Jeff Mold
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jeffmold.bsky.social
Jeff Mold
@jeffmold.bsky.social
1.5K followers 2.3K following 1.1K posts
American/Swedish Biomedical Scientist studying immunology and cancer. My favorite cell atlases say “here be dragons” on the UMAPs. @karolinska institute

https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=_owb98cAAAAJ&view_op=list_works&sortby=pubdate
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jeffmold.bsky.social
Jeff Mold @jeffmold.bsky.social · Nov 15
My policy on this app is to follow as many scientists as possible. I want a robust, highly varied network of people to discuss all biological research. Especially students
jeffmold.bsky.social
Does it induce oral tolerance?!? What class of antibodies. So many questions
scinews.bsky.social Science News @scinews.bsky.social · 23h
After drinking five liters of the beer, their bodies really did produce antibodies that could help fight illness.

www.sciencenews.org/article/vacc...
December 28, 2025 at 3:29 PM
jeffmold.bsky.social
@bsky.app I wouldn’t mind if less of my content was people tagging stupid posts on Twitter and complaining about them. I left that app for a reason… re: the idiot dog poster
December 27, 2025 at 1:11 PM
Reposted by Jeff Mold
aemonten.bsky.social
"A mathematical model is a logical machine for converting assumptions into conclusions. If the model is correct and we believe its assumptions then we must, as a matter of logic, believe its conclusions. "

link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Models in biology: ‘accurate descriptions of our pathetic thinking’ - BMC Biology
In this essay I will sketch some ideas for how to think about models in biology. I will begin by trying to dispel the myth that quantitative modeling is somehow foreign to biology. I will then point o...
link.springer.com
December 26, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Reposted by Jeff Mold
cp-cell.bsky.social
Now online! Mapping cellular targets of covalent cancer drugs in the entire mammalian body
Mapping cellular targets of covalent cancer drugs in the entire mammalian body
vCATCH is a volumetric tissue labeling technique enabling cellular-resolution mapping of covalent drug targets throughout the entire mammalian body.
dlvr.it
December 22, 2025 at 3:59 PM
Reposted by Jeff Mold
hansonmark.bsky.social
We wrote the Strain on scientific publishing to highlight the problems of time & trust. With a fantastic group of co-authors, we present The Drain of Scientific Publishing:

a 🧵 1/n

Drain: arxiv.org/abs/2511.04820
Strain: direct.mit.edu/qss/article/...
Oligopoly: direct.mit.edu/qss/article/...
A table showing profit margins of major publishers. A snippet of text related to this table is below. 1. The four-fold drain 1.1 Money Currently, academic publishing is dominated by profit-oriented, multinational companies for whom scientific knowledge is a commodity to be sold back to the academic community who created it. The dominant four are Elsevier, Springer Nature, Wiley and Taylor & Francis, which collectively generated over US$7.1 billion in revenue from journal publishing in 2024 alone, and over US$12 billion in profits between 2019 and 2024 (Table 1A). Their profit margins have always been over 30% in the last five years, and for the largest publisher (Elsevier) always over 37%. Against many comparators, across many sectors, scientific publishing is one of the most consistently profitable industries (Table S1). These financial arrangements make a substantial difference to science budgets. In 2024, 46% of Elsevier revenues and 53% of Taylor & Francis revenues were generated in North America, meaning that North American researchers were charged over US$2.27 billion by just two for-profit publishers. The Canadian research councils and the US National Science Foundation were allocated US$9.3 billion in that year. A figure detailing the drain on researcher time. 1. The four-fold drain 1.2 Time The number of papers published each year is growing faster than the scientific workforce, with the number of papers per researcher almost doubling between 1996 and 2022 (Figure 1A). This reflects the fact that publishers’ commercial desire to publish (sell) more material has aligned well with the competitive prestige culture in which publications help secure jobs, grants, promotions, and awards. To the extent that this growth is driven by a pressure for profit, rather than scholarly imperatives, it distorts the way researchers spend their time. The publishing system depends on unpaid reviewer labour, estimated to be over 130 million unpaid hours annually in 2020 alone (9). Researchers have complained about the demands of peer-review for decades, but the scale of the problem is now worse, with editors reporting widespread difficulties recruiting reviewers. The growth in publications involves not only the authors’ time, but that of academic editors and reviewers who are dealing with so many review demands. Even more seriously, the imperative to produce ever more articles reshapes the nature of scientific inquiry. Evidence across multiple fields shows that more papers result in ‘ossification’, not new ideas (10). It may seem paradoxical that more papers can slow progress until one considers how it affects researchers’ time. While rewards remain tied to volume, prestige, and impact of publications, researchers will be nudged away from riskier, local, interdisciplinary, and long-term work. The result is a treadmill of constant activity with limited progress whereas core scholarly practices – such as reading, reflecting and engaging with others’ contributions – is de-prioritized. What looks like productivity often masks intellectual exhaustion built on a demoralizing, narrowing scientific vision. A table of profit margins across industries. The section of text related to this table is below: 1. The four-fold drain 1.1 Money Currently, academic publishing is dominated by profit-oriented, multinational companies for whom scientific knowledge is a commodity to be sold back to the academic community who created it. The dominant four are Elsevier, Springer Nature, Wiley and Taylor & Francis, which collectively generated over US$7.1 billion in revenue from journal publishing in 2024 alone, and over US$12 billion in profits between 2019 and 2024 (Table 1A). Their profit margins have always been over 30% in the last five years, and for the largest publisher (Elsevier) always over 37%. Against many comparators, across many sectors, scientific publishing is one of the most consistently profitable industries (Table S1). These financial arrangements make a substantial difference to science budgets. In 2024, 46% of Elsevier revenues and 53% of Taylor & Francis revenues were generated in North America, meaning that North American researchers were charged over US$2.27 billion by just two for-profit publishers. The Canadian research councils and the US National Science Foundation were allocated US$9.3 billion in that year. The costs of inaction are plain: wasted public funds, lost researcher time, compromised scientific integrity and eroded public trust. Today, the system rewards commercial publishers first, and science second. Without bold action from the funders we risk continuing to pour resources into a system that prioritizes profit over the advancement of scientific knowledge.
November 11, 2025 at 11:52 AM
jeffmold.bsky.social
Kändi?! 😂😅
December 20, 2025 at 2:42 PM
Reposted by Jeff Mold
prakashlab.bsky.social
(1/n) What if you never had to make your bed? What if your laundry could fold itself? Folding is everywhere around us - but did you know that folding flat sheets are at the ❤️ of diversity of shapes in the animal world - since 500 million years ago. Our latest work: www.youtube.com/watch?v=nudC...
Self-folding laundry
YouTube video by PrakashLab
www.youtube.com
December 19, 2025 at 7:47 AM
jeffmold.bsky.social
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
High-throughput single cell omics using semipermeable capsules
Biological systems are inherently complex and heterogeneous. Deciphering this complexity increasingly relies on high-throughput single-cell omics methods and tools that efficiently probe the cellular ...
www.science.org
December 18, 2025 at 9:20 PM
jeffmold.bsky.social
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
AQP5: A functional gastric cancer stem cell marker in mouse and human tumors
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) represent a self-renewing population capable of fueling long-term tumor growth. In gastric cancer, the identity of CSC populations remains unclear. In this study, we establish...
www.science.org
December 18, 2025 at 9:19 PM
Reposted by Jeff Mold
the-node.bsky.social
For our November in #preprints, check out special picks from the list highlighted by preLighters @prelights.bsky.social with expertise across #DevBio and #StemCell biology. Find out why these preLighters are particularly excited about these preprints. ⬇️

thenode.biologists.com/prelighters-...
December 12, 2025 at 11:54 AM
Reposted by Jeff Mold
carlbergstrom.com
Nature would do well to publish more content like this thoughtful piece from @kevinbaker.bsky.social and fewer Buzzfeed listicles gussied up as career advice "Five productivity hacks for using AI in your scientific workflow"
Context Widows
or, of GPUs, LPUs, and Goal Displacement
artificialbureaucracy.substack.com
December 15, 2025 at 7:13 PM
Reposted by Jeff Mold
peiferlabunc.bsky.social
To build the body plan of an animal, cells must adhere to one another via cell-cell junctions. We now know these assemble as punctate protein complexes containing thousands of proteins, but how this occurs remains mysterious. 1/n 🧪
www.molbiolcell.org/doi/full/10....
Image of cell junction puncta from https://www.molbiolcell.org/doi/full/10.1091/mbc.E23-03-0077
December 14, 2025 at 2:59 PM
jeffmold.bsky.social
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Chromothripsis and ecDNA initiated by N4BP2 nuclease fragmentation of cytoplasm-exposed chromosomes
Genome instability, including chromothripsis, is a hallmark of cancer. Cancer cells frequently contain micronuclei—small, nucleus-like structures formed by chromosome missegregation—that are susceptib...
www.science.org
December 12, 2025 at 7:57 AM
jeffmold.bsky.social
Oh no... we have a new 'single cell RNAseq reveals...'
December 11, 2025 at 12:03 PM
Reposted by Jeff Mold
marcveld.bsky.social
Viral RNA blocks circularization to evade host codon usage control

Codon usage has a key role in determining gene-expression levels in all organisms that have so far been studied. Yet, viruses seem to avade this. How?

www.nature.com/artic...
1/5
Viral RNA blocks circularization to evade host codon usage control
Nature - Rather than adapting to the codon usage of their host, viruses use viral 5′ untranslated regions to initiate translation, which allows them to produce viral proteins in host cells...
www.nature.com
December 11, 2025 at 9:02 AM
jeffmold.bsky.social
Crazy… edition.cnn.com/2025/12/10/h...
At least 197 children were fathered by sperm donor with cancer-causing gene. Some have already died | CNN
A sperm donor with a rare genetic mutation linked to an increased risk of developing cancer fathered at least 197 children across Europe, some of whom have already died from the disease, according to ...
edition.cnn.com
December 10, 2025 at 9:01 PM
jeffmold.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Uncovering the role of LINE-1 in the evolution of lung adenocarcinoma - Nature
Lung adenocarcinomas bearing the ID2 mutational signature display increased LINE-1 retrotransposon activity, which contributes to their fast evolutionary dynamics and aggressive phenotype.
www.nature.com
December 10, 2025 at 8:59 PM
jeffmold.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Somatic evolution following cancer treatment in normal tissue - Nature
High-depth sequencing of non-cancerous tissue from patients with metastatic cancer reveals single-base mutational signatures of alcohol, smoking and cancer treatments, and reveals how exogenous factor...
www.nature.com
December 10, 2025 at 8:59 PM
Reposted by Jeff Mold
wcratcliff.bsky.social
1/28 New preprint up, which I think is the best theoretical idea I've ever had. We asked a simple question: what are the costs of investment into non-reproductive somatic cells? Turns out these costs decrease with the *logarithm* of organism size!

www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
The fitness costs of reproductive specialization scale inversely with organismal size
The evolution of reproductive specialization represents a fundamental innovation in multicellular life, yet the conditions favoring its evolution remain poorly understood. Here, we develop a populatio...
www.biorxiv.org
December 9, 2025 at 7:44 PM
jeffmold.bsky.social
At least the LLM made up a reference that says using it is bad…
cfiesler.bsky.social Dr. Casey Fiesler @cfiesler.bsky.social · 23d
Let me tell you a story. Perhaps you can guess where this is going... though it does have a bit of a twist.

I was poking around Google Scholar for publications about the relationship between chatbots and wellness. Oh how useful: a systematic literature review! Let's dig into the findings. 🧵
The Psychological Impact of Digital Isolation: How AI-Driven Social Interactions Shape Human Behavior and Mental Well-Being Felix Eling 3697-3705 Apr 30, 2025 Education The Psychological Impact of Digital Isolation: How AI-Driven Social Interactions Shape Human Behavior and Mental Well-Being Felix Eling Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Pharmacy, Gulu College of Health Sciences, Gulu City, Northern Uganda DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2025.90400265 Received: 13 March 2025; Revised: 22 March 2025; Accepted: 25 March 2025; Published: 30 April 2025 ABSTRACT The increasing integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in social interactions has transformed how humans experience companionship, communication, and mental well-being. This review examines the psychological impact of AI-driven social interactions, focusing on virtual assistants, AI chatbots, and digital companions. It explores the benefits, risks, and ethical concerns associated with AI companionship. A systematic review methodology was employed, detailing inclusion criteria, databases searched, and analysis techniques. Findings suggest that while AI can offer emotional relief and support, over-reliance may disrupt real-world social bonding. Ethical concerns such as data privacy, emotional manipulation, and regulatory gaps are highlighted. The study underscores the need for balanced AI integration in human socialization. The study also addresses gaps in previous literature by examining AI’s influence on different demographic groups and cultural contexts.
December 7, 2025 at 10:23 AM
Reposted by Jeff Mold
cfiesler.bsky.social
Let me tell you a story. Perhaps you can guess where this is going... though it does have a bit of a twist.

I was poking around Google Scholar for publications about the relationship between chatbots and wellness. Oh how useful: a systematic literature review! Let's dig into the findings. 🧵
The Psychological Impact of Digital Isolation: How AI-Driven Social Interactions Shape Human Behavior and Mental Well-Being Felix Eling 3697-3705 Apr 30, 2025 Education The Psychological Impact of Digital Isolation: How AI-Driven Social Interactions Shape Human Behavior and Mental Well-Being Felix Eling Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Pharmacy, Gulu College of Health Sciences, Gulu City, Northern Uganda DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2025.90400265 Received: 13 March 2025; Revised: 22 March 2025; Accepted: 25 March 2025; Published: 30 April 2025 ABSTRACT The increasing integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in social interactions has transformed how humans experience companionship, communication, and mental well-being. This review examines the psychological impact of AI-driven social interactions, focusing on virtual assistants, AI chatbots, and digital companions. It explores the benefits, risks, and ethical concerns associated with AI companionship. A systematic review methodology was employed, detailing inclusion criteria, databases searched, and analysis techniques. Findings suggest that while AI can offer emotional relief and support, over-reliance may disrupt real-world social bonding. Ethical concerns such as data privacy, emotional manipulation, and regulatory gaps are highlighted. The study underscores the need for balanced AI integration in human socialization. The study also addresses gaps in previous literature by examining AI’s influence on different demographic groups and cultural contexts.
December 5, 2025 at 10:35 PM
Reposted by Jeff Mold
matttkk.bsky.social
I know it’s like shouting into a hurricane, but this is a sobering read. The grotesque expediency of leaning into “AI” in the climate of “universit[ies] that no longer ask what education is for, only what it can earn.”

www.currentaffairs.org/news/ai-is-d...
AI is Destroying the University and Learning Itself
Students use AI to write papers, professors use AI to grade them, degrees become meaningless, and tech companies make fortunes. Welcome to the death of higher education.
www.currentaffairs.org
December 7, 2025 at 8:59 AM
jeffmold.bsky.social
Sometimes it feels like it’s all methods makers and no methods users…
December 4, 2025 at 3:00 PM
jeffmold.bsky.social
What % of people would rather not have a job at all - I think this is the part of the “AI revolution “ I’m not understanding. The joy of doing no work.
December 4, 2025 at 8:23 AM
jeffmold.bsky.social
Or “how beer affects the microbiome” www.nature.com/articles/s41...
The Microflora Danica atlas of Danish environmental microbiomes - Nature
Microflora Danica—an atlas of Danish environmental microbiomes—reveals that although human-disturbed habitats have high alpha diversity, species reoccur, revealing hidden homogeneity.
www.nature.com
December 3, 2025 at 6:33 PM