Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Victor de Lorenzo (CNB, Madrid) @vdlorenzo.bsky.social · 1h

2/2 But if we keep the same frame of questions and answers we wil never move on. IMHO we need a new narrative on Genet Eng, starting by the very terminology and by challenging the prevailing legal view that considers *natural* and *engineered* as completely different categories of biological items 🤔

1

Victor de Lorenzo (CNB, Madrid) @vdlorenzo.bsky.social · 1h

1/2 Interesting and a bit disappointing that the conversation on the matter has barely moved in the last 30 yrs. Companies just wish regulations to relax, regulators request more & more containment and scientists ask for more research on fundamental questions eg microb ecology, HGT, evolution etc

a man with a beard and mustache is smiling and says exactly the same

ALT: a man with a beard and mustache is smiling and says exactly the same

media.tenor.com

1 1

Victor de Lorenzo (CNB, Madrid) @vdlorenzo.bsky.social · 1d

Université Grenoble Alpes opens a full professorship in microbiology in 2026. The selected candidate will develop their research program on quantitative approaches in microbiology in the Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire de Physique. More info: liphy.univ-grenoble-alpes.fr/en/join-us/r...

Professorship (tenure) in 'Quantitative approaches in microbiology' (CNU Sections 64/65) | LIPhy - Université Grenoble Alpes

liphy.univ-grenoble-alpes.fr

8 5

Reposted by Victor de Lorenzo (CNB, Madrid)

Patricia Bernal @pbernalt6ss.bsky.social · 2d

Our paper, describing how the T6SSs of P. putida shape the tomato rhizosphere, is now in its final format in @isme-microbes.bsky.social ISME Communications. If you'd like to learn more, here is a thread (1/11) or read the Article doi.org/10.1093/isme....

2 13 38

Victor de Lorenzo (CNB, Madrid) @vdlorenzo.bsky.social · 3d

Off to @caltechlcssp.bsky.social to follow up the conversation started past Feb in Asilomar on *Biotech Beyond Conventional Containment*. Time to rethink the (now banned) release of Lab-trained microorganisms for extensive environmental remediation in view of new genet technols & urgent global needs

2 3 15

Reposted by Victor de Lorenzo (CNB, Madrid)

Juli Peretó @julipereto.bsky.social · 7d

Pleased to announce that our book on the evolution of biological agency is now available, thanks to @templetonfdn.bsky.social It condenses +2 years of discussions between a philosopher and a biochemist, including our conversations in the Jardí Botànic @uv.es
@ehu.eus @i2sysbio.es @dicv.csic.es

9 13

Reposted by Victor de Lorenzo (CNB, Madrid)

Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas (CSIC) @cib-csic.bsky.social · 12d

#MISB (@csic.es-UIMP )

Design meets evolution: Theory and practice
Víctor de Lorenzo (@vdlorenzo.bsky.social), @cnb-csic.bsky.social

📅Oct 3
⏰11am
The seminar will take place at CIB and additionally streamed online 🔗https://rediris.zoom.us/meeting/register/ZmrXKHmFSHqyxE65O3wvRQ<span class="text-blue-600 dark:text-sky-400">#/registration

3 2

Victor de Lorenzo (CNB, Madrid) @vdlorenzo.bsky.social · 8d

It is a scandal that many groundbreaking ideas capable of transforming medicine, agriculture & environment are stifled—not by a lack of ingenuity but by the rampant greed of IP holders that strangles sci & and tech progress. This stranglehold must be broken to allow knowledge serving the public good

a man wearing glasses and a hat says " we patented it "

ALT: a man wearing glasses and a hat says " we patented it "

media.tenor.com

1

Victor de Lorenzo (CNB, Madrid) @vdlorenzo.bsky.social · 12d

Not sure the movie is a faithful account of Edison’s young age, but as Italians say '… si non è vero è ben trovato … 🤩'

Victor de Lorenzo (CNB, Madrid) @vdlorenzo.bsky.social · 12d

Los jabalíes vuelven a hacer de las suyas en el campus de la @uam.es

Victor de Lorenzo (CNB, Madrid) @vdlorenzo.bsky.social · 12d

Relentless childhood curiosity—sometimes annoying to those around—often heralds a future in research. For me, a turning point was watching as a kid the classic 1940 film about young Edison, which sparked my fascination with science and inventiveness 😱

2 3

Victor de Lorenzo (CNB, Madrid) @vdlorenzo.bsky.social · 13d

Nuevos Cursos SEM on line: 1. Biodeterioro y biodegradación: shorturl.at/jTsvp 2. Bioseguridad en los laboratorios de microbiología: shorturl.at/tkz6s 3. Control de virus emergentes: shorturl.at/WWZZM 4. Técnicas independientes de cultivo en microbiología de los alimentos: shorturl.at/AcvOj

1

Reposted by Victor de Lorenzo (CNB, Madrid)

Guim Aguadé-Gorgorió @guimaguade.bsky.social · May 20

Microbial communities can harbor many species that do not coexist in pairs, yet can coexist in the full community. Here we provide the mathematical foundations of emergent coexistence, and explain why it can't be predicted from pairwise tests www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

2 35 98

Reposted by Victor de Lorenzo (CNB, Madrid)

Pablo Ivan Nikel @pabnik.bsky.social · 14d

The very 1st #Course on #SynBio & #Metabolic #Engineering of #Pseudomonas at Cold Spring Harbor Asia successfully completed in Suzhou, #China! Excellent group of students & lecturers, w/time for culture, food & stand-up paddling alongside the science—thanks to all who participated & stay tuned 4+!

2 10

Reposted by Victor de Lorenzo (CNB, Madrid)

International Microbiology Literacy Initiative - IMiLI @imili-micro.bsky.social · 15d

Welcome to the social media account of the International Microbiology Literacy Initiative (IMiLI). Nearly 1,000 researchers freely contribute to the IMiLI project integrating microbiology into education providing downloadable resources for all. Explore at imili.org

1 12 11

Reposted by Victor de Lorenzo (CNB, Madrid)

Ricard Solé @ricardsole.bsky.social · 14d

Can synthetic biology help save endangered ecosystems?
Our new paper with @vmaull.bsky.social explores how engineered genes can spread through soil microbes.
We model how synthetic gene transfer can support biodiversity. @vdlorenzo.bsky.social @guimaguade.bsky.social www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

2 9 29

Reposted by Victor de Lorenzo (CNB, Madrid)

Paul Rainey @paulbrainey.bsky.social · 15d

A ghost in the machine? It appears when parts merge, a new logic takes hold, and a higher-level individual emerges. Life showed it in eukaryogenesis. Humans and AI could unwittingly stumble into something similar.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences @pnas.org · 15d

Opinion: As human–AI interdependence deepens, could they form an integrated evolutionary individual, subject to collective selection? Explore this perspective in PNAS Front Matter: www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...

#AI #evolution #singularity #ChatGPT #LLM #MajorEvolutionaryTransition

An illustration of a human and a robot watering a tree together.
Image credit: Dave Cutler (artist).

1 6 10

Reposted by Victor de Lorenzo (CNB, Madrid)

Patricia Bernal @pbernalt6ss.bsky.social · 15d

We just opened the Bluesky account of the International Microbiology Literacy Initiative (IMiLI) headed by Ken Timmis. Follow us to know more about the initiative or even better become one of our volunteers to bring Microbiology to kids all ages around the world 🦠 🏫

International Microbiology Literacy Initiative - IMiLI @imili-micro.bsky.social · 15d

Welcome to the social media account of the International Microbiology Literacy Initiative (IMiLI). Nearly 1,000 researchers freely contribute to the IMiLI project integrating microbiology into education providing downloadable resources for all. Explore at imili.org

11 17

Victor de Lorenzo (CNB, Madrid) @vdlorenzo.bsky.social · 14d

Who is afraid of HGT? True, antibiotic resistances disseminate through it. But we can also leverage the same channels for spreading good stuff at a very large scale and fortifying the env microbiome with beneficial activities www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1... by Victor Maull & @ricardsole.bsky.social

Synthetic Horizontal Gene Transfer for Ecosystem Restoration

Restoring endangered ecosystems has become a pressing issue as the effects of global warming continue to harm existing communities. Over the last decade, several studies have suggested the use of synt...

www.biorxiv.org

1 3 8

Victor de Lorenzo (CNB, Madrid) @vdlorenzo.bsky.social · 15d

Once upon a time Desk Editors quietly fixed minor issues in accepted papers to ensure format compliance. Now, even the smallest formatting slip sends a ms back to the authors for trivial corrections. Is this really about maintaining standards—or just saving salaries of those used to handle this 🤔?

2 1 9

Victor de Lorenzo (CNB, Madrid) @vdlorenzo.bsky.social · 17d

Worse when the cancellation is a few days or hours before. Always count with a 10% last-minute no-show—and have backups handy 😅

Alejandro Montenegro @aemonten.bsky.social · 17d

That moment when a speaker cancels a week before the conference...

two men in suits and ties are standing next to each other in an office

ALT: two men in suits and ties are standing next to each other in an office

media.tenor.com

2

Victor de Lorenzo (CNB, Madrid) @vdlorenzo.bsky.social · 17d

Mission Suzhou accomplished! Two weeks of great science, top speakers, new techniques, intensive networking and loads of ideas for new experiments with Pseudomonas—let alone lots of fun. This keyholder with symbols of good fortune (thanks, Omkar Ingale!) summarizes everything the Course was about 👇

1

Reposted by Victor de Lorenzo (CNB, Madrid)

pglekas.bsky.social @pglekas.bsky.social · 17d

You made us feel valued, supported, and confident that with the right guidance we can achieve anything. A special thank-you to my instructor, Daniel Volke, for sharing his expertise and techniques with our team and for celebrating even our smallest wins. 100% recommended! Lifetime experience

1 1 3

Reposted by Victor de Lorenzo (CNB, Madrid)

pglekas.bsky.social @pglekas.bsky.social · 17d

Grateful to the organizers @vdlorenzo.bsky.social @pabnik.bsky.social, instructors, and host @cshlaboratory.bsky.social of the CSH-Asia workshop. It was an incredible experience for young scientists diving into synthetic biology and the metabolic engineering of Pseudomonas. (1/n)

1 1 3

Victor de Lorenzo (CNB, Madrid) @vdlorenzo.bsky.social · 18d

If we ever manage to make a hybrid species Halomonas-Pseudomonas in the Lab—it would be awesome—should we call it Phalomonas 🤔?

1 2