Michael Henson, Ph.D.

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

Fixed link
www.biotaawards.org/2026-applica...

🧬 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

@drchriskellogg.bsky.social #microsky #academicsky #MEvoSky #Ecoevosky #ecosky #evosky

Funded Graduate Student Opportunity in Marine Microbial Ecology **Applicants will be contacted if selected for next round. Applicants not selected will not receive any notice. If not selected, this is not indicative of your merit. ** Northern Illinois University |...

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

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

Characterizing organisms from three domains of life with universal primers from throughout the global ocean - Scientific Data Scientific Data - Characterizing organisms from three domains of life with universal primers from throughout the global ocean

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 SAR11 turns 33 this month

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

In winter, the waters of Lakes Michigan and Huron separate into layers. Not anymore. Why? Winters in particular are entering a new era in the world's largest surface freshwater system.

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

Still am ... 😜🫣😑

Sorry to hear Scott. I wrote to a bunch of my POs just to say thank you and from what I gathered it meant a lot to most of them.
DO you know what section of the BRC0BIO you were reviewed in? MCB DEB IOS?

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

Bacteria encode post-mortem protein catabolism that enables altruistic nutrient recycling - Nature Communications Processes that occur after death have not received the same level of attention as the mechanisms of life. In this study, the authors show that bacteria have potentially evolved an altruistic trait to ...

Sounds cool.

"Bacteria encode post-mortem protein catabolism that enables altruistic nutrient recycling"

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

The statement reads: We are disappointed in the rapid capitulation by some U.S. institutions and organizations to recent attacks on diversity, equity, inclusion, and access. At their core, these weak arguments are fueled by the familiar underlying assumption that people from Black, Indigenous, and other marginalized identities cannot be excellent and therefore have not ‘earned’ our place in public intellectual life. However, we have always been competent, hardworking, and creative people who have contributed positively to society at large, across sectors but especially in science. We reject these attempts at silencing and erasure and will continue to be a place of respite and community in these turbulent times. To our members, your talent, skills, and safety are important! To our friends and allies, you may be feeling like everything happening is out of your control, but we want you to know that your voice and actions can make a difference. We want to point you towards some immediate actions that you can take. These are the top 3 issues we are concerned about and what you can do about it if you mirror our concerns. Freezing of federal funding and cutting grant programs for scientific research that have any connotation of being “DEI.” The potential confirmation of RFK Jr., a vocal anti-vaccination proponent, as the head of HHS. The American Society for Microbiology (ASM) removed their ABRCMS and IDEAAS webpages in addition to some scientist spotlights and written articles highlighting the current and historic contributions of microbiologists who are a part of marginalized communities including LGBTQIA+, Women, Indigenous and Black, as well as others page that could be considered “‘DEI”. Many have now been reinstated with changes to language (i.e. removing terms like “equity” and “marginalized”), and the statements released by ASM did not acknowledge the harm that they have caused to their members and showed no remorse for their actions.

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

It makes you feel any better you are not alone for the BRC. It seems that MCB has sent out recommendations while DEB and IOS are way behind. I had to submit a foundation award and hope it doesn't hurt my chances since there is some overlap.

Seems that there will be another so location however timing (another summer vs a later date) seems unclear.

Also applied. I have no heard anything specific but it the general thought is it’s bad timing. Folks (who also applied this round) have heard from POs that said the program is well supported in nsf. I don’t think it will hurt anything that is or was currently being decided on.