Dr. Brendan "Doesn't-go-to-Ravenholm" Pinto
@drpintothe2nd.bsky.social
[he/him] Judoka/traveler/etc; Staff Scientist at Research Institute && Research Associate at the Milwaukee Public Museum.
Super neat!! 🧬
Peiwei Chen@peiwei-chen.bsky.social · 3w agoHow do transposons jump when they’re released from host control? I babysat two chromosomes for 2 years, making sure they are ok without most piRNAs. Here’s what we found & excited to share my 1st postdoc paper: “piRNA loss unleashes episodic transposition bursts” www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
New *Tylosaurus rex* mosasaur reached 43 feet long! That's one big sea lizard, and a reminder of how much we're still learning about ancient life.
Paleontologists Discover an Ancient Marine Reptile They've Dubbed the T. Rex of the Sea, Crowning An
Scientists have identified a new species of mosasaur, named Tylosaurus rex, from fossils found in Texas. This colossal marine reptile measured up to 43 feet long and was a formidable predator that dom
smithsonianmag.com
Absolutely amazing, thorough, and integrative work by DR. Zietlow!!! So many congratulations!! 🎉
Dr. Amelia R. Zietlow 🦎@tyrantlzrdqueen.bsky.social · 2mo agoEverything IS bigger in Texas... Introducing TYLOSAURUS REX–“TEX”. A monster animal, a monster paper, & a monster project that I am *so* excited to finally share with everyone after ~5 yrs. Huge thanks to my coauthors, Mike & Ron, & to Alderon Games for bringing our lad to life!! #FossilFriday
Everything IS bigger in Texas... Introducing TYLOSAURUS REX–“TEX”. A monster animal, a monster paper, & a monster project that I am *so* excited to finally share with everyone after ~5 yrs. Huge thanks to my coauthors, Mike & Ron, & to Alderon Games for bringing our lad to life!! #FossilFriday
@drpintothe2nd.bsky.social et al. present SCINKD as a framework to identify unannotated sex chromosomes and curate diploid genome assemblies from a single individual. 🔗 doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msag067 #evobio #molbio #compbio
Sex chromosome identification and genome curation from a single individual with SCINKD
Abstract. In most animal species, the sex-determining pathway is typically initiated by the presence/absence of a primary genetic cue at a critical point d
doi.org
Beautiful. Big news if you’re interested in identifying and compiling sex-determining mechanisms like me!
Dr. Brendan "Doesn't-go-to-Ravenholm" Pinto@drpintothe2nd.bsky.social · 3mo agoHappy to announce two-fold news! 1) The SCINKD paper is now published in @molbioevol.bsky.social - doi.org/10.1093/molb... 2) SCINKD [v2.2.4] release has reduced runtimes (about 2x) and the revitalized mode for genomes >5Gb is now live and tested on genomes up to 21Gb! 🐸 github.com/DrPintoThe2n...
This work would not be possible without support from many folks, @drsimonegable.bsky.social @tonygamble.bsky.social @stuartvnielsen.bsky.social @sexchrlab.bsky.social and many others!! 🙏🏻 🙏🏻
a cartoon of a man talking on a telephone .
Alt: Professor Farnsworth (Futurama) says "Good news, everyone!"
media.tenor.com
Dr. Brendan "Doesn't-go-to-Ravenholm" Pinto@drpintothe2nd.bsky.social · 3mo agoHappy to announce two-fold news! 1) The SCINKD paper is now published in @molbioevol.bsky.social - doi.org/10.1093/molb... 2) SCINKD [v2.2.4] release has reduced runtimes (about 2x) and the revitalized mode for genomes >5Gb is now live and tested on genomes up to 21Gb! 🐸 github.com/DrPintoThe2n...
Happy to announce two-fold news! 1) The SCINKD paper is now published in @molbioevol.bsky.social - doi.org/10.1093/molb... 2) SCINKD [v2.2.4] release has reduced runtimes (about 2x) and the revitalized mode for genomes >5Gb is now live and tested on genomes up to 21Gb! 🐸 github.com/DrPintoThe2n...
Sex chromosome identification and genome curation from a single individual with SCINKD
Abstract. In most animal species, the sex-determining pathway is typically initiated by the presence/absence of a primary genetic cue at a critical point d
doi.org
🐍 Exciting news! The first high-quality, chromosome-level genome of the mandarin rat snake (Euprepiophis mandarinus) has been assembled. This 1.65 Gb genome with 19 chromosomes offers vital insights for taxonomy, evolution, and conservation. Photo: Papas2010 (Wikimedia) 1/2
Happy to announce the alpha release of the SCINKD3! SCINKD3 is an extension of SCINKD streamlines the use of WGS data from multiple individuals to identify sex chromosomes. In testing, its shown to be robust in many cases with as few as 4 individuals. github.com/DrPintoThe2n...
GitHub - DrPintoThe2nd/SCINKD3: development repo of SCINKD (v3)
development repo of SCINKD (v3). Contribute to DrPintoThe2nd/SCINKD3 development by creating an account on GitHub.
github.com
That's because they coddle them too much now. Back in my day, it only took 20 years for T-Rexes to fully mature, because they had discipline. Spare the rod, spoil the terrible tyrant lizard. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/202...
T. rex took 40 years to reach full size, study finds
Tyrannosaurus rex may have taken far longer to grow up than scientists once thought. By analyzing growth rings in fossilized leg bones from 17 tyrannosaur specimens and using new statistical methods, ...
sciencedaily.com
Updated preprint available describing our method to identify sex chromosomes from a diploid genome, but better, doi.org/10.1101/2025...
Sex chromosome identification and genome curation from a single individual with SCINKD
In most animal species, the sex determining pathway is typically initiated by the presence/absence of a primary genetic cue at a critical point during development. This primary genetic cue is often lo...
doi.org
We are thrilled to announce the first official release (v0.1.8) of #𝗯𝗲𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗿, the successor to one of our flagship tool, #𝗯𝗲𝗱𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀! Based on ideas we conceived of long ago (!), this was achieved thanks to the dedication of Brent Pedersen. 1/n
Intro to Bedder – The Quinlan Lab
quinlanlab.org
Big S/O to other folks who generated and shared their high-quality data with us (some published, some not) to help develop our understanding of the tool and framework. They truly made this work possible! Folks like @tododge.bsky.social @lngray.bsky.social @scarey.bsky.social, to name just a few 🙏🏼🦸♂️🦸♀️🧬
Melissa Wilson@sexchrlab.bsky.social · last yr.🚨Preprint🚨 Sex chromosome identification & genome curation from a single individual with SCINKD www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1... Incredible work led by @drpintothe2nd.bsky.social in collaboration w/ @drsimonegable.bsky.social @stuartvnielsen.bsky.social @tonygamble.bsky.social SE Keating & CH Smith
🚨Preprint🚨 Sex chromosome identification & genome curation from a single individual with SCINKD www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1... Incredible work led by @drpintothe2nd.bsky.social in collaboration w/ @drsimonegable.bsky.social @stuartvnielsen.bsky.social @tonygamble.bsky.social SE Keating & CH Smith
Needs to be said: I've been studying geckos for 10 years now and have so far received a 0% discount on my car insurance.
I am thrilled to announce that I will be starting my lab in the Department of Integrative Biology at Michigan State University in January 2026! I will soon be recruiting graduate students and postdocs, so stay tuned and please reach out if you know anybody that might be interested! 🐍🐻🧬
Gila monsters! One of the rare venomous reptiles. A peptide in their saliva/venom, exendin-4, is the basis of GLP-1 agonists, like semaglutide, to regulate insulin. We developed the first draft sequence of the Gila monster genome and are working on updating this now with newer technology.
Intelligence researcher Robert Sternberg on IQ tests: "Standardized tests, based on modern Western notions of intelligence, are seriously limited and narrow because modern Western notions of intelligence are seriously limited and narrow" link.springer.com/chapter/10.1...
Time Bomb: How the Western Conception of Intelligence Is Taking Down Humanity
During the twentieth century, IQs rose an incredible 30 points—two full standard deviations! Higher IQs may have helped people deal better with computers, cell phones, and other technological in...
link.springer.com
Since a Minneapolis police officer murdered George Floyd in 2020, the number of people killed by the police each year has continued to rise — and Black Americans are still killed in disproportionate numbers. Our data reporter explains his findings. www.nytimes.com/2025/05/24/u...
Deaths from heart disease down 75%, that’s NIH. Deaths from stroke down 75%, that’s NIH. HIV/AIDS no longer a death sentence, that’s NIH. 99% of FDA approved drugs in the last decade, that’s NIH. Please show this video to anyone who doesn’t understand why the NIH is so important.
This is what we're up to and couldn't be more excited about it! Come join the party! 🙂
Melissa Wilson@sexchrlab.bsky.social · last yr.We will be focusing on new methods to improve identifying genetic variation, collaborating with clinical collaborators on rare disease, building connections with local hospitals to study placenta and developmental origins of disease, and framing it all using comparative vertebrate genomics.
In December I accepted a position as a senior investigator at the NIH in the National Human Genome Research Institute & Center for Genomics and Data Science Research. Bringing the party in the desert to Maryland. We are hiring postdocs & postbacs! Please reach out :)
Here is a little legless lizard from LA County. People often ask, how come it’s a lizard and not a snake? It really comes down to genetics, but there are some big hints in its morphology: eyelids that blink, a tail that can detach. Southern California Legless Lizard - Anniella stebbinsi #herps 🦎
Capitalism will not save us from the problems that it helped create in the first place We need real solutions to our very real climate and biodiversity crises Hank makes great points about why what colossal is doing isnt what they publicly claim (and they know it too): youtu.be/Ar0zgedLyTw?...
They Didn't Make Dire Wolves, They Made Something…Else
YouTube video by hankschannel
youtu.be
Dire wolves were not close relatives of gray wolves. They last shared a common ancestor more than 5 million years ago. What Colossal has done is make something new and slapped a dire wolf sticker on it, as if an organism equals a hypothetical genome.
Dire Wolves Were Not Really Wolves, New Genetic Clues Reveal
The extinct giant canids were a remarkable example of convergent evolution
scientificamerican.com
Colossal Bioscience did not revive dire wolves, despite a sensationalist Time Magazine cover story. Making genetically modified animals that are cosplaying as extinct species is not de-extinction.
Riley Black 🏳️⚧️ 🦕@restingdinoface.bsky.social · last yr.Dire wolves were not close relatives of gray wolves. They last shared a common ancestor more than 5 million years ago. What Colossal has done is make something new and slapped a dire wolf sticker on it, as if an organism equals a hypothetical genome.
