Philip Donoghue
@phil-donoghue.bsky.social
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Professor of Palaeobiology at the University of Bristol, UK
Pleased to be a small part of this molecular palaeobiology study by Jialin Wei, led by Marta Álvarez-Presas and Jordi Paps, with help from Davide Pisani. Animals repeatedly used similar genomic solutions to the challenges of terrestrialization
@bristolpalaeo.bsky.social
@bristolbiosci.bsky.social
add a skeleton here at some point
4 days ago
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NERC GW4+ PhD: Genome duplication, extinction and diversification in the evolution of flowering plants, supervised by Phil Donoghue, James Clark and Ilia Leitch. Deets soon but get in touch with
@phil-donoghue.bsky.social
if interested. Jan 8 application deadline
@bristolpalaeo.bsky.social
13 days ago
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Our latest: Investigating the morphogenesis and replacement of lamprey toothlets using synchrotron imaging, led by Madleen Grohganz
@bristolpalaeo.bsky.social
, just out in Journal of Morphology.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10....
27 days ago
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Our latest, led by Edu Ocaña-Pallarès and
@ssolo.bsky.social
, a timescale for fungal phylogeny that wrangles calibration from the unstructured fossil record of fungi and a history of horizontal gene transfers
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
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A timetree of Fungi dated with fossils and horizontal gene transfers - Nature Ecology & Evolution
Combining fossil-based and molecular calibrations with data on horizontal gene transfer events, the authors develop a time-calibrated phylogeny of Fungi. This timescale, which integrates analytic uncertainties, suggests an older age of crown Fungi (1,401–896 million years ago), as well as a minimum age for ancient interactions involving fungi and the algal ancestors of embryophytes in terrestrial ecosystems (1,253–797 Ma).
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-025-02851-z
about 1 month ago
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The proceedings volume from our Nov24 meeting on the evolution of biospheres is just in PhilTransB
@royalsocietypublishing.org
delivering insights into how our biosphere evolved - and how other biospheres may evolve
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Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences: Vol 380, No 1931
https://royalsocietypublishing.org/toc/rstb/2025/380/1931
3 months ago
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Lots of fun last night in the lab get together at Siji Minfu Roast Duck Restaurant in Hepingli, Beijing
4 months ago
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Our latest "Morphological constraints in hymenopteran forewings limit flight efficiency optimization" led by Iman Fadel, with help from Pablo Milla Carmona, Yuming Liu and
@emilyrayfield.bsky.social
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Morphological constraints in hymenopteran forewings limit flight efficiency optimization | Royal Society Open Science
The evolution of wings and flapping flight was integral to the radiation of Pterygota, but little is known about the factors underpinning the morphological disparity of insect wings. We use a theoreti...
https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.250224
4 months ago
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Our latest, led by
@jameswclark.bsky.social
of
@milnerevolution.bsky.social
shows that the notorious mismatch between molecular and palaeontological estimates for the timing of origin of angiosperms is a consequence of equivocal interpretation of their fossil record
@bristolpalaeo.bsky.social
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Uncertainty in the timing of diversification of flowering plants rests with equivocal interpretation of their fossil record | Royal Society Open Science
The timing of the origin of crown-angiosperms exemplifies the impact of competing approaches to establishing evolutionary timescales. Fossils of unequivocal crown-angiosperms are not known from before...
https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.242158
6 months ago
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The latest issue of eVOLUCIÓN
@sesbe-org.bsky.social
includes me pontificating on all manner of topics evolutionary.
sesbe.org/revista-evol...
6 months ago
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Thanks to Carlos Martinez, Sonia Ros, Jesus Marugan, Hugo Martin-Abad and friends for making
@bristolpalaeo.bsky.social
Iberian Cordillera field trip such a success for our BSc/MSci Palaeontology & Evolution students
7 months ago
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Barcelona in October and research on the origins of multicellularity - how could anyone resist this meeting?
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Evolution and origins of multicellularity across the tree of life
The study of the origins and evolution of multicellularity in different lineages has recently captured the attention of many research groups and is fueling the generation of numerous innovative resea…
https://meetings.embo.org/event/25-multicellularity
7 months ago
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The last bit of Frankie Dunn's PhD is finally published!
@bristolpalaeo.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
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Morphogenesis of Fractofusus andersoni and the nature of early animal development - Nature Communications
Rangeomorphs are some of the oldest complex macroscopic fossil organisms. Here, the authors describe a population of rangeomorphs with two, spindle-shaped fronds from Mistaken Point, Newfoundland, mod...
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-58605-9
7 months ago
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Really pleased to be part of this project which shows that aerobic bacteria arose in the Archaean, long before the GOE - after which aerobes proliferated through HGT. Fun
@bristolpalaeo.bsky.social
collab including
@tweethinking.bsky.social
@sabifo4.bsky.social
@emoody.bsky.social
Davide Pisani
add a skeleton here at some point
8 months ago
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This interesting article on reviewer fatigue prompts me to publicize my most over-used web resource: JANE - the Journal Author Name Estimator
jane.biosemantics.org
which, based on an abstract, can help authors find a home for their manuscripts and help editors to find reviewers for submissions
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On improving the sustainability of peer review
The term “reviewer fatigue” has become only too familiar in scientific publishing. This editorial discusses how we can ease the burden on reviewers to make the peer review system more sustainable, whi...
https://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3003127
8 months ago
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Our latest: Evolution of herbivory, not terrestrialization, drove morphological change in the mandibles of Palaeozoic, led by
@harryberks.bsky.social
with help from Pablo Milla Carmona
@emilyrayfield.bsky.social
and myself
@bristolpalaeo.bsky.social
. Out now in
@evojlinnsoc.bsky.social
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The evolution of herbivory, not terrestrialization, drove morphological change in the mandibles of Palaeozoic tetrapods
Abstract. The radiation of tetrapods during the Devonian and Early Carboniferous was associated with a transition from aquatic to terrestrial environments,
https://doi.org/10.1093/evolinnean/kzaf004
8 months ago
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Should the future of scientific publishing lie with megapublishers who return profits to shareholders, or with professional societies that plough their returns back into science and scientific communities? Vote now with your manuscript submissions!
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How to Fix Scientific Publishing
YouTube video by Francis Crick Institute
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiridwhG4YI
8 months ago
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@thepalass.bsky.social
and
@nhm-london.bsky.social
are hosting a FREE workshop at the Natural History Museum, London on May 15, 2-4 pm for in person and online attendees: Fossil Collecting In England and Wales: Do We Need More Legislation? 🌐 Sign up:
buff.ly/LXtoUao
8 months ago
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About a week to go to the application deadline for this position - please get in touch if you have questions!
add a skeleton here at some point
9 months ago
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Job Alert: Senior Research Associate in Phylogenomics
@bristolpalaeo.bsky.social
researching timing, sequence and phenotypic consequences of rediploidisation following whole genome duplication - comparative genomics, molecular clock and phenotypic disparity methods, with
@jameswclark.bsky.social
9 months ago
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Our latest: a Richard Boyle (Exeter) production, using simulations to show how differential selection of biogeochemical cycles can lead to planetary homeostasis, with some empirical data from
@emoody.bsky.social
and
@sabifo4.bsky.social
@bristolpalaeo.bsky.social
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Persistence selection between simulated biogeochemical cycle variants for their distinct effects on the Earth system | PNAS
The average long-term impact of Darwinian evolution on Earth’s habitability remains extremely uncertain. Recent attempts to reconcile this uncertai...
https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2406344122
9 months ago
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I'd like to remind everyone that February is the worst month of the year
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Whole 'nother Story - February
YouTube video by KMOX1120
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38PB3sBZxf4
9 months ago
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Lectureship in Evolutionary Biology up for grabs
@bristolbiosci.bsky.social
for someone who studies "evolutionary processes and the emergence of large-scale patterns of organismal diversity using comparative genomics, and/or bioinformatics. Application deadline February 16
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Details | Working at Bristol | University of Bristol
https://www.bristol.ac.uk/jobs/find/details/?jobId=371783&jobTitle=Lecturer%20in%20Evolutionary%20Biology
10 months ago
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Our latest, led by Mattia Giacomelli and Davide Pisani, shows the power of CAT-PMSF in ML analyses of genome scale datasets. Mattia used it to test hypotheses of panarthropod relationships, finding Lobopodia (Tardigrada,(Onychophora, Euarthropoda)) best supported
academic.oup.com/gbe/article/...
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CAT-Posterior Mean Site Frequencies Improves Phylogenetic Modeling Under Maximum Likelihood and Resolves Tardigrada as the Sister of Arthropoda Plus Onychophora
Abstract. Tardigrada, the water bears, are microscopic animals with walking appendages that are members of Ecdysozoa, the clade of molting animals that als
https://academic.oup.com/gbe/article/17/1/evae273/7931680
10 months ago
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PostDoc position in evolutionary genomics available with Dan MacQueen at the Roslin Institute in Edinburgh, part of our BBSRC sLoLa on rediploidisation following whole genome duplication
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Post-doctoral Researcher in Evolutionary Genomics
Two post-doctoral researcher positions are available that will play key roles in delivering an exciting new 4-year multi-partner BBSRC research project focussed on understanding genome evolution follo...
https://elxw.fa.em3.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/CandidateExperience/en/sites/CX_1001/job/11979
10 months ago
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In friday’s palaeo seminar
@bristolpalaeo.bsky.social
we were treated to Microfossil evolution and morphological change through warm and cold climates by the amazing
@bridgetwade.bsky.social
10 months ago
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Our LUCA study, led by
@emoody.bsky.social
has made it to
#shortwave
@NPR! Thanks to
@jonlambert.bsky.social
for indulging us
@bristolpalaeo.bsky.social
www.npr.org/2025/01/17/1...
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Life as we know it descended from a single cell. What do we know about LUCA? : Short Wave
Imagine the tree of life. The tip of every branch represents one species, and if you follow any two branches back through time, you'll hit an intersection. If you keep going back in time, you'll event...
https://www.npr.org/2025/01/17/1225172117/life-species-luca-ancestors
10 months ago
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Tahlia Pollock
@bristolpalaeo.bsky.social
has an amazing new study integrating 3D shape, biomechanics, and optimality modelling, helps explain why so many mammals evolve sabre teeth: functional optimality was a key driver behind the repeated evolution of extreme sabre-tooth morphologies.
10 months ago
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Yay! Our LUCA study
shorturl.at/09YR8
made into
@quantamagazine.bsky.social
list of 2024's biggest breakthroughs! Thanks to
@emoody.bsky.social
@tweethinking.bsky.social
Davide Pisani
@bristolpalaeo.bsky.social
and the rest of our amazing team!
add a skeleton here at some point
11 months ago
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The indefatigable Madleen Grohganz has just published the third paper from her PhD thesis this year, showing that heterostracans did not have teeth but tooth-like structures evolved convergently in many stem-gnathostomes, coopted to a tooth function in jawed vertebrates
@bristolpalaeo.bsky.social
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Morphogenesis of pteraspid heterostracan oral plates and the evolutionary origin of teeth | Royal Society Open Science
Teeth are a key vertebrate innovation; their evolution is generally associated with the origin of jawed vertebrates. However, tooth-like structures already occur in jawless stem-gnathostomes; heterost...
https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.240836
11 months ago
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My Christmas reading has arrived!
11 months ago
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PhDs with competitive funding from myself and Davide Pisani (Jan 13+20 deadlines) o Evolutionary origin and assembly of animal bodyplans o Evaluating new data and methods to solve animal phylogeny o The taphonomy of organelles and the origin of eukaryotes o Early fossil record of sponges and animals
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Postgraduate research projects
https://www.bristol.ac.uk/earthsciences/postgraduate/research-projects/
11 months ago
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#PalAss24
was awesome!! Thanks to
@emmadnn.bsky.social
@taphonomist.bsky.social
@rachelwarnock.bsky.social
and their amazing crew FAU-Erlangen for organising such a wonderful meeting
add a skeleton here at some point
11 months ago
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BBSRC have finally announced funding our sLoLa on "Whole genome duplication and rediploidization in eukaryotic evolution" led, heroically, by Dan MacQueen (Roslin Institute) with
@tweethinking.bsky.social
@jameswclark.bsky.social
. Postdoc positions advertised soon!
www.ukri.org/news/bbsrc-i...
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BBSRC injects £20 million into long-term discovery research
BBSRC is backing four major research projects to help pioneer critical advances in healthy ageing, drug discovery and sustainable agriculture.
https://www.ukri.org/news/bbsrc-injects-20-million-into-long-term-discovery-research/
11 months ago
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reposted by
Philip Donoghue
Bristol Palaeobiology
11 months ago
Congrats to Dani Schmidt and Mike Benton who won the President’s and Lapworth medals at
#PalAss24
for their immense contributions to palaeontological science
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reposted by
Philip Donoghue
Mario dos Reis
12 months ago
We have a project on Bayesian phylogenetics:
www.trees-dla.ac.uk/projects/int...
with
@zihengyang.bsky.social
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Integrating morphology and genomes to infer evolutionary timescales | UCL Trees
Large biological datasets are accumulating at a fast pace, such as genome sequences from the EarthBiogenome project or 3D scan data from museum specimens. These datasets can be integrated to resolve e...
https://www.trees-dla.ac.uk/projects/integrating-morphology-and-genomes-infer-evolutionary-timescales
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reposted by
Philip Donoghue
Mike Inouye
11 months ago
EMBO Postdoctoral Fellowships are a fantastic way to get your foot in the funding door and pursue proper high risk, high reward research. Check them out here:
www.embo.org/funding/fell...
Next deadline: Feb 14th Very happy to support any prospective applicants, but do get in touch early! 😊
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Postdoctoral Fellowships – Benefits – EMBO
EMBO provides grants for host institutions in EMBC Member States to issue employment contracts to EMBO Fellows. Fellows working in other countries than EMBC Member States will receive a stipend.
https://www.embo.org/funding/fellowships-grants-and-career-support/postdoctoral-fellowships/benefits/
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Such a great evening! Thanks everyone for making it such a great occasion to share our national delicacies - and I still defend pigs in blankets as a delicacy!
add a skeleton here at some point
12 months ago
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Truly astonishing video about our recent paper describing Cambrian trilobites preserved in volcanic ash
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
add a skeleton here at some point
12 months ago
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NERC GW4+ DTP
www.nercgw4plus.ac.uk
just released PhD projects for Sept 2025 start, inc one with me using new microscopy methods to study the taphonomy of cells and organelles to unravel the evolution of eukaryotes
www.bristol.ac.uk/media-librar...
Please get in touch if interested
12 months ago
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Our latest, led by Jenny Morris, used synchrotron tomography to out the early bryophyte Tortilicaulis as an early tracheophyte, not least because its axes bear tracheal elements. This study formed part of Tom Crooks MSc Palaeobiology at Bristol
fi.nm.cz/en/clanek/lo...
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Lower Devonian Tortilicaulis is an early tracheophyte and not a bryophyte | Fossil Imprint
http://fi.nm.cz/en/clanek/lower-devonian-tortilicaulis-is-an-early-tracheophyte-and-not-a-bryophyte-2/
12 months ago
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Really nice commentary by Jonathan Lambert
@jonlambert.bsky.social
@quantamagazine.bsky.social
about our study of the age and nature of LUCA, led by the awesome Ed Moody
@emoody.bsky.social
www.quantamagazine.org/all-life-on-...
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All Life on Earth Today Descended From a Single Cell. Meet LUCA. | Quanta Magazine
The clearest picture yet of our “last universal common ancestor” suggests it was a relatively complex organism living 4.2 billion years ago, a time long considered too harsh for life to flourish.
https://www.quantamagazine.org/all-life-on-earth-today-descended-from-a-single-cell-meet-luca-20241120/
12 months ago
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Latest from the Lab: Madleen Grohganz, with little help from her friends, shows that contrary to expectations of a filter feeding ecology, the oral plates of heterostracans exhibit evidence of microstructural adaptation to a mechanical function. Who knew?
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
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Finite element and microstructural analyses indicate that pteraspid heterostracan oral plate microstructure was adapted to a mechanical function
Early vertebrate evolution has been characterized as a gradual shift from passive to more active feeding modes. However, this evolutionary scenario is contingent on poorly constrained inferences of t...
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/pala.12733
12 months ago
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Fully funded PhD up for grabs: Evolution following genome duplication (in animals and plants) with Dan MacQueen and Alex Twyford in Edinburgh. Apply by December 16, 2024. Open to applicants worldwide
www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
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Evolution following whole genome duplication - a comparative investigation of plant and animal genomes at University of Edinburgh on FindAPhD.com
PhD Project - Evolution following whole genome duplication - a comparative investigation of plant and animal genomes at University of Edinburgh, listed on FindAPhD.com
https://www.findaphd.com/phds/project/evolution-following-whole-genome-duplication-a-comparative-investigation-of-plant-and-animal-genomes/?p177703
12 months ago
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Our latest, by Emily Carlisle, Zongjun Yin, Davide Pisani and myself: Ediacaran origin and Ediacaran-Cambrian diversification of Metazoa
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
about 1 year ago
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