“Society will always have an opinion of our research… I really hope that this is a field that will be resilient” Opening plenary for #SMBE2026!
R. Shawn Abrahams (They/Them)
@youngeukaryote.bsky.social
Botanist, Evolutionary Biologist, Dyslexic, Queer/enBy, Black. Postdoc+, Plant Biology - University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Clusia genomes shed light on the evolution and diversity of crassulacean acid metabolism physiotypes - Nature Communications
Clusia species exhibit diverse photosynthetic physiotypes. The authors present genome assemblies for C. major (weak CAM), C. minor s.l. (facultative CAM), and C. rosea (strong CAM), and speculate that...
nature.com
Using Liliopsida in your gene tree phylogeny paper is how I know you're a real one.
bsapubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/... new paper on the evolution of desiccation tolerance in land plants. it was a fun project with two of my fav young scientists @bryophyter.bsky.social @youngeukaryote.bsky.social
Shaped by context: Evolutionary trajectories of desiccation tolerance in land plants
Desiccation tolerance (DT), the ability to survive near-complete cellular dehydration, is widespread in diaspores but rare in the vegetative tissues of land plants. The patchy and punctuated phylogen...
bsapubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Members of the Social Cognition Lab presented 4 exciting posters at #SPSP2026, all of which are now available via OSF:
So I pleased to announce the conceptual spawn of FigTree: PearTree (acronym still to be finalised). If you want to dive right in it is hosted as a web app here: artic-network.github.io/peartree (click the “Example...” button for immediate candy and then click every button you can find).
PearTree — Phylogenetic Tree Viewer
artic-network.github.io
The department of Philosophy and Moral Sciences at Ghent University is proud to present a lecture series on the topic of eugenics. As philosophers and ethicists, we are concerned about the revival and normalization of eugenic discourse. humanitiesacademie.ugent.be/eugenics
Eugenics: Critical Perspectives on a Creeping Concept Between Science and Ideology | Humanities Academie
humanitiesacademie.ugent.be
Our eLetter github.com/caseywdunn/s... responding to a recent Science paper was just posted. The paper found more genes with consistent support for sponge-sister than ctenophore-sister. We found several technical issues that, when corrected, reverse the conclusions and recover ctenophore-sister.
“…some bodies are ‘in an instant,’ judged as suspicious or as dangerous, as objects to be feared, a judgment that can have lethal consequences. There can be nothing more dangerous to a body than a social agreement that that body is dangerous.” — Sara Ahmed, "Making Strangers"
Making Strangers
Strangers are made; strangers are unmade. Right from the beginning, I have been writing in the company of strangers. The figure of the stranger is familiar; the stranger is thus someone we recognis…
feministkilljoys.com
I'm begging a major news org to cover the fact NSF is defying the courts to enact Trump's unconstitutional executive order
I’m an NSF panel reviewer that was scheduled to meet today. Just got notice that all NSF panels were canceled today. I reviewed some innovative proposals in support of students. Devastating if these scholars don’t get to do this work. For the love of science & students I hope this is just a delay.💔
When you start physically writing in markdown format, is that like dreaming in a new language? 😅
100+ species for #Plantsgiving is 😲! Our highest count was in 2022: 75 species, 44 families, 31 orders. I wanna share our 2022 sheet here to encourage more people to participate: docs.google.com/spreadsheets... We have an elaborated menu planned this year to enter this competition! 🧪🌱 #iamabotanist
Plantsgiving+Friendsgiving 2022
docs.google.com
Brittany Sutherland@sutherlandbl.bsky.social · 2y ago*ahem* Quick point of order. The record was set by and remains with the @barkerms.bsky.social lab, set in 2019 with over 100 species in the wee early days of #Plantsgiving over on the bad site. Once I dig through my old compy to find the list, I'll send you the precise number to beat. 😈
My first time giving a talk on my birthday & my first time sharing my blusky link in a presentation!
coming down to the wires on #LGBTQSTEMDay to share a little starter pack of QPOC EEB scientists!! help grow this community and nominate your fave QPOC EEBer! CCmment/DM if you'd like to be added, I would love to connect :) go.bsky.app/S5fpXWm
💫 Huge thanks to @insidenatgeo for supporting our research through the #2019NationalGeographicExplorer grant! Funding from visionary organizations like @insidenatgeo makes it possible for us to deepen our understanding of #Brassica diversity and resilience.🌍🙏 (9/9)
🇮🇹 Finishing up in Palermo with @jchrispires.bsky.social and @alexmcalvay.bsky.social ! We found B. rupestris in rocky areas, while a ferry and bike journey took us to a nearby island to locate B. macrocarpa. 🚗🚲🚢 These plants offer crucial insights into the evolutionary pathways of Brassica! 🥦 (8/9)
🇮🇹 Next stop: Sicily! In Catania, we had the privilege of spending time with Dr. Ferdinando Branca and his fantastic team. A world-class Brassica expert, Branca shared invaluable insights as we explored B. incana populations together. (Vespa spotting with a Brassica!) #Brassica (7/9)
🚗🌿 In Naples, Dr. Giovanni Scopece and his team gave us an incredible tour of B. incana populations, going above and beyond to show us these unique sites. Truly grateful for their kindness and expertise! (Check out our journey!) #FieldBotany #Collaboration (6/9)
🐐 Tough terrain may be key to B. cretica survival in Crete—likely safe from hungry goats! It’s amazing how plants adapt to their environment in ways we’re only beginning to understand. #EvolutionaryBiology (5/9)
We connected with Dr. Panagiotis Sarris and his dedicated team in Crete, who are doing amazing work on the B. cretica genome🧬 doi.org/10.1186/s128.... Collaborations like these deepen our understanding of plant diversity and resilience. 🌍#Genomics #Botany (4/9)
Intraspecific diversification of the crop wild relative Brassica cretica Lam. using demographic model selection - BMC Genomics
Background Crop wild relatives (CWRs) contain genetic diversity, representing an invaluable resource for crop improvement. Many of their traits have the potential to help crops to adapt to changing co...
doi.org
🚗🌿 In Crete, we found B. cretica thriving in the most unexpected places, from roadsides to steep cliffs (Check out the cliffs where we found them!). Some populations seem to survive by growing in areas too rugged for goats to reach. Fieldwork always has its surprises! #Botany (3/9)
🌍 Recently, @youngeukaryote.bsky.social and I journeyed to Crete to study Brassica cretica, a close relative of B. oleracea 🥦—and what a trip it was! First stop: the herbarium, where local experts helped us pinpoint key field sites. (2/9)
Hello Bluesky! I’m Paul, a Data Scientist and Computational Geneticist. I love programming, analyzing data, and building software tools – which means I spend a lot of my time battling bugs, but even more time battling my cat’s desire to sit on my keyboard
🥦 Hi! I’m Makenzie, and I study plant biodiversity, focusing on wild relatives of crops in the Brassica family—think cabbages, mustards, and leafy greens. My research explores how these plants adapt to diverse and often challenging environments, revealing insights into resilience and survival. (1/9)
Aloe there 👋🏽 Here is a starter pack with Black researchers, practitioners & orgs working with plants in the broadest sense (botany, forestry, plant ecology, crop science, herbaria, botanic gardens) Hoping this will help set seed for a nurturing community! Reply 🔽 to be added go.bsky.app/7Gn2NCb
I'm so glad someone had the foresight to take a photo of me while I was working as the student Herbarium Curator of my high school. Really helps tell the story of how I got where I am today!
