Wendy Bickmore
@wbickmor.bsky.social
Scientist at University of Edinburgh. Director of MRC Human Genetics Unit but posting in my own capacity.
Reposted by Wendy Bickmore
Helpful update into UKRI and research council funding changes from Zoe Kleinman @zsk.bsky.social
But please more focus on 2 things...
1) Immediate effects (eg funding decisions expected in March)
2) Likely disproportionate effects on early career scientists
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
But please more focus on 2 things...
1) Immediate effects (eg funding decisions expected in March)
2) Likely disproportionate effects on early career scientists
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
UK’s £8bn research fund faces “hard decisions” as it pauses new grants
UKRI boss Ian Chapman said it had been told by the government to
www.bbc.co.uk
February 5, 2026 at 12:54 PM
Helpful update into UKRI and research council funding changes from Zoe Kleinman @zsk.bsky.social
But please more focus on 2 things...
1) Immediate effects (eg funding decisions expected in March)
2) Likely disproportionate effects on early career scientists
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
But please more focus on 2 things...
1) Immediate effects (eg funding decisions expected in March)
2) Likely disproportionate effects on early career scientists
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
... and we're off. Great kick-off meeting for the start of the ERC synergy GeneMotors project. So much energy and enthusiasm. @ceesdekker.bsky.social @erc.europa.eu
February 1, 2026 at 2:11 PM
... and we're off. Great kick-off meeting for the start of the ERC synergy GeneMotors project. So much energy and enthusiasm. @ceesdekker.bsky.social @erc.europa.eu
At a time when the UK should be capitalising on its global reputation as a great place to do science, this is an enormous own goal. I am so sorry for all those who jobs are going to be impacted.
Both MRC and BBSRC responsive modes now withdrawn until further notice. Existing applications unlikely to succeed (late 2025 round expecting 1-5% success rate).
Listen, I get that UKRI wants to pivot. But killing both at once is devastating.
Let's hope at least one opens by summer... #AcademicSky
Listen, I get that UKRI wants to pivot. But killing both at once is devastating.
Let's hope at least one opens by summer... #AcademicSky
MRC instructs grant review boards to slash funding rates - Research Professional News
Boards asked to recommend just three applications for funding, as BBSRC also suspends calls
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
February 1, 2026 at 2:07 PM
At a time when the UK should be capitalising on its global reputation as a great place to do science, this is an enormous own goal. I am so sorry for all those who jobs are going to be impacted.
Reposted by Wendy Bickmore
Both MRC and BBSRC responsive modes now withdrawn until further notice. Existing applications unlikely to succeed (late 2025 round expecting 1-5% success rate).
Listen, I get that UKRI wants to pivot. But killing both at once is devastating.
Let's hope at least one opens by summer... #AcademicSky
Listen, I get that UKRI wants to pivot. But killing both at once is devastating.
Let's hope at least one opens by summer... #AcademicSky
MRC instructs grant review boards to slash funding rates - Research Professional News
Boards asked to recommend just three applications for funding, as BBSRC also suspends calls
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
January 31, 2026 at 11:12 PM
Both MRC and BBSRC responsive modes now withdrawn until further notice. Existing applications unlikely to succeed (late 2025 round expecting 1-5% success rate).
Listen, I get that UKRI wants to pivot. But killing both at once is devastating.
Let's hope at least one opens by summer... #AcademicSky
Listen, I get that UKRI wants to pivot. But killing both at once is devastating.
Let's hope at least one opens by summer... #AcademicSky
Reposted by Wendy Bickmore
Nature research paper: A nowhere-to-hide mechanism ensures complete piRNA-directed DNA methylation
go.nature.com/4pDVgPq
go.nature.com/4pDVgPq
A nowhere-to-hide mechanism ensures complete piRNA-directed DNA methylation - Nature
In mice, a SPOCD1–TPR-dependent ‘nowhere-to-hide’ mechanism is required for complete non-stochastic piRNA-directed LINE1 DNA methylation by preventing transposons from escaping surveillance within heterochromatin.
go.nature.com
January 16, 2026 at 3:25 PM
Nature research paper: A nowhere-to-hide mechanism ensures complete piRNA-directed DNA methylation
go.nature.com/4pDVgPq
go.nature.com/4pDVgPq
Delighted to have a contribution in this issue together with @eliasfriman.bsky.social
There is a special Current Opinion in Genetics & Development issue about genome architecture and expression and it looks great including reviews by @lennarthilbert.bsky.social @yghavi.bsky.social and @wbickmor.bsky.social
www.sciencedirect.com/special-issu...
www.sciencedirect.com/special-issu...
Current Opinion in Genetics & Development | Genome Architecture and Expression (2026) | ScienceDirect.com by Elsevier
This collection summarizes key aspects of our current experimental and theoretical understanding of eukaryotic genome folding and its relationship with the molecular processes governing cell fate. Ove...
www.sciencedirect.com
January 16, 2026 at 1:17 PM
Delighted to have a contribution in this issue together with @eliasfriman.bsky.social
The world’s problems may seem so huge that you feel helpless, but small innovations by smart people can make a world of difference.
Do you live in Edinburgh?
Is your recycling bin being picked up this Wednesday or next Tuesday?
Still not sure?
This app is for you.
Built by volunteers. Free for everyone.
#BinDaysEdinburgh #Reminders #Edinburgh #Recycling #Waste
Is your recycling bin being picked up this Wednesday or next Tuesday?
Still not sure?
This app is for you.
Built by volunteers. Free for everyone.
#BinDaysEdinburgh #Reminders #Edinburgh #Recycling #Waste
December 17, 2025 at 7:03 AM
The world’s problems may seem so huge that you feel helpless, but small innovations by smart people can make a world of difference.
Reposted by Wendy Bickmore
My first Reith Lecture is now out in video form: A Time of Monsters.
On moral decay, elite cowardice, and why we need a moral revolution. Watch here 👉 youtube.com/watch?v=fUJ-...
(With one tiny edit at 4:28, for those who notice such things 😉)
On moral decay, elite cowardice, and why we need a moral revolution. Watch here 👉 youtube.com/watch?v=fUJ-...
(With one tiny edit at 4:28, for those who notice such things 😉)
Are we living through the fall of civilisation? | The Reith Lectures 2025
YouTube video by BBC Sounds
youtube.com
December 16, 2025 at 12:20 PM
My first Reith Lecture is now out in video form: A Time of Monsters.
On moral decay, elite cowardice, and why we need a moral revolution. Watch here 👉 youtube.com/watch?v=fUJ-...
(With one tiny edit at 4:28, for those who notice such things 😉)
On moral decay, elite cowardice, and why we need a moral revolution. Watch here 👉 youtube.com/watch?v=fUJ-...
(With one tiny edit at 4:28, for those who notice such things 😉)
Am I in my office, or in a Disney film? Sometimes Edinburgh just takes your breath away.
December 3, 2025 at 3:44 PM
Am I in my office, or in a Disney film? Sometimes Edinburgh just takes your breath away.
Reposted by Wendy Bickmore
Key points on the need for continued animal use in scientific research. www.theguardian.com/science/2025...
Why we have to continue with animal testing for medical research | Letters
Letters: Dr Robin Lovell-Badge and Prof Emma Robinson respond to an editorial on using new technologies to reduce the reliance on animal experiments
www.theguardian.com
December 1, 2025 at 10:15 PM
Key points on the need for continued animal use in scientific research. www.theguardian.com/science/2025...
Excited to start working on this BBSRC sLola project to decode the semantic rules of large regulatory domains, led by @ferencmueller.bsky.social with colleagues from Birmingham, Manchester, Crick, MRC-LMS and EBI-ENSEMBL
institute-genetics-cancer.ed.ac.uk/decoding-the...
bsky.app/profile/fere...
institute-genetics-cancer.ed.ac.uk/decoding-the...
bsky.app/profile/fere...
November 18, 2025 at 4:15 PM
Excited to start working on this BBSRC sLola project to decode the semantic rules of large regulatory domains, led by @ferencmueller.bsky.social with colleagues from Birmingham, Manchester, Crick, MRC-LMS and EBI-ENSEMBL
institute-genetics-cancer.ed.ac.uk/decoding-the...
bsky.app/profile/fere...
institute-genetics-cancer.ed.ac.uk/decoding-the...
bsky.app/profile/fere...
Reposted by Wendy Bickmore
1. We start a major consortium programme funded by the sLoLa of BBSRC (shorturl.at/aUbnt) to decipher the semantic rules of enhancer arrangements driving regulator genes of development (shorturl.at/6qcjW).
shorturl.at
November 18, 2025 at 12:48 PM
1. We start a major consortium programme funded by the sLoLa of BBSRC (shorturl.at/aUbnt) to decipher the semantic rules of enhancer arrangements driving regulator genes of development (shorturl.at/6qcjW).
To advance our knowledge about the role of ecDNAs in cancer, it would be helpful if people could at least acknowledge that not everyone concludes that ecDNAs form "hubs" in the nucleus.
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40972571/
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41237767/
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36476408/
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40972571/
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41237767/
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36476408/
Extrachromosomal DNA associates with nuclear condensates and reorganizes chromatin structures to enhance oncogenic transcription - PubMed
Extrachromosomal, circular DNA (ecDNA) is a prevalent oncogenic alteration in cancer genomes, often associated with aggressive tumor behavior and poor patient outcome. While previous studies proposed a chromatin-based mobile enhancer model for ecDNA-driven oncogenesis, its precise mechanism and impa …
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
November 18, 2025 at 12:05 PM
To advance our knowledge about the role of ecDNAs in cancer, it would be helpful if people could at least acknowledge that not everyone concludes that ecDNAs form "hubs" in the nucleus.
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40972571/
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41237767/
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36476408/
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40972571/
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41237767/
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36476408/
I’m fascinated to try this. It’s such a relief to see the journey we are on that started with the launch of BioRxiv and that could liberate us from the most depressing aspect of science - “getting published”.
IT'S HAPPENING! 💥 I'm psyched to launch the collaboration between @qedscience.bsky.social & @openrxiv.bsky.social @biorxivpreprint.bsky.social! Preprint + q.e.d = your science is out there, and anyone can appreciate it. Let's care about making discoveries, and not on “getting published” (1/3) 👇
November 11, 2025 at 6:18 AM
I’m fascinated to try this. It’s such a relief to see the journey we are on that started with the launch of BioRxiv and that could liberate us from the most depressing aspect of science - “getting published”.
So excited to be funded by @erc.europa.eu to work with this extraordinarily talented group of scientists on the GeneMotors project - unravelling how SMC motors work, how they are regulated and how they regulate gene expression.
@ceesdekker.bsky.social @uoe-igc.bsky.social
@ceesdekker.bsky.social @uoe-igc.bsky.social
November 7, 2025 at 11:50 AM
So excited to be funded by @erc.europa.eu to work with this extraordinarily talented group of scientists on the GeneMotors project - unravelling how SMC motors work, how they are regulated and how they regulate gene expression.
@ceesdekker.bsky.social @uoe-igc.bsky.social
@ceesdekker.bsky.social @uoe-igc.bsky.social
Reposted by Wendy Bickmore
It is with great sadness that we share the news of the death of our founder, colleague, mentor and friend, Professor Sir John Gurdon. His vision and dedication will continue to inspire generations of scientists.
🔗 www.gurdon.cam.ac.uk/nobel-laurea...
🔗 www.gurdon.cam.ac.uk/nobel-laurea...
October 8, 2025 at 1:15 PM
It is with great sadness that we share the news of the death of our founder, colleague, mentor and friend, Professor Sir John Gurdon. His vision and dedication will continue to inspire generations of scientists.
🔗 www.gurdon.cam.ac.uk/nobel-laurea...
🔗 www.gurdon.cam.ac.uk/nobel-laurea...
Reposted by Wendy Bickmore
We're all ready for #DoorsOpenDays2025 tomorrow and looking forward to showing off a snapshot of the work we do at the Institute 🔬🧬🥼🧪 🧫
@cmvm-edinburghuni.bsky.social
@cmvm-edinburghuni.bsky.social
September 26, 2025 at 8:54 AM
We're all ready for #DoorsOpenDays2025 tomorrow and looking forward to showing off a snapshot of the work we do at the Institute 🔬🧬🥼🧪 🧫
@cmvm-edinburghuni.bsky.social
@cmvm-edinburghuni.bsky.social
Reposted by Wendy Bickmore
Dan's latest song, for Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel, and all the comedians out there--
Dan Shore - Nothing Hurts Me More
YouTube video by danshoremusic
www.youtube.com
September 22, 2025 at 2:30 AM
Dan's latest song, for Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel, and all the comedians out there--
Honoured to be in Birmingham to mark Bryan Turner’s retirement- a gentleman and giant of epigenetics.
September 11, 2025 at 4:34 PM
Honoured to be in Birmingham to mark Bryan Turner’s retirement- a gentleman and giant of epigenetics.
Well, we survived our ERC Synergy interview. So exciting working with this great GeneMotors team of SMC experts @ceesdekker.bsky.social Benjamin Rowland, Leonid Mirny. Here's hoping we can continue working together for the next 6 years.
September 10, 2025 at 8:43 AM
Well, we survived our ERC Synergy interview. So exciting working with this great GeneMotors team of SMC experts @ceesdekker.bsky.social Benjamin Rowland, Leonid Mirny. Here's hoping we can continue working together for the next 6 years.
Reposted by Wendy Bickmore
September 8, 2025 at 2:02 PM
Working class women makes inadvertent mistake and resigns.
Posh bloke uses devious means to avoid paying income tax and stamp duty... and doesn't resign.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Posh bloke uses devious means to avoid paying income tax and stamp duty... and doesn't resign.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
September 5, 2025 at 12:24 PM
Working class women makes inadvertent mistake and resigns.
Posh bloke uses devious means to avoid paying income tax and stamp duty... and doesn't resign.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Posh bloke uses devious means to avoid paying income tax and stamp duty... and doesn't resign.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Wendy Bickmore
Our manuscript characterising tissue-specific consequences of tagged protein fusions in CRISPR-engineered mice is now online @PLOSGenetics. journals.plos.org/plosgenetics.... Thanks again to all coauthors, reviewers and editors for a smooth publication process. Brief summary below.
August 26, 2025 at 12:20 PM
Our manuscript characterising tissue-specific consequences of tagged protein fusions in CRISPR-engineered mice is now online @PLOSGenetics. journals.plos.org/plosgenetics.... Thanks again to all coauthors, reviewers and editors for a smooth publication process. Brief summary below.
Reposted by Wendy Bickmore
New paper out today in PLOS Comp Biol:
journals.plos.org/ploscompbiol...
Intrinsically disordered regions make variant prediction deceptively easy for benign changes but very hard for pathogenic ones. Our work shows why current tools struggle here, and why disorder-aware approaches are needed.
journals.plos.org/ploscompbiol...
Intrinsically disordered regions make variant prediction deceptively easy for benign changes but very hard for pathogenic ones. Our work shows why current tools struggle here, and why disorder-aware approaches are needed.
Assessing variant effect predictors and disease mechanisms in intrinsically disordered proteins
Author summary Some parts of proteins, known as intrinsically disordered regions, do not fold into fixed shapes. Instead, they stay flexible and play key roles in controlling how cells work, often by ...
journals.plos.org
August 19, 2025 at 9:33 PM
New paper out today in PLOS Comp Biol:
journals.plos.org/ploscompbiol...
Intrinsically disordered regions make variant prediction deceptively easy for benign changes but very hard for pathogenic ones. Our work shows why current tools struggle here, and why disorder-aware approaches are needed.
journals.plos.org/ploscompbiol...
Intrinsically disordered regions make variant prediction deceptively easy for benign changes but very hard for pathogenic ones. Our work shows why current tools struggle here, and why disorder-aware approaches are needed.
GWAS to mechanism: when non-coding is coding. Beautiful insightful science from @gweykopf.bsky.social @simonbiddie.bsky.social Joe Marsh and many colleagues. @uoe-igc.bsky.social @cmvm-edinburghuni.bsky.social www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
July 28, 2025 at 9:50 AM
GWAS to mechanism: when non-coding is coding. Beautiful insightful science from @gweykopf.bsky.social @simonbiddie.bsky.social Joe Marsh and many colleagues. @uoe-igc.bsky.social @cmvm-edinburghuni.bsky.social www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...