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Courtney Herms

@courtneyherms.bsky.social
1.1K followers 446 following 545 posts

Molecular microbial ecology & beneficial microbiomes & plant-microbe interactions. PhD University of Copenhagen. Currently on break in Spain. Swim bike run

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Courtney Herms @courtneyherms.bsky.social · 06/05/2026
Nothing resonating yet? If you are chasing strategic problems with long-term impact that don't generate revenue, maybe philanthropic capital is the path for your idea. Talking to funds early and building relationships within the funds will help get your project off the ground.
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Courtney Herms @courtneyherms.bsky.social · 06/05/2026
Ready to go commercial? Accelerace was the first pre-seed investor in Denmark, but now there are more than 20 VCs to pick from, all with specific interests, so pick to the fund that resonates. Remember it's someone's actual money, so finding and pitching your best-case scenario is key!
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Courtney Herms @courtneyherms.bsky.social · 06/05/2026
If you haven't consider EU funding because it's too complicated, that's what the Greater Copenhagen EU Office is for. They offer personalized advice for choosing the best scheme for your startup and help get you started in your application. Their funding rate is up to 40%!! And it's 100% free!!
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Courtney Herms @courtneyherms.bsky.social · 06/05/2026
Does Denmark have the best national landscape for startup funding? Innovation Fund Denmark is working hard to make that a yes - with programs across technology readiness levels, there is a funding scheme for everyone. Key tip for your application: quantify (with numbers!) your impact.
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Courtney Herms @courtneyherms.bsky.social · 05/05/2026
A great agenda for today at KU Lighthouse, covering all pathways for funding startups in Denmark, from EU and national grants to pre-seed investments. Looking forward!
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Courtney Herms @courtneyherms.bsky.social · 29/04/2026
After three weeks training like a full-time triathlete as a scientist who actually just left academia, I have the update everyone is waiting for - THE STATS! Swim: 28 km, 9 hrs Bike: 1000 km, 46.5 hrs Run: 23 km, 2.5 hrs An exercise in control, patience, and progression. Highly recommend Malaga!
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Courtney Herms @courtneyherms.bsky.social · 17/04/2026
Two weeks down, one week left in training camp! 🇪🇸 Fatigue is setting in now, so recovery and taking the easy days easy becomes even more important.
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Courtney Herms @courtneyherms.bsky.social · 12/04/2026
Wrapping up a 23-hour training week here in Malaga with this killer of a ride, but a beauty! Enjoying every moment of this
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Courtney Herms @courtneyherms.bsky.social · 08/04/2026
Training update from your local scientist-turned-athlete: I got sick the day before we left for Spain, so the first days have been focused on enjoying the sun and recovery. Slowly starting structured training again: 70.3 efforts on the bike and a threshold swim
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Courtney Herms @courtneyherms.bsky.social · 31/03/2026
So it’s over. My last day at the University of Copenhagen. Almost 6 years in this office. Beyond my education and research, this place taught me Danish and brought some of my best friends. An end of an era. Farvel……
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Courtney Herms @courtneyherms.bsky.social · 30/03/2026
Life (or roots) always finds a way! Taking some Monday motivation from this wheat plant that was not going to let some pot get in the way of growing its roots
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Courtney Herms @courtneyherms.bsky.social · 25/03/2026
When I came to the decision to leave academia, I felt a lot of guilt: that I was giving up and taking the easy way out. I did not expect the job market to be just as hard as securing postdoc funding, but here we are - in one week, I will be #funemployed!
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Courtney Herms @courtneyherms.bsky.social · 19/03/2026
When I started my last project in the lab, I had an idea to collect all my qPCR plates to see how many I ran. This photo is the outcome of that idea (it's 31 plates for those counting)
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Courtney Herms @courtneyherms.bsky.social · 19/03/2026
Potential replacement for the beloved Twitter algorithm? (RIP)
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SeedCon2026 @seed-con.bsky.social · 18/03/2026
Submission of Abstracts ends in 2 weeks!🌱 Time is running out to join the conversation at SeedCon 2026 Submit your abstract by the deadline to be part of the program! May 5-7, 2026 | ATB Potsdam, Germany Details: seedcon.org #SeedCon2026 #PlantScience #Microbiology #Botany
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Courtney Herms @courtneyherms.bsky.social · 18/03/2026
Hey so what does it mean that my houseplant is growing a mushroom family? 🌱🍄
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Peter Lind @peteralind.bsky.social · 17/03/2026
Associate Senior Lecturer/Assistant Professor position in Molecular Microbiology available at Lund University, Sweden: lu.varbi.com/en/what:job/...
lu.varbi.com
Associate Senior Lecturer/Assistant Professor in Molecular Microbiology
The Department of Biology conducts research and teaching in many subject areas such as ecology, evolutionary biology, organismal biology and molecular biology. A total of approximately 300 people curr
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Courtney Herms @courtneyherms.bsky.social · 16/03/2026
Starting to clean out the desk. After almost 6 years at PLEN, it feels weird to start to say goodbye…
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Courtney Herms @courtneyherms.bsky.social · 13/03/2026
We love a SynCom when they reliably mimic natural microbiomes. New work from @fredebak.bsky.social shows that our SynCom mimics the temporal dynamics of field-grown wheat - but only for the cultivar from which the SynCom was built. Check out the details! academic.oup.com/ismecommun/a...
academic.oup.com
Synthetic bacterial community colonizes wheat roots grown in soil and mimics the assembly pattern of a field community in a cultivar dependent manner
Abstract. The root microbiome is important for plant development. The impact of the root microbiome is the result of multiple complex interactions among mi
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Derrick Kamp @kampamycin.bsky.social · 10/03/2026
How do scientists effectively communicate their work beyond the lab? Join us for Careers in Conversation: Communicating Science for Impact, a virtual panel featuring professionals who build careers around translating complex science for diverse audiences. Register Here: lnkd.in/gwxC-ujJ
A flyer showing each of the four panelists: 
Menaka Wilhelm DOE Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Matthew Schepers, 10x Genomics
Tess Konnovitch, EarthShift Global
McKenzie Mullis, Association of Public Health Laboratories
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Courtney Herms @courtneyherms.bsky.social · 11/03/2026
Honestly, same. I'm eight months post-PhD and I feel more lost than ever - like I don't have a professional identity anymore and I have no idea who I am. Who has some good advice for Mae and me?
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EMBL-EBI @ebi.embl.org · 11/03/2026
We’re recruiting new Research Group Leaders! Why join? 🌍Work across EMBL’s 6 sites 🎓Participate in @embl.org courses and seminars 🔬Lead discovery-driven research in a collaborative environment Apply by 11 April: embl.wd103.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/EMBL/j... #ResearchCareers @epetsalaki.bsky.social
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Courtney Herms @courtneyherms.bsky.social · 17/02/2026
I highly recommend this conference!
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Courtney Herms @courtneyherms.bsky.social · 02/02/2026
I'll be joining the panel discussion on social media - my favorite thing I was involved with during my PhD. Come join in the talks!
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Courtney Herms @courtneyherms.bsky.social · 09/02/2026
Question in manuscript writing: reporting statistics in the results section. If the results are presented by referencing the figure, and the stats are clearly presented on the figure and described in the figure legend, do you prefer to also have the stats described in the written results?
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Courtney Herms @courtneyherms.bsky.social · 02/02/2026
I'll be joining the panel discussion on social media - my favorite thing I was involved with during my PhD. Come join in the talks!
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John Lees @johnlees.bacpop.org · 30/01/2026
We are hiring for group leaders again — EBI is a great place to start your research group! embl.wd103.myworkdayjobs.com/EMBL/job/Hin...
embl.wd103.myworkdayjobs.com
Research Group Leader
Do you want to lead groundbreaking research in computational biology? Join us at EMBL-EBI! EMBL's European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI) is seeking talented and highly-motivated scientists to jo...
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Courtney Herms @courtneyherms.bsky.social · 29/01/2026
If you have been dreaming of moving to France as an ECR looking to build a long-term research career, now is your chance: @inrae-france.bsky.social yearly hiring for permanent research scientist positions is open: deadline March 5! jobs.inrae.fr/en/open-comp...
jobs.inrae.fr
Open competitions for research scientists - on job profiles (CRCN)
Each year, INRAE organises open competitions to recruit research scientists on permanent positions. The recruitment campaign is generally aimed at researchers who have recently obtained their PhD. Candidates are recruited on the basis of their scientific competence which they will put to the service of INRAE's major research axes by responding to a research topic. Candidates must have published articles on the results of their PhD.Would you like to take part in public research and participate in projects which are vital for society such as adapting to climate change, food security, human health and preserving natural resources? Then join our research teams by sending in your application to our open competitions for research scientists.Schedule for the 2026 recruitment campaign- Opening date for applications: January 27, 2026- Deadline for applications: March 5, 2026- Pre-selections (on scientific file): from April 13 to 30, 2026- Final selections (interview): from June 1 to 14, 2026- Starting date for appointments: from September 1, 2026
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Courtney Herms @courtneyherms.bsky.social · 29/01/2026
Much needed advancement in long-read sequencing analysis 👇 can't wait to try it out!
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The Sainsbury Laboratory @thesainsburylab.bsky.social · 23/01/2026
Join us in Norwich this July for the TSL Summer Conference in Plant-Microbe Interactions! ☀️🌱🧬 Discuss the latest approaches & discoveries in plant health with international and local speakers. ⏰ APPLY by 30 March '26 New keynote speakers ⬇️
tsl.ac.uk
TSL Summer Conference in Plant-Microbe Interactions, 20th – 31st July…
Inviting Early Career Researchers to join international experts in discussing the latest approaches and discoveries in Plant-Microbe Interactions …
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Courtney Herms @courtneyherms.bsky.social · 23/01/2026
Digging around in our storage rooms and found these samples from 1905! What do you think it is?
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Courtney Herms @courtneyherms.bsky.social · 21/01/2026
I've spend these 10 months post-PhD eagerly exploring a career in academia. As a postdoc, I wrote papers, networked at conferences, and submitted grants. And in the end, I learned: the academic life is not for me.
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Jan-Willem Veening @veeninglab.com · 20/01/2026
The @dmf-unil.bsky.social is supporting the application of a candidate for the SNSF/ERC Starting Grant (deadline 5th of May). Reach out to me if you are interested. We are collecting CV’s until the 8th of Feb. We can offer a stimulating scientific environment and help with the application/interview.
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Marc Somssich @somssich.bsky.social · 13/01/2026
If you're interested in #PlantScience R&D work at a plant breeding company: @kwsgroup.bsky.social is hosting its annual R&D TalentCampus here in Einbeck on May 29th. More info here: www.kws.com/corp/en/care...
Four Images: A scientist in a lab looking at a pipetting robot, a greenhouse with lots of pots containing plants, a scientist with drones and other euipment in a field, and a tractor driver with lots of high-tech equipment in the cockpit.
The text is: TalentCampus@KWS
May 29, 2026
A look behind the scenes:
All KWS research and
development departments
open their doorsThe headline and text says:
May 29, 2026 in Einbeck, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Seeding the future – breeding
combines sciences and talents
The image is a wheel showing all the R&D contributions to plant breeding, incl. Molecular Biology Experimental Fields
Cell Biology
Breeding
Phytopathology
Chemical Analytics
Greenhouse
Phenotyping
DigitalizationHighlights of the program
Information stands
Breeders of our main crops explain their work
From sowing to harvesting: all the special machines of a breeding station
Digital tools for field trialing
Root phenotyping: how roots grow in the soil
Phenotyping with drones: multispectral from a bird's eye view
Phytopathology: insects, fungi, nematodes and other pathogens
Chemical Analytics and process analysis
Catch crops - concepts for agriculture, soil health, CO2 balance
Biological seed treatment
Breeding technologies – data and genomics specialists support breeding
Genome Editing: new breeding technologies and their application at KWS
Regulatory Affairs: paving the way to approval
From lab to market: how KWS protects intellectual property
Marker lab: examine the DNA
The art of engineering for seed production
Career opportunities at KWS
Hands-on activities
The start of a new generation of varieties: crossing plants by hand
Tissue culture: placing plant parts on a special diet in vitro
Leaf harvest for the marker lab
Live view of root growth: navigate a camera through the soil
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Courtney Herms @courtneyherms.bsky.social · 16/01/2026
Re-sharing for the morning crowd 👇 sharpen your skills in biotech venture creation!
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Courtney Herms @courtneyherms.bsky.social · 15/01/2026
If you are as interested in biotech venture creation as me, and in Copenhagen in March, consider applying for the REBBLS Startup Academy - essentials of science commercialization in 4 days. See you there? www.rebbls.dk/startup-acad...
rebbls.dk
Startup Academy 2026 | REBBLS
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Courtney Herms @courtneyherms.bsky.social · 15/01/2026
Back to some innovation in biotech at the monthly REBBLS Venture and Wine - featuring five startups from the Copenhagen biotech scene
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Courtney Herms @courtneyherms.bsky.social · 15/01/2026
Great event for those interested in cereals!
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Courtney Herms @courtneyherms.bsky.social · 12/01/2026
Check out the latest from your favorite virus group! Congrats @peterdoug.bsky.social for another amazing paper on the unusual lives of phages 👇
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Sainsbury Laboratory Cambridge University (SLCU) @slcuplants.bsky.social · 09/01/2026
Launch your own independent research group! 2x David Sainsbury Career Development Fellowships at @slcuplants.bsky.social 📆 Apply by 30 Jan 2026 More info: 👉 www.slcu.cam.ac.uk/careers/grou... Job details: 👉 www.cam.ac.uk/jobs/david-s... Please share this post #PlantSciJobs #PlantSciJob
Photo of the interior of award-winning Sainsbury Laboratory Cambridge University building. Glass walls look into the research labs and naturally lit staircase and walkway with study boxes looking into the Botanic Garden
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Rémi Cardinael @remicardinael.bsky.social · 04/01/2026
A great tenure track position (Assistant Professor) of Sustainable Plant Nutrition @ethz.ch @usyseth.bsky.social @johansix.bsky.social ! Deadline to apply: 28/02/2026. ethz.ch/en/the-eth-z...
ethz.ch
Assistant Professor (Tenure Track) of Sustainable Plant Nutrition
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Courtney Herms @courtneyherms.bsky.social · 03/12/2025
The #NNF_WheatAlliance team HARD at work. 400 plants harvested yesterday for the rhizoplane and roots. It took the team of 12 over 12 hours to finish. Luckily the lights in the greenhouse are so bright we enjoy all day “sun”. Tomorrow we go again….
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Courtney Herms @courtneyherms.bsky.social · 01/12/2025
We are ready for sampling tomorrow! #NNF_WheatAlliance 400 plants across 4 days = 1600 samples. Wish us luck… Not shown: the 100 liters of autoclaved water we will use to wash the roots.
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Courtney Herms @courtneyherms.bsky.social · 25/11/2025
Great opportunity!
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Courtney Herms @courtneyherms.bsky.social · 24/11/2025
High-throughput DNA extraction from soil: experiences? best kits? best tools? If you had a decent chunk of money to throw at it, what system would you set up to make it fast and high quality? 🌾 🧪 🔬 🦠
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Gregor Weiss @weiss-lab.bsky.social · 12/11/2025
The Center for Microscopy and Image Analysis at the University of Zurich is seeking a new Head: jobs.uzh.ch/job-vacancie... It is super fun to work with them, tons of expertise and cutting edge instrumentation in ❄️🔬 Application deadline: December 15, 2025.
jobs.uzh.ch
UZH: Head of the Center for Microscopy and Image Analysis (Core Facility)
The Center for Microscopy and Image Analysis (ZMB) is a nationally and internationally recognized Core Facility at the University of Zurich (UZH), providing access to state-of-the-art light and electr...
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Courtney Herms @courtneyherms.bsky.social · 10/11/2025
The opening speaker is @pabnik.bsky.social who has been turning Pseudomonas putida into a bioproduction workhorse #DMS2025
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Courtney Herms @courtneyherms.bsky.social · 10/11/2025
It wasn’t long away from live-tweeting: today is the #DMS2025 Congress, where all microbiologists across Denmark gather for a day of networking and exchanging ideas 🧫🦠
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Courtney Herms @courtneyherms.bsky.social · 07/11/2025
Very special moment to be appreciated by the conference for the (sometimes busy work!) of live-tweeting. 50% it’s for me to remember what I heard, but also 50% to share the wonderful work of my peers ⭐️
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Courtney Herms @courtneyherms.bsky.social · 07/11/2025
The next #PMS2027 will be CHINA! Spicy food and nice weather in Changsha. Hope to see you all again in two years! Also thank you to @microsos.bsky.social for the nice gift recognizing the social media work, and the judges for 2nd place poster 😄
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