Julia Willett
@jlewillett.bsky.social
Assistant Professor in Micro & Immuno at U Minnesota. Bacterial interactions/biofilms/uncharacterized genes/T7SS. I like wine, traveling, and the LA Kings. She/her.
Pinned
Julia Willett
@jlewillett.bsky.social
· Feb 5
How it feels as an Assistant Professor being told to just keep submitting NIH grants because at least ASSIST and eEA Commons are still functioning
Reposted by Julia Willett
INBOX: Statement from Senator Kelly
January 5, 2026 at 4:40 PM
INBOX: Statement from Senator Kelly
Reposted by Julia Willett
Donald Trump is spreading dangerous, disgusting lies about the murder of our dear friend and colleague, Melissa Hortman.
Our full statement from House DFL Leader Zack Stephenson:
Our full statement from House DFL Leader Zack Stephenson:
January 4, 2026 at 2:59 AM
Donald Trump is spreading dangerous, disgusting lies about the murder of our dear friend and colleague, Melissa Hortman.
Our full statement from House DFL Leader Zack Stephenson:
Our full statement from House DFL Leader Zack Stephenson:
Reposted by Julia Willett
The people who most loudly complain "Why can't these immigrants just stay in their country???" are the same ones who most loudly celebrate American military and CIA interventionism in these countries to overthrow their governments.
And they lack the self awareness to understand their own hypocrisy.
And they lack the self awareness to understand their own hypocrisy.
January 4, 2026 at 8:30 PM
The people who most loudly complain "Why can't these immigrants just stay in their country???" are the same ones who most loudly celebrate American military and CIA interventionism in these countries to overthrow their governments.
And they lack the self awareness to understand their own hypocrisy.
And they lack the self awareness to understand their own hypocrisy.
An appalling headline about the appalling actions by our appalling government.
With Nicolás Maduro out of power, the Trump administration is racing to assemble an interim governing structure for Venezuela.
After Maduro Ouster, Trump Takes On the Risks of Governing Venezuela
The administration is racing to get an interim government in place, even as pushback from Maduro’s allies raise fears of instability.
on.wsj.com
January 4, 2026 at 4:51 AM
An appalling headline about the appalling actions by our appalling government.
Reposted by Julia Willett
I know many of you know Joe James (of Binning Singletons)
Joe and his family had a terrible tragedy occur on Christmas. If you can give, this is a good family to help out
gofund.me/5cbfe22fe
Joe and his family had a terrible tragedy occur on Christmas. If you can give, this is a good family to help out
gofund.me/5cbfe22fe
Donate to Honoring Sarah James Through Education, organized by Joe James
Honoring Sarah James & Supporting Her Children’s Future
On Christmas, our com… Joe James needs your support for Honoring Sarah James Through Education
gofund.me
January 1, 2026 at 10:05 PM
I know many of you know Joe James (of Binning Singletons)
Joe and his family had a terrible tragedy occur on Christmas. If you can give, this is a good family to help out
gofund.me/5cbfe22fe
Joe and his family had a terrible tragedy occur on Christmas. If you can give, this is a good family to help out
gofund.me/5cbfe22fe
"It would be nice to go to work every day at an adult Disneyworld, where I could make 3x as much money and, more importantly, wouldn’t have to find it myself. The problem is: I’ve never wanted anything other than what I have. I love this job because this is where I know I can do something useful."
This was probably meant to be a late-night post: I spent eight months working on a stunt blog about a $200 sandwich. Or, no, I did an end-of-year post about my mental health and the federal funding crisis. I'm not sure which. Maybe you can figure it out. www.carlsonlab.bio/thoughts/epi...
Epic chicken sandwich — The Carlson Lab
Invocation to Sandwich: April 22, 2025 The madness creeps in for the first time as a Master’s student in my lab is telling me about her job hunt. Did you know that Epic – yes, that Epic, the electron...
www.carlsonlab.bio
January 1, 2026 at 12:19 AM
"It would be nice to go to work every day at an adult Disneyworld, where I could make 3x as much money and, more importantly, wouldn’t have to find it myself. The problem is: I’ve never wanted anything other than what I have. I love this job because this is where I know I can do something useful."
Reposted by Julia Willett
I believe this meme speaks for most in healthcare, science, public health, global health, research, and anyone wanted a return to precedented times.
December 30, 2025 at 1:20 AM
I believe this meme speaks for most in healthcare, science, public health, global health, research, and anyone wanted a return to precedented times.
Reposted by Julia Willett
A Trump administration change to how the National Institutes of Health awards grants has sharply reduced early-stage investigators’ odds of securing funding, new data from the agency show. Teamed up with @aniloza.bsky.social for this @statnews.com story
www.statnews.com/2025/12/18/n...
www.statnews.com/2025/12/18/n...
NIH funding rates for early-career researchers plunged in 2025, new data show
A Trump administration change to how NIH awards grants has sharply reduced early-stage investigators’ odds of securing funding.
www.statnews.com
December 18, 2025 at 8:01 PM
A Trump administration change to how the National Institutes of Health awards grants has sharply reduced early-stage investigators’ odds of securing funding, new data from the agency show. Teamed up with @aniloza.bsky.social for this @statnews.com story
www.statnews.com/2025/12/18/n...
www.statnews.com/2025/12/18/n...
Reposted by Julia Willett
Late job posting: My department is hiring a tenure-track faculty member in microbiology! Please share with anyone interested in working at a PUI. We have a preference for someone who can teach Medical Microbiology, but other than that the focus is open-ended. Happy to answer qs.
Microbiologist (AA27034)
All Job Postings will close at 12:01 a.m. CT on the specified Closing Date (if designated). Working Title: Microbiologist (AA27034) Institution: Minnesota State University, Mankato Classification Titl...
minnstate.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com
December 19, 2025 at 9:28 PM
Late job posting: My department is hiring a tenure-track faculty member in microbiology! Please share with anyone interested in working at a PUI. We have a preference for someone who can teach Medical Microbiology, but other than that the focus is open-ended. Happy to answer qs.
👏👏👏the biggest congratulations to super postdoc Ruth on her faculty position at Macalester!! Ruth is so terrific as a researcher, educator, mentor, and all around good person. Future Macalester students...you're in luck!! #proudPI
Professor Ruth: Coming Fall 2026!
I'm thrilled to announce that I have officially accepted a tenure-track faculty position in the Biology Department at @macalestercollege.bsky.social!
#HeyMac #NewProfessor #WomanInSTEM
I'm thrilled to announce that I have officially accepted a tenure-track faculty position in the Biology Department at @macalestercollege.bsky.social!
#HeyMac #NewProfessor #WomanInSTEM
December 19, 2025 at 8:32 PM
👏👏👏the biggest congratulations to super postdoc Ruth on her faculty position at Macalester!! Ruth is so terrific as a researcher, educator, mentor, and all around good person. Future Macalester students...you're in luck!! #proudPI
Reposted by Julia Willett
Melissa Hortman Died in a Shocking Act of Political Violence. This Is the Story of Her Life
The Minnesota Speaker’s closest friends and family open up for the first time.
Read @stephenrodrick.bsky.social's exclusive: www.rollingstone.com/politics/pol...
The Minnesota Speaker’s closest friends and family open up for the first time.
Read @stephenrodrick.bsky.social's exclusive: www.rollingstone.com/politics/pol...
December 18, 2025 at 2:16 PM
Melissa Hortman Died in a Shocking Act of Political Violence. This Is the Story of Her Life
The Minnesota Speaker’s closest friends and family open up for the first time.
Read @stephenrodrick.bsky.social's exclusive: www.rollingstone.com/politics/pol...
The Minnesota Speaker’s closest friends and family open up for the first time.
Read @stephenrodrick.bsky.social's exclusive: www.rollingstone.com/politics/pol...
Reposted by Julia Willett
🚨New faculty job opportunity 🚨
Please share this ad for a faculty position in our department at UC Irvine, in the fields of microbiology and infectious disease. MD/PhDs and PhDs are desired and should apply!
recruit.ap.uci.edu/JPF09954
Please share this ad for a faculty position in our department at UC Irvine, in the fields of microbiology and infectious disease. MD/PhDs and PhDs are desired and should apply!
recruit.ap.uci.edu/JPF09954
Pediatric Infectious Diseases/Microbiology - Professor Series (tenure track/tenure), Open Rank
University of California, Irvine is hiring. Apply now!
recruit.ap.uci.edu
December 12, 2025 at 8:55 PM
🚨New faculty job opportunity 🚨
Please share this ad for a faculty position in our department at UC Irvine, in the fields of microbiology and infectious disease. MD/PhDs and PhDs are desired and should apply!
recruit.ap.uci.edu/JPF09954
Please share this ad for a faculty position in our department at UC Irvine, in the fields of microbiology and infectious disease. MD/PhDs and PhDs are desired and should apply!
recruit.ap.uci.edu/JPF09954
Me for the last month: let's touch base about this after Thanksgiving!
Me this week: hmmm
Me this week: hmmm
December 2, 2025 at 11:24 PM
Me for the last month: let's touch base about this after Thanksgiving!
Me this week: hmmm
Me this week: hmmm
Reposted by Julia Willett
The NSF Bio Anthro Program DDRIG, Cultural Anthrpology DDRIG, and Archaeology DDRIG have all been archived (as of yesterday afternoon). Please speak with your grad students and plan accordingly. To say I am angry and depressed about this is an understatement.
November 26, 2025 at 3:25 PM
The NSF Bio Anthro Program DDRIG, Cultural Anthrpology DDRIG, and Archaeology DDRIG have all been archived (as of yesterday afternoon). Please speak with your grad students and plan accordingly. To say I am angry and depressed about this is an understatement.
Reposted by Julia Willett
So happy to announce our new preprint, “A geothermal amoeba sets a new upper temperature limit for eukaryotes.” We cultured a novel amoeba from Lassen Volcanic NP (CA, USA) that divides at 63°C (145°F) 🔥 - a new record for euk growth!
#protistsonsky 🧵
#protistsonsky 🧵
November 25, 2025 at 8:41 PM
So happy to announce our new preprint, “A geothermal amoeba sets a new upper temperature limit for eukaryotes.” We cultured a novel amoeba from Lassen Volcanic NP (CA, USA) that divides at 63°C (145°F) 🔥 - a new record for euk growth!
#protistsonsky 🧵
#protistsonsky 🧵
Reposted by Julia Willett
‼️🚨🗓️ CONTAMCALENDAR 2026 🗓️🚨‼️
Excited to say the ContamCalendar is back for its fifth edition! We’ve created a fresh new design, folding out for an A3 monthly spread. It’s our best yet, we hope you’ll love it 🗓️🦠🧫🍄
Get yours here ➡️ www.contam.club ⬅️
Excited to say the ContamCalendar is back for its fifth edition! We’ve created a fresh new design, folding out for an A3 monthly spread. It’s our best yet, we hope you’ll love it 🗓️🦠🧫🍄
Get yours here ➡️ www.contam.club ⬅️
November 21, 2025 at 3:30 PM
‼️🚨🗓️ CONTAMCALENDAR 2026 🗓️🚨‼️
Excited to say the ContamCalendar is back for its fifth edition! We’ve created a fresh new design, folding out for an A3 monthly spread. It’s our best yet, we hope you’ll love it 🗓️🦠🧫🍄
Get yours here ➡️ www.contam.club ⬅️
Excited to say the ContamCalendar is back for its fifth edition! We’ve created a fresh new design, folding out for an A3 monthly spread. It’s our best yet, we hope you’ll love it 🗓️🦠🧫🍄
Get yours here ➡️ www.contam.club ⬅️
Reposted by Julia Willett
About that exclusive, "closed-to-press" MAHA summit last week with RFK and JD Vance: I got in.
Here's what I saw. 🧵 🧪
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Here's what I saw. 🧵 🧪
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
November 21, 2025 at 5:01 PM
About that exclusive, "closed-to-press" MAHA summit last week with RFK and JD Vance: I got in.
Here's what I saw. 🧵 🧪
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Here's what I saw. 🧵 🧪
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Reposted by Julia Willett
JAMA study: NIH grant terminations disrupted 3.5% of active clinical trials, affecting over 74,000 patients and resulting in a $1.81 billion funding loss. More than 115 active cancer trials were disrupted. www.ajmc.com/view/nih-gra...
NIH Grant Terminations Disrupt 1 in 30 Clinical Trials, Impacting Over 74,000 Participants | AJMC
Infectious disease was hit hardest by funding cuts to NIH grant for clinical trials that did not align with the Trump administration's priorities.
www.ajmc.com
November 19, 2025 at 8:31 PM
JAMA study: NIH grant terminations disrupted 3.5% of active clinical trials, affecting over 74,000 patients and resulting in a $1.81 billion funding loss. More than 115 active cancer trials were disrupted. www.ajmc.com/view/nih-gra...
Reposted by Julia Willett
Two unrelated Pseudomonas aeruginosa phages require the exopolysaccharide Psl for infection
NPJ Biofilms and Microbiomes from Courtney Reichhardt and @micheleleroux.bsky.social and colleagues
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
NPJ Biofilms and Microbiomes from Courtney Reichhardt and @micheleleroux.bsky.social and colleagues
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Two unrelated Pseudomonas aeruginosa phages require the exopolysaccharide Psl for infection - npj Biofilms and Microbiomes
npj Biofilms and Microbiomes - Two unrelated Pseudomonas aeruginosa phages require the exopolysaccharide Psl for infection
www.nature.com
November 19, 2025 at 11:13 AM
Two unrelated Pseudomonas aeruginosa phages require the exopolysaccharide Psl for infection
NPJ Biofilms and Microbiomes from Courtney Reichhardt and @micheleleroux.bsky.social and colleagues
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
NPJ Biofilms and Microbiomes from Courtney Reichhardt and @micheleleroux.bsky.social and colleagues
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Julia Willett
It’s World AMR Awareness Week, and this year I had the honor to re-imagine and doodle the antibiotics in the antibiotic personality quiz 😇🖍️
Thank u @brxad.bsky.social for this amazing and fun opportunity!
C’mon, take the quiz, it’s a #WAAW tradition 😉💊
#IDSky
quiz.tryinteract.com#/59e68e3a8ec...
Thank u @brxad.bsky.social for this amazing and fun opportunity!
C’mon, take the quiz, it’s a #WAAW tradition 😉💊
#IDSky
quiz.tryinteract.com#/59e68e3a8ec...
November 18, 2025 at 11:11 PM
It’s World AMR Awareness Week, and this year I had the honor to re-imagine and doodle the antibiotics in the antibiotic personality quiz 😇🖍️
Thank u @brxad.bsky.social for this amazing and fun opportunity!
C’mon, take the quiz, it’s a #WAAW tradition 😉💊
#IDSky
quiz.tryinteract.com#/59e68e3a8ec...
Thank u @brxad.bsky.social for this amazing and fun opportunity!
C’mon, take the quiz, it’s a #WAAW tradition 😉💊
#IDSky
quiz.tryinteract.com#/59e68e3a8ec...
Reposted by Julia Willett
Why does daptomycin resistance appear so fast in Enterococcus? We finally have a clue.
DAP resistance in enterococci pops up quickly. What’s been missing is why resistance-associated membrane changes look the way they do, and why the classic path of mutations is so predictable.
DAP resistance in enterococci pops up quickly. What’s been missing is why resistance-associated membrane changes look the way they do, and why the classic path of mutations is so predictable.
A two-component system signaling hub controls enterococcal membrane remodeling in response to daptomycin https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.16.688641v1
November 17, 2025 at 8:27 PM
Why does daptomycin resistance appear so fast in Enterococcus? We finally have a clue.
DAP resistance in enterococci pops up quickly. What’s been missing is why resistance-associated membrane changes look the way they do, and why the classic path of mutations is so predictable.
DAP resistance in enterococci pops up quickly. What’s been missing is why resistance-associated membrane changes look the way they do, and why the classic path of mutations is so predictable.
Reposted by Julia Willett
Merck is accepting applications for its 2026 Future Talent Program - these are internships and co-ops in a variety of areas including drug discovery, vaccines, clinical trials, biostatistics, epidemiology, HEOR, data science, regulatory affairs, and more
#chemsky 🧪⚗️
jobs.merck.com/us/en/search...
#chemsky 🧪⚗️
jobs.merck.com/us/en/search...
Your job search results | Merck Careers
jobs.merck.com
September 18, 2025 at 3:05 PM
Merck is accepting applications for its 2026 Future Talent Program - these are internships and co-ops in a variety of areas including drug discovery, vaccines, clinical trials, biostatistics, epidemiology, HEOR, data science, regulatory affairs, and more
#chemsky 🧪⚗️
jobs.merck.com/us/en/search...
#chemsky 🧪⚗️
jobs.merck.com/us/en/search...
Reposted by Julia Willett
In my dozen years on NIH study sections, grants pulled out of the triage bin for discussions never moved into funding range. But there’s a huge difference between getting ND and getting serious critiques that can help scientists refine or redirect their efforts. This is a loss esp for jr scientists.
aa.com
November 16, 2025 at 1:31 AM
In my dozen years on NIH study sections, grants pulled out of the triage bin for discussions never moved into funding range. But there’s a huge difference between getting ND and getting serious critiques that can help scientists refine or redirect their efforts. This is a loss esp for jr scientists.
Reposted by Julia Willett
NIH grant applicants:
October and November grant application submission *deadlines* will be rescheduled (🤯). Specific dates TBD.
grants.nih.gov/grants/guide...
October and November grant application submission *deadlines* will be rescheduled (🤯). Specific dates TBD.
grants.nih.gov/grants/guide...
NOT-OD-26-005: Interim Guidance on Reopening of NIH Extramural Activities
NIH Funding Opportunities and Notices in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts: Interim Guidance on Reopening of NIH Extramural Activities NOT-OD-26-005. NIH
grants.nih.gov
November 14, 2025 at 8:45 PM
NIH grant applicants:
October and November grant application submission *deadlines* will be rescheduled (🤯). Specific dates TBD.
grants.nih.gov/grants/guide...
October and November grant application submission *deadlines* will be rescheduled (🤯). Specific dates TBD.
grants.nih.gov/grants/guide...
Reposted by Julia Willett
Holy crap. They're triaging 2 out of 3 applications that are submitted. 2 out of every 3 applications will not even have a chance for discussion.
Just got an email from my SRO for the study section that was missed in October. Good news is that they are trying to reschedule ASAP (Dec/Jan). The bad news is that CSR is mandating that only the the top third (not half) of applications will get discussed for the next 2 rounds.
November 13, 2025 at 11:49 PM
Holy crap. They're triaging 2 out of 3 applications that are submitted. 2 out of every 3 applications will not even have a chance for discussion.