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Tom Booker

@tombooker.bsky.social

Assistant professor in forest genetics/genomics at UBC in Vancouver (he/him)

374 Followers  |  392 Following  |  9 Posts  |  Joined: 20.09.2023  |  2.2196

Latest posts by tombooker.bsky.social on Bluesky

Short story even shorter: traits underlying local adaptation are probably complex, with complex architectures. Methods to study the genetic basis of traits and adaptation are heavily biased towards alleles with big effects. So there is missing local adaptation, but we donโ€™t really know its magnitude

07.10.2025 16:57 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 2    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
What fraction of the genomic basis of local adaptation are we missing?

Check out this short piece on the genomics of local adaptation. Abi Brown (not on Bluesky) and I wrote it with @samyeaman.bsky.social

ecoevorxiv.org/repository/v...

Any input you say have would be welcomed!

07.10.2025 16:53 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 4    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 1

Please share broadly: I am looking for a postdoctoral fellow to work on a collaborative project on the temporal population genomics of invasive Capeweed (using contemporary and herbarium genomics), with โ€ชโ€ช@shaky-dingo.bsky.socialโ€ฌ and colleagues

27.08.2025 12:09 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 52    ๐Ÿ” 90    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 3
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I'm looking to recruit a PhD student to study patterns of local adaptation and introgression across the spruce hybrid zone in the Rockies near Calgary. Projects can include field work, bioinformatics, pop gen theory, or comparison to plant/ conifer species
yeamanlab.weebly.com/uploads/5/7/...

20.08.2025 20:18 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 66    ๐Ÿ” 75    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 2    ๐Ÿ“Œ 1

Excited to finally have the pre-print up for this work on evolutionary rescue from my PhD at UBC!

Previous theoretical work on the effects of negative density-dependent growth on evolutionary rescue has uncovered inconsistent results, leading to an incomplete understanding of its influence.

08.08.2025 18:19 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 12    ๐Ÿ” 9    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Building pangenomes for domesticated and wild tree species: genomic complexity and strategies https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.07.22.665893v1

26.07.2025 03:47 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 3    ๐Ÿ” 3    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Huge congrats to @rafaelcr.bsky.social for his excellent PhD defense yesterday! Rafa has made large contributions to our understanding of local adaptation to drought in Douglas-fir and the underlying genomic architecture of climate adaptive traits as part of the CoAdapTree project.

26.06.2025 19:02 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 38    ๐Ÿ” 4    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 1

Congrats Jeff, this is great news!

02.06.2025 18:42 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 2    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Great news - we will be searching for a tree physiologist (tenure track) to join the Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences, UBC Forestry, later this year. Stay tuned! (Please share.)

08.05.2025 17:21 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 265    ๐Ÿ” 124    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 3

Just three more days to apply to this post-doc position (Deadline 8 May 2025). Not only is the subject matter stunning ๐Ÿคฏ but, you know, life in Montpellier is great too ๐Ÿ˜Ž.

Haplotype-Resolved Assembly and Structural Variation of Polyploid Genomes in Transmissible Cancers of the Blue Mussel

05.05.2025 13:23 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 4    ๐Ÿ” 6    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Alberta First Nations issue cease and desist order against Danielle Smith's attempt to create a national unity crisis. Alberta is on treaty lands.
Those treaties were signed 30 years before Alberta became a province.

01.05.2025 12:44 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 4138    ๐Ÿ” 1365    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 200    ๐Ÿ“Œ 180

Like over 7 million Canadians, I voted already last weekend. But if you are a Canadian and 18+ and you haven't voted yet, please go vote tomorrow. Elections matter, and your vote counts. We're lucky to live in ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฆ where elections are free and fair, and our politicians will accept the results.

28.04.2025 02:35 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 35    ๐Ÿ” 7    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 2    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Absolutely incredible

25.04.2025 15:58 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 17    ๐Ÿ” 2    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 2    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Hearty congratulations to Anurag Agrawal, Amy Angert, and Graham Coop upon their election to the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, for their work illuminating the natural world around us. This recognition is very much deserved.

23.04.2025 16:35 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 91    ๐Ÿ” 18    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 1
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Neither Elon Musk Nor Anybody Else Will Ever Colonize Mars | Defector Mars does not have a magnetosphere. Any discussion of humans ever settling the red planet can stop right there, but of course it never does. Do you have a low-cost plan for, uh, creating a gigantic ac...

This guy, @albertburneko.bsky.social, is a genius. Please read his brilliant article on Elon Musk's deranged and morally repugnant Mars colonisation schtick. defector.com/neither-elon...

07.03.2025 09:04 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 2292    ๐Ÿ” 916    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 162    ๐Ÿ“Œ 166
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The idea of replacing environmental regulation under the ESA with gene editing is just fallacious. The reasons are not complicated. Brenna Forester, Tanya Lama, and me in Science in 2023:

www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

12.04.2025 13:02 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 6    ๐Ÿ” 3    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

[Please share] ๐Ÿ“ขโ€ผ๏ธ

I have 2๏ธโƒฃ postdoc positions advertised at the Swedish Museum of Natural History:

Postdoc on "Theory of adaptive radiation"
recruit.visma.com/spa/public/a...

Postdoc on "Homoploid Hybrid Plant Genome Evolution"
recruit.visma.com/spa/public/a...

14.04.2025 13:26 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 16    ๐Ÿ” 38    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Biosciences Computing Manager Staff - Non Union Job Category M&P - AAPS Job Profile AAPS Salaried - Information Systems and Technology, Level D Job Title Biosciences Computing Manager Department Administrative Leadership | Dep...

We are looking for new manager for our computing unit! If you have experience in both biology and computers, this might be the perfect job for you! UBC is a lovely place, and Zoology is a fantastic, collaborative and kind department. Apply by May 4th at ubc.wd10.myworkdayjobs.com/ubcstaffjobs...

12.04.2025 13:23 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 14    ๐Ÿ” 32    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
CSEE Current Bulletin

Science benefits humanity in countless ways. CSEE condemns the current U.S. administrationโ€™s efforts to dismantle science. Read our full statement in support of U.S. scientists and science here: csee-scee.ca/current-bull...

05.04.2025 19:15 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 16    ๐Ÿ” 13    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 2
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Early Bird ends April 15!
Join us in Sherbrooke, QC for CSEE's 2025 Annual Conference (July 6โ€“9)!

Register now & apply for travel bursaries!

Travel Awards:
csee-scee.ca/awards/stude...
Registration: event.fourwaves.com/scee2025/reg...

#CSEE2025 #Ecology #Evolution

09.04.2025 16:42 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 6    ๐Ÿ” 4    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 3
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Demographic history, genetic load, and the efficacy of selection in the globally invasive mosquito Aedes aegypti Abstract. Aedes aegypti is the main vector species of yellow fever, dengue, Zika and chikungunya. The species is originally from Africa but has experienced

Excited to see the final version of this paper with @samurscicop.bsky.social and Daniel Matute out in @genomebiolevol.bsky.social!

We took a dive into the complicated demographic history of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes and its impact on the distribution of genetic diversity
doi.org/10.1093/gbe/...

07.04.2025 19:53 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 49    ๐Ÿ” 24    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 4    ๐Ÿ“Œ 1

Accessible, realistic genome simulation with selection using stdpopsim https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.03.23.644823v1

24.03.2025 03:31 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 3    ๐Ÿ” 7    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Assistant Professor (Tenure Track) - Transdisciplinary Wildfire Sciences Academic Job Category Faculty Bargaining Job Title Assistant Professor (Tenure Track) - Transdisciplinary Wildfire Sciences Department Dept Forest & Conservation Sciences | Faculty of Forestry (Ri...

Exciting Job Opportunity! UBC is hiring an Assistant Professor (Tenure-Track) in Transdisciplinary Wildfire Sciences. Accepting applications until April 30.

ubc.wd10.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/ubcfac...

19.03.2025 05:44 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 31    ๐Ÿ” 32    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 4
Jordan Lasker, AKA โ€˜Cremieuxโ€™
One of the speakers at the conference is billed under a social media alias, Cremieux, but the Guardian has corroborated that the account is apparently run by Jordan Lasker, a long-time proponent of eugenics.

The @cremieuxrecueil X account has been boosted or engaged with dozens of times by that platformโ€™s proprietor, Elon Musk, often on the topic of falling birthrates.

On 27 November, Musk reposted a Cremieux comment on falling birthrates, adding: โ€œWith rare exception, all countries are trending towards population collapse.โ€

On 29 April, Cremieux posted: โ€œOnly about a third of the world even meets replacement rate fertility. This is the biggest problem of our time.โ€ Musk responded: โ€œYes.โ€


Musk has also boosted or responded favorably to Cremieux posts on other rightwing hobby horses such as crime in Portland, Oregon, and allegations that Democrats had created loopholes in the asylum system.

Jordan Lasker, AKA โ€˜Cremieuxโ€™ One of the speakers at the conference is billed under a social media alias, Cremieux, but the Guardian has corroborated that the account is apparently run by Jordan Lasker, a long-time proponent of eugenics. The @cremieuxrecueil X account has been boosted or engaged with dozens of times by that platformโ€™s proprietor, Elon Musk, often on the topic of falling birthrates. On 27 November, Musk reposted a Cremieux comment on falling birthrates, adding: โ€œWith rare exception, all countries are trending towards population collapse.โ€ On 29 April, Cremieux posted: โ€œOnly about a third of the world even meets replacement rate fertility. This is the biggest problem of our time.โ€ Musk responded: โ€œYes.โ€ Musk has also boosted or responded favorably to Cremieux posts on other rightwing hobby horses such as crime in Portland, Oregon, and allegations that Democrats had created loopholes in the asylum system.

Worth highlighting as folks occasionally repost "data science" factoids by "Cremieux", unaware that he's also trying to mainstream racist & eugenics views (as Lasker in real life) based on a laughably poor understanding of genetics
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

06.03.2025 04:46 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 81    ๐Ÿ” 28    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 3    ๐Ÿ“Œ 1

Watching a member of Parliament tell a Putin loving fascist to fuck off is the greatest thing ever

28.02.2025 02:11 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 295    ๐Ÿ” 38    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 7    ๐Ÿ“Œ 2
Screenshot of the "Download and Install Julia" page of the JuliaProgrammingForBiologists website. This is an example page, which describes how to download and install the Julia Programming Language. In the left column, there is a menu of page titles showing the topics covered on the website.

Screenshot of the "Download and Install Julia" page of the JuliaProgrammingForBiologists website. This is an example page, which describes how to download and install the Julia Programming Language. In the left column, there is a menu of page titles showing the topics covered on the website.

I recently developed & taught a 1-credit graduate course titled Computer Programming for Biologists. The students produced some fantastic projects!

For the course & for you, I developed tutorials in the Julia programming language. I share these here:

darreni.github.io/JuliaProgram...

#julialang

21.02.2025 15:25 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 34    ๐Ÿ” 10    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 3    ๐Ÿ“Œ 2
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Sex redefined - Nature The idea of two sexes is simplistic. Biologists now think there is a wider spectrum than that.

This excellent Nature paper from 2015 discussed multiple ways that sex is not binary, and why the idea of two sexes is simplistic. Required reading right now - please share! www.nature.com/articles/518... ๐Ÿงช๐Ÿ‘จโ€๐Ÿ”ฌ๐Ÿงฌ๐Ÿ–ฅ๏ธ

20.02.2025 01:17 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 178    ๐Ÿ” 86    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 8    ๐Ÿ“Œ 5
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Nominations open for the 2025 Molecular Ecology Prize From the Molecular Ecology Prize Committee: We are soliciting nominations for the annual Molecular Ecology Prize. The field of molecular ecology is young and inherently interdisciplinary. As a consโ€ฆ

Nominations are open for the 2025 Molecular Ecology Prize!

Nominate scientists who have made significant contributions to the field of molecular ecology with a 250-word statement & candidate CV sent to committee chair Kay Hodgins by April 11

Details: www.molecularecologist.com/2025/02/11/n...

12.02.2025 18:34 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 21    ๐Ÿ” 21    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Sign the Pledge for Canada This petition is intended as an invitation to Canadians to reflect on the current challenges Canada faces and what we can all do to respond to the risks and to contribute to building a more resilient ...

Former Prime Minister Kim Campbell has signed the pledge for Canada.
She joins thousands of leaders, artists, activists, Canadians who will resist the gangster in Washington.
Have you signed the pledge to stand up for our values?
True.North. Strong. Free.
actionnetwork.org/petitions/pl...

01.02.2025 22:05 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 11330    ๐Ÿ” 2420    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 533    ๐Ÿ“Œ 178
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Musk's Junta Establishes Him as Head of Government Imagining how we'd cover overseas what's happening to the U.S. right now

Having watched with growing alarm the developments of the last 24 and 36 hours in Washington, I thought Iโ€™d take a stab at how the US media would cover this story if it was happening in a foreign country. Hereโ€™s that story that should be written this weekend: www.doomsdayscenario.co/p/musk-s-jun...

01.02.2025 15:53 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 6987    ๐Ÿ” 3625    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 353    ๐Ÿ“Œ 811

@tombooker is following 20 prominent accounts