Ben Parker

A snowy North Carolina from space this morning. 😍

New preprint! Symbionts provide critical functions—but how do they impact host phenotypes in nature? We show a horizontally transferred plasmid in a heritable symbiont drives divergence in defensive traits across insect populations, revealing how mobile DNA rapidly shapes pathogen resistance. 👇

Figure from: Discovery of additional ancient genome duplications in yeasts

Researchers found three previously unknown whole-genome duplications in yeast, challenging the long-held view that such events are rare in fungi. The work reveals these ancient duplications occurred 100-200 million years ago.

A meteorology infographic showing that if there’s a half inch of ice from an ice storm on a thirty foot wide tree, that’s 7,125 pounds of ice or 109.5 golden retrievers.

Americans will do ANYTHING to avoid using the metric system. 😑

#SymbioSky

I think some folks might be happy to see this. NIGMS MIRA R35 for EI/NI has been published. PAR-26-121 files.simpler.grants.gov/opportunitie...

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...

Great question!

1) First and foremost, we evaluate a candidate based on the departmental guidelines and expectations provided. We don't hold the candidate to arbitrary standards, or even to those of our own institution unless asked to do so. We assess the materials against the guidelines provided.

The Penicillin Myth Competing theories seek to explain inconsistencies surrounding Alexander Fleming’s famed discovery.

Every biologist knows the story of Fleming's chance discovery of penicillin. But is it true?

Here, with @asimovpress.bsky.social, I write about inconsistencies in the canonical story, and explore a few alternative theories about what really happened in that St. Mary's lab in the summer of 1928.

Nice looking review by @ben-parker.bsky.social Paul Rozo-Lopez "Heritable Viruses as Hidden Drivers of Insect Phenotypes and Evolution" doi.org/10.1146/annu...

The Lariviere lab at UMiami is recruiting PhD students! Incoming students will join us in studying host-microbe interactions in the honey bee gut, using molecular and genetic approaches. Please see the attached flyer for more details.

#Symbiosis #SymbioSky #MicroSky #PhDOpportunity #AcademicJobs

My department at UT Austin is looking to hire an Assistant Professor in Evolutionary Biology, broadly defined. Feel free to reach out to me with any questions you may have.
apply.interfolio.com/177547

Hamilton Smith obituary: molecular biologist who co-discovered precise molecular scissors for cutting DNA Nobel laureate who helped to sequence the first bacterial and human genomes.

@jcv.bsky.social penned an obituary for Ham Smith in @nature.com. Since the early 90s, Ham has been a key figure at the Institute for his invaluable contributions and mentorship. "Ham was the best colleague that one could ever have in science and a great friend."

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

'We Don't Plan To': Chancellor Downplays Potential That UNC Signs Trump Admin's Higher Ed Compact - Chapelboro.com Chancellor Lee Roberts told faculty UNC will not sign the "Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education" in its current form.

UNC Chancellor Lee Roberts told faculty leaders the university does not plan on signing President Donald Trump’s administration’s “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education” in exchange for favorable consideration of federal funding.

It's been 4 months *to the day* since Tropical Storm #Chantal damaged a key non-car transportation corridor in #ChapelHillNC.
Yesterday, temporary repairs on #BolinCreekTrail were finished and it's open for business!!! WOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Why Students Are Obsessed With ‘Points Taken Off’ Students and professors are in a drawn-out battle over grade inflation. It may never end.

"Each year the grades rise a little more; each year we feel it less. And the bureaucratic strangle that leads to this inflation continues its creep."

Science Magazine - Defensive fungal symbiosis on insect hindlegs Tympanal organs have repeatedly evolved in diverse insects and were thought to be required for auditory perception (1).

New biology: stink bugs inoculate their eggs with a fungus that protects them from parasitoids

www.sciencemagazinedigital.org/sciencemagaz...

Widespread shifts in genome architecture and trophism across fungi. Phylogenetic positions of the shifts identified for genome size. Negative values denote an identified decrease in the genomic trait value while positive values denote an increase in the genomic trait value.

Fungal #GenomeSize variation is largely driven by TEs & lineage-specific genome defenses. @tbadet.bsky.social & @danielcroll.bsky.social show that presence/absence of RIP mutation systems influences #genome architecture, identifying a likely novel defense mechanism @plosbiology.org 🧪 plos.io/4hcC5tx

Poster with QR code linking to the position

I'm very excited to announce that UNC Biology has 6 faculty positions open this year! The first is for an Asst Professor who studies organismal resilience using an integrative approach 1/n
unc.peopleadmin.com/postings/307...

UNC Chapel Hill is hiring an Assistant Professor in Plant Molecular Biology. Per Jeff
Dangl MPMI candidates are also highly desired in the search. unc.peopleadmin.com/postings/307...

NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP)

🚨GRFP DEADLINE ALERT!🚨 I missed this in my original solicitation read-through, so FYI 📣LETTERS ARE DUE BEFORE PROPOSALS📣 this year!

"Reference letters are due Friday, November 7 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET)."

www.nsf.gov/funding/oppo...

Assistant or Associate Professor in Microbiology The Department of Biology in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, KY seeks to fill a tenure-eligible faculty position at the Assistant or Associate Professor le...

The Department of Biology at the University of Kentucky is hiring a Microbiologist (broadly defined). Microbial eco-evo folks, this is your sign to come work with us. Not in the search committee, but happy to answer questions.
ukjobs.uky.edu/postings/600...
#microbiology #ecology

Don’t use ChatGPT to reach out to prospective PhD advisors.

Ooof - "First-year graduate student in their first graduate degree program with less than one academic year completed in the degree program (according to institution’s academic calendar)" - this really stinks for now 2nd year students who waited to apply based on how this worked in the past.

new GRFP solicitation says "Individuals enrolled in graduate degree programs can apply only once, in the first year of their first graduate program" - does this mean 2nd year students who didn't not apply last year are now ineligible?

Confused writing is usually a symptom of confused thinking. As we struggle to clarify writing, we clarify our thoughts. AI writing aids rob us of that struggle, leaving clean-looking text and thoughts still confused for lack of inspection. Writing is not just a product; it is a diagnostic tool.

Life on Mars? NASA says a rock sample shows potential signs of ancient life Ancient organisms may have left microscopic "biosignatures" on Mars. That's according to NASA scientists, who say a rock sample offers the most concrete proof yet that the red planet once hosted life.

Ancient organisms may have left microscopic "biosignatures" on Mars. That's according to NASA scientists, who say a rock sample offers the most concrete proof yet that the red planet once hosted life.

Assistant Professor Plant-Microbe Interactions We seek a creative, collaborative, and visionary plant biologist to establish an internationally recognized research program at the forefront of plant-microbe interactions aimed at understanding how t...

The Department of Biology at Colorado State University is hiring an Assistant Professor in the area of plant-microbe interactions! Please spread the word!

jobs.colostate.edu/postings/165...

David Baltimore, giant of molecular biology, has died.

"The Assembly, Evolution, and Clinical Implications of the Gut Microbiota in Early Life" With Daniel Sprockett, PhD, MSc | Center for Gastrointestinal Biology and Disease

If anyone happens to be around UNC Chapel Hill this week, I'll be speaking on Tuesday: www.med.unc.edu/cgibd/event/... @microbiomeunc.bsky.social #microbiome