James Lloyd 🧬
@jamespblloyd.bsky.social
Synthetic AstroBotatnist. Engineer of synthetic gene circuits in plants. 🇬🇧🇪🇺 now in 🇦🇺. He/They.
Google Scholar: http://shorturl.at/dnHVZ
Compbio blog: badgrammargoodsyntax.com
Google Scholar: http://shorturl.at/dnHVZ
Compbio blog: badgrammargoodsyntax.com
Pinned
James Lloyd 🧬
@jamespblloyd.bsky.social
· Oct 31
CREation of an expanded plant memory gene circuit toolkit
Genetic circuits rely on modular, well-characterized genetic parts to achieve predictable cellular behaviour. Despite their widespread adoption, biological parts are complex and when used in a new mol...
www.biorxiv.org
I am delighted to share our latest work on memory gene circuits for plants. This work was led by the phenomenal PhD student @patrickgong.bsky.social
A lot of debugging & highlights how even simple components in synthetic biology can have unexpected properties.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
A lot of debugging & highlights how even simple components in synthetic biology can have unexpected properties.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by James Lloyd 🧬
Today I made a small but momentous start to work in 2026 by changing a single number.
I renamed the file “Papers to write and submit in 2025” to “Papers to write and submit in 2026”.
Stay tuned for more file updates on 1st January 2027.
I renamed the file “Papers to write and submit in 2025” to “Papers to write and submit in 2026”.
Stay tuned for more file updates on 1st January 2027.
January 1, 2026 at 4:26 PM
Today I made a small but momentous start to work in 2026 by changing a single number.
I renamed the file “Papers to write and submit in 2025” to “Papers to write and submit in 2026”.
Stay tuned for more file updates on 1st January 2027.
I renamed the file “Papers to write and submit in 2025” to “Papers to write and submit in 2026”.
Stay tuned for more file updates on 1st January 2027.
Reposted by James Lloyd 🧬
Reposted by James Lloyd 🧬
If you start a PCR with 30 cycles at 22.13pm in December 31st, it will finish right on time for you to find out you forgot to add the polymerase
December 31, 2025 at 10:47 PM
If you start a PCR with 30 cycles at 22.13pm in December 31st, it will finish right on time for you to find out you forgot to add the polymerase
Reposted by James Lloyd 🧬
Evolution of protein domains and protein domain combinations provides insights into the origin and diversification of land plants www.cell.com/cell-genomic...
December 31, 2025 at 9:09 AM
Evolution of protein domains and protein domain combinations provides insights into the origin and diversification of land plants www.cell.com/cell-genomic...
It was so cool attending the meeting that led to this Viewpoint article and the getting to be a part of the amazing community of co-authors.
Plant Science Research Weekly -- Viewpoint. Green life beyond Earth: frontiers of space plant biology (New Phytologist) @plantimager.bsky.social @ionplants.bsky.social (Summary by Ching Chan) buff.ly/NBz0OeI
#PlantaePSRW
#PlantaePSRW
Viewpoint. Green life beyond Earth: Frontiers of space plant biology | Plantae
Plants are the quiet architects of life on Earth, sustaining the ecosystem through their ability to capture energy, cycle nutrients, and adapt to extreme environments.
buff.ly
December 30, 2025 at 2:56 PM
It was so cool attending the meeting that led to this Viewpoint article and the getting to be a part of the amazing community of co-authors.
Reposted by James Lloyd 🧬
Plant Science Research Weekly -- Viewpoint. Green life beyond Earth: frontiers of space plant biology (New Phytologist) @plantimager.bsky.social @ionplants.bsky.social (Summary by Ching Chan) buff.ly/NBz0OeI
#PlantaePSRW
#PlantaePSRW
Viewpoint. Green life beyond Earth: Frontiers of space plant biology | Plantae
Plants are the quiet architects of life on Earth, sustaining the ecosystem through their ability to capture energy, cycle nutrients, and adapt to extreme environments.
buff.ly
December 30, 2025 at 2:15 PM
Plant Science Research Weekly -- Viewpoint. Green life beyond Earth: frontiers of space plant biology (New Phytologist) @plantimager.bsky.social @ionplants.bsky.social (Summary by Ching Chan) buff.ly/NBz0OeI
#PlantaePSRW
#PlantaePSRW
Reposted by James Lloyd 🧬
Genome editing of goldenberry ERECTA for crop ideotype. Congrats, Zach Lippman, Joyce Van Eck & the team! "Engineering compact Physalis peruviana to promote its potential as a global crop". ERECTA rock😉
nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Engineering compact Physalis peruviana (goldenberry) to promote its potential as a global crop
Goldenberry (Physalis peruviana) produces sweet, nutritionally rich berries, yet like many minor crops, is cultivated in limited geographical regions and has not been a focus of breeding programs for...
nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
December 25, 2025 at 3:56 PM
Genome editing of goldenberry ERECTA for crop ideotype. Congrats, Zach Lippman, Joyce Van Eck & the team! "Engineering compact Physalis peruviana to promote its potential as a global crop". ERECTA rock😉
nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Reposted by James Lloyd 🧬
Check out our improved preprint:
Functional Characterization of Target of Rapamycin (#TOR) Signalling in #Physcomitrella
with more results, e.g. a phylogenetic analysis of #RAPTOR genes.
Happy to see that this preprint already received 2 citations.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Functional Characterization of Target of Rapamycin (#TOR) Signalling in #Physcomitrella
with more results, e.g. a phylogenetic analysis of #RAPTOR genes.
Happy to see that this preprint already received 2 citations.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Functional Characterization of Target of Rapamycin (TOR) Signalling in Physcomitrella
Target of rapamycin (TOR) is a conserved protein kinase and an important signalling hub in eukaryotes. The moss Physcomitrella (Physcomitrium patens) is a model organism for plant physiology, developm...
www.biorxiv.org
December 22, 2025 at 8:45 AM
Check out our improved preprint:
Functional Characterization of Target of Rapamycin (#TOR) Signalling in #Physcomitrella
with more results, e.g. a phylogenetic analysis of #RAPTOR genes.
Happy to see that this preprint already received 2 citations.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Functional Characterization of Target of Rapamycin (#TOR) Signalling in #Physcomitrella
with more results, e.g. a phylogenetic analysis of #RAPTOR genes.
Happy to see that this preprint already received 2 citations.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by James Lloyd 🧬
🌱 Welcome to the official Bluesky channel for #PlantBio2026!
Join us as we count down to the premier global plant science meeting, July 18–22, 2026 in Ottawa, Canada, hosted by @aspbofficial.bsky.social and @cspbscbv.bsky.social.
This is where plant science grows. 🌿
#PlantScience
Join us as we count down to the premier global plant science meeting, July 18–22, 2026 in Ottawa, Canada, hosted by @aspbofficial.bsky.social and @cspbscbv.bsky.social.
This is where plant science grows. 🌿
#PlantScience
October 2, 2025 at 10:15 AM
🌱 Welcome to the official Bluesky channel for #PlantBio2026!
Join us as we count down to the premier global plant science meeting, July 18–22, 2026 in Ottawa, Canada, hosted by @aspbofficial.bsky.social and @cspbscbv.bsky.social.
This is where plant science grows. 🌿
#PlantScience
Join us as we count down to the premier global plant science meeting, July 18–22, 2026 in Ottawa, Canada, hosted by @aspbofficial.bsky.social and @cspbscbv.bsky.social.
This is where plant science grows. 🌿
#PlantScience
Non-seed plant research in the spotlight
by @fromani.bsky.social
journals.biologists.com/bio/article/...
by @fromani.bsky.social
journals.biologists.com/bio/article/...
Non-seed plant research in the spotlight
Summary: With non-seed plant research gaining momentum and a vibrant community emerging, this Meeting Review highlights the growing impact of diverse model systems on key questions in plant evolution.
journals.biologists.com
December 15, 2025 at 2:42 PM
Non-seed plant research in the spotlight
by @fromani.bsky.social
journals.biologists.com/bio/article/...
by @fromani.bsky.social
journals.biologists.com/bio/article/...
Reposted by James Lloyd 🧬
The NTEU stands with Jewish Australians as they grieve this devastating and targeted act of violence.
Violence, hatred and antisemitism have no place in our society. We stand in solidarity, care, and shared humanity.
Violence, hatred and antisemitism have no place in our society. We stand in solidarity, care, and shared humanity.
December 14, 2025 at 10:34 PM
The NTEU stands with Jewish Australians as they grieve this devastating and targeted act of violence.
Violence, hatred and antisemitism have no place in our society. We stand in solidarity, care, and shared humanity.
Violence, hatred and antisemitism have no place in our society. We stand in solidarity, care, and shared humanity.
Reposted by James Lloyd 🧬
@jimfouracre.bsky.social discusses vegetative phase change and the ancestral role of miR156 #nonseedUK25
December 12, 2025 at 11:38 AM
@jimfouracre.bsky.social discusses vegetative phase change and the ancestral role of miR156 #nonseedUK25
Reposted by James Lloyd 🧬
Thanks to everyone who came along to the #nonseedUK25 meeting. Another fantastic day of non-seed science. Thanks to @philcarella.bsky.social and Kayla Robinson for looking after us all so well 👍
December 13, 2025 at 8:42 AM
Thanks to everyone who came along to the #nonseedUK25 meeting. Another fantastic day of non-seed science. Thanks to @philcarella.bsky.social and Kayla Robinson for looking after us all so well 👍
Reposted by James Lloyd 🧬
Happy to share my lab’s first venture into the world of wheat from an enjoyable collaboration with Chris Burt at RAGT Seeds and Keith Edwards. My team members Katie Jeal and Sophie Carpenter did a terrific job of the bioinformatics and starting the lab work. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1...
Phylogeny, chromosomal mapping and expression analyses of wheat CLAVATA pathway components suggest differential selection on receptor‐like kinases, CLEs and T3 WOXes
The Arabidopsis CLAVATA pathway regulates shoot apex and fruit size, and disrupting CLAVATA function has led to yield improvement in crops. Despite its central position in agriculture, the potential ...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
December 12, 2025 at 11:45 AM
Happy to share my lab’s first venture into the world of wheat from an enjoyable collaboration with Chris Burt at RAGT Seeds and Keith Edwards. My team members Katie Jeal and Sophie Carpenter did a terrific job of the bioinformatics and starting the lab work. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1...
Reposted by James Lloyd 🧬
Microbial eukaryotes keep challenging assumptions about eukaryotic cell and genome biology.
Our upcoming workshop explores the frontier of protist genomics and how it shapes cell biology, ecology and evolution.
Please save the date! Talks, posters and ECR events
Websites and details coming soon
Our upcoming workshop explores the frontier of protist genomics and how it shapes cell biology, ecology and evolution.
Please save the date! Talks, posters and ECR events
Websites and details coming soon
December 13, 2025 at 10:19 AM
Microbial eukaryotes keep challenging assumptions about eukaryotic cell and genome biology.
Our upcoming workshop explores the frontier of protist genomics and how it shapes cell biology, ecology and evolution.
Please save the date! Talks, posters and ECR events
Websites and details coming soon
Our upcoming workshop explores the frontier of protist genomics and how it shapes cell biology, ecology and evolution.
Please save the date! Talks, posters and ECR events
Websites and details coming soon
Reposted by James Lloyd 🧬
Latest issue of curated #engineeredlivingmaterials feed:
biomed.news/bims-enlima/... #ELMs
via @biomednews.bsky.social #livingmaterials
includes research on: synthetic cells, ELMs design principles, muscle-powered robots, & more 🧪
biomed.news/bims-enlima/... #ELMs
via @biomednews.bsky.social #livingmaterials
includes research on: synthetic cells, ELMs design principles, muscle-powered robots, & more 🧪
Synthetic cells by the numbers
Mathematical biosciences; Experimental models in systems biology; Synthetic biology
www.cell.com
December 7, 2025 at 10:35 AM
Latest issue of curated #engineeredlivingmaterials feed:
biomed.news/bims-enlima/... #ELMs
via @biomednews.bsky.social #livingmaterials
includes research on: synthetic cells, ELMs design principles, muscle-powered robots, & more 🧪
biomed.news/bims-enlima/... #ELMs
via @biomednews.bsky.social #livingmaterials
includes research on: synthetic cells, ELMs design principles, muscle-powered robots, & more 🧪
Reposted by James Lloyd 🧬
Interesting study suggesting that nucleus, cytoskeleton, and endomembranes preceded acquisition of mitochondria, during eukaryogenesis www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Dated gene duplications elucidate the evolutionary assembly of eukaryotes - Nature
Analysis of eukaryotic gene sequences using a relaxed molecular clock methodology indicate that eukaryotes emerged 3.0–2.25 billion years ago as a result of mitochondrial endosymbiosis with complex ar...
www.nature.com
December 4, 2025 at 6:30 PM
Interesting study suggesting that nucleus, cytoskeleton, and endomembranes preceded acquisition of mitochondria, during eukaryogenesis www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by James Lloyd 🧬
Reposted by James Lloyd 🧬
We are really proud to announce the publication of our paper 'Angle dependence as a unifying feature of root graviresponse modules' in collaboration with @universityofleeds.bsky.social @ohiowesleyanuniversity @ista www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/... @suruchiroy.bsky.social @pnas.org
Angle dependence as a unifying feature of root graviresponse modules | PNAS
Gravitropism, the patterning of postembryonic growth in relation to the gravity vector,
allows plants to optimize the use of limited and nonhomogen...
www.pnas.org
November 26, 2025 at 4:25 PM
We are really proud to announce the publication of our paper 'Angle dependence as a unifying feature of root graviresponse modules' in collaboration with @universityofleeds.bsky.social @ohiowesleyanuniversity @ista www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/... @suruchiroy.bsky.social @pnas.org
Reposted by James Lloyd 🧬
KDM7-mediated oxygen sensing reprograms chromatin to enhance hypoxia tolerance in the root https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.24.690241v1
November 27, 2025 at 3:01 AM
KDM7-mediated oxygen sensing reprograms chromatin to enhance hypoxia tolerance in the root https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.24.690241v1
Reposted by James Lloyd 🧬
Very proud to have our latest work now online in
@natsmb.nature.com. A wonderful team effort across the centromere community, across @jansenlab.bsky.social @naltemose.bsky.social @dfachinetti.bsky.social and Giunta labs. Happy reading! 1/4
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
@natsmb.nature.com. A wonderful team effort across the centromere community, across @jansenlab.bsky.social @naltemose.bsky.social @dfachinetti.bsky.social and Giunta labs. Happy reading! 1/4
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Heterochromatin boundaries maintain centromere position, size and number - Nature Structural & Molecular Biology
Carty et al. identify the H3K9 methyltransferases that restrict the size and position of the centromere protein A chromatin domain, maintaining functional centromeres.
www.nature.com
November 27, 2025 at 9:58 PM
Very proud to have our latest work now online in
@natsmb.nature.com. A wonderful team effort across the centromere community, across @jansenlab.bsky.social @naltemose.bsky.social @dfachinetti.bsky.social and Giunta labs. Happy reading! 1/4
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
@natsmb.nature.com. A wonderful team effort across the centromere community, across @jansenlab.bsky.social @naltemose.bsky.social @dfachinetti.bsky.social and Giunta labs. Happy reading! 1/4
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by James Lloyd 🧬
Fun new preprint from the lab, headed up by two incredible undergraduate researchers: Using Experimental Evolution to Correct Mother-Daughter Separation Defects in Brewing Yeast. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Using Experimental Evolution to Correct Mother-Daughter Separation Defects in Brewing Yeast
The budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, is the workhorse of the brewing industry. Brewers have domesticated a vast array of different strains with traits that complement the beers they wish to br...
www.biorxiv.org
November 26, 2025 at 8:18 PM
Fun new preprint from the lab, headed up by two incredible undergraduate researchers: Using Experimental Evolution to Correct Mother-Daughter Separation Defects in Brewing Yeast. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by James Lloyd 🧬
It's not just because @torstenseemann.bsky.social is a bioinformatics legend but this may be my favourite #abacbs2025 poster because I'm a #trek tragic 🖖
November 26, 2025 at 12:34 AM
It's not just because @torstenseemann.bsky.social is a bioinformatics legend but this may be my favourite #abacbs2025 poster because I'm a #trek tragic 🖖
Reposted by James Lloyd 🧬
ARC are considering a restructure in which jobs there will be lost, a source tells me.
This seems ridiculous when they're about to completely overhaul the entire grants system – they've never undertaken anything so large before!
I've long said ARC needs MANY MORE staff, & should do more, not less.
This seems ridiculous when they're about to completely overhaul the entire grants system – they've never undertaken anything so large before!
I've long said ARC needs MANY MORE staff, & should do more, not less.
November 25, 2025 at 10:26 PM
ARC are considering a restructure in which jobs there will be lost, a source tells me.
This seems ridiculous when they're about to completely overhaul the entire grants system – they've never undertaken anything so large before!
I've long said ARC needs MANY MORE staff, & should do more, not less.
This seems ridiculous when they're about to completely overhaul the entire grants system – they've never undertaken anything so large before!
I've long said ARC needs MANY MORE staff, & should do more, not less.
Reposted by James Lloyd 🧬
Photosynthetic sea slugs can decapitate themselves & regenerate whole body from the detached head (without the heart or guts), while the shed body do not regenerate. The process takes ~2-3 weeks. A new model for regeneration?
From: www.cell.com/current-biol...
From: www.cell.com/current-biol...
Extreme autotomy and whole-body regeneration in photosynthetic sea slugs
Autotomy, the voluntary shedding of a body part, is common among animals. Mitoh and
Yusa report an extreme case of autotomy with the shedding of the main body, including
the whole heart, and subsequen...
www.cell.com
November 22, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Photosynthetic sea slugs can decapitate themselves & regenerate whole body from the detached head (without the heart or guts), while the shed body do not regenerate. The process takes ~2-3 weeks. A new model for regeneration?
From: www.cell.com/current-biol...
From: www.cell.com/current-biol...