Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Sheila I. Jensen

Nature @nature.com · 7d

Jane Goodall, known for her pioneering work with chimpanzees, has passed away aged 91

go.nature.com/46QHIZk

Jane Goodall’s legacy: three ways she changed science

Nature - The primatologist challenged what it meant to be a scientist.

go.nature.com

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Reposted by Sheila I. Jensen

Orangutan Land Trust @orangutanlandtrust.bsky.social · 9d

Jane Goodall, pioneering chimpanzee zoologist who revealed the animals’ links to humans, dies aged 91

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...

Jane Goodall, much-loved pioneering chimpanzee expert, dies aged 91

Award-winning primatologist who established world’s longest-running chimp study still lectured on conservation and climate even over age of 91

www.independent.co.uk

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Sheila I. Jensen @sheilaijensen.bsky.social · 11d

En "lille" overset detalje
Ved ikke om jeg nogensinde vil kunne få et normaliseret forhold til de fleste Israelere igen (medmindre de går igennem deradikalisering), men det bliver da kun sværere, hvis ingen af dem der bla. har været med til at sulte folk ihjel bliver dømt for deres forbrydelser 💔🕊️

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Reposted by Sheila I. Jensen

Stephen Garrett @stephenrgarrett.bsky.social · 25d

Really excited to share my first paper from the Whitney lab, alongside an amazing grad student, Polina. Here we identify a chaperone family required for the folding of a central domain of T7SS toxins, and solve the structure of the chaperone-toxin complex. www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...

A widespread family of molecular chaperones promotes the intracellular stability of type VIIb secretion system–exported toxins | PNAS

To survive in highly competitive environments, bacteria use specialized secretion systems to deliver antibacterial toxins into neighboring cells, t...

www.pnas.org

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Reposted by Sheila I. Jensen

Enrico Orsi @eorsi.bsky.social · 29d

Please repost!

Postdoc in adaptive laboratory evolution and C1 synthetic metabolism!

Location: DTU Biosustain

🦠🧬🔬

Starting in 01/2026!

Fell free to reach out if you have questions!
efzu.fa.em2.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/Candid...

efzu.fa.em2.oraclecloud.com

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Sheila I. Jensen @sheilaijensen.bsky.social · 28d

We have cloned several of this size for replicative (low copy) in gram negative but integrative in gram positives. The homolog arms and double antibiotic resistance cassettes makes them quite big though. Might be worth considering integrase mediated genome integrations for these purposes.

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Reposted by Sheila I. Jensen

Marine Mammal Research at Aarhus University, Ecoscience @marinemammalsau.bsky.social · Sep 3

New York Times article discusses @nature.com paper by our Rune Dietz, Christian Sonne, and others at @au.dk and the University of Copenhagen 🌐🐋🧪🌏

@newyorktimeshaiku.bsky.social @ucph.bsky.social
#Science #Research #impact #Mercury #Arcticchange

Study Shows Mercury Levels in Arctic Wildlife Could Rise for Centuries

www.nytimes.com

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Reposted by Sheila I. Jensen

Pablo Ivan Nikel @pabnik.bsky.social · Aug 21

#Synthetic C1 #metabolism in #Pseudomonas putida enables strict formatotrophy and methylotrophy via the reductive glycine pathway—led by J. Turlin, M. G. Alván, @oscarpuiggene.bsky.social w/@stefanodonati.bsky.social & @sebwenk.bsky.social @mbio.bsky.social #SynBio
journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...

Synthetic C1 metabolism in Pseudomonas putida enables strict formatotrophy and methylotrophy via the reductive glycine pathway | mBio

Soluble C1 feedstocks, such as formate and methanol, have gained attention as sustainable substrates for biotechnology, with the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and reliance on sugar-based resources. Despite their promise, the metabolic ...

journals.asm.org

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Sheila I. Jensen @sheilaijensen.bsky.social · Aug 19

3/3 The destruction of peat swamp forest is of particular concern as they are not only habitat for a number of species but also function as carbon sinks. Their destruction can lead to the release of billions tons of CO2.

Let's do what we can to protect these wonderful species and their habitats ♥️

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Sheila I. Jensen @sheilaijensen.bsky.social · Aug 19

2/3 Orangutans are threatened by poachers, illegal wildlife trade and habitat loss. Humans increasing demand for fatty acids used not only in food, but also in various products and as first generation biodiesel is nowadays the greatest threat to the existence of our close cousin.

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Sheila I. Jensen @sheilaijensen.bsky.social · Aug 19

1/3 Today is #worldorangutanday so here some pictures of these magnificent great apes from when we visited Borneo/Kalimantan in 2018. Orangutan means 'people of the forest' (orang=person; hutan=forest), and this critically endangered species is one of humans closest relatives.

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Reposted by Sheila I. Jensen

Stefano Donati @stefanodonati.bsky.social · Aug 12

1/ 🚨 New preprint!
We've developed a robust IDMS-based LC-MS/MS workflow for high-throughput intracellular metabolomics in diverse bacteria. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
#Metabolomics #MassSpec #SystemsBiology

A Robust Isotope Ratio LC-MS/MS Workflow for High-Throughput Metabolic Profiling of Bacteria

Stable isotope dilution mass spectrometry (IDMS) has become a cornerstone of quantitative metabolomics, enabling accurate intracellular metabolite quantification across a range of biological systems. ...

www.biorxiv.org

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Reposted by Sheila I. Jensen

Carl T. Bergstrom @carlbergstrom.com · May 22

Harvard today, your institution tomorrow.

It's all part of the Project 2025 plan to destroy high education in America.

All leading US universities depend on federal funding and tuition dollars from international students. They severely curtailed the former. Now they're eliminating the latter.

The Trump administration on Thursday halted Harvard University’s ability to enroll international students, taking aim at a crucial funding source for the nation’s oldest and wealthiest college in a major escalation in the administration’s efforts to pressure the elite school to fall in line with the president’s agenda.

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Reposted by Sheila I. Jensen

Tom Ellis @proftomellis.bsky.social · May 20

Save the date - this is going to be a great conference!

Wellcome Connecting Science Learning and Training @eventswcs.bsky.social · May 20

Discover the #SyntheticBiology based innovations driving improvements in human health and planetary sustainability! #SynBio26

Join us at the intersection of bioengineering and medical science for sharing, networking and collaboration.

🗓️11-13 March 2026
📎Meeting info: bit.ly/43nlbBW

#ALife ⚙️🧫

Wellcome Connecting Science
Synthetic Biology for Health and Sustainability 2026

Conference dates: 11-13 March 2026
Location: Hinxton Hall Conference Centre, Wellcome Genome Campus, UK and online
Bursary and abstract deadline: 1 December 2025

In-person registration deadline: 9 February 2026
Virtual registration deadline: 2 March 2026

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Reposted by Sheila I. Jensen

Ryo Harada @ryoharada.bsky.social · May 3

New paper out!
We discovered a tiny archaeon with the smallest known archaeal genome — only 238 kbp!
Candidatus Sukunaarchaeum mirabile has almost no recognizable metabolic pathways and may rely heavily on a host to survive.
It also represents a novel, deep-branching lineage in the archaeal tree.

bioRxiv Evolutionary Biology @biorxiv-evobio.bsky.social · May 2

A cellular entity retaining only its replicative core: Hidden archaeal lineage with an ultra-reduced genome https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.05.02.651781v1

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Sheila I. Jensen @sheilaijensen.bsky.social · May 3

Wonder which would take longer: Mediaformulation or the actual reduction of the genome.

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Sheila I. Jensen @sheilaijensen.bsky.social · Apr 27

Beautiful 💚

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Reposted by Sheila I. Jensen

Carl T. Bergstrom @carlbergstrom.com · Apr 27

As the Trump administration destroys science in the United States, keep an eye on what is happening in Serbia.

Chemistry World @chemistryworld.com · Apr 27

Researchers say the rule will make it impossible for the majority of scientists in the country to carry on with, or to apply to, prestigious ERC research grants, or grants from Serbia’s own national science foundation.

Serbia limits academics’ research time to just one hour a day

Researchers say controversial policy will block majority of scientists from applying for grants

www.chemistryworld.com

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Reposted by Sheila I. Jensen

Kai Blin @kblin.bsky.social · Apr 25

I'm a bit miffed that I only got the email about this half an hour ago, but at long last, our antiSMASH 8 paper is out.

Cameron Thrash @jcamthrash.bsky.social · Apr 25

antiSMASH 8.0: extended gene cluster detection capabilities and analyses of chemistry, enzymology, and regulation academic.oup.com/nar/advance-... #jcampubs

antiSMASH 8.0: extended gene cluster detection capabilities and analyses of chemistry, enzymology, and regulation

Abstract. Microorganisms synthesize small bioactive compounds through their secondary or specialized metabolism. Those compounds play an important role in

academic.oup.com

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Reposted by Sheila I. Jensen

Sheila I. Jensen @sheilaijensen.bsky.social · Apr 25

Dear Synbio community.
We are looking for books, YouTube channels, websites etc that is targeted for layman audiences to provide explanations for what we do.

If you know of any such resources could you please provide it in this thread? Maybe we can all use links to such resources for our students🧪

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Sheila I. Jensen @sheilaijensen.bsky.social · Apr 25

Just took a look, and indeed, it looks awesome. Thank you 🙏

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Sheila I. Jensen @sheilaijensen.bsky.social · Apr 25

Dear Synbio community.
We are looking for books, YouTube channels, websites etc that is targeted for layman audiences to provide explanations for what we do.

If you know of any such resources could you please provide it in this thread? Maybe we can all use links to such resources for our students🧪

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Reposted by Sheila I. Jensen

Lindsay Lindhult, PhD @lindzeamays.bsky.social · Apr 24

#invertefest

Please enjoy some art that will be featured in an upcoming exhibition at a local wildlife refuge.

My first since leaving research behind to pursue my arthropod art dreams... in a crashing economy and increasingly authoritarian regime, wee! 😅

LindZeamays.com/printshop

🎨🐡🌱🪳🪲

Watercolor painting of an Ambush bug on a yellow aster flower.

Watercolor and gouache painting of a yellow mantis religiosa covered with dew drops

Acrylic painting of a bold jumping spider on a leaf.

Watercolor painting of a Dance fly on bark and lichens.

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Reposted by Sheila I. Jensen

Nature Biotechnology @natbiotech.nature.com · Apr 24

Cas9 shows trans-cleavage activity and can be used for DNA and RNA detection go.nature.com/3UZYUpx
rdcu.be/ei3mB

Trans-nuclease activity of Cas9 activated by DNA or RNA target binding - Nature Biotechnology

Cas9 shows trans-cleavage activity and can be used for DNA and RNA detection.

go.nature.com

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Sheila I. Jensen @sheilaijensen.bsky.social · Apr 22

💚