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Bob Johnston

@bobbyjeyeguy.bsky.social

Studies human retinal organoids and fly eyes to understand how neuronal diversity is generated. https://www.johnstonlabjhu.com/

452 Followers  |  114 Following  |  29 Posts  |  Joined: 15.11.2024  |  2.3467

Latest posts by bobbyjeyeguy.bsky.social on Bluesky

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My department at Dartmouth Medical School is hiring a tenure-track Assistant Professor. We are looking broadly for a biochemist or cell biologist. Please share this add! apply.interfolio.com/171438
@dartmouthbcb.bsky.social @futurepislack.bsky.social

27.08.2025 20:50 β€” πŸ‘ 67    πŸ” 77    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 4

Now out in Cell! Congratulations to all involved, especially
@chiarafornetto.bsky.social

For a breakdown, see the bluetorial from when we posted the preprint: bsky.app/profile/neur...

Funding: @erc.europa.eu @wellcometrust.bsky.social @ukri.org @leverhulme.ac.uk @thelisterinstitute.bsky.social

04.11.2025 08:53 β€” πŸ‘ 27    πŸ” 12    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 3
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Today’s speaker in our DRN external seminar series is Dr Ryan MacDonald @macdonaldlab.bsky.social (University College London)

Sponsored by the Physiological Society
@physoc.bsky.social

Host: Emily NoΓ«l
@noelresearchlab.bsky.social

All welcome!

29.10.2025 09:34 β€” πŸ‘ 6    πŸ” 4    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Figure 8 from the paper showing a model of lineage alterations in wild-type versus Chd4 cKO retinas. See the paper for more information.

Figure 8 from the paper showing a model of lineage alterations in wild-type versus Chd4 cKO retinas. See the paper for more information.

Chd4 remodels chromatin to control retinal cell type specification and lineage termination

Read this #LifelongDevSI #OA Research Article by Sujay Shah, Pierre Mattar and colleagues

doi.org/10.1242/dev....

28.10.2025 11:12 β€” πŸ‘ 6    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 1

Fantastic new paper from @pierre-mattar.bsky.social lab!

28.10.2025 20:22 β€” πŸ‘ 8    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
Brandeis University, Biology Department Job #AJO30961, Assistant Professor in Biology and Neuroscience Program, Biology Department, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts, US

TT faculty job opening in #Neuroscience!
We are looking for a colleague to join us in our fantastic Biology Department and Neuroscience Program at Brandeis. We are a group of *very* collaborative, supportive, and productive scientists (& humans!) so please apply
academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/30961

22.10.2025 23:28 β€” πŸ‘ 85    πŸ” 103    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 3
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The Wnt co-receptor Arrow-LRP5/6 is required for Planar Cell Polarity establishment in Drosophila Wnt-signaling, via Ξ²-catenin or the planar cell polarity (PCP) branch, is crucial for development, tissue homeostasis, and linked to many diseases. LRP5/6, arrow ( arr ) in Drosophila , is the obligat...

In the 2nd preprint from @mlodziklab.bsky.social, Weber et al. show that LRP5/6/arrow, the Wnt/bcatenin signaling specific co-receptor, is also required for Wnt/planar cell polarity establishment, a challenge and eye-opener for the Wnt field.

www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

21.10.2025 14:49 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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In Fruit Fly Eyes, UMass Boston Researcher Sees Potential Medical Discoveries Jens Rister, an associate professor in UMass Boston’s biology department, has just been awarded more than $1,700,000 in funding from the National Eye Institute of the NIH to research a protein that gu...

A new article on our National Eye Institute (NEI) - funded project on the mechanisms underlying color vision!
@umassboston.bsky.social
πŸͺ°πŸ‘€πŸ§ͺ
www.umb.edu/news/recent-...

21.10.2025 15:54 β€” πŸ‘ 43    πŸ” 9    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
DIO3 coordinates photoreceptor development timing and fate stability in human retinal organoids A biweekly scientific journal publishing high-quality research in molecular biology and genetics, cancer biology, biochemistry, and related fields

Check out our paper from @christ3na.bsky.social in G+D. DIO3, which degrades thyroid hormone/TH, is expressed in progenitors and turns off in neurons. As the progenitor:neuron ratio decreases, DIO3 decreases and TH increases, triggering photoreceptor generation.
genesdev.cshlp.org/content/earl...

21.10.2025 13:10 β€” πŸ‘ 6    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Our faculty job market series continues today on the topic of zoom interviews! Come hear Tyler, Heather, and Duc share their thoughts/advice today at 3pm ET / 12p PT. There will also be time for Q&A.

Registration link in flyer - hope to see you there!

14.10.2025 17:34 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Come join us!
Applications to the GCDB Biology Doctoral program at IU are due December 1st.

@iubiology.bsky.social
@alizeemalnoe.bsky.social @rhcalderon.bsky.social @lesleynweaver.bsky.social @hoosierflyman.bsky.social @tennessenlab.bsky.social @flyeyelab.bsky.social @briancalvi.bsky.social

01.10.2025 17:53 β€” πŸ‘ 10    πŸ” 8    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 2
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See this? This = implanting mouse embryo. Usually this happens inside its mother and is invisible to us, but we can actually watch implantation ex vivo with the hope of understanding why implantation goes awry in embryos of older women. A 🧡...

01.10.2025 18:20 β€” πŸ‘ 221    πŸ” 68    πŸ’¬ 11    πŸ“Œ 18
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Blocking apoptosis promotes survival and alters developmental dynamics of human retinal ganglion cells in retinal organoids Retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) are the projection neurons that transmit visual information from the retina to the brain. In many species, a substantial proportion of RGCs are eliminated by programmed c...

Check this paper from @simonomisz.bsky.social in our lab!
www.biorxiv.org/cgi/content/...
Human retinas/organoids go through 2 apoptotic waves. Organoids also have a necrotic wave. Blocking apoptosis promotes RGC survival to day 200 (usually die!). Apoptosis promotes normal neurogenesis/maturation.

29.09.2025 20:59 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 1
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Kinetic organization of the genome revealed by ultraresolution multiscale live imaging Genome function requires regulated genome motion. However, tools to directly observe this motion in vivo have been limited in coverage and resolution. Here we introduce an approach to tile mammalian c...

Kinetic organization of the genome revealed by ultraresolution multiscale live imaging www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

19.09.2025 09:54 β€” πŸ‘ 11    πŸ” 4    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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#FluorescenceFriday: a weekly reminder that behind the data, there are moments of pure wonder. This is why we do what we do. And the #retina is so uniquely beautiful!

19.09.2025 16:42 β€” πŸ‘ 67    πŸ” 12    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 1
man rolling rock up  hill
how it started how its going

man rolling rock up hill how it started how its going

16.09.2025 07:37 β€” πŸ‘ 8104    πŸ” 2170    πŸ’¬ 50    πŸ“Œ 96
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Preventing Blindness by Untangling the Genetic Network of Vision Neurons Dr. Joel Miesfeld’s lab studies the mechanisms behind retinal ganglion cells to better understand vision development.

A big thanks to the NEI for supporting my new R01 and MCW for highlighting the research focus. We’ve already made some interesting discoveries and I’m excited to see how the research progresses for years to come. www.mcw.edu/mcwknowledge...

16.09.2025 14:05 β€” πŸ‘ 25    πŸ” 7    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Oligopaint Probe Requests In an effort to make Oligopaint FISH probes more broadly available to the research community, we offer DNA and RNA FISH probe design, synthesis, and generation. By dedicating a full-time staff memb…

We’re excited to share that, after receiving many requests each year from the research community for Oligopaint DNA & RNA FISH probes, we’re piloting a service to design & prepare probes for labs.
Please share with colleagues who may benefit!
ericjoycelab.com/oligopaint-f...

16.09.2025 17:44 β€” πŸ‘ 11    πŸ” 9    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Preventing Blindness by Untangling the Genetic Network of Vision Neurons Dr. Joel Miesfeld’s lab studies the mechanisms behind retinal ganglion cells to better understand vision development.

Damaged retinal ganglion cells can lead to blindness. MCW’s Dr. Joel Miesfeld is conducting #research into the development of these cells to better identify ways to help them regenerate after damage. Learn more: www.mcw.edu/mcwknowledge...

#Ophthalmology #VisionHealth #MCWKnowledge

17.09.2025 15:34 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Novel Roles of Sonic Hedgehog Signaling in Retinal Patterning and Neurogenesis During Mammalian Eye Development The Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) signaling pathway is essential for the patterning, growth, and morphogenesis of many tissues. During early eye development, Shh is critical for the formation of the two optic ...

πŸŽ‰ New preprints from the lab! (1) www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

17.09.2025 01:43 β€” πŸ‘ 19    πŸ” 6    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

New preprints from the lab!! (2)

17.09.2025 01:49 β€” πŸ‘ 7    πŸ” 4    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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Very proud of former Kumar lab PhD student, Alison Ordway, for receiving a K99 award from the National Eye Institute on her work describing photoreceptor patterning in Drosophila and mosquito compound eyes. Keep your eyes out for Alison when she goes out on the job market.

16.09.2025 15:58 β€” πŸ‘ 20    πŸ” 4    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Very excited about our new preprint, led by @gkafetzis.bsky.social /w @mikebok.bsky.social & @denilsson.bsky.social. We suggest that the vertebrate 'duplex' retina emerged from interconnecting two ancient median-eye microcircuits. Say goodbye to the 'simplex' retina - it probably never existed!

12.09.2025 13:23 β€” πŸ‘ 14    πŸ” 6    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Comparative single-cell multiomic analysis reveals evolutionarily conserved and species-specific cellular mechanisms mediating natural retinal aging. Biological age is a major risk factor in the development of common degenerative retinal diseases such as age-related macular degeneration and glaucoma. To systematically characterize molecular mechani...

Our latest manuscript is out, and this one tackles the problem of cellular aging in the retina, using comparative multiomic analysis of zebrafish, mouse, and humans. What led us to work on aging after studying development and regeneration? Explainer follows./1
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

12.09.2025 19:04 β€” πŸ‘ 74    πŸ” 21    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 2
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Combinatorial BMP4 and activin direct the choice between alternate routes to endoderm in a stem cell model of human gastrulation Inge et al. show that human endoderm originates from two converging developmental routes with distinct dynamics and efficiencies yet similar developmental potential. Combinatorial activin and BMP4 sig...

1/7 Really happy to see my PhD work published in ✨Developmental Cell✨ today! We find human endoderm is specified by two developmental trajectories πŸ”€, and the choice between alternate routes is dictated by the combinatorial BMP4/Activin signalling. www.cell.com/developmenta...

09.09.2025 20:01 β€” πŸ‘ 78    πŸ” 28    πŸ’¬ 6    πŸ“Œ 4

I am excited for Ali Ordway, a postdoc in my lab, who just got award a K99/R00 award!! She is studying how photoreceptors are patterned in the eyes of flies and other insects!

09.09.2025 22:38 β€” πŸ‘ 26    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 3    πŸ“Œ 0
PNAS Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), a peer reviewed journal of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) - an authoritative source of high-impact, original research that broadly spans...

Excited to share the latest paper from our lab! Excellent work from CΓ‘tia Gomes and Kang-Chieh Huang!

Modeling human retinal ganglion cell axonal outgrowth, development, and pathology using pluripotent stem cell–based microfluidic platforms

09.09.2025 22:34 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Fly friends--join us at #Dros26

01.09.2025 21:30 β€” πŸ‘ 11    πŸ” 5    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Temporal transcriptional regulation of mitochondrial morphology primes activity-dependent circuit connectivity - Nature Communications This study investigates the developmental transcriptional regulation of mitochondrial quality control. Authors identify the Drosophila factor Mirana, homologous to mammalian TZAP, as a key temporal re...

Latest from the lab, the beautiful work of Iryna Mohylyak and colleagues describing a temporal developmental transcriptional program for mitochondrial quality control and synaptic connectivity, with @jdejuan-sanz.bsky.social, Olga Corti and @steinaerts.bsky.social
labs
www.nature.com/articles/s41...

01.09.2025 20:50 β€” πŸ‘ 33    πŸ” 11    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 2
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An ancient and essential miRNA family controls cellular interaction pathways in C. elegans A microRNA that arose at the origin of eumetazoans regulates cell adhesion and signaling in C. elegans through conserved targets.

Our work on the function of miR-51/miR-100 is out! miR-100 is widely conserved across eumetazoans but its function has been mysterious. Emilio SantillΓ‘n found in worms it regulates signaling and extracellular matrix genes, some of which seem to be conserved targets! www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

03.09.2025 18:16 β€” πŸ‘ 93    πŸ” 35    πŸ’¬ 5    πŸ“Œ 7

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