Posted my comments opposing OMBs proposed rule. It was so easy, using this great letter writing tool of @faseborg.bsky.social www.faseb.org/science-poli... Did you submit yours yet? The deadline is soon - July 13. This is essential to save science and research in the US.

The symbiotic relationship between Ned Ruby's lab, who focus primarily on the bacteria, Vibrio fischeri and Margaret McFall-Ngai's lab, who focus primarily on the bobtail squid, has led to a deep understanding of what symbiosis really means at the molecular level youtu.be/M5rZ52wcQ08

In case anyone ever questions whether the current US administration has hurt science…small data point…but I’ve had one bacterial genome sitting at Genbank waiting to be cleared for 7 months with little to no response on their end

In coral reefs, dissolved organic matter (DOM) fuels microbial growth that harms corals. In #mSystems: new insights into how phages interact with DOM, showing that cell-associated phages are associated with more energy-rich organic compounds. asm.social/2ZL

Predatory bacteria as members of human microbiomes and their impact on gut diversity and homeostasis https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.07.03.736386v1

Nitrogen-fixing plants add nitrogen to the soil through symbiosis with bacteria.

Host Range Breadth Correlates with Genic Diversity in Honeybee Phages @genomebiolevol.bsky.social from @chicascientifica.bsky.social academic.oup.com/gbe/article/...

Humans and bacteria share strategies to defend against viruses. We wondered: could they use each other's genes? Yes, both can! Bacteria can use human immune genes to defend against phages AND Human cells can use bacterial genes for viral defense. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

Congratulations @mehlelab.bsky.social!! 🎉 bsky.app/profile/uwma...

🎉Congratulations to Dr. Andrew Mehle on receiving the prestigious Kellett Mid-Career Award! 🏆 mmi.wisc.edu/dr-andrew-me...

Now imagine scaling up a single costly, wasteful, and flawed project to tens of billions of dollars in award decisions at NIH, NSF + more that are currently made by domain experts and at risk - via proposed OMB rules - of being made by political officials to fulfill administration priorities.

Are restriction/modification modules only used for host defense? @selmamhm.bsky.social shows an alternative use. "Restriction-modification systems are required for Neisseria gonorrhoeae pilin antigenic variation" www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2602688123 #Microd #Microsky. #Microbiology

Web-based modeling platforms can enhance collaboration between modelers and experimentalists during early model development. This Community Page by Marvin van Aalst, Alienor Lahlou &co provides guiding principles on how to build agile interactive #modeling tools. 🧪#AcademicSky bit.ly/4ahZ7Nm

"Something just brushed past my leg!" — Luke Skywalker, #StarWars Image credit: tempestkc on Threads #LincolnMemorialReflectingPool #USA

Knoxville, TN app.climatecentral.org/dataviz/warm...

Single-domain antibody inhibitors target the coiled coil arms of the Bacillus subtilis SMC complex

Gearing up for a full first day at #Evol2026 which includes two presentations from my lab group! I’ll be talking this morning about recent work investigating patterns of disease resilience in tropical corals. Then tonight MS student Carly Travers has a poster on her thesis studying immune memory!

Mechanism and updated prediction for the epic fail of Lincoln Memorial Bioreactor's polyurea coating! First chemistry, then physics It was sprayed in big sections. In addition to pool edges, failure will concentrate at the OVERLAP SEAMS between sections because they likely barely bonded at all. 1/x

🚨 John Roberts thought he was untouchable until the impeachment articles actually dropped. Now we need to force Congress to back them up. Send your official letter in one click: 👇 actionnetwork.org/letters/tell...

The genius of Obama's big speech is this: He effectively stated that Trump/MAGA do not accept the Declaration of Independence's promise of equality. In the battle over our 250th anniversary, we need to put that basic truth squarely on the agenda. New from me: newrepublic.com/article/2121...

Check out this exciting work from Jeniel Nett's lab! @uwmadisonmmi.bsky.social www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...

NSF's grantmaking is miserly when compared to recent years, but when compared it to the historical record, we see it's a radical break from the long-term consensus of investing in scientific innovation. grant-witness.us/posts/2026-0... #NSF 🧪

These assholes back down when we push back. We should push back more often. www.nytimes.com/2026/06/18/c...

A 20 year study on 2 NIH diversity programs in Science Advances shows they doubled undergrads' odds of getting a Ph.D. That is, before the funding for those programs and for the study itself was terminated last year: www.statnews.com/2026/06/17/n...

To everyone who helped bring the Obama Presidential Center to life, thank you. Michelle and I are so grateful for all your dedication and hard work over the years. I got a little teary-eyed tonight thinking about my mother-in-law, Marian Robinson.

This is a deep-sea isopod. Dr. Johanna Weston, a deep-ocean biologist and guest investigator at @whoi.edu, is confident this is Bathyopsurus nybelini, one of her favorite animals. Learn why via the YouTube caption: youtube.com/shorts/DenUj...

The US government is arresting scientists on pretextual grounds to consolidate their grip on authoritarian power. This should scare the hell out of every single one of us. open.substack.com/pub/rasmusse...

I wrote to Director Bhattacharya with an idea about how to convert these "scientific freedom" lectures into something potentially useful. 1/3

Still all quiet on the #NSF front. No new awards in the past week. REMINDER: We still are hearing of trickles of terminations, suspensions, and money being held back from grantees, which NSF isn't reporting. We need your help - please report! 🧪 grant-witness.us/posts/2026-0...

Great collaboration with @weisslab.bsky.social to measure Caulobacter adhesion!

Reminder — UW #Microbiology has an open search for an Assistant Professor, focusing on fundamental problems in #bacteriology! If you or someone you know would be suitable, here's the ad: apply.interfolio.com/185622

My latest for @opinion.bloomberg.com: Trump's fresh attacks on US science are buried in proposed changes to federal grant rules& could mean research priorities at agencies like NIH shift w/the political winds. That could damage innovation, institutions & ultimately the health of Americans. 🎁 link

Want to submit your public comment about the OMB Grant Proposal but not sure how? Join us TOMORROW at 2 PM ET for advice on how to submit a public comment. Register at the link in our bio, or go here: zurl.co/8CuPh #OMB #Vought #StandUpForScience #Science #SaveScience

Here I thought I could drop off looking at the # of comments on the OMB proposal on a weekly basis ... Day 9: 15583 total comments, 8468 mention "science," new category — 9011 mention "research" at the suggestion of @dangaristo.bsky.social

This was the whole point of recusals given COIs. Instead, this new rule will create more admin bloat and make it harder for conscientious and mission-driven NSF program staff to do their jobs so that scientists can do theirs. Well past time to re-establish NSF as an *independent* federal agency.

My lab is currently recruiting 2(!!) postdocs in RNA structural biology/biochemistry! Full details can be found below and on our website (sites.lsa.umich.edu/keane-lab/op...).

Three weeks left to apply to our postdoc position on alpine plant resilience! Us: Three years of funding, an awesome collaborative team, a gorgeous study system, blueberry pie, unionized postdocs. You: A PhD and experience in ancient DNA, paleoecology, and/or plant genetics and genomics.

Happy World Oceans Day! When our federal government repeatedly steps on rakes around ocean policy, it can be easy to get discouraged. But there's still so much we can do in the meantime! (P.S. this is part of an upcoming collab with Philly artist Sam Heimer)

"The Trump Administration will begin sending ships to begin pulling up the instruments later this month... The ocean observation system was designed to operate for at least 25 years, meaning the decision would result in the loss of more than a decade of data..." www.nytimes.com/2026/06/02/c...

Phage therapy is a powerful tool against AMR—but access remains limited. This year’s Science & Society Lecture features keynote speaker Dr. Steffanie Strathdee and a panel discussion on scaling phage therapy into routine care. Don’t miss it! #ASMicrobe asm.social/2XT

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outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) of 𝘝𝘪𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘰 𝘧𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘪 are apparently piñatas full of goodies for its host, 𝘌. 𝘴𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘴. earlier we featured SsrA (tmRNA), now comes SypC protein - both required for proper ldevelopment of the squid's light organ. #SymbioSky

Who, specifically, ordered the Ocean Observatory Initiative destroyed? Someone made this decision. Reporters, get on this. www.livescience.com/planet-earth...

If you are going to comment on the proposed changes to how science is done in the US, please use this guide. The rules specify that you have to mention the number associated with the proposed changes, and this blog has those. Here is where to comment: www.federalregister.gov/documents/20...

This came across my feed elsewhere, and since it has the source attribution, enjoy:

What the hell, check out the PDF too.

More via @nytimes.com Police Remove Diabetes Experts From Conference for Distributing Critique of Trump Administration & the telling subtitle Several of those escorted out were scheduled to present at the American Diabetes Association conference this weekend. 🎁 www.nytimes.com/2026/06/05/w...

ASM Awardees

I just learned that OMB is required to respond to every comment on the anti-peer-review rule. So that means our comments really matter, at the very least by gumming up the gears. Send your comment today.

Just finished another annual meeting and yup, this policy is still in effect! Many people have benefited! 🦠 #ASMicrobe