Jill Wegrzyn
@jillwegrzyn.bsky.social
2.6K followers 1.1K following 350 posts
Associate Prof @UConn, Computational Biology Core Director, TreeGenes Database, Plant Computational Genomics, Conservation Genetics, Forests Artist, Foodie, Tree Hugger
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Reposted by Jill Wegrzyn
gretchentg.bsky.social
My new @science.org editorial on the role of scientists in defending democracy is out today. As authoritarianism takes hold in the US, we must fight for the democratic principles that enable a free society and scientists have a key role. I hope you'll join us.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Scientists’ role in defending democracy
The United States’ democratic leadership, commitment to freedom of expression, and investment in the pursuit of knowledge have long enabled its preeminence in science and technology. Yet today we are ...
www.science.org
Reposted by Jill Wegrzyn
axelvisel.bsky.social
A new, MUCH improved #Eucalyptus genome:

- haplotype-resolved
- 99.4% complete
- 700x better contiguity
- 35k annotated genes

Kudos to Anneri Lötter, @tomasbruna.bsky.social and @jotlovell.bsky.social at @jgi.doe.gov‬, @jillwegrzyn.bsky.social‬, Alexander Myburg et al.

doi.org/10.1093/g3jo...
jgi.doe.gov
Researchers report a new reference genome for eucalyptus. Haplotype-resolved, it has 700-fold greater contiguity—
meaning the genome is reconstructed in larger, more complete segments. 🖥️🧬 🌱

More on our Plant Program: jgi.doe.gov/science-prog...

@axelvisel.bsky.social @biosci.lbl.gov
New and Improved: Eucalyptus Reference is Now Accessible | Joint Genome Institute
An improved genome assembly to support targeted tree breeding for the bioeconomy.
jgi.doe.gov
Reposted by Jill Wegrzyn
canadianbiogenome.bsky.social
🌏🌿 The Earth BioGenome Project has collectively surpassed another genome milestone! 🙌
🎉 Congratulations to everyone involved in this monumental global effort to sequence life on Earth. 🌍🧬
#EarthBioGenome #Genomics #Biodiversity #MilestoneMoment
ebpgenome.bsky.social
🌍🧬 Congratulations on surpassing 4,000 genome assemblies!
A huge thank you to all our incredible EBP-affiliates driving global genome sequencing forward—your work is transforming science, conservation, and our understanding of life on Earth.
Reposted by Jill Wegrzyn
rbuggs.bsky.social
Thanks Kew!
The paper itself can be found here: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
rbgkew.bsky.social
BIG NEWS! We’ve found that ash trees are fighting back against ash dieback disease! 🌳💪

Scientists at Kew & QMUL ‪@qmul.bsky.social have discovered that young ash trees are evolving resistance to this devastating fungus - & fast 🌍

Read the story👉 www.kew.org/read-and-wat...

#PlantScience #SciNews
Reposted by Jill Wegrzyn
jillahamilton.bsky.social
So impressed by our Featured Student Speakers presenting in the keynote sessions. Just: wow! The future of forest genetics is bright #forestgenetics2025
jillwegrzyn.bsky.social
#CartograPlant & #TreeGenes Workshop at #ForestGenetics2025 - bringing together genotype, phenotype, and environmental data for georeferenced plant populations presented by @uconneeb.bsky.social PhD student @meghanmyles.bsky.social & developer Gabe Barrett #FAIRdata
jillwegrzyn.bsky.social
First season @toolikfieldstation.bsky.social #arctic - #EVOME is investigating species’ responses to rapid climatic changes in stream environs @uconnresearch.bsky.social @uconneeb.bsky.social @brandonlind.bsky.social SamiraObbu @airianna-mcguire.bsky.social MaryRutter #REU SarahAntebi #NSF-funded
jillwegrzyn.bsky.social
Very excited to announce @vuruputoor.bsky.social upcoming #PhD defense in @uconneeb.bsky.social ! #genomics marathon on land plant genome evolution, from the smallest to largest - special focus on conservation genomics in #hemlocks @nature.org @ebpgenome.bsky.social @uconnresearch.bsky.social
Reposted by Jill Wegrzyn
jillahamilton.bsky.social
One week to go!!! So excited to host our colleagues next week in the Happy Valley of Pennsylvania! Over 150 registrants from around the world!! If you’re interested in coming but unable to join in person - email me to learn about virtual options forestgeneticsconference2025.com #forestgenetics2025
jillwegrzyn.bsky.social
Save the Date! North American Forest Genetics Society #NAFGS June 15-19 2026 in Quebec City, Canada🍁
More information coming soon at www.nafgs.org/conference2026
Join us next year!
Reposted by Jill Wegrzyn
maxkozlov.bsky.social
An NIH staffer reacts to today's ruling:
"I'm looking forward to the day that we are so slammed with work trying to reinstate everything that we had to terminate illegally — I'll work 24/7 to make that happen if I can."
maxkozlov.bsky.social
🚨 BREAKING: Nearly 4 months the NIH cut its first grants, a judge has ruled that the directives and process that led to cuts are arbitrary and capricious.

"The explanations are bereft of reasoning — virtually in their entirety... unsupported by [facts]."

Each of them are VOID and ILLEGAL, he says.
Reposted by Jill Wegrzyn
katharinahoff.bsky.social
Very happy that our manuscript "Annotation of protein-coding genes in 49 diatom genomes from the Bacillariophyta clade" is now published with Scientific Data: rdcu.be/eqwO5 Great team work with Natalia, Clara, Cynthia, Alex, @miamynta.bsky.social , & @jillwegrzyn.bsky.social
Annotation of protein-coding genes in 49 diatom genomes from the Bacillariophyta clade
Scientific Data - Annotation of protein-coding genes in 49 diatom genomes from the Bacillariophyta clade
rdcu.be
Reposted by Jill Wegrzyn
danielbolnick.bsky.social
Reminder that SSE members in Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, India, and 152 low-income countries around the world can still get FREE registration for the virtual Evolution meeting! Please share with your colleagues: www.evolutionsociety.org/index.php?mo...
Membership
Site description
www.evolutionsociety.org
Reposted by Jill Wegrzyn
cdelawalla.bsky.social
If you have tenure and you’re carrying on as normal: you are a part of the problem. The leopard doesn’t discriminate between faces.

These are extraordinary times and we need you in the fight. It’s not comfortable, there is risk, and it will add more to your plate.

But without you, science dies.
Reposted by Jill Wegrzyn
freemanjb.bsky.social
🚨 A new rule would let career scientists like NSF/NIH program officers be replaced by political appointees

Already 14,000+ public comments, deadline is Friday

📣 Comments can be short. Courts consider them—and scientists with NSF/NIH experience are especially impactful

Speak up! shorturl.at/WKuBj
jillwegrzyn.bsky.social
Spaces are still available in our upcoming genomics workshops! Join us for Variant Detection: May 20–22 and/or Genome Annotation, May 27-29 - Participants receive guided tutorials, live instruction, & daily recordings to support continued learning. bioinformatics.uconn.edu/cbc-workshops/
jillwegrzyn.bsky.social
It’s NSF’s 75th & college graduation season, both reminders of how far basic science funding can go. With NSF support, I’ve mentored 130+ students who are innovators in genomics, conservation, data science & more. The lab is pictured here. Please keep investing in science #ThanksNSF #NSF75 #FundNSF
Reposted by Jill Wegrzyn
standupforscience.bsky.social
HAPPY 75th, NSF!

We’re celebrating this milestone by highlighting some of NSF’s most transformative accomplishments—innovations that have shaped our world and continue to drive progress in health, technology, the environment, and beyond.

Read on 🧵(1/11):
A chocolate cake with red and white decorations and lit candles shaped as the number 75. Bold text reads: ‘The NSF Turns 75 Today. What has it done over the past 7 decades?’ The background is a celebratory red with a spray-paint texture.
Reposted by Jill Wegrzyn
Join us May 27–29 for a Virtual Genome Annotation Workshop! 🧬 Learn Linux, genome assembly, evidence-based annotation, and evaluation. No experience needed!

📅 10 AM – 2 PM ET
💻 Zoom + recording
💰 $500 ($400 UConn)

Register: bioinformatics.uconn.edu/cbc-workshops/

#GenomeAnnotation #Bioinformatics
jillwegrzyn.bsky.social
A fantastic virtual workshop to get started or expand your skills with the informatics of variant detection! Spaces available! Instruction by @noahreid.bsky.social
Join us May 20-22 for a Virtual Variant Detection Workshop! 🧬 Learn genome prep, QC, alignment, variant calling, and annotation.

📅 10 AM - 2 PM EST
💻 Zoom + recordings
💰 $500 ($400 UConn)

Register: bioinformatics.uconn.edu/cbc-workshops/

#VariantDetection #Bioinformatics #Workshop
Reposted by Jill Wegrzyn
leohickman.carbonbrief.org
👏👏👏

"[we] invite manuscripts for a new, first-of-its-kind special collection focused on climate change in the US. This catalog of over 29 peer-reviewed journals covers all aspects of climate, including observations, projections, impacts, risks, and solutions"

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Scientific societies to do climate assessment after Trump administration dismissed authors
Two groups join forces for peer-reviewed research after key contributors on Congress-mandated report dismissed
www.theguardian.com