Nancy A. Moran | Lightnews

Nancy Moran

@nancy-moran.bsky.social

780 followers 70 following 17 posts

Research biologist and lover of nature, mostly bacteria, insects and (lately) birds

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Nancy A. Moran is an American evolutionary biologist and entomologist, University of Texas Leslie Surginer Endowed Professor, and co-founder of the Yale Microbial Diversity Institute. Since 2005, she has been a member of the United States National Academy of Sciences. Her seminal research has focused on the pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum and its bacterial symbionts including Buchnera (bacterium). In 2013, she returned to the University of Texas at Austin, where she continues to conduct research on bacterial symbionts in aphids, bees, and other insect species. She has also expanded the scale of her research to bacterial evolution as a whole. She believes that a good understanding of genetic drift and random chance could prevent misunderstandings surrounding evolution. Her current research goal focuses on complexity in life-histories and symbiosis between hosts and microbes, including the microbiota of insects. .. more

Agriculture 49%

Biology 47%

Posts Replies Media Videos

Nancy Moran @nancy-moran.bsky.social · Oct 3

Jo Holley led an undergrad team for this study, about wasps that are trying to be bees, using a new microbiome.

Honey wasps differ from other wasps in possessing large gut communities dominated by host-restricted bacteria | mBio

Honey-feeding social insects such as honey bees and bumble bees have conserved gut bacterial communities that are transmitted among nestmates. These bacteria benefit hosts by providing defense against...

journals.asm.org

Reposted by Nancy A. Moran

Texas Science @texasscience.bsky.social · Oct 3

The Mexican honey wasp is a bit of an oddball: it makes and eats honey like a bee, but when it’s hankering for protein, instead of pollen, it eats other insects. A new study finds its gut microbiome is more like bees than wasps. Funded by USDA and NSF. journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...

Two Mexican honey wasps, which are bee-like insects with black bodies, yellow stripes on the lower abdomen and honey-colored wings. Photo credit: Alex Wild.

Reposted by Nancy A. Moran

Nancy Moran @nancy-moran.bsky.social · Apr 2

We had a terrific symposium on "evolution of symbiosis, insects, and bacteria" this past saturday, with many former members of the Moran/Ochman lab. I'm grateful to all of them.

Reposted by Nancy A. Moran

Dan Sloan @sloanevolab.bsky.social · Jul 14

Please share! Our lab is recruiting a PhD student to join us starting fall 2026. Our group is broadly interested in plant molecular evolution and comparative genomics. More info about our lab and grad programs at Colorado St. is available on our lab website.

sites.google.com/site/danielb...

Sloan Lab

Welcome! Our research focuses on the evolutionary process at the molecular level. In particular, we investigate how a mixture of natural selection and non-adaptive forces create and maintain the amazi...

sites.google.com

Reposted by Nancy A. Moran

Mark O. Martin @markowenmartin.bsky.social · Jul 4

It's another week. Another episode of #MattersMicrobial! Dr. John McCutcheon of Arizona State University discusses fascinating symbioses between insects & bacteria that shed light on endosymbiosis: how eukaryotic cells originated. Please spread the #GoodMicrobialWord!

youtu.be/HZ9X6V7rpVk?...

Nancy Moran @nancy-moran.bsky.social · Jul 1

A pleasure to see Jerry develop this project and now to see it published! A very odd symbiosis, very harmful but sometimes very helpful to the host.

Nancy Moran @nancy-moran.bsky.social · Jun 2

Howard's: evolution of microbial genes, genomes and communities. Can be experimental or computational. If interested, contact Howard Ochman, howard.ochman@austin.utexas.edu
Homepage: web.biosci.utexas.edu/ochman/index...

Ochman Lab: HOME

web.biosci.utexas.edu

Nancy Moran @nancy-moran.bsky.social · Jun 2

An update on open postdoc positions, in my group and the adjacent group of Howard Ochman, here at UT-Austin. #SymbioSky

Mine: insect-bacterial symbiosis with emphasis on intracellular endosymbionts and molecular mechanisms.
web.biosci.utexas.edu/moran/contac...

Nancy Moran Contact

web.biosci.utexas.edu

Reposted by Mya Breitbart

Nancy Moran @nancy-moran.bsky.social · May 29

Looking for a postdoc on bacterial-insect symbiosis, combining evolution and molecular mechanisms? I'll have one open in my lab starting Sept 2025. If interested contact me (or find me at the GRC on Animal-microbe symbiosis if you'll be there). #SymbioSky

Nancy Moran @nancy-moran.bsky.social · Apr 20

The new cover is beautiful!

Nancy Moran @nancy-moran.bsky.social · Apr 2

#symbiosky bsky.app/profile/nanc...

Nancy Moran @nancy-moran.bsky.social · Apr 2

We had a terrific symposium on "evolution of symbiosis, insects, and bacteria" this past saturday, with many former members of the Moran/Ochman lab. I'm grateful to all of them.

Nancy Moran @nancy-moran.bsky.social · Apr 2

First -- congratulations on your child!

We had a great time. Here's a photo, all former people in the lab.

Reposted by Nancy A. Moran

WIRED @wired.com · Apr 2

NEW: The doctor behind breakthrough Parkinson’s research was among the scientists purged from the National Institutes of Health, the US’s leading medical research agency. www.wired.com/story/doctor...

Doctor Behind Award-Winning Parkinson’s Research Among Scientists Purged From NIH

Leading scientists at the National Institutes of Health, the US’s leading medical research agency, were swept up Tuesday in the Trump administration's latest firing blitz.

www.wired.com

Reposted by Nancy A. Moran

Thiago Carvalho @cyrilpedia.bsky.social · Apr 1

'In an open letter published Monday, nearly 2,000 of the nation’s top researchers called on the Trump administration to halt this “wholesale assault on U.S. science,” which they say is threatening America’s position as a global research leader as well as the health and safety of its citizens.'

Nearly 2,000 top researchers call on Trump administration to halt ‘assault’ on science

Nearly 2,000 members of the National Academies called on the Trump administration to halt its “wholesale assault on U.S. science" in an open letter.

www.statnews.com

Nancy Moran @nancy-moran.bsky.social · Mar 31

Yes too bad, it was terrific! But perhaps see you at the Gordon Conference in Maine this year?

Nancy Moran @nancy-moran.bsky.social · Mar 25

Happen to be in central Texas this weekend, and interested in symbionts &/or evolution and/or insects? #SymbioSky

Reposted by Nancy A. Moran

Jeremy Berg @jeremymberg.bsky.social · Mar 20

www.baldwin.senate.gov/news/press-r...

NEW: Baldwin, Welch Announce Forum on Devastating Trump Cuts at NIH Jeopardizing Cures for Alzheimer’s Disease, Cancers | U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Peter Welch (D-VT) announced that...

www.baldwin.senate.gov

Nancy Moran @nancy-moran.bsky.social · Mar 19

Amazing story about a person who loved insects and could observe nature with an open mind!

Nancy Moran @nancy-moran.bsky.social · Mar 19

so let's hope they actually take place!

Nancy Moran @nancy-moran.bsky.social · Mar 17

What about advisory council meetings? No awards are made without them. Study sections may be just a way to waste scientists' time and to give false hope. Even proposals scored in Oct 2024 remain in limbo because council meetings have all been canceled.

Reposted by Nancy A. Moran

John Wallingford @jbwallingford.bsky.social · Mar 13

Nice piece here from the organizer of the Austin Stand Up for Science event, @benjaminjriley.bsky.social‬ 👇. Thanks for doing the heavy lifting, Ben!

buildcognitiveresonance.substack.com/p/standing-u...

Standing Up for Science (and Democracy)

We the People take to the streets to fight to preserve America

buildcognitiveresonance.substack.com

Nancy Moran @nancy-moran.bsky.social · Mar 13

Not the first time Mary Ann and I have confused people!

Nancy Moran @nancy-moran.bsky.social · Mar 12

thanks, got it. One reason to join!

Nancy Moran @nancy-moran.bsky.social · Mar 11

Hi BlueSkyers! I'm an evolutionary biologist, microbiologist, entomologist, lover of nature, and long-time researcher on symbiosis.

I'm realizing that BlueSky is useful and generally non-toxic so here I am (having quit Facebook in Jan 2017, and Twitter in Oct 2022).

Reposted by Nancy A. Moran

John Wallingford @jbwallingford.bsky.social · Mar 11

A woman studies embryos for decades, struggles for funding and respect. She publishes under her husband’s name, until they divorce. A single mother, she moves across an ocean to continue her studies. It all sounds quite modern, until you learn that she also worried she’d be burned as a witch. 🧵 1/15

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