Aris Katzourakis
@ariskatzourakis.bsky.social
Viruses, Evolution, Education, Trade Unions, things like that. Prof at Uni of Oxford, NEC member for UCU. Posts mine, reposts not.
Key takehome, a lot of us were highlighting:
"If a lockdown had been imposed on 16 March, a week earlier than took place, modelling suggests this could have cut the number of deaths in England in the first wave of the virus by almost half, equating to 23,000 lives saved, the inquiry authors say."
"If a lockdown had been imposed on 16 March, a week earlier than took place, modelling suggests this could have cut the number of deaths in England in the first wave of the virus by almost half, equating to 23,000 lives saved, the inquiry authors say."
‘Too little, too late’: damning report condemns UK’s Covid response
Report on handling of pandemic contains stinging criticism of ‘toxic and chaotic’ culture inside Boris Johnson’s No 10
www.theguardian.com
November 21, 2025 at 9:55 AM
Key takehome, a lot of us were highlighting:
"If a lockdown had been imposed on 16 March, a week earlier than took place, modelling suggests this could have cut the number of deaths in England in the first wave of the virus by almost half, equating to 23,000 lives saved, the inquiry authors say."
"If a lockdown had been imposed on 16 March, a week earlier than took place, modelling suggests this could have cut the number of deaths in England in the first wave of the virus by almost half, equating to 23,000 lives saved, the inquiry authors say."
Reposted by Aris Katzourakis
1/ How does the COVID Inquiry's Module 2 report align with what we said in @independentsage.bsky.social at the time? A 🧵on Transparency, Early & Decisive Action, Scientific Advice, Integration of Social & Economic Harms, Communication and Behavioural Science, Governance, Data and Preparedness
November 20, 2025 at 4:43 PM
1/ How does the COVID Inquiry's Module 2 report align with what we said in @independentsage.bsky.social at the time? A 🧵on Transparency, Early & Decisive Action, Scientific Advice, Integration of Social & Economic Harms, Communication and Behavioural Science, Governance, Data and Preparedness
With much regret, I have resigned my long standing membership of the Labour party. I refuse to be a member of a political party that incorporates far right talking points into its immigration policy.
November 18, 2025 at 9:09 AM
With much regret, I have resigned my long standing membership of the Labour party. I refuse to be a member of a political party that incorporates far right talking points into its immigration policy.
Reposted by Aris Katzourakis
I'm excited to introduce our new workflow for detecting endogenous viral elements - HI-FEVER. 🖥️🧬
academic.oup.com/bioinformati...
🧵
Big thanks to @ariskatzourakis.bsky.social, @humanceae.bsky.social, José Gabriel and Cormac for bringing this from conception to fruition!
academic.oup.com/bioinformati...
🧵
Big thanks to @ariskatzourakis.bsky.social, @humanceae.bsky.social, José Gabriel and Cormac for bringing this from conception to fruition!
HI-FEVER: a Nextflow pipeline for the high-throughput discovery and annotation of endogenous viral elements
AbstractSummary. Endogenous viral elements (EVEs) offer valuable insights into virus and host evolution, but their detection remains computationally and bi
academic.oup.com
November 13, 2025 at 11:14 AM
I'm excited to introduce our new workflow for detecting endogenous viral elements - HI-FEVER. 🖥️🧬
academic.oup.com/bioinformati...
🧵
Big thanks to @ariskatzourakis.bsky.social, @humanceae.bsky.social, José Gabriel and Cormac for bringing this from conception to fruition!
academic.oup.com/bioinformati...
🧵
Big thanks to @ariskatzourakis.bsky.social, @humanceae.bsky.social, José Gabriel and Cormac for bringing this from conception to fruition!
👌
Research assistant + postdoc position on a NERC funded project working w @darrenobbard.bsky.social and collaborating with @savebutterflies.bsky.social on the ecological and evolutionary drivers of the virome of UK moths @uniexecec.bsky.social. Descriptions below and links here benlongdon.com/join/
October 7, 2025 at 6:13 PM
👌
Fact for the day: paracetamol does not cause autism
September 22, 2025 at 8:02 PM
Fact for the day: paracetamol does not cause autism
Three jobs in our shiny new building:
Oxford Biology is growing 📢
We’re appointing 3 Associate Professors in:
🌱 Plant Sciences
🦉 Animal Behaviour
🔬 Molecular Cell Biology
3 fields. 3 opportunities. One new home for Oxford Biology.
Learn more 👉 bit.ly/41S2Tc7
Apply now 👉 bit.ly/488CNW3
We’re appointing 3 Associate Professors in:
🌱 Plant Sciences
🦉 Animal Behaviour
🔬 Molecular Cell Biology
3 fields. 3 opportunities. One new home for Oxford Biology.
Learn more 👉 bit.ly/41S2Tc7
Apply now 👉 bit.ly/488CNW3
September 22, 2025 at 11:03 AM
Three jobs in our shiny new building:
Re-upping this....
Without wanting to downplay Lysenko, but I think, at the very least, he would get a run for his money from what is happening now.
September 22, 2025 at 9:04 AM
Re-upping this....
Reposted by Aris Katzourakis
Give me your post code, your body mass index and your smoking status and I’ll come close to that.
September 17, 2025 at 4:26 PM
Give me your post code, your body mass index and your smoking status and I’ll come close to that.
A life and mind building selfie....getting ready for the new @biology.ox.ac.uk era, exciting times ahead!
September 16, 2025 at 10:22 AM
A life and mind building selfie....getting ready for the new @biology.ox.ac.uk era, exciting times ahead!
Reposted by Aris Katzourakis
New paper alert 🎉
We explore the origins of deltaviruses and find they have infected and co-evolved with termites for 141 million years 🐜🕑🦴
This was a fascinating story to work on with @ariskatzourakis.bsky.social, Jose Gabriel and @anselmojiro.bsky.social
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
We explore the origins of deltaviruses and find they have infected and co-evolved with termites for 141 million years 🐜🕑🦴
This was a fascinating story to work on with @ariskatzourakis.bsky.social, Jose Gabriel and @anselmojiro.bsky.social
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Endogenous viral elements in termite genomes reveal extensive diversity of deltaviruses and provide insights into their origins
Deltaviruses are subviral agents of animals, which, in humans, require a hepadnavirus helper for transmission. The absence of deltavirus-like endogeno…
www.sciencedirect.com
September 15, 2025 at 11:16 AM
New paper alert 🎉
We explore the origins of deltaviruses and find they have infected and co-evolved with termites for 141 million years 🐜🕑🦴
This was a fascinating story to work on with @ariskatzourakis.bsky.social, Jose Gabriel and @anselmojiro.bsky.social
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
We explore the origins of deltaviruses and find they have infected and co-evolved with termites for 141 million years 🐜🕑🦴
This was a fascinating story to work on with @ariskatzourakis.bsky.social, Jose Gabriel and @anselmojiro.bsky.social
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Reposted by Aris Katzourakis
Termites have fused a viral gene into their own genome, making them symbionts, not just pathogens.
Researchers found 13 deltavirus-like sequences in the genomes of 5 termite species. These are called endogenous viral elements (EVEs), viral DNA that has been integrated into host genomes.
🧵(1/6)
Researchers found 13 deltavirus-like sequences in the genomes of 5 termite species. These are called endogenous viral elements (EVEs), viral DNA that has been integrated into host genomes.
🧵(1/6)
September 15, 2025 at 10:07 AM
Termites have fused a viral gene into their own genome, making them symbionts, not just pathogens.
Researchers found 13 deltavirus-like sequences in the genomes of 5 termite species. These are called endogenous viral elements (EVEs), viral DNA that has been integrated into host genomes.
🧵(1/6)
Researchers found 13 deltavirus-like sequences in the genomes of 5 termite species. These are called endogenous viral elements (EVEs), viral DNA that has been integrated into host genomes.
🧵(1/6)
Termite genomes shed light on the enigmatic deltaviruses, their ancient origins, and an intriguing example of co-option of viral genes by a host.
www.cell.com/cell-reports...
www.cell.com/cell-reports...
Endogenous viral elements in termite genomes reveal extensive diversity of deltaviruses and provide insights into their origins
Barreat et al. describe the discovery of deltavirus genomic fossils (ẟEVEs) in multiple
species of termites. The wide expression of ẟEVEs in termites and a host gene fusion
indicate that some ẟEVEs ma...
www.cell.com
September 15, 2025 at 9:08 AM
Termite genomes shed light on the enigmatic deltaviruses, their ancient origins, and an intriguing example of co-option of viral genes by a host.
www.cell.com/cell-reports...
www.cell.com/cell-reports...
Obituary for David Baltimore; huge influence in more aspects of virology than can possibly be listed in a post.
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/07/s...
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/07/s...
David Baltimore, Nobel-Winning Molecular Biologist, Dies at 87
www.nytimes.com
September 8, 2025 at 9:23 PM
Obituary for David Baltimore; huge influence in more aspects of virology than can possibly be listed in a post.
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/07/s...
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/07/s...
Reposted by Aris Katzourakis
“The research highlights the potential of mRNA technology beyond vaccines," says @ariskatzourakis.bsky.social
"The current trajectory in the US with mRNA vaccines will certainly and tragically slow down progress on both of these fronts”
"The current trajectory in the US with mRNA vaccines will certainly and tragically slow down progress on both of these fronts”
August 14, 2025 at 10:36 AM
“The research highlights the potential of mRNA technology beyond vaccines," says @ariskatzourakis.bsky.social
"The current trajectory in the US with mRNA vaccines will certainly and tragically slow down progress on both of these fronts”
"The current trajectory in the US with mRNA vaccines will certainly and tragically slow down progress on both of these fronts”
Reposted by Aris Katzourakis
This is incredible - early stage research suggests drugs based on mRNA vaccine technology could protect against just about any virus 🦠 🧪
Essentially, the mRNAs turn on innate defences ahead of infection, which can give the body a crucial edge
www.newscientist.com/article/2492...
Essentially, the mRNAs turn on innate defences ahead of infection, which can give the body a crucial edge
www.newscientist.com/article/2492...
mRNA drugs could protect against almost any kind of viral infection
mRNA drugs might be able to protect against a huge range of viruses by turning on key parts of our innate defences against infection
www.newscientist.com
August 14, 2025 at 10:36 AM
This is incredible - early stage research suggests drugs based on mRNA vaccine technology could protect against just about any virus 🦠 🧪
Essentially, the mRNAs turn on innate defences ahead of infection, which can give the body a crucial edge
www.newscientist.com/article/2492...
Essentially, the mRNAs turn on innate defences ahead of infection, which can give the body a crucial edge
www.newscientist.com/article/2492...
In the arms race between viruses and their hosts, viruses have found a dependable ally..
RFKJr’s gradual elimination of vaccines in USA is continuing and gathering pace as 22 federal contracts for mRNA-based vaccines being terminated including late stage research for bird flu vaccine #ImmunoSky 🧪🧵
RFK Jr’s health department to halt $500m in mRNA vaccine research
Agency to end 22 federal contracts, questioning safety of technology credited with helping end Covid pandemic
www.theguardian.com
August 6, 2025 at 9:10 AM
In the arms race between viruses and their hosts, viruses have found a dependable ally..
Outbreaks and inequalities - researcher spotlight on @mghafari.bsky.social at @biology.ox.ac.uk
www.biology.ox.ac.uk/article/prof...
www.biology.ox.ac.uk/article/prof...
Outbreaks and inequities – Dr Mahan Ghafari is tracking the evolution of viruses for a fairer future
www.biology.ox.ac.uk
July 28, 2025 at 8:37 PM
Outbreaks and inequalities - researcher spotlight on @mghafari.bsky.social at @biology.ox.ac.uk
www.biology.ox.ac.uk/article/prof...
www.biology.ox.ac.uk/article/prof...
What a team. Go lionesses ⚽⚽
July 27, 2025 at 6:52 PM
What a team. Go lionesses ⚽⚽
Reposted by Aris Katzourakis
Two PhD studentships available in real-time infectious disease modelling, jointly with LSHTM, Imperial and UKHSA. January 2026 start + 3.5 years of funding: www.lshtm.ac.uk/study/fees-a...
PhD studentships in real-time infectious disease modelling | LSHTM
The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), Imperial College London and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) are pleased to invite applications for two PhD studentships in real-time
www.lshtm.ac.uk
July 24, 2025 at 12:33 PM
Two PhD studentships available in real-time infectious disease modelling, jointly with LSHTM, Imperial and UKHSA. January 2026 start + 3.5 years of funding: www.lshtm.ac.uk/study/fees-a...
Nooo Ozzy. And we has gigging just a couple of weeks ago. Always with us.
July 22, 2025 at 8:49 PM
Nooo Ozzy. And we has gigging just a couple of weeks ago. Always with us.
Yeah, I think somehow saying would you mind terribly if you resign because you are embarrassing us, isn't going to have the desired effect
www.theguardian.com/science/2025...
www.theguardian.com/science/2025...
Royal Society suggested to Elon Musk he consider resigning science fellowship
Exclusive: Fellows called on academy to act over Tesla owner’s role in Trump administration’s attacks on research
www.theguardian.com
July 17, 2025 at 8:38 PM
Yeah, I think somehow saying would you mind terribly if you resign because you are embarrassing us, isn't going to have the desired effect
www.theguardian.com/science/2025...
www.theguardian.com/science/2025...