New preprint! 🧵 Best #Cercozoa genome alert! For a decade, I’ve studied protist ecology through questions like who eats whom. But beyond “they eat this, they eat that,” what do #protists do to their environment, biochemically speaking? #protistsonsky @huesnaoeztoprak.bsky.social

Check out this stunning public outreach video by the German YouTube channel Kurzgesagt (in English). It covers predator–prey interactions involving #protists. Very happy to have contributed - the visuals are out of this world! #protistsonsky www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xf-u...

What’s It Like to Be Killed by Nature’s Most Brutal Predator

YouTube video by Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell

youtube.com

Great news for our lab at the University of Koblenz! We have now received approval to work with potentially infectious Risk Group 2 biological material! It substantially expands the experimental possibilities for research on microbial communities, protists, and aquatic systems, including wastewater.

Five days left to apply! 🌊 Exciting #PhDPosition in #PlanktonEcology at the University of Koblenz, Germany! Work on #marine #protists with a mix of 🔬 wet lab and 💻 bioinformatics in a 3-year, 60% position. 📅 Apply by 20 May 2026 Please repost/share 🙌 Link: tinyurl.com/yu27knau #ProtistsOnSky

Two weeks left to apply! 🌊 Exciting #PhDPosition in #PlanktonEcology at the University of Koblenz, Germany! Work on #marine #protists with a mix of 🔬 wet lab and 💻 bioinformatics in a 3-year, 60% position. 📅 Apply by 20 May 2026 Please repost/share 🙌 Link: tinyurl.com/yu27knau #ProtistsOnSky

Interested in working on the evolution of photosynthetic endosymbioses? Come join us! I have 2 open positions in my new group @cemess.bsky.social in Vienna 3yr postdoc info: tinyurl.com/4emkjpn4 4yr PhD info: tinyurl.com/mtxmsjpy Apply by 1st June! Please share/repost #Protists #Symbiosis #PhD

🌊 Exciting #PhDPosition in #PlanktonEcology at the University of Koblenz, Germany! Work on marine protists with a mix of 🔬 wet lab and 💻 bioinformatics in a 3-year, 60% position. 📅 Apply by 20 May 2026 Please repost/share 🙌 Link: tinyurl.com/yu27knau #Protists #MicrobialEcology #PhD #Ecology

We all know #fungi are the dominant microbial #eukaryotes in #forest #soils… or are they really? In our new paper, we revisited 51 forest metatranscriptomes from 4 European and North American forest regions - and found that protistan predators outshine fungi in activity!

Following up on my last post, here is a glimpse into the culture room, where our protists are now growing and awaiting exploration. Excited to see everything fully operational! As you see, there is still a lot of shelf space to fill - one step at a time. Now back to proposal writing 🫡 #protists

The molecular lab, culture and microscopy rooms, and bioinformatic server, are now fully set up! I’m very grateful for my new position 🎉 We’re already generating results and insights in Koblenz, and I’m looking forward to the years ahead! Now, I "just" need to get the proposals funded 🫡 #protists

If you read anything today, read this. Stunning images. Love it!

Gautam Dey@gautamdey.bsky.social · 6mo ago

Thank you @mollyherring.bsky.social for the stunning showcase 😍 Like what you see? Come ExM with us! Let’s flood the internet with microbial marvels 🦠 #ProtistsOnSky #MicroEvoSky 🧪🔬🌍 @dudinlab.bsky.social @centriolelab.bsky.social @moorefound.bsky.social @embl.org @erc.europa.eu @embo.org

Our new workgroup, and one of its latest papers on #ProtistsOnSky and #AntimicrobialResistance - has been featured in the news! www.ardmediathek.de/embed/Y3JpZD...

ARD Mediathek

ardmediathek.de

In case anyone’s wondering how things are going in my new position at the University of Koblenz - I think this picture makes it pretty clear we’re in great spirits! 😄 Julia and I are out sampling #cyanobacteria and #protistsonsky on local lakes :)

🚨 We’re hiring! Join our Aquatic Ecosystem Analysis group #UniversityKoblenz,Germany as a PhD researcher (m/f/d) in #plankton #ecology. Dive into #protist- #algae interactions, molecular ecology & sustainable water management. Apply by 14.08.2025! 🌊🔬 #protistsonsky #parasites #microbiology

New logo for my new workgroup :) Yes, it's abstract, but I have the feeling it draws attention #protistsonsky

A bit late to the #skyparty but I was really glad to co-chair our special symposium on protist traits at #ICOP2025 organized by #ISOP in Seoul 🇰🇷 Grateful for the inspiring talks, engaging discussions, and the chance to reconnect with old friends and colleagues from around the world. #ProtistsOnSky

Thanks ICOP/ISOP2025! I had a blast. See you in Prague! #protistsonsky

Today is the last day of #ICOP-ISOP2025! It was a blast, I enjoyed it a lot, feel very motivated, met and talked with plenty of fellow scientists, but also regret I couldn't discuss with even more people! Until next time :) #protistsonsky

Here you will find a great overview of genomic tools and their application on protists. Figure 3 is crazy interesting for everybody who wonders about what kinds of protist genomes are available, their sizes and why there aren't more. Take a look! Glad I could contribute :)

Jürgen Strassert@strassert.bsky.social · last yr.

Happy to have contributed to this great article: #Protist genomics: key to understanding eukaryotic evolution. Congrats Alexandra Schoenle et al. #ProtistsOnSky authors.elsevier.com/sd/article/S...

Glissomonads (Cercozoa, Rhizaria) are always in for a surprise! Saprotrophic, sucking up bacteria lysate. Axenic culture! #ProtistsOnSky

@dj-gage.bsky.social · last yr.

First post on Bluesky! Our paper on previously uncultured Group-TE Glissomonad protists has been published. Video teaser below. #protists #ProtistsOnSky journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...

Big thanks to #OpenAI and #ChatGPT -not for helping me write my manuscript, but for clearly writing one of the reviewer's entire review!😂 Never thought I’d get peer-reviewed by a Large Language Model with imposter syndrome. Some recommendations are hilarious😅 #protists #ProtistsOnSky #nonamedropping

Evidence for #recombination, and maybe #meiosis, in free-living #Rhizaria! I wish the results were clearer. As so often we raised more questions than we could answer :) If you are into #sex and the #meiosis-toolkit, this is an important read! #ProtistsOnSky link.springer.com/article/10.1...

My good friend and former colleague Fionn Clissmann painted a testate #amoeba shell for my formerly very empty walls in my new office. Love it! Stunning colours! #ProtistsOnSky

Only 1 week left to apply for both advertised researcher positions in my new lab! If you're excited about #microbial #eukaryotes and #ecological #interactions, don’t miss the deadline - spread the word! For more info, visit my website: www.kennethdumack.de

Only two more weeks to apply! 3 years postdoc position with flexibility in research. Join me in exploring #protist #ecology! #omics #environmental_sequencing #microscopy #algae #plankton #ProtistsOnSky #MicroSky

Kenneth Dumack@dumack.bsky.social · last yr.

🚨 3-year Postdoc Opportunity! Join me and the Aquatic Ecosystem Analysis group @UniKoblenz. 🔬 Microbial #ecology, #protist predation, #algae #plankton & flexibility | 💻 Environmental -omics | 🌊 Rivers 📅 Apply by May 15 | 🔗 kennethdumack.de | tinyurl.com/dumack Please share! #MicroSky #ProtistsOnSky

🚨 2.5-year PhD or Postdoc Opportunity! Join me and the Aquatic Ecosystem Analysis group @UniKoblenz. 🔬 Microbial #ecology, #bioindicators, #protists, #wastewater 🌊 | German language skills are necessary,Apply by May 16 | 🔗 kennethdumack.de | tinyurl.com/dumack2 Please share! #MicroSky #ProtistsOnSky

Friday was a special day for us! My first non-shared PhD student, Ana Cristina Martínez Rendón, concluded her work with us and earned her doctorate! Congratulations Cristina, and I wish you all the best for your future in the private sector! One of my last duties in Cologne!

🚨 3-year Postdoc Opportunity! Join me and the Aquatic Ecosystem Analysis group @UniKoblenz. 🔬 Microbial #ecology, #protist predation, #algae #plankton & flexibility | 💻 Environmental -omics | 🌊 Rivers 📅 Apply by May 15 | 🔗 kennethdumack.de | tinyurl.com/dumack Please share! #MicroSky #ProtistsOnSky

Very proud to announce that my first (shared) doctoral student, Dr. Jule Freudenthal, finished her doctoral studies! 🎉 She did amazing work! I know my recent shift to a professorship is for certain parts due to her work. We both align very well which is why I am happy that she is now my postdoc :) 🎊

🧠🦠🚨 New preprint alert! We’ve built the first trait database for Amoebozoa, and showcase ecological insights and evolutionary patterns. If you're into protists, soil ecology, or functional biodiversity - this is for you! #ProtistsOnSky #MicroSky 🧵👇