Anil Raj
@anilraj.bsky.social
principal data scientist @ calico life sciences | applied mathematics | statistical and population genetics | genetics and biology of complex traits in mice and humans | humans as model organisms
link to preprint:
Ribosomal DNA copy number variation shapes human physiology and disease risk
www.medrxiv.org/content/10.6...
Ribosomal DNA copy number variation shapes human physiology and disease risk
www.medrxiv.org/content/10.6...
Ribosomal DNA copy number variation shapes human physiology and disease risk
Variation in ribosomal DNA (rDNA) copy number influences diverse physiological traits in model organisms, yet its consequences for human health remain poorly characterized. Here, we provide the larges...
www.medrxiv.org
January 23, 2026 at 2:31 AM
link to preprint:
Ribosomal DNA copy number variation shapes human physiology and disease risk
www.medrxiv.org/content/10.6...
Ribosomal DNA copy number variation shapes human physiology and disease risk
www.medrxiv.org/content/10.6...
Reposted by Anil Raj
Ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes are found in hundreds of copies in the human genome.
Do sequence variations in these paralogs change the ribosome function? Yes!
I am excited to share our new preprint @mbarnalab @jkpritch in collaboration with Calico:
www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1...
1/8
Do sequence variations in these paralogs change the ribosome function? Yes!
I am excited to share our new preprint @mbarnalab @jkpritch in collaboration with Calico:
www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1...
1/8
November 19, 2025 at 11:00 PM
Ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes are found in hundreds of copies in the human genome.
Do sequence variations in these paralogs change the ribosome function? Yes!
I am excited to share our new preprint @mbarnalab @jkpritch in collaboration with Calico:
www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1...
1/8
Do sequence variations in these paralogs change the ribosome function? Yes!
I am excited to share our new preprint @mbarnalab @jkpritch in collaboration with Calico:
www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1...
1/8
A reminder from Calico Life Sciences that the path from model organisms to human biology is shorter than it looks! Thanks to the team! @dghendrickson.bsky.social, Jordan Brown, Nathaniel Thayer, Manuel Hotz, @daphnarothschild.bsky.social , @jkpritch.bsky.social, @mbarnalab.bsky.social + others
January 22, 2026 at 5:39 PM
A reminder from Calico Life Sciences that the path from model organisms to human biology is shorter than it looks! Thanks to the team! @dghendrickson.bsky.social, Jordan Brown, Nathaniel Thayer, Manuel Hotz, @daphnarothschild.bsky.social , @jkpritch.bsky.social, @mbarnalab.bsky.social + others
Our companion paper shows heritable rRNA sequence variants within these paralogs associated with distinct trait categories: es15l with adiposity, es39l with body dimensions, es27l with blood phenotypes. [See excellent thread by @daphnarothschild.bsky.social bsky.app/profile/daph...
Ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes are found in hundreds of copies in the human genome.
Do sequence variations in these paralogs change the ribosome function? Yes!
I am excited to share our new preprint @mbarnalab @jkpritch in collaboration with Calico:
www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1...
1/8
Do sequence variations in these paralogs change the ribosome function? Yes!
I am excited to share our new preprint @mbarnalab @jkpritch in collaboration with Calico:
www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1...
1/8
January 22, 2026 at 5:39 PM
Our companion paper shows heritable rRNA sequence variants within these paralogs associated with distinct trait categories: es15l with adiposity, es39l with body dimensions, es27l with blood phenotypes. [See excellent thread by @daphnarothschild.bsky.social bsky.app/profile/daph...
What happens to cellular function? In primary human pancreatic islets, we found opposing effects: Higher 45S → increased glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (especially in females). Higher 5S → reduced insulin response. Same molecular machine, opposite outcomes.
January 22, 2026 at 5:39 PM
What happens to cellular function? In primary human pancreatic islets, we found opposing effects: Higher 45S → increased glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (especially in females). Higher 5S → reduced insulin response. Same molecular machine, opposite outcomes.
We traced these effects across multiple scales: clinical and blood markers from 490K individuals → MRI-derived body composition traits from 100K → 54K proteomes → gene expression in 57 tissues from 948 GTEx donors → functional assays in primary human islets.
January 22, 2026 at 5:39 PM
We traced these effects across multiple scales: clinical and blood markers from 490K individuals → MRI-derived body composition traits from 100K → 54K proteomes → gene expression in 57 tissues from 948 GTEx donors → functional assays in primary human islets.
Analysis of the plasma proteome in UK Biobank participants showed that 45S copy number impacted high-output secretory cells operating at the limits of protein synthesis: pancreatic islets, intestinal goblet cells, bone marrow.
January 22, 2026 at 5:39 PM
Analysis of the plasma proteome in UK Biobank participants showed that 45S copy number impacted high-output secretory cells operating at the limits of protein synthesis: pancreatic islets, intestinal goblet cells, bone marrow.
What does 5S copy number actually affect then? Body scaling. Higher 5S correlates with increased lean mass, larger organ volumes (heart, liver, kidneys, spleen), greater height, and stronger grip. It's proportional organismal growth without disease risk.
January 22, 2026 at 5:39 PM
What does 5S copy number actually affect then? Body scaling. Higher 5S correlates with increased lean mass, larger organ volumes (heart, liver, kidneys, spleen), greater height, and stronger grip. It's proportional organismal growth without disease risk.
Does rDNA copy number impact human health? Higher 45S associates with type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, and inflammatory markers. But 5S showed no disease associations, despite equivalent statistical power.
January 22, 2026 at 5:39 PM
Does rDNA copy number impact human health? Higher 45S associates with type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, and inflammatory markers. But 5S showed no disease associations, despite equivalent statistical power.
We quantified copy numbers for both 5S and 45S in ~490K UK Biobank participants using whole genome sequencing data and found they are essentially uncorrelated. The two components of the same molecular machine, despite each being highly heritable, segregate as independent genetic factors.
January 22, 2026 at 5:39 PM
We quantified copy numbers for both 5S and 45S in ~490K UK Biobank participants using whole genome sequencing data and found they are essentially uncorrelated. The two components of the same molecular machine, despite each being highly heritable, segregate as independent genetic factors.
Three years ago, we showed ~70% of lifespan variation in yeast traces to rDNA copy number. Ribosomal DNA, encoded as 5S and 45S subunits in hundreds of copies, vary substantially across humans. Does this copy number variation, and sequence variation within these paralogs, matter for humans?
January 22, 2026 at 5:39 PM
Three years ago, we showed ~70% of lifespan variation in yeast traces to rDNA copy number. Ribosomal DNA, encoded as 5S and 45S subunits in hundreds of copies, vary substantially across humans. Does this copy number variation, and sequence variation within these paralogs, matter for humans?
Reposted by Anil Raj
Congratulations @jkpritch.bsky.social !!
April 30, 2025 at 5:49 AM
Congratulations @jkpritch.bsky.social !!
Reposted by Anil Raj
being an indie bookseller in the helltimes has felt both very stable and very stabilizing, and part of me wishes everyone could be on my side of the counter for a little while, because I think it would help some of you be a little less cynical and doomy right now. so here is my VERY anecdotal data:
March 22, 2025 at 3:36 AM
being an indie bookseller in the helltimes has felt both very stable and very stabilizing, and part of me wishes everyone could be on my side of the counter for a little while, because I think it would help some of you be a little less cynical and doomy right now. so here is my VERY anecdotal data:
Reposted by Anil Raj
Bluetorial: Women, courage, and leadership
What follows will include some generalizations based on population averages of what I have experienced over the course of my career. There are, of course, exceptions in every group who are substantially more to one extreme or the other.
What follows will include some generalizations based on population averages of what I have experienced over the course of my career. There are, of course, exceptions in every group who are substantially more to one extreme or the other.
a cartoon says hey everybody an old man 's talking while bart simpson looks on
ALT: a cartoon says hey everybody an old man 's talking while bart simpson looks on
media.tenor.com
March 9, 2025 at 4:33 AM
Bluetorial: Women, courage, and leadership
What follows will include some generalizations based on population averages of what I have experienced over the course of my career. There are, of course, exceptions in every group who are substantially more to one extreme or the other.
What follows will include some generalizations based on population averages of what I have experienced over the course of my career. There are, of course, exceptions in every group who are substantially more to one extreme or the other.
Reposted by Anil Raj
I have a brilliant scientist in my group. She proposed we approach our science as a once in a lifetime opportunity. So, let's do the risky experiments, think deeply, write beautifully, and show reverence to the most awe-some career
@inikon.bsky.social
@inikon.bsky.social
opportunity.do
March 1, 2025 at 4:12 AM
I have a brilliant scientist in my group. She proposed we approach our science as a once in a lifetime opportunity. So, let's do the risky experiments, think deeply, write beautifully, and show reverence to the most awe-some career
@inikon.bsky.social
@inikon.bsky.social
Reposted by Anil Raj
Thanks to all of the NIHers and their friends who reached out to me. I am still here (DM me or Signal jeremymberg.78)
I still have a very incomplete picture but based on what I have been told, the damage to NIH and to many wonderful people who work(ed) there is/was impossible for me to imagine
1/n
I still have a very incomplete picture but based on what I have been told, the damage to NIH and to many wonderful people who work(ed) there is/was impossible for me to imagine
1/n
February 16, 2025 at 6:32 AM
Thanks to all of the NIHers and their friends who reached out to me. I am still here (DM me or Signal jeremymberg.78)
I still have a very incomplete picture but based on what I have been told, the damage to NIH and to many wonderful people who work(ed) there is/was impossible for me to imagine
1/n
I still have a very incomplete picture but based on what I have been told, the damage to NIH and to many wonderful people who work(ed) there is/was impossible for me to imagine
1/n
Reposted by Anil Raj
It’s been a tough few weeks. My 10yo daughter was diagnosed with a very rare, aggressive cancer called interdigitating dendritic cell sarcoma (IDCS). I’m reaching out to identify clinicians/patients who have encountered pediatric IDCS or other (non-LCH) dendritic or histiocytic sarcomas cases.
February 8, 2025 at 9:21 PM
It’s been a tough few weeks. My 10yo daughter was diagnosed with a very rare, aggressive cancer called interdigitating dendritic cell sarcoma (IDCS). I’m reaching out to identify clinicians/patients who have encountered pediatric IDCS or other (non-LCH) dendritic or histiocytic sarcomas cases.
Reposted by Anil Raj
1. Today the NIH director issued a new directive slashing overhead rates to 15%.
I want to provide some context on what that means and why it matters.
grants.nih.gov/grants/guide...
I want to provide some context on what that means and why it matters.
grants.nih.gov/grants/guide...
NOT-OD-25-068: Supplemental Guidance to the 2024 NIH Grants Policy Statement: Indirect Cost Rates
NIH Funding Opportunities and Notices in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts: Supplemental Guidance to the 2024 NIH Grants Policy Statement: Indirect Cost Rates NOT-OD-25-068. OD
grants.nih.gov
February 8, 2025 at 12:18 AM
1. Today the NIH director issued a new directive slashing overhead rates to 15%.
I want to provide some context on what that means and why it matters.
grants.nih.gov/grants/guide...
I want to provide some context on what that means and why it matters.
grants.nih.gov/grants/guide...
Reposted by Anil Raj
Modern-Day Oracles or Bullshit Machines?
Jevin West (@jevinwest.bsky.social) and I have spent the last eight months developing the course on large language models (LLMs) that we think every college freshman needs to take.
thebullshitmachines.com
Jevin West (@jevinwest.bsky.social) and I have spent the last eight months developing the course on large language models (LLMs) that we think every college freshman needs to take.
thebullshitmachines.com
INTRODUCTION
thebullshitmachines.com
February 4, 2025 at 4:12 PM
Modern-Day Oracles or Bullshit Machines?
Jevin West (@jevinwest.bsky.social) and I have spent the last eight months developing the course on large language models (LLMs) that we think every college freshman needs to take.
thebullshitmachines.com
Jevin West (@jevinwest.bsky.social) and I have spent the last eight months developing the course on large language models (LLMs) that we think every college freshman needs to take.
thebullshitmachines.com
Reposted by Anil Raj
scATAC-seq generates more accurate and complete regulatory maps than bulk ATAC-seq
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
scATAC-seq generates more accurate and complete regulatory maps than bulk ATAC-seq - Scientific Reports
Scientific Reports - scATAC-seq generates more accurate and complete regulatory maps than bulk ATAC-seq
www.nature.com
February 1, 2025 at 11:42 PM
scATAC-seq generates more accurate and complete regulatory maps than bulk ATAC-seq
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Anil Raj
The thing about science is that if a phenomenon such as climate science weren’t real, they wouldn’t need an executive order forbidding its study.
The better we explain the social processes of science, the clearer it will be to everyone that this EO is an admission that climate change is real.
The better we explain the social processes of science, the clearer it will be to everyone that this EO is an admission that climate change is real.
January 29, 2025 at 2:20 AM
The thing about science is that if a phenomenon such as climate science weren’t real, they wouldn’t need an executive order forbidding its study.
The better we explain the social processes of science, the clearer it will be to everyone that this EO is an admission that climate change is real.
The better we explain the social processes of science, the clearer it will be to everyone that this EO is an admission that climate change is real.
Reposted by Anil Raj
Modern GWAS can identify 1000s of significant hits but it can be hard to turn this into biological insight. What key cellular functions link genetic variation to disease?
I'm very excited to present our new work combining associations and Perturb-seq to build interpretable causal graphs! A 🧵
I'm very excited to present our new work combining associations and Perturb-seq to build interpretable causal graphs! A 🧵
January 26, 2025 at 12:13 AM
Modern GWAS can identify 1000s of significant hits but it can be hard to turn this into biological insight. What key cellular functions link genetic variation to disease?
I'm very excited to present our new work combining associations and Perturb-seq to build interpretable causal graphs! A 🧵
I'm very excited to present our new work combining associations and Perturb-seq to build interpretable causal graphs! A 🧵
Reposted by Anil Raj
My book, An Intuitive Primer on Effective Functional Genomics Study Design, is published! I’d really appreciate it if you could help spread the word, and I’d love to hear your thoughts and feedback. I hope people will find it useful.
It’s available on Amazon: tinyurl.com/mx2hewen
It’s available on Amazon: tinyurl.com/mx2hewen
January 17, 2025 at 2:30 PM
My book, An Intuitive Primer on Effective Functional Genomics Study Design, is published! I’d really appreciate it if you could help spread the word, and I’d love to hear your thoughts and feedback. I hope people will find it useful.
It’s available on Amazon: tinyurl.com/mx2hewen
It’s available on Amazon: tinyurl.com/mx2hewen
Reposted by Anil Raj
Time to share our organelle proteome paper
out in @cellcellpress.bsky.social: doi.org/nzwz
We created a spatial map of human cells using organelle immunoprecipitation at scale.
Locate your fav protein among the 7,600 we mapped across 19 subcellular compartments: organelles.sf.czbiohub.org/
1/3 🧪
out in @cellcellpress.bsky.social: doi.org/nzwz
We created a spatial map of human cells using organelle immunoprecipitation at scale.
Locate your fav protein among the 7,600 we mapped across 19 subcellular compartments: organelles.sf.czbiohub.org/
1/3 🧪
January 14, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Time to share our organelle proteome paper
out in @cellcellpress.bsky.social: doi.org/nzwz
We created a spatial map of human cells using organelle immunoprecipitation at scale.
Locate your fav protein among the 7,600 we mapped across 19 subcellular compartments: organelles.sf.czbiohub.org/
1/3 🧪
out in @cellcellpress.bsky.social: doi.org/nzwz
We created a spatial map of human cells using organelle immunoprecipitation at scale.
Locate your fav protein among the 7,600 we mapped across 19 subcellular compartments: organelles.sf.czbiohub.org/
1/3 🧪