Morgan Carter
@morgancarterphd.bsky.social
🌿 Asst Prof. #NewPI. Molecular host-bacterial-fungal interactions. NCSSM/NCSU/Cornell alum. Y'all means all. Views are my own. she/her
Pinned
Identifying Effective Cryoprotectant Agents for Emerging Bacterial Model Species
Host-associated bacteria live amongst eukaryotes within varied niches and form relationships ranging from facultative to obligate. With advancement in studies of such symbiotic associations, fastidiou...
www.biorxiv.org
After years of struggling with how to cryopreserve one of our endosymbiotic bacteria, we found something that worked!
🦠☃️
We crowd-sourced suggestions and then @ruthwright.bsky.social tried the most common ones (like 🥛...). Want to do the same? Here is how we did it:
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
🦠☃️
We crowd-sourced suggestions and then @ruthwright.bsky.social tried the most common ones (like 🥛...). Want to do the same? Here is how we did it:
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Reposted by Morgan Carter
looking at my primer list bc I'm thinking about clearing some of these out and my notes are so unserious lol
January 14, 2025 at 9:54 PM
looking at my primer list bc I'm thinking about clearing some of these out and my notes are so unserious lol
Reposted by Morgan Carter
Please enjoy our research paper on how Bluesky is the preferred home of academics of all stripes, including professors of rare moths. (Yes, we actually have lots of entomologists here).
academic.oup.com/icb/article-... 🧪
academic.oup.com/icb/article-... 🧪
February 12, 2026 at 3:03 PM
Please enjoy our research paper on how Bluesky is the preferred home of academics of all stripes, including professors of rare moths. (Yes, we actually have lots of entomologists here).
academic.oup.com/icb/article-... 🧪
academic.oup.com/icb/article-... 🧪
Reposted by Morgan Carter
After four months, the journal has not found a single reviewer for my PhD student's manuscript. The academic peer review system is broken.
I think we all should:
1. Review three papers for every one that we submit.
2. Promptly declined to review a paper when the request arrives.
#AcademicChatter
I think we all should:
1. Review three papers for every one that we submit.
2. Promptly declined to review a paper when the request arrives.
#AcademicChatter
February 5, 2026 at 6:43 PM
After four months, the journal has not found a single reviewer for my PhD student's manuscript. The academic peer review system is broken.
I think we all should:
1. Review three papers for every one that we submit.
2. Promptly declined to review a paper when the request arrives.
#AcademicChatter
I think we all should:
1. Review three papers for every one that we submit.
2. Promptly declined to review a paper when the request arrives.
#AcademicChatter
😢
February 5, 2026 at 6:41 PM
😢
Reposted by Morgan Carter
Had a student with a straight up microbiology GRFP declined bc didn’t fit STEM focus
(Didn’t involve plants, not a human pathogen…)
(Didn’t involve plants, not a human pathogen…)
New round of NSF GRFP declines without review. If you were affected:
1) Write NSF
2) Write your Congressperson
3) CC us at [email protected] so we can compile + follow up
Details and template at grant-witness.us/grfp-letter
This is the link to the post: bsky.app/profile/noam...
1) Write NSF
2) Write your Congressperson
3) CC us at [email protected] so we can compile + follow up
Details and template at grant-witness.us/grfp-letter
This is the link to the post: bsky.app/profile/noam...
February 5, 2026 at 3:39 PM
Had a student with a straight up microbiology GRFP declined bc didn’t fit STEM focus
(Didn’t involve plants, not a human pathogen…)
(Didn’t involve plants, not a human pathogen…)
Reposted by Morgan Carter
But, as they say, there is no time like the present
[OK, maybe the 1930s if you want to nitpick]
But, with some data wrangling, my first NSF Funding Curves!
2/3
[OK, maybe the 1930s if you want to nitpick]
But, with some data wrangling, my first NSF Funding Curves!
2/3
February 5, 2026 at 1:58 PM
But, as they say, there is no time like the present
[OK, maybe the 1930s if you want to nitpick]
But, with some data wrangling, my first NSF Funding Curves!
2/3
[OK, maybe the 1930s if you want to nitpick]
But, with some data wrangling, my first NSF Funding Curves!
2/3
Reposted by Morgan Carter
Editor’s Pick: “Non-Nitrogen-Fixing Sinorhizobium meliloti Can Escape Sanctions in Indeterminate Alfalfa Nodules, Exhibiting Parasitic Growth,” by Amanpreet K. Brar et al. Learn more: https://doi.org/10.1094/MPMI-06-25-0074-R
February 4, 2026 at 4:54 PM
Editor’s Pick: “Non-Nitrogen-Fixing Sinorhizobium meliloti Can Escape Sanctions in Indeterminate Alfalfa Nodules, Exhibiting Parasitic Growth,” by Amanpreet K. Brar et al. Learn more: https://doi.org/10.1094/MPMI-06-25-0074-R
Reposted by Morgan Carter
Hey y’all,
New paper out from the lab in Microbial Genomics, starting down the rabbit hole of IS elements in Paeudomonas syringae
www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/jour...
New paper out from the lab in Microbial Genomics, starting down the rabbit hole of IS elements in Paeudomonas syringae
www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/jour...
Independent, ongoing clade-specific expansions of IS5 elements in Pseudomonas syringae
Insertion sequence (IS) elements are transposable regions of DNA present in a majority of bacterial genomes. It is hypothesized that differences in distributions of IS elements across bacterial strain...
www.microbiologyresearch.org
February 3, 2026 at 8:24 PM
Hey y’all,
New paper out from the lab in Microbial Genomics, starting down the rabbit hole of IS elements in Paeudomonas syringae
www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/jour...
New paper out from the lab in Microbial Genomics, starting down the rabbit hole of IS elements in Paeudomonas syringae
www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/jour...
Reposted by Morgan Carter
Trying to find apt metaphors for the state of 🇺🇸 science rn
I had been using “arranging deckchairs on the titanic” but that’s too doomer
Right now I’m on “We’re arguing about how to saddle a horse when in reality we all ride emus now.”
Things have changed but we’re still chasing the same standards
I had been using “arranging deckchairs on the titanic” but that’s too doomer
Right now I’m on “We’re arguing about how to saddle a horse when in reality we all ride emus now.”
Things have changed but we’re still chasing the same standards
February 3, 2026 at 8:01 PM
Trying to find apt metaphors for the state of 🇺🇸 science rn
I had been using “arranging deckchairs on the titanic” but that’s too doomer
Right now I’m on “We’re arguing about how to saddle a horse when in reality we all ride emus now.”
Things have changed but we’re still chasing the same standards
I had been using “arranging deckchairs on the titanic” but that’s too doomer
Right now I’m on “We’re arguing about how to saddle a horse when in reality we all ride emus now.”
Things have changed but we’re still chasing the same standards
Reposted by Morgan Carter
Introducing a new article type in PhytoFrontiers: Protocol papers detail in-depth, reproducible methods relevant to plant health. Learn more about submitting a protocol paper (scroll to the bottom for more information): https://apsjournals.apsnet.org/page/phytofr/about
February 2, 2026 at 4:52 PM
Introducing a new article type in PhytoFrontiers: Protocol papers detail in-depth, reproducible methods relevant to plant health. Learn more about submitting a protocol paper (scroll to the bottom for more information): https://apsjournals.apsnet.org/page/phytofr/about
Reposted by Morgan Carter
Host Matt Kasson talks with Dr. Alejandro Olmedo-Velarde of Iowa State University about multi-trophic interactions in vector-borne diseases affecting corn, soybean, and other crops—plus his journey from Ecuador to plant virus research in Hawaii.
🎧: https://www.plantopiapodcast.org/68
🎧: https://www.plantopiapodcast.org/68
January 29, 2026 at 7:09 PM
Host Matt Kasson talks with Dr. Alejandro Olmedo-Velarde of Iowa State University about multi-trophic interactions in vector-borne diseases affecting corn, soybean, and other crops—plus his journey from Ecuador to plant virus research in Hawaii.
🎧: https://www.plantopiapodcast.org/68
🎧: https://www.plantopiapodcast.org/68
Reposted by Morgan Carter
A number of our students got the following comment back on a rejection for the NSF GFRP. They are in an eligible STEM field. Is this something people in other places are getting too? Is it a quirk or targeted?
January 29, 2026 at 2:19 PM
A number of our students got the following comment back on a rejection for the NSF GFRP. They are in an eligible STEM field. Is this something people in other places are getting too? Is it a quirk or targeted?
Reposted by Morgan Carter
I am excited to offer a postdoctoral research position in my lab in Oxford studying the distribution of small RNAs during plant sexual reproduction. shorturl.at/7Goxt
Reposts appreciated!
Obligatory cat video to brighten your day. :-)
Reposts appreciated!
Obligatory cat video to brighten your day. :-)
January 26, 2026 at 4:31 PM
I am excited to offer a postdoctoral research position in my lab in Oxford studying the distribution of small RNAs during plant sexual reproduction. shorturl.at/7Goxt
Reposts appreciated!
Obligatory cat video to brighten your day. :-)
Reposts appreciated!
Obligatory cat video to brighten your day. :-)
Reposted by Morgan Carter
This is the most astonishing graph of what the Trump regime has done to US science. They have destroyed the federal science workforce across the board. The negative impacts on Americans will be felt for generations, and the US might never be the same again.
www.nature.com/immersive/d4...
www.nature.com/immersive/d4...
January 20, 2026 at 10:53 PM
This is the most astonishing graph of what the Trump regime has done to US science. They have destroyed the federal science workforce across the board. The negative impacts on Americans will be felt for generations, and the US might never be the same again.
www.nature.com/immersive/d4...
www.nature.com/immersive/d4...
Muttering to myself "AAT GCA..." and thinking that it is very obvious when I am writing questions for my Genetics course. That or I just sound like I've lost it, to anyone passing my office.
January 20, 2026 at 3:47 PM
Muttering to myself "AAT GCA..." and thinking that it is very obvious when I am writing questions for my Genetics course. That or I just sound like I've lost it, to anyone passing my office.
Reposted by Morgan Carter
Been hearing some horrifying chatter about dealing with the new #NIH common form and #ScienCV system, so I put together a short video with some tricks for mitigating some of those pain points.
Hope it helps? 🧪
open.substack.com/pub/emptymod...
Hope it helps? 🧪
open.substack.com/pub/emptymod...
Dealing with ScienCV formatting
Some tips for composing and making your new NIH biosketch not look like garbage
open.substack.com
January 17, 2026 at 3:28 AM
Been hearing some horrifying chatter about dealing with the new #NIH common form and #ScienCV system, so I put together a short video with some tricks for mitigating some of those pain points.
Hope it helps? 🧪
open.substack.com/pub/emptymod...
Hope it helps? 🧪
open.substack.com/pub/emptymod...
Reposted by Morgan Carter
The Murphy Lab did our annual retreat this week. This year's theme was using AI (what it's good and bad for). I wanted to be open-minded to make sure we are not missing something we should be using it for, so we did a few exercises to test, and had presentations.
January 15, 2026 at 4:51 PM
The Murphy Lab did our annual retreat this week. This year's theme was using AI (what it's good and bad for). I wanted to be open-minded to make sure we are not missing something we should be using it for, so we did a few exercises to test, and had presentations.
Reposted by Morgan Carter
Got given a subscription to @humblebundle.com monthly bundle this year which has inspired me to play through more of my backlog as well. Goal is to play a new game a day (if I play any games that day) and post about it here.
January 2, 2026 at 3:48 PM
Got given a subscription to @humblebundle.com monthly bundle this year which has inspired me to play through more of my backlog as well. Goal is to play a new game a day (if I play any games that day) and post about it here.
Reposted by Morgan Carter
One last read of this grant. Completely sick of it, so I know it’s ready.
December 22, 2025 at 4:18 PM
One last read of this grant. Completely sick of it, so I know it’s ready.
Reposted by Morgan Carter
New postdoctoral fellowship opportunity! Please pass along. Excited to announce the launch of the Tom Lovejoy Fellowship Program at the University of Arizona for innovative research to protect species, sustain ecosystems, and promote a thriving planet lovejoycenter.arizona.edu/lovejoy-fell... 🧪🌐🌾
December 19, 2025 at 6:11 PM
New postdoctoral fellowship opportunity! Please pass along. Excited to announce the launch of the Tom Lovejoy Fellowship Program at the University of Arizona for innovative research to protect species, sustain ecosystems, and promote a thriving planet lovejoycenter.arizona.edu/lovejoy-fell... 🧪🌐🌾
Reposted by Morgan Carter
Felt a little festive at the microscope this morning for #FluorescenceFriday 🎄
Here’s the nervous system of a juvenile sea star ⭐️
Green = acetylated tubulin, red = nuclei
Happy holidays!
Here’s the nervous system of a juvenile sea star ⭐️
Green = acetylated tubulin, red = nuclei
Happy holidays!
December 19, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Felt a little festive at the microscope this morning for #FluorescenceFriday 🎄
Here’s the nervous system of a juvenile sea star ⭐️
Green = acetylated tubulin, red = nuclei
Happy holidays!
Here’s the nervous system of a juvenile sea star ⭐️
Green = acetylated tubulin, red = nuclei
Happy holidays!
Reposted by Morgan Carter
I’m more optimistic than Terry here about the fundamentals of the review process…. But I think the lack of money will make it so the borderline grants he mentions here (and yep, it definitely happens like he says) won’t be funded anyway bc theres less money overall
Y'all, I just got out of the NSF-BIO webinar where they explained changes to peer review. It's not good. 🧪 scienceforeveryone.science/changes-to-n...
Changes to NSF peer review
They're not good. At all.
scienceforeveryone.science
December 18, 2025 at 9:04 PM
I’m more optimistic than Terry here about the fundamentals of the review process…. But I think the lack of money will make it so the borderline grants he mentions here (and yep, it definitely happens like he says) won’t be funded anyway bc theres less money overall
Reposted by Morgan Carter
NSF bio hour - NSF BIO lost 40% of its staff 😑
December 18, 2025 at 6:13 PM
NSF bio hour - NSF BIO lost 40% of its staff 😑
Reposted by Morgan Carter
Q&A
My favorite program has been archived, will it come back? Postdoc, etc…programs
They don’t know what’s coming back if they’re archived. They value postdoc program but they don’t know what’s coming back
My favorite program has been archived, will it come back? Postdoc, etc…programs
They don’t know what’s coming back if they’re archived. They value postdoc program but they don’t know what’s coming back
December 18, 2025 at 6:44 PM
Q&A
My favorite program has been archived, will it come back? Postdoc, etc…programs
They don’t know what’s coming back if they’re archived. They value postdoc program but they don’t know what’s coming back
My favorite program has been archived, will it come back? Postdoc, etc…programs
They don’t know what’s coming back if they’re archived. They value postdoc program but they don’t know what’s coming back
Reposted by Morgan Carter
Live thread of the NSF biology virtual office hour:
🧵
🧵
December 18, 2025 at 6:02 PM
Live thread of the NSF biology virtual office hour:
🧵
🧵