Rachel Poretsky

Apparently it’s #WorldBreastfeedingWeek2025 so here’s a picture from my recent visit to the @yiddishbookcenter.bsky.social of a 1926 poster promoting breastfeeding.

Bacterial signaling molecule that choreographs flip between biofilm and motility could transform biotechnology and medical applications A bacterial signaling molecule involved in flipping the switch between sessile and motile forms could offer huge potential in improving probiotics, boosting wastewater treatment and producing therapeu...

A bacterial signalling molecule involved in flipping the switch between sessile and motile forms could offer huge potential in improving probiotics, boosting wastewater treatment and producing therapeutic compounds. www.the-microbiologist.com/news/bacteri... @ki.se ‬

If only there was some way to prevent this…

Very proud of the work from lab members and collaborators that coincidentally came out today www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/... and www.nature.com/articles/s41.... A bacterial and viral pathogen associated with mass mortality in seastars and oysters. @kevinzhong2006.bsky.social @rhizalyssa.bsky.social

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I love your “presume good intent” and “be kind” rules, too- putting those in my classroom agreements.

Really enjoyed this episode, @markowenmartin.bsky.social! I’m going to steal some of Davida’s ideas for my classroom.

Electron micrograph of two phage infecting a host cell side-by-side, with hearts between them

Do you love phage? I have an opening for a postdoc in my lab at the University of South Florida College of Marine Science (@cmarinescience.bsky.social) looking at interactions between marine phage and iron, which is an important limiting trace metal in the oceans (1/5) 🧵#phagesky 🦠🌊

Steal this (updated) syllabus for Scientific Writing I’ve just finished the 3rd go-around of my Scientific Writing course.  When I first signed up to teach it, I was very scared, but now that I’ve been through it a few times, I’m quite pleased with h…

If you're teaching Scientific Writing this fall (especially if it's new to you!) and are getting worried about just how close the fall is getting: reminder that I share my syllabus and all my course materials. Here: scientistseessquirre...

My fellow Bike Walk Oak Park member delivering public comment at a Village Board Meeting wearing a black Rovelo Creative tshirt that reads in white letters “I just wanted to bike my kids to school. Now I spend more time at city hall than at home.”

Perfect shirt to wear to give comment at the Board meeting, @tomflood.bsky.social- the Bike Plan passed, btw, in spite of MANY neighbors up in arms about losing their parking to bike lanes (so predictable.)

White mug with a picture of a frog wearing a fedora and green text that says “my tummy hurts and I’m mad at the government.”

I like this mug

From left to right, Dr. Albert Mulenga, William Tae Heung Kim, Dr. Thu Thuy Nguyen, Dr. Alex Kiarie Gaithuma, Dr Hassan Hakimi and Emily Bencosme Cuevas. Kim is a Texas A&M researcher who was detained in San Francisco last Monday despite being a permanent resident of the United States and a green card holder. COURTESY OF TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY

I NEED to tell you the story of Tae Heung “William” Kim.

He's a graduate student at Texas A&M where he's working on a vaccine for Lyme disease.

He's a *legal permanent resident* of the United States.

And he's been in ICE detention for 12 days & counting, transferred Tuesday to South Texas.

Seems like a decent idea. Worth giving it a shot. 🤷‍♀️

Inside the fall of Vinay Prasad at the FDA Prasad's departure followed a campaign by a right-wing activist and a controversy over a rare disease drug.

Inside the fall of Vinay Prasad at the FDA
A powerful and extremely online regulator ran out of friends when it mattered most.
www.statnews.com/2025/07/30/v...

Just to be clear - the MAGA freaks are celebrating sugary cola (39g/12oz!) as a “health” victory while they are bringing back asbestos, paraquat (one of the most toxic pesticides to exist), eliminating clean water and air protections, and more than 10 million Americans are losing healthcare coverage

Trump administration blocks NIH from awarding any research grants and contracts The order applies to the entirety of new and, possibly, ongoing research grant dollars that go to universities and academic medical centers.

#Breaking: Trump administration blocks NIH from awarding any research grants and contracts
www.statnews.com/2025/07/29/t...

Vinay Prasad departs the FDA Vinay Prasad, a top FDA official, is out after less than 3 months on the job.

Vinay Prasad, who was named to replace Peter Marks as head of #FDA's biologics division, is out.
Extremely short tenure.
www.statnews.com/2025/07/29/v...

Microbiology professor, want to join a slack for microbiology professors, any career stage, diverse career types (pure teaching, med school, R1, community college, pure research fed PIs, ...)

Message me for an invite link if you are interested.

No imposter syndrome, if you are 1% micro, join!

EPA to revoke 2009 finding that climate pollution endangers humans The repeal of the finding on the dangers greenhouse gases pose to human health and welfare will face fierce legal challenges.

NEW: EPA to revoke 2009 finding that climate pollution endangers humans.

Exclusive: NIH to dismiss dozens of grant reviewers to align with Trump priorities The move would undo years of work, leaving advisory councils understaffed, and without the full expertise needed for reviews.

www.nature.com/articles/d41...

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🚨🚨🚨🚨😭😭😭😭

‘It’s a nightmare.’ U.S. funding cuts threaten academic science jobs at all levels “There is a lot of pressure to essentially leave the country or not pursue research,” one Ph.D. student says

I can't stress enough how close U.S. science is to the cliff.

"Numbers released in May by the National Science Foundation (NSF) indicate that if Congress approves the cuts to the agency proposed by the White House, the number of early-career researchers it supports could fall by 78%" (@science.org)

Selfie in front of a wastewater surveillance backdrop with the date (July 9-10), location (Madison, WI), and silly poop emojis with binoculars.

Good first day at the WEF wastewater surveillance workshop. Complied with the selfie request for #PipesToPublicHealth

Looking forward to seeing all my wastewater/wef friends, though.

Sorry, Madison, WI. Nice enough town, but if the only transit option to your state capital is a greyhound bus, you lose major points.

List of some benefits they can't take away

🚴‍♂️ Improved Health
🌍 Eco-Friendly
💸 Save Money
🕒 Beat Traffic
😊 Mental Boost
🔥 Burn Calories
📦 Low Maintenance
🚦 Freedom from Parking
🤝 Build Community
📉 Reduce Wear on Roads
🌳 Noise-Free Travel
🔋 Energy Efficient
🧘‍♂️ Daily Zen
🛠️ Skill Building
💪 Empowering

I just put it on today since I had a spare. I have one on another bike, too. I find it helpful when there’s a front basket. It’s most useful when the bike is standing. Hardly notice it when riding.