Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Alex Fraik

Stephen Turner @stephenturner.us · 1d

Science writing interest you? Join the team here at @uvadatascience.bsky.social see posting here: uva.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/UVAJobs/job/...

2 1

Alex Fraik @akfraik.bsky.social · 2d

Question for academic bluesky: how long is acceptable between "accepted" and "published"?

I have a paper that was accepted, minor tweaks, in April, sat for 3 months on the editor's desk for final rubber stamping and now ~3 months and is still not published (and no proofs)... Is this normal atm?

Reposted by Alex Fraik

bioRxiv Evolutionary Biology @biorxiv-evobio.bsky.social · 7d

Genomic bases of short-term evolution in the wild revealed by long-term monitoring and population-scale sequencing https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.01.679793v1

1 6

Reposted by Alex Fraik

Daniel Bolnick @danielbolnick.bsky.social · 12d

The GRFP announcement from NSF cuts out an entire cohort of 2nd year students from consideration, without warning. This is so deeply unfair that it warrants a formal protest from the scientific community. If someone wants to work with me to craft an open letter and solicit signatures, LMK.

Dan Garisto @dangaristo.bsky.social · 12d

New: After a long wait, the GRFP solicitation is live! Deadlines have been extended to early November, so applicants have a bit over a month to submit. www.nsf.gov/funding/oppo...

NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP)

www.nsf.gov

9 86 170

Reposted by Alex Fraik

Mick Westbury @mick2474.bsky.social · 26d

☠️🧬 2-yr Postdoc in in Genomic Simulations and Extinction Risk Modelling!
Let's figure out the Genomic signs of Extinction @DTU in Denmark.

Start: Feb 2026 (flexible)
Application deadline: 24 Oct 2025

For details click here: tinyurl.com/BioExtPD

Reposts appreciated 😁

13 17

Reposted by Alex Fraik

JL Weissman @jlw-ecoevo.bsky.social · 28d

My department (ecology and evolution) is hiring a core bioinformatics/comp bio person (not TT but the last person retired after 25+ years). It's a great place to work!: stonybrooku.taleo.net/careersectio...

Computational Biologist

Click the link provided to see the complete job description.

stonybrooku.taleo.net

4 23 28

Reposted by Alex Fraik

Alex Crits-Christoph @acritschristoph.bsky.social · Sep 6

The new -outfmt 20 in BLAST 😍. No more frustrated googling to remember which column is which.....

4 19 67

Alex Fraik @akfraik.bsky.social · Sep 3

Range-wide climate risk and adaptive potential in a cold-water fish species

Nature Communications - Brook trout are at risk from climate change, making it crucial to understand how they adapt to warming temperatures. This study identifies genomic variation linked with...

www.nature.com

1

Reposted by Alex Fraik

Chase W. Nelson 倪誠志 @chasewnelson.bsky.social · Sep 3

Announcing SimHumanity, a baseline SLiM 5.0 model of the full human genome, replete with demographic history, autosomes, X/Y, and mtDNA. A shared starting point for reproducible evolutionary simulations. We’d love your feedback! #SLiM #evolution #genomics www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

SimHumanity: Using SLiM 5.0 to run whole-genome simulations of human evolution

The reconstruction of human evolutionary history has undergone repeated advances, each made possible by methodological innovations. In recent decades, genetic and genomic data played a central role in...

www.biorxiv.org

22 30

Reposted by Alex Fraik

José Cerca @naturalselection.bsky.social · Aug 21

🆕 ✨ New publication out:

Chromosomal Inversions Mediated by Tandem Insertions of Transposable Elements

We find that transposable elements are the likely mechanism of (some) inversions in cod fishes!

academic.oup.com/gbe/article/...

Chromosomal Inversions Mediated by Tandem Insertions of Transposable Elements

Abstract. Chromosomal inversions play a crucial role in evolution by influencing phenotypes through the linkage of coadapted alleles. While inversions have

academic.oup.com

2 11 34

Reposted by Alex Fraik

Hernán E. Morales @hernmoral.bsky.social · Aug 28

Expertly led by @claudiafontsere.bsky.social now published in Molecular Ecology! 🥳
Learn why from a genetic perspective whooping cranes should remain protected due to loss of genetic diversity and accumulation of inbreeding and load
#popgen #consgen
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

9 32

Reposted by Alex Fraik

Alt US Forest Service @altusfs.altgov.info · Aug 27

If you missed the deadline— it has been extended to August 31.

Confirmed via the original USDA news release (www.usda.gov/about-usda/n...).

See the Virginia Wilderness Committee on for example comments: www.vawilderness.org/news/letters...

5 67 88

Alex Fraik @akfraik.bsky.social · Aug 18

🧬 Molecular lab technician at the International Pacific Halibut Commission based in Seattle, WA #consegen #fisheriesjobs #fishgen

iphc.applytojob.com/apply/uWHW9z...

Biological Science Laboratory Technician - International Pacific Halibut Commission - Career Page

Biological Science Laboratory Technician opportunity at the International Pacific Halibut Commission.

iphc.applytojob.com

Alex Fraik @akfraik.bsky.social · Aug 14

Reconsidering space-for-time substitution in climate change ecology - Nature Climate Change

Ecologists often leverage patterns observed across spatial climate gradients to predict the impacts of climate change (space-for-time substitution). We highlight evidence that this can be misleading n...

www.nature.com

2 3

Alex Fraik @akfraik.bsky.social · Aug 12

Neat study from my colleagues at the @usfs.bsky.social National Genomics Center and Alaska Fish & Game. Using genomic CAPTURE, they found that wolves on Prince of Wales Island in SE AK exhibited significant inbreeding, similar to Isle Royale Wolves #ConsGen

Genomic Analysis Reveals Inbreeding in an Island Population of Alexander Archipelago Wolves

Island populations are at heightened risk of inbreeding due to reduced mating opportunities with unrelated conspecifics. Extensive inbreeding can result in inbreeding depression (reduced fitness of i...

onlinelibrary.wiley.com

1 5

Alex Fraik @akfraik.bsky.social · Jul 16

Stammnitz and colleagues' comment on Patton's study, entitled "No evidence that transmissible cancer has shifted from emergence to endemism in Tasmanian devils"

royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/...

#ConsGen

No evidence that a transmissible cancer has shifted from emergence to endemism in Tasmanian devils | Royal Society Open Science

Tasmanian devils are endangered by a transmissible cancer known as Tasmanian devil facial tumour 1 (DFT1). A 2020 study by Patton et al. (Science 370, eabb9772 (doi:10.1126/science.abb9772)) used geno...

royalsocietypublishing.org

Alex Fraik @akfraik.bsky.social · Jul 16

Patton and colleagues' original study evaluating the trajectory of Devil Facial Tumor Disease in Tasmanian Devils after >20 years:

www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

A transmissible cancer shifts from emergence to endemism in Tasmanian devils

Tasmanian devil facial tumor disease is now endemic in the wild, which may be good news for devil survival overall.

www.science.org

Reposted by Alex Fraik

bioRxivpreprint @biorxivpreprint.bsky.social · Jul 16

Response to "No evidence that transmissible cancer has shifted from emergence to endemism in Tasmanian devils" https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.07.14.664746v1

2 1

Reposted by Alex Fraik

bioRxiv Evolutionary Biology @biorxiv-evobio.bsky.social · Jun 28

Combining multiple genetic estimates of Ne https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.06.26.661823v1

4 6

Reposted by Alex Fraik

Laura Bertola @lauradbertola.bsky.social · Jul 5

Accounting for population structure and data quality in demographic inference with linkage disequilibrium methods
www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Accounting for population structure and data quality in demographic inference with linkage disequilibrium methods - Nature Communications

Accurate estimation of effective population size is critical for understanding population history but is often confounded by structure and data quality. Here, the authors show that GONE2 and currentNe...

www.nature.com

2 2

Reposted by Alex Fraik

Becky Taylor @beckystaylor.bsky.social · Jun 23

We have a preprint reviewing how genomics has been used to inform evolutionary significant units globally, find inconsistencies, and give recommendations. Genomics is a powerful tool and hopefully can be used more effectively for conservation of ESUs! #consgen #popgen www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

www.biorxiv.org

6 13

Reposted by Alex Fraik

Ecological Society of America @ecologicalsociety.bsky.social · Jun 11

Applications for our Science Communication in the Parks fellowship are due 6/20 -- fellows get dedicated training, peer and individual mentoring, a $3k stipend and great final projects for their portfolio. Learn more: esa.org/programs/sci...

2 3

Reposted by Alex Fraik

Gideon Bradburd @gbradburd.bsky.social · Jun 9

New preprint "Drivers of genetic diversity across the marine tree of life" out lead by my former postdoc Rachel Toczydlowski, along with @reidbrennan.bsky.social, Joanna Kelley, Jamie Pringle, @seaprof.bsky.social, and @johnwares.bsky.social.

www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Drivers of genetic diversity across the marine tree of life

Why do some species have more genetic diversity than others? This question is one of the greatest remaining mysteries in evolutionary biology, and is particularly urgent in marine species, which are e...

www.biorxiv.org

2 11 29

Reposted by Alex Fraik

Colin Garroway @colingarroway.bsky.social · Apr 22

Looking for a great advisor and research topic in a great city? Be sure to get in touch with @chloology.bsky.social !!

🧪🌐🌎 #PopulationGenetics #ConservationGenetics

Chloé Schmidt @chloology.bsky.social · Apr 21

I’m recruiting a PhD student in macrogenetics at Dalhousie University 🇨🇦! Focus will be on the biogeography of vertebrate genetic diversity or urban evolutionary ecology.
Full ad: www.schmidt-biodiversity-lab.org/macrogenetic...
If the ad is up, applications are still open.
Please share widely! 🧬🧬

Macrogenetics PhD position | schmidt-biodiversity-lab

www.schmidt-biodiversity-lab.org

3 9

Reposted by Alex Fraik

Joshua Weitz @joshuasweitz.bsky.social · Jun 2

Get the word out far and wide. New opportunity from the Simons Foundation in the Eco-Evo space.

2026 Simons Graduate Fellowship in Ecology and Evolution Awards, due July 31, 2025, only for incoming PhD students who plan to start their PhDs in Fall 2026.

www.simonsfoundation.org/grant/simons...

Simons Graduate Fellowships in Ecology and Evolution

The purpose of these awards is to provide support for students entering U.S.-based Ph.D. programs with a plan to perform research in ecology and evolution. While we will consider all projects in ecolo...

www.simonsfoundation.org

2 77 52