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Rush Dhillon, PhD | Cartoonist & Illustrator

@rushstudio.bsky.social
101 followers 120 following 51 posts

Biologist, bicyclist, cartoonist at Rush Studio (rushstudio.ca).

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Rush Dhillon, PhD | Cartoonist & Illustrator @rushstudio.bsky.social · 13/06/2026
Thanks for bringing me on board! The work you do is so important, so it is just a treat for me to see the process and read your papers.
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Rush Dhillon, PhD | Cartoonist & Illustrator @rushstudio.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
Thoughtful recreation planning—like concentrating activity near developed areas and preserving quieter refuges—can help people and wildlife coexist. Check it out in the Journal of Mammalogy doi.org/10.1093/jmam...
doi.org
Wildlife responses to nonmotorized recreation in the Southern Canadian Rockies: a multiscale analysis near Fernie, BC
We show how hiking and biking activity near Fernie, BC affects large mammals. Elk and grizzly bears avoided busy trails, while deer, moose, and other speci
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Rush Dhillon, PhD | Cartoonist & Illustrator @rushstudio.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
elk strongly avoided busy trails, grizzly bears showed moderate avoidance, while species like moose and deer were less affected. The good news?
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Rush Dhillon, PhD | Cartoonist & Illustrator @rushstudio.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
As more people head outdoors to hike, bike, and explore, what does that mean for wildlife sharing those same spaces? Research by @claytontlamb.bsky.social et al in the mountains near Fernie, BC found that animals respond very differently to recreation:
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Reposted by Rush Dhillon, PhD | Cartoonist & Illustrator
Clayton T. Lamb @claytontlamb.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
The same trail. Different users. New paper examining how wildlife respond to hiking and biking trails near Fernie, BC using camera traps and GPS-collared grizzly bears. Elk, bears, and other species don’t all respond to recreation the same way. Makes mgmt hard. academic.oup.com/jmammal/adva...
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Rush Dhillon, PhD | Cartoonist & Illustrator @rushstudio.bsky.social · 02/04/2026
…test how it grows, and even predict how it might handle environmental change. Check out @jillahamilton.bsky.social proposal for the molecular passport in Molecular Ecology doi.org/10.1111/mec....
doi.org
Molecular Passports for Ex Situ Seed Donors: Enhanced Genetic Monitoring for Plant Conservation
To maintain evolutionary potential, genetic diversity, the raw material upon which natural selection acts, must be conserved. As such, ex situ seed collections remain invaluable repositories of genet...
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Rush Dhillon, PhD | Cartoonist & Illustrator @rushstudio.bsky.social · 02/04/2026
Part 2/2: A “molecular passport” is like a travel document for each seed, recording its origin story—where it came from, who its parent was, and its unique genetic fingerprint. By combining this with location and climate data, scientists can follow each seed’s journey,…
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Rush Dhillon, PhD | Cartoonist & Illustrator @rushstudio.bsky.social · 02/04/2026
Oops! Sorry!
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Rush Dhillon, PhD | Cartoonist & Illustrator @rushstudio.bsky.social · 27/03/2026
Check it out! doi.org/10.1111/mec....
doi.org
Molecular Passports for Ex Situ Seed Donors: Enhanced Genetic Monitoring for Plant Conservation
To maintain evolutionary potential, genetic diversity, the raw material upon which natural selection acts, must be conserved. As such, ex situ seed collections remain invaluable repositories of genet...
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Rush Dhillon, PhD | Cartoonist & Illustrator @rushstudio.bsky.social · 27/03/2026
scientists can better track, manage, and protect this diversity, turning seed collections into more powerful tools for conservation.
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Rush Dhillon, PhD | Cartoonist & Illustrator @rushstudio.bsky.social · 27/03/2026
Seed banks help protect the genetic diversity of species, but we don’t always know how much diversity these banks truly preserve. By creating “molecular passports”—DNA profiles linked to individual seed donors—
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Rush Dhillon, PhD | Cartoonist & Illustrator @rushstudio.bsky.social · 27/03/2026
Part 1/2: A very fun illustration project into the novel (for me!) world of plant genetics. I got to work with the amazing @jillhamilton.bsky.social on this manuscript
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Rush Dhillon, PhD | Cartoonist & Illustrator @rushstudio.bsky.social · 13/03/2026
…Bernardi et al., found that this change is phenotypically consistent BUT genetic trait evolution is context dependent, showing that evolution can respond to environmental changes in predictable ways despite different underlying mechanisms. doi: 10.1093/evlett/qraf008
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Rush Dhillon, PhD | Cartoonist & Illustrator @rushstudio.bsky.social · 13/03/2026
From 2025! Fruit flies change their pigmentation depending on temperature, becoming lighter in warmer conditions. By studying wild and experimental populations across space (ie: latitude) and time (ie: seasons)…
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Rush Dhillon, PhD | Cartoonist & Illustrator @rushstudio.bsky.social · 27/02/2026
This is figure is a non-exhaustive chart of quality of habitat tiers that can be implemented to evaluate habitat potential. Check out in the latest from @sjcfishy.bsky.social lab by Lemieux et al in Environmental Reviews: doi.org/10.1139/er-2025-0220
doi.org
Canadian Science Publishing
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Rush Dhillon, PhD | Cartoonist & Illustrator @rushstudio.bsky.social · 27/02/2026
Freshwater habitats are in serious decline, and while many projects aim to restore them, it’s often unclear whether they actually work. This paper explains how measuring habitat quality can better show if restoration efforts are truly helping habitats recover.
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Rush Dhillon, PhD | Cartoonist & Illustrator @rushstudio.bsky.social · 17/02/2026
Temperature sensing Part 3: Physiological processes and ecological conditions can alter thermoTRP channels, affecting temperature perception. Check out the latest from Currie and York! doi.org/10.1242/
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Rush Dhillon, PhD | Cartoonist & Illustrator @rushstudio.bsky.social · 13/02/2026
Temperature sensing Part 2: TRP channels across fish from a wide range of thermal habitats show species-specific temperature activation thresholds. In this way, TRP channels are excellent targets for understanding evolutionary adaptation. Check out the latest from Currie and York! doi.org/10.1242/
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Rush Dhillon, PhD | Cartoonist & Illustrator @rushstudio.bsky.social · 12/02/2026
This figure shows how the nerve is activated by TRPs to send a signal to the brain. These proteins have been found in a number of fish organs. Check out the latest from Currie and York! doi.org/10.1242/jeb....
doi.org
Temperature sensing in fishes: mechanisms and modulation in a warming world
Summary: We highlight temperature sensing in fishes and comment on how this critical sensory modality may be modulated by environmental change and physiological state, influencing how fishes respond t...
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Rush Dhillon, PhD | Cartoonist & Illustrator @rushstudio.bsky.social · 12/02/2026
But it is not only the degree of warming that matters, but also the animal’s ability to accurately detect and respond to these changes. Enter transient receptor potential (TRP) channels.
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Rush Dhillon, PhD | Cartoonist & Illustrator @rushstudio.bsky.social · 12/02/2026
Temperature sensing Part 1: Climate change is warming the environment faster than many animals can adapt, and ectotherms, like most fish, are especially at risk because their physiology depend directly on the surrounding temperature.
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Rush Dhillon, PhD | Cartoonist & Illustrator @rushstudio.bsky.social · 06/02/2026
Fun fact - I was inspired by Archibald Motley’s work that I had the privilege of viewing at the MET during my visit to NYC a couple years ago. DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2025.05.007
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Rush Dhillon, PhD | Cartoonist & Illustrator @rushstudio.bsky.social · 06/02/2026
Their study reveal potential functional roles when these sites undergo functional modifications, which can pinpoint targets for treating metabolic disease. We couldn’t get this image finished in time for the cover, but it was a fun piece to work on regardless!
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Rush Dhillon, PhD | Cartoonist & Illustrator @rushstudio.bsky.social · 06/02/2026
This piece was illustrated for Tigist et al.’s recent paper in Molecular Cell. The dynamic regulation and fine-tuning of proteins via phosphorylation can turn metabolism into a coordinated and often improvised rhythm.
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Rush Dhillon, PhD | Cartoonist & Illustrator @rushstudio.bsky.social · 30/01/2026
The figure shows the low reproduction and erosion that has occurred at a startling rate over the last several decades doi.org/10.1073/pnas...
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Rush Dhillon, PhD | Cartoonist & Illustrator @rushstudio.bsky.social · 30/01/2026
Excellent piece by Matz @heatshok.bsky.social and colleagues discussing the dire status of Caribbean reefs, and potential plans and policies that can be implemented if these reefs are to have any chance. Check it out in PNAS!
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Reposted by Rush Dhillon, PhD | Cartoonist & Illustrator
Misha Matz @heatshok.bsky.social · 28/01/2026
🧪🌎 All western Atlantic coral reefs are on the same decline trajectory, although Florida is one of the most further along: doi.org/10.1111/cobi... illustration by @rushstudio.bsky.social
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Rush Dhillon, PhD | Cartoonist & Illustrator @rushstudio.bsky.social · 23/01/2026
Latest paper from Toews et al @davetoews.bsky.social. Their study into microenvironments within the forest canopy revealed that these warbler species opportunistically feed upon the spiders they encounter in their preferred strata in the canopy. Check it out in Ornithology!!! doi.org/10.1093/orni...
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Reposted by Rush Dhillon, PhD | Cartoonist & Illustrator
David Toews @davetoews.bsky.social · 21/01/2026
I could give you a great summary of our new warbler diet paper… but if a picture says a thousand words, this awesome graphical abstract by @rushstudio.bsky.social tells the whole story. 🦉🧪 academic.oup.com/auk/article/...
A comic graphical abstract by illustrator Rush Dhillon showing two wood warblers and their spider prey. The graphs illustrate the read abundance of these spiders in the warbler's fecal samples.
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Rush Dhillon, PhD | Cartoonist & Illustrator @rushstudio.bsky.social · 07/11/2025
Life stages of Fundulus heteroclitus. Mummichog, killifish, call it what you want, but know it is among the mightiest inhabitants of North America’s east coast estuaries
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Rush Dhillon, PhD | Cartoonist & Illustrator @rushstudio.bsky.social · 31/10/2025
The Waddinton epigenetic landscape… for salmonids! The concept is that cells can roll downhill to their “endpoint” differentiated state. However, the landscape itself can be modified by various factors, “nudging” the ball into different valleys. Figure for Schulte Lab.
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Rush Dhillon, PhD | Cartoonist & Illustrator @rushstudio.bsky.social · 24/10/2025
Sturgeon #archives #fish
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Rush Dhillon, PhD | Cartoonist & Illustrator @rushstudio.bsky.social · 20/06/2025
forestgeneticsconference2025.com
forestgeneticsconference2025.com
Forest Genetics Conference 2025
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Rush Dhillon, PhD | Cartoonist & Illustrator @rushstudio.bsky.social · 20/06/2025
Logo for the Forest Genetics Conference 2025. The logo is a nod to the Western Forest Genetics Association (WFGA), the Southern Forest Tree Improvement Committee (SFTIC), & the Northern Forest Genetics Association (NFGA). June 23-27th, hosted by the Schatz Centre at Penn State, in State College, PA
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Rush Dhillon, PhD | Cartoonist & Illustrator @rushstudio.bsky.social · 04/04/2025
Understanding animal physiology in all its forms necessitates asking hard-to-measure questions. Until his retirement last year, @zoology.ubc.ca was lucky enough to have Bruce Gillespie create custom equipment for over 25 yrs, assisting us in quantifying our research. Here are a few of his creations.
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Rush Dhillon, PhD | Cartoonist & Illustrator @rushstudio.bsky.social · 28/03/2025
Coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch)
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Rush Dhillon, PhD | Cartoonist & Illustrator @rushstudio.bsky.social · 21/03/2025
It was fantastic to work with a local company so committed to their employees and the communities they serve. www.vankam.com/portal/van-k...
vankam.com
Van Kam Collaborates with Artist Rush Dhillon to Visualize Core Values - VAN KAM FREIGHTWAYS LTD.
At Van Kam, we understand that the soul of a company lies not just in its services or its history, but in the values it upholds and lives by each day. Recently, we embarked on a creative journey to re...
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Rush Dhillon, PhD | Cartoonist & Illustrator @rushstudio.bsky.social · 21/03/2025
From the archives - a little different from my usual projects, but a rewarding one: Van Kam is a Canadian company owned and operating out of Western Canada for almost 70 years. A while back they asked me to help them visualize their core values: Care, Achieve, and Develop.
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Rush Dhillon, PhD | Cartoonist & Illustrator @rushstudio.bsky.social · 14/03/2025
rightwhalegenomes.ca/static/site-...
rightwhalegenomes.ca
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Rush Dhillon, PhD | Cartoonist & Illustrator @rushstudio.bsky.social · 14/03/2025
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Rush Dhillon, PhD | Cartoonist & Illustrator @rushstudio.bsky.social · 14/03/2025
Recent paper from the lab of @tfrasierdna.bsky.social. The endangered North Atlantic right whale suffer from low genetic diversity and high mutation load, which can impact recovery. However, genetic purging has reduced harmful mutations, potentially contributing to future recovery.
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Reposted by Rush Dhillon, PhD | Cartoonist & Illustrator
Clayton T. Lamb @claytontlamb.bsky.social · 09/03/2025
Great evening with some @y2y.bsky.social friends discussing wildlife conservation and coexistence in the Elk Valley and beyond. Awesome to have graphics from @rushstudio.bsky.social and Fuse consulting anchoring our discussions. Exciting solutions for highway collisions and bear conflicts brewing.
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Rush Dhillon, PhD | Cartoonist & Illustrator @rushstudio.bsky.social · 07/03/2025
Thus, conservation efforts need to protect these migratory behaviours with landscape-level protections that preserve this flow of biomass and the communities that benefit from their movement. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/gcb.70095
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
The Erosion of Threatened Southern Mountain Caribou Migration
Migration enables animals to access seasonally and spatially varying resources, resulting in greater abundance compared to analogous non-migratory wildlife. Both Western science and Indigenous knowle...
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Rush Dhillon, PhD | Cartoonist & Illustrator @rushstudio.bsky.social · 07/03/2025
New paper by Lamb et al. (@claytontlamb.bsky.social). Southern mountain caribou exhibit both vertical and horizontal migration, but migratory behaviours are under threat due to disturbances, particularly at lower elevations.
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Clayton T. Lamb @claytontlamb.bsky.social · 05/03/2025
NEW PAPER: looking into the erosion of southern mountain caribou migrations. Over 35 years, migration distances shrank 15-25%, and elevational migrations are collapsing. Habitat loss, not weather, likely the main culprit. A major conservation challenge ahead. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
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Rush Dhillon, PhD | Cartoonist & Illustrator @rushstudio.bsky.social · 24/12/2024
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Rush Dhillon, PhD | Cartoonist & Illustrator @rushstudio.bsky.social · 24/12/2024
Happy Holidays! Due to the postal strike this card did not get the distribution it usually does, and those who get one expect it late. But the sentiment remains the same - I hope everyone has a kickass 2025! And on behalf of Kuma and Yider, don’t forget, #adoptdontshop.
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David Toews @davetoews.bsky.social · 16/12/2024
Folks, did you know there's a whole bird nerd podcast? It's called "Warblers" by Birds Canada. Not only does have a great name, but it also features some quality content .. e.g. the 20:00 mark on the latest episode someone waxing poetic about bird hybridization 🦉🧪 www.birdscanada.org/warblerspodc...
Cover art illustrating a podcast called "The Warblers" featuring several species of colorful wood warblers
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Reposted by Rush Dhillon, PhD | Cartoonist & Illustrator
Jill Hamilton @jillahamilton.bsky.social · 15/11/2024
Coming in December: Registration for the first joint conference between WFGA-SFTIC-NFGA June 23-27, 2025 in State College, PA - See you there!! #ForestGenetics2025 #climateadaptation #treebreeding #restoration #seedsourcing #biotechnology #conservation #foresthealth forestgeneticsconference2025.com
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Rush Dhillon, PhD | Cartoonist & Illustrator @rushstudio.bsky.social · 21/12/2023
If you are curious about adopting from these wonderful agencies, reach out to them directly or feel free to shoot me any questions! Remember, #adoptdontshop [ps: tone is for comedy. I actually approved of this adoption prior to his arrival]
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