Jonathan A. Eisen | Lightnews

Jonathan Eisen

@phylogenomics.bsky.social

32K followers 4.9K following 2.2K posts

Prof at #UCDavis

Work: evolution, ecology, function & phylogenomics of host-microbiome systems; #openscience;
Other: #birds; baseball; T1D

Lab phylogenomics.me
Pics jonathaneisen.smugmug.com
Links linktr.ee/jonathaneisen
TED go.ted.com/6WPm .. more

Videos

Jonathan Andrew Eisen is an American evolutionary biologist, currently working at University of California, Davis. His academic research is in the fields of evolutionary biology, genomics and microbiology and he is the academic editor-in-chief of the open access journal PLOS Biology. .. more

Biology 43%

Environmental science 24%

Posts Replies Media Videos

Pinned

Jonathan Eisen @phylogenomics.bsky.social · 24d

On this Giving Tuesday I made a donation to @inaturalist.bsky.social for many reasons including:
* I love using their system
* They have done a remarkable job of engaging the world in Nature observations

And if you donate now your donation can be matched.

giving.inaturalist.org/page/FUNATVA...

2X Giving Tuesday Match: Be a Force for Nature

Support iNaturalist on Giving Tuesday and your gift will be matched, dollar-for-dollar, up to $150,000! Your support helps us connect more people to nature, advance critical science and conservation e...

giving.inaturalist.org

Reposted by Michael E. Mann, Jonathan A. Eisen, Robert C. Richards

Norm Wilner @normwilner.bsky.social · 1d

I've seen this going around today and it's beautiful, so here's a gift link.

Opinion | Martin Scorsese: ‘Rob Reiner Was My Friend’

www.nytimes.com

Jonathan Eisen @phylogenomics.bsky.social · 1d

And today in Bird News: www.usatoday.com/story/sports... #birds

Golfer reunites with his wallet after its stolen by seagull months ago

Real estate developer and avid golfer Michael Barnouin gets his wallet stolen in August and is recovered months later.

www.usatoday.com

Jonathan Eisen @phylogenomics.bsky.social · 1d

It is time (again) to share my childhood drawing that I think captures a typical Jewish Christmas in America ...

A kids drawing showing a brick house with a Jewish Star drawn near the top. And a reindeer pulling a sleigh with Santa Claus is landing on the roof

Reposted by Jonathan A. Eisen

Dr. Cuff @forbiddenunix.com · 2d

Watching me and Michele singing let’s go Bostoo, let’s go Bostoo while giving her a hug was my favorite while sitting behind the OG Bostoo home plate.

(Actual photo… before the AI slop from the good old fashioned days before our old boss, and institute director got totally found out)

Jonathan Eisen @phylogenomics.bsky.social · 2d

Go Bostoo

Jonathan Eisen @phylogenomics.bsky.social · 2d

I took this at a game last week

Reposted by Jonathan A. Eisen

Dr. Cuff @forbiddenunix.com · 2d

Jonathan Eisen @phylogenomics.bsky.social · 2d

Reminder - a great job opportunity at @ucdavis.bsky.social

Dean, College of Biological Sciences jobs.sciencecareers.org/job/676649/d...

Dean, College of Biological Sciences - Davis job with University of California, Davis | 676649

University of California, Davis Dean, College of Biological Sciences The University of California, Davis (UC Davis) seeks a dynamic, effective, and

jobs.sciencecareers.org

Reposted by Jonathan A. Eisen, Robert C. Richards

Will Bunch @willbunch.bsky.social · 3d

College journalism strikes again www.thecrimson.com/article/2025...

Summers Named Successor Executor in 2014 Draft of Epstein’s Will | News | The Harvard Crimson

Former Harvard President Lawrence H. Summers was designated as a successor executor in convicted sex offender Jeffrey E. Epstein’s last will and testament, positioning him to oversee Epstein’s estate ...

www.thecrimson.com

Reposted by Jonathan A. Eisen

Tiffany Lowe-Power 🌱🦠 @tlowepower.bsky.social · 3d

academic.oup.com/mbe/article/...

Question for the #microsky nerds -- Would you expect to see the same trends for environmentally transmitted plant pathogens?
(Also if you have any papers on this topic, please share!)

Genome Reduction Is Associated with Bacterial Pathogenicity across Different Scales of Temporal and Ecological Divergence

Abstract. Emerging bacterial pathogens threaten global health and food security, and so it is important to ask whether these transitions to pathogenicity h

academic.oup.com

Jonathan Eisen @phylogenomics.bsky.social · 3d

Get a straw

Jonathan Eisen @phylogenomics.bsky.social · 3d

Close enough

Jonathan Eisen @phylogenomics.bsky.social · 3d

I suggest everyone out there should get yourself a shoulder cat for the Holiidays.

Reposted by Jonathan A. Eisen

Andreas Bäumler @abaumler.bsky.social · 3d

Friday we lost a brilliant mind, colleague, and friend to her battle with pancreatic cancer. Those who knew her will remember Helene Andrews-Polymenis for her warmth, generosity and leadership. She will be missed by many. RIP

Jonathan Eisen @phylogenomics.bsky.social · 3d

Helene was an amazing person and scientist. I am so sad. 😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢

Craig Kaplan @triggerloop.bsky.social · 4d

Helene was so giving to others about her battle, and went through to make it into maybe the top 1% of survivors of pancreatic cancer, before succumbing Dec 19, 2025 all while losing her father to it. She supported @letswinpc.org and the family asks for you to consider supporting them as well.💔

Let's Win Pancreatic Cancer @letswinpc.org · May 17

Pancreatic cancer survivor Helene Andrews-Polymenis and Dr. John Chabot discuss strategies for preparing for a Whipple procedure.

Reposted by Jonathan A. Eisen

Christopher Knight LAT @knightlat.bsky.social · 3d

Bari Weiss needs to resign from CBS News. Having watched Sunday's well-reported "60 Minutes" torture-prison story Weiss squelched, I can see no way for her to restore even a semblance of professional competency. She's an amateur, in way over her head, humiliating her talented staff of journalists.

WATCH: The 60 Minutes CECOT Segment

I was sent the CECOT segment anonymously in a group chat.

www.muellershewrote.com

Reposted by Jonathan A. Eisen

Andy Fraser @andyfraser.bsky.social · 3d

I keep thinking “at some point people will say ENOUGH” but it turns out that they’re cool with torture and child rape and state sanctioned murder. It’s hard to know where to go at this point for hope.

Jonathan Eisen @phylogenomics.bsky.social · 3d

High Quality version of the 60 Minutes segment on the CECOT that was cut but has now been leaked:

www.thereset.news/p/breaking-h...

BREAKING: Here’s the 60 Minutes Segment Trump and CBS News Executives Don’t Want You to See

Hours before it was set to air last night, CBS News executives pulled the segment, but Canada’s Global TV app received it prior to broadcast.

www.thereset.news

Reposted by Jonathan A. Eisen

Gabe Ortíz @tusk81.bsky.social · 3d

From 60 Minutes’ April report on CECOT: “Among them: a makeup artist, a soccer player and a food delivery driver, being held in a place so harsh that El Salvador's justice minister once said the only way out is in a coffin.” www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/wha...

Reposted by Anna O. Law, Jonathan A. Eisen, Tuomas Mattila , and 5 more Anna O. Law, Jonathan A. Eisen, Tuomas Mattila, Robert C. Richards, Henry Jones, Olivier Mannoni, Olúfẹ́mi Táíwò, Farah Mendlesohn

Elad Nehorai @eladn.bsky.social · 3d

These are concentration camps. No other way to describe them. Truly horrific, and none of it surprising in the least.

AkivaMCohen @akivamcohen.bsky.social · 4d

30 minutes. Some deportees described sexual assault. Detainee describes the guard sexually assaulting most detainees. Lights left on all day. Prisoners not given clean water.

Now the DHS tour. Nobody spoke to the detainees. Noem's video was in a different area of the prison.

Reposted by Jonathan A. Eisen, Rosemary A. Joyce, Sarah Roberts

AkivaMCohen @akivamcohen.bsky.social · 4d

Reposted by Jonathan A. Eisen

Jen Herman 🌪️ @jukebarosh.bsky.social · 4d

Here is the link for Helene's preferred charity. Family requests donations to the fight against pancreatic cancer in lieu of flowers
letswinpc.kindful.com

Let's Win Pancreatic Cancer | Kindful

letswinpc.kindful.com

Reposted by Jonathan A. Eisen

Craig Kaplan @triggerloop.bsky.social · 4d

Let's Win Pancreatic Cancer @letswinpc.org · May 17

Pancreatic cancer survivor Helene Andrews-Polymenis and Dr. John Chabot discuss strategies for preparing for a Whipple procedure.

Preparing for a Whipple Procedure: A Roadmap for Patients and Caregivers

Pancreatic cancer survivor Helene Andrews-Polymenis and Dr. John Chabot discuss strategies for preparing for a Whipple procedure.

buff.ly

Jonathan Eisen @phylogenomics.bsky.social · 4d

Cats transfixed by hummingbirds in Davis CA youtu.be/o_tlqJSoR-M?...

Cats transfixed by hummingbirds in Davis CA

YouTube video by Jonathan Eisen

youtu.be

Reposted by Anna O. Law, Jonathan A. Eisen, Hilde Van den Bulck , and 8 more Anna O. Law, Jonathan A. Eisen, Hilde Van den Bulck, Melanie C. Green, Adrian Daub, Kevin Miller, Michael D. McDonald, Maria Abreu, W Grant, Greg Linden, Hisham Zerriffi

Cengiz Yar @cengizyar.com · 4d

CBS didn't run the 60 Minutes segment on CECOT, but over here at @propublica.org we've been working on the story since March, including finding out who each and every man sent to that maximum security prison was.

You can see our reporting here: www.propublica.org/series/depor...

Deported and Imprisoned Archives

A case-by-case investigation that examines the Trump administration’s claims that these immigrants are all “sick criminals” and “terrorists” and that shows what they suffered during months in one of t...

www.propublica.org

Reposted by Jonathan A. Eisen

Prasad Jallepalli, MD, PhD @prasad.bsky.social · 4d

www.theverge.com/business/793... terrific piece

Reposted by Jonathan A. Eisen

Axios @axios.com · 4d

CBS News pulled a segment on Trump administration deportations of Venezuelan immigrants to an El Salvador prison from "60 Minutes," causing staffers and media onlookers to question whether the decision was politically motivated.

"60 Minutes" yanks segment, prompting concerns around editorial independence

President Trump recently complained the show was treating him even worse since Skydance bought CBS's parent company.

www.axios.com

Jonathan Eisen @phylogenomics.bsky.social · 4d

And see this oldie but goodie by @johnlogsdon.bsky.social

depts.washington.edu/lairdlab/pdf...

Much ado about bacteria-to-vertebrate lateral gene transfer

depts.washington.edu

Jonathan Eisen @phylogenomics.bsky.social · 4d

And also see "Microbial Genes in the Human Genome: Lateral Transfer or Gene Loss?"

phylogenomics.me/wp-content/u...

phylogenomics.me

Jonathan Eisen @phylogenomics.bsky.social · 4d

For some older material on this topic, see for example:

Horizontal gene transfer among microbial genomes: new insights from complete genome analysis

escholarship.org/uc/item/00p7...

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