A. Sánchez Alvarado
@planaria1.bsky.social
An ongoing collection of places, ideas and people I run into during the practice of science
Pinned
Science is humanity’s grand endeavor to understand the universe & our place in it
Every scientific breakthrough a testament to our curiosity & perseverance
Science remains our compass, guiding us through the labyrinth of ideas, helping us distinguish truth from illusion, voices from echoes
Every scientific breakthrough a testament to our curiosity & perseverance
Science remains our compass, guiding us through the labyrinth of ideas, helping us distinguish truth from illusion, voices from echoes
Reposted by A. Sánchez Alvarado
📣Announcing our first awardees of 2026🌠, who are setting out to uncover new knowledge about microbes in extreme environments, host-microbiome interactions, & bacterial defenses. bit.ly/HFAwardees
Hear why our #HFScouts recommended these talented scientists👇 in our 🧵:
Hear why our #HFScouts recommended these talented scientists👇 in our 🧵:
February 12, 2026 at 4:58 PM
📣Announcing our first awardees of 2026🌠, who are setting out to uncover new knowledge about microbes in extreme environments, host-microbiome interactions, & bacterial defenses. bit.ly/HFAwardees
Hear why our #HFScouts recommended these talented scientists👇 in our 🧵:
Hear why our #HFScouts recommended these talented scientists👇 in our 🧵:
Reposted by A. Sánchez Alvarado
4/ Awardee Sukrit Silas is setting out to solve the longstanding challenge of predicting phage-bacteria compatibility🦠. His project could transform how phages are harnessed to fight against antibiotic resistance.
🍾 Congrats Dr. Silas! @gladstoneinst.bsky.social
#HFScout Devaki Bhaya
🍾 Congrats Dr. Silas! @gladstoneinst.bsky.social
#HFScout Devaki Bhaya
February 12, 2026 at 4:58 PM
4/ Awardee Sukrit Silas is setting out to solve the longstanding challenge of predicting phage-bacteria compatibility🦠. His project could transform how phages are harnessed to fight against antibiotic resistance.
🍾 Congrats Dr. Silas! @gladstoneinst.bsky.social
#HFScout Devaki Bhaya
🍾 Congrats Dr. Silas! @gladstoneinst.bsky.social
#HFScout Devaki Bhaya
Reposted by A. Sánchez Alvarado
Reposted by A. Sánchez Alvarado
2/ Awardee @archaeon-alex.bsky.social, in collab w/ Co-Is Amy Schmid & Bonnie Baxter,
is taking the lab🔬 to the field -- to uncover how microbes adapt to extreme environmental changes found in the Great Salt Lake!
🥳 Congrats Dr. Bisson! @iubiology.bsky.social
🙏 #HFScout @planaria1.bsky.social
🥳 Congrats Dr. Bisson! @iubiology.bsky.social
🙏 #HFScout @planaria1.bsky.social
February 12, 2026 at 4:58 PM
2/ Awardee @archaeon-alex.bsky.social, in collab w/ Co-Is Amy Schmid & Bonnie Baxter,
is taking the lab🔬 to the field -- to uncover how microbes adapt to extreme environmental changes found in the Great Salt Lake!
🥳 Congrats Dr. Bisson! @iubiology.bsky.social
🙏 #HFScout @planaria1.bsky.social
🥳 Congrats Dr. Bisson! @iubiology.bsky.social
🙏 #HFScout @planaria1.bsky.social
“There is grandeur in this view of life, … and that, whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved”
Charles Darwin, born February 12, 1809
Charles Darwin, born February 12, 1809
February 12, 2026 at 2:33 PM
“There is grandeur in this view of life, … and that, whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved”
Charles Darwin, born February 12, 1809
Charles Darwin, born February 12, 1809
Reposted by A. Sánchez Alvarado
Final day to apply 🚨 Stowers Computational Biology Scholars Program applications close today⬇️
⏰ Last call! Applications for the Stowers Computational Biology Scholars Program close tonight.
If you’re ready to explore #biology through #data, code, and collaboration—don’t wait.
🕛 Apply by the end of today: bit.ly/3T0dYCy
If you’re ready to explore #biology through #data, code, and collaboration—don’t wait.
🕛 Apply by the end of today: bit.ly/3T0dYCy
Computational Biology Scholars
The mission of The Graduate School of the Stowers Institute for Medical Research is to prepare a superb cadre of predoctoral researchers from around the…
bit.ly
February 9, 2026 at 6:11 PM
Final day to apply 🚨 Stowers Computational Biology Scholars Program applications close today⬇️
Reposted by A. Sánchez Alvarado
New #research from the @planaria1.bsky.social Lab reveals how #planarian cells coordinate #regeneration across the body using extracellular vesicles to deliver gene-silencing RNAs. 🪱 Published in Science Advances.
🔗 Read more: bit.ly/4bYJ1tN
🔗 Read more: bit.ly/4bYJ1tN
February 6, 2026 at 9:51 PM
New #research from the @planaria1.bsky.social Lab reveals how #planarian cells coordinate #regeneration across the body using extracellular vesicles to deliver gene-silencing RNAs. 🪱 Published in Science Advances.
🔗 Read more: bit.ly/4bYJ1tN
🔗 Read more: bit.ly/4bYJ1tN
Reposted by A. Sánchez Alvarado
Thank you to @delafuentelab.bsky.social for an engaging Stowers Seminar Series talk on “Accelerating biological discovery with AI" – hosted by the Si Lab. #SciSky #ResearchSky
February 5, 2026 at 7:41 PM
Thank you to @delafuentelab.bsky.social for an engaging Stowers Seminar Series talk on “Accelerating biological discovery with AI" – hosted by the Si Lab. #SciSky #ResearchSky
Reposted by A. Sánchez Alvarado
Welcome to the Institute, Stern Lab! @hhmi-science.bsky.social Investigator David Stern studies how insects hijack plant development. His lab’s discoveries could reshape how we think about pest control and food security. He & his team arrived from HHMI’s Janelia Research Campus.
bit.ly/4np96Fb
bit.ly/4np96Fb
Stowers Institute recruits renowned developmental and evolutionary…
David Stern, Ph.D., brings groundbreaking research on insect–plant interactions for next-generation pest control to the Institute.
bit.ly
February 3, 2026 at 8:51 PM
Welcome to the Institute, Stern Lab! @hhmi-science.bsky.social Investigator David Stern studies how insects hijack plant development. His lab’s discoveries could reshape how we think about pest control and food security. He & his team arrived from HHMI’s Janelia Research Campus.
bit.ly/4np96Fb
bit.ly/4np96Fb
Reposted by A. Sánchez Alvarado
#MicroscopyMonday | Bacteria as a protein delivery system! Engineered glowing bacteria to secrete protein (red) inside the gut of a C. elegans worm. Green is the worm’s natural digestive processes. Worms are used to screen secretion before testing in mice. (Li Lab) #SciSky
February 2, 2026 at 6:02 PM
#MicroscopyMonday | Bacteria as a protein delivery system! Engineered glowing bacteria to secrete protein (red) inside the gut of a C. elegans worm. Green is the worm’s natural digestive processes. Worms are used to screen secretion before testing in mice. (Li Lab) #SciSky
Reposted by A. Sánchez Alvarado
Meet the Faculty 🧠 Assistant Investigator Neşet Özel shares how lab culture, #mentorship, and ways of thinking shape emerging scientists, and why choosing the right environment matters just as much as the #research itself.
🔗 Learn more: bit.ly/4r9pivy
🔗 Learn more: bit.ly/4r9pivy
Meet the Faculty: Neşet Özel, Ph.D., on what shapes emerging…
"Every unique lab environment influences who each scientist becomes."
bit.ly
January 28, 2026 at 6:31 PM
Reposted by A. Sánchez Alvarado
Golden apple snails can regrow an eye in just one month & scientists in the @planaria1.bsky.social Lab helped uncover the genetic blueprint behind this remarkable ability.
Highlighted in @smithsonianmag.bsky.social 's roundup of the most fascinating scientific discoveries of 2025.
bit.ly/3YY4GdP
Highlighted in @smithsonianmag.bsky.social 's roundup of the most fascinating scientific discoveries of 2025.
bit.ly/3YY4GdP
Eight Fascinating Scientific Discoveries From 2025 That Could Lead to New Inventions
By studying the natural world, scientists find blueprints for innovations that can improve human lives—in the genes of a shark, the fur of a polar bear and the flipper of an extinct reptile
bit.ly
January 28, 2026 at 4:36 PM
Golden apple snails can regrow an eye in just one month & scientists in the @planaria1.bsky.social Lab helped uncover the genetic blueprint behind this remarkable ability.
Highlighted in @smithsonianmag.bsky.social 's roundup of the most fascinating scientific discoveries of 2025.
bit.ly/3YY4GdP
Highlighted in @smithsonianmag.bsky.social 's roundup of the most fascinating scientific discoveries of 2025.
bit.ly/3YY4GdP
Reposted by A. Sánchez Alvarado
Always a pleasure to welcome outstanding scientists to campus. 📍
Today’s Seminar Series featured @thejainlab.bsky.social from @rutgersu.bsky.social, hosted by the Zanders Lab. Thanks for the insightful talk! #SciSky
Today’s Seminar Series featured @thejainlab.bsky.social from @rutgersu.bsky.social, hosted by the Zanders Lab. Thanks for the insightful talk! #SciSky
January 28, 2026 at 7:15 PM
Always a pleasure to welcome outstanding scientists to campus. 📍
Today’s Seminar Series featured @thejainlab.bsky.social from @rutgersu.bsky.social, hosted by the Zanders Lab. Thanks for the insightful talk! #SciSky
Today’s Seminar Series featured @thejainlab.bsky.social from @rutgersu.bsky.social, hosted by the Zanders Lab. Thanks for the insightful talk! #SciSky
Reposted by A. Sánchez Alvarado
(2/2) The lab's #discovery forces us to rethink long-standing assumptions about memory and the consequence of #amyloid formation in the #brain, potentially providing new avenues for treating amyloid-related disorders of the nervous system.
January 26, 2026 at 8:28 PM
(2/2) The lab's #discovery forces us to rethink long-standing assumptions about memory and the consequence of #amyloid formation in the #brain, potentially providing new avenues for treating amyloid-related disorders of the nervous system.
Reposted by A. Sánchez Alvarado
A little winter magic on campus. ❄️ Stay warm, #KansasCity.
January 27, 2026 at 5:54 PM
A little winter magic on campus. ❄️ Stay warm, #KansasCity.
Reposted by A. Sánchez Alvarado
A great presentation at #FridayScienceClub last week!
January 26, 2026 at 5:04 PM
A great presentation at #FridayScienceClub last week!
Reposted by A. Sánchez Alvarado
New #research from the Si Lab has identified the mechanism that makes a fleeting moment unforgettable. The team has provided the first direct evidence that the nervous system can deliberately form amyloids to help turn sensory experiences into lasting memories. @pnas.org (1/2)
More: bit.ly/3LPwu0Y
More: bit.ly/3LPwu0Y
January 26, 2026 at 8:26 PM
New #research from the Si Lab has identified the mechanism that makes a fleeting moment unforgettable. The team has provided the first direct evidence that the nervous system can deliberately form amyloids to help turn sensory experiences into lasting memories. @pnas.org (1/2)
More: bit.ly/3LPwu0Y
More: bit.ly/3LPwu0Y
Reposted by A. Sánchez Alvarado
#ImmigrantStoryoftheWeek 🔬 Meet Alejandro Sánchez Alvarado, a Venezuelan molecular biologist whose curiosity was sparked by his grandfather’s ranch. His research reveals how organisms regenerate themselves, offering insight into treating human disease. Watch the full video: https://vilcek.co/3YPdH8W
January 22, 2026 at 10:09 PM
#ImmigrantStoryoftheWeek 🔬 Meet Alejandro Sánchez Alvarado, a Venezuelan molecular biologist whose curiosity was sparked by his grandfather’s ranch. His research reveals how organisms regenerate themselves, offering insight into treating human disease. Watch the full video: https://vilcek.co/3YPdH8W
Reposted by A. Sánchez Alvarado
A full house last Friday to honour Dr. #JoanGuinovart—visionary scientist, leader, and advocate for science. His legacy spans discovery, institutions, and generations of researchers.
Full story & videos from the event here:
➡️ https://shorturl.at/zk6Sa
#IRBBarcelona
Full story & videos from the event here:
➡️ https://shorturl.at/zk6Sa
#IRBBarcelona
January 22, 2026 at 10:02 AM
A full house last Friday to honour Dr. #JoanGuinovart—visionary scientist, leader, and advocate for science. His legacy spans discovery, institutions, and generations of researchers.
Full story & videos from the event here:
➡️ https://shorturl.at/zk6Sa
#IRBBarcelona
Full story & videos from the event here:
➡️ https://shorturl.at/zk6Sa
#IRBBarcelona
Reposted by A. Sánchez Alvarado
From Summer Scholar ➡️ #PhD student.
Sergio Barroso Bordon shares how #StowersGrad unique structure, collaborative culture, and strong sense of community helped him grow as a researcher, & feel at home as an international student.
🔗 Read the Q&A: www.stowers.org/gradschool/n...
Sergio Barroso Bordon shares how #StowersGrad unique structure, collaborative culture, and strong sense of community helped him grow as a researcher, & feel at home as an international student.
🔗 Read the Q&A: www.stowers.org/gradschool/n...
Student Spotlight: Q&A with Sergio Barroso Bordon, a Ph.D. Student in…
"The highly interdisciplinary nature of the Stowers Institute is its greatest strength."
www.stowers.org
January 22, 2026 at 9:13 PM
Reposted by A. Sánchez Alvarado
Curious what it's like to be a #CompBio Scholar at the Institute? Find out in this Q&A! ⬇️
Our #CompBio Scholars Program pairs early-career scientists with Stowers Investigators & Tech Center experts. For inaugural Scholar Alejandro Diaz de la Vega Gonzalez, that meant hands-on training, mentorship.
Learn more + apply ➡️ bit.ly/3KgFYBn
Learn more + apply ➡️ bit.ly/3KgFYBn
A Q&A with a Stowers Computational Biology Scholar
Learn more about Inaugural Scholar Alejandro Diaz de la Vega Gonzalez and what led him to pursue a career in computational biology
bit.ly
January 13, 2026 at 4:31 PM
Curious what it's like to be a #CompBio Scholar at the Institute? Find out in this Q&A! ⬇️
Reposted by A. Sánchez Alvarado
Hear from previous Summer Scholars ⬇️ and apply before the deadline THIS Friday to spend the summer doing hands-on research!
🚨 Last chance to apply! 🚨Applications for the 2026 Summer Scholars Program close this Friday, 1/16.
Spend 8 weeks doing hands-on #research in a world-class lab.
📽️⬇️Hear from former Summer Scholars + APPLY now → bit.ly/3SDVdGo
Spend 8 weeks doing hands-on #research in a world-class lab.
📽️⬇️Hear from former Summer Scholars + APPLY now → bit.ly/3SDVdGo
January 14, 2026 at 7:42 PM
Hear from previous Summer Scholars ⬇️ and apply before the deadline THIS Friday to spend the summer doing hands-on research!
Reposted by A. Sánchez Alvarado
A milestone moment for #Stowers25 🎉 We were honored to receive a Missouri State Resolution celebrating the Institute’s 25 years of advancing foundational biomedical #research.
Thank you to Missouri Senator Patty Lewis for recognizing the impact of #science in our state.
Thank you to Missouri Senator Patty Lewis for recognizing the impact of #science in our state.
January 16, 2026 at 6:40 PM
A milestone moment for #Stowers25 🎉 We were honored to receive a Missouri State Resolution celebrating the Institute’s 25 years of advancing foundational biomedical #research.
Thank you to Missouri Senator Patty Lewis for recognizing the impact of #science in our state.
Thank you to Missouri Senator Patty Lewis for recognizing the impact of #science in our state.
Reposted by A. Sánchez Alvarado
What comes after 25 years of #discovery?
A future where #biology is redefined, powered by new technologies, expansive thinking, and the freedom to ask the biggest questions. At Stowers, we’re not just keeping pace with #science. We’re helping set it. #Stowers25
Learn more: bit.ly/46KoZ2Y
A future where #biology is redefined, powered by new technologies, expansive thinking, and the freedom to ask the biggest questions. At Stowers, we’re not just keeping pace with #science. We’re helping set it. #Stowers25
Learn more: bit.ly/46KoZ2Y
January 16, 2026 at 7:57 PM
What comes after 25 years of #discovery?
A future where #biology is redefined, powered by new technologies, expansive thinking, and the freedom to ask the biggest questions. At Stowers, we’re not just keeping pace with #science. We’re helping set it. #Stowers25
Learn more: bit.ly/46KoZ2Y
A future where #biology is redefined, powered by new technologies, expansive thinking, and the freedom to ask the biggest questions. At Stowers, we’re not just keeping pace with #science. We’re helping set it. #Stowers25
Learn more: bit.ly/46KoZ2Y
Reposted by A. Sánchez Alvarado
The #CompBio Scholars Program provides a valuable, career-enhancing research and mentoring opportunity for early-career computational biologists and bioinformaticians. Don't miss your chance to apply⬇️
🚨 Applications are open for our Computational Biology Scholars Program! Work alongside scientists at the forefront of #discovery. Build skills. Gain mentors. Push the boundaries of computational #biology.
Learn more & apply ➡️ bit.ly/3T0dYCy
Learn more & apply ➡️ bit.ly/3T0dYCy
Computational Biology Scholars
The mission of The Graduate School of the Stowers Institute for Medical Research is to prepare a superb cadre of predoctoral researchers from around the…
bit.ly
January 16, 2026 at 9:29 PM
The #CompBio Scholars Program provides a valuable, career-enhancing research and mentoring opportunity for early-career computational biologists and bioinformaticians. Don't miss your chance to apply⬇️