Thom Sanger

Thom Sanger

@thomsanger.bsky.social

Associate Professor at Loyola University Chicago Evolution and development of lizards focusing on the face and genitalia Teaches classes on animal diversity, the evolution of sex, and science communication anolisevodevo.space

1,027 Followers 1,121 Following 58 Posts Joined Jul 2023
3 days ago
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I’m an NIH whistleblower. The scientific community cannot afford to avoid politics “Scientists are often encouraged to avoid politics. But this advice is outdated, if it was ever correct in the first place,” writes Jenna Norton, NIH whistleblower.

A heads down approach will not save science. We need to speak up, live our values, and demand integrity.

www.statnews.com/2026/03/12/n...

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1 week ago
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There is No Consensus on Biological Sex At this critical moment when misinformation about sex is being applied to policy globally, scientific clarification on the definition of biological sex is valuable. Here, we evaluate the primary appr...

New paper out in ecology letters! with @andylee.bsky.social @allydefduf.bsky.social

We synthesized the active debate on how scientists define sex, including limitations and assumptions. We believe this discussion will lead to more accurate science.

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

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4 days ago

Simon Lailvaux and I have a new podcast! We talk to big-name biologists about how science has changed over their careers. Here’s the first episode - look for more every couple of weeks!

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1 week ago
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Many heat-stressed tropical insects are reaching their limits Vast study in Peru and Kenya confirms limited defenses against rising temperatures, redoubling climate concerns

Insects living in the lowland tropics have evolved to deal with brutal heat. But many of them are close to their limit, according to a massive study that assessed the heat tolerance of hundreds of species. https://scim.ag/406Y5yh

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1 week ago
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🏆 Our science communication awards are now open!

These awards recognize exceptional science journalists, communicators, and researchers whose work in 2025 made #STEM accessible and engaging for broad audiences.

Deadline: April 3, 2026

Apply now: www.nationalacademies.org/awards/excel... #scicomm

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2 weeks ago
A line graph showing NSF grant awards made through 2/27/26 for fiscal year 2026 compared with grant awards for fiscal years 2021-2025.

NSF Update (Awards through 2/27/26)

Directorates to follow

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2 weeks ago

Every day Vought withholds $ from these agencies is a day where a grad student doesn’t get funding, a day where a postdoc has to look for work elsewhere, a day where early career scientists lose gap funding with a fundable grant sitting on this clowns desk. We’re losing a generation of scientists.

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1 month ago
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Thrilled to be featured on the cover of @devdynamics.bsky.social

highlighting our 2 anole studies published:

anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
&
anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

Thanks so much @thomsanger.bsky.social for hosting me when I took this image!

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1 month ago

it's the AI PRFB now 🙃

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1 month ago

It is always a pleasure to work with you, Bonnie! Let's do it more often.

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1 month ago
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Oogenesis and germinal bed morphology of the brown anole (A. sagrei) Background The brown anole is a model species of the genus Anolis, a squamate (encompassing lizards and snakes) group widely studied in evolutionary, behavioral, and developmental biology. Full geno...

Excited that our study on oogenesis and germinal bed morphology in the brown anole is published! Find it here:
anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....

@stowersinstitute.bsky.social @mdandersn.bsk.social @oxfordwomenshealth.bsky.social @cambiochem.bsky.social @ox.ac.uk @cam.ac.uk

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2 months ago
Rand Paul up to his usual dipshittery.

"The NSF spent $8 billion to study whether Japanese qual are more sexually promiscuous while on cocaine"

The total NSF budget was 9 billion. I doubt they spend 89% of it on quail.

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2 months ago
Primarily Undergraduate Institution Action Group - SICB

On this final day of #SICB2026, we want to thank everyone who has taken part in our PUI Action Group events! It's been a blast connecting with all of you. If you want to learn more about the PUI Action Group, check out our website: sicb.org/committees/p...

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2 months ago
Please fill out this form

What a #SICB2026 conference! If you’d like to talk science and monsters with me on YouTube (Monster vs Data!) let me know below! Tell your colleagues too!

gformsapp.com/f/1uLFcN-EsG...

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2 months ago
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Getting ready to come to #SICB? www.instagram.com/reel/DS-8tUU...

Be sure to make time for these great things to do in #Portland🙌
thegetaway.com/destinations...

& don’t miss the cuisine 👍
www.chefdenise.com/all/famous-f...
www.voodoodoughnut.com

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2 months ago
Percentage change in US counties’ annual income per capita due to climate change, averaged over 2000 to 2019. The first four rows depict impacts from changes in the number of days in that temperature bin, and the final row depicts impacts from changes in days of all types. Columns indicate different calculations. Greens indicate benefits and purples indicate losses from climate change. Gold coloring indicates no days of that type.

Climate change has affected the US economy, reducing per capita income by as much as 12.1% when accounting for indirect effects from temperature changes in all counties. Americans in the Great Plains and Midwest have been hurt the most. In PNAS: https://ow.ly/bR5t50XQ1m8

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2 months ago
A ChatGPT diagram of a skull with some weird labels. The lower jaw is both the mandible and the occipital bone. Also, the nasal cavity is between two teeth!

Given all the recent buzz about how great ChatGPT has gotten, including its prowess with images, I figured I'd check in on its anatomical skills. Nope.

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2 months ago
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Apply for Development's Pathway to Independence programme - the Node Development are currently welcoming applications for our Pathway to Independence (PI) programme, which aims to support a small number of researchers in

Apply for Development's Pathway to Independence programme

The programme aims to support a small number of researchers in the fields of developmental biology, stem cells and regeneration as they transition from postdoc to group leader. Read more ⬇️

thenode.biologists.com/apply-for-de...

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2 months ago
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Biology and Women’s Studies and Gender Studies, Lecturer (Gender, Sexuality, and the Biology of Sex ), Non-Tenure track Salary Range: $65,000 - $75,000Benefits Information: https://www.luc.edu/hr/benefits/The Department of Biology and the Women’s Studies and Gender Studies (WSGS) Program in the College of Arts and Scie...

Hey SICB, this is a great time to remind you about an open position at Loyola University Chicago that combines the biology of sex with the humanities and social sciences. If you are interested and have questions, please let me know. The app. deadline is Jan. 1.

www.careers.luc.edu/postings/34131

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3 months ago
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” 🙃

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3 months ago
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Science Communication in Social Media: Analysis of Success on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube Across Scientific Disciplines

New #SciComm paper out! www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

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3 months ago

Candidates must also be able to teach about how sex and gender manifest in social, cultural, and political arenas as part of the WSGS program. I am the search chair, so reach out with questions or to express interest

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3 months ago

The successful candidate will have a 50% affiliation with the Women's Studies and Gender Studies program and 50% Dept of Biology. Candidates may have expertise in any discipline associated with the biology of sex.

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3 months ago
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Biology and Women’s Studies and Gender Studies, Lecturer (Gender, Sexuality, and the Biology of Sex ), Non-Tenure track Salary Range: $65,000 - $75,000Benefits Information: https://www.luc.edu/hr/benefits/The Department of Biology and the Women’s Studies and Gender Studies (WSGS) Program in the College of Arts and Scie...

As our semesters wrap up, it's time for one more reminder about our open position. The application deadline is Jan. 1, 2026.

The Department of Biology at Loyola University. Chicago has an open lecturer position in Gender, Sexuality, and the Biology of Sex.

www.careers.luc.edu/postings/34131

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3 months ago
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A side quest/future project of mine is to figure out what the axial fiber in amphibian sperm tails is made of. Maybe the same material that makes up the fibrous sheath of mammal sperm? These SEMs show an intact cell and one where the cell membrane is lost revealing the protein structure of the fiber

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3 months ago
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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...

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3 months ago
Webinar Registration - Zoom

***Important***
BIO will host a Virtual Office Hour (VOH) on Thurs, Dec 18th, 2025, 1 - 2 pm ET.

In this VOH, we’ll be joined by leadership to outline updates to NSF’s review process & share news relevant to all areas of research funded by BIO.

Register here: nsf.zoomgov.com/webinar/regi...

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3 months ago
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Join us! 🧬🪰🎉🔬

We are currently advertising two #PhD projects to study the #evolution, #development and #genomics of sexual traits in stalk-eyed flies.

Deadline for applying is Wednesday, January 7, 2026. Get in touch for more info!

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3 months ago

@sicb.bsky.social’s Public Affairs Committee is running their Student Journalism program again this year and is hosting a cool multimedia science communication workshop with panelists @bigbiology.bsky.social, Sönke Johnsen, @oceanfilly.bsky.social, and @virginiagewin.bsky.social!!

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4 months ago

More jobs like this. Not fewer

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