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Reposted by Erik Van Dis

Sheila Teves @sheilateves.bsky.social · 1d

How does a “universal” transcription factor evolve to do species-specific jobs?
Our new preprint reveals how divergence in TBP’s domains shapes transcriptional specialization across eukaryotes.

Read it here 👉

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

#MolecularEvolution #Transcription

Molecular determinants underlying functional divergence of TBP homologs

The TATA-box binding protein (TBP) is a highly conserved basal transcription factor and a core component of the pre-initiation complex (PIC) for all three eukaryotic RNA polymerases (RNA Pols). Despit...

www.biorxiv.org

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Reposted by Erik Van Dis

bioRxiv Immunology @biorxiv-immuno.bsky.social · 2d

Impaired IFNγ responsiveness of lung monocyte-derived cells limits immunity to Mycobacterium tuberculosis https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.06.680719v1

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Reposted by Erik Van Dis

bioRxiv Immunology @biorxiv-immuno.bsky.social · 3d

Tertiary lymphoid structures support the development of allergen-specific progenitor CD4+ T cells https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.03.680350v1

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Erik Van Dis @erikvandis.bsky.social · 2d

Timely piece on the importance and safety of “gain-of-function” research, from my brilliant PhD advisor Sarah Stanley www.statnews.com/2025/10/06/g...

The NIH ordered me to stop my ‘dangerous’ gain-of-function research. It isn’t dangerous at all

Safe gain-of-function research is necessary to identify new treatments for diseases like for tuberculosis — but the NIH has imposed unfounded stops.

www.statnews.com

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Reposted by Erik Van Dis

Matt Van Dis @mvandis.bsky.social · 4d

“The job of teaching is not just to provide something worth noticing, but to protect students from everything that isn’t.”

Interesting article by @carlhendrick.substack.com

substack.com/@carlhendric...

Carl Hendrick (@carlhendrick)

Attention is a filter not a spotlight, and noisy classrooms assault that filter from every direction. Today's students rarely suffer from boredom or attention shortages, they suffer from attention sur...

substack.com

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Reposted by Erik Van Dis

Emmanuelle Genoyer @immunuelle.bsky.social · 5d

I'm thrilled to announce I'll be joining the Department of Molecular Genetics & Microbiology at the University of Florida in January 2026! My lab will study RNA virus-host interactions with a particular focus on the spatial regulation of viral replication and innate immune activation. genoyerlab.com

Genoyer Lab

genoyerlab.com

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Reposted by Erik Van Dis

JazzReads📚 @jazzreads.bsky.social · 10d

So exhausting..

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Reposted by Erik Van Dis

BK. Titanji @boghuma.bsky.social · 13d

This is the official communication from the FDA to physicians on acetaminophen use in pregnancy.
- They acknowledge the lack of a causal link with autism
- Essentially tell physicians to keep doing what we've been doing anyway
It's very different from the press conference.
Pass it on.

Official communication from FDA to physicians on acetaminophen use in pregnancy acknowledges there is no causal link between its use in pregnancy and autism. Also states clearly that this is the safest over the counter treatment for fever and pain in pregnancy. It is very different from what was communicated at the press conference.

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Erik Van Dis @erikvandis.bsky.social · 26d

“Harmit Malik publishes single-author PLOS One paper with record-high 19 figures”

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Reposted by Erik Van Dis

Waggoner Lab @labwaggoner.bsky.social · 28d

@biorxivpreprint.bsky.social Endogenous retroelements promote tolerance to dietary antigens @belkaidlab.bsky.social
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

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Reposted by Erik Van Dis

PLOS Biology @plosbiology.org · 28d

#Tuberculosis severity varies widely between people; why is this? This study uses the #CollaborativeCross mouse panel to identify the protease #cathepsin Z (CTSZ) as a conserved regulator of #TB outcomes via its influence on CXCL1 in mice & in humans @plosbiology.org 🧪 plos.io/4phwRA8

Human CTSZ variants are associated with TB severity, and CTSZ is present at the host-pathogen interface within human pulmonary Mtb granulomas. Top left: A manually annotated UMAP generated by unsupervised clustering of data from single-cell mRNA-Seq of human biopsy tissue, containing Mtb granulomas from three patients with TB. Top right: Analysis of normalized expression values reveals that CTSZ is specifically induced in granuloma macrophages, particularly in lipid-associated macrophages. Bottom: Brightfield (BF) images and immunofluorescent staining of CTSZ and CD68 within a granuloma biopsy from an individual with pulmonary TB. Goat (Gt) and mouse (Ms) IgG isotype control staining is depicted in the top row. DAPI staining indicates cell nuclei. Scale bar is 60 µM in length.

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Reposted by Erik Van Dis

Bella Rauch @rauchlab.bsky.social · Sep 8

Join us at the amazing Midwinter Conference of Immunologists in January 2025 in beautiful Asilomar!

🚨There is a travel grant for underrepresented trainees, apply now! www.cvent.com/c/abstracts/...

#blackinImmuno #BlackinMicro #Sacnas

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Reposted by Erik Van Dis

bioRxiv Immunology @biorxiv-immuno.bsky.social · Sep 5

A choanoflagellate cGLR-STING pathway reveals evolutionary links between bacterial and animal immunity https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.04.674280v1

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Reposted by Erik Van Dis

bioRxiv Immunology @biorxiv-immuno.bsky.social · Sep 5

SMURF2 inhibits autophagic control of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in macrophages https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.02.673599v1

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Reposted by Erik Van Dis

Jeremy Berg @jeremymberg.bsky.social · Sep 1

Yes, it was carefully hidden in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine (www.nejm.org/doi/pdf/10.1... )

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A graph comparing COVID incidence after the Pfizer vaccine compared to placebo

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Reposted by Erik Van Dis

Atul Gawande @agawande.bsky.social · Sep 1

9 CDC Directors going back to 1977 speak out. What RFK Jr has done to our nation’s public health system "should alarm every American."

It "is unlike anything we have ever seen at the agency, and unlike anything our country has ever experienced." www.nytimes.com/2025/09/01/o...

Opinion | We Ran the C.D.C.: Kennedy Is Endangering Every American’s Health

www.nytimes.com

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Reposted by Erik Van Dis

Waggoner Lab @labwaggoner.bsky.social · Aug 29

E3 ligase RAD18 targets phosphorylated IRF3 to terminate IFNB1 transcription @natimmunol.nature.com
www.nature.com/articles/s41...

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Reposted by Erik Van Dis

Midwinter Conference of Immunologists @midwinter-immun.bsky.social · Aug 25

Gianna Hammer & @brodskyigorlab.bsky.social are co-organizing the 64th annual Midwinter Conference of Immunologists Jan 24-27, 2026. It's a wonderful meeting with broad topics, incredible speakers, fantastic location & lots of awards for trainees. Can't wait to see you there! www.midwconfimmunol.org

Midwinter Conference of Immunologists

The Midwinter Conference of Immunologists was founded in 1961 by a small group of Immunologists, among them Drs. Dan Campbell and Ray Owen. The goal of the Midwinter Conference is to provide a forum w...

www.midwconfimmunol.org

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Reposted by Erik Van Dis

Waggoner Lab @labwaggoner.bsky.social · Aug 21

Review @cellcellpress.bsky.social @danielboehmer.bsky.social @lozanzi.bsky.social
Interferons in health and disease
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...

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Reposted by Erik Van Dis

berkeleyMCB @berkeleymcb.bsky.social · Aug 20

We're Hiring! Assistant Professor of Immunology and Molecular Medicine in MCB. Learn more and apply online:
aprecruit.berkeley.edu/JPF05096

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Reposted by Erik Van Dis

Waggoner Lab @labwaggoner.bsky.social · Aug 15

Interaction between breast milk antibodies and gut microbes shape immune responses during weaning @science.org
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

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Reposted by Erik Van Dis

Ardem Patapoutian @ardemp.bskyverified.social · Aug 13

Over 20 years after Julius’s lab and mine cloned TRPM8, it is rewarding to see this science helping patients. The TRPM8 agonist Tryptyr treats dry eye by increasing tear production. A reminder that NIH-funded curiosity-driven research translates to medicines.
tryptyr.myalcon.com?gad_source=1...

TRYPTYR (acoltremon ophthalmic solution) 0.003% eye drops | Alcon US

TRYPTYR is a prescription eye drop used for the treatment of the signs and symptoms of dry eye disease. See prescribing information, how to save, and more.

tryptyr.myalcon.com

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Reposted by Erik Van Dis

Dave Levitan @davelevitan.bsky.social · Aug 12

This op-ed from NIH director Jay Bhattacharya is *infuriating*. He says we have to stop funding mRNA vaccine research because it hasn't "earned public trust." Motherfucker, WHO DID THAT.

Opinion | Jay Bhattacharya: Why the NIH is pivoting away from mRNA vaccines

As a vaccine for broad public use, mRNA technology has failed to earn the public’s trust.

www.washingtonpost.com

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Kristian G. Andersen @kgandersen.bsky.social · Aug 7

Just to give the TL;DR on this one:

*The* main purpose of the EO is to move funding priorities and decisions away from experts and career professionals over to political appointees. With the ultimate power held by Vought / OMB.

Kristian G. Andersen @kgandersen.bsky.social · Aug 7

This is literally some of the craziest shit I have ever read.

And that's saying a lot.

www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...

Improving Oversight of Federal Grantmaking

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and to improve the process of Federal

www.whitehouse.gov

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Reposted by Erik Van Dis

Michael Hendricks 🇨🇦 @michaelhendricks.bsky.social · Aug 5

Hmm. I think there are separate--but perhaps a little overlapping--things going on here that are being somewhat conflated...

Carl Zimmer @carlzimmer.com · Aug 4

“If these trends are not stopped, science is going to be destroyed." Here's my story on the accelerating growth of systemic research fraud--aka paper mills. Gift link: nyti.ms/45rDirw

Fraudulent Scientific Papers Are Rapidly Increasing, Study Finds

A statistical analysis found that the number of fake journal articles being churned out by “paper mills” is doubling every year and a half.

nyti.ms

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