Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Ryan Hernandez @rdhernand.bsky.social · 3h

🌟 Together, we can open equitable routes into science and build a future where talent—not privilege—drives breakthroughs. Your participation can change a trajectory. Scholars, PIs: Join us for National PROPEL’s Matchmaking Event and be part of this transformation. Learn more: propelscholars.org 🙌

Welcome | PROPEL

propelscholars.org

Ryan Hernandez @rdhernand.bsky.social · 3h

📅 Key dates:
🧑‍🔬 Info session for scholars: Nov 14, 9–10am PT
👩‍🏫 Info session for faculty: Nov 14, 10–11am PT
📝 Register by: Dec 5
🖥️ Event: Jan 30, 2026 (virtual)
🔗 Register: propelscholars.org/matchmaking-...

Welcome | PROPEL

propelscholars.org

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Ryan Hernandez @rdhernand.bsky.social · 3h

How it works: Scholars and faculty share interests, meet in structured 10-minute conversations, then follow up for formal interviews and hiring. 🧬 National PROPEL creates connections to open paid pathways into science. Learn more: propelscholars.org

Welcome | PROPEL

propelscholars.org

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Ryan Hernandez @rdhernand.bsky.social · 3h

But PhD readiness goes beyond research—it’s about building scientific identity, scientific self-efficacy, leadership skills, and the confidence to thrive in grad school and beyond. Scholars receive mentoring and holistic support to help them succeed.

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Ryan Hernandez @rdhernand.bsky.social · 4h

What scholars receive: livable salary, research training, professional development, and academic enrichment. These opportunities prepare scholars for meaningful careers in science while supporting their journey toward their PhD.

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Ryan Hernandez @rdhernand.bsky.social · 4h

But there’s a debate: Do paid postbac programs measurably improve PhD readiness and scientific leadership? We’re committed to assessing outcomes—not just anecdotes. With the Center for Evaluation & Assessment (U Iowa), we’re collecting and analyzing data to inform the future of graduate education.

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Ryan Hernandez @rdhernand.bsky.social · 4h

Why this event? National PROPEL is testing a hypothesis: increasing paid postbac research opportunities will increase PhD readiness, broaden the talent pool in graduate education, and prepare scholars to become the next generation of scientific leaders. 🧪💡🌟

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Ryan Hernandez @rdhernand.bsky.social · 4h

Paid postbac pathways can help remove barriers that shut out talented students. National PROPEL is building equitable opportunities for research experience to widen the talent pool—and strengthen the future of science. 🌟 Learn more: propelscholars.org

Welcome | PROPEL

propelscholars.org

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Ryan Hernandez @rdhernand.bsky.social · 4h

That’s why National PROPEL is facilitating connections through its Matchmaking Event, where you can meet faculty ready to hire you! Apply by Dec 5. Scholar info session Nov 14, 9–10am PT: propelscholars.org/matchmaking-...

Welcome | PROPEL

propelscholars.org

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Ryan Hernandez @rdhernand.bsky.social · 4h

Scholars: Are you a senior or recent grad thinking about a PhD? Sustained research (~2+ years) builds PhD readiness, but many lack access to paid research or discover opportunities too late—barriers that shut out talent.

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Ryan Hernandez @rdhernand.bsky.social · 4h

PIs at UCSF, OHSU, U Iowa, UW–Madison, and VCU: Want to hire/train postbac scholars in pursuit of a PhD? Meet talented trainees through short 10‑minute virtual interviews during our Matchmaking Event! Register by Dec 5. Info session Nov 14, 10–11am PT. Details: propelscholars.org/matchmaking-...

Welcome | PROPEL

propelscholars.org

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Ryan Hernandez @rdhernand.bsky.social · 4h

Since 2021, >200 postbac scholars have joined UCSF PROPEL, and 83% of those applying to PhD programs got in! Scholars want opportunity. PIs want to train. The demand is clear—so we’re scaling nationally! Join our 2026 Matchmaking Event to connect PIs & scholars in CA/OR/IA/WI/VA: propelscholars.org

Growth of UCSF PROPEL. Since 2021, over 200 scholars have been hired at UCSF!

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Ryan Hernandez @rdhernand.bsky.social · 4h

There are unprecedented challenges for science, calling for bold action and collective effort. Training the next generation of scientific leaders has never been more important. Join us as we grow National PROPEL to answer this call. Learn more: propelscholars.org @propelscholars.bsky.social 🧪🧬🖥️🧵

Building a community of PROPEL-affiliated programs at UCSF, U. Utah, UCSC, MUSC, U. Iowa, UW/Fred Hutch, OHSU, and Stanford!

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Reposted by Ryan Hernandez

bioRxiv Evolutionary Biology @biorxiv-evobio.bsky.social · 2d

Estimating the rate of quantitative trait evolution in the presence of gene tree discordance by calculating likelihoods across trees https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.06.680724v1

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Reposted by Ryan Hernandez

David Castellano @castellanoed.bsky.social · 2d

Working link: academic.oup.com/mbe/advance-...

Interpreting supervised machine learning inferences in population genomics using haplotype matrix permutations

Abstract. Supervised machine learning methods, such as convolutional neural networks (CNNs), that use haplotype matrices as input data have become powerful

academic.oup.com

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Reposted by Ryan Hernandez

David Castellano @castellanoed.bsky.social · 2d

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We developed a systematic permutation approach that progressively scrambles features (LD, haplotype structure, allele frequencies) in haplotype matrices to see how each affects model performance.

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Reposted by Ryan Hernandez

David Castellano @castellanoed.bsky.social · 2d

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Excited to share our new paper in Molecular Biology & Evolution!
👉 [https://doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaf250]
It started as a lab-meeting sanity check for another project — and ended up turning into a new way to interpret machine-learning models in population genomics.

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Ryan Hernandez @rdhernand.bsky.social · 8d

Yes, the rice… would have been better than what I tried: sticking it over an air purifier… #didnotwork

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Ryan Hernandez @rdhernand.bsky.social · 8d

Sadly, it did not take well to this… 🤬😥

Ryan Hernandez @rdhernand.bsky.social · 8d

🪦💀💔

Ryan Hernandez @rdhernand.bsky.social · 8d

Nooooo!!! Guess I didn’t completely close my water bottle in my backpack… good thing I have 27 minutes until my lecture begins to find a solution…. 😱

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Ryan Hernandez @rdhernand.bsky.social · 8d

Nooooo!!! Guess I didn’t completely close my water bottle in my backpack… good thing I have 27 minutes until my lecture begins to find a solution…. 😱

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Reposted by Ryan Hernandez

Anshul Kundaje @anshulkundaje.bsky.social · 17d

This is truly an incredible breakthrough IMO. Really exemplifies what you get when deep domain expertise (popgen/evolution/disease genetics in this case) fuses with cleverly crafted ML. What u get r sleek, well thought out architectures that absolutely destroy the behemoths. Wow!! 1/

Yun S. Song @yun-s-song.bsky.social · 17d

We are excited to share GPN-Star, a cost-effective, biologically grounded genomic language modeling framework that achieves state-of-the-art performance across a wide range of variant effect prediction tasks relevant to human genetics.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
(1/n)

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Reposted by Ryan Hernandez

Yun S. Song @yun-s-song.bsky.social · 17d

We are excited to share GPN-Star, a cost-effective, biologically grounded genomic language modeling framework that achieves state-of-the-art performance across a wide range of variant effect prediction tasks relevant to human genetics.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
(1/n)

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Ryan Hernandez @rdhernand.bsky.social · 18d

WONDERFUL!!!

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Reposted by Ryan Hernandez

Anne Stone @acstone.bsky.social · 19d

Adaptations to water stress and pastoralism in the Turkana of northwest Kenya | Science www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Adaptations to water stress and pastoralism in the Turkana of northwest Kenya

The Turkana pastoralists of Kenya inhabit arid, water-limited environments and rely largely on livestock for subsistence. Working with Turkana communities, we sequenced 367 whole genomes and identifie...

www.science.org

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