M. Brent Hawkins
@homeobox.bsky.social
Developmental genetics and evolution of the vertebrate skeleton. Postdoc in the Harris Lab at Boston Children's Hospital/Harvard Medical School. Every day is fin day. He/him/his.
Pinned
We take for granted that our hands have two sides and can articulate in an endless number of ways. But what about a fish’s fin? Can a fish know something “like the back of its fin,” or have its future told with a fin palm reading? Check out this bluetorial to find out 👇🧪🧬🐟 doi.org/10.1101/2025...
Reposted by M. Brent Hawkins
It's out, Minos transgenesis in the pantry moth by
@donyaniyaz.bsky.social
@lucalivraghi.bsky.social
High efficient, glowing eye and silk gland markers
peerj.com/articles/202...
@peerj.bsky.social
@donyaniyaz.bsky.social
@lucalivraghi.bsky.social
High efficient, glowing eye and silk gland markers
peerj.com/articles/202...
@peerj.bsky.social
November 12, 2025 at 2:40 PM
It's out, Minos transgenesis in the pantry moth by
@donyaniyaz.bsky.social
@lucalivraghi.bsky.social
High efficient, glowing eye and silk gland markers
peerj.com/articles/202...
@peerj.bsky.social
@donyaniyaz.bsky.social
@lucalivraghi.bsky.social
High efficient, glowing eye and silk gland markers
peerj.com/articles/202...
@peerj.bsky.social
Reposted by M. Brent Hawkins
The talks (in english) can be accessed from the @college-de-france.fr website. A great journey through ‘Our ancestors the fish’, from 380 Mio years ago to their hidden presence inside ourselves. Lessons #1 and #2 👇🏼
www.college-de-france.fr/en/agenda/gu...
www.college-de-france.fr/en/agenda/gu...
www.college-de-france.fr/en/agenda/gu...
www.college-de-france.fr/en/agenda/gu...
Neil Shubin (1) | Collège de France
www.college-de-france.fr
November 7, 2025 at 3:49 PM
The talks (in english) can be accessed from the @college-de-france.fr website. A great journey through ‘Our ancestors the fish’, from 380 Mio years ago to their hidden presence inside ourselves. Lessons #1 and #2 👇🏼
www.college-de-france.fr/en/agenda/gu...
www.college-de-france.fr/en/agenda/gu...
www.college-de-france.fr/en/agenda/gu...
www.college-de-france.fr/en/agenda/gu...
Reposted by M. Brent Hawkins
Pretty stoked that our article got the cover of the latest issue of @journalofanatomy.bsky.social!
Check it out here: doi.org/10.1111/joa....
Check it out here: doi.org/10.1111/joa....
November 5, 2025 at 7:09 PM
Pretty stoked that our article got the cover of the latest issue of @journalofanatomy.bsky.social!
Check it out here: doi.org/10.1111/joa....
Check it out here: doi.org/10.1111/joa....
Extremely cool to see very different systems potentially point to similar genetic constraints or developmental biases leading to morphological variation. Now we need a fish example!
Look at those tail crescendos!! Another amazing example of disproportionate elongation of mid-tail vertebrae, and they note it is distal to the more functionally-constrained proximal tail.
The November cover of Genome Biology and Evolution features @raularayadonoso.bsky.social @kenrokusumi.bsky.social @anthonygeneva.bsky.social et al., who studied how structural rearrangements and selection promote phenotypic evolution in Anolis.
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/gbe/evaf196
#genome #evolution
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/gbe/evaf196
#genome #evolution
November 4, 2025 at 6:39 PM
Extremely cool to see very different systems potentially point to similar genetic constraints or developmental biases leading to morphological variation. Now we need a fish example!
Reposted by M. Brent Hawkins
How do four-eyed fish see above & underwater? 🌤️🌊 Our new preprint reveals how Anableps rewired its retina for dual vision- evolution at work 👁️👁️ Kudos to @perezlouise.bsky.social @josanesousa.bsky.social @keylapruett.bsky.social + team!
🔗 tinyurl.com/3a8r9xy5
🔗 tinyurl.com/3a8r9xy5
November 4, 2025 at 3:56 PM
How do four-eyed fish see above & underwater? 🌤️🌊 Our new preprint reveals how Anableps rewired its retina for dual vision- evolution at work 👁️👁️ Kudos to @perezlouise.bsky.social @josanesousa.bsky.social @keylapruett.bsky.social + team!
🔗 tinyurl.com/3a8r9xy5
🔗 tinyurl.com/3a8r9xy5
Reposted by M. Brent Hawkins
Happy to have contributed to this big story. We present new genome assemblies, genus-wide complementation and allele-specific expression analyses in hybrids between zebrafish and closely related Danio species with divergent pigment patterns. A vertebrate model genus for basic comparative biology.
October 20, 2025 at 2:21 AM
Happy to have contributed to this big story. We present new genome assemblies, genus-wide complementation and allele-specific expression analyses in hybrids between zebrafish and closely related Danio species with divergent pigment patterns. A vertebrate model genus for basic comparative biology.
Reposted by M. Brent Hawkins
Hey Regen folks 👋 Excited to share that our single-nucleus RNA-seq dataset for Polypterus fin regeneration is now live at the Broad Institute portal! Dive in here: tinyurl.com/5bck22jx
Big thanks to the team for making this happen—looking forward to seeing what you all discover!
Big thanks to the team for making this happen—looking forward to seeing what you all discover!
October 14, 2025 at 5:08 PM
Hey Regen folks 👋 Excited to share that our single-nucleus RNA-seq dataset for Polypterus fin regeneration is now live at the Broad Institute portal! Dive in here: tinyurl.com/5bck22jx
Big thanks to the team for making this happen—looking forward to seeing what you all discover!
Big thanks to the team for making this happen—looking forward to seeing what you all discover!
The regulation and evolution of proportion is a classic challenge in biology. This is exciting work into the genetic and developmental basis of proportionality using a very cool model. Congrats Ceri! 👏🧪🧬🐭
Vertebral skeletal diversity in mammals is remarkable. How do the differences between vertebral size and shape develop and evolve? See how we tackled this question in our paper published in @natcomms.nature.com today!
October 14, 2025 at 3:10 PM
The regulation and evolution of proportion is a classic challenge in biology. This is exciting work into the genetic and developmental basis of proportionality using a very cool model. Congrats Ceri! 👏🧪🧬🐭
Reposted by M. Brent Hawkins
Vertebral skeletal diversity in mammals is remarkable. How do the differences between vertebral size and shape develop and evolve? See how we tackled this question in our paper published in @natcomms.nature.com today!
October 10, 2025 at 6:46 PM
Vertebral skeletal diversity in mammals is remarkable. How do the differences between vertebral size and shape develop and evolve? See how we tackled this question in our paper published in @natcomms.nature.com today!
Reposted by M. Brent Hawkins
Tomorrow wednesday October 15th at 11am, first seminar of @neilshubin.bsky.social , guest Professor @college-de-france.fr on ‘The history we share with fish’. Come, have a seat and enjoy learning where we come from. Free knowledge, no registration🤘
October 14, 2025 at 7:43 AM
Tomorrow wednesday October 15th at 11am, first seminar of @neilshubin.bsky.social , guest Professor @college-de-france.fr on ‘The history we share with fish’. Come, have a seat and enjoy learning where we come from. Free knowledge, no registration🤘
Reposted by M. Brent Hawkins
🚨 🚨 Science alert on a #FluorescenceFriday; check my latest paper published in @genetics-gsa.bsky.social where I integrated comparative tissue-specific transcriptomics and speciation genomics to discover two novel craniofacial genes behind pupfish extreme jaw development! tinyurl.com/craniofacial...
October 10, 2025 at 8:06 PM
🚨 🚨 Science alert on a #FluorescenceFriday; check my latest paper published in @genetics-gsa.bsky.social where I integrated comparative tissue-specific transcriptomics and speciation genomics to discover two novel craniofacial genes behind pupfish extreme jaw development! tinyurl.com/craniofacial...
This is Hilma af Klint coded Esoteric Knowledge
October 10, 2025 at 1:38 AM
This is Hilma af Klint coded Esoteric Knowledge
Reposted by M. Brent Hawkins
Hello #fish 🐟 🐠 researchers and PIs of tomorrow! We would be excited to sponsor you for an Ecology, Evolution and Behavior (EEB) Presidential #Postdoc Fellowship application @michiganstateu.bsky.social. Application deadline is Nov 10, so get in touch soom!
#EndlessFishMostBeautiful
#EndlessFishMostBeautiful
September 27, 2025 at 6:51 PM
Hello #fish 🐟 🐠 researchers and PIs of tomorrow! We would be excited to sponsor you for an Ecology, Evolution and Behavior (EEB) Presidential #Postdoc Fellowship application @michiganstateu.bsky.social. Application deadline is Nov 10, so get in touch soom!
#EndlessFishMostBeautiful
#EndlessFishMostBeautiful
Reposted by M. Brent Hawkins
transport yourself to the late 90s with this really cool paper on digit number regulation by Shh and BMP, ZPA and AER. www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Dual Bmp-negative feedback loops modulate function of both AER and ZPA to buffer and constrain postaxial digit number | PNAS
Several lines of evidence indicate that posterior (postaxial) digit number in tetrapod
vertebrates is constrained to the pentadactyl state by inter...
www.pnas.org
September 26, 2025 at 6:54 PM
transport yourself to the late 90s with this really cool paper on digit number regulation by Shh and BMP, ZPA and AER. www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
It is beautiful 🥲
"Fishman", proposal for a journal cover.
Commissioned by MY Dennis' lab @mydennis.bsky.social for a study focused on identifying human-specific gene duplications and their role in brain evolution using genomics and zebrafish as model. @dcsoto.bsky.social
#art #digitalart #sciart #fish
Commissioned by MY Dennis' lab @mydennis.bsky.social for a study focused on identifying human-specific gene duplications and their role in brain evolution using genomics and zebrafish as model. @dcsoto.bsky.social
#art #digitalart #sciart #fish
September 25, 2025 at 10:43 PM
It is beautiful 🥲
Reposted by M. Brent Hawkins
We will be taking phD students this round!! Apply to our @mpi-cbg.de phD programme and #growwithus
Our call for PhD students within our International Max Planck Research School for Cell, Developmental and Systems Biology is open! Apply until October 28th. We are looking forward hearing from you! imprs.mpi-cbg.de
September 25, 2025 at 6:56 PM
We will be taking phD students this round!! Apply to our @mpi-cbg.de phD programme and #growwithus
Reposted by M. Brent Hawkins
My favourite figure from our new paper on lateral line development in Sterlet sturgeon (doi.org/10.7554/eLif...). In this one, we use targeted gene knockout and show that in (mosaic) absence of FoxG1, ectopic electroreceptors develop instead of mechanosensory hair cells!
#fishsci #evo-devo #CRISPR
#fishsci #evo-devo #CRISPR
September 25, 2025 at 10:38 AM
My favourite figure from our new paper on lateral line development in Sterlet sturgeon (doi.org/10.7554/eLif...). In this one, we use targeted gene knockout and show that in (mosaic) absence of FoxG1, ectopic electroreceptors develop instead of mechanosensory hair cells!
#fishsci #evo-devo #CRISPR
#fishsci #evo-devo #CRISPR
Reposted by M. Brent Hawkins
The paper: the genetic program that enables digit formation in limbs is derived from the system that drives cformation of the cloaca.
Me, the headline writer:
Me, the headline writer:
September 18, 2025 at 4:45 PM
The paper: the genetic program that enables digit formation in limbs is derived from the system that drives cformation of the cloaca.
Me, the headline writer:
Me, the headline writer:
Reposted by M. Brent Hawkins
Reposted by M. Brent Hawkins
How Did Hands Evolve? The Answer Is Behind You. (My story of some surprising evo-devo!) nyti.ms/42Cg8xH
September 17, 2025 at 9:21 PM
How Did Hands Evolve? The Answer Is Behind You. (My story of some surprising evo-devo!) nyti.ms/42Cg8xH
Reposted by M. Brent Hawkins
Congrats to Aurelie Hinterman aurhin.bsky.social, Chase Bolt chasebolt.bsky.social, and Brent Hawkins @homeobox.bsky.social!
Coverage in NYTimes by @carlzimmer.com: www.nytimes.com/2025/09/17/s...
Coverage in NYTimes by @carlzimmer.com: www.nytimes.com/2025/09/17/s...
September 17, 2025 at 5:35 PM
Congrats to Aurelie Hinterman aurhin.bsky.social, Chase Bolt chasebolt.bsky.social, and Brent Hawkins @homeobox.bsky.social!
Coverage in NYTimes by @carlzimmer.com: www.nytimes.com/2025/09/17/s...
Coverage in NYTimes by @carlzimmer.com: www.nytimes.com/2025/09/17/s...
Reposted by M. Brent Hawkins
Our work exploring a new explanation for the regulation of Hoxd genes and the #fin-to-limb transition. 🧪
It was an absolute joy working on this w/ @aurhin.bsky.social and @homeobox.bsky.social @denisduboule.bsky.social @neilshubin.bsky.social
#evo-devo #InHoxWeTrust
It was an absolute joy working on this w/ @aurhin.bsky.social and @homeobox.bsky.social @denisduboule.bsky.social @neilshubin.bsky.social
#evo-devo #InHoxWeTrust
How Did Hands Evolve? The Answer Is Behind You.
www.nytimes.com
September 17, 2025 at 5:31 PM
Our work exploring a new explanation for the regulation of Hoxd genes and the #fin-to-limb transition. 🧪
It was an absolute joy working on this w/ @aurhin.bsky.social and @homeobox.bsky.social @denisduboule.bsky.social @neilshubin.bsky.social
#evo-devo #InHoxWeTrust
It was an absolute joy working on this w/ @aurhin.bsky.social and @homeobox.bsky.social @denisduboule.bsky.social @neilshubin.bsky.social
#evo-devo #InHoxWeTrust
Reposted by M. Brent Hawkins
Out today. 🙏 again to everyone for this wonderful piece of work, in particular to Aurelie @aurhin.bsky.social Chase @chasebolt.bsky.social and Brent @homeobox.bsky.social. 🙏 also to the Harris lab @fish4walking.bsky.social and @neilshubin.bsky.social @biology-unige.bsky.social @college-de-france.fr
September 17, 2025 at 5:30 PM
Out today. 🙏 again to everyone for this wonderful piece of work, in particular to Aurelie @aurhin.bsky.social Chase @chasebolt.bsky.social and Brent @homeobox.bsky.social. 🙏 also to the Harris lab @fish4walking.bsky.social and @neilshubin.bsky.social @biology-unige.bsky.social @college-de-france.fr
Reposted by M. Brent Hawkins
Are digits modified fins, or evolutionary innovations? Read how we tackled this old question from a new angle🧪
A story with @chasebolt.bsky.social, @homeobox.bsky.social and myself, coordinated by @denisduboule.bsky.social from @college-de-france.fr and published in @nature.com today!
#InHoxWeTrust
A story with @chasebolt.bsky.social, @homeobox.bsky.social and myself, coordinated by @denisduboule.bsky.social from @college-de-france.fr and published in @nature.com today!
#InHoxWeTrust
September 17, 2025 at 5:26 PM
Are digits modified fins, or evolutionary innovations? Read how we tackled this old question from a new angle🧪
A story with @chasebolt.bsky.social, @homeobox.bsky.social and myself, coordinated by @denisduboule.bsky.social from @college-de-france.fr and published in @nature.com today!
#InHoxWeTrust
A story with @chasebolt.bsky.social, @homeobox.bsky.social and myself, coordinated by @denisduboule.bsky.social from @college-de-france.fr and published in @nature.com today!
#InHoxWeTrust
Last Friday I was hosted by @phernandez.bsky.social @evolvwing.bsky.social to give departmental seminar at GWU Biology. Exciting to hear about the great evo-devo being done there by wonderful people in a beautiful city. And future collaborations!Thank you for having me!
September 15, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Last Friday I was hosted by @phernandez.bsky.social @evolvwing.bsky.social to give departmental seminar at GWU Biology. Exciting to hear about the great evo-devo being done there by wonderful people in a beautiful city. And future collaborations!Thank you for having me!