This paper originated from a simple idea: Since we want to study SAR11 growth physiology, let’s look at how one SAR11 bacterium becomes two SAR11 bacteria, inspired by the quote from François Jacob, “The dream of a bacterium: to produce two bacteria”.

New work with @ianhewson.bsky.social @brayan-vilanova.bsky.social and others

Day one of our December Diadema time series sampling today in St Thomas USVI with @aquaticmicrolab.bsky.social and Marilyn Brandt. Fascinating to see season changes in microbial ecology of our site. Today we saw a big increase in diatoms, presumably due to cooler water.

So excited for our #nsffunded research to kick off with an amazing team of researchers @viromegirl.bsky.social @ianhewson.bsky.social @drchriskellogg.bsky.social Dr. Marilyn Brandt (UVI). newsroom.niu.edu/niu-biologis...

Many thanks to Moriah Sevier, Marilyn Brandt, @aquaticmicrolab.bsky.social @drchriskellogg.bsky.social @viromegirl.bsky.social Bella Ritchie and Brayan Vilanova Cuevas for making this trip such a success!

Day 2 of Diadema kickoff. Today was all about Diadema itself (cf environmental parameters). We were excited to see so many apparently healthy animals in shallow water! We also set up an experiment to examine microbial participation in echinoderm tissue decay. Such a great start to this time series!

Day 1 of NSF sponsored Diadema antillarum scuticociliatosis time series in Brewers Bay, St Thomas, USVI with @drchriskellogg.bsky.social @viromegirl.bsky.social @aquaticmicrolab.bsky.social and Prof Marilyn Brandt at UVI. After months of planning it was time to figure out what makes sense from

🧬 Interested in aquatic micro, nutrient cycling, river-ocean interfaces I’m seeking a postdoc candidate to apply with me for the 2026 Walder Biota Fellowship ($70k+/yr 2 yrs, $20k/yr research). Details: www.biotaawards.org/2026-applica... #biogeochemistry #BiotaFellowship #microsky #ecoSky #evoSky

Notice of Award is in! Join our team at NIU to study marine microbial ecology & disease dynamics in sea urchins 🧫🌊🦠 PhD | Spring/Fall 2026 start Job Ad Here 👉 shorturl.at/fSMy9 Apply here 👉 forms.gle/gfMnHutijfqC... More: theaquaticmicrobiologylab.com @ianhewson.bsky.social @viromegirl.bsky.social

🧬 Interested in aquatic micro, nutrient cycling, river-ocean interfaces I’m seeking a postdoc candidate to apply with me for the 2026 Walder Biota Fellowship ($70k+/yr for 2 yrs, $20k/yr research). Details: www.biotaawards.org/2026-applica... #ecosky #biogeochemistry #BiotaFellowship #microsky

Ten simple rules for faculty members building just and equitable environments in academic science journals.plos.org/ploscompbiol... #jcampubs

So excited to announce the GRUMP paper is published! This global dataset provides relative abundances for plankton spanning Archaea to Zooplankton from unfractionated (>0.2µm) water samples using 3-domain universal primers that amplify 16S and 18S in one PCR reaction. www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Check out our field sampling update on our lab website, work we continue to do in support of Diadema Scuticociliatosis outbreaks Field Update: USVI Marine Disease Survey www.theaquaticmicrobiologylab.com/news CC @ianhewson.bsky.social #microsky #ecologysky #marinedisease 🌊🦠🧬

Some updates to the lab website on awards and presentations! It's been a busy year in the Aquatic Microbiology lab. www.theaquaticmicrobiologylab.com/news

Our latest, lead by @ahoiching.bsky.social, uncovering physiological vulnerabilities and helping to explain growth rate limitation in SAR11. Cell cycle dysregulation of globally important SAR11 bacteria resulting from environmental perturbation www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1... #jcampubs

Cell cycle dysregulation of globally important SAR11 bacteria resulting from environmental perturbation t.co/8ohVSh9Esd

An amazing trip to USVI to study the ecology of DaScPc, the parasite responsible for urchin mass mortality 3 years ago. Over 150 samples, and an experiment completed. Fantastic to work with @aquaticmicrolab.bsky.social at NIU and Marilyn Brandt at UVI. Supported by NIU Biology and ACSF.

Happy birthday SAR11! 35 years old today! uncultured.carinilab.com/p/happy-birt...

During summer and winter, waters of the #GreatLakes typically separate into distinct temperature layers - a process called stratification. However, new research finds Lakes Michigan and Huron aren't consistently stratifying during winter anymore due to climate change www.jsonline.com/story/news/l...

Help Support Student Research! 🔗 Donate : dog.niu.edu/giving-day/9... #NIUHuskies #NIUBiology #STEMEducation #SupportStudentResearch #FirstGenCollege #ExperientialLearning #ScienceMatters #FutureScientists #HandsOnLearning #NIUAlumni #GiveBack #ResearchOpportunities #HuskiesGive #NIUCommunity

Welcome to the Bluesky account for Stand Up for Science 2025! Keep an eye on this space for updates, event information, and ways to get involved. We can't wait to see everyone #standupforscience2025 on March 7th, both in DC and locations nationwide! #scienceforall #sciencenotsilence

Sounds cool. "Bacteria encode post-mortem protein catabolism that enables altruistic nutrient recycling" www.nature.com/articles/s41...

A statement from the BMA Board Members to the BMA Community and Beyond. Additional alt text to follow due to the character limit.

Got to attend the NIU Womens Basketball (@GoHuskiesWBB) game last night and head to center court to #humblebrag be honored as their faculty spotlight.

🧪🧬🧫🦠

Happy Black History Month! I’m not sure if ASM is celebrating this year, so I’ll share some links to ASM resources I had previously collated on black women in microbiology that are now deleted (or at risk of being deleted). Deleted content can be viewed via the internet archive (links provided).

Detection of the Diadema antillarum scuticociliatosis Philaster clade on sympatric metazoa, plankton, and abiotic surfaces and assessment for its potential reemergence www.int-res.com/abstracts/me... #Microsky

Read the January summary of science on climate change and microbes via @asm.org: tinyurl.com/2at395tz And learn more about the American Academy of Microbiology's (AAM) "Climate Change & Microbes" scientific portfolio: tinyurl.com/ysyv5scj

I know , myself included, are nervous about the brc but hearing that this isn’t going to be shelved. Seems more like bad timing when nerves are high. But could be wrong.

I am confident that scientific societies will play an unusually important role in the coming years. If you are a microbiologist of any kind, please consider joining @asm.org if you haven't already. There are many ways to get involved, including advocacy. To learn more: asm.org/About-ASM/Vo...

Puppy pic timeline cleanse 🧼🐶

Was reminded today of this excellent piece by @berondam.bsky.social #microSky journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/... . It feels fitting to reread it.

We must have an unprecedented amount of grace, collaboration, and support for our colleagues and trainees right now. We will get out of this mile one. It won’t make the run easier, but we will settle in and we will finish. I wrote this because I needed to hear it. I hope it was helpful to you.

If you are directly affected by a cancellation of a meeting you were scheduled to participate in or at which your grant may have been discussed, consider reaching out.

I’ve kind of been panicking that the new DEI executive order may impact the nsf grants . For me :the building research capacity of new faculty in biology program that targets minority serving institutes and has a heavy equity and diversity portion. That language seems indirect conflict with the EO.

Puppy smoosh face timeline cleanse… you’re welcome ☺️

Changes of marine environments due to human activities in coastal waters of Korea www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Definitely will put this to test

Our latest. Led by the indefatigable Jordan Coelho Culture-supported ecophysiology of the SAR116 clade demonstrates metabolic and spatial niche partitioning www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1... #jcampubs

🚨Postdoc position(s) alert🚨 If you like to develop new bioinformatic tools for *human* microbiome analysis, are interested by virus/phages, we (JGI Viral Genomics and Microbiome Data groups) may have a great position for you ! No official job posting yet, but email or DM if you are interested !

Check out our new preprint on viruses associated with Karenia brevis blooms! 🦠 🌊 🧪 🧬 @cmarinescience.bsky.social

More amazing work using culture-supported approaches on the SAR116 clade by the @jcamthrash.bsky.social led by PhD student Jordan Coelho t.co/M06rsILi89 #microsky 🦠🧫 🌊🧬 🔬

#microsky 🧫🦠 🔬 🌊🧬

Are you looking to pursue a M.S.? Want to research vector-borne viruses, understand more about viral evolution, and/or how viruses manage to infect multiple hosts while undergoing genetic change? Consider applying to the Towson University Biology Masters Program! www.towson.edu/fcsm/departm...

New paper alert: Our 20-year study of viral ecology and evolution reveals viral roles in microbial dynamics, phage genome evolution over time, and key interactions with hosts. A big thank you to our awesome collaborators @quendi.bsky.social @archaeal.bsky.social www.nature.com/articles/s41...

If you are a scientist (including graduate students) or professional science communicator who is at least 18 years old and are using Bluesky for any kind of professional purposes, please consider taking our survey. Link: umiami.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_... Please help share. 🧪🌎 #SciComm

Genome concentration limits cell growth and modulates proteome composition in Escherichia coli elifesciences.org/articles/97465

Impact of micro-habitat fragmentation on microbial population growth dynamics academic.oup.com/ismej/advanc...

Habitat-specificity in SAR11 is associated with a handful of genes under high selection www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Nutrient management offsets the effect of #deoxygenation and warming on #nitrous oxide emissions in a large US estuary #denitrification www.science.org/doi/full/10....