Ed Rybicki 🇿🇲🇿🇦🇬🇧🍷🚀
@edrybicki.bsky.social
Semi-retired biotechnologist and virologist, interested in making vaccines, lover of 70s rock and hard SF. And good red wine. Posts are both personal and professional, and may include music and/or strong opinions. And possibly zombies.
Pinned
Cann's Principles of Molecular Virology
**Selected for Doody’s Core Titles® 2024 in Microbiology**Cann's Principles of Molecular Virology, Seventh Edition provides an easily access...
www.sciencedirect.com
"Cann's Principles of Molecular Virology 7th Edition revised extensively by Ed Rybicki, is an easily accessible introduction to modern virology, presenting principles in a clear and concise manner."
**Selected for Doody’s Core Titles® 2024 in Microbiology**
www.sciencedirect.com/book/9780128...
**Selected for Doody’s Core Titles® 2024 in Microbiology**
www.sciencedirect.com/book/9780128...
I did a lot of blog posts, back there in 2015. Here’s one in praise of Pratchett, he of fond memory. edrybicki.wordpress.com/2015/03/13/i...
In Praise of Pratchett
About six years ago, I wrote a paean in praise of Terry Pratchett – because I have, for over 30 years, been enthralled by his prose. And then yesterday, I heard that he had died. No! I cried…
edrybicki.wordpress.com
February 7, 2026 at 9:17 AM
I did a lot of blog posts, back there in 2015. Here’s one in praise of Pratchett, he of fond memory. edrybicki.wordpress.com/2015/03/13/i...
Damn, here we go…nearly sixteen years back! edrybicki.wordpress.com/2010/09/09/c...
Crime of the century
Close to it – being that long (as in, last century – do keep up??) since I last listened. And why was that? Pure inertia, probably – that, and I had none on vinyl or on tape, and…
edrybicki.wordpress.com
February 7, 2026 at 9:03 AM
Damn, here we go…nearly sixteen years back! edrybicki.wordpress.com/2010/09/09/c...
And seeing as I find myself digging into my own history, here’s another blog post from 11 years back. Music! edrybicki.wordpress.com/2015/05/27/m...
Music of a certain age
And here we are, in 2015, listening to music we grew up with – again. The good wife and I, sitting in our bedroom during an electricity load shedding episode, listening to The Best of Bread …
edrybicki.wordpress.com
February 7, 2026 at 8:55 AM
And seeing as I find myself digging into my own history, here’s another blog post from 11 years back. Music! edrybicki.wordpress.com/2015/05/27/m...
Reposted by Ed Rybicki 🇿🇲🇿🇦🇬🇧🍷🚀
Summary of Peter Hartcher article in Nine
February 7, 2026 at 5:33 AM
Summary of Peter Hartcher article in Nine
Like the Democrats, eh? Wordle 1,694 3/6
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February 7, 2026 at 7:53 AM
Like the Democrats, eh? Wordle 1,694 3/6
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“Around the icy waters underground…” - on all those moons, eh?!
#MicroSky: ENVIRON BIOTECH: Vidal et al discuss that deep beneath Earth’s surface, life thrives in extremes. Subsurface microbiology reveals the limits and origins of life, and guides the search for biosignatures on Mars, icy moons, and distant exoplanets. Do not miss doi.org/10.1111/1751...
February 7, 2026 at 6:35 AM
“Around the icy waters underground…” - on all those moons, eh?!
Reposted by Ed Rybicki 🇿🇲🇿🇦🇬🇧🍷🚀
Measles takes your immune memories virologydownunder.com/measles-take...
Measles takes your immune memories
Measles virus (MeV) rides its cellular carriages through the blood vessel networks and lymph node stations, spreading far and wide around the body. But after the journey ends, we're stuck paying its f...
virologydownunder.com
February 7, 2026 at 3:32 AM
Measles takes your immune memories virologydownunder.com/measles-take...
Reposted by Ed Rybicki 🇿🇲🇿🇦🇬🇧🍷🚀
Thanks for posting this @mackayim.bsky.social
I have been talking about this for years and how its not just the acute infection but rather the increased risk to subsequent infections that is particularly concerning
I have been talking about this for years and how its not just the acute infection but rather the increased risk to subsequent infections that is particularly concerning
Measles takes your immune memories virologydownunder.com/measles-take...
Measles takes your immune memories
Measles virus (MeV) rides its cellular carriages through the blood vessel networks and lymph node stations, spreading far and wide around the body. But after the journey ends, we're stuck paying its f...
virologydownunder.com
February 7, 2026 at 4:26 AM
Thanks for posting this @mackayim.bsky.social
I have been talking about this for years and how its not just the acute infection but rather the increased risk to subsequent infections that is particularly concerning
I have been talking about this for years and how its not just the acute infection but rather the increased risk to subsequent infections that is particularly concerning
Reposted by Ed Rybicki 🇿🇲🇿🇦🇬🇧🍷🚀
Quiet, lucid, devastating.
February 6, 2026 at 2:53 PM
Quiet, lucid, devastating.
F you, Wordle 1,693 5/6. For this one, I cheated: just because your country is ruled by them right now, doesn’t mean we all want to be!!
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February 6, 2026 at 1:53 PM
F you, Wordle 1,693 5/6. For this one, I cheated: just because your country is ruled by them right now, doesn’t mean we all want to be!!
🟨⬜⬜🟩⬜
⬜🟩⬜🟩⬜
⬜🟩⬜🟩⬜
⬜🟩⬜🟩⬜
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Reposted by Ed Rybicki 🇿🇲🇿🇦🇬🇧🍷🚀
No joke: I got angry hate mail today for writing an obituary of a Black woman scientist—because the person felt she did didn’t deserve the recognition.
Which just makes me want to share it again: www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Which just makes me want to share it again: www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Gladys Mae West obituary: mathematician who pioneered GPS technology
She made key contributions to US cold-war science despite facing huge barriers as a Black woman.
www.nature.com
February 6, 2026 at 9:09 AM
No joke: I got angry hate mail today for writing an obituary of a Black woman scientist—because the person felt she did didn’t deserve the recognition.
Which just makes me want to share it again: www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Which just makes me want to share it again: www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Reposted by Ed Rybicki 🇿🇲🇿🇦🇬🇧🍷🚀
@isv-news.bsky.social #ISV2025
Panel discussion on vaccines we have not considered yet: vaccines for space trsvel? Nicole Steinmetz, Alejandra Capozzo, Michael Schotsaert.
Panel discussion on vaccines we have not considered yet: vaccines for space trsvel? Nicole Steinmetz, Alejandra Capozzo, Michael Schotsaert.
October 29, 2025 at 11:25 AM
@isv-news.bsky.social #ISV2025
Panel discussion on vaccines we have not considered yet: vaccines for space trsvel? Nicole Steinmetz, Alejandra Capozzo, Michael Schotsaert.
Panel discussion on vaccines we have not considered yet: vaccines for space trsvel? Nicole Steinmetz, Alejandra Capozzo, Michael Schotsaert.
Reposted by Ed Rybicki 🇿🇲🇿🇦🇬🇧🍷🚀
Die #RWTH hat Nicole Steinmetz den Titel Adjunct Professor verliehen. Diese Auszeichnung vergibt die RWTH an international renommierte Professor*innen, um die Kooperationen mit wichtigen Partnerhochschulen und Forschungseinrichtungen zu stärken. 👍
➡️ www.rwth-aachen.de/go/id/bncjdm
📸: H. Lachmann
➡️ www.rwth-aachen.de/go/id/bncjdm
📸: H. Lachmann
May 15, 2025 at 9:14 AM
Die #RWTH hat Nicole Steinmetz den Titel Adjunct Professor verliehen. Diese Auszeichnung vergibt die RWTH an international renommierte Professor*innen, um die Kooperationen mit wichtigen Partnerhochschulen und Forschungseinrichtungen zu stärken. 👍
➡️ www.rwth-aachen.de/go/id/bncjdm
📸: H. Lachmann
➡️ www.rwth-aachen.de/go/id/bncjdm
📸: H. Lachmann
Reposted by Ed Rybicki 🇿🇲🇿🇦🇬🇧🍷🚀
#SeminarCBGP | 19/11/21 - 16:00h
👩🏽🔬Dr. Nicole Steinmetz
🌎University of California, San Diego (USA)
📝Nano Engineering gone viral: Plant virus-based therapeutics
💻Zoom ID: 854 8155 0825 | Código acceso: 739267
#somosUPM
👩🏽🔬Dr. Nicole Steinmetz
🌎University of California, San Diego (USA)
📝Nano Engineering gone viral: Plant virus-based therapeutics
💻Zoom ID: 854 8155 0825 | Código acceso: 739267
#somosUPM
November 25, 2024 at 12:07 PM
#SeminarCBGP | 19/11/21 - 16:00h
👩🏽🔬Dr. Nicole Steinmetz
🌎University of California, San Diego (USA)
📝Nano Engineering gone viral: Plant virus-based therapeutics
💻Zoom ID: 854 8155 0825 | Código acceso: 739267
#somosUPM
👩🏽🔬Dr. Nicole Steinmetz
🌎University of California, San Diego (USA)
📝Nano Engineering gone viral: Plant virus-based therapeutics
💻Zoom ID: 854 8155 0825 | Código acceso: 739267
#somosUPM
Reposted by Ed Rybicki 🇿🇲🇿🇦🇬🇧🍷🚀
New research led by UC San Diego chemical and nano engineer Nicole Steinmetz sheds light on why a certain plant virus that infects black-eyed peas shows remarkable promise as a low-cost, potent cancer immunotherapy—while other plant viruses do not. today.ucsd.edu/story/engine...
Engineers Take a Closer Look at How a Plant Virus Primes the Immune System to Fight Cancer
A virus that typically infects black-eyed peas is showing great promise as a low-cost, potent cancer immunotherapy—and researchers are uncovering why.
today.ucsd.edu
July 25, 2025 at 6:34 PM
New research led by UC San Diego chemical and nano engineer Nicole Steinmetz sheds light on why a certain plant virus that infects black-eyed peas shows remarkable promise as a low-cost, potent cancer immunotherapy—while other plant viruses do not. today.ucsd.edu/story/engine...
Really alarming - but they miss that the 1996/7 emergence of H5N1 was followed by its disappearance, and then re-emergence of a different reassortant H5N1 in 2004 - that has never gone away.
The report of the unusual mortality event of south polar skuas from highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 in 2024 by the HPAI Australis Expedition is now published in volume 16 of Scientific Reports. Here is the press release from UC Davis about this publication.
www.ucdavis.edu/health/news/...
www.ucdavis.edu/health/news/...
H5N1 Causes Die-off of Antarctic Skuas, a Seabird
More than 50 skua deaths in Antarctica from H5N1 mark the first confirmed die-off of wildlife from bird flu on the continent, reports study from UC Davis and Erasmus MC.
www.ucdavis.edu
February 6, 2026 at 8:28 AM
Really alarming - but they miss that the 1996/7 emergence of H5N1 was followed by its disappearance, and then re-emergence of a different reassortant H5N1 in 2004 - that has never gone away.
Reposted by Ed Rybicki 🇿🇲🇿🇦🇬🇧🍷🚀
I'm talking with Gareth in Cardiff as part of the Children of Strife release tour (full details here adriantchaikovsky.com/events.html)
February 5, 2026 at 5:19 PM
I'm talking with Gareth in Cardiff as part of the Children of Strife release tour (full details here adriantchaikovsky.com/events.html)
Reposted by Ed Rybicki 🇿🇲🇿🇦🇬🇧🍷🚀
This is a fantastic graphic on the post-viral impact of COVID published in Cell. When people think of long COVID, they likely think of the last image.
Many don't know the virus can worsen pre-existing conditions & causes new ones (e.g. autoimmune disease, stroke)
www.cell.com/action/showP...
Many don't know the virus can worsen pre-existing conditions & causes new ones (e.g. autoimmune disease, stroke)
www.cell.com/action/showP...
February 5, 2026 at 2:40 PM
This is a fantastic graphic on the post-viral impact of COVID published in Cell. When people think of long COVID, they likely think of the last image.
Many don't know the virus can worsen pre-existing conditions & causes new ones (e.g. autoimmune disease, stroke)
www.cell.com/action/showP...
Many don't know the virus can worsen pre-existing conditions & causes new ones (e.g. autoimmune disease, stroke)
www.cell.com/action/showP...
A nice article about someone who has become a good friend - did a Master’s with someone I know in Germany, a PhD with another friend from UK, bounce around the same conferences, coathored 2 reviews - explaining her very cool work. www.the-scientist.com/plant-viruse...
Plant Viruses: The Unsung Heroes That Deliver Drugs and Destroy Tumors
Nicole Steinmetz engineers plant virus nanoparticles into versatile drug-delivery platforms. This work expanded into cancer vaccines and immunotherapy.
www.the-scientist.com
February 5, 2026 at 3:55 PM
A nice article about someone who has become a good friend - did a Master’s with someone I know in Germany, a PhD with another friend from UK, bounce around the same conferences, coathored 2 reviews - explaining her very cool work. www.the-scientist.com/plant-viruse...
Reposted by Ed Rybicki 🇿🇲🇿🇦🇬🇧🍷🚀
Well this is fascinating. And OF COURSE Terry Pratchett foresaw how big a problem mis/disinformation was going to become, and OF COURSE Bill Gates dismissed it as something that would have a technical solution!
Hi, my name's Jack.
Here is the text of Terry Pratchett interviewing Bill Gates in 1995.
Thanks to @rhi.bsky.social for summoning help, and to @20thcenturymarc.marcburrows.co.uk for the source, I have manually transcribed its 3,481 words into a Google doc.
Enjoy.
docs.google.com/document/d/1...
Here is the text of Terry Pratchett interviewing Bill Gates in 1995.
Thanks to @rhi.bsky.social for summoning help, and to @20thcenturymarc.marcburrows.co.uk for the source, I have manually transcribed its 3,481 words into a Google doc.
Enjoy.
docs.google.com/document/d/1...
Pratchett / Gates GQ Interview
GQ Magazine (UK edition), July 1995 GQ&A “I’m not sure what the word ‘nerd’ means” Bill Gates talks to Terry Pratchett about the future, the Microsoft revolution and how to become a billionaire WILLI...
docs.google.com
February 5, 2026 at 1:39 PM
Well this is fascinating. And OF COURSE Terry Pratchett foresaw how big a problem mis/disinformation was going to become, and OF COURSE Bill Gates dismissed it as something that would have a technical solution!
Reposted by Ed Rybicki 🇿🇲🇿🇦🇬🇧🍷🚀
Mosquito–capsid interactions contribute to flavivirus vector specificity
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Mosquito–capsid interactions contribute to flavivirus vector specificity - Nature
Systemic flavivirus dissemination in mosquitoes following initial infection requires protein–protein interactions within extracellular vesicles, which enable infectious particles to be transported thr...
www.nature.com
February 5, 2026 at 2:33 PM
Mosquito–capsid interactions contribute to flavivirus vector specificity
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Ed Rybicki 🇿🇲🇿🇦🇬🇧🍷🚀
Endogenous retroviruses synthesize heterologous chimeric RNAs to reinforce human early embryo development
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Endogenous retroviruses synthesize heterologous chimeric RNAs to reinforce human early embryo development
Zygotic genome activation (ZGA) failure leads to developmental arrest and poses a clinical challenge to women’s fertility. We observed that human embryos arresting at the eight-cell ZGA stage exhibite...
www.science.org
February 5, 2026 at 11:39 AM
Endogenous retroviruses synthesize heterologous chimeric RNAs to reinforce human early embryo development
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
I became interested in this after doing an online quiz. We have since found out that our kids are at either end of the spectrum: aphantasic, and hyperphantasic. I tend toward the latter, but I cannot picture being unable to picture...😧 www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Many people have no mental imagery. What’s going on in their brains?
People with aphantasia are offering a window into consciousness.
www.nature.com
February 5, 2026 at 11:22 AM
I became interested in this after doing an online quiz. We have since found out that our kids are at either end of the spectrum: aphantasic, and hyperphantasic. I tend toward the latter, but I cannot picture being unable to picture...😧 www.nature.com/articles/d41...
I love it when people say "The results didn't fit the hypothesis", which basically means the hypothesis was flawed 😎 Me, I am a firm proponent of the "When in doubt, do an experiment!" school of biology. Or, as per my lab wall, "F*** the hypotheses, just discover s***!"
February 5, 2026 at 11:12 AM
I love it when people say "The results didn't fit the hypothesis", which basically means the hypothesis was flawed 😎 Me, I am a firm proponent of the "When in doubt, do an experiment!" school of biology. Or, as per my lab wall, "F*** the hypotheses, just discover s***!"
And the Greens will not do that, right, @zackpolanski.bsky.social?
By its actions, the UK state hates all migrants, and will dig through their pockets for loose change; if you're a refugee and aren't, in their eyes, an easy mark for a shakedown, they will use you to funnel money to their friends by building a horrendous industry of effective internment around you
February 5, 2026 at 10:51 AM
And the Greens will not do that, right, @zackpolanski.bsky.social?