Howard Salis
@hsalis.bsky.social
Professor of synthetic biology, biological, & chemical engineering. De Novo DNA founder. Engineering microbes with predictive models & algorithms.
Pinned
Howard Salis
@hsalis.bsky.social
· Dec 2
An autonomous microbial sensor enables long-term detection of TNT explosive in natural soil - Nature Communications
Engineered microbes can detect harmful chemicals, but may not work well in complex environments. Here, the authors built microbial sensors for detection of TNT explosive and tested their response over...
www.nature.com
NEW paper 🚨! We engineered TNT sensors in soil bacteria for long-term detection of explosive in natural soil, enabling geospatial detection of contaminated soil. This work (led by Erin Essington) included new sensors, circuits, modeling, & a 28-day testing workflow. 1/
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Howard Salis
Synthetic bacterial community colonizes wheat roots grown in soil and mimics the assembly pattern of a field community
bioRxiv from @fredebak.bsky.social et al #NNF_INTERACT
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
bioRxiv from @fredebak.bsky.social et al #NNF_INTERACT
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Synthetic bacterial community colonizes wheat roots grown in soil and mimics the assembly pattern of a field community
The root microbiome is important for plant development. The impact of the root microbiome is the sum of multiple complex interactions among microorganisms, the plant and the environment. This complexi...
www.biorxiv.org
November 24, 2025 at 7:43 AM
Synthetic bacterial community colonizes wheat roots grown in soil and mimics the assembly pattern of a field community
bioRxiv from @fredebak.bsky.social et al #NNF_INTERACT
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
bioRxiv from @fredebak.bsky.social et al #NNF_INTERACT
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Passing through Coralville, IA!
Shout out to IDT!!
Shout out to IDT!!
July 27, 2025 at 7:18 PM
Passing through Coralville, IA!
Shout out to IDT!!
Shout out to IDT!!
That tiniest of moments when a devops restarts their load balancer
July 21, 2025 at 9:29 AM
That tiniest of moments when a devops restarts their load balancer
Need to remove any repetitive DNA via redesign …
July 10, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Need to remove any repetitive DNA via redesign …
Putida is also used in bioconversion of cellulosic hydrolysate to FDCA (2,5-Furandicarboxylic acid)
June 22, 2025 at 9:54 PM
Putida is also used in bioconversion of cellulosic hydrolysate to FDCA (2,5-Furandicarboxylic acid)
Reposted by Howard Salis
It's an OK article but the tag line should be "Trump illegally cancels Northwestern's contracts and refuses to pay them", not "Trump blew up Northwestern's business model". If you hold up a bank at gunpoint and abscond with bags of money you're not "blowing up its business model". You're stealing.
June 15, 2025 at 2:11 PM
It's an OK article but the tag line should be "Trump illegally cancels Northwestern's contracts and refuses to pay them", not "Trump blew up Northwestern's business model". If you hold up a bank at gunpoint and abscond with bags of money you're not "blowing up its business model". You're stealing.
All these ML-centric rewordings of old ideas is getting tired.
Next someone will write a perspective comparing evolution and reinforcement learning.
Or ensemble modeling as wisdom of the crowd.
Boring!
Next someone will write a perspective comparing evolution and reinforcement learning.
Or ensemble modeling as wisdom of the crowd.
Boring!
June 15, 2025 at 2:12 PM
All these ML-centric rewordings of old ideas is getting tired.
Next someone will write a perspective comparing evolution and reinforcement learning.
Or ensemble modeling as wisdom of the crowd.
Boring!
Next someone will write a perspective comparing evolution and reinforcement learning.
Or ensemble modeling as wisdom of the crowd.
Boring!
EPIGENETIC HULK WAS WAITING FOR GREENSKY.
EPIGENETIC HULK THEN REALIZED THAT HIGH-ENERGY SMASH CAUSES BLUE-SHIFT.
MORE SMASH MORE BLUESKY
EPIGENETIC HULK THEN REALIZED THAT HIGH-ENERGY SMASH CAUSES BLUE-SHIFT.
MORE SMASH MORE BLUESKY
June 13, 2025 at 6:56 PM
EPIGENETIC HULK WAS WAITING FOR GREENSKY.
EPIGENETIC HULK THEN REALIZED THAT HIGH-ENERGY SMASH CAUSES BLUE-SHIFT.
MORE SMASH MORE BLUESKY
EPIGENETIC HULK THEN REALIZED THAT HIGH-ENERGY SMASH CAUSES BLUE-SHIFT.
MORE SMASH MORE BLUESKY
Every compiler error in tech would be a dead person in biotech.
March 21, 2025 at 1:30 AM
Every compiler error in tech would be a dead person in biotech.
What a shitty time to run out.
March 21, 2025 at 12:00 AM
What a shitty time to run out.
Reposted by Howard Salis
As a Jew looking at the administration's sudden "concern" over University antisemitism
March 10, 2025 at 9:17 PM
As a Jew looking at the administration's sudden "concern" over University antisemitism
Reposted by Howard Salis
In a remarkable new paper, Qureshi and Duss use multi-colour single-molecule fluorescence microscopy to directly and simultaneously track transcription, translation & coupling 3/n
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
March 1, 2025 at 1:40 PM
In a remarkable new paper, Qureshi and Duss use multi-colour single-molecule fluorescence microscopy to directly and simultaneously track transcription, translation & coupling 3/n
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Howard Salis
Could not agree more. The Prez & VP are shameful, embarrassing Putin puppets & a disgrace to our country. 🤮
#SlavaUkraine 🇺🇦
#SlavaUkraine 🇺🇦
February 28, 2025 at 9:40 PM
Could not agree more. The Prez & VP are shameful, embarrassing Putin puppets & a disgrace to our country. 🤮
#SlavaUkraine 🇺🇦
#SlavaUkraine 🇺🇦
Reposted by Howard Salis
Reposted by Howard Salis
Normalize calling Republicans Nazis.
🔥🔥🔥 Former Vikings punter Chris Kluwe was arrested for civil disobedience after speaking against a MAGA display that the city council of Huntington Beach agreed to put up at the public library…..that’s what’s up….every word👇
February 20, 2025 at 11:51 AM
Normalize calling Republicans Nazis.
Wowzers the SNL 50th anniversary special was truly fantastic and man did I need to laugh a bit to cleanse the soul after the last two weeks.
My favorite bit: youtu.be/l8GbTZ8v1-w?...
The whole Shebang is streaming on Peacock.
My favorite bit: youtu.be/l8GbTZ8v1-w?...
The whole Shebang is streaming on Peacock.
New York 50th Musical – SNL50
YouTube video by Saturday Night Live
youtu.be
February 18, 2025 at 2:15 AM
Wowzers the SNL 50th anniversary special was truly fantastic and man did I need to laugh a bit to cleanse the soul after the last two weeks.
My favorite bit: youtu.be/l8GbTZ8v1-w?...
The whole Shebang is streaming on Peacock.
My favorite bit: youtu.be/l8GbTZ8v1-w?...
The whole Shebang is streaming on Peacock.
Excellent reason to only use defined, designed barcodes (flanking inserts) and identify/filter out any discordant barcode pairs.
Random barcodes == you never know what you're going to get!
Random barcodes == you never know what you're going to get!
February 16, 2025 at 3:53 PM
Excellent reason to only use defined, designed barcodes (flanking inserts) and identify/filter out any discordant barcode pairs.
Random barcodes == you never know what you're going to get!
Random barcodes == you never know what you're going to get!
Reposted by Howard Salis
Simultaneous in vitro expression of minimal 21 transfer RNAs by tRNA array method https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.02.15.638384v1
February 16, 2025 at 6:06 AM
Simultaneous in vitro expression of minimal 21 transfer RNAs by tRNA array method https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.02.15.638384v1
Reposted by Howard Salis
I am hearing that about 1/2 of the ARPA-H staff were probationary and are being let go. Many of these folks are long-time NIHers who were promoted into new positions in ARPA-H and became probationary in these new positions despite many years of NIH service.
February 14, 2025 at 8:50 PM
I am hearing that about 1/2 of the ARPA-H staff were probationary and are being let go. Many of these folks are long-time NIHers who were promoted into new positions in ARPA-H and became probationary in these new positions despite many years of NIH service.
Reposted by Howard Salis
Today's the day! Getting ready for the workshop on #AI in #Biology. While these fields aren’t new (of course!), the intersection of the two is having a major moment right now.
Looking forward to this timely workshop on #AI in #Biology at @cnb-csic.bsky.social (Feb 14)! Excited to hear from experts like @hsalis.bsky.social , @alfonsovalencia.bsky.social , @noeliaferruz.bsky.social , @pablocarb.bsky.social , and others. (Note: Won’t be streamed.) 🧬🤖 #Science #synbio
February 14, 2025 at 7:49 AM
Reposted by Howard Salis
Ok folks. Time for me to pull my law rank and correct some shit. When a judge issues a civil contempt order, she does not hand it to the prosecutor or AG and say “enforce this if you feel like it.” The judge hands it directly to a law enforcement officer, who has no discretion on whether to serve it
February 11, 2025 at 2:49 PM
Ok folks. Time for me to pull my law rank and correct some shit. When a judge issues a civil contempt order, she does not hand it to the prosecutor or AG and say “enforce this if you feel like it.” The judge hands it directly to a law enforcement officer, who has no discretion on whether to serve it
Reposted by Howard Salis
Thrilled to have @hsalis.bsky.social as the keynote speaker for today’s workshop on AI in Biology! After a prologue of intense discussions, he follows the tradition of every visitor by stepping onto Km 0 at Puerta del Sol—the geographical center of Spain & a place of significance for every Madrileño
February 14, 2025 at 5:18 AM
Thrilled to have @hsalis.bsky.social as the keynote speaker for today’s workshop on AI in Biology! After a prologue of intense discussions, he follows the tradition of every visitor by stepping onto Km 0 at Puerta del Sol—the geographical center of Spain & a place of significance for every Madrileño
Reposted by Howard Salis
BREAKING: Federal judge in Boston broadens block on Trump's NIH grant 15% overhead limit (indirect cost rates) to all recipients nationwide. Doc: www.documentcloud.org/documents/25...
#TROpalooza ain't done
#TROpalooza ain't done
AAMCOrd021025
www.documentcloud.org
February 11, 2025 at 5:22 AM
BREAKING: Federal judge in Boston broadens block on Trump's NIH grant 15% overhead limit (indirect cost rates) to all recipients nationwide. Doc: www.documentcloud.org/documents/25...
#TROpalooza ain't done
#TROpalooza ain't done
Fucking seriously......
February 10, 2025 at 11:41 PM
Fucking seriously......