iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Tyler Starr @tylernstarr.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

U of U Biochemistry is hiring! See links below -- we're searching for a cell biologist and an AI/ML/data scientist, both broadly defined. Reach out if you have any questions about our supportive and collegial department. utah.peopleadmin.com/postings/208... utah.peopleadmin.com/postings/208...

utah.peopleadmin.com

Assistant Professor - Cell Biology

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Reposted by Tyler Starr

Gabriel Victora @victora.bsky.social · 06/06/2026

This was one of the most complex projects I have ever been involved in. Took us the better part of a decade, but I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. Especially the intensive and extensive interactions with @wsdewitt.github.io, @matsen.bsky.social, and @tylernstarr.bsky.social

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William DeWitt @wsdewitt.github.io · 05/06/2026

This started in 2019 as daydreamy PhD student musings with Tatsuya Araki. We're as excited as ever about germinal centers as a platform for experimental evolution. Many thanks to PIs @victora.bsky.social @matsen.bsky.social, co-1st authors Ashni Vora and Tatsuya, and many other key collaborators!

cell.com

Replaying germinal center evolution on a quantified affinity landscape

Antibody affinity maturation results from a somatic evolutionary process that takes place in the germinal center. A “parallel replay” experiment on germinal center B cells reveals the evolutionary for...

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Tyler Starr @tylernstarr.bsky.social · 29/05/2026

Was a treat to host @joethorntonlab.bsky.social for @uofubiochem.bsky.social seminar, together with lab-twin Mo Siddiq — heard a great talk about the ancient evolution of vertebrate hemoglobin, and then put that Hb to the test with a hike up to Lake Blanche. Science, the Utah way!

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Katherine Xue @ksxue.bsky.social · 17/07/2025

The Xue lab at UC Irvine is looking for a staff scientist to support our work investigating how microbes interact and evolve in the gut microbiome! Open to a wide range of previous experience levels, see ad for more. recruit.ap.uci.edu/JPF09601

recruit.ap.uci.edu

Junior, Assistant, or Associate Specialist – Xue Lab

University of California, Irvine is hiring. Apply now!

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Gabriel Victora @victora.bsky.social · 05/06/2025

Wanted to highlight our latest preprint--a huge effort by multiple people and labs, but led primarily by @wsdewitt.github.io, Tatsuya Araki, and Ashni Vora, in a very close wet-dry collaboration with @matsen.bsky.social’s lab at the Hutch www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

biorxiv.org

Replaying germinal center evolution on a quantified affinity landscape

Darwinian evolution of immunoglobulin genes within germinal centers (GC) underlies the progressive increase in antibody affinity following antigen exposure. Whereas the mechanics of how competition be...

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Tyler Starr @tylernstarr.bsky.social · 29/05/2025

Had a blast listening to exciting science and stories at last week's 4th annual Graduate Student Rising Stars symposium @uofubiochem.bsky.social, topped off by a keynote describing the wonders of cone snail venoms from Toto Olivera. Thanks to all of our visitors and speakers!

9 Graduate Student "Rising Stars" smiling in a group photo at the end of a successful symposium

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U of Utah Dept of Biochemistry @uofubiochem.bsky.social · 14/05/2025

We will be welcoming nine talented Graduate Student Rising Stars to share their research with us on Monday May 19th, starting at 9:30am in HSEB 1730. The symposium will be followed by the Pace Keynote talk by Dr. Toto Olivera at 4pm!

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PLOS Biology @plosbiology.org · 30/04/2025

Non-spike protein mutations in #SARSCoV2, likely to impact viral properties, are understudied. @brucelab.bsky.social show that a #nucleocapsid protein mutation in Delta variant enhances viral growth in vitro & in vivo by increasing viral genome #encapsidation @plosbiology.org 🧪 plos.io/4iBYsaI

N:G215C virions are enlarged and show over-incorporation of N protein. Vero-TMPRSS2 cells were infected with WT (left) or N:G215C (right) viruses at an MOI of 0.1. The following day cells were prepared for electron microscopy by high-pressure freezing and freeze-substitution, then sectioned and imaged by dual-axis electron tomography. Virus-containing exit compartments were located in both samples, and virions that had completely separated from cellular membranes were selected and analyzed in 3D in order to determine the structure of intact virions and the arrangement of internal ribonucleoprotein complexes.

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Dr. Michelle A. Rodrigues 🐒 @marspidermonkey.bsky.social · 02/04/2025

Booker sets a record and then starts talking about funding for postdocs and grad students ♥️♥️♥️

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Science Magazine @science.org · 25/03/2025

Exclusive: Science has learned that grant termination letters went out last night to principal investigators of 29 awards made by NIAID, including nine grants that were part of a program hoping to deliver antiviral drugs to prevent future pandemics. scim.ag/4iVm7mY

scim.ag

Saying ‘pandemic is over,’ NIH institute starts cutting COVID-19 research

Grant terminations halt research on improving vaccinations and preventing future pandemics

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Tyler Starr @tylernstarr.bsky.social · 12/03/2025

first post in the good place -- had a blast on Monday at our first Starr lab ski day!

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