Trevor Krabbenhoft

Announcing the STRiVE network by ESEB to study structural genomic variation through research and seminars. Join us! Details: https://structuralvariantsstn.github.io. Newsletter: https://groupes.renater.fr/sympa/subscribe/stnstrive. #conference

Come join #LaurierBiology!
We're recruiting 3 tenure-track faculty positions!

Integrative Organismal Zoologist!
careers.wlu.ca/job/Waterloo...

Microbial Systems Biologist!
careers.wlu.ca/job/Waterloo...

Computational Ecology/Modeling Biologist!
careers.wlu.ca/job/Waterloo...

DEADLINE MARCH 22nd!

New round of NSF GRFP declines without review. If you were affected:
1) Write NSF
2) Write your Congressperson
3) CC us at grfp@grant-witness.us so we can compile + follow up

Details and template at grant-witness.us/grfp-letter

This is the link to the post: bsky.app/profile/noam...

Evolution 2025 Registration Evolution 2025 - the joint conference of the SSE, ASN, and SSB

Registration is now open! Early-bird closes April 15. www.evolutionmeetings.org/registration...

+1 for PopTools - that thing was awesome!

Really crazy that these massive genes are 6% of the 1.5 Mbp genome in this bee gut symbiont:

Now on Bluesky - lead author Christopher Osborne! @congenomics.bsky.social

In a conservation context, need for “genetic rescue” is often evaluated solely at nucleotide level, but perhaps isn't necessary if SVs & pangenomic variation provide the needed “genetic diversity” for ecol success. Among-pop homogenization risk should be given more attention re. "rescue" in my view.

Slightly off topic, but informative re. inbreeding - we also identified the sex chromosomes in brown treesnake and demonstrate their evolutionary origins relative to other snakes, providing information on how sex chromosomes (can sometimes) degenerate over time.

Despite the apparent lack of genetic diversity at the nucleotide level, structural genomic variants (indels, inversions) rescue the pop from inbreeding. Structural variants were often TE-associated and genes affected by SVs were enriched for olfaction – a key feature of their ecol success on Guam.

Graph depicting a decline in effective population size following the introduction of brown treesnake to Guam around the 1950s.

Graphs depicting extensive, and long, runs of homozygosity across the brown treesnake genome.

We assembled a haplotype-resolved genome and found evidence of extensive inbreeding, decline in effective pop size, and extended runs of homozygosity in nucleotide sequence across the genome, as expected based on their invasion history.

Brown treesnake photo and karyogram of a haplotype phased genome assembly.

Biological invasions present an interesting paradox: often little genetic variation is accompanied by dramatic ecological success. Led by PhD student Chris Osborne, we evaluated genetic diversity in a classic invader, brown treesnake on Guam. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6... Photo: Pavel Kirilliov

We're excited to be recruiting an NIH funded postdoc to work in the Coop lab at UC Davis. We're specifically interested in candidates who are want to work at the intersection of human genetics, GWAS, and population genetics modeling. Please RT

Uppsala in late autumn

Join us at the Evolutionary Biology Centre at Uppsala University. We’re searching for an Assistant Professor in Biology. www.uu.se/en/about-uu/...

I wrote today about AlphaGenome, Google DeepMind's AI for DNA. It's powerful, experts told me, but it won't solve the mysteries of the genome overnight. Gift link: nyti.ms/4k5NFIl

I’ve never been prouder to be a Minnesotan.

Someone beat me to it. You should meet Alec if you haven't - a great champion of long lived and underappreciated fishes (suckers!)

🚨 Job Alert! TT Assistant Professor of Marine Biology at the University of Alaska Fairbanks! Looking for a candidate with a focus on coastal ecology. Come be my colleague! Please share.

careers.alaska.edu/jobs/assista...

Two white-blooded fish, two paths: Icefish and noodlefish independently lose red blood cell function Antarctic icefish are famous for living without red blood cells, but they are not alone. A species of needle-shaped, warm-water fish called the Asian noodlefish also lacks hemoglobin and red blood cel...

phys.org/news/2026-01...

#Nanopore sequencing for ancient DNA -->

A really important fish collection!

There are 8 million fish in a World War II bunker outside New Orleans. More arrive soon. Hidden in a World War II bunker near New Orleans, Tulane stores more than 8 million preserved fish — and the collection is still growing.

Great news article about the Tulane University Biodiversity Research Institute's Royal D. Suttkus Fish Collection and our recent accessions of specimens from the DEEPEND Consortium and the University of Louisiana at Monroe.

Led by Anthony Barley and co. (not on Bsky?). Some interesting results here from a genomic perspective - (1) tree topology varies spatially across the chromosomes and (2) #chromosome length (macro vs micro) is correlated with magnitude of divergence and introgression level. Lizard genomes are cool!

Congrats to @pfschwarz.bsky.social on publishing her undergraduate honors thesis work on darter hybridization! There is evidence of ecological specialization of two sister species. She also compares lcWGS and RAD-seq data for the same samples and finds tighter distribution of Fst estimates w/ lcWGS

The registration deadline is fast approaching for probgen 2026! Abstracts due by January 15, registration by January 31

probgen2026.github.io

The Sudmant Lab & Wilsterman Lab are hiring a postdoc! Come work on the genetics and evolution of the placenta and dissecting genetic adaptations to altitude in deer mice!

Check out more details here: evol.mcmaster.ca/brian/evoldi...

www.sudmantlab.org
www.thewilstermanlab.com

Please Share!

@ckrabb.bsky.social might know!

Interesting. In O. edulis if the repeat content differs between <=5 and >5 that would likely explain the difference in heatmap (eg some specific repeat abundant in first five but not second five). Interesting that this matches chromosome type (meta vs telo etc) - check if recomb rates differ?

Putting on my hat as @asn-amnat.bsky.social ASN President for a minute for a string of announcements, please share widely!!!

1. Student research awards are open for applications, to fund research expenses for 10 graduate students ($2000 each)
nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com?url=https%3A...

Agreed. Sometimes macros and micros show differences like this (although size not so distinct here). Repeats and/or recombination rate differences in the two groups perhaps? Or subgenome differences if polyploid. Depends on taxon.