Andrew Roger
@andrewjroger.bsky.social
1.1K followers 1.4K following 150 posts
deep-time evolution, phylogenetics, anaerobic protists, the tree of Life. Science depends on vigorous respectful debate and evidence-based reasoning. This is my personal page and what I post here has nothing to do with my employer.
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Reposted by Andrew Roger
lucas.farnunglab.com
New week, new tool: Find our Protein Domain Designer tool to generate publication-ready protein domain diagrams here: domaindesigner.farnunglab.com
Protein Domain Designer tool for the generation of publication-ready protein domain diagrams
Reposted by Andrew Roger
acapomorphic.bsky.social
I am extremely happy to see that our review on fossil tip-dating is out in early view in Systematic Biology! A huge thanks to all the authors of this massive project (@heckeberg.bsky.social, @basantakhakurel.bsky.social, Gustavo Darlim, and @hoehna.bsky.social)! academic.oup.com/sysbio/advan...
andrewjroger.bsky.social
Maybe we need to write a letter to the Globe & Mail signed by academics and researchers Canada-wide pointing out that long-term investment in Canada's future depends on investing in research and intellectual infrastructure....the alternative is further slide into Trumpland
Reposted by Andrew Roger
christianlandry.bsky.social
Massive investment in science in the upcoming Canadian budget would send a strong message that rationality and reason should lead the world, not charlatanism. People will return to science-based policies and health measures, and countries that have not given up will have a strong economic lead!
d-macphee.bsky.social
“Antiscience has gone beyond U.S. borders to Europe, Australia, and Africa. Defeating it will require unprecedented commitment and international cooperation, not only between scientific organizations, but also their host governments.”
🧪 #Disinformation #AntiScience
time.com/7317436/scie...
Antiscience Is an Existential Threat
The ideologically-motivated assault on science threatens us all.
time.com
andrewjroger.bsky.social
This is really interesting work!!
molbioevol.bsky.social
Douglas et al. challenge common amino acid substitution models that assume a constant coding alphabet over time. Their analyses indicate that ancient proteins dating from before the last universal common ancestor support a two-alphabet hypothesis.

🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf197

#evobio #molbio
Reduced Amino Acid Substitution Matrices Find Traces of Ancient Coding Alphabets in Modern Day Proteins
Abstract. All known living systems make proteins from the same 20 canonically coded amino acids, but this was not always the case. Early genetic coding sys
doi.org
Reposted by Andrew Roger
cslamo.bsky.social
Sounds familiar. Is this the same playbook used by the Dal BoG in the current labour dispute with @dalfaculty.bsky.social Dalhousie faculty members? What's the role of the NS govt? @keepdalstrong.bsky.social
caatfaculty.bsky.social
“Why are they spending so much money to make the school beautiful...but not offering the very core, the purpose of what a community college is for?”
Great article breaking down the manufactured crisis in the Ontario college system:
www.thegrindmag.ca/the-manufact...
The Manufactured Crisis in Ontario Colleges
Are college finances really so bad that huge cuts are needed, or is Doug Ford up to something else? Ben McCarthy, a college contract faculty worker and OPSEU member, breaks it down.
www.thegrindmag.ca
Reposted by Andrew Roger
xntl.bsky.social
I've written a short follow up to this post, addressing the possibility that Dalhousie is, in fact, hiding money from operations in the capital budget. I hope someone shows me I'm wrong.
Reposted by Andrew Roger
sflkirk.bsky.social
"Here we are, with a legally-trained President once again electing to violate the duty to bargain in good faith as a tactic". Every member of the @dalfaculty.bsky.social wants to work. Stop this nonsense @dalhousie.bsky.social & bargain in good faith! #KeepDalStrong www.reddit.com/r/Dalhousie/...
andrewjroger.bsky.social
I teach phylogenetics in my BIOC 4010/5010 "Bioinformatics" course to students in the basic biomedical sciences. For those who wonder about the relevance of these 'evolutionary' techniques to medical research, this excellent seminar showcases their application in public health settings.
Reposted by Andrew Roger
karanicolas.bsky.social
I’m hopeful this will finally be resolved, but am increasingly frustrated by the lose-lose position faculty are in.

In addition to the institutional damage, which impacts us all, every week delay means we’ll have to work twice as hard to cover the required material in fall term.

#KeepDalStrong
timbousquet.bsky.social
The Dal Board of Governors and the DFA has issued a joint statement:

“The Dahousie Board of Governors and the Dalhousie Faculty Association (DFA) met this morning to resume discussions. As of 11:00 pm, the Conciliator has directed the parties to return to the table at 1 pm Tuesday September 9.”
Reposted by Andrew Roger
thecupcakechemist.bsky.social
With several grant deadlines coming up in the next few days, @dalfaculty.bsky.social researchers remain locked out by @dalhousieu.bsky.social and won’t be able to submit. #keepdalstrong
Reposted by Andrew Roger
thecupcakechemist.bsky.social
Another day of #DalLockout2025 means another day of research lost. @dalfaculty.bsky.social members want to get back to work asap. @noreenkamal.bsky.social shares the impacts of the lockout on her research program and long term consequences that @dalhousieu.bsky.social faces #keepdalstrong
Reposted by Andrew Roger
dalfaculty.bsky.social
Global segment focusing on the impact of the @dalhousieu.bsky.social lockout on nursing. #keepdalstrong
Reposted by Andrew Roger
aineurolab.bsky.social
It’s disappointing that some of these so called leaders are in the health care industry. Yet their failure to negotiate & faculty lockout has crippled our ability to advance biomedical research & educating health care professionals. They are causing lasting damage to @dalhousie.bsky.social
dalfaculty.bsky.social
DFA is new to LinkedIn. Connect with us and read the article related to this image. Hint: Its about how a reputation that took 200 years to build has been destroyed in just 3 weeks. @KeepDalStrong
Reposted by Andrew Roger
mig-unimelb.bsky.social
📢 MIG Seminar: Models and Truth in Phylogenomics

🗓️ Fri, Sep 19 | ⏰ 12 - 1 pm AEST
📍 Ian Potter Auditorium (G52), Kenneth Myer Building (144)
🎙️ Prof. Rob Lanfear (ANU)
💻 Zoom available

#Phylogenetics #Evolution #Bioinformatics #MIGseminar
MIG Seminar: Prof. Rob Lanfear, Australian National University
Title: Models and Truth in Phylogenomics Abstract: How do you estimate a good phylogeny? Phylogenetic trees form the backbone of much of ou...
events.unimelb.edu.au
Reposted by Andrew Roger
craigmccormick.bsky.social
Dalhousie leadership has made it clear that they want more precarious employment, even though it will make it very difficult to recruit and retain the outstanding highly-motivated teachers and researchers that do the heavy lifting of our academic mission.
#KeepDalStrong
@dalfaculty.bsky.social
rmnparker.bsky.social
The new “revised final offer” includes conversion of 8 LTA positions to permanent. For those keeping score at home, that is about 10% of the current number of LTAs, but how did they get to that number? The 5yr limit is a much more transparent way to allocate based on proven need. #keepdalstrong
dalfaculty.bsky.social
When a DFA member has been on LTA for 5 yrs, the position is clearly meeting a long-term teaching need. LTAs are on the same pay as career-stream faculty, conversion costs @dalhousieu.bsky.social nothing. Yet, they said no, asked us to drop the proposal for "interest arbitration." #KeepDalStrong
Reposted by Andrew Roger
aineurolab.bsky.social
I’m incensed. The lockout is crippling my research programme; a project over 2 decades in the making. Laying waste to the aggregate of our scientific expertise and research opportunities to fund the lab. They are reckless.

If Dal doesn’t support my expertise, another university might.
Reposted by Andrew Roger
aineurolab.bsky.social
As soon as the senate reconvenes, we need a motion to investigate Nous contracting & cost, followed by a mechanism to review activities by the leadership that has harmed the academic mission of the university.