Antonio Torres-Méndez
@antoniotorm.bsky.social
Neuroscience | Evolution | RNA | 🐛🪰
MSCA Fellow in the Neural Circuits and Evolution lab @thecrick.bsky.social
🍉🏳️🌈 he/him
MSCA Fellow in the Neural Circuits and Evolution lab @thecrick.bsky.social
🍉🏳️🌈 he/him
Reposted by Antonio Torres-Méndez
A Halloween treat just for fun! My beloved journal covers have come to life today. Check them out here! www.behance.net/gallery/2364...
Journal Covers, Halloween - Maria Diaz de la Loza
www.behance.net
October 31, 2025 at 10:56 AM
A Halloween treat just for fun! My beloved journal covers have come to life today. Check them out here! www.behance.net/gallery/2364...
Reposted by Antonio Torres-Méndez
50 years ago, King & Wilson published a foundational paper that underlies the cis-regulatory paradigm (CRP) of #DevoEvo #EvoDevo, i.e., that *almost* all morphological evolution is driven by mutations in regulatory elements, rather than proteins, and it all arose from simple misunderstanding 🧪 🧵
October 29, 2025 at 12:35 AM
Reposted by Antonio Torres-Méndez
First neurons didn’t appear overnight. We trace their roots to ancient secretory cells - showing how lifestyle & behavior shaped the evolution of first synapses.🧠🌊 #Evolution #Neuroscience
Our latest in @natrevneuro.nature.com
Link: rdcu.be/eMX3E
@jeffcolgren.bsky.social @msarscentre.bsky.social
Our latest in @natrevneuro.nature.com
Link: rdcu.be/eMX3E
@jeffcolgren.bsky.social @msarscentre.bsky.social
The evolutionary origins of synaptic proteins and their changing roles in different organisms across evolution
Nature Reviews Neuroscience - Recent studies have shed further light on the evolutionary origins of chemical synapses, In this Review, Colgren and Burkhardt explore how ancient proteins were...
rdcu.be
October 27, 2025 at 6:48 PM
First neurons didn’t appear overnight. We trace their roots to ancient secretory cells - showing how lifestyle & behavior shaped the evolution of first synapses.🧠🌊 #Evolution #Neuroscience
Our latest in @natrevneuro.nature.com
Link: rdcu.be/eMX3E
@jeffcolgren.bsky.social @msarscentre.bsky.social
Our latest in @natrevneuro.nature.com
Link: rdcu.be/eMX3E
@jeffcolgren.bsky.social @msarscentre.bsky.social
Reposted by Antonio Torres-Méndez
A self explanatory title
October 23, 2025 at 11:09 AM
A self explanatory title
Reposted by Antonio Torres-Méndez
Researchers at the Crick found that virgin female mice can become aggressive towards pups when hungry, but only in certain hormonal states.
It highlights the importance of understanding hormones when observing how different physical states interact in the brain.
www.crick.ac.uk/news/2025-10...
It highlights the importance of understanding hormones when observing how different physical states interact in the brain.
www.crick.ac.uk/news/2025-10...
Hunger influences the behaviour of female mice towards pups
Researchers find that virgin female mice can become aggressive towards pups when hungry, but only in certain hormonal states.
www.crick.ac.uk
October 22, 2025 at 3:14 PM
Researchers at the Crick found that virgin female mice can become aggressive towards pups when hungry, but only in certain hormonal states.
It highlights the importance of understanding hormones when observing how different physical states interact in the brain.
www.crick.ac.uk/news/2025-10...
It highlights the importance of understanding hormones when observing how different physical states interact in the brain.
www.crick.ac.uk/news/2025-10...
Reposted by Antonio Torres-Méndez
Come join the #LondonEvoDevo network half day meeting, hosted at @ucl.ac.uk on Friday November 7th, 2025. Submit your abstract by Oct 27th (or your interest in joining) here: forms.gle/TRbdrCkQTcY2.... Friendly vibes and free registration. More info here: londonevodevo.co.uk.
LondonEvoDevo
meeting's website
londonevodevo.co.uk
October 20, 2025 at 1:42 PM
Come join the #LondonEvoDevo network half day meeting, hosted at @ucl.ac.uk on Friday November 7th, 2025. Submit your abstract by Oct 27th (or your interest in joining) here: forms.gle/TRbdrCkQTcY2.... Friendly vibes and free registration. More info here: londonevodevo.co.uk.
Reposted by Antonio Torres-Méndez
Is your research important ?
If important, make it count.
Make it easy to reproduce.
Share the data.
Share the code.
Share the metadata.
Use community guidelines to facilitate reanalysis & reuse of your results.
nature.com/articles/s41...
If important, make it count.
Make it easy to reproduce.
Share the data.
Share the code.
Share the metadata.
Use community guidelines to facilitate reanalysis & reuse of your results.
nature.com/articles/s41...
October 18, 2025 at 11:53 AM
Is your research important ?
If important, make it count.
Make it easy to reproduce.
Share the data.
Share the code.
Share the metadata.
Use community guidelines to facilitate reanalysis & reuse of your results.
nature.com/articles/s41...
If important, make it count.
Make it easy to reproduce.
Share the data.
Share the code.
Share the metadata.
Use community guidelines to facilitate reanalysis & reuse of your results.
nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Antonio Torres-Méndez
Interested in understanding how new cell types evolve? Consider joining our group for a PhD!
2026 PhD recruitment is now open.
As well as our main PhD recruitment, which is open to all, we are pleased to be offering scholarships for candidates of Black or mixed Black heritage. Learn more and apply on our website:
www.crick.ac.uk/careers-stud...
As well as our main PhD recruitment, which is open to all, we are pleased to be offering scholarships for candidates of Black or mixed Black heritage. Learn more and apply on our website:
www.crick.ac.uk/careers-stud...
PhD student recruitment
PhD recruitment information.
www.crick.ac.uk
October 7, 2025 at 4:43 PM
Interested in understanding how new cell types evolve? Consider joining our group for a PhD!
Reposted by Antonio Torres-Méndez
October 9, 2025 at 8:02 PM
Reposted by Antonio Torres-Méndez
We are recruiting PhD students! If you are interested in evolutionary neuroscience, consider applying: www.crick.ac.uk/careers-stud...
Prieto Godino Lab | Cellular and molecular bases of neural circuit and behavioural evolution
www.crick.ac.uk
October 8, 2025 at 8:51 PM
We are recruiting PhD students! If you are interested in evolutionary neuroscience, consider applying: www.crick.ac.uk/careers-stud...
Reposted by Antonio Torres-Méndez
Join us *next Monday*!
#CrickXrays25
X-ray #nanoimaging of biological tissues
🇬🇧🌐 @crick.ac.uk & online
tinyurl.com/crickxrays25
Sponsored by @dectris.bsky.social, @webknossos.org and @biologists.bsky.social and backed by @brukercorporation.bsky.social and Histomography
#CrickXrays25
X-ray #nanoimaging of biological tissues
🇬🇧🌐 @crick.ac.uk & online
tinyurl.com/crickxrays25
Sponsored by @dectris.bsky.social, @webknossos.org and @biologists.bsky.social and backed by @brukercorporation.bsky.social and Histomography
October 7, 2025 at 9:20 AM
Join us *next Monday*!
#CrickXrays25
X-ray #nanoimaging of biological tissues
🇬🇧🌐 @crick.ac.uk & online
tinyurl.com/crickxrays25
Sponsored by @dectris.bsky.social, @webknossos.org and @biologists.bsky.social and backed by @brukercorporation.bsky.social and Histomography
#CrickXrays25
X-ray #nanoimaging of biological tissues
🇬🇧🌐 @crick.ac.uk & online
tinyurl.com/crickxrays25
Sponsored by @dectris.bsky.social, @webknossos.org and @biologists.bsky.social and backed by @brukercorporation.bsky.social and Histomography
Reposted by Antonio Torres-Méndez
#preprint:
We optimised the preparation of tissues for #X-ray phase contrast imaging.
Drying tissue samples (instead of embedding them) brings more signal in #X-ray phase contrast images.
The process largely preserves #ultrastructure.
@safekhan.bsky.social @andreas-t-schaefer.bsky.social
We optimised the preparation of tissues for #X-ray phase contrast imaging.
Drying tissue samples (instead of embedding them) brings more signal in #X-ray phase contrast images.
The process largely preserves #ultrastructure.
@safekhan.bsky.social @andreas-t-schaefer.bsky.social
Our pre-print is out!
Critical point drying of brain tissue for x-ray phase contrast imaging.
@apeart.bsky.social @yuxinzhang.bsky.social @jkbrmn.bsky.social @apacureanu.bsky.social @andreas-t-schaefer.bsky.social
@carlesbosch.bsky.social
@esrf.fr
@crick.ac.uk
bioarXiv: doi.org/10.1101/2025...
Critical point drying of brain tissue for x-ray phase contrast imaging.
@apeart.bsky.social @yuxinzhang.bsky.social @jkbrmn.bsky.social @apacureanu.bsky.social @andreas-t-schaefer.bsky.social
@carlesbosch.bsky.social
@esrf.fr
@crick.ac.uk
bioarXiv: doi.org/10.1101/2025...
Critical point drying of brain tissue for X-ray phase contrast imaging
X-ray phase contrast tomography is emerging as a powerful method for imaging large volumes of brain tissue at sub-cellular resolution. However, current sample preparation methods are largely inherited...
doi.org
September 10, 2025 at 3:51 PM
#preprint:
We optimised the preparation of tissues for #X-ray phase contrast imaging.
Drying tissue samples (instead of embedding them) brings more signal in #X-ray phase contrast images.
The process largely preserves #ultrastructure.
@safekhan.bsky.social @andreas-t-schaefer.bsky.social
We optimised the preparation of tissues for #X-ray phase contrast imaging.
Drying tissue samples (instead of embedding them) brings more signal in #X-ray phase contrast images.
The process largely preserves #ultrastructure.
@safekhan.bsky.social @andreas-t-schaefer.bsky.social
Reposted by Antonio Torres-Méndez
Our pre-print is out!
Critical point drying of brain tissue for x-ray phase contrast imaging.
@apeart.bsky.social @yuxinzhang.bsky.social @jkbrmn.bsky.social @apacureanu.bsky.social @andreas-t-schaefer.bsky.social
@carlesbosch.bsky.social
@esrf.fr
@crick.ac.uk
bioarXiv: doi.org/10.1101/2025...
Critical point drying of brain tissue for x-ray phase contrast imaging.
@apeart.bsky.social @yuxinzhang.bsky.social @jkbrmn.bsky.social @apacureanu.bsky.social @andreas-t-schaefer.bsky.social
@carlesbosch.bsky.social
@esrf.fr
@crick.ac.uk
bioarXiv: doi.org/10.1101/2025...
Critical point drying of brain tissue for X-ray phase contrast imaging
X-ray phase contrast tomography is emerging as a powerful method for imaging large volumes of brain tissue at sub-cellular resolution. However, current sample preparation methods are largely inherited...
doi.org
September 10, 2025 at 3:19 PM
Our pre-print is out!
Critical point drying of brain tissue for x-ray phase contrast imaging.
@apeart.bsky.social @yuxinzhang.bsky.social @jkbrmn.bsky.social @apacureanu.bsky.social @andreas-t-schaefer.bsky.social
@carlesbosch.bsky.social
@esrf.fr
@crick.ac.uk
bioarXiv: doi.org/10.1101/2025...
Critical point drying of brain tissue for x-ray phase contrast imaging.
@apeart.bsky.social @yuxinzhang.bsky.social @jkbrmn.bsky.social @apacureanu.bsky.social @andreas-t-schaefer.bsky.social
@carlesbosch.bsky.social
@esrf.fr
@crick.ac.uk
bioarXiv: doi.org/10.1101/2025...
Reposted by Antonio Torres-Méndez
🚨 🐜 is there a Bluesky starter pack for researchers who don’t study ants but who get lightheaded every time there’s an awesome ant paper? CC @mariusw.bsky.social @jrichardalbert.bsky.social www.nature.com/articles/s41...
One mother for two species via obligate cross-species cloning in ants - Nature
In a case of obligate cross-species cloning, female ants of Messor ibericus need to clone males of Messor structor to obtain sperm for producing the worker caste, resulting in males from the same moth...
www.nature.com
September 3, 2025 at 6:47 PM
🚨 🐜 is there a Bluesky starter pack for researchers who don’t study ants but who get lightheaded every time there’s an awesome ant paper? CC @mariusw.bsky.social @jrichardalbert.bsky.social www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Antonio Torres-Méndez
Results so stunningly clear they inspired this classic xkcd (xkcd.com/2400/):
September 1, 2025 at 7:32 PM
Results so stunningly clear they inspired this classic xkcd (xkcd.com/2400/):
Reposted by Antonio Torres-Méndez
Super excited that our latest work is out!
We use optogenetics to dynamically control and study the formation of morphogen gradients.
If you are interested in optogenetic tools and/or how cells shape and process extracellular signals, check out @jamesbriscoe.bsky.social's thread and the paper.
We use optogenetics to dynamically control and study the formation of morphogen gradients.
If you are interested in optogenetic tools and/or how cells shape and process extracellular signals, check out @jamesbriscoe.bsky.social's thread and the paper.
Our latest: We developed a chemo-optogenetic system for precise spatiotemporal control of morphogen production. Using dual light + small molecule control of Sonic Hedgehog production, we recapitulated neural tube patterning in vitro & measured spread of Shh
🧵
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
🧵
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Investigating morphogen and patterning dynamics with optogenetic control of morphogen production
Morphogen gradients provide the patterning cues that instruct cell fate decisions during development. Here, we establish an optogenetic system for the…
www.sciencedirect.com
August 27, 2025 at 10:52 AM
Super excited that our latest work is out!
We use optogenetics to dynamically control and study the formation of morphogen gradients.
If you are interested in optogenetic tools and/or how cells shape and process extracellular signals, check out @jamesbriscoe.bsky.social's thread and the paper.
We use optogenetics to dynamically control and study the formation of morphogen gradients.
If you are interested in optogenetic tools and/or how cells shape and process extracellular signals, check out @jamesbriscoe.bsky.social's thread and the paper.
Reposted by Antonio Torres-Méndez
Had time to finish another Aliens dive’s memory card from May 6&8, 2024.
1) #Phronima with behbehies in a fantastically-colored salp
2/3) #Siphonophore (don’t lick)
4) #Ctenophore
5) #Swordfish
6) #Polychaete worm
7) #Scaleworm
8) Ctenophore
9) #MantisShrimp
1) #Phronima with behbehies in a fantastically-colored salp
2/3) #Siphonophore (don’t lick)
4) #Ctenophore
5) #Swordfish
6) #Polychaete worm
7) #Scaleworm
8) Ctenophore
9) #MantisShrimp
August 21, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Had time to finish another Aliens dive’s memory card from May 6&8, 2024.
1) #Phronima with behbehies in a fantastically-colored salp
2/3) #Siphonophore (don’t lick)
4) #Ctenophore
5) #Swordfish
6) #Polychaete worm
7) #Scaleworm
8) Ctenophore
9) #MantisShrimp
1) #Phronima with behbehies in a fantastically-colored salp
2/3) #Siphonophore (don’t lick)
4) #Ctenophore
5) #Swordfish
6) #Polychaete worm
7) #Scaleworm
8) Ctenophore
9) #MantisShrimp
Reposted by Antonio Torres-Méndez
1. The philosophy of science sometimes gets an unearned reputation as a purely academic exercise that offers little by way of concrete tools for advancing research.
This is wrong.
And today, as we grapple with how AI is changing the nature of scientific activity, it's desperately wrong.
This is wrong.
And today, as we grapple with how AI is changing the nature of scientific activity, it's desperately wrong.
August 19, 2025 at 4:59 AM
1. The philosophy of science sometimes gets an unearned reputation as a purely academic exercise that offers little by way of concrete tools for advancing research.
This is wrong.
And today, as we grapple with how AI is changing the nature of scientific activity, it's desperately wrong.
This is wrong.
And today, as we grapple with how AI is changing the nature of scientific activity, it's desperately wrong.
Reposted by Antonio Torres-Méndez
Thanks to all co-authors and to everyone who supported this work - check it out!
Very happy to share the peer-reviewed version of our work on the cis-regulatory determinants of #microexon #splicing regulation by SRRM3/4, published in @natsmb.nature.com!
rdcu.be/ezGqT
Work led by @sobonnal.bsky.social, with Simon Bajew & @rmartinezcorral.bsky.social. @crg.eu @upf.edu
rdcu.be/ezGqT
Work led by @sobonnal.bsky.social, with Simon Bajew & @rmartinezcorral.bsky.social. @crg.eu @upf.edu
Core splicing architecture and early spliceosomal recognition determine microexon sensitivity to SRRM3/4
Nature Structural & Molecular Biology - Using massively parallel splicing assays and mathematical modeling, Bonnal et al. uncover that conserved splice site strength and exon length encode...
rdcu.be
August 11, 2025 at 7:01 AM
Thanks to all co-authors and to everyone who supported this work - check it out!
Reposted by Antonio Torres-Méndez
To promote the collection, I’ve launched a designer clothing line where synthetic biology meets aesthetics.
I will give out 100 free limited edition shirts to the first who retweet and order with their handle in the name! Available here → nickdesnoyer.com 🧵(6/7)
I will give out 100 free limited edition shirts to the first who retweet and order with their handle in the name! Available here → nickdesnoyer.com 🧵(6/7)
August 11, 2025 at 6:54 PM
To promote the collection, I’ve launched a designer clothing line where synthetic biology meets aesthetics.
I will give out 100 free limited edition shirts to the first who retweet and order with their handle in the name! Available here → nickdesnoyer.com 🧵(6/7)
I will give out 100 free limited edition shirts to the first who retweet and order with their handle in the name! Available here → nickdesnoyer.com 🧵(6/7)
Reposted by Antonio Torres-Méndez
Your taxpayer money at work…
A wasteland of rubble, dust and graves 🇵🇸 www.theguardian.com/world/2025/a...
A wasteland of rubble, dust and graves 🇵🇸 www.theguardian.com/world/2025/a...
A wasteland of rubble, dust and graves: how Gaza looks from the sky
The Guardian joins a Jordanian military airdrop for a rare chance to observe a landscape devastated by Israel’s offensive
www.theguardian.com
August 5, 2025 at 6:46 PM
Your taxpayer money at work…
A wasteland of rubble, dust and graves 🇵🇸 www.theguardian.com/world/2025/a...
A wasteland of rubble, dust and graves 🇵🇸 www.theguardian.com/world/2025/a...
Reposted by Antonio Torres-Méndez
1/N What are the organizational principles underlying crossmodal cortical connections?
We address this in this new preprint, led by @alexegeaweiss.bsky.social & @bturner-bridger.bsky.social in collab w/ @petrznam.bsky.social @crick.ac.uk
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
We address this in this new preprint, led by @alexegeaweiss.bsky.social & @bturner-bridger.bsky.social in collab w/ @petrznam.bsky.social @crick.ac.uk
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
August 1, 2025 at 10:10 AM
1/N What are the organizational principles underlying crossmodal cortical connections?
We address this in this new preprint, led by @alexegeaweiss.bsky.social & @bturner-bridger.bsky.social in collab w/ @petrznam.bsky.social @crick.ac.uk
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
We address this in this new preprint, led by @alexegeaweiss.bsky.social & @bturner-bridger.bsky.social in collab w/ @petrznam.bsky.social @crick.ac.uk
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Antonio Torres-Méndez
Thrilled to share that our latest work on marsupial heterochrony is now online at @cp-devcell.bsky.social @cellpress.bsky.social @lab-turner.bsky.social @crick.ac.uk We used scRNAseq to understand the asynchronous progression of developmental programmes in marsupials www.cell.com/developmenta...
Marsupial single-cell transcriptomics identifies temporal diversity in mammalian developmental programs
Menchero et al. generate a single-cell transcriptomic atlas in the opossum and show
rapid progression of transcriptional programs in specific tissues relative to morphological
landmarks. This shift in...
www.cell.com
July 24, 2025 at 5:07 PM
Thrilled to share that our latest work on marsupial heterochrony is now online at @cp-devcell.bsky.social @cellpress.bsky.social @lab-turner.bsky.social @crick.ac.uk We used scRNAseq to understand the asynchronous progression of developmental programmes in marsupials www.cell.com/developmenta...
Reposted by Antonio Torres-Méndez
There are 5 key drivers of biodiversity loss
Climate change; Land/Sea use change; Invasives; Over-exploitation; Pollution
Importantly, they interact synergistically to exacerbate nature degradation
So don’t dismiss any individual driver as being of lesser importance
doi.org/10.1002/fee....
Climate change; Land/Sea use change; Invasives; Over-exploitation; Pollution
Importantly, they interact synergistically to exacerbate nature degradation
So don’t dismiss any individual driver as being of lesser importance
doi.org/10.1002/fee....
July 23, 2025 at 6:34 PM
There are 5 key drivers of biodiversity loss
Climate change; Land/Sea use change; Invasives; Over-exploitation; Pollution
Importantly, they interact synergistically to exacerbate nature degradation
So don’t dismiss any individual driver as being of lesser importance
doi.org/10.1002/fee....
Climate change; Land/Sea use change; Invasives; Over-exploitation; Pollution
Importantly, they interact synergistically to exacerbate nature degradation
So don’t dismiss any individual driver as being of lesser importance
doi.org/10.1002/fee....
Reposted by Antonio Torres-Méndez
We developed a compact and open-source, low-cost photodetector system for neuroscience experiments doi.org/10.1016/j.oh... @flor-iacaruso.bsky.social
July 21, 2025 at 6:11 PM
We developed a compact and open-source, low-cost photodetector system for neuroscience experiments doi.org/10.1016/j.oh... @flor-iacaruso.bsky.social