John Hodge
@jghodge.bsky.social
Post-doc at UIUC studying stomatal patterning. Botanist by training with interests broadly in evo-devo, mechanistic modeling, and genetics, particularly in relation to grasses and cereals. Opinions my own.
Reposted by John Hodge
By combining molecular genetics with cell-ablation experiments, we found that vascular cambium stem cells and xylem-identity cells form an interchangeable unit, a stem cell niche. Meticulous work by @xixizhang9001.bsky.social, Ondrej Smetana, Jing Zhang & Xiaoyu Wang 1/x www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Auxin transport positions stem cells in the vascular cambium during normal development and regeneration | PNAS
The vascular cambium contains bifacial stem cells producing secondary phloem in one
and secondary xylem to the opposite direction. In Arabidopsis r...
www.pnas.org
November 14, 2025 at 9:30 AM
By combining molecular genetics with cell-ablation experiments, we found that vascular cambium stem cells and xylem-identity cells form an interchangeable unit, a stem cell niche. Meticulous work by @xixizhang9001.bsky.social, Ondrej Smetana, Jing Zhang & Xiaoyu Wang 1/x www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Reposted by John Hodge
Well it's #fridaypaperclub, so I have a very special one just for @odedrechavi.bsky.social
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Transposable elements are vectors of recurrent transgenerational epigenetic inheritance
DNA methylation loss at transposable elements (TEs) can affect neighboring genes and be epigenetically inherited in plants, yet the determinants and importance of this additional system of inheritance...
www.science.org
November 14, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Well it's #fridaypaperclub, so I have a very special one just for @odedrechavi.bsky.social
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by John Hodge
This has gotten surprisingly little attention — it's not even on the front page of @science.org right now — but it's really hard to describe what the SAFE Research Act would do to US science and scientists without sounding insane
www.science.org/content/arti...
www.science.org/content/arti...
November 14, 2025 at 5:16 PM
This has gotten surprisingly little attention — it's not even on the front page of @science.org right now — but it's really hard to describe what the SAFE Research Act would do to US science and scientists without sounding insane
www.science.org/content/arti...
www.science.org/content/arti...
Reposted by John Hodge
Stuck in the US as a postdoc due to the current political nightmare? Consider to join us in Freiburg @dompsfr.bsky.social @biologyunifreiburg.bsky.social #plantscience
If you know postdocs in the US whose work is restricted or becoming difficult, there are new fellowship possibilities in the south of Germany. Please, forward this information to them:
uni-freiburg.de/frias/call-f...
Our lab in Freiburg can also serve as a host — happy to discuss options.
uni-freiburg.de/frias/call-f...
Our lab in Freiburg can also serve as a host — happy to discuss options.
Call for Applications: Early Career Rescue Fellowship – Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies
uni-freiburg.de
November 13, 2025 at 4:28 PM
Stuck in the US as a postdoc due to the current political nightmare? Consider to join us in Freiburg @dompsfr.bsky.social @biologyunifreiburg.bsky.social #plantscience
Reposted by John Hodge
With Watson's death can we stop teaching his simplified version of the Central Dogma (DNA-RNA-protein) & instead teach what Crick actually proposed? It promotes understanding & critical thinking. wellcomecollection.org/works/xmscu3...
November 13, 2025 at 11:13 PM
With Watson's death can we stop teaching his simplified version of the Central Dogma (DNA-RNA-protein) & instead teach what Crick actually proposed? It promotes understanding & critical thinking. wellcomecollection.org/works/xmscu3...
Reposted by John Hodge
How are the intervals of periodic pattern formation regulated during plant morphogenesis? Our latest study now published in @natcomms.nature.com proposes that the mutual inhibition between EPFL2 and auxin modulates the periodicity🌿
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Mutual inhibition between EPFL2 and auxin extends the intervals of periodic leaf morphogenesis - Nature Communications
Plant development is characterized by periodic morphogenesis, yet regulatory mechanisms underlying the periodicity remain unknown. Tameshige et al. reveal that bistable cellular status modulates the s...
www.nature.com
November 13, 2025 at 10:52 AM
How are the intervals of periodic pattern formation regulated during plant morphogenesis? Our latest study now published in @natcomms.nature.com proposes that the mutual inhibition between EPFL2 and auxin modulates the periodicity🌿
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by John Hodge
Congrats, Momoko @prunus-persica123.bsky.social and all! Excited to see how our former postdoc's work unfolded the mutual inhibitory mechanism bet/w EPFL2 peptide hormone & auxin underpins the intervals of auxin maxima 🌿🔬🥳
Just published @natcomms.nature.com
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Just published @natcomms.nature.com
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
November 13, 2025 at 8:51 PM
Congrats, Momoko @prunus-persica123.bsky.social and all! Excited to see how our former postdoc's work unfolded the mutual inhibitory mechanism bet/w EPFL2 peptide hormone & auxin underpins the intervals of auxin maxima 🌿🔬🥳
Just published @natcomms.nature.com
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Just published @natcomms.nature.com
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by John Hodge
With sequencing of Hitler's DNA making headlines, time for a reminder: analysing a polygenic score from a dead historically-significant figure won't give new insights into that person's behaviour. In a brief paper last year, we used Beethoven's genome to directly illustrate the fallacies involved.🧪👇
Notes from Beethoven’s genome
Wesseldijk et al. compare the genomic information collected from Ludwig van Beethoven
with population-based datasets used to quantify musical achievement.
www.cell.com
November 13, 2025 at 11:26 AM
With sequencing of Hitler's DNA making headlines, time for a reminder: analysing a polygenic score from a dead historically-significant figure won't give new insights into that person's behaviour. In a brief paper last year, we used Beethoven's genome to directly illustrate the fallacies involved.🧪👇
Reposted by John Hodge
🚨 New preprint by @cate-giannini.bsky.social🚨
We uncover an unexpected link between auxin signalling, transcription, and autophagy — revealing how plants coordinate gene expression and cytoplasmic renewal to drive developmental reprogramming. 🌱✨ www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
We uncover an unexpected link between auxin signalling, transcription, and autophagy — revealing how plants coordinate gene expression and cytoplasmic renewal to drive developmental reprogramming. 🌱✨ www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
November 12, 2025 at 4:22 PM
🚨 New preprint by @cate-giannini.bsky.social🚨
We uncover an unexpected link between auxin signalling, transcription, and autophagy — revealing how plants coordinate gene expression and cytoplasmic renewal to drive developmental reprogramming. 🌱✨ www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
We uncover an unexpected link between auxin signalling, transcription, and autophagy — revealing how plants coordinate gene expression and cytoplasmic renewal to drive developmental reprogramming. 🌱✨ www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by John Hodge
Check out our story in @plosbiology.org about how a nonrandom, clustered giant cell pattern forms in the sepal and leaf epidermis! It has been a great journey with @gweissbart.bsky.social, Frances Clark, Xihang Wang, @roederlab.bsky.social and co-authors.
journals.plos.org/plosbiology/...
journals.plos.org/plosbiology/...
A common pathway controls cell size in the sepal and leaf epidermis leading to a nonrandom pattern of giant cells
Arabidopsis leaf epidermal cells have a wide range of sizes and ploidies, but the mechanisms patterning their size and spatial distribution remain unclear. This study shows that the pathway controllin...
journals.plos.org
November 12, 2025 at 9:33 AM
Check out our story in @plosbiology.org about how a nonrandom, clustered giant cell pattern forms in the sepal and leaf epidermis! It has been a great journey with @gweissbart.bsky.social, Frances Clark, Xihang Wang, @roederlab.bsky.social and co-authors.
journals.plos.org/plosbiology/...
journals.plos.org/plosbiology/...
Reposted by John Hodge
What is the most profitable industry in the world, this side of the law? Not oil, not IT, not pharma.
It's *scientific publishing*.
We call this the Drain of Scientific Publishing.
Paper: arxiv.org/abs/2511.04820
Background: doi.org/10.1162/qss_...
Thread @markhanson.fediscience.org.ap.brid.gy 👇
It's *scientific publishing*.
We call this the Drain of Scientific Publishing.
Paper: arxiv.org/abs/2511.04820
Background: doi.org/10.1162/qss_...
Thread @markhanson.fediscience.org.ap.brid.gy 👇
November 12, 2025 at 10:31 AM
What is the most profitable industry in the world, this side of the law? Not oil, not IT, not pharma.
It's *scientific publishing*.
We call this the Drain of Scientific Publishing.
Paper: arxiv.org/abs/2511.04820
Background: doi.org/10.1162/qss_...
Thread @markhanson.fediscience.org.ap.brid.gy 👇
It's *scientific publishing*.
We call this the Drain of Scientific Publishing.
Paper: arxiv.org/abs/2511.04820
Background: doi.org/10.1162/qss_...
Thread @markhanson.fediscience.org.ap.brid.gy 👇
Reposted by John Hodge
🔬🍀
A timelapse movie (unpublished data) from the lab.
In the movie, the nucleus is moving towards the base of the polarized root hair cell.
A timelapse movie (unpublished data) from the lab.
In the movie, the nucleus is moving towards the base of the polarized root hair cell.
November 11, 2025 at 6:01 PM
🔬🍀
A timelapse movie (unpublished data) from the lab.
In the movie, the nucleus is moving towards the base of the polarized root hair cell.
A timelapse movie (unpublished data) from the lab.
In the movie, the nucleus is moving towards the base of the polarized root hair cell.
For #Zeavolution this week we’ll have Ty Thomas from the Gage lab presenting “Dissecting the Genetic and Regulatory Basis of GxE”, see everyone tomorrow!
November 11, 2025 at 5:52 PM
For #Zeavolution this week we’ll have Ty Thomas from the Gage lab presenting “Dissecting the Genetic and Regulatory Basis of GxE”, see everyone tomorrow!
Reposted by John Hodge
Some small and cute callus from first batch of tissue culture experiment in the lab.
November 11, 2025 at 1:39 AM
Some small and cute callus from first batch of tissue culture experiment in the lab.
October sucked pretty epically but trying to put my best foot forward for November and finally bought myself a dedicated mini fridge for my diverse seed collections (reclaiming kitchen fridge shelf space). Will this also double as a beer fridge given that its also in my wood shop? Time will tell…
November 9, 2025 at 7:47 PM
October sucked pretty epically but trying to put my best foot forward for November and finally bought myself a dedicated mini fridge for my diverse seed collections (reclaiming kitchen fridge shelf space). Will this also double as a beer fridge given that its also in my wood shop? Time will tell…
Reposted by John Hodge
I can't help but think about how this would be covered if this person used a gun instead of a car. Aside from the vehicle ramming attacks that do get major coverage, acts of traffic violence like this rarely do.
4 dead, 11 injured after speeding car in Tampa crashes into business, pedestrians
Four are dead and 11 others were injured when a driver lost control of a vehicle while moving at a high speed, crashing into a business in Tampa, Florida.
abcnews.go.com
November 9, 2025 at 1:24 AM
I can't help but think about how this would be covered if this person used a gun instead of a car. Aside from the vehicle ramming attacks that do get major coverage, acts of traffic violence like this rarely do.
Reposted by John Hodge
academic.oup.com/evlett/advan...
So exciting to see a new method to model the evolution of G (and P) matrices on phylogenies. Another step in the direction of trying to bridge micro and macroevolution
So exciting to see a new method to model the evolution of G (and P) matrices on phylogenies. Another step in the direction of trying to bridge micro and macroevolution
Multivariate trait evolution: models for the evolution of the quantitative genetic G-matrix on phylogenies
Abstract. Genetic covariance matrices (G-matrices) are a key focus for research and predictions from quantitative genetic evolutionary models of multiple t
academic.oup.com
November 7, 2025 at 8:58 AM
academic.oup.com/evlett/advan...
So exciting to see a new method to model the evolution of G (and P) matrices on phylogenies. Another step in the direction of trying to bridge micro and macroevolution
So exciting to see a new method to model the evolution of G (and P) matrices on phylogenies. Another step in the direction of trying to bridge micro and macroevolution
Reposted by John Hodge
A #Micronaut in a prior #microbiology #Bio350 course at @univpugetsound.bsky.social made this for me a couple of years ago. I will miss working with students very much. @asmicrobiology @microbe.tv
November 6, 2025 at 11:00 PM
A #Micronaut in a prior #microbiology #Bio350 course at @univpugetsound.bsky.social made this for me a couple of years ago. I will miss working with students very much. @asmicrobiology @microbe.tv
Reposted by John Hodge
Hey undergrads! Apply for Caltech’s 10-week WAVE Fellows program.
-$6K stipend + housing + $1K travel/dining
-Apply by Jan 9, 2026:
sfp.caltech.edu/undergraduat...
-Info sessions in November: sfp.caltech.edu/undergraduat...
-$6K stipend + housing + $1K travel/dining
-Apply by Jan 9, 2026:
sfp.caltech.edu/undergraduat...
-Info sessions in November: sfp.caltech.edu/undergraduat...
WAVE Fellows
The 2026 WAVE Fellows award is $6,000 for the ten-week period, plus on-campus housing, and a dining and travel supplement of ~$1000. Caltech housing is available and we strongly encourage all Fellows to live on campus. The 2026 WAVE Fellows program dates are June 15 through August 21.
sfp.caltech.edu
November 6, 2025 at 3:28 PM
Hey undergrads! Apply for Caltech’s 10-week WAVE Fellows program.
-$6K stipend + housing + $1K travel/dining
-Apply by Jan 9, 2026:
sfp.caltech.edu/undergraduat...
-Info sessions in November: sfp.caltech.edu/undergraduat...
-$6K stipend + housing + $1K travel/dining
-Apply by Jan 9, 2026:
sfp.caltech.edu/undergraduat...
-Info sessions in November: sfp.caltech.edu/undergraduat...
Reposted by John Hodge
🆕 Our #LatestIssue is online now!
📚 nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/14698137...
Highlights include:
🌱 #Leaf #evolution
🌱 #Light signal transduction in #plants
🌱 The path towards a unified trait space
📚 nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/14698137...
Highlights include:
🌱 #Leaf #evolution
🌱 #Light signal transduction in #plants
🌱 The path towards a unified trait space
November 6, 2025 at 10:01 AM
🆕 Our #LatestIssue is online now!
📚 nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/14698137...
Highlights include:
🌱 #Leaf #evolution
🌱 #Light signal transduction in #plants
🌱 The path towards a unified trait space
📚 nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/14698137...
Highlights include:
🌱 #Leaf #evolution
🌱 #Light signal transduction in #plants
🌱 The path towards a unified trait space
Reposted by John Hodge
Rare Earth will be back on air soon & in preparation for a programme on Darwin, Wallace & evolution, I found this ace example of evolutionary adaptation. The plant C. argenteum makes seeds that look & smell like dung, so dung beetles roll them away, bury them, then lose interest. Free seed planting!
November 5, 2025 at 8:45 PM
Rare Earth will be back on air soon & in preparation for a programme on Darwin, Wallace & evolution, I found this ace example of evolutionary adaptation. The plant C. argenteum makes seeds that look & smell like dung, so dung beetles roll them away, bury them, then lose interest. Free seed planting!
Reposted by John Hodge
Does anyone have specific leaf area (SLA) or leaf mass per area (LMA) measurements for adult leaves of #Eucalyptus pellita or #Corymbia tessellaris that they'd be willing to share with me?
🧪 #PlantTraits #ecophysiology #physiology #WildOz #botany #ecology #AusTraits
🧪 #PlantTraits #ecophysiology #physiology #WildOz #botany #ecology #AusTraits
November 6, 2025 at 1:20 AM
Does anyone have specific leaf area (SLA) or leaf mass per area (LMA) measurements for adult leaves of #Eucalyptus pellita or #Corymbia tessellaris that they'd be willing to share with me?
🧪 #PlantTraits #ecophysiology #physiology #WildOz #botany #ecology #AusTraits
🧪 #PlantTraits #ecophysiology #physiology #WildOz #botany #ecology #AusTraits
Reposted by John Hodge
(serenely) reality does that sometimes. just give it a firm kick
Look at the distribution of z-values from medical research!
November 4, 2025 at 10:45 PM
(serenely) reality does that sometimes. just give it a firm kick
Reposted by John Hodge
🌱Check out this new #AJB Review!🌱
The #polyploid continuum & the landscape of polyploid genomic variation
By Alex Twyford, Justin Conover, Jeff Doyle, Annaliese Mason, Douglas Soltis, Pamela Soltis & Jonathan Wendel
doi.org/10.1002/ajb2...
#botany #plantscience #polyploidy @soltislab.bsky.social
The #polyploid continuum & the landscape of polyploid genomic variation
By Alex Twyford, Justin Conover, Jeff Doyle, Annaliese Mason, Douglas Soltis, Pamela Soltis & Jonathan Wendel
doi.org/10.1002/ajb2...
#botany #plantscience #polyploidy @soltislab.bsky.social
November 4, 2025 at 10:46 PM
🌱Check out this new #AJB Review!🌱
The #polyploid continuum & the landscape of polyploid genomic variation
By Alex Twyford, Justin Conover, Jeff Doyle, Annaliese Mason, Douglas Soltis, Pamela Soltis & Jonathan Wendel
doi.org/10.1002/ajb2...
#botany #plantscience #polyploidy @soltislab.bsky.social
The #polyploid continuum & the landscape of polyploid genomic variation
By Alex Twyford, Justin Conover, Jeff Doyle, Annaliese Mason, Douglas Soltis, Pamela Soltis & Jonathan Wendel
doi.org/10.1002/ajb2...
#botany #plantscience #polyploidy @soltislab.bsky.social
Reposted by John Hodge
As someone who grew up counting every last SNAP dollar, this is intentionally cruel.
Trump has the money to provide full SNAP benefits during the Republican shutdown—and he's choosing to let families struggle.
Hungry children deserve full bellies. Not crumbs.
Trump has the money to provide full SNAP benefits during the Republican shutdown—and he's choosing to let families struggle.
Hungry children deserve full bellies. Not crumbs.
BREAKING: The Trump administration says SNAP will be partially funded after judges’ rulings required the food aid program to continue.
Live updates: Trump administration says SNAP will be partially funded after judges’ rulings
President Donald Trump’s administration said Monday that it will partially fund SNAP after a pair of judges’ rulings required it to keep the food aid program running.
bit.ly
November 3, 2025 at 8:24 PM
As someone who grew up counting every last SNAP dollar, this is intentionally cruel.
Trump has the money to provide full SNAP benefits during the Republican shutdown—and he's choosing to let families struggle.
Hungry children deserve full bellies. Not crumbs.
Trump has the money to provide full SNAP benefits during the Republican shutdown—and he's choosing to let families struggle.
Hungry children deserve full bellies. Not crumbs.