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Melanie Brien

@melbrien.bsky.social
660 followers 434 following 20 posts

Research Fellow at University of Helsinki ~ Evolution, genomics, lepidoptera, all things colour🦋 PI helsinki.fi/en/researchgroups/colourful-insect-genomics

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Melanie Brien @melbrien.bsky.social · 08/06/2026
Is wing colour polymorphism maintained by other linked traits within a supergene? It doesn't seem like it - traits are mostly controlled by independent loci. Hindwing melanisation was linked to morph colour in males though, and in females, red colour was phenotypically related to pheromone amount.
Two wood tiger moths on a leaf. Juhani Maamela.
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Melanie Brien @melbrien.bsky.social · 08/06/2026
A few summers ago, we individually reared 1200 wood tiger moth caterpillars with the aim to understand the associations and genetic basis of different traits; colour, chemical defences, behaviour, pheromones and more. The results are here!
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Melanie Brien @melbrien.bsky.social · 20/05/2026
Happy to report a successful trip for the scarlet tiger moth team 🐛🐛
Three people in the field holding collection tubes Scarlet tiger moth caterpillar on a leafButterfly Blue butterfly
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Melanie Brien @melbrien.bsky.social · 09/05/2026
The groups first field trip is underway! @paulinea73.bsky.social got the first caterpillar of her PhD 🥳 @michalbartak.bsky.social
Two people in the forest, one holding a caterpillar in a jar
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Melanie Brien @melbrien.bsky.social · 09/03/2026
Awesome paper! I was inspired to dig out this photo I took in Ecuador >10 years ago, I had no idea they were so rare!
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Melanie Brien @melbrien.bsky.social · 24/09/2025
Funded PhD position available 🎉 Come and work with me in Helsinki to uncover the pathways producing colourful tiger moth wings. Lots of options for genomics, CRISPR, fieldwork, behaviour experiments… Email with questions! jobs.helsinki.fi/job/Helsinki...
Wood tiger moth on leaf. Photo: Juhani Maamela.
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Melanie Brien @melbrien.bsky.social · 18/08/2025
For circadian clocks, colour polymorphisms and nice moths: 11am Weds in room 117 #ESEB2025
Presentation title slide with photo of wood tiger moths
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Melanie Brien @melbrien.bsky.social · 07/01/2025
Lovely to be back in Sheffield for the Population Genetics group conference. First day full of colour, butterflies and tea #pgg58
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Melanie Brien @melbrien.bsky.social · 01/10/2024
Very happy to be at my first ISBE and my first visit to Australia! Will be around tonight with my poster (that printed the wrong colour 🙈) #ISBE2024
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Melanie Brien @melbrien.bsky.social · 05/12/2023
For my first post I'll share our recent paper (& accompanying doodle) on the genetics of polymorphic colour in male wood tiger moths 🦋🧬✂️ elifesciences.org/articles/80116
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