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Tom Thirkell

@tomthirkell.bsky.social
478 followers 1.5K following 5 posts

Mostly mycorrhizas - Crop Science Centre, Cambridge. Trying to get crops and soil microbes to play nice. And highly questionable outings of every other kind.

PostsRepliesMedia
Reposted by Tom Thirkell
RSPB Scotland @rspbscotland.bsky.social · 09/06/2026
BIG NEWS for some of Scotland's most iconic seabird islands 📣 Bass Rock and Craigleith are now part of our nature reserve network! Together with @seabirdcentre.bsky.social we’re taking an exciting step forward to deliver a more secure future for seabirds. youtube.com/watch?v=WHxVpCh5E-Q
youtube.com
Amazing news as RSPB adds iconic seabird islands to its reserves
YouTube video by RSPB
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Reposted by Tom Thirkell
Alice Milner @alicemmilner.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
Peatlands store more carbon than the world's forests yet fundamental questions remain unanswered. Today we publish 50 priority research questions, identified by 467 participants from 54 countries #PeatQuest #Peatlands www.nature.com/articles/s43...
Peatland landscape with scattered trees
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Alexandra Dallaire @alexdallaire.bsky.social · 24/03/2026
The first publication from the Dallaire and Kameoka labs is out! A forward-looking review on the status of mycorrhiza research in 2026, with emphasis on AM fungi doi.org/10.1111/nph.... @newphyt.bsky.social @ulaval.ca 🇨🇦
doi.org
Status of mycorrhiza research in 2026
Mycorrhizal symbiosis improves the nutrition of most land plants and plays key roles in nutrient cycling and ecosystem function. To understand and leverage the biology of mycorrhizal symbioses for su...
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Reposted by Tom Thirkell
Botanical University Challenge @bucbotany.bsky.social · 28/03/2026
🌱🌾🌍🌺🍄🌳🍂 Plant knowledge becoming more popular! Cambridge Uni botanic garden @cubotanicgarden.bsky.social joins UK others offering short courses plant vocabulary & ID. Also BSBI @bsbibotany.bsky.social Identiplant (enrol December), Plantlife @plantlifeuk.bsky.social , Field Studies Council #BUC2026
Image screengrab article from newspaper. Image of Vaccinium vitis idaea flower, fruit. For more informatio see: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/mar/28/cambridge-university-botany-course-charles-darwin-john-stevens-henslow
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Robert Hoffie @forscherrobert.bsky.social · 26/03/2026
#GiveGenesAChance in UK 🌾 www.rothamsted.ac.uk/news/rothams...
rothamsted.ac.uk
Rothamsted gene-edited barley crop becomes first to receive a UK Precision Bred Organism marketing notice | Rothamsted Research
A gene-edited barley developed by scientists at Rothamsted Research has become the first crop to receive a Precision Bred Organism (PBO) marketing notice confirmation through the UK’s new regulatory p...
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Reposted by Tom Thirkell
Adam Frew @frewecologist.bsky.social · 23/03/2026
Postdoc (2 years) in mycorrhizal fungal biogeography & species distribution modelling @umeaplantsciencecentre.se Work with large-scale metabarcoding data and modelling. Deadline is 30th April www.umu.se/en/work-with...
umu.se
Postdoctoral scholarship (2 years) in mycorrhizal biogeography and species distribution modelling
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Jen McGaley @jenmcgaley.bsky.social · 03/12/2025
Mid-week #mycorrhiza 🍄 Motivated by a seminar from @tomthirkell.bsky.social, I've delved back into my image archives of mycorrhizal fungi in random plant species. This beautifully bunchy fungal arbuscule in a buttercup root needed sharing!🔬🏵️ #mycosky #fungi #microscopy #outreach
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Reposted by Tom Thirkell
Prof Braj Singh @prof-braj-singh.bsky.social · 02/10/2025
We are searching for a 4- year postdoctoral fellow to work us on Microbial Ecology and Crop Disease Management. More details below. The position will start next year. Please circulate and repost. jobs.smartrecruiters.com/WesternSydne...
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Reposted by Tom Thirkell
Dr Scott J. Davidson @wetlandresilienceresearchgroup.com · 20/09/2025
Does anyone have any good resources (or their own examples) for how to make a good scientific poster to share with students. Please RT!
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Justine Karst 🇨🇦 @j-karst.bsky.social · 11/07/2025
Get ready for Cairns! ICOM2026 (formally known as ICOM13) is now online. I’ll be there next year and I hope you’ll join us! (I’ve already planned my post-conference bike tour…in Samoa!). 🍄🚲🌊 icom2026.org
icom2026.org
ICOM 2026
Visit the post for more.
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Mark A. Anthony @anthomycota.bsky.social · 10/07/2025
Are you in the USA, interesting in greater stability, and looking for a postdoc with excellent funding? Write me to discuss this opportunity to come to Austria under the APART-USA program from the Austrian Academy of Sciences and Uni Wien. stipendien.oeaw.ac.at/en/fellowshi...
stipendien.oeaw.ac.at
APART-USA
Stipendien & Preise der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften
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fluxsoilsleaves.bsky.social @fluxsoilsleaves.bsky.social · 07/07/2025
Tansley Review now out @newphyt.bsky.social nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.... big team effort involving @garethclay.bsky.social @jpritson.bsky.social @em-shuttleworth.bsky.social @queenofpeat.bsky.social @peatofmind.bsky.social @mercury-ecohydro.bsky.social @adamjohnst.bsky.social (1/2)
nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
The effects of drought on Sphagnum moss species and the implications for hydrology in peatlands
You have to enable JavaScript in your browser's settings in order to use the eReader.
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Courtney Herms @courtneyherms.bsky.social · 19/06/2025
Hearing a lot about #intercropping - and its benefits - in this session at #rhizosphere6! Does anyone have some numbers on how widespread intercropping is in intensive agriculture? Or why it might not be utilized so much in practice?
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Ian Henderson @hendersi.bsky.social · 30/05/2025
A three year postdoctoral position is available in my group, investigating plant centromere structure, function and evolution @camplantsci.bsky.social www.jobs.cam.ac.uk/job/51488/
jobs.cam.ac.uk
Research Assistant / Research Associate (Fixed Term) - Job Opportunities - University of Cambridge
Research Assistant / Research Associate (Fixed Term) in the Department of Plant Sciences at the University of Cambridge.
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Plant Evolutionary Ecology lab @plantecoevout.bsky.social · 08/05/2025
We are looking for a research fellow to join our group for 2 years! Please share with anyone looking for a new position and interested in 🌱 local adaptation, plant-soil interactions and land use! euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/340833
euraxess.ec.europa.eu
Research Fellow in Plant Evolutionary Ecology (postdoc)
We are looking for a 2-year postdoctoral research fellow within the European Research Council project PlantSoilAdapt - “Eco-evolutionary dynamics in plant-soil interactions during land use transition:...
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Leonie Luginbuehl @lluginbuehl.bsky.social · 04/05/2025
Join our group (www.luginbuehllab.com) at @camplantsci.bsky.social! Are you excited about mycorrhiza, (single-cell) transcriptomics, carbon physiology, and the model crop rice? We have a 2-year postdoc position available, starting ASAP. Closing date 23rd May 2025! www.jobs.cam.ac.uk/job/51214/
jobs.cam.ac.uk
Research Assistant / Research Associate (Fixed Term) - Job Opportunities - University of Cambridge
Research Assistant / Research Associate (Fixed Term) in the Department of Plant Sciences at the University of Cambridge.
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Katie Field @katiefield4.bsky.social · 18/04/2025
I'm looking for a mycorrhiza-motivated PhD student to start this project, fully funded by a Rank Prize Lord Selborne Scholarship, in October 2025 - please contact me via email for more information and forward on to potentially interested people... www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
findaphd.com
Optimising wheat-fungal symbioses for enhanced nutrition and sustainability at University of Sheffield on FindAPhD.com
PhD Project - Optimising wheat-fungal symbioses for enhanced nutrition and sustainability at University of Sheffield, listed on FindAPhD.com
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Jake Harris @c-jake-harris.bsky.social · 08/04/2025
We are advertising a new postdoctoral position in my group. 3 years of funding to work on a moonshot synthetic biology project funded by the Advanced Research + Innovation Agency (ARIA). Please apply and please RP! www.jobs.cam.ac.uk/job/50801/ @camplantsci.bsky.social
jobs.cam.ac.uk
Research Assistant / Research Associate (Fixed Term) - Job Opportunities - University of Cambridge
Research Assistant / Research Associate (Fixed Term) in the Department of Plant Sciences at the University of Cambridge.
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Sebastian Schornack @dromius.bsky.social · 05/03/2025
Plz Repost. We @slcuplants.bsky.social @uniofcam.bsky.social are looking for a postdoc with proven protein biochemistry & cell biology expertise & strong interest in plant processes targeted by Phytophthora effectors. (apply before 2 April) [Image: Alex Guyon] www.jobs.cam.ac.uk/job/50570/
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Sandy Hetherington @sandyheth.bsky.social · 21/03/2025
Exciting #FossilFriday as our preprint on @biorxivpreprint.bsky.social was picked up by @newscientist.com! You can read the prepint here: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
biorxiv.org
Prototaxites was an extinct lineage of multicellular terrestrial eukaryotes
Prototaxites was the first giant organism to live on the terrestrial surface, reaching sizes of 8 metres in the Early Devonian. However, its taxonomic assignment has been debated for over 165 years1-7...
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Mark A. Anthony @anthomycota.bsky.social · 18/03/2025
Lower survival rate among trainees in labs with highly productive mentors raises important concerns about what we value in academia. Many interesting things to stew over with this paper! www.nature.com/articles/s41...
nature.com
Academic mentees thrive in big groups, but survive in small groups - Nature Human Behaviour
Using longitudinal genealogical data on mentor–mentee relations and their publications, the authors find that mentees trained in larger groups tend to exhibit superior academic performance compared wi...
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Reposted by Tom Thirkell
Jean-Michel Ané @jeanmichelane.bsky.social · 24/02/2025
A must read for AM symbiosis afficionados nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
A fungal sRNA silences a host plant transcription factor to promote arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis
Cross-kingdom RNA interference (ckRNAi) is a mechanism of interspecies communication where small RNAs (sRNAs) are transported from one organism to another; these sRNAs silence target genes in trans ...
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Francis M. Martin @fmartin54.bsky.social · 14/02/2025
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal genotype and nuclear organization as driving factors in host plant nutrient acquisition and stable carbon storage nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal genotype and nuclear organization as driving factors in host plant nutrient acquisition and stable carbon storage
It is crucial to develop strategies for reducing our continued excessive global increases in fertilizer applications and to offset CO2 emissions. The pervasive underground hyphal networks of arbuscul...
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Reposted by Tom Thirkell
PlantEcoHutton @plantecohutton.bsky.social · 09/12/2024
❗️The abstract submission and registration for Rhizosphere 6 is now open! 🌾🌿 www.rhizo6.org/home please join us in Edinburgh next year for what should be an exciting meeting. @hutton.ac.uk #rhizosphere6
rhizo6.org
Rhizosphere 6 - Rooting for Earth
Welcome to Rhizosphere 6 We are looking forward to welcoming the global rhizosphere research community to Edinburgh for Rhizosphere 6 in June 2025. The meeting will foster exchange, interaction and ...
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Brady Lab @bradylabs.bsky.social · 03/02/2025
Does anyone have experience with low-input high-throughput (96 well plate) RNAseq library preparation from plants (bonus points if it is with plant roots...)
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Reposted by Tom Thirkell
Sjon Hartman @hartman-plantlab.com · 27/01/2025
Welcome @bipinpandey.bsky.social to Bluesky! Check out his amazing #plantscience work on soil compaction 🌱 www.science.org/doi/abs/10.1...
science.org
Plant roots sense soil compaction through restricted ethylene diffusion
Compacted soil restrains diffusion of the volatile plant hormone ethylene, increasing its signal strength and restricting root growth.
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Reposted by Tom Thirkell
Leho Tedersoo @tedersoo.bsky.social · 23/01/2025
Post-Doc position for 3 years available jointly between University of Tartu (Estonia) and University of Aarhus (Denmark) on soil microbiome and biogeography. Skills required: bioinformatics, metagenome analysis, microbiology Contact: leho.tedersoo@ut.ee
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Ian Henderson @hendersi.bsky.social · 20/01/2025
We have a research laboratory technician post available in my group - the role will support plant work, and molecular biology, associated with our research on centromeres. www.jobs.cam.ac.uk/job/47342/
jobs.cam.ac.uk
Research Laboratory Technician - Job Opportunities - University of Cambridge
Research Laboratory Technician in the Department of Plant Sciences at the University of Cambridge.
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Reposted by Tom Thirkell
Dr Christopher F Clements @expecocons.bsky.social · 22/11/2024
📢Are you an early career researcher, interested in how science is communicated, reported, & the evolution of the scientific ecosystem? Applications are open for the Royal Society Publishing Early Career Researcher Advisory Panel. Find out more: ow.ly/MaTk50U71W3 #ECRs Please repost!
ow.ly
Royal Society Publishing Early Career Researcher Advisory Panel | Royal Society
Are you interested in shaping the future of scientific communication? Apply to join our new ECR Advisory Panel.
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Robert Fletcher @fletcherecology.bsky.social · 29/11/2024
Excited to share a new opportunity in my new lab at Cambridge! We are looking for a highly motivated, early-career, postdoctoral scientist to be part of a growing effort in #connectivity conservation. 3-yr position housed in the Cambridge Conservation Initiative! www.jobs.cam.ac.uk/job/49330/
jobs.cam.ac.uk
Postdoctoral Research Associate (Fixed Term) - Job Opportunities - University of Cambridge
Postdoctoral Research Associate (Fixed Term) in the Department of Zoology at the University of Cambridge.
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Katie Field @katiefield4.bsky.social · 29/11/2024
Take a look at this excellent array of PhD projects in plant and soil science that are nowopen for applications! Please share with potential students 🤩
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Mike Fowler @theorecol.bsky.social · 20/11/2024
I've got 5-6 months money for a Postdoc ecological modeller, linking mathematical (translated via statistical) models to insect lab popn. time-series data; starts Jan 2025. Must be UK-based (not cost/time effective for applicants to get such a short-term visa 😔). Please contact me if interested! 🌍🧪
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Sandy Hetherington @sandyheth.bsky.social · 21/11/2024
Next Thursday 28th, 6-8 pm, I will be giving a public lecture for @linneansociety.bsky.social here at Edinburgh University and live over Zoom. I will be talking about the evolution of botanical spirals! Free to attend and all welcome! www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-origin...
eventbrite.co.uk
The Origin and Evolution of Botanical Spirals (University of Edinburgh)
The origin and early evolution of two of the most iconic spiral forms observed in plants: Fibonacci series spirals and fiddlehead ferns.
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Monica G. Turner @monicagturner.bsky.social · 20/11/2024
New faculty position in climate change ecology at UW-Madison, applications due in four days for full consideration. Come join us! jobs.wisc.edu/jobs/assista...
jobs.wisc.edu
Assistant Professor of Climate Change Ecology - Madison, Wisconsin, United States
Job Summary: The Departments of Integrative Biology and Botany are seeking candidates for a tenure-track faculty position in Climate Change Ecology. The selected candidate will mount a vigorous rese...
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Jim Rowe @botanicaljim.bsky.social · 18/11/2024
The Rowe lab is recruiting a #PlantScience PhD student for 2025! You'll use our new ABACUS FRET biosensors to map the dynamic leaf #AbscisicAcid accumulations at low humidity in Arabidopsis, wheat and rice. #PhDposition www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
A grey coloured Arabidopsis leaf epidermis, with black cell walls. Each cells has a colourful blobs - a nuclear localised fluorescent ABA sensor, with warm colours indicating high concentrations, and cooler colours indicating lower concentrations.
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Jon Duncan @watershedduncan.bsky.social · 14/11/2024
Tenure track job in Soil Water Interactions at Penn State, Department of Ecosystem Science & Management. Awesome group in an awesome place. psu.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/PSU_Academic...
psu.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com
Assistant Professor of Soil-Water Interactions
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS: CURRENT PENN STATE EMPLOYEE (faculty, staff, technical service, or student), please login to Workday to complete the internal application process. Please do not apply here, a...
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