Zoë X. Schultz
@zxschultz.bsky.social
PhD Candidate @McGregorLab researching spider EvoDevo🕷🧬🔬
Come inject a spider with me!
The aim is to knockdown a target gene by introducing dsRNA to adult females to see any developmental defects in her embryos 🥚🕷️
No animals were harmed unnecessarily 💚
#biology #PhDlife #EvoDevo
@mcgregorlab.bsky.social
The aim is to knockdown a target gene by introducing dsRNA to adult females to see any developmental defects in her embryos 🥚🕷️
No animals were harmed unnecessarily 💚
#biology #PhDlife #EvoDevo
@mcgregorlab.bsky.social
January 23, 2026 at 8:54 AM
Come inject a spider with me!
The aim is to knockdown a target gene by introducing dsRNA to adult females to see any developmental defects in her embryos 🥚🕷️
No animals were harmed unnecessarily 💚
#biology #PhDlife #EvoDevo
@mcgregorlab.bsky.social
The aim is to knockdown a target gene by introducing dsRNA to adult females to see any developmental defects in her embryos 🥚🕷️
No animals were harmed unnecessarily 💚
#biology #PhDlife #EvoDevo
@mcgregorlab.bsky.social
Reposted by Zoë X. Schultz
The second paper from my PhD is now published and available to read! 🥳
Huge thanks to Javi and Beñat for doing those all important final experiments, and to @mcgregorlab.bsky.social and @nuneslab.bsky.social for the continuous support and trust to let me pursue this "side project".
Huge thanks to Javi and Beñat for doing those all important final experiments, and to @mcgregorlab.bsky.social and @nuneslab.bsky.social for the continuous support and trust to let me pursue this "side project".
Rewired gene interactions during evolution of the analia and genitalia in Drosophila
Abstract. Drosophila ventral appendages are considered to be serially homologous structures derived from a ventral appendage ‘ground state’ and shaped by d
royalsocietypublishing.org
January 14, 2026 at 9:51 PM
The second paper from my PhD is now published and available to read! 🥳
Huge thanks to Javi and Beñat for doing those all important final experiments, and to @mcgregorlab.bsky.social and @nuneslab.bsky.social for the continuous support and trust to let me pursue this "side project".
Huge thanks to Javi and Beñat for doing those all important final experiments, and to @mcgregorlab.bsky.social and @nuneslab.bsky.social for the continuous support and trust to let me pursue this "side project".
January 16, 2026 at 1:24 PM
December 28, 2025 at 8:42 PM
Want to know more about spider eyes? Check out our new paper!🕷️
📢New paper in @royalsociety.org Proceedings B!📢
We tracked #eye #development in seven spider species with wildly different visual systems to try and identify the mechanisms underlying their diversity 👀👀👀👀
1/n
royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/...
(Funded by @leverhulme.bsky.social)
We tracked #eye #development in seven spider species with wildly different visual systems to try and identify the mechanisms underlying their diversity 👀👀👀👀
1/n
royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/...
(Funded by @leverhulme.bsky.social)
Development and patterning of a highly versatile visual system in spiders | Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
Visual systems provide a key interface between organisms and their surroundings, and have evolved in many forms to perform diverse functions across the animal kingdom. Spiders exhibit a range of visual abilities and ecologies, the diversity of which is ...
royalsocietypublishing.org
March 16, 2025 at 11:22 PM
Want to know more about spider eyes? Check out our new paper!🕷️
Reposted by Zoë X. Schultz
WHAT. Ecuador's government recently authorized a U.S. military base on the Galápagos Islands. NO. No no no no no no noooooooo NO 🧪 www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Military base threatens Galápagos Islands
www.science.org
February 21, 2025 at 7:52 PM
WHAT. Ecuador's government recently authorized a U.S. military base on the Galápagos Islands. NO. No no no no no no noooooooo NO 🧪 www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Zoë X. Schultz
The lab is delighted to release the first genome for the giant American vinegaroon! The slowly-evolving order Uropygi captures the strongest signature yet of the arachnopulmonate whole genome duplication. #biodiversity #genomics
academic.oup.com/jhered/advan...
academic.oup.com/jhered/advan...
A chromosome-level genome of the giant vinegaroon Mastigoproctus giganteus exhibits the signature of pre-Silurian whole genome duplication
Abstract. Within the arachnids, chromosome-level genome assemblies have greatly accelerated the understanding of gene family evolution and developmental ge
academic.oup.com
February 7, 2025 at 5:46 PM
The lab is delighted to release the first genome for the giant American vinegaroon! The slowly-evolving order Uropygi captures the strongest signature yet of the arachnopulmonate whole genome duplication. #biodiversity #genomics
academic.oup.com/jhered/advan...
academic.oup.com/jhered/advan...
Reposted by Zoë X. Schultz
New preprint from our lab. Great work by @maaseremedios.bsky.social in collaboration with Ralf Janssen looking at gene regulation and expression after whole genome duplication by comparing a spider and harvestman:
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Assessing the impact of whole genome duplication on gene expression and regulation during arachnid development
Whole genome duplication (WGD) generates new genetic material that can contribute to the evolution of the regulation of developmental processes and phenotypic diversification. A WGD occurred in an anc...
www.biorxiv.org
December 21, 2024 at 1:53 PM
New preprint from our lab. Great work by @maaseremedios.bsky.social in collaboration with Ralf Janssen looking at gene regulation and expression after whole genome duplication by comparing a spider and harvestman:
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Come look at some cute spider embryos with stunning 🧬expression with me!
This gene is very exciting, and will be a major part of my PhD research! Watch this space for new updates🔬
@mcgregorlab.bsky.social
#EvoDevo #Biology #phdlife
This gene is very exciting, and will be a major part of my PhD research! Watch this space for new updates🔬
@mcgregorlab.bsky.social
#EvoDevo #Biology #phdlife
November 27, 2024 at 7:41 PM
Come look at some cute spider embryos with stunning 🧬expression with me!
This gene is very exciting, and will be a major part of my PhD research! Watch this space for new updates🔬
@mcgregorlab.bsky.social
#EvoDevo #Biology #phdlife
This gene is very exciting, and will be a major part of my PhD research! Watch this space for new updates🔬
@mcgregorlab.bsky.social
#EvoDevo #Biology #phdlife