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Laurie Belcher

@lauriebelch.bsky.social
681 followers 250 following 76 posts

OrthoFinder Evolution of cooperation University of Oxford scholar.google.com/citations?user=e…

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Laurie Belcher @lauriebelch.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
The most realistic scence from The Love Hypothesis movie
screenshot from the movie "The Love hypothesis" with an academic saying "well, I hope you also enjoy being disappointed"
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Laurie Belcher @lauriebelch.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
Anyone else waiting ages for updates from #NatureCommunications? Looked at the 50 most recent biological sciences papers and median time to acceptance is 309 days. The fast ones all seem to be transfers from Nature with reviews already attached (the VIP lane)
Histogram of days from submission to acceptance for 50 recent Nature Communications biological sciences papers. Most papers fall between 100 and 500 days, with a peak around 380 to 440 days. A red line marks the median at 309 days. A few outliers stretch out to around 1100 days.
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Laurie Belcher @lauriebelch.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
This is sure to be a great event! I'll be presenting some stuff on OrthoFinder and how best to use it
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Laurie Belcher @lauriebelch.bsky.social · 28/06/2026
On my way to my first ever SMBE conference. The Orthofinder team are well represented with three of us travelling. All presenting on Orthofinder-adjacent projects, but always happy to discuss all things orthology. #SMBE2026
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Laurie Belcher @lauriebelch.bsky.social · 09/06/2026
The new OrthoFinder paper is out now! In this new work, we introduce major advances in accuracy and scalability, allowing analysis on much larger datasets www.nature.com/articles/s41... github.com/OrthoFinder/...
nature.com
OrthoFinder: improved phylogenetic orthology inference with enhanced accuracy and scalability - Nature Methods
The updated OrthoFinder v3 software boosts accuracy and scalability in phylogenetic orthology inference with massive and diverse datasets.
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Laurie Belcher @lauriebelch.bsky.social · 05/06/2026
is there a version of the @official-smbe.bsky.social programme that is just a simple PDF? I struggle with these interactive agenda sites
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Ben Sheldon @sheldonbirds.bsky.social · 05/06/2026
Excellent 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.uk
Post-Doctoral Research Fellowships | All Souls College
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Laurie Belcher @lauriebelch.bsky.social · 27/05/2026
Huge congratulations to @stuwest.bsky.social on his election as a Fellow of the Royal Society! From fig wasps to Pseudomonas, he’s shown just how powerful behavioural ecology can be. I couldn't think of anyone more deserving. www.biology.ox.ac.uk/article/prof...
biology.ox.ac.uk
Professors Tim Coulson, Stuart West, and Kathy Willis elected as Fellows of the Royal Society
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Laurie Belcher @lauriebelch.bsky.social · 26/05/2026
We’re hiring for OrthoFinder! Great role for someone who enjoys scientific software development: Python, data analysis, workflows, Git, scalability, and making tools nicer to use. Comparative genomics or open-source bioinformatics experience would be a lovely bonus. my.corehr.com/pls/uoxrecru...
my.corehr.com
Job Details
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Laurie Belcher @lauriebelch.bsky.social · 15/05/2026
Do I know anyone who wants to swap football stickers this year? goodscienceblog.wordpress.com/2018/03/12/h... #Gotgotneed #paniniworldcup
a picture of the panini football men's world cup 2026 sticker album
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Em Stevens @emstevens93.bsky.social · 12/05/2026
I'm currently advertising a PhD position in my lab, to study the transition from commensal to pathogen in Staphylococcus aureus. Details available here, please share! www.keele.ac.uk/research/pos...
keele.ac.uk
FacultystudentshipinSchoolofLifeSciences
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Laurie Belcher @lauriebelch.bsky.social · 10/05/2026
Review on how beta-lactamase resistance spans a continuum from private to cooperative resistance A first publication for fantastic PhD student Rosie Randall, working with @asgriffin.bsky.social portlandpress.com/essaysbioche...
portlandpress.com
How social is social resistance?
Abstract. β-lactamases are central to bacterial resistance against β-lactam antibiotics and are often treated as a textbook example of cooperative resistance. The cooperative aspect of their action ar...
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Ben Sheldon @sheldonbirds.bsky.social · 08/05/2026
Happy 100th Birthday Sir David! Short clip from a film with Sir David Attenborough featuring @ellafcole.bsky.social explaining research in @wythamwoods.bsky.social into how Great Tits adjust behaviour during incubation to fine-tune hatching date: www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGjL...
youtube.com
How Do Birds Incubate Their Eggs? | Attenborough's Wonder of Eggs | BBC Earth
YouTube video by BBC Earth
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Laurie Belcher @lauriebelch.bsky.social · 13/02/2026
Delighted to have been a part of this. It's a very exciting area in the field of social evolution and beyond!
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Stu West @stuwest.bsky.social · 12/02/2026
Comparative analysis across 5,678 insect species shows that, when you control for phylogenetic bias, eusociality has not evolved at a faster rate in haplodiploid species. www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Eusociality has independently evolved in multiple arthropod lineagesEusociality has independently evolved in multiple arthropod lineages
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Laurie Belcher @lauriebelch.bsky.social · 29/01/2026
Calling all OrthoFinder users! We’ve just released GLADE, a tool to infer gene gains, losses, duplications, and ancestral genomes across a phylogeny. GLADE runs directly on OrthoFinder results. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6... github.com/lauriebelch/... (1/10)
biorxiv.org
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bioRxiv Evolutionary Biology @biorxiv-evobio.bsky.social · 22/01/2026
FastSpeciesTree: Fast and Scalable Species tree Inference www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/20…
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Juliet Turner @juliet-turner.bsky.social · 18/12/2025
Very happy to share that I just published a new paper from my thesis! 🎉 We analysed 546 species of ant to understand how extreme specialisation into reproductive and non-reproductive roles evolved.  Key discoveries in thread🧵 👇 Full paper here: academic.oup.com/evolut/advan...
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Stu West @stuwest.bsky.social · 19/11/2025
Kissing evolved at least 21 million years ago. www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti... @matildabrindle.bsky.social
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Ákos T Kovács @evolvedbiofilm.bsky.social · 02/11/2025
The evolutionary and ecological consequences of cooperation -in American Naturalist by @stuwest.bsky.social, @annadewar.bsky.social, @ryosukeiritani.bsky.social, Laurence Belcher, and @asgriffin.bsky.social www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1...
journals.uchicago.edu
The evolutionary and ecological consequences of cooperation | The American Naturalist: Vol 0, No ja
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Laurie Belcher @lauriebelch.bsky.social · 18/08/2025
Super interesting session on post-phylogenomics this morning at #eseb2025 I have a poster on the new version of Orthofinder - there will be a suggestion box 🎁 P03.076 on Thursday
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Laurie Belcher @lauriebelch.bsky.social · 12/08/2025
Is there a single PDF with a list of talks/times for #ESEB2025 ? I don't get on well with conference apps
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Laurie Belcher @lauriebelch.bsky.social · 16/07/2025
OrthoFinder just dropped a major update It’s faster, more accurate, and ready for thousands of genomes Let’s break it down (1/10) github.com/OrthoFinder/... www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
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Laurie Belcher @lauriebelch.bsky.social · 31/03/2025
Evolution of cooperation is well represented at #Microbio25 by Rosie's first ever conference poster - definitely worth a visit!
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Jamie Hall @jpjhall.bsky.social · 18/02/2025
I'm delighted to announce that the 2025 @microbiologysociety.org meeting on "Understanding and predicting microbial evolutionary dynamics" will be held in Liverpool 26-27 November 2025! Abstract submission will open soon... #microsky 🧪🧫🦠 microbiologysociety.org/event/societ...
microbiologysociety.org
Understanding and predicting microbial evolutionary dynamics - 2025 meeting
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Laurie Belcher @lauriebelch.bsky.social · 08/01/2025
Hopefully this will be useful for anyone doing comparative genomics! In Box 1 we show some case studies where controlling for phylogenetic non-independance can reverse a result
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Anna Dewar @annadewar.bsky.social · 08/01/2025
Our review is out in Nature Reviews Genetics! rdcu.be/d5AY2 We show how phylogeny-based methods can resolve the problem of non-independence in genomic datasets. These methods must be considered an essential part of the comparative genomics toolkit. @lauriebelch.bsky.social @stuwest.bsky.social
rdcu.be
A phylogenetic approach to comparative genomics
Nature Reviews Genetics - Controlling for phylogeny is essential in comparative genomics studies, because species, genomes and genes are not independent data points within statistical tests. The...
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Rachel M. Wheatley @rachelmwheatley.bsky.social · 30/12/2024
Sharing three fully funded PhD opportunities to join my lab at Queen’s to work on topics spanning bacterial pathogens, antibiotic resistance, microbial interactions, & mobile genetic elements 🦠. Closing dates in January and February, and open to international candidates 🌍 Projects detailed below ⬇️
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Laurie Belcher @lauriebelch.bsky.social · 06/12/2024
When you are a millenial but you want to connect with your students
a slide from a powerpoint presentation that reads "Genes? Total ✨pick-me✨ energy. They’re out here being selfish AF, chasing their own clout, even if it wrecks the whole genome vibe 💀. If they get too bold (like distorting phenotypes and being ✨that✨ guy), the ‘parliament of genes’ 👩‍⚖️ pulls up like, “Not on my watch, bestie,” and shuts it all the way down. 🚨
Basically, selfish genes either: 1️⃣ cause low-key drama 😬, or 2️⃣ get cancelled harder than a mid influencer scandal. The parliament? Straight-up GOAT 🐐 for keeping our genomes from turning into a hot mess express."
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Eduardo Rocha @epcrocha.bsky.social · 04/04/2024
New job offer: we search a postdoc (bioinformatics) to work on mobile genetic elements and gene flow in bacteria, with a focus on antibiotic resistance within a consortium including bioinformatics, synthetic biology, epidemiology & biochemistry. See research.pasteur.fr/en/job/postd... #MicroSky
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Laurie Belcher @lauriebelch.bsky.social · 29/11/2024
Post a photo of yourself from a different era. Piazza San Marco, Venice
A young boy with a pigeon on his head
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Laurie Belcher @lauriebelch.bsky.social · 27/11/2024
go.bsky.app/QKajPgc A starter pack for social evolution! Lots of space left for anyone who would like to be added
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Mike Blazanin @mikeblazanin.bsky.social · 20/10/2024
Tried to put together a Microbial Evolution starter pack, but there were so many great people I didn't want to leave out it turned into 3 starter packs Comment or DM me if you were missed or would like to be added! A thread (1/3) go.bsky.app/6pkuYhi
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Laurie Belcher @lauriebelch.bsky.social · 18/10/2024
A few comparative genomics postdocs available here in Oxford www.biology.ox.ac.uk/vacancies
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Jamie Hall @jpjhall.bsky.social · 23/07/2024
🆕 I’m looking for a postdoc to join the group! This is for a project as part of the @multidefence.bsky.social consortium, looking at genome defences and horizontal gene transfer in Pseudomonas. Deadline 12th August. 🧵 my.corehr.com/pls/ulivrecr...
my.corehr.com
'
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Laurie Belcher @lauriebelch.bsky.social · 05/07/2024
Introducing my son to his 4th 🇬🇧 Prime Minister (he's not even 2...) Hopeful for a brighter future 🌍
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Stacy Farina @stacyfarina.bsky.social · 03/06/2024
Do you work in ecology/evolution? Did you do a study that is too small to publish as a full manuscript? Negative results? Part of a larger effort? Consider publishing in microPublication Biology: EEB! www.micropublication.org/journals/bio... Short papers, one figure. And we peer review! Please RT
micropublication.org
microPublication - Get Your Data Out, Be Cited
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Judith Mank @judithmank.bsky.social · 03/06/2024
We have moved to a dynamic cover @evolletters.bsky.social The old image served us well, but we are looking to connect aspiring evolutionary artists with authors for a new initiative. Our first beautiful image is by www.jacelyndesigns.com for this issue’s Editor’s Choice doi.org/10.1093/evle.... 🧪
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Steve Kelly @stevenkelly.bsky.social · 21/05/2024
The first step on a path to C4 rice by genome editing ✂️🧬 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
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Anna Dewar @annadewar.bsky.social · 15/05/2024
Why do pangenomes vary so much across bacteria? 🦠🧬 We show that bacterial lifestyle is the key factor shaping variation in pangenome fluidity. Read more in our paper out now in PNAS: doi.org/10.1073/pnas... With Chunhui Hao @lauriebelch.bsky.social Melanie Ghoul @stuwest.bsky.social
doi.org
PNAS
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), a peer reviewed journal of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) - an authoritative source of high-impact, original research that broadly spans...
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Ákos T Kovács @evolvedbiofilm.bsky.social · 02/04/2024
The rise of cheats during experimental evolution is restricted by non-kin interactions between Bacillus subtilis soil isolates bioRxiv by Katarina Belcijan Pandur et al from Ines Mandic Mulec and Polonca Stefanic www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
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Laurie Belcher @lauriebelch.bsky.social · 08/03/2024
Fantastic time yesterday at the @microbesng.bsky.social pop-up event in Oxford presenting SOCfinder, our new tool for finding cooperative genes I love small events like this one, thanks for organising @helenmcneil.bsky.social @rwheatley8.bsky.social www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/jour...
A scientist is presenting their research at a conference
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Anna Dewar @annadewar.bsky.social · 28/02/2024
Our new paper on plasmids and cooperation has been published today in Proceedings B! "Genes for cooperation are not more likely to be carried by plasmids." doi.org/10.1098/rspb... With @lauriebelch.bsky.social Tom Scott @stuwest.bsky.social. Summary thread below... 🧵
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Asher Leeks @asherleeks.bsky.social · 22/01/2024
Announcing the Social Lives of Viruses 2024! Do you study social evolution in viruses? Do you want to? Join us in Puerto Rico this June for a 50-person meeting dedicated to viral sociality. All costs covered. Apply here: forms.gle/sHTEcHJjryDh... #ViroSky #MicroSky #EvoSky #SocialViruses
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Matthew Freeman @mjafreeman.bsky.social · 15/01/2024
Important so please help spread the word... Interested in postgrad research? Maybe do a PhD? Oxford runs a summer internship scheme for UK students from under-represented and disadvantaged backgrounds Stipend, free accommodation, mentoring... Deadline 21 Feb www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/g...
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Philipp Engel @pengellab.bsky.social · 15/01/2024
Finally published! We show that host metabolites facilitate gutcolonization of a symbiont of social bees. Huge congrats to co-lead authors @andrewhq9.bsky.social & Yassine El Chazli. Super collabo with NanoSIMS expert Anders Meibom EPFL and our Electron Microscopy Facility FBM_UNIL 🐝 🧪
nature.com
Host-derived organic acids enable gut colonization of the honey bee symbiont Snodgrassella alvi - Na...
Comparative metabolomics and NanoSIMs reveal that the honey bee symbiont Snodgrassella alvi uses host-derived metabolites to colonize the gut, indicating adaptation to a specific metabolic niche in it...
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Oxford Biology @biology.ox.ac.uk · 15/01/2024
From tiny to huge, soft to spiky, ants are incredibly diverse and have many impacts on the environment around them. DPhil student @juliet_turner6 has reflected on a recent field course in Papua New Guinea and the complexity of these creatures in a new blog: bit.ly/48NVpYD
bit.ly
Unearthing the social life of ants
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Laurie Belcher @lauriebelch.bsky.social · 05/01/2024
Beginning my journey to PopGroup57 (Oxford -> St Andrews, via London and Edinburgh) 🚂 I'll be presenting on our new method for finding social genes 🦠 Looking forward to all things evolutionary biology (and my first ever trip to Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿) Not looking forward to my longest time away from my son 👼
the title page of a presentation, reading "SOCfinder, a better method for finding cooperative genes. Laurie Belcher, University of Oxford.
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Laurie Belcher @lauriebelch.bsky.social · 29/12/2023
Our new tool 'SOCfinder' to find social genes in bacteria is out now, in Microbial Genomics 🦠 www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/jour...
microbiologyresearch.org
SOCfinder: a genomic tool for identifying social genes in bacteria
Bacteria cooperate by working collaboratively to defend their colonies, share nutrients, and resist antibiotics. Nevertheless, our understanding of these remarkable behaviours primarily comes from stu...
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