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Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences @bigelowlab.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Two @bigelowlab.bsky.social researchers have been selected as the newest @hypothesisfund.bsky.social awardees! Senior research scientists Catherine Mitchell and John Burns both received funding to pursue early-stage, innovative research. Congratulations, Catherine, John, and the full cohort!

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Hypothesis Fund @hypothesisfund.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

7/ Awardee Emanuele Cocucci has a bold hypothesis about extracellular vesicle formation: bulky proteins play a key role in crowding and bending membranes. His project could reshape how we understand membrane organization and remodeling. 🍾 Congrats Dr. Cocucci! 🙏 #HFScout Jeanne Stachowiak

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Hypothesis Fund @hypothesisfund.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

6/ Awardee Catherine Mitchell is measuring ocean life from space 🛰️. She's developing a way to quantify zooplankton & their metabolism using satellite images alone - work that can transform our understanding of ocean ecosystems. 🎉 Congrats Dr. Mitchell! @bigelowlab.bsky.social 🙏 #HFScout Angel White

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Hypothesis Fund @hypothesisfund.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

5/ Awardee @burnsajohn.bsky.social is bringing radiolarians (single-celled marine organisms) into the modern genomic🧬 era by establishing a novel radiolarian model system together with the community! 🙌 🥳 Congrats Dr. Burns! @bigelowlab.bsky.social 🙏 #HFScout @prakashlab.bsky.social

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Hypothesis Fund @hypothesisfund.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

4/ #DYK that only some immune knowledge gets transferred from moms to breastmilk 🤱? Awardee @cicacanesso.bsky.social thinks the mammary gland plays a critical role in regulating this selective transfer. 🎉 Congrats Dr. Canesso! @einsteinmededu.bsky.social 🙏 #HFScout @pipethero.bsky.social

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Hypothesis Fund @hypothesisfund.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

3/ Awardee Carl Denard is setting out to map proteases to the substrates they can cleave ✂️ by widening the search space to include completely novel substrates. His work could transform how we understand and reprogram protease function. 🍾 Congrats Dr. Denard! 🙏 #HFScout Kris Prather

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Hypothesis Fund @hypothesisfund.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

2/ What if a new job changed your personality & extended your life? 🤯 Harpegnathos ants 🐜 do exactly that. Awardee Janko Gospocic is studying the epigenetics behind their caste-transitions, which could unlock new ways to reverse brain aging. 🎉 Congrats Dr. Gospocic! 🙏 #HFScout @planaria1.bsky.social

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Hypothesis Fund @hypothesisfund.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

💫 Meet our latest awardees, who are pushing the boundaries of what we know about brain aging, protease specificity, immune inheritance, ocean food webs, & cell physics. Learn more about their projects: bit.ly/HFAwardees. Join us in celebrating the them in our 🧵 below! /1

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Juliano Lab @julianolab.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

This is your last chance, get yourself registered today! Share with your cnidophile friends!

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Hypothesis Fund @hypothesisfund.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

“Science isn't just about answering questions; it's about building the communities & empowering the people who will ask the next set of bold ones. Fostering connections across fields & helping young scientists realize their full potential is the single most fulfilling part of what I do.” ✨4/4

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Hypothesis Fund @hypothesisfund.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Above all, Moh measures his greatest impact not in papers or awards, but in the people and connections that drive science forward. He shares, “For me, the real magic of science happens at the borders where disciplines collide and where new minds are nurtured.” 3/

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Hypothesis Fund @hypothesisfund.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Traditionally, respiration was thought to happen within single cells. Moh discovered the wild, boundary-breaking nature of electromicrobiology in microbes like cable bacteria, which effectively build nature's own electrical grid ⚡, linking chemical reactions across vast expanses. 📷: Tingting Yang 2/

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Hypothesis Fund @hypothesisfund.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Say hi to new #HFScout Moh El-Naggar, whose interdisciplinary research on extracellular electron transfer and biological energy conversion has helped usher in the emerging field of ‘living electronics.’ 1/

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Hypothesis Fund @hypothesisfund.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

"In retrospect, each risk was an investment in myself to keep growing & learning, & a commitment to work with kind, creative people. These were not all that risky. Life is long, there are many worthwhile paths, but we also only get to walk one - so go for it, do good, and don’t do it alone." 🌟 4/4

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Hypothesis Fund @hypothesisfund.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Not someone who shies away from intellectual risk, Bing switched fields several times throughout her career, each time, thinking to herself, “I can’t believe I’m leaving something I know I’m good at… I’ll never belong anywhere… what if this is the end of my career.” 3/

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Hypothesis Fund @hypothesisfund.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Central pattern generator circuits are thought to underlie rhythm movements in all animals--neuroscientists have been looking for the neural implementation of a CPG for walking for +100 yrs. In a new paper (out soon!), Bing's team describe how they solved this longstanding puzzle. bit.ly/4wN474O 2/

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Hypothesis Fund @hypothesisfund.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Welcome to new #HFScout Bing Wen Brunton (@bingbrunton.bsky.social), who uses computational modeling to study how brains 🧠 & bodies work together to produce adaptive natural behavior. Her trailblazing research sits at the intersection of neurobiology, computational science, and animal behavior. 1/

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Hypothesis Fund @hypothesisfund.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Ask Nels what advice he’d give his younger self, and the answer is a simple but lasting quote from Andre De Shields: “Slowly is the fastest way to get to where you want to be.” ✨ 4/4

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Hypothesis Fund @hypothesisfund.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Nels also co-hosts a weekly podcast 🎙️, This Week in Evolution. The logo he designed highlights the idea that mechanisms of evolution play out at various levels of biological organization in the hope of catalyzing scientific pursuit across disciplinary boundaries. bit.ly/4gsouzf 3/

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Hypothesis Fund @hypothesisfund.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

His diverse research is driven by curiosity about the diversity of pathogens & the hosts they impact, a fascination w/ mechanisms of mutation that fuel genetic innovation, & a conviction that research-accessible organisms (e.g. 🐟🍄🦇🐁) can serve as powerful platforms for studying infection biology. 2/

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Hypothesis Fund @hypothesisfund.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

💫Say hello to new #HFScout Nels Elde (@elearlybird.bsky.social), an evolutionary geneticist who applies comparative genomics and molecular evolution to illuminate the often-conspicuous conflicts between infectious microbes & their hosts, & to uncover new sources of genetic resistance to disease. 1/

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Hypothesis Fund @hypothesisfund.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

“I find the scientific and academic communities truly inspiring, and the fact that I know I’ll be amidst people who stretch my brain daily is my favorite part about being a professor.” We think this is also why she will be a fantastic #HFScout! 💫 4/4

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Hypothesis Fund @hypothesisfund.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

As a big fan of working w/ scientists from other disciplines, Millie shares, “My favorite part about being a scientist is learning from my peers - through collaboration in science, in the classroom, or on any of a number of the leadership roles I have taken on in my career.” 3/

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Hypothesis Fund @hypothesisfund.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Recently, she has been studying how hydrogel geometry, confinement, and cell-to-cell proximity can establish conditions in which microbial cells secrete factors that stimulate human wound healing. The unusual pattern she and her collaborators have observed may be key to improved wound healing. 2/

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Hypothesis Fund @hypothesisfund.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

👋 Meet new #HFScout Millie Sullivan, whose leading research on biomaterials has led to advancements in chronic wound healing, pulmonary regeneration, & breast cancer. Her lab leans on the fundamentals of chemical engineering to find creative ways that materials can interface w/ the human body. 1/

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Hypothesis Fund @hypothesisfund.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

We empower our diverse network of #HFScouts to identify and recommend especially innovative, #highrisk #highreward research projects for support via catalytic seed grants. Learn more about all of the scientist Scouts: www.hypothesisfund.org/scouts 3/3

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Hypothesis Fund @hypothesisfund.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Each pioneering & accomplished Scout brings a unique lens & perspective on the frontiers of scientific discovery. They broaden our reach to support outstanding scientists across the fields of biomaterials, host-pathogen interactions, computational neuroscience, & electromicrobiology. 2/

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Hypothesis Fund @hypothesisfund.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

📣 Exciting day at the @hypothesisfund.bsky.social! We’re thrilled to announce four new exceptional scientist Scouts: Millicent Sullivan, Nels Elde, Bing Wen Brunton, and Moh Eh-Naggar! Follow along today to learn more about each new Scout and join us in celebrating them! 1/

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Hypothesis Fund @hypothesisfund.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

Congrats to HF Awardee Shumin Tan on her recent publication, where she developed a HCR-FISH approach to study M. tuberculosis lesions with spatiotemporal resolution! We're thrilled to have supported this bold idea from the beginning - glad to see it out in the world! www.science.org/doi/epdf/10....

science.org

Direct bacterial transcript visualization illuminates spatiotemporal environmental adaptation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in the lung

Reader environment loaded

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Elaine Hsiao @pipethero.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

Congratulations to Sabeen Kazmi & colleagues on their new study showing that gut microbes & microbial metabolites can promote tau aggregation in a mouse model of tauopathy/Alzheimer’s disease. The work identifies microbiome changes linked to tau risk over time as potential therapeutic targets.

nature.com

Select microbial metabolites promote tau aggregation in a murine tauopathy model - Nature Communications

Here, using a mouse model of tauopathy, the authors reveal that disruption of the gut microbiome drives tau pathology and cognitive decline, and identify five microbial metabolites that directly promo...

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Harmit Singh Malik @harmitmalik.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

Come be our colleague. I have been in this Division for 27 years (4 as a postdoc and 23 as a PI). It is an amazing place to work, collaborate, and be inspired. If you are applying to be an Assistant or Associate Professor this Fall, don't miss this deadline.

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Crystal Rogers, PhD @rogerslabucd.bsky.social · 03/08/2026

Yay! Just saw that we got the cover of the August 1 MBoC! Woot! 🎉 Please check out our paper if you are interested in it the tubulin code or early development. www.molbiolcell.org/doi/10.1091/...

Cover of the August 1 MBoC journal- image from the Rogers Lab at UC Davis

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Kaçar Lab at UW-Madison @kacarlab.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

How can we study life’s deep evolutionary past? By bringing it into the lab! This @asm.org feature highlights our on-going efforts. Read how synthetic biology allows us to reconstruct ancient microbial systems, test hypotheses about early metabolism and explore how life and Earth co-evolved. 🌍

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Hypothesis Fund @hypothesisfund.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

6/6 As some animals transform from larval to adult forms, Awardee @lowelab.bsky.social asks: do cells stay locked in their roles, or can they switch 🔃 ? His findings could reshape how we think about cell fate and development. 🍾 Congrats Dr. Lowe! 🙏 #HFScout Ellen Yeh

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Hypothesis Fund @hypothesisfund.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

5/ Mammals mostly can't regrow organs🫀, especially later in life. But Awardee Lea Goentoro is setting out to prove whether having the right set of nutrients might be key to reactivating our regeneration capabilities. 🎉 Congrats Dr. Goentoro! @caltech.edu 🙏 #HFScout Dianne Newman

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Hypothesis Fund @hypothesisfund.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

4/ What makes some animals more social than others? Awardee Scott Juntti tackles this question through an unlikely lens: pheromone-sensing genes in cichlid fish 🐟. His work could uncover a genetic basis for social behavior. 🎉 Congrats Dr. Juntti! @univofmaryland.bsky.social 🙏 #HFScout Kay Tye

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Hypothesis Fund @hypothesisfund.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

3/ Awardee Shannon Yan has a bold hypothesis about how the physical properties💥 of bacterial membranes shape how antimicrobial peptides find and disrupt their targets. Her project could reveal the important role of biophysics in host-pathogen interactions. 🎉 Congrats Dr. Yan! 🙏 #HFScout Taekjip Ha

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Hypothesis Fund @hypothesisfund.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

2/ Awardee @acharlesorszag.bsky.social thinks that the secret to how complex life began on Earth 🌎 might still be unfolding around us today. He's investigating archaea-bacteria symbiosis to find out. 🍾 Congrats Dr. Charles-Orszag! @ucdavis.bsky.social 🙏 #HFScout @fletcherlabucb.bsky.social

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Hypothesis Fund @hypothesisfund.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

✨ Meet our newest awardees, who are wading into the unknown to uncover new knowledge about the origin of complex life, antimicrobial peptides, social behavior, regeneration, and cell development. Learn about their projects: bit.ly/HFAwardees and hear from their #HFScouts in our 🧵 /1

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Willow Coyote-Maestas @willowcoyote.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

For the last 5 years, my lab has focused on developing mutational scanning methods and learning how to answer specific questions in protein biology. @matthewkhoward.bsky.social and I wrote a review on experimental decisions and future directions for our nascent field! doi.org/10.1146/annu...

annualreviews.org

Mechanistic Mutational Scanning to Uncover the Secret Life of Proteins

Deep mutational scanning (DMS) has emerged as a transformative tool for dissecting individual protein function and broader cell biology. DMS methods enable comprehensive interrogation of sequence–func...

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ASM @asm.org · 07/07/2026

The symbiotic relationship between Ned Ruby's lab, who focus primarily on the bacteria, Vibrio fischeri and Margaret McFall-Ngai's lab, who focus primarily on the bobtail squid, has led to a deep understanding of what symbiosis really means at the molecular level youtu.be/M5rZ52wcQ08

youtu.be

You Gotta Be Squid-ding Me!: microTalk with Ned Ruby and Margaret McFall-Ngai at ASM Microbe 2026

YouTube video by ASM - Microbes Make Our World

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Sullivan Lab at OSU @sullivan-lab.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

🚨VIROMICS WORKSHOP 2026🚨 Application is now OPEN for the 8th International Viromics Workshop, Oct. 14-16, 2026, in-person at Ohio State University. Application closes Aug. 7. Apply: forms.gle/pJFLDCNEBvAe... Full details: u.osu.edu/viruslab/vir... #viromics #viruses #ecology #workshop

forms.gle

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Harmit Singh Malik @harmitmalik.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

Folks quick to dump on the fact that latest group of amazing @hypothesisfund.bsky.social awardees are all men (n=5) are encouraged to check out the list of all recent awardees to celebrate all their achievements: www.hypothesisfund.org/portfolio

hypothesisfund.org

Portfolio — Hypothesis Fund

The Hypothesis Fund enables scientists to take intelligent risks. To defy the predominant expectations in their field. To go after their big ideas.

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Flora Rutaganira @frutag33.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

🙋🏾‍♀️I am honored to have been supported by @hypothesisfund.bsky.social and can attest that they intentionally select their awardees. There is incredible representation at the scout level as well. Have nothing but good things to say about HF leadership - there is always improvement but the bar is high!

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Chi-Min Ho @cmholab.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

Incredibly proud of Messi Haile @mehsehret.bsky.social, a founding member of the Ho Lab, for her beautiful work uncovering the inner workings of a central piece of the malaria parasite invasion machinery: the malarial moving junction, out today in @cellpress.bsky.social! tinyurl.com/4p3md2eb 🦠❄️🔬

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Hypothesis Fund @hypothesisfund.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

6/ How does the brain🧠 keep track of who to trust--and who to watch out for? Awardee Weizhe Hong will use both biological and artificial neural systems to study how trust is encoded. 🥳 Congrats Dr. Hong! 🙏 #HFScout Kay Tye

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Hypothesis Fund @hypothesisfund.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

5/ Awardee B.B. Cael, in collaboration w/ Co-I Mathis Hain, is tackling a major challenge: figuring out how to incorporate biology (and all the critical ways it has shaped our planet 🌎) into building better earth system models. 🎉 Congrats Cael & team! 🙏 #HFScout @sullivan-lab.bsky.social

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Hypothesis Fund @hypothesisfund.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

4/ What if the key to understanding bacterial stress response is in their electrons⚡? Awardee @copperbae.bsky.social is tracking electron balance as a novel way to predict how well a bacteria's defenses are holding up. 🍾 Congrats Dr. Johnson! @uarizona.bsky.social 🙏 #HFScout @drkhaynes.bsky.social

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Hypothesis Fund @hypothesisfund.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

3/ #DYK that HIV can lurk inside cells, undetected, complicating efforts for a cure? Awardee Vincent Wu is on a mission to track down these elusive latent HIV+ cells and study how they cause persistent lifelong infection. 🎉 Congrats Dr. Wu! @wistar.org 🙏 #HFScout Wilton Williams

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