Adrian Liston
@labliston.bsky.social
Professor of Pathology at the University of Cambridge. Equalities Fellow, Welfare Tutor and Director-of-Studies at St Catharine's College. Educator, scientist, immunologist, daddy. Founder and CSO of Aila Biotech Ltd.
Pinned
Adrian Liston
@labliston.bsky.social
· Oct 28
Pre-print alert! And this one really is a must read for anyone that does spectral #flowcytometry. It is a complete, fully-automated spectral unmixing pipeline that reduces error up to 9000-fold.
Want to get a tough sample, like lung, looking like this? Read more!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Want to get a tough sample, like lung, looking like this? Read more!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
No kidding. Treat people poorly and they work less. It is why bad leadership has such a global depressive effect on an institution.
penntoday.upenn.edu/news/penn-wh...
penntoday.upenn.edu/news/penn-wh...
When employees feel slighted, they work less | Penn Today
New research from Wharton management professor Peter Cappelli reveals how even the slightest mistreatment at work can result in lost productivity.
penntoday.upenn.edu
January 19, 2026 at 6:04 PM
No kidding. Treat people poorly and they work less. It is why bad leadership has such a global depressive effect on an institution.
penntoday.upenn.edu/news/penn-wh...
penntoday.upenn.edu/news/penn-wh...
The “lean” months of winter
January 19, 2026 at 12:21 PM
The “lean” months of winter
Reposted by Adrian Liston
30 Masters students:
- 43% started a PhD
- 7% started another higher education degree
- 23% technician positions in academia
- 20% moved to biotech/pharma
- 7% moved to agtech
- 43% started a PhD
- 7% started another higher education degree
- 23% technician positions in academia
- 20% moved to biotech/pharma
- 7% moved to agtech
January 16, 2026 at 8:22 AM
30 Masters students:
- 43% started a PhD
- 7% started another higher education degree
- 23% technician positions in academia
- 20% moved to biotech/pharma
- 7% moved to agtech
- 43% started a PhD
- 7% started another higher education degree
- 23% technician positions in academia
- 20% moved to biotech/pharma
- 7% moved to agtech
Reposted by Adrian Liston
22 PhD students:
- 30% became post-docs
- 8% went to other positions in academia
- 40% to biotech/pharma
- 13% to clinical posts
- 4% to law
- 30% became post-docs
- 8% went to other positions in academia
- 40% to biotech/pharma
- 13% to clinical posts
- 4% to law
January 16, 2026 at 8:22 AM
22 PhD students:
- 30% became post-docs
- 8% went to other positions in academia
- 40% to biotech/pharma
- 13% to clinical posts
- 4% to law
- 30% became post-docs
- 8% went to other positions in academia
- 40% to biotech/pharma
- 13% to clinical posts
- 4% to law
Reposted by Adrian Liston
All of them successful!
If you are interested in our team, their stories are now available on Amazon:
www.amazon.com/Becoming-Sci...
If you are interested in our team, their stories are now available on Amazon:
www.amazon.com/Becoming-Sci...
Becoming a Scientist: The Graphic Novel
Amazon.com: Becoming a Scientist: The Graphic Novel: 9781738487936: Liston, Adrian, Lapko, Yulia: Books
www.amazon.com
January 16, 2026 at 8:22 AM
All of them successful!
If you are interested in our team, their stories are now available on Amazon:
www.amazon.com/Becoming-Sci...
If you are interested in our team, their stories are now available on Amazon:
www.amazon.com/Becoming-Sci...
Reposted by Adrian Liston
(5/7) Missed the session and want to explore these ideas? Here are key resources we mentioned. 🔗
Strategic PhD career building: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Strategic PhD career building: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
January 16, 2026 at 7:04 PM
(5/7) Missed the session and want to explore these ideas? Here are key resources we mentioned. 🔗
Strategic PhD career building: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Strategic PhD career building: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Reposted by Adrian Liston
(1/7) What a fantastic start to our new ySPI webinar series! ✨
Today we hosted our very first Career Talk with Prof. @labliston.bsky.social, packed with honest insights about how messy and non‑linear research careers really are. 🎓
Today we hosted our very first Career Talk with Prof. @labliston.bsky.social, packed with honest insights about how messy and non‑linear research careers really are. 🎓
January 16, 2026 at 7:04 PM
(1/7) What a fantastic start to our new ySPI webinar series! ✨
Today we hosted our very first Career Talk with Prof. @labliston.bsky.social, packed with honest insights about how messy and non‑linear research careers really are. 🎓
Today we hosted our very first Career Talk with Prof. @labliston.bsky.social, packed with honest insights about how messy and non‑linear research careers really are. 🎓
Reposted by Adrian Liston
Published in Cell, a new study shows that the immune system’s reaction to the common Epstein-Barr virus can ultimately damage the brain and contribute to multiple sclerosis, from a team @ki.se
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
Anoctamin-2-specific T cells link Epstein-Barr virus to multiple sclerosis
Researchers identified anoctamin-2 (ANO2) as a frequent autoimmune target in multiple
sclerosis, with T cell responses against ANO2 occurring in over half of patients.
These ANO2-specific T cells shar...
www.cell.com
January 14, 2026 at 8:54 PM
Published in Cell, a new study shows that the immune system’s reaction to the common Epstein-Barr virus can ultimately damage the brain and contribute to multiple sclerosis, from a team @ki.se
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
Reposted by Adrian Liston
27 post-docs:
- 27% to tenure-track / tenured positions
- 27% to another post-doc position
- 42% to biotech/pharma
- 27% to tenure-track / tenured positions
- 27% to another post-doc position
- 42% to biotech/pharma
January 16, 2026 at 8:22 AM
27 post-docs:
- 27% to tenure-track / tenured positions
- 27% to another post-doc position
- 42% to biotech/pharma
- 27% to tenure-track / tenured positions
- 27% to another post-doc position
- 42% to biotech/pharma
Reposted by Adrian Liston
I was reminiscing about the amazing people who have passed through our lab over the years. We have a constant stream of new team members and people finishing up. So what happens after you leave an academic lab? Here are our outcomes:
January 16, 2026 at 8:22 AM
I was reminiscing about the amazing people who have passed through our lab over the years. We have a constant stream of new team members and people finishing up. So what happens after you leave an academic lab? Here are our outcomes:
I was reminiscing about the amazing people who have passed through our lab over the years. We have a constant stream of new team members and people finishing up. So what happens after you leave an academic lab? Here are our outcomes:
January 16, 2026 at 8:22 AM
I was reminiscing about the amazing people who have passed through our lab over the years. We have a constant stream of new team members and people finishing up. So what happens after you leave an academic lab? Here are our outcomes:
My Cambridge wish-list for 2026:
- Cambridge-loading for staff salaries @ucu.org.uk
- financially-viable MPhil degrees for students
- rebalance experience > grades in PhD funding decisions
- select for service > egos in leadership
- an office that doesn't have sewage leaking into it
🙏
- Cambridge-loading for staff salaries @ucu.org.uk
- financially-viable MPhil degrees for students
- rebalance experience > grades in PhD funding decisions
- select for service > egos in leadership
- an office that doesn't have sewage leaking into it
🙏
January 10, 2026 at 11:47 AM
My Cambridge wish-list for 2026:
- Cambridge-loading for staff salaries @ucu.org.uk
- financially-viable MPhil degrees for students
- rebalance experience > grades in PhD funding decisions
- select for service > egos in leadership
- an office that doesn't have sewage leaking into it
🙏
- Cambridge-loading for staff salaries @ucu.org.uk
- financially-viable MPhil degrees for students
- rebalance experience > grades in PhD funding decisions
- select for service > egos in leadership
- an office that doesn't have sewage leaking into it
🙏
I was looking for an old photo, and found this one of my first day as a PI. Look at that empty lab!
January 9, 2026 at 9:23 AM
I was looking for an old photo, and found this one of my first day as a PI. Look at that empty lab!
Reposted by Adrian Liston
Catz experts contribute editorials on top of original research:
- Dr Niamh Gallagher (2009, @camhistory.bsky.social; Fellow 2018) in @lrb.co.uk: www.lrb.co.uk/the-pa...
- @labliston.bsky.social (2023) in @biologists.bsky.social's Disease Models & Mechanisms: journals.biologists....
📸: Binky Nixon
- Dr Niamh Gallagher (2009, @camhistory.bsky.social; Fellow 2018) in @lrb.co.uk: www.lrb.co.uk/the-pa...
- @labliston.bsky.social (2023) in @biologists.bsky.social's Disease Models & Mechanisms: journals.biologists....
📸: Binky Nixon
January 6, 2026 at 10:10 AM
Catz experts contribute editorials on top of original research:
- Dr Niamh Gallagher (2009, @camhistory.bsky.social; Fellow 2018) in @lrb.co.uk: www.lrb.co.uk/the-pa...
- @labliston.bsky.social (2023) in @biologists.bsky.social's Disease Models & Mechanisms: journals.biologists....
📸: Binky Nixon
- Dr Niamh Gallagher (2009, @camhistory.bsky.social; Fellow 2018) in @lrb.co.uk: www.lrb.co.uk/the-pa...
- @labliston.bsky.social (2023) in @biologists.bsky.social's Disease Models & Mechanisms: journals.biologists....
📸: Binky Nixon
Reposted by Adrian Liston
(1/6) 🚀New in 2026: ySPI Career Seminars
We are launching the ySPI Career Seminars, an initiative by our Young SPI (ySPI) group to support early career researchers.
We are launching the ySPI Career Seminars, an initiative by our Young SPI (ySPI) group to support early career researchers.
January 6, 2026 at 10:23 AM
(1/6) 🚀New in 2026: ySPI Career Seminars
We are launching the ySPI Career Seminars, an initiative by our Young SPI (ySPI) group to support early career researchers.
We are launching the ySPI Career Seminars, an initiative by our Young SPI (ySPI) group to support early career researchers.
Reposted by Adrian Liston
Tried it! It works!
January 5, 2026 at 8:46 PM
Tried it! It works!
Not the worst explanation I’ve heard for fever
December 26, 2025 at 8:22 PM
Not the worst explanation I’ve heard for fever
I have little time for LLMs for the same reason I have little time for liars. Having to double-check every item is exhausting. I’d rather not bother.
suspect a big reason why many academics and others who work in areas where getting facts RIGHT is key are disinterested in using LLMs for research:
they’ve tried it, they keep noticing major errors in output, and they conclude that having to verify all that doesn’t actually save them time.
they’ve tried it, they keep noticing major errors in output, and they conclude that having to verify all that doesn’t actually save them time.
December 21, 2025 at 10:15 PM
I have little time for LLMs for the same reason I have little time for liars. Having to double-check every item is exhausting. I’d rather not bother.
Reposted by Adrian Liston
"Range extender mediates long-distance
enhancer activity" by @evgenykvon.bsky.social 's team, led by @gracebower.bsky.social is one of my papers of the year. Discovery of a new class of cis-regulatory elements that modulate the regulatory activity and reach of enhancers.
doi.org/10.1038/s415...
enhancer activity" by @evgenykvon.bsky.social 's team, led by @gracebower.bsky.social is one of my papers of the year. Discovery of a new class of cis-regulatory elements that modulate the regulatory activity and reach of enhancers.
doi.org/10.1038/s415...
December 21, 2025 at 10:08 PM
"Range extender mediates long-distance
enhancer activity" by @evgenykvon.bsky.social 's team, led by @gracebower.bsky.social is one of my papers of the year. Discovery of a new class of cis-regulatory elements that modulate the regulatory activity and reach of enhancers.
doi.org/10.1038/s415...
enhancer activity" by @evgenykvon.bsky.social 's team, led by @gracebower.bsky.social is one of my papers of the year. Discovery of a new class of cis-regulatory elements that modulate the regulatory activity and reach of enhancers.
doi.org/10.1038/s415...
Reposted by Adrian Liston
My lab is hiring a postdoc (ERC funded)! If you're interested, get in touch!
December 18, 2025 at 8:36 AM
My lab is hiring a postdoc (ERC funded)! If you're interested, get in touch!
Reposted by Adrian Liston
I've been successfully using Burton's buffers with dawn and no Triton for staining an endosomally localized membrane protein.
December 17, 2025 at 5:43 PM
I've been successfully using Burton's buffers with dawn and no Triton for staining an endosomally localized membrane protein.
Reposted by Adrian Liston
I could not recommend this more strongly! A really unique opportunity to join a top immunology lab in Cambridge, doing innovative science. A great PI to work with!
We are hiring! 🙌
#Postdoc position in computational biology at the forefront of human T cell immunology at @Cambridge_Uni. 👇
cam.ac.uk/jobs/researc...
Unravel the secrets of human #tissue immunity in health and disease with multi-modal single-cell genomic datasets.
#ERCCoG
#Postdoc position in computational biology at the forefront of human T cell immunology at @Cambridge_Uni. 👇
cam.ac.uk/jobs/researc...
Unravel the secrets of human #tissue immunity in health and disease with multi-modal single-cell genomic datasets.
#ERCCoG
December 15, 2025 at 8:27 PM
I could not recommend this more strongly! A really unique opportunity to join a top immunology lab in Cambridge, doing innovative science. A great PI to work with!
I could not recommend this more strongly! A really unique opportunity to join a top immunology lab in Cambridge, doing innovative science. A great PI to work with!
We are hiring! 🙌
#Postdoc position in computational biology at the forefront of human T cell immunology at @Cambridge_Uni. 👇
cam.ac.uk/jobs/researc...
Unravel the secrets of human #tissue immunity in health and disease with multi-modal single-cell genomic datasets.
#ERCCoG
#Postdoc position in computational biology at the forefront of human T cell immunology at @Cambridge_Uni. 👇
cam.ac.uk/jobs/researc...
Unravel the secrets of human #tissue immunity in health and disease with multi-modal single-cell genomic datasets.
#ERCCoG
December 15, 2025 at 8:27 PM
I could not recommend this more strongly! A really unique opportunity to join a top immunology lab in Cambridge, doing innovative science. A great PI to work with!
Traffic jams are brutal this time of the year in Cambridge
December 15, 2025 at 3:26 PM
Traffic jams are brutal this time of the year in Cambridge