What is one of the differences between an interesting non-mainstream model and a model with huge potential? Genetic tools and microscopy. Great work from the Amro Hamdoun lab, and first author Yoon Lee. Glad to have modestly contributed.

Amro Hamdoun@hamdounlab.bsky.social · 4w ago

More than a decade since CRISPR-Cas9 knock in came on the scene, it's remained underutilized in emerging models. Using transposase, and a split-FP system, we built an optimized knock in system for use in the genetically-enabled urchin, Lytechinus pictus. bit.ly/4wswLsd

Janelia is built for this moment. Starting today, we're taking on 2 big bets: cracking how a vertebrate brain generates behavior, & building AI-in-the-Loop Discovery — a new way of doing biology. Tiny transparent fish + one of neuroscience’s biggest questions? Let's go: hhmi.news/2BigBets

A bit late, but plasmids for cloning-free PCR donors for endogenous gene Knock-In in fish are available on Addgene www.addgene.org/browse/artic...

Huge congrats to first author Soham Basu and Ikmi lab members, and all the co-authors. Sea anemones also need to release pressure www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Mesoglea biogenesis reveals a cryptic aboral valve for pressure regulation in cnidarian morphogenesis

A pressure-release valve at the aboral pole of a sea anemone redefines body openings as hydraulic regulators, not just guts.

science.org

C. Elegans had been a crucial model for my growth as a scientist. After my PhD in a limited genetically tractable model, I learnt genetics in a great worm lab. Since then, these lessons have been applied to non-mainstream models, always keeping in mind C. Elegans as an example

Life Science Network@lifesciencenet.bsky.social · 6mo ago

Celebrating worm science. Time and again, an unassuming roundworm has illuminated aspects of biology with major consequences for human health. #science #biology #news www.lifescience.net/news/6905/ce...

Amazing collaboration with Jordi van Gestel group and EMBL colleagues, or how great work is done when the right persons meet . And congrats to the first author Mireia Garriga-Canut. Bringing straightforward genetic tools to Dictyostelids, and Cas9 RNP optimization link.springer.com/article/10.1...

Unlocking CRISPR-Cas9 editing for widely diverse Dictyostelid species - Molecular Systems Biology

Dictyostelids are a species-rich clade of cellular slime molds that are widely found in soils and have been studied for over a century. Due to a lack of genome editing methods, most molecular research...

link.springer.com

Just making sure that 2025 is definitely over

I like that Development journal does these interviews, specially when it is about good scientists and good people journals.biologists.com/dev/article/...

The people behind the papers – Agnès Roure and Sébastien Darras

In animals, species-specific organs and nervous systems are patterned from the developing neuroectoderm by conserved canonical Wnt signals. However, how these developmental trajectories diverged throu...

journals.biologists.com

Thinking about a PhD and excited by algal development and evolution? 🌿🧬 Our IMPRS program has an open doctoral position in the department of Susana Coelho. More projects will be posted soon, so keep an eye on the page—or browse the current list here: lnkd.in/gEMXNQY6 Deadline: 19 January 2026

Pleased to be again a trainer for the EMBO Practical Course: C. elegans, from genome editing to imaging. Register if you want to learn about (one of) the best model organism for genetics and imaging www.embl.org/about/info/c... #EMBOCelegans

C. elegans: from genome editing to imaging

embl.org

Happy to share our last protocol for efficient endogenous gene tagging in Medaka. We hope this will encourage genetic and imaging approaches in other non-conventional fish models. A big thank you to all co-authors, and congrats to the first author Simon Knoblich bio-protocol.org/en/bpdetail?...

Have you used our datasets, atlases, protocols, cell lines, and other #OpenScience resources in your research or classroom? Tell us about it! Share your story with us at bit.ly/opensciences... Select stories will be shared on our social media channels during #OpenScienceWeek.

Our effort to extend genome editing across species just got a new member. This time, not a marine organism, nor a vertebrate, but the beautiful Dictyostelium discoideum and other Dictyostelids. In collaboration with van Gestel group @jordivangestel.bsky.social www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Selection-free CRISPR-Cas9 editing protocol for distant Dictyostelid species

Dictyostelids are a species-rich clade of cellular slime molds that are widely found in soils and have been studied for over a century. Most research focusses on Dictyostelium discoideum , which – due...

biorxiv.org

Finally decided to migrate from X to Bluesky