Jill Wegrzyn
@jillwegrzyn.bsky.social
Associate Prof @UConn, Computational Biology Core Director, TreeGenes Database, Plant Computational Genomics, Conservation Genetics, Forests
Artist, Foodie, Tree Hugger
Artist, Foodie, Tree Hugger
Developing #genomic resources for species of #conservation concern? Submit an abstract for the upcoming #PAG33 conference! @ebpgenome.bsky.social @sangerinstitute.bsky.social @vertebrategenomes.bsky.social @jgi.doe.gov @alliancegenome.bsky.social @genomecanada.ca @canadianbiogenome.bsky.social
We are seeking speakers for #pag33 hosted in San Diego: Jan 9th at 10:30am. Talk to us about your current/planned efforts to develop genomic resources for threatened/endangered species! @ebpgenome.bsky.social - hosted by @uconneeb.bsky.social @nanoporetech.com Abstracts by Oct 27th! 🧬 🦜 🌱 🐛 🐢
October 27, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Developing #genomic resources for species of #conservation concern? Submit an abstract for the upcoming #PAG33 conference! @ebpgenome.bsky.social @sangerinstitute.bsky.social @vertebrategenomes.bsky.social @jgi.doe.gov @alliancegenome.bsky.social @genomecanada.ca @canadianbiogenome.bsky.social
Reposted by Jill Wegrzyn
No Kings protest at the State Capital, Hartford, CT
October 18, 2025 at 5:37 PM
No Kings protest at the State Capital, Hartford, CT
We are seeking speakers for #pag33 hosted in San Diego: Jan 9th at 10:30am. Talk to us about your current/planned efforts to develop genomic resources for threatened/endangered species! @ebpgenome.bsky.social - hosted by @uconneeb.bsky.social @nanoporetech.com Abstracts by Oct 27th! 🧬 🦜 🌱 🐛 🐢
October 16, 2025 at 4:57 PM
We are seeking speakers for #pag33 hosted in San Diego: Jan 9th at 10:30am. Talk to us about your current/planned efforts to develop genomic resources for threatened/endangered species! @ebpgenome.bsky.social - hosted by @uconneeb.bsky.social @nanoporetech.com Abstracts by Oct 27th! 🧬 🦜 🌱 🐛 🐢
Reposted by Jill Wegrzyn
15 US states and territories have formed a new Public Health Alliance, which will counter the absence of federal leadership by tracking outbreaks, issuing guidance, buying vaccines and more.
Members of the new alliance include CA, CO, CT, DE, GU, HI, IL, MD, MA, NJ, NY, NC, OR, RI, WA.
Members of the new alliance include CA, CO, CT, DE, GU, HI, IL, MD, MA, NJ, NY, NC, OR, RI, WA.
October 16, 2025 at 4:43 AM
15 US states and territories have formed a new Public Health Alliance, which will counter the absence of federal leadership by tracking outbreaks, issuing guidance, buying vaccines and more.
Members of the new alliance include CA, CO, CT, DE, GU, HI, IL, MD, MA, NJ, NY, NC, OR, RI, WA.
Members of the new alliance include CA, CO, CT, DE, GU, HI, IL, MD, MA, NJ, NY, NC, OR, RI, WA.
Reposted by Jill Wegrzyn
Reposted by Jill Wegrzyn
The GRFP lives!! (due end of October)
www.nsf.gov/funding/oppo...
www.nsf.gov/funding/oppo...
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP)
www.nsf.gov
September 8, 2025 at 6:23 PM
The GRFP lives!! (due end of October)
www.nsf.gov/funding/oppo...
www.nsf.gov/funding/oppo...
Reposted by Jill Wegrzyn
My new @science.org editorial on the role of scientists in defending democracy is out today. As authoritarianism takes hold in the US, we must fight for the democratic principles that enable a free society and scientists have a key role. I hope you'll join us.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Scientists’ role in defending democracy
The United States’ democratic leadership, commitment to freedom of expression, and investment in the pursuit of knowledge have long enabled its preeminence in science and technology. Yet today we are ...
www.science.org
August 14, 2025 at 6:36 PM
My new @science.org editorial on the role of scientists in defending democracy is out today. As authoritarianism takes hold in the US, we must fight for the democratic principles that enable a free society and scientists have a key role. I hope you'll join us.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Jill Wegrzyn
A new, MUCH improved #Eucalyptus genome:
- haplotype-resolved
- 99.4% complete
- 700x better contiguity
- 35k annotated genes
Kudos to Anneri Lötter, @tomasbruna.bsky.social and @jotlovell.bsky.social at @jgi.doe.gov, @jillwegrzyn.bsky.social, Alexander Myburg et al.
doi.org/10.1093/g3jo...
- haplotype-resolved
- 99.4% complete
- 700x better contiguity
- 35k annotated genes
Kudos to Anneri Lötter, @tomasbruna.bsky.social and @jotlovell.bsky.social at @jgi.doe.gov, @jillwegrzyn.bsky.social, Alexander Myburg et al.
doi.org/10.1093/g3jo...
Researchers report a new reference genome for eucalyptus. Haplotype-resolved, it has 700-fold greater contiguity—
meaning the genome is reconstructed in larger, more complete segments. 🖥️🧬 🌱
More on our Plant Program: jgi.doe.gov/science-prog...
@axelvisel.bsky.social @biosci.lbl.gov
meaning the genome is reconstructed in larger, more complete segments. 🖥️🧬 🌱
More on our Plant Program: jgi.doe.gov/science-prog...
@axelvisel.bsky.social @biosci.lbl.gov
New and Improved: Eucalyptus Reference is Now Accessible | Joint Genome Institute
An improved genome assembly to support targeted tree breeding for the bioeconomy.
jgi.doe.gov
July 30, 2025 at 5:22 PM
A new, MUCH improved #Eucalyptus genome:
- haplotype-resolved
- 99.4% complete
- 700x better contiguity
- 35k annotated genes
Kudos to Anneri Lötter, @tomasbruna.bsky.social and @jotlovell.bsky.social at @jgi.doe.gov, @jillwegrzyn.bsky.social, Alexander Myburg et al.
doi.org/10.1093/g3jo...
- haplotype-resolved
- 99.4% complete
- 700x better contiguity
- 35k annotated genes
Kudos to Anneri Lötter, @tomasbruna.bsky.social and @jotlovell.bsky.social at @jgi.doe.gov, @jillwegrzyn.bsky.social, Alexander Myburg et al.
doi.org/10.1093/g3jo...
Reposted by Jill Wegrzyn
🌏🌿 The Earth BioGenome Project has collectively surpassed another genome milestone! 🙌
🎉 Congratulations to everyone involved in this monumental global effort to sequence life on Earth. 🌍🧬
#EarthBioGenome #Genomics #Biodiversity #MilestoneMoment
🎉 Congratulations to everyone involved in this monumental global effort to sequence life on Earth. 🌍🧬
#EarthBioGenome #Genomics #Biodiversity #MilestoneMoment
🌍🧬 Congratulations on surpassing 4,000 genome assemblies!
A huge thank you to all our incredible EBP-affiliates driving global genome sequencing forward—your work is transforming science, conservation, and our understanding of life on Earth.
A huge thank you to all our incredible EBP-affiliates driving global genome sequencing forward—your work is transforming science, conservation, and our understanding of life on Earth.
July 20, 2025 at 8:31 PM
🌏🌿 The Earth BioGenome Project has collectively surpassed another genome milestone! 🙌
🎉 Congratulations to everyone involved in this monumental global effort to sequence life on Earth. 🌍🧬
#EarthBioGenome #Genomics #Biodiversity #MilestoneMoment
🎉 Congratulations to everyone involved in this monumental global effort to sequence life on Earth. 🌍🧬
#EarthBioGenome #Genomics #Biodiversity #MilestoneMoment
Reposted by Jill Wegrzyn
Thanks Kew!
The paper itself can be found here: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
The paper itself can be found here: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
BIG NEWS! We’ve found that ash trees are fighting back against ash dieback disease! 🌳💪
Scientists at Kew & QMUL @qmul.bsky.social have discovered that young ash trees are evolving resistance to this devastating fungus - & fast 🌍
Read the story👉 www.kew.org/read-and-wat...
#PlantScience #SciNews
Scientists at Kew & QMUL @qmul.bsky.social have discovered that young ash trees are evolving resistance to this devastating fungus - & fast 🌍
Read the story👉 www.kew.org/read-and-wat...
#PlantScience #SciNews
June 27, 2025 at 10:43 PM
Thanks Kew!
The paper itself can be found here: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
The paper itself can be found here: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Jill Wegrzyn
So impressed by our Featured Student Speakers presenting in the keynote sessions. Just: wow! The future of forest genetics is bright #forestgenetics2025
June 26, 2025 at 10:46 AM
So impressed by our Featured Student Speakers presenting in the keynote sessions. Just: wow! The future of forest genetics is bright #forestgenetics2025
#CartograPlant & #TreeGenes Workshop at #ForestGenetics2025 - bringing together genotype, phenotype, and environmental data for georeferenced plant populations presented by @uconneeb.bsky.social PhD student @meghanmyles.bsky.social & developer Gabe Barrett #FAIRdata
June 24, 2025 at 4:17 AM
#CartograPlant & #TreeGenes Workshop at #ForestGenetics2025 - bringing together genotype, phenotype, and environmental data for georeferenced plant populations presented by @uconneeb.bsky.social PhD student @meghanmyles.bsky.social & developer Gabe Barrett #FAIRdata
First season @toolikfieldstation.bsky.social #arctic - #EVOME is investigating species’ responses to rapid climatic changes in stream environs @uconnresearch.bsky.social @uconneeb.bsky.social @brandonlind.bsky.social SamiraObbu @airianna-mcguire.bsky.social MaryRutter #REU SarahAntebi #NSF-funded
June 23, 2025 at 5:12 AM
First season @toolikfieldstation.bsky.social #arctic - #EVOME is investigating species’ responses to rapid climatic changes in stream environs @uconnresearch.bsky.social @uconneeb.bsky.social @brandonlind.bsky.social SamiraObbu @airianna-mcguire.bsky.social MaryRutter #REU SarahAntebi #NSF-funded
Very excited to announce @vuruputoor.bsky.social upcoming #PhD defense in @uconneeb.bsky.social ! #genomics marathon on land plant genome evolution, from the smallest to largest - special focus on conservation genomics in #hemlocks @nature.org @ebpgenome.bsky.social @uconnresearch.bsky.social
June 21, 2025 at 5:58 PM
Very excited to announce @vuruputoor.bsky.social upcoming #PhD defense in @uconneeb.bsky.social ! #genomics marathon on land plant genome evolution, from the smallest to largest - special focus on conservation genomics in #hemlocks @nature.org @ebpgenome.bsky.social @uconnresearch.bsky.social
Reposted by Jill Wegrzyn
Check out this interview with BSA member and BSA Director at Large for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Karolina Heyduk!
botany.one/2025/06/karo...
botany.one/2025/06/karo...
Karolina Heyduk: A Career Shaped by Desert Plants and Midnight Photosynthesis
Botany One interviews Dr Karolina Heyduk, a plant evolutionary biologist interested in the origins a unique type of photosynthesis.
botany.one
June 20, 2025 at 9:05 PM
Check out this interview with BSA member and BSA Director at Large for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Karolina Heyduk!
botany.one/2025/06/karo...
botany.one/2025/06/karo...
Reposted by Jill Wegrzyn
One week to go!!! So excited to host our colleagues next week in the Happy Valley of Pennsylvania! Over 150 registrants from around the world!! If you’re interested in coming but unable to join in person - email me to learn about virtual options forestgeneticsconference2025.com #forestgenetics2025
June 16, 2025 at 2:37 PM
One week to go!!! So excited to host our colleagues next week in the Happy Valley of Pennsylvania! Over 150 registrants from around the world!! If you’re interested in coming but unable to join in person - email me to learn about virtual options forestgeneticsconference2025.com #forestgenetics2025
Save the Date! North American Forest Genetics Society #NAFGS June 15-19 2026 in Quebec City, Canada🍁
More information coming soon at www.nafgs.org/conference2026
Join us next year!
More information coming soon at www.nafgs.org/conference2026
Join us next year!
June 21, 2025 at 2:54 AM
Save the Date! North American Forest Genetics Society #NAFGS June 15-19 2026 in Quebec City, Canada🍁
More information coming soon at www.nafgs.org/conference2026
Join us next year!
More information coming soon at www.nafgs.org/conference2026
Join us next year!
Reposted by Jill Wegrzyn
An NIH staffer reacts to today's ruling:
"I'm looking forward to the day that we are so slammed with work trying to reinstate everything that we had to terminate illegally — I'll work 24/7 to make that happen if I can."
"I'm looking forward to the day that we are so slammed with work trying to reinstate everything that we had to terminate illegally — I'll work 24/7 to make that happen if I can."
🚨 BREAKING: Nearly 4 months the NIH cut its first grants, a judge has ruled that the directives and process that led to cuts are arbitrary and capricious.
"The explanations are bereft of reasoning — virtually in their entirety... unsupported by [facts]."
Each of them are VOID and ILLEGAL, he says.
"The explanations are bereft of reasoning — virtually in their entirety... unsupported by [facts]."
Each of them are VOID and ILLEGAL, he says.
June 16, 2025 at 10:24 PM
An NIH staffer reacts to today's ruling:
"I'm looking forward to the day that we are so slammed with work trying to reinstate everything that we had to terminate illegally — I'll work 24/7 to make that happen if I can."
"I'm looking forward to the day that we are so slammed with work trying to reinstate everything that we had to terminate illegally — I'll work 24/7 to make that happen if I can."
Reposted by Jill Wegrzyn
Very happy that our manuscript "Annotation of protein-coding genes in 49 diatom genomes from the Bacillariophyta clade" is now published with Scientific Data: rdcu.be/eqwO5 Great team work with Natalia, Clara, Cynthia, Alex, @miamynta.bsky.social , & @jillwegrzyn.bsky.social
Annotation of protein-coding genes in 49 diatom genomes from the Bacillariophyta clade
Scientific Data - Annotation of protein-coding genes in 49 diatom genomes from the Bacillariophyta clade
rdcu.be
June 11, 2025 at 2:59 PM
Very happy that our manuscript "Annotation of protein-coding genes in 49 diatom genomes from the Bacillariophyta clade" is now published with Scientific Data: rdcu.be/eqwO5 Great team work with Natalia, Clara, Cynthia, Alex, @miamynta.bsky.social , & @jillwegrzyn.bsky.social
Reposted by Jill Wegrzyn
Welp, there's the Friday 🧪 hit
Another light dims.
To paraphrase Spinal Tap: "How much more dark could this be? And the answer is none. None more dark."
National Academies prepares for ‘a fairly radical downsizing’ www.statnews.com/2025/05/23/n... via @statnews.com @peterhotezmdphd.bsky.social @elisabethbik.bsky.social
To paraphrase Spinal Tap: "How much more dark could this be? And the answer is none. None more dark."
National Academies prepares for ‘a fairly radical downsizing’ www.statnews.com/2025/05/23/n... via @statnews.com @peterhotezmdphd.bsky.social @elisabethbik.bsky.social
Reeling from Trump contract cuts, the National Academies prepares for ‘a fairly radical downsizing’
Nation's leading advisory body on issues of science and technology is "preparing for a fairly radical downsizing."
www.statnews.com
May 24, 2025 at 12:01 AM
Welp, there's the Friday 🧪 hit
Reposted by Jill Wegrzyn
Reminder that SSE members in Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, India, and 152 low-income countries around the world can still get FREE registration for the virtual Evolution meeting! Please share with your colleagues: www.evolutionsociety.org/index.php?mo...
Membership
Site description
www.evolutionsociety.org
May 24, 2025 at 1:02 AM
Reminder that SSE members in Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, India, and 152 low-income countries around the world can still get FREE registration for the virtual Evolution meeting! Please share with your colleagues: www.evolutionsociety.org/index.php?mo...
Reposted by Jill Wegrzyn
If you have tenure and you’re carrying on as normal: you are a part of the problem. The leopard doesn’t discriminate between faces.
These are extraordinary times and we need you in the fight. It’s not comfortable, there is risk, and it will add more to your plate.
But without you, science dies.
These are extraordinary times and we need you in the fight. It’s not comfortable, there is risk, and it will add more to your plate.
But without you, science dies.
May 24, 2025 at 1:16 AM
If you have tenure and you’re carrying on as normal: you are a part of the problem. The leopard doesn’t discriminate between faces.
These are extraordinary times and we need you in the fight. It’s not comfortable, there is risk, and it will add more to your plate.
But without you, science dies.
These are extraordinary times and we need you in the fight. It’s not comfortable, there is risk, and it will add more to your plate.
But without you, science dies.
Reposted by Jill Wegrzyn
🚨 A new rule would let career scientists like NSF/NIH program officers be replaced by political appointees
Already 14,000+ public comments, deadline is Friday
📣 Comments can be short. Courts consider them—and scientists with NSF/NIH experience are especially impactful
Speak up! shorturl.at/WKuBj
Already 14,000+ public comments, deadline is Friday
📣 Comments can be short. Courts consider them—and scientists with NSF/NIH experience are especially impactful
Speak up! shorturl.at/WKuBj
May 21, 2025 at 5:39 PM
🚨 A new rule would let career scientists like NSF/NIH program officers be replaced by political appointees
Already 14,000+ public comments, deadline is Friday
📣 Comments can be short. Courts consider them—and scientists with NSF/NIH experience are especially impactful
Speak up! shorturl.at/WKuBj
Already 14,000+ public comments, deadline is Friday
📣 Comments can be short. Courts consider them—and scientists with NSF/NIH experience are especially impactful
Speak up! shorturl.at/WKuBj
Spaces are still available in our upcoming genomics workshops! Join us for Variant Detection: May 20–22 and/or Genome Annotation, May 27-29 - Participants receive guided tutorials, live instruction, & daily recordings to support continued learning. bioinformatics.uconn.edu/cbc-workshops/
May 15, 2025 at 12:59 PM
Spaces are still available in our upcoming genomics workshops! Join us for Variant Detection: May 20–22 and/or Genome Annotation, May 27-29 - Participants receive guided tutorials, live instruction, & daily recordings to support continued learning. bioinformatics.uconn.edu/cbc-workshops/
It’s NSF’s 75th & college graduation season, both reminders of how far basic science funding can go. With NSF support, I’ve mentored 130+ students who are innovators in genomics, conservation, data science & more. The lab is pictured here. Please keep investing in science #ThanksNSF #NSF75 #FundNSF
May 11, 2025 at 9:44 PM
It’s NSF’s 75th & college graduation season, both reminders of how far basic science funding can go. With NSF support, I’ve mentored 130+ students who are innovators in genomics, conservation, data science & more. The lab is pictured here. Please keep investing in science #ThanksNSF #NSF75 #FundNSF