SFU Biological Sciences
@sfubiosciences.bsky.social
Department of Biological Sciences at Simon Fraser University. www.sfu.ca/biology
Pinned
SFU Biology Photo Contest is back! Full details in the posters!
✅ Open to to current members of the Dept
📅 Deadline: Nov 5, 2025
📧 Submit up to 3 photos* to [email protected]
*related to your work, courses or research in biology. Photo can only win in one category.
✅ Open to to current members of the Dept
📅 Deadline: Nov 5, 2025
📧 Submit up to 3 photos* to [email protected]
*related to your work, courses or research in biology. Photo can only win in one category.
🎉 Double Win for Gries Lab!
Emmanuel Hung (PhD) and Augustus Negraeff (Undergrad) earned the President’s Prize for best oral student presentations at the Joint Entomology Meeting.
👏 Emmanuel also received the ESC Postgraduate Scholarship (PhD)!
Read more: www.sfu.ca/biology/news...
Emmanuel Hung (PhD) and Augustus Negraeff (Undergrad) earned the President’s Prize for best oral student presentations at the Joint Entomology Meeting.
👏 Emmanuel also received the ESC Postgraduate Scholarship (PhD)!
Read more: www.sfu.ca/biology/news...
November 25, 2025 at 9:08 PM
🎉 Double Win for Gries Lab!
Emmanuel Hung (PhD) and Augustus Negraeff (Undergrad) earned the President’s Prize for best oral student presentations at the Joint Entomology Meeting.
👏 Emmanuel also received the ESC Postgraduate Scholarship (PhD)!
Read more: www.sfu.ca/biology/news...
Emmanuel Hung (PhD) and Augustus Negraeff (Undergrad) earned the President’s Prize for best oral student presentations at the Joint Entomology Meeting.
👏 Emmanuel also received the ESC Postgraduate Scholarship (PhD)!
Read more: www.sfu.ca/biology/news...
Biological Sciences shines at this year's Faculty of Science Awards! We're proud to celebrate three incredible winners across various categories, recognizing their outstanding contributions to research, teaching and outreach.
Congrats all!!
Congrats all!!
November 25, 2025 at 8:58 PM
Biological Sciences shines at this year's Faculty of Science Awards! We're proud to celebrate three incredible winners across various categories, recognizing their outstanding contributions to research, teaching and outreach.
Congrats all!!
Congrats all!!
Reposted by SFU Biological Sciences
Discover how a single blubber biopsy can be a window into an entire ecosystem and why some killer whale populations are thriving while others struggle at our next Café Scientifique, Nov 25, featuring @sfubiosciences.bsky.social @anaisremili.bsky.social: www.eventbrite.ca/e/sfu-cafe-s....
November 19, 2025 at 9:16 PM
Discover how a single blubber biopsy can be a window into an entire ecosystem and why some killer whale populations are thriving while others struggle at our next Café Scientifique, Nov 25, featuring @sfubiosciences.bsky.social @anaisremili.bsky.social: www.eventbrite.ca/e/sfu-cafe-s....
Reposted by SFU Biological Sciences
@sfubiosciences.bsky.social and environmental ecotoxicology honours student Elisha Okonta has been working in prof Tanya Brown’s Marine Mammal Ecotoxicology Lab throughout 2025, where she prepares and analyzes samples from multiple marine species.
November 5, 2025 at 10:12 PM
@sfubiosciences.bsky.social and environmental ecotoxicology honours student Elisha Okonta has been working in prof Tanya Brown’s Marine Mammal Ecotoxicology Lab throughout 2025, where she prepares and analyzes samples from multiple marine species.
Reposted by SFU Biological Sciences
Successfully wrapped up our third and final week measuring rays in Europe at the Natural History Museum in London 🇬🇧 huge thank you to @nhm-london.bsky.social for hosting, and thank you @amandasodysseys.bsky.social and @nickdulvy.bsky.social for helping me measure 309 rays representing 123 species!
October 31, 2025 at 6:28 AM
Reposted by SFU Biological Sciences
A bit late, but we’ve (@rachhson.bsky.social @nickdulvy.bsky.social) wrapped up our second week measuring rays across Europe. Goodbye Paris and thank you to the teams at @mnhn.fr who made it possible! 🇫🇷✨on to London 🇬🇧!
@earth2ocean.bsky.social
#labwork #mobulamonday #scienceinaction #womeninstem
@earth2ocean.bsky.social
#labwork #mobulamonday #scienceinaction #womeninstem
October 20, 2025 at 4:40 PM
Em Lim receives the Dr. Eva Voigt Graduate Award in Science for Mentoring Leadership. Congratulations, Em!
www.sfu.ca/biology/news...
www.sfu.ca/biology/news...
October 16, 2025 at 6:08 PM
Em Lim receives the Dr. Eva Voigt Graduate Award in Science for Mentoring Leadership. Congratulations, Em!
www.sfu.ca/biology/news...
www.sfu.ca/biology/news...
Reposted by SFU Biological Sciences
What are you going to do with your degree? @sfubiosciences.bsky.social student Emily Lucas didn't have forensics in mind, but found that it was a "beautiful fusion" of all the things she'd liked from her undergraduate research and co-op experiences. www.sfu.ca/science/news...
October 10, 2025 at 10:27 PM
What are you going to do with your degree? @sfubiosciences.bsky.social student Emily Lucas didn't have forensics in mind, but found that it was a "beautiful fusion" of all the things she'd liked from her undergraduate research and co-op experiences. www.sfu.ca/science/news...
Reposted by SFU Biological Sciences
🚨 NEW PAPER 🚨 We show that during warm, low-ice years in the Canadian Arctic, ringed seals exhibit thinner blubber, depleted fatty acids, and elevated metabolic stress. We also show that high PCB and mercury levels contribute to oxidative damage in the liver.
Climate variations and a local PCB hotspot have altered metabolomic profiles in ringed seals
Environmental contaminants and climate change pose ongoing threats to Arctic marine mammals, yet their combined physiological impacts remain poorly un…
www.sciencedirect.com
October 9, 2025 at 11:46 PM
🚨 NEW PAPER 🚨 We show that during warm, low-ice years in the Canadian Arctic, ringed seals exhibit thinner blubber, depleted fatty acids, and elevated metabolic stress. We also show that high PCB and mercury levels contribute to oxidative damage in the liver.
Reposted by SFU Biological Sciences
The E2O team making waves (and measuring fins) in Hamburg!
Great to see @sfubiosciences.bsky.social in action!
@sfuscience.bsky.social
Great to see @sfubiosciences.bsky.social in action!
@sfuscience.bsky.social
Just wrapped up a great week measuring rays at the Museum der Natur Zoologie @leibnizlib.bsky.social in Hamburg 🇩🇪 for @rachhson.bsky.social’s PhD, over 135 specimens measured! 🦈✨ Next stop: Paris 🇫🇷, as our whirlwind tour through Europe’s ray collections continues
@nickdulvy.bsky.social
@nickdulvy.bsky.social
October 10, 2025 at 4:14 PM
The E2O team making waves (and measuring fins) in Hamburg!
Great to see @sfubiosciences.bsky.social in action!
@sfuscience.bsky.social
Great to see @sfubiosciences.bsky.social in action!
@sfuscience.bsky.social
🦆🌍 SFU Biology celebrates #WMBD2025!
This year’s theme—Shared Spaces—calls for bird-friendly cities. Our research on urban bird ecology and habitat use supports this global effort.
📸 Photos show how birds share space with our campus.
🔗 www.sfu.ca/biology/news...
This year’s theme—Shared Spaces—calls for bird-friendly cities. Our research on urban bird ecology and habitat use supports this global effort.
📸 Photos show how birds share space with our campus.
🔗 www.sfu.ca/biology/news...
October 10, 2025 at 5:49 PM
🦆🌍 SFU Biology celebrates #WMBD2025!
This year’s theme—Shared Spaces—calls for bird-friendly cities. Our research on urban bird ecology and habitat use supports this global effort.
📸 Photos show how birds share space with our campus.
🔗 www.sfu.ca/biology/news...
This year’s theme—Shared Spaces—calls for bird-friendly cities. Our research on urban bird ecology and habitat use supports this global effort.
📸 Photos show how birds share space with our campus.
🔗 www.sfu.ca/biology/news...
SFU Biology Assistant Professors, Jane Fowler & Chelsea Little co-launch initiative to conserve and steward ecosystems in B.C.Coast Mountains.
Their work supports sustainable planning in B.C.’s Coast Mountains.
🔗 www.sfu.ca/biology/news...
Their work supports sustainable planning in B.C.’s Coast Mountains.
🔗 www.sfu.ca/biology/news...
October 10, 2025 at 5:42 PM
SFU Biology Assistant Professors, Jane Fowler & Chelsea Little co-launch initiative to conserve and steward ecosystems in B.C.Coast Mountains.
Their work supports sustainable planning in B.C.’s Coast Mountains.
🔗 www.sfu.ca/biology/news...
Their work supports sustainable planning in B.C.’s Coast Mountains.
🔗 www.sfu.ca/biology/news...
Reposted by SFU Biological Sciences
Today I presented my MSc research at the "Cumulative Effects in Northern Ecosystems" symposium, and during the panel shared my thoughts on collaboration between academia and industry. So thankful to have been invited to participate and get to know some really cool people!
#TWS2025
#TWS2025
October 8, 2025 at 5:25 AM
Today I presented my MSc research at the "Cumulative Effects in Northern Ecosystems" symposium, and during the panel shared my thoughts on collaboration between academia and industry. So thankful to have been invited to participate and get to know some really cool people!
#TWS2025
#TWS2025
Reposted by SFU Biological Sciences
The Little Ecology Group at @sfuscience.bsky.social is hiring a PhD student to conduct aquatic biodiversity research in alpine streams! 🏔️💧🔬👩🔬 This is an awesome opportunity to join a supportive research group in a beautiful part of the world! littleecologygroup.ca/join-us/
Join Us!
Open PhD positions in the Little Ecology Group starting May or September 2026! Come join the Little Ecology Group (www.littleecologygroup.ca)! We are hiring a PhD student to conduct aquatic biodive…
littleecologygroup.ca
October 7, 2025 at 4:16 AM
The Little Ecology Group at @sfuscience.bsky.social is hiring a PhD student to conduct aquatic biodiversity research in alpine streams! 🏔️💧🔬👩🔬 This is an awesome opportunity to join a supportive research group in a beautiful part of the world! littleecologygroup.ca/join-us/
SFU Biology Photo Contest is back! Full details in the posters!
✅ Open to to current members of the Dept
📅 Deadline: Nov 5, 2025
📧 Submit up to 3 photos* to [email protected]
*related to your work, courses or research in biology. Photo can only win in one category.
✅ Open to to current members of the Dept
📅 Deadline: Nov 5, 2025
📧 Submit up to 3 photos* to [email protected]
*related to your work, courses or research in biology. Photo can only win in one category.
October 7, 2025 at 6:27 PM
SFU Biology Photo Contest is back! Full details in the posters!
✅ Open to to current members of the Dept
📅 Deadline: Nov 5, 2025
📧 Submit up to 3 photos* to [email protected]
*related to your work, courses or research in biology. Photo can only win in one category.
✅ Open to to current members of the Dept
📅 Deadline: Nov 5, 2025
📧 Submit up to 3 photos* to [email protected]
*related to your work, courses or research in biology. Photo can only win in one category.
🌳 Why are more trees falling — even without storms?
SFU Biological Sciences Professor Jim Mattsson is quoted in this story by the Canadian Press on how heat and drought are silently weakening forests.
Read more on our News page: www.sfu.ca/biology/news...
SFU Biological Sciences Professor Jim Mattsson is quoted in this story by the Canadian Press on how heat and drought are silently weakening forests.
Read more on our News page: www.sfu.ca/biology/news...
When heat and drought stress trees, the consequence can be tragic
www.sfu.ca
October 3, 2025 at 8:12 PM
🌳 Why are more trees falling — even without storms?
SFU Biological Sciences Professor Jim Mattsson is quoted in this story by the Canadian Press on how heat and drought are silently weakening forests.
Read more on our News page: www.sfu.ca/biology/news...
SFU Biological Sciences Professor Jim Mattsson is quoted in this story by the Canadian Press on how heat and drought are silently weakening forests.
Read more on our News page: www.sfu.ca/biology/news...
Read this article in UVic News about the partnership between UVic, Simon Fraser University, and BC Parks using iNaturalist to upload geo-tagged photos of species observed in the environment. Read more on our News page: www.sfu.ca/biology/news...
October 2, 2025 at 8:19 PM
Read this article in UVic News about the partnership between UVic, Simon Fraser University, and BC Parks using iNaturalist to upload geo-tagged photos of species observed in the environment. Read more on our News page: www.sfu.ca/biology/news...
Reposted by SFU Biological Sciences
NEW PAPER!
A Safe Operating Space for Salmon Watersheds Under Rapid Climate Change - Fish and Fisheries - Wiley Online Library onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
A Safe Operating Space for Salmon Watersheds Under Rapid Climate Change - Fish and Fisheries - Wiley Online Library onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
A Safe Operating Space for Salmon Watersheds Under Rapid Climate Change
Local watershed management can exacerbate or ameliorate oncoming climate risks to important aquatic ecosystems. Even as there is a global need to address climate change, local watershed stewardship c....
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
October 1, 2025 at 2:55 PM
NEW PAPER!
A Safe Operating Space for Salmon Watersheds Under Rapid Climate Change - Fish and Fisheries - Wiley Online Library onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
A Safe Operating Space for Salmon Watersheds Under Rapid Climate Change - Fish and Fisheries - Wiley Online Library onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
🚨 SFU Biology – Event Alert! 🚨
The Outreach & Engagement Committee has released the 2025–2026 calendar! From contests to celebration days, there’s lots to look forward to.
📅 Don’t miss out—check the schedule: www.sfu.ca/biology/abou...
The Outreach & Engagement Committee has released the 2025–2026 calendar! From contests to celebration days, there’s lots to look forward to.
📅 Don’t miss out—check the schedule: www.sfu.ca/biology/abou...
September 24, 2025 at 9:07 PM
🚨 SFU Biology – Event Alert! 🚨
The Outreach & Engagement Committee has released the 2025–2026 calendar! From contests to celebration days, there’s lots to look forward to.
📅 Don’t miss out—check the schedule: www.sfu.ca/biology/abou...
The Outreach & Engagement Committee has released the 2025–2026 calendar! From contests to celebration days, there’s lots to look forward to.
📅 Don’t miss out—check the schedule: www.sfu.ca/biology/abou...
🎉 Shoutout to the Ruff Penguins! 🐧
Our Biology Terry Fox Run team raised $2,790 for cancer research on Sept 18 — thanks to our amazing students, faculty & staff!
You can still donate 👉 run.terryfox.ca/team/ruffpenguins
Visit our Kudos page: sfu.ca/biology/news-events/kudos/2025-ruff-penguins.html
Our Biology Terry Fox Run team raised $2,790 for cancer research on Sept 18 — thanks to our amazing students, faculty & staff!
You can still donate 👉 run.terryfox.ca/team/ruffpenguins
Visit our Kudos page: sfu.ca/biology/news-events/kudos/2025-ruff-penguins.html
September 19, 2025 at 9:15 PM
🎉 Shoutout to the Ruff Penguins! 🐧
Our Biology Terry Fox Run team raised $2,790 for cancer research on Sept 18 — thanks to our amazing students, faculty & staff!
You can still donate 👉 run.terryfox.ca/team/ruffpenguins
Visit our Kudos page: sfu.ca/biology/news-events/kudos/2025-ruff-penguins.html
Our Biology Terry Fox Run team raised $2,790 for cancer research on Sept 18 — thanks to our amazing students, faculty & staff!
You can still donate 👉 run.terryfox.ca/team/ruffpenguins
Visit our Kudos page: sfu.ca/biology/news-events/kudos/2025-ruff-penguins.html
It's National Postdoc Appreciation Week! 🎉 We’re celebrating our amazing postdocs, including Jungsoo Park (Fowler Lab), featured in SFU News for his work in microbial ecology. Learn more: www.sfu.ca/biology/peop...
September 16, 2025 at 10:07 PM
It's National Postdoc Appreciation Week! 🎉 We’re celebrating our amazing postdocs, including Jungsoo Park (Fowler Lab), featured in SFU News for his work in microbial ecology. Learn more: www.sfu.ca/biology/peop...
Hope everyone’s fall semester is going well! Here are the upcoming workshops and events happening at Sci-Space through September and some of October🍁🍂
September 16, 2025 at 5:55 PM
Hope everyone’s fall semester is going well! Here are the upcoming workshops and events happening at Sci-Space through September and some of October🍁🍂
Reposted by SFU Biological Sciences
New @genomebc.bsky.social-funded research from @sfubiosciences.bsky.social and the BC Blueberry Council has identified a new virus that is affecting BC blueberry farms. vancouver.citynews.ca/video/2025/0...
New testing helps B.C. blueberry farmers fight crop virus
B.C. is home to around 600 blueberry farms, but crop viruses have become rampant in recent years, making it difficult for farmers to profit. As Cecilia Hua reports, new research out of SFU might help ...
vancouver.citynews.ca
September 12, 2025 at 9:20 PM
New @genomebc.bsky.social-funded research from @sfubiosciences.bsky.social and the BC Blueberry Council has identified a new virus that is affecting BC blueberry farms. vancouver.citynews.ca/video/2025/0...
🎉 2025 BISC Welcome Party
We kicked off the new academic year with food, games, and the opening of the Mesozoic Garden 🌿 - a stunning new space celebrating prehistoric plant life. Thanks to everyone who made it such a fun and welcoming event!
Read more on our Kudos page: www.sfu.ca/biology/news...
We kicked off the new academic year with food, games, and the opening of the Mesozoic Garden 🌿 - a stunning new space celebrating prehistoric plant life. Thanks to everyone who made it such a fun and welcoming event!
Read more on our Kudos page: www.sfu.ca/biology/news...
September 12, 2025 at 9:32 PM
🎉 2025 BISC Welcome Party
We kicked off the new academic year with food, games, and the opening of the Mesozoic Garden 🌿 - a stunning new space celebrating prehistoric plant life. Thanks to everyone who made it such a fun and welcoming event!
Read more on our Kudos page: www.sfu.ca/biology/news...
We kicked off the new academic year with food, games, and the opening of the Mesozoic Garden 🌿 - a stunning new space celebrating prehistoric plant life. Thanks to everyone who made it such a fun and welcoming event!
Read more on our Kudos page: www.sfu.ca/biology/news...
Reposted by SFU Biological Sciences
When an unknown new disease began to show up in BC blueberry fields BC Blueberry Council research director Eric Gerbrandt teamed up with @sfubiosciences.bsky.social plant geneticist Jim Mattsson to understand why standard testing sometimes fails to identify viruses in sick plants.
🫐 For years, BC blueberry fields showed signs of a mysterious scorched epidemic—but tests kept coming back negative.
Dr. Eric Gerbrandt (BC Blueberry Council) and Dr. Jim Mattsson @sfuscience.bsky.social
partnered to investigate: genomebc.ca/blog/genomic...
Dr. Eric Gerbrandt (BC Blueberry Council) and Dr. Jim Mattsson @sfuscience.bsky.social
partnered to investigate: genomebc.ca/blog/genomic...
Genomic Research Solves Major Challenge Facing BC’s Blueberry Industry - Genome BC
Genomics researchers have developed updated tools to test new variants of blueberry viruses that are causing sickness in BC plants.
genomebc.ca
September 8, 2025 at 8:07 PM
When an unknown new disease began to show up in BC blueberry fields BC Blueberry Council research director Eric Gerbrandt teamed up with @sfubiosciences.bsky.social plant geneticist Jim Mattsson to understand why standard testing sometimes fails to identify viruses in sick plants.