Sarah W. Davies Ph.D.

Our latest piece, just out

We are thrilled to announce that, thanks to the support of our institutional subscribers, all Royal Society subscription journals will be open access in 2026 through #S2O. Researchers can read all articles and publish #OpenAccess in our eight subscription journals for free buff.ly/4Lu9VpW

I am seeking a postdoc to join my group at UCLA -- ideally the candidate would have some experience in either population genetics or microbes/microbiome (computational background needed). We have a range of projects and are happy to tailer to your interests. Please dm/email me if interested.

PhD position in population genetics of Caribbean corals at HIFMB. Ideal candidates have a master's in marine biology, and strong molecular skills. Apply by Feb 15, 2026. More info: https://www.baumslab.org/ #phd

sweet-faced tabby cat sitting at a table with front paws on the edge of the table.

Looking for a Christmas miracle for a kitty (aging parent situation) for Baltimore pals: (1/2)

""My mom can no longer keep Angelo (alas!!!) and we are looking to rehome him. Angelo is a total sweetheart. He is 6 years old, gentle, playful, friendly, and a lovebug."

🧪 Dr. Emily Aguirre's final dissertation chapter is published! She isolated a putative bacterial symbiont then cocultured it with axenic algal symbionts to ask how it impacted growth and gene expression - results were unexpected but do support a beneficial relationship - read more here rdcu.be/eUKQz

14 two-year postdocs for academics of any nationality who cannot continue their research due to US politics. Do share if you know of such.

Special Issue: CONSERVATION GENOMICS ‐ MAKING A DIFFERENCE: Molecular Ecology: Vol 34, No 23 Molecular Ecology is an international journal for research using molecular genetic techniques to address questions in ecology, evolution, behavior and conservation.

New special issue in Molecular Ecology on Conservation Genomics #popGen #evolution 🧪🧬🖥️ onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/1365294x...

Prolonged starvation deepens quiescence in Vasa2/Piwi1-expressing cells of a sea anemone Animals with lifelong growth modulate cell proliferation in response to nutrient availability, but the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. This study shows that starvation induces a revers...

💡How does nutrition regulate cell cycle in stem cells? Check out our new paper from @prhsteinmetz.bsky.social lab & @msarscentre.bsky.social, out now in
@plosbiology.org (plos.io/48J2o6P)
#SeaAnemone #Nematostella #StemCell #CellCycle #Quiescence #TORsignalling 1/12

Coral-CAT: A semi-automatic coral color analysis tool Coral Reefs - Coral health assessments based on pigmentation or color rely primarily on the comparison of the coral color with well-established color references. In most cases, the assignment of...

🌊 Another week, another resource! If you are monitoring coral health, here is one for you: "Coral-CAT: A semi-automatic coral color analysis tool". Recently published toolkit by @GarciasNeus @peixotors and team from KAUST! 🪸

🔗link.springer.com/ar...

#ResourceWednesday

Boxing up the NSF at Eisenhower Av for the forced relocation. Boxes have “Details Matter” signage.

NSF

- Forced reorg

- POs down ~ 40% (DRP, most rotators not renewed, retirements)

- Forced move (and we have to pack and clean) to a building with no furniture, little to no conference space for panels, inadequate 🛜, …)

I personally love the boxes they gave us for packing.
“Details matter” 🙃

This paper is CRAZY - we found that sex ratios were heavily skewed to sperm producers. Does climate change impact which gametes you make? We will have data soon to answer!

Maybe I found a 2026 resolution...

Putting Structural Variants Into Practice: The Role of Chromosomal Inversions in the Management of Marine Environments Major threats to marine species and ecosystems include overfishing, invasive species, pollution and climate change. The changing climate not only imposes direct threats through the impacts of severe ...

Check out our new paper 'Putting Structural Variants Into Practice: The Role of Chromosomal Inversions in the Management of Marine Environments' led by the fabulous Nadja Schneller @marine-omics.bsky.social @iracooke.bsky.social
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

Enabling Discovery Through Genomics (EDGE)

The new Enabling Discovery through GEnomics (EDGE) Program page is posted. Please contact us at BIOEDGE@nsf.gov if you have questions. www.nsf.gov/funding/oppo...

The UC Davis Ecology and Evolution in Working Landscapes REU provides undergrads with research experience in ecology and evolution in natural and managed landscapes. Apply now through Feb 15 via etap.nsf.gov

Contact me or @clhom.bsky.social for questions!

Research Associate-Fixed Term - East Lansing, Michigan, United States Position Summary The Lowry Lab at Michigan State University is searching for a postdoctoral research associate to conduct molecular and physiological experiments to understand the causes of genetic va...

I am currently searching for a new postdoctoral researcher to study the evolution, genetics, and physiology of cold acclimation and freezing tolerance in switchgrass at Michigan State University. This work will be funded by a newly funded five-year DOE grant. careers.msu.edu/jobs/researc...

PhD Scholarship! 📯

Two PhD scholarships are available to study symbiont loss in coral bleaching. Students will contribute to a three-year project funded by @royalsocietynz.bsky.social . Students will be supervised by @davylab.bsky.social and @clintoak.bsky.social at VUW. #PhDOpportunity #coralreef

Join Us The lab of Nina Overgaard Therkildsen in the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment at Cornell University invites applications for a PhD position starting in Fall 2026. Our group works...

Excited to recruit a new PhD student for Fall 2026 in my lab at Cornell! Looking for someone interested in evolutionary genomics + fisheries/conservation applications. Quick timeline this year—reach out soon. More details: www.therkildsenlab.org/join-us.html

Deep-sea corals near cold seeps associate with sulfur-oxidizing chemoautotrophs in the family Ca. Thioglobaceae - Microbiome Background Corals are known for their symbiotic relationships, yet there is limited evidence of chemoautotrophic associations. This is despite some corals occurring near cold seeps where chemosymbiotic fauna abound including mussels that host sulfur-oxidizing chemoautotrophs from the SUP05 cluster (family Ca. Thioglobaceae). We investigated whether corals near cold seeps associate with related bacteria and report here that these associations are widespread. Results We screened corals, water, and sediment for Thioglobaceae using 16S metabarcoding and found ASVs associated with corals at high relative abundance (10 – 91%). These ASVs were specific to coral hosts, absent in water samples, and rare or absent in sediment samples. Using metagenomics and transcriptomics, we assembled the genome of one phylotype associated with Paramuricea sp. B3 (ASV 4) which contained the genetic potential to oxidize sulfur and fix carbon, and confirmed that these pathways were transcriptionally active. Furthermore, its relative abundance was negatively correlated with the stable isotopic composition of its host coral’s tissue suggesting some contribution of chemoautotrophy to the coral holobiont. Conclusions We propose that some lineages of Thioglobaceae may facultatively supplement the diet of their host corals through chemoautotrophy at seeps or may provide essential amino acids or vitamins. This is the first documented association between chemoautotrophic symbionts and corals at seeps and suggests that the footprint of chemosynthetic environments is wider than currently understood.

Corals are masters of obtaining nutrition via symbioses, in the light and in the dark: deep sea corals can associate with sulfur-oxidizing chemoautotrophs, expressing pathways that oxidize sulfur and fix C. Corals hosting them derive some carbon from chemosynthesis. link.springer.com/article/10.1...

Simons Foundation Announces Fourth Class of Pivot Fellows The Simons Foundation is pleased to announce the fourth class of its Pivot Fellowship.

I’m honored to be named a 2025 @simonsfoundation.org Pivot Fellow! This support will allow me to apply my expertise in a new area of coral biology! www.simonsfoundation.org/2025/11/13/s... #science

Stoke to announce that I will be joining the Department of Biology @txst.edu this coming Fall semester as an Assistant Professor!

Looking for grad students with interests in #Symbiodiniaceae, #corals 🪸, microbial #symbiosis 🦠, comparative #genomics 🧬 and #phylogenomics soon. Feel free to reach out!

Yassssssssssss! Best news ever

Our lab website is up!
gonzalezpech-lab.com

🪸 🪸 🪸 Postdoc position in my group at Bristol to study the role of venom in surviving environmental stress in corals! 🪸 Interested in venom biochemistry and coral ecology?Please apply by November 24!
@bristolbiosci.bsky.social
www.bristol.ac.uk/jobs/find/de...

A global coral phylogeny reveals resilience and vulnerability through deep time - Nature The most recent common ancestor of the stony coral Scleractinia dates to about 460 million years ago and was probably a solitary, heterotrophic and free-living organism.

This is an INCREDIBLE advance in our understanding of coral diversification. 🪸🎉 Fantastic new work led by @claudiavaga.bsky.social

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

I’m recruiting a graduate student for Fall 2026. We are currently focused on functional genomics, using Cnidaria to study sensory system evolution and regeneration. But we also have other side projects about life history, sexual differentiation, and reproduction.

TWELVE open PhD positions - what a fantastic opportunity for aspiring ocean scientists! UAF is a fantastic university with really amazing faculty, and Fairbanks is a beautiful place for outdoorsy people.

ICRS Darwin Medal Nominations due Dec. 15
The ICRS Darwin Medal is the Society’s highest recognition, awarded every four years to a distinguished late-career society member who has made significant scientific contributions recognized globally throughout their career. coralreefs.org/awards-honor...

Welcome to the new ICRS account! The International Coral Reef Society (ICRS) was founded in 1980 and is the principal association to which coral reef scientists, managers and enthusiasts from across the world belong. Swipe to learn a bit more about us, our vision and our mission!