.nature.com/articles/d41...nature.comNovelist Cormac McCarthy’s tips on how to write a great science paperThe Pulitzer prizewinner shares his advice for pleasing readers, editors and yourself. 13314
Chris Jiggins @chrisjiggins.bsky.social · 17/09/2026Super cool speciation story in marine midges with complicated breeding patterns associated with lunar cycles. A magic trait? 001
Reposted by Chris JigginsJane @localnotail.bsky.social · 16/09/2026Solidarity with this Piddington resident ♥️✊ #Newsnight 721801538
Reposted by Chris JigginsThe Economist @economist.com · 16/09/2026Having an external locus of control—believing that you are shaped by luck and fate rather than influencing events—can hold individuals back. Register for free to read why children and companies might benefit from developing an internal locus bit.lyThe quality you should most wish for your childrenThe benefits of having an internal locus of control 073
Reposted by Chris JigginsGabriela Montejo-Kovacevich @gmkov.bsky.social · 03/09/2026The lab is growing 🤩 exciting times ahead 0154
Reposted by Chris JigginsThe Royal Society @royalsociety.org · 31/08/2026The Gabor Medal 2026 is awarded to Professor Sarah Amalia Teichmann FMedSci FRS for fundamental contributions to deciphering the molecular and cellular basis of living systems by combining biophysics, genomics and data science. #RSMedals royalsociety.org/medals-and-prizes/… 4123
Chris Jiggins @chrisjiggins.bsky.social · 29/08/2026Great work by Cian Williams in his fourth year undergrad - predicting the range of an invasive pest in north america informed by genomics of local adaptation in native range - also @henrylnorth.bsky.social www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...biorxiv.orgGenetically informed distribution models refine predictions for the overwintering range of Helicoverpa armigera in North AmericaThe ecological and economic threat posed by invasive pests demands proactive mitigation. Species distribution models (SDMs) are widely used in efforts to predict where invasive species might spread af... 1103
Reposted by Chris JigginsMolecular Biology and Evolution @molbioevol.bsky.social · 24/08/2026Pinheiro 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 12413
Chris Jiggins @chrisjiggins.bsky.social · 21/07/2026We had a great time visiting Xiao Yutao’s amazing new lab in Hainan, China 050
Reposted by Chris JigginsBen Sheldon @sheldonbirds.bsky.social · 05/06/2026Excellent opportunity here: a 5 year senior research fellowship in Life Sciences (broadly defined) at All Souls College Oxford. Many opportunities to work with the diverse & inclusive community here in @biology.ox.ac.uk here in the brand new Life & Mind Buiilding www.asc.ox.ac.uk/post-doctora...asc.ox.ac.ukPost-Doctoral Research Fellowships | All Souls College 04664
Reposted by Chris Jigginsmara lawniczak @marakat.bsky.social · 29/05/2026The spreadsheet for inputting these suggestions can be found here. docs.google.com/spreadsheets...docs.google.comOPEN for comments - BGE+ breaking the cold chain project 111
Reposted by Chris JigginsMPI for Biology Tübingen & Friedrich Miescher Laboratory @mpi-bio-fml.bsky.social · 27/05/2026We are proud to share that Ruth Ley @microbiome.bsky.social , Director of the Department of Microbiome Science, has been elected Fellow of The Royal Society @royalsociety.org . Congratulations!!!bio.mpg.deRuth Ley elected Fellow of the Royal Society 85312
Reposted by Chris JigginsSophien Kamoun @kamounlab.bsky.social · 18/05/2026Thanks Chris 🙏 Beautiful work. Somehow I'm finding myself blogging more and more about lepidoptera :) kamounlab.medium.com/postcard-fro...kamounlab.medium.comPostcard from Sardinia: a fragile migrantIn an age of growing tension between north and south, one ordinary orange butterfly flutters freely across continents, unbothered by border… 021
Chris Jiggins @chrisjiggins.bsky.social · 18/05/2026Nice to see mention of Anna Orteu’s work on genetics of colour and mimicry in Hypolimnas butterflies! 141
Reposted by Chris JigginsStephen Montgomery @ebablab.bsky.social · 11/05/2026🚨Job claxon🚨 4-year #Postdoc available in our lab in @camzoology.bsky.social developing molecular and anatomical approaches to mapping evolutionary changes in the brain, using #Heliconiini butterflies. Come join us, we are nice. 🧪 www.cam.ac.uk/jobs/researc... 26565
Reposted by Chris JigginsGenome Biology and Evolution @genomebiolevol.bsky.social · 15/05/2026Generalovic et al. studied the genetics of the black soldier fly, finding two highly divergent genetic clusters and signatures of domestication bottlenecks in this key species for the global industry of insects food and feed. 🔗 doi.org/10.1093/gbe/evag097 #genome #evolution 1104
Chris Jiggins @chrisjiggins.bsky.social · 14/05/2026Excited to be awarded a BBSRC grant with @henrylnorth.bsky.social to study pangenomes of hybridising Lepidoptera species 2160
Reposted by Chris JigginsWellcome Sanger Institute @sangerinstitute.bsky.social · 01/05/2026Read ‘Genetic parallelism underpins convergent mimicry coloration in Lepidoptera across 120 million years of evolution' from @york.ac.uk @sangerinstitute.bsky.social @joanameier.bsky.social, et al., in @plosbiology.org ⤵️ journals.plos.org/plosbiology/... 0105
Chris Jiggins @chrisjiggins.bsky.social · 30/04/2026No surprise - its Optix and Ivory again - amazing predictability of gene re-use in convergent mimicry phenotypes across amazonian mimicry rings @joanameier.bsky.social @wtf-r-species.bsky.social journals.plos.org/plosbiology/...journals.plos.orgGenetic parallelism underpins convergent mimicry coloration in Lepidoptera across 120 million years of evolutionThe repeated evolution of similar phenotypes, or convergent evolution, is widespread in nature, but there are few studies investigating the genetic mechanisms across wide evolutionary timescales. This... 15920
Reposted by Chris JigginsMatthew Hahn @3rdreviewer.bsky.social · 20/04/2026Wrote a fun little thing on gene tree discordance: authors.elsevier.com/a/1mzPI3QW8S...authors.elsevier.comPlease wait whilst we redirect youAll content on this site: Copyright © 2026 Elsevier B.V., its licensors, and contributors. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies. For all open access content, the relevant licensing terms apply. 43317
Reposted by Chris JigginsNicol Rueda @nicolr.bsky.social · 20/04/2026If you are researcher or student in Latin America apply for our Biodiversity Genomics course in Colombia from 27th-31st July 2026 (10 days left for registration) biodiversitygenomicslatam.weebly.com 0813
Chris Jiggins @chrisjiggins.bsky.social · 27/03/2026One can always rely on @iandunt.bsky.social to cheer up an already gloomy Friday afternoon 010
Reposted by Chris JigginsRoli Roberts @roliroberts.bsky.social · 23/03/2026Back in the noughties when I was an academic, my lab did quite a bit of work on (conserved) alternative transcripts. This study in @plosbiology.org presents compelling evidence that most alternative transcripts are deleterious noise journals.plos.org/plosbiology/...journals.plos.orgTranscript diversity reflects deleterious RNA processing errors shaped by population size in metazoansAlternative transcription initiation, splicing and polyadenylation generate extensive transcript diversity in eukaryotes, but its evolutionary significance has been disputed. This study analyses 166 t... 14728
Chris Jiggins @chrisjiggins.bsky.social · 23/03/2026I am advertising PhD opportunity with Syngenta to discover enzymes using microfluidics - an exciting collaboration with Florian Hollfelder in Biochemistry www.heliconius.zoo.cam.ac.uk/jobs/phd-ica...heliconius.zoo.cam.ac.ukPhD iCASE studentship | Insect Evolution and Genomics GroupExploring biodiversity for biocatalysis solutions We have funding as a BBSRC iCASE project cofunded by SYNGENTA for a PhD in enzyme discover 022
Reposted by Chris JigginsDepartment of Zoology, University of Cambridge @camzoology.bsky.social · 18/03/2026Congratulations to Prof Ed Turner who has won a Pilkington Prize for excellence in teaching! He is recognised for his transformative and innovative teaching, as well as his outstanding outreach work with students from under-represented backgrounds. Read more: bit.ly/4lGKuYw 092
Reposted by Chris JigginsMegan Dennis @mydennis.bsky.social · 17/03/2026Excited so share our newest study using a single-library HiFi-CiFi approach to generate chromosome-scale diploid assemblies of two vole genomes, identifying putative drivers of divergent pair-bonding behavior, namely a prairie-vole-specific duplication of Avpr1a gene, led by @mabuelanin.bsky.social 23217
Reposted by Chris JigginsJoe Hanly @hanliconius.bsky.social · 16/03/2026I've just had a jaw-to-the-floor moment with this new paper from the Hines lab. They describe a yellow-white switch in bees, which maps to the same TF as the yellow-white switch in Colias butterflies, previously described by the @chriswheat.bsky.social lab. journals.plos.org/plosgenetics... 27822
Reposted by Chris JigginsIntegration of Speciation (ESEB Special Topic Network) @speciation-network.bsky.social · 16/03/2026We are thrilled to announce the next ECR (and apparently butterfly)-themed session of the Integration of Speciation seminar, featuring @charlottewright.bsky.social and @thymelicus.bsky.social + careers Q&A with Dr Sally Potter. Find the link on the Ios website & mailing list. 01613
Reposted by Chris JigginsEFSA Plants @efsa-plants.bsky.social · 16/03/2026The #PestSurveyCard on Helicoverpa zea is now available! ➡️ link.europa.eu/GHgFVW EFSA ranked Helicoverpa zea among the EU candidate #PriorityPests: ➡️ bsky.app/profile/efsa... @chrisjiggins.bsky.social @migrantmothuk.bsky.sociallink.europa.euNEW - Helicoverpa zeaUpdated 20 February 2026 (Version 1). Taxonomy: insects (HELIZE). Host plants: cereals, fruit-bearing vegetables. Regulation: quarantine pests). 021
Chris Jiggins @chrisjiggins.bsky.social · 26/02/2026This has been a great meeting, lots of exciting new genomics advances #AGBTGM26 040
Reposted by Chris JigginsAGBT @agbt.bsky.social · 26/02/2026EVOLUTIONARY GENOMICS: @chrisjiggins.bsky.social @universitypress.cambridge.org talks about genomes and the network of life at the 2026 AGBT General Meeting. #AGBTGM26 #genomics #evolutionarygenomics 032
Reposted by Chris JigginsRob Waterhouse @rmwaterhouse.bsky.social · 13/02/2026Mark Blaxter from @sangerinstitute.bsky.social describes the ambition of the @ebpgenome.bsky.social to #Biology26 in Switzerland 0188
Reposted by Chris JigginsUniversity of Bristol Biological Sciences @bristolbiosci.bsky.social · 12/02/2026JOB ALERT! We are excited to announce that we are recruiting three new academics at lecturer level! Click the link below for more info on how to apply, and don’t forget to explore our research themes too! We look forward to receiving your applications! www.bristol.ac.uk/jobs/find/de... 05474
Reposted by Chris JigginsMayor of London, Sadiq Khan @london.gov.uk · 03/02/2026A real pleasure to meet George Clarke and hear about his experiences growing up on a council estate. We both know the positive impact social housing can have on families’ lives. That’s why I’m determined to continue delivering more council homes as we build a fairer London for everyone. 23539135
Chris Jiggins @chrisjiggins.bsky.social · 03/02/2026We got shortlisted for an enzyme discovery project with Florian Hollfelder, Mark Blaxter and others 280
Reposted by Chris JigginsJohn Peters @johnthejack.bsky.social · 20/01/2026Letter in Times today 9716250