Kevin Thiessen, PhD
@kevinthiessen.bsky.social
Scientist at University of Bristol. Creator and Community Manager of Zebrafish Rock! Creighton Alumnus. 🇺🇸✈️🇩🇪🚘🇬🇧
Here’s the selfie!! 😂 It was lovely to meet Kirsten and hear about her personal journey through science (and around the world), in addition to some cool #zebrafish data on hepatocellular carcinomas!
November 25, 2025 at 8:01 PM
Here’s the selfie!! 😂 It was lovely to meet Kirsten and hear about her personal journey through science (and around the world), in addition to some cool #zebrafish data on hepatocellular carcinomas!
Yo quiero escribir mas posts en español en el futuro. Si tiene un artículo o una noticia para difundir, haga "Ping" @zebrafishrock.bsky.social
Este es un artículo muy interesante sobre la publicación original aquí: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti... 🧪
Mi artículo @muyinteresante.com sobre el primer encuentro entre embriones humanos y bacterias
www.fundacionmuyinteresante.org/embrion-defe...
www.fundacionmuyinteresante.org/embrion-defe...
November 25, 2025 at 9:55 AM
Yo quiero escribir mas posts en español en el futuro. Si tiene un artículo o una noticia para difundir, haga "Ping" @zebrafishrock.bsky.social
If I had a do’s and dont’s of social media publication announcements, this first post (of a longer thread) would tick all the positive boxes!
✅ Working link to paper
✅ Acknowledge first-author with correct handle
✅ Introduce the most important finding
✅ Thread counter (eg 1/n)
✅ No cheesy acronyms
✅ Working link to paper
✅ Acknowledge first-author with correct handle
✅ Introduce the most important finding
✅ Thread counter (eg 1/n)
✅ No cheesy acronyms
(1/n) We are excited to share our new paper in Nature Communications, by Hagar Lavian (@hlavian.bsky.social) and team, revealing how the zebrafish brain integrates visual navigation signals! www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Visual motion and landmark position align with heading direction in the zebrafish interpeduncular nucleus - Nature Communications
How are various visual signals integrated in the vertebrate brain for navigation? Here authors show that different spatial signals are topographically organized and align to one another in the zebrafi...
www.nature.com
November 24, 2025 at 5:17 PM
If I had a do’s and dont’s of social media publication announcements, this first post (of a longer thread) would tick all the positive boxes!
✅ Working link to paper
✅ Acknowledge first-author with correct handle
✅ Introduce the most important finding
✅ Thread counter (eg 1/n)
✅ No cheesy acronyms
✅ Working link to paper
✅ Acknowledge first-author with correct handle
✅ Introduce the most important finding
✅ Thread counter (eg 1/n)
✅ No cheesy acronyms
I used to get imposter syndrome when sharing other people’s stuff for #ZebrafishZunday. I got over it by thinking that if more people (whether it be a friend, family member or even a grant reviewer) see an awesome image and think zebrafish are cool, it collectively makes our lives/research easier.
Synchronized development of zebrafish embryos immobilized by snake venom (alpha-bungarotoxin). Credit to Dr. Ian Swinburne. #ZebrafishZunday
November 23, 2025 at 5:45 PM
I used to get imposter syndrome when sharing other people’s stuff for #ZebrafishZunday. I got over it by thinking that if more people (whether it be a friend, family member or even a grant reviewer) see an awesome image and think zebrafish are cool, it collectively makes our lives/research easier.
Some interactions I’ve had since returning make me remember why I retired it. I do all of this in my free time. At this point, it’s half “I deeply care about community” and half “I do this out of spite”. Some days it’s one or the other.
After 7 years and a lot of memories, I've finally decided to retire Zebrafish Rock! on social media. I really want to say it was always positive but I've had a tumultuous experience with the account. Those that make the community more toxic continue to be promoted to positions of power. 1/4
November 22, 2025 at 8:16 PM
Some interactions I’ve had since returning make me remember why I retired it. I do all of this in my free time. At this point, it’s half “I deeply care about community” and half “I do this out of spite”. Some days it’s one or the other.
If you’ve ever wondered why you can inject things into the yolk early and it affects the embryo, this phenomena is the reason it works! 👇 #zebrafish
#ZebrafishZunday: Cytoplasmic (or ooplasmic) streaming leads to the segregation of embryo from yolk granules. Credit to @shamipourshayan.bsky.social & @heisenbergcplab.bsky.social. 🧪
November 16, 2025 at 2:10 PM
If you’ve ever wondered why you can inject things into the yolk early and it affects the embryo, this phenomena is the reason it works! 👇 #zebrafish
Reposted by Kevin Thiessen, PhD
We’ve got a couple of PhD projects open. Including one with the lovely @adamgrieve.bsky.social and @scholpplab.bsky.social on Rhbdl proteins in #zebrafish which is open to UK and international students tinyurl.com/fishprotease
Funded PhD SWBio DTP- (STANDARD) Brains, Blades, and Zebrafish: Dissecting Rhomboid Protease Roles in Neuronal Development and Signalling at University of Bristol on FindAPhD.com
PhD Project - Funded PhD SWBio DTP- (STANDARD) Brains, Blades, and Zebrafish: Dissecting Rhomboid Protease Roles in Neuronal Development and Signalling at University of Bristol...
tinyurl.com
November 14, 2025 at 11:34 AM
We’ve got a couple of PhD projects open. Including one with the lovely @adamgrieve.bsky.social and @scholpplab.bsky.social on Rhbdl proteins in #zebrafish which is open to UK and international students tinyurl.com/fishprotease
As the #McRib is in the news again, may I remind you of this gem from my time in Germany as an American abroad (circa 2020). I'd be embarrassed if it wasn't for the amazing photos we took just before lockdown as well as the title of my name/profession 😂
Source: CNBC on Twitter/X
Source: CNBC on Twitter/X
November 12, 2025 at 8:30 PM
As the #McRib is in the news again, may I remind you of this gem from my time in Germany as an American abroad (circa 2020). I'd be embarrassed if it wasn't for the amazing photos we took just before lockdown as well as the title of my name/profession 😂
Source: CNBC on Twitter/X
Source: CNBC on Twitter/X
Reposted by Kevin Thiessen, PhD
Looking for a PhD position?
Join the Kague Lab as a PhD student in Precision Medicine (funded by the MRC) to work on a multidisciplinary project about Bone Fragility! 🦴
👇
usher.ed.ac.uk/precision-me...
Join the Kague Lab as a PhD student in Precision Medicine (funded by the MRC) to work on a multidisciplinary project about Bone Fragility! 🦴
👇
usher.ed.ac.uk/precision-me...
2026/27 Projects | Precision Medicine Doctoral Training Programme | Usher Institute
The below list of projects is being offered as part of the standard MRC studentship the MRC iCase studentships for 2026/27 entry.
usher.ed.ac.uk
November 6, 2025 at 4:45 PM
Looking for a PhD position?
Join the Kague Lab as a PhD student in Precision Medicine (funded by the MRC) to work on a multidisciplinary project about Bone Fragility! 🦴
👇
usher.ed.ac.uk/precision-me...
Join the Kague Lab as a PhD student in Precision Medicine (funded by the MRC) to work on a multidisciplinary project about Bone Fragility! 🦴
👇
usher.ed.ac.uk/precision-me...
I've updated my Bioinformatics Bootcamp: Zebrafish Special Edition blog post on @the-node.bsky.social! Please do share with trainees or anyone new to the community. I hope it adds some breadth to the many resources available to #zebrafish researchers. 🔗 thenode.biologists.com/bioinformati...
Bioinformatics Bootcamp - Zebrafish Special Edition - the Node
A deep-dive into the many cool (and free) resources available to zebrafish researchers! Disclaimer: This is not a comprehensive list but a list of useful
thenode.biologists.com
November 2, 2025 at 3:57 PM
I've updated my Bioinformatics Bootcamp: Zebrafish Special Edition blog post on @the-node.bsky.social! Please do share with trainees or anyone new to the community. I hope it adds some breadth to the many resources available to #zebrafish researchers. 🔗 thenode.biologists.com/bioinformati...
Forgot how much I like running @zebrafishrock.bsky.social. I don't think I'm fooling anyone by saying I'm off social media. I miss telling people they rock and various other puns. I lasted three months 🤦
October 29, 2025 at 6:48 PM
Forgot how much I like running @zebrafishrock.bsky.social. I don't think I'm fooling anyone by saying I'm off social media. I miss telling people they rock and various other puns. I lasted three months 🤦
If you've benefited from ZebrafishRock and its community, you can thank ZFIN. i.e. ZebrafishRock is actually Kevin searching ZFIN
Want an easy way to support your model organism databases? Cite them!
Depending on the #zebrafish data you retrieve from ZFIN, you can show your support by using one of the formats below 🙏 🧪 #ZebrafishFunFacts
Depending on the #zebrafish data you retrieve from ZFIN, you can show your support by using one of the formats below 🙏 🧪 #ZebrafishFunFacts
![Citing ZFIN. We recommend the following formats for citing ZFIN in publications. For a general reference to the database, cite Bradford et al. 2022. For citing a specific entry in ZFIN: [Type of] data for this paper were retrieved from ZFIN, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97404-5274; URL: http://zfin.org/; [the date you retrieved the data cited].](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:lmndrquzjoynsxgz7rcn5unj/bafkreicstoaakfnbcpp5pgpqjpzwdcaclgr6diy7clnhmmsw32v4mnrare@jpeg)
October 22, 2025 at 5:12 PM
If you've benefited from ZebrafishRock and its community, you can thank ZFIN. i.e. ZebrafishRock is actually Kevin searching ZFIN
Starting the UK Zebrafish Husbandry Meeting with an important lesson on pain in #zebrafish from @lynnesneddon.bsky.social 🐟
October 22, 2025 at 9:48 AM
Starting the UK Zebrafish Husbandry Meeting with an important lesson on pain in #zebrafish from @lynnesneddon.bsky.social 🐟
Reposted by Kevin Thiessen, PhD
Our new paper on valve disease in aged #zebrafish is out! onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/... This has been a long running collaborative effort with contributions from lots of great people!
Aged Zebrafish as a Spontaneous Model of Cardiac Valvular Disease
Natural ageing in zebrafish results in spontaneous development of valvular degeneration in both the atrioventricular (AV) and bulboventricular (BV) valves. Aged zebrafish valves are larger and exhibi...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
October 13, 2025 at 11:01 AM
Our new paper on valve disease in aged #zebrafish is out! onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/... This has been a long running collaborative effort with contributions from lots of great people!
I'm treading lightly with this one but the science communication bit of @zebrafishrock.bsky.social is back for the foreseeable future. I'll be sharing my plethora of fun facts (including some new ones) with the community. Enjoy!
#ZebrafishFunFacts: As the most-cited #zebrafish cancer research paper, Amsterdam et al screened hundreds of heterozygous lines for embryonic lethal mutations & found elevated cancer incidence in ribosomal genes. This previously underappreciated finding was published @plosbiology.org 21 years ago. 🧪
October 4, 2025 at 7:25 AM
I'm treading lightly with this one but the science communication bit of @zebrafishrock.bsky.social is back for the foreseeable future. I'll be sharing my plethora of fun facts (including some new ones) with the community. Enjoy!
If you are looking to expand your K-12 class offerings, consider this wonderful article about teaching a complex subject using #zebrafish. Well done, @bioeyes.bsky.social 👍
Our latest publication! Looking forward to piloting this new approach to teaching genetics to middle school students in the hopes that they will better understand this complex subject.
#STEM #zebrafish #science #education #scienceeducation #whenfishgotoschool
doi.org/10.1016/j.yd...
#STEM #zebrafish #science #education #scienceeducation #whenfishgotoschool
doi.org/10.1016/j.yd...
October 2, 2025 at 11:24 AM
If you are looking to expand your K-12 class offerings, consider this wonderful article about teaching a complex subject using #zebrafish. Well done, @bioeyes.bsky.social 👍
In some cultures, this can be seen as good luck and I’m all here for it 🥰
September 30, 2025 at 3:57 PM
In some cultures, this can be seen as good luck and I’m all here for it 🥰
Sharing my own pretty image on #ZebrafishZunday! #devbio
September 21, 2025 at 12:04 PM
Sharing my own pretty image on #ZebrafishZunday! #devbio
Finally starting to feel FOMO about social media, especially the positivity surrounding @zebrafishrock.bsky.social’s feed. It was a respite from the demoralizing news cycle that I haven’t found an answer to yet.
September 15, 2025 at 5:45 PM
Finally starting to feel FOMO about social media, especially the positivity surrounding @zebrafishrock.bsky.social’s feed. It was a respite from the demoralizing news cycle that I haven’t found an answer to yet.
"Don't mind me, just strolling by" 🤣
Caption this (oddly human-like) cell:
Caption this (oddly human-like) cell:
August 3, 2025 at 3:52 PM
"Don't mind me, just strolling by" 🤣
Caption this (oddly human-like) cell:
Caption this (oddly human-like) cell:
After 7 years and a lot of memories, I've finally decided to retire Zebrafish Rock! on social media. I really want to say it was always positive but I've had a tumultuous experience with the account. Those that make the community more toxic continue to be promoted to positions of power. 1/4
June 26, 2025 at 5:20 AM
After 7 years and a lot of memories, I've finally decided to retire Zebrafish Rock! on social media. I really want to say it was always positive but I've had a tumultuous experience with the account. Those that make the community more toxic continue to be promoted to positions of power. 1/4
Some errors in here but slowly learning how to use BlueThread app for these mega-posts. (e.g. Need to use https:// rather than www.)
Here’s a link if it’s helpful to others: bluethread.pythonanywhere.com
Here’s a link if it’s helpful to others: bluethread.pythonanywhere.com
June 21, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Some errors in here but slowly learning how to use BlueThread app for these mega-posts. (e.g. Need to use https:// rather than www.)
Here’s a link if it’s helpful to others: bluethread.pythonanywhere.com
Here’s a link if it’s helpful to others: bluethread.pythonanywhere.com
Absolutely love this! I went with the blue embellishments and put it in a silver frame. It looks fantastic 😍
June 19, 2025 at 8:48 AM
Absolutely love this! I went with the blue embellishments and put it in a silver frame. It looks fantastic 😍
I often get reminded of my pitfalls as a scientist. Papers hardly cited, overlooked for awards, called ‘Only an influencer’. But for the last week I had some really long imaging sessions with good results and I felt like a proper Scientist. Those moments are few and far between but it felt great 😊
June 13, 2025 at 7:36 PM
I often get reminded of my pitfalls as a scientist. Papers hardly cited, overlooked for awards, called ‘Only an influencer’. But for the last week I had some really long imaging sessions with good results and I felt like a proper Scientist. Those moments are few and far between but it felt great 😊
Thrilled that my blog post was the most-read hit on the Node for the month of May ☺️ It acts as an intro to the amazing tools that are (freely) available to #zebrafish researchers. Do check it out if you haven’t yet.
🔗 thenode.biologists.com/bioinformati...
🔗 thenode.biologists.com/bioinformati...
#ICYMI Bioinformatics Bootcamp – Zebrafish Special Edition
@kevinthiessen.bsky.social compiled a very useful collection of resources for those working with #zebrafish and beyond. Have fun exploring!
@kevinthiessen.bsky.social compiled a very useful collection of resources for those working with #zebrafish and beyond. Have fun exploring!
Bioinformatics Bootcamp - Zebrafish Special Edition - the Node
A deep-dive into the many cool (and free) resources available to zebrafish researchers! Disclaimer: This is not a comprehensive list but a list of useful
thenode.biologists.com
June 4, 2025 at 6:13 AM
Thrilled that my blog post was the most-read hit on the Node for the month of May ☺️ It acts as an intro to the amazing tools that are (freely) available to #zebrafish researchers. Do check it out if you haven’t yet.
🔗 thenode.biologists.com/bioinformati...
🔗 thenode.biologists.com/bioinformati...