Marine disease is more than a host–pathogen story, it can reshape host populations, food webs, nutrient cycling, and ecosystem resilience. 🦠🧬🔬🌊🪸🐟 Join us for SS12: Microbial Dimensions of Marine Disease in Waterscapes Under Pressure at @aslo.org in San Juan, Puerto Rico! #ASLO27 #microsky #ecosky

Come find me today at #ISME20 at 4:30 pm (PS02.09.034) to chat Large River microbial ecology! We are also recruiting graduate students for the project which was recently funded! #microsky #ecosky

Update: I am definitely hiring 2 PhD students; preference to those who can start spring 2027, but reach out if you’re looking to start in Fall 27. Want to start earlier? Reach out and we can talk about technician positions starting as early as this summer.

Dr. Lauren E. Fuess@laurenfuess.bsky.social · 5mo ago

Hi folks, there is a high likelihood I will be recruiting 1-2 PhD students to start in Spring 2027. Trying to get the word out early; please share broadly with your networks and encourage your students to reach out early. Info can be found on my webpage. fuesslab.wp.txstate.edu/opportunities/

Could this be a early sign for what's to come this spring/summer? CC @ianhewson.bsky.social @viromegirl.bsky.social #UVI #microsky #parasitesky 🌊🦠🧬 newsroom.niu.edu/niu-biologis...

NIU biologist’s research gains urgency as sea urchin outbreak threatens Caribbean | NIU Newsroom

DEKALB, IL — As a deadly sea urchin disease resurfaces in the Caribbean, an NIU researcher is at the center of the effort to understand...

newsroom.niu.edu

This paper originated from a simple idea: Since we want to study SAR11 growth physiology, let’s look at how one SAR11 bacterium becomes two SAR11 bacteria, inspired by the quote from François Jacob, “The dream of a bacterium: to produce two bacteria”.

Cameron Thrash@jcamthrash.bsky.social · 7mo ago

Our latest. Led by the very talented @ahoiching.bsky.social Cell cycle dysregulation of globally important SAR11 bacteria resulting from environmental perturbation www.nature.com/articles/s41... #jcampubs 🌊

New work with @ianhewson.bsky.social @brayan-vilanova.bsky.social and others

bioRxiv Microbiology@biorxiv-microbiol.bsky.social · 8mo ago

Host-independent persistence of the Diadema antillarum Scuticociliatosis Philaster clade in coastal environments https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.07.698123v1

Day one of our December Diadema time series sampling today in St Thomas USVI with @aquaticmicrolab.bsky.social and Marilyn Brandt. Fascinating to see season changes in microbial ecology of our site. Today we saw a big increase in diatoms, presumably due to cooler water.

So excited for our #nsffunded research to kick off with an amazing team of researchers @viromegirl.bsky.social @ianhewson.bsky.social @drchriskellogg.bsky.social Dr. Marilyn Brandt (UVI). newsroom.niu.edu/niu-biologis...

NIU biologist dives into coral reef mystery with NSF-funded research | NIU Newsroom

DEKALB, IL — When long-spined sea urchins across the Caribbean began dying by the thousands in 2022, marine scientists feared a repeat of an ecological...

newsroom.niu.edu

Many thanks to Moriah Sevier, Marilyn Brandt, @aquaticmicrolab.bsky.social @drchriskellogg.bsky.social @viromegirl.bsky.social Bella Ritchie and Brayan Vilanova Cuevas for making this trip such a success!

Day 2 of Diadema kickoff. Today was all about Diadema itself (cf environmental parameters). We were excited to see so many apparently healthy animals in shallow water! We also set up an experiment to examine microbial participation in echinoderm tissue decay. Such a great start to this time series!

Day 1 of NSF sponsored Diadema antillarum scuticociliatosis time series in Brewers Bay, St Thomas, USVI with @drchriskellogg.bsky.social @viromegirl.bsky.social @aquaticmicrolab.bsky.social and Prof Marilyn Brandt at UVI. After months of planning it was time to figure out what makes sense from

🧬 Interested in aquatic micro, nutrient cycling, river-ocean interfaces I’m seeking a postdoc candidate to apply with me for the 2026 Walder Biota Fellowship ($70k+/yr 2 yrs, $20k/yr research). Details: www.biotaawards.org/2026-applica... #biogeochemistry #BiotaFellowship #microsky #ecoSky #evoSky

Notice of Award is in! Join our team at NIU to study marine microbial ecology & disease dynamics in sea urchins 🧫🌊🦠 PhD | Spring/Fall 2026 start Job Ad Here 👉 shorturl.at/fSMy9 Apply here 👉 forms.gle/gfMnHutijfqC... More: theaquaticmicrobiologylab.com @ianhewson.bsky.social @viromegirl.bsky.social

Funded Graduate Student Opportunity in Marine Microbial Ecology

**Applicants will be contacted if selected for next round. Applicants not selected will not receive any notice. If not selected, this is not indicative of your merit. ** Northern Illinois University |...

forms.gle

🧬 Interested in aquatic micro, nutrient cycling, river-ocean interfaces I’m seeking a postdoc candidate to apply with me for the 2026 Walder Biota Fellowship ($70k+/yr for 2 yrs, $20k/yr research). Details: www.biotaawards.org/2026-applica... #ecosky #biogeochemistry #BiotaFellowship #microsky

Ten simple rules for faculty members building just and equitable environments in academic science journals.plos.org/ploscompbiol... #jcampubs

Ten simple rules for faculty members building just and equitable environments in academic science

journals.plos.org

So excited to announce the GRUMP paper is published! This global dataset provides relative abundances for plankton spanning Archaea to Zooplankton from unfractionated (>0.2µm) water samples using 3-domain universal primers that amplify 16S and 18S in one PCR reaction. www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Characterizing organisms from three domains of life with universal primers from throughout the global ocean - Scientific Data

Scientific Data - Characterizing organisms from three domains of life with universal primers from throughout the global ocean

nature.com

Check out our field sampling update on our lab website, work we continue to do in support of Diadema Scuticociliatosis outbreaks Field Update: USVI Marine Disease Survey www.theaquaticmicrobiologylab.com/news CC @ianhewson.bsky.social #microsky #ecologysky #marinedisease 🌊🦠🧬

Some updates to the lab website on awards and presentations! It's been a busy year in the Aquatic Microbiology lab. www.theaquaticmicrobiologylab.com/news

Our latest, lead by @ahoiching.bsky.social, uncovering physiological vulnerabilities and helping to explain growth rate limitation in SAR11. Cell cycle dysregulation of globally important SAR11 bacteria resulting from environmental perturbation www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1... #jcampubs

Cell cycle dysregulation of globally important SAR11 bacteria resulting from environmental perturbation t.co/8ohVSh9Esd

An amazing trip to USVI to study the ecology of DaScPc, the parasite responsible for urchin mass mortality 3 years ago. Over 150 samples, and an experiment completed. Fantastic to work with @aquaticmicrolab.bsky.social at NIU and Marilyn Brandt at UVI. Supported by NIU Biology and ACSF.

Happy birthday SAR11! 35 years old today! uncultured.carinilab.com/p/happy-birt...

Happy Birthday SAR11

SAR11 turns 33 this month

uncultured.carinilab.com

During summer and winter, waters of the #GreatLakes typically separate into distinct temperature layers - a process called stratification. However, new research finds Lakes Michigan and Huron aren't consistently stratifying during winter anymore due to climate change www.jsonline.com/story/news/l...

In winter, the waters of Lakes Michigan and Huron separate into layers. Not anymore. Why?

Winters in particular are entering a new era in the world's largest surface freshwater system.

jsonline.com

Help Support Student Research! 🔗 Donate : dog.niu.edu/giving-day/9... #NIUHuskies #NIUBiology #STEMEducation #SupportStudentResearch #FirstGenCollege #ExperientialLearning #ScienceMatters #FutureScientists #HandsOnLearning #NIUAlumni #GiveBack #ResearchOpportunities #HuskiesGive #NIUCommunity

Welcome to the Bluesky account for Stand Up for Science 2025! Keep an eye on this space for updates, event information, and ways to get involved. We can't wait to see everyone #standupforscience2025 on March 7th, both in DC and locations nationwide! #scienceforall #sciencenotsilence

Sounds cool. "Bacteria encode post-mortem protein catabolism that enables altruistic nutrient recycling" www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Bacteria encode post-mortem protein catabolism that enables altruistic nutrient recycling - Nature Communications

Processes that occur after death have not received the same level of attention as the mechanisms of life. In this study, the authors show that bacteria have potentially evolved an altruistic trait to ...

nature.com

A statement from the BMA Board Members to the BMA Community and Beyond. Additional alt text to follow due to the character limit.

Got to attend the NIU Womens Basketball (@GoHuskiesWBB) game last night and head to center court to #humblebrag be honored as their faculty spotlight.

🧪🧬🧫🦠

DEI Virologist@kyt-thatsme.bsky.social · 2y ago

Ok this is not ok. ASM actively sought out BMA and its members for Juneteenth and Black History month content for the last 4 years. Actively asked for black labor and then takes it down?! @asm.org this is unacceptable. You should be standing up for marginalized microbiologists not erasing them.

Happy Black History Month! I’m not sure if ASM is celebrating this year, so I’ll share some links to ASM resources I had previously collated on black women in microbiology that are now deleted (or at risk of being deleted). Deleted content can be viewed via the internet archive (links provided).