Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Alicia Hidalgo Lab

Irene Miguel-Aliaga @irenemiguel-aliaga.bsky.social · 1h

Come work with us!!

The Francis Crick Institute @crick.ac.uk · 1d

We're now recruiting early career group leaders at the Crick to lead ambitious research programmes and explore bold scientific questions.

Hear our Director, Edith Heard, explain why the Crick is a unique place for curiosity-driven research.

Apply now ➡️ www.crick.ac.uk/careers-stud...

1 2

Reposted by Alicia Hidalgo Lab

Current Biology @currentbiology.bsky.social · 3d

“For Gurdon to continue in biology would be a complete waste of time both for him and for those who would have to teach him”

He proved them wrong! RIP John Gurdon

www.cell.com/current-biol...

John Gurdon

John Gurdon is at the Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Institute of Cancer and Developmental Biology in Cambridge. Educated at Eton and Christ Church, Oxford, he changed from classics to zoology. Dur...

www.cell.com

14 36

Reposted by Alicia Hidalgo Lab

Katherine Brown @katherine-brown.bsky.social · 3d

Very saddened to hear of John Gurdon’s passing. I’ve been lucky enough to interact with him at multiple points through my career - from undergrad lectures, through his position as former Chair of @biologists.bsky.social’s Board of Directors, and as an author at @dev-journal.bsky.social.

Nobel Laureate Professor Sir John Gurdon dies aged 92

It is with great sadness that the University shares the news of the death of Professor Sir John Gurdon, founder of the Gurdon Institute.

www.cam.ac.uk

3 16 72

Alicia Hidalgo Lab @aliciahidalgolab.bsky.social · 3d

Very sad news. He was such a nice person too.

1

Alicia Hidalgo Lab @aliciahidalgolab.bsky.social · 10d

Congratulations David! 😃

1

Reposted by Alicia Hidalgo Lab

David L. Stern @gallseeker.bsky.social · 10d

It's official! We are moving to Stowers!
Very exciting opportunity to expand our studies of insect-plant interactions. We have many opportunities available in biochemistry, development, behavior, genetics, evolution, genomics, AI, and even pest control. Interested in any of these things? Reach out!

Stowers Institute @stowersinstitute.bsky.social · 10d

NEWS🎉 We’re excited to announce @hhmijanelia.bsky.social Investigator David Stern will join the Institute from Janelia Research Campus. His lab studies how aphids transform plants at the genetic level, uncovering secrets of #evolution & new strategies for pest control. @hhmi.org bit.ly/4np96Fb

Stowers Institute recruits renowned developmental and evolutionary…

David Stern, Ph.D., brings groundbreaking research on insect–plant interactions for next-generation pest control to the Institute.

bit.ly

12 18 72

Reposted by Alicia Hidalgo Lab

Greenpeace EU @greenpeace.eu · 24d

“This is the only planet we’ve got. What could be more important than protecting it?” – Robert Redford

photo of robert redford wearing a cowboy hat and shirt, touching a brown horse. quote super imposed says "this is the only planet we've got. what could be more important than protecting it?"

12 160 480

Reposted by Alicia Hidalgo Lab

FlyBase @flybase.bsky.social · 24d

The FlyBase situation has made the national news www.nbcnews.com/science/scie...

Trump's Harvard cuts threaten a giant in biomedical research: A database about the tiny fruit fly

This spring, the Trump administration rescinded a grant that maintained FlyBase, a pillar of global basic research, as part of its broader $2.2 billion funding cuts at Harvard.

www.nbcnews.com

27 28

Reposted by Alicia Hidalgo Lab

Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior @mpi-animalbehav.bsky.social · Sep 1

Scientists discover the secret behind the shrew’s amazing ability to shrink their brains 🧠

The clever trick sheds unwanted weight without compromising too much on cognition.

Find the 5-letter word 👇

Study by @cecibaldoni.bsky.social Dechmann Lab #shrewcrew et al

www.ab.mpg.de/743885/news_...

Rare seasonal brain shrinkage in shrews is driven by water loss, not cell death

Common shrews are one of only a handful of mammals known to flexibly shrink and regrow their brains. This rare seasonal cycle, known as Dehnel’s phenomenon, has puzzled scientists for decades. A study...

www.ab.mpg.de

1 27 44

Reposted by Alicia Hidalgo Lab

SEBD @sebioldev.bsky.social · Aug 28

📣 Eres socio de la #SEBD y tienes resultados para publicar? Mira @ijdb.bsky.social como opción para tu trabajo! Si eres socio #SEBD puedes publicar gratis ijdb.ehu.eus

4 6

Reposted by Alicia Hidalgo Lab

MPI for Biology Tübingen & Friedrich Miescher Laboratory @mpi-bio-fml.bsky.social · Aug 18

Very proud of our @canaztekin.bsky.social on his Rising Star Award 2025 from @isrbio.bsky.social! Find out more about his work on the structural limb #regeneration, specifically in understanding the differences in regeneration abilities across various species: s.gwdg.de/QidoUL #biology #maxplanck

1 8 29

Reposted by Alicia Hidalgo Lab

Ilan davis @ilandavis.bsky.social · Aug 17

Dear friends and scientific colleagues,
(especially those of you who knew David Ish-Horowicz).

Feel free to share the attached PDF widely (all the speakers are happy for the talks to be shared).

Many thanks
Best regards
Ilan

www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...

David Ish-Horowicz memorial symposium, Francis Crick Institute, London, 23 June 2025. - YouTube

A public symposium organised by friends, scientific colleages and David's wife Ros Diamond to cellebrate David Ish-Horowiccz's, FRS, scientific achievements,...

www.youtube.com

1 14 22

Reposted by Alicia Hidalgo Lab

EMBL-EBI @ebi.embl.org · Aug 13

Recruitment is now open for the EMBL-EBI–Sanger Postdoctoral Programme.

ESPOD builds on the collaborative relationship between EMBL-EBI and the @sangerinstitute.bsky.social, offering projects that combine experimental and computational approaches.

www.ebi.ac.uk/research/pos...

🧬🖥️🔬#postdocjob

ESPOD, the EMBL-EBI/Sanger postdoctoral fellowship. Applications deadline 30 September. Image credit: Karen Arnott / EMBL-EBI

1 31 31

Reposted by Alicia Hidalgo Lab

Dr Sian Gramates @drglam.bsky.social · Aug 13

News via The Transmitter www.thetransmitter.org/community/ha...

Harvard University lays off fly database team

The layoffs jeopardize this resource, which has served more than 4,000 labs for about three decades.

www.thetransmitter.org

3 25 25

Reposted by Alicia Hidalgo Lab

Wei-Chung Allen Lee @darbly.bsky.social · Aug 3

How is the nervous system organized to coordinate behavior? To approach this massive question, a team led by @asbates.bsky.social, @jasper-tms.bsky.social, @mindyisminsu.bsky.social, & Helen Yang present the BANC: a Brain and Nerve Cord connectome.

Preprint: doi.org/10.1101/2025...

🧪#Neuroskyence

4 59 130

Reposted by Alicia Hidalgo Lab

Matt Collie @mottcallie.bsky.social · Aug 1

I think the "embodiment" of this connectome is going to be such a hit: For instance take the interactive "body part" maps on Codex, where you can simply click on your favorite external or visceral part and it will show you all of the neurons associated it! codex.flywire.ai/app/body_par...

15 27

Reposted by Alicia Hidalgo Lab

Magdalena Skipper @magdalenaskipper.bsky.social · Aug 2

This is fascinating - the brain fires up immune cells when sick people are nearby
🧪

www.nature.com/articles/d41...

The brain fires up immune cells when sick people are nearby

When people viewed virtual avatars with coughs or rashes, their brains triggered an immune response.

www.nature.com

8 30 120

Reposted by Alicia Hidalgo Lab

Kristian G. Andersen @kgandersen.bsky.social · Jul 31

This is as essential read, however, I wish it included references to contemporary history, e.g., Hungary, Brazil, Poland, Argentina, etc.

There are many recent examples in which science was under assault and destroyed - exactly what we're now seeing in the US.

www.theatlantic.com/science/arch...

Every Scientific Empire Comes to an End

America’s run as the premiere techno-superpower may be over.

www.theatlantic.com

3 18 36

Reposted by Alicia Hidalgo Lab

Matthew Freeman @mjafreeman.bsky.social · Jul 30

This is a genuinely huge opportunity for the right person.

We @dunnschool.bsky.social are proud not only of our discovery science to transform human health, but also of the support we offer early career fellows.

Join us, and launch your independent career!

Please share.

The Dunn School, Oxford @dunnschool.bsky.social · Jul 30

📣 Applications now open 📣

We are seeking outstanding ECRs looking for a stimulating and supportive environment in which to establish their research group as externally-funded fellows, in any area or cell or molecular biology underlying disease!

Please share!

www.path.ox.ac.uk/work-with-us...

4 7

Reposted by Alicia Hidalgo Lab

eLife @elife.bsky.social · Jul 26

Cutting jargon and putting research in context.

eLife Science Digests showcase some of the latest articles published in eLife with short, easy to read summaries: buff.ly/MsNh6J5

An illustration of science equipment alongside newspapers on a blue background.

3 10

Reposted by Alicia Hidalgo Lab

Institut Curie @institutcurie.bsky.social · Jul 11

🔬 The next international Developmental Biology course, organized by Institut Curie with @sorbonne-universite.fr, will focus on "From stem #cells to #morphogenesis".

📅 Apply by:
• July 20 (3.5 weeks with hands-on workshop)
• Aug 31 (10 days of seminars)

🔗 training.institut-curie.org/courses/deve...

1 14 21

Reposted by Alicia Hidalgo Lab

Nature @nature.com · Jul 16

A huge project has analysed more than 1,000 claims about the immunity of Drosophila fruit flies in scientific papers published over some 50 years

go.nature.com/4lxhwJB

Giant study finds a research field that’s mostly reproducible

Researchers assessed more than 1,000 results from fruit-fly immunity research published between 1959 and 2011. The majority of findings look verifiable.

go.nature.com

2 16 52

Reposted by Alicia Hidalgo Lab

Le Neuro (Institut-Hôpital neurologique de Montréal) @theneuro.bsky.social · Jul 15

Happy 107th Birthday, Brenda Milner! Her contributions to neuropsychology shaped the way we understand the human brain. From surviving two world wars and two pandemics, to paving the way for future generations of researchers, Milner’s legacy continues. @mcgill.ca @cusm-muhc.bsky.social

2 83 210

Reposted by Alicia Hidalgo Lab

Emanuel Maiberg @emanuelmaiberg.bsky.social · Jun 11

Wikipedia wanted to use AI summaries at the top of article pages. Editors said please please don't www.404media.co/wikipedia-pa...

Wikipedia Pauses AI-Generated Summaries After Editor Backlash

“This would do immediate and irreversible harm to our readers and to our reputation as a decently trustworthy and serious source,” one Wikipedia editor said.

www.404media.co

100 1.1K 4.6K

Reposted by Alicia Hidalgo Lab

Alex Gould Lab @alexgouldlab.bsky.social · Jun 4

Calling all European #Drosophila labs. Time for all of us, that are able, to step up to support FlyBase during this funding crisis.

FlyBase @flybase.bsky.social · Jun 3

We currently have a call for support that has gone out to European labs, to support FlyBase-UK. We are asking our colleagues from labs in the US and other countries to wait for a similar call to them that will go out in the near future, to support the US sites. We thank you for your patience.

Mark A. Hanson @hansonmark.bsky.social · Jun 3

URGENT: FlyBase has lost practically all its funding overnight; even user fees are tied up in denied grant funding. 🤬🤯

Any lab using @flybase.bsky.social please donate using the link in post below.

This incredible community, on whose backs our #Drosophila labs depend, can't be left out to dry.

10 14