Jonathan Townson
@jontytownson.bsky.social
Postdoc doing microscopy and cell biology at the University of Oslo. I study cell dynamics, membrane contact sites and mechenosensing.
Previously did my PhD developing optogenetic tools to control Notch signalling in flies at the University of Cambridge.
Previously did my PhD developing optogenetic tools to control Notch signalling in flies at the University of Cambridge.
Reposted by Jonathan Townson
Excited to share our Review on human PGC development covering the latest in vivo observations & in vitro developments, esp. in the last 5 years. Have a read! journals.biologists.com/dev/article/...
From: @astar-gis.bsky.social @ki.se Warwick University, @gurdoninstitute.bsky.social
From: @astar-gis.bsky.social @ki.se Warwick University, @gurdoninstitute.bsky.social
Emerging principles and models of human primordial germ cell development
Summary: This Review examines recent insights into early human germ cell development and how these regulatory principles guide stem cell-derived models aiming to reconstitute human gametogenesis in vi...
journals.biologists.com
September 12, 2025 at 4:21 PM
Excited to share our Review on human PGC development covering the latest in vivo observations & in vitro developments, esp. in the last 5 years. Have a read! journals.biologists.com/dev/article/...
From: @astar-gis.bsky.social @ki.se Warwick University, @gurdoninstitute.bsky.social
From: @astar-gis.bsky.social @ki.se Warwick University, @gurdoninstitute.bsky.social
Reposted by Jonathan Townson
🚨 New call for preLighters!🚨
Help us highlight the most exciting biological #preprints. Share your insights, build your profile, and be part of a supportive community! 🌍
Interested? Apply today & help shape the future of science publishing! 📢
More info: prelights.biologists.com/news/join-th...
Help us highlight the most exciting biological #preprints. Share your insights, build your profile, and be part of a supportive community! 🌍
Interested? Apply today & help shape the future of science publishing! 📢
More info: prelights.biologists.com/news/join-th...
September 1, 2025 at 8:59 AM
🚨 New call for preLighters!🚨
Help us highlight the most exciting biological #preprints. Share your insights, build your profile, and be part of a supportive community! 🌍
Interested? Apply today & help shape the future of science publishing! 📢
More info: prelights.biologists.com/news/join-th...
Help us highlight the most exciting biological #preprints. Share your insights, build your profile, and be part of a supportive community! 🌍
Interested? Apply today & help shape the future of science publishing! 📢
More info: prelights.biologists.com/news/join-th...
Reposted by Jonathan Townson
Something SPARC’d between us and left me Breathless: Haemolymph cells turn on repair in the Drosophila tracheal system
An exciting #preLight by @jontytownson.bsky.social talks about the work of Nourhene Ammar, Hadi Boukhatmi and the team.
An exciting #preLight by @jontytownson.bsky.social talks about the work of Nourhene Ammar, Hadi Boukhatmi and the team.
Immune–tracheal intercellular signalling coordinates the muscle injury response in Drosophila - preLights
Something SPARC’d between us and left me Breathless: Haemolymph cells turn on repair in the Drosophila tracheal system
prelights.biologists.com
August 26, 2025 at 11:50 AM
Something SPARC’d between us and left me Breathless: Haemolymph cells turn on repair in the Drosophila tracheal system
An exciting #preLight by @jontytownson.bsky.social talks about the work of Nourhene Ammar, Hadi Boukhatmi and the team.
An exciting #preLight by @jontytownson.bsky.social talks about the work of Nourhene Ammar, Hadi Boukhatmi and the team.
Reposted by Jonathan Townson
Our preprint has been highlighted by @prelights.bsky.social and @jontytownson.bsky.social ! 🙏 Huge thanks for helping us share our work with this wonderful community
I have written another #preLight post, featuring the first work from the Boukhatmi lab. Always fun to read a #fly paper, especially with #microscopy too! Check it out if you like injury repair and tissue/ECM remodeling.
prelights.biologists.com/highlights/i...
#Repair #ImmuneCells #preprint #ECM
prelights.biologists.com/highlights/i...
#Repair #ImmuneCells #preprint #ECM
Immune–tracheal intercellular signalling coordinates the muscle injury response in Drosophila - preLights
Something SPARC’d between us and left me Breathless: Haemolymph cells turn on repair in the Drosophila tracheal system
prelights.biologists.com
August 30, 2025 at 3:38 PM
Our preprint has been highlighted by @prelights.bsky.social and @jontytownson.bsky.social ! 🙏 Huge thanks for helping us share our work with this wonderful community
I have written another #preLight post, featuring the first work from the Boukhatmi lab. Always fun to read a #fly paper, especially with #microscopy too! Check it out if you like injury repair and tissue/ECM remodeling.
prelights.biologists.com/highlights/i...
#Repair #ImmuneCells #preprint #ECM
prelights.biologists.com/highlights/i...
#Repair #ImmuneCells #preprint #ECM
Immune–tracheal intercellular signalling coordinates the muscle injury response in Drosophila - preLights
Something SPARC’d between us and left me Breathless: Haemolymph cells turn on repair in the Drosophila tracheal system
prelights.biologists.com
August 26, 2025 at 9:26 AM
I have written another #preLight post, featuring the first work from the Boukhatmi lab. Always fun to read a #fly paper, especially with #microscopy too! Check it out if you like injury repair and tissue/ECM remodeling.
prelights.biologists.com/highlights/i...
#Repair #ImmuneCells #preprint #ECM
prelights.biologists.com/highlights/i...
#Repair #ImmuneCells #preprint #ECM
Reposted by Jonathan Townson
FOMO no more: NOMO and Calmin extend #mechanobiology to the ER. Julie Heffler and Jan Lammerding @LammerdingLab.bsky.social discuss recent studies from the @schliekerlab.bsky.social (doi.org/10.1083/jcb....) & @hennelab.bsky.social (doi.org/10.1016/j.ce...), in Spotlight: rupress.org/jcb/article/...
August 25, 2025 at 7:02 PM
FOMO no more: NOMO and Calmin extend #mechanobiology to the ER. Julie Heffler and Jan Lammerding @LammerdingLab.bsky.social discuss recent studies from the @schliekerlab.bsky.social (doi.org/10.1083/jcb....) & @hennelab.bsky.social (doi.org/10.1016/j.ce...), in Spotlight: rupress.org/jcb/article/...
Reposted by Jonathan Townson
#FocalPlaneFeatures meets @prelights.bsky.social
@fadelvalle.bsky.social & Vibha Singh have picked 2 fantastic #cellbio preprints & will be presenting their preLights alongside research talks from @probablycarmen.bsky.social & Eva Mejia-Ramirez.
Register: focalplane.biologists.com/2025/08/20/f...
@fadelvalle.bsky.social & Vibha Singh have picked 2 fantastic #cellbio preprints & will be presenting their preLights alongside research talks from @probablycarmen.bsky.social & Eva Mejia-Ramirez.
Register: focalplane.biologists.com/2025/08/20/f...
August 21, 2025 at 1:48 PM
#FocalPlaneFeatures meets @prelights.bsky.social
@fadelvalle.bsky.social & Vibha Singh have picked 2 fantastic #cellbio preprints & will be presenting their preLights alongside research talks from @probablycarmen.bsky.social & Eva Mejia-Ramirez.
Register: focalplane.biologists.com/2025/08/20/f...
@fadelvalle.bsky.social & Vibha Singh have picked 2 fantastic #cellbio preprints & will be presenting their preLights alongside research talks from @probablycarmen.bsky.social & Eva Mejia-Ramirez.
Register: focalplane.biologists.com/2025/08/20/f...
Reposted by Jonathan Townson
📢Call for speakers
We are looking for ECRs to speak in our mini-symposium run together with the popular membrane trafficking webinar series organised by @franbottanelli.bsky.social @felixmendu.bsky.social & @ishier.bsky.social.
focalplane.biologists.com/2025/07/14/f...
Apply by 24 August
We are looking for ECRs to speak in our mini-symposium run together with the popular membrane trafficking webinar series organised by @franbottanelli.bsky.social @felixmendu.bsky.social & @ishier.bsky.social.
focalplane.biologists.com/2025/07/14/f...
Apply by 24 August
FocalPlane features... membrane trafficking - apply to give a talk - FocalPlane
FocalPlane features... membrane trafficking - apply to give a talk - News
focalplane.biologists.com
July 16, 2025 at 1:41 PM
📢Call for speakers
We are looking for ECRs to speak in our mini-symposium run together with the popular membrane trafficking webinar series organised by @franbottanelli.bsky.social @felixmendu.bsky.social & @ishier.bsky.social.
focalplane.biologists.com/2025/07/14/f...
Apply by 24 August
We are looking for ECRs to speak in our mini-symposium run together with the popular membrane trafficking webinar series organised by @franbottanelli.bsky.social @felixmendu.bsky.social & @ishier.bsky.social.
focalplane.biologists.com/2025/07/14/f...
Apply by 24 August
Better late than never, I am sharing the last #spotlight interviews I did with @prelights.bsky.social at #biologists100 in Liverpool. It was fantastic to get different perspectives on preprints and the publishing world, as well as to hear a bit about the cutting-edge research being presented. (1/5)
July 22, 2025 at 6:09 PM
Better late than never, I am sharing the last #spotlight interviews I did with @prelights.bsky.social at #biologists100 in Liverpool. It was fantastic to get different perspectives on preprints and the publishing world, as well as to hear a bit about the cutting-edge research being presented. (1/5)
Reposted by Jonathan Townson
We currently have a call for support that has gone out to European labs, to support FlyBase-UK. We are asking our colleagues from labs in the US and other countries to wait for a similar call to them that will go out in the near future, to support the US sites. We thank you for your patience.
URGENT: FlyBase has lost practically all its funding overnight; even user fees are tied up in denied grant funding. 🤬🤯
Any lab using @flybase.bsky.social please donate using the link in post below.
This incredible community, on whose backs our #Drosophila labs depend, can't be left out to dry.
Any lab using @flybase.bsky.social please donate using the link in post below.
This incredible community, on whose backs our #Drosophila labs depend, can't be left out to dry.
My lab studies bacterial infections. We spend a lot of time looking at (or for) species-specific genetic and genomic databases for hosts and microbes. FlyBase is the best of all—there is literally no comparison. Its existence is under threat. Please donate.
www.philanthropy.cam.ac.uk/give-to-camb...
www.philanthropy.cam.ac.uk/give-to-camb...
June 3, 2025 at 9:17 PM
We currently have a call for support that has gone out to European labs, to support FlyBase-UK. We are asking our colleagues from labs in the US and other countries to wait for a similar call to them that will go out in the near future, to support the US sites. We thank you for your patience.
It was great talking to @giuliapaci.bsky.social about her work and #preprints at #biologists100 earlier this year.
And exciting that she is again talking (more science and less preprints) today for the Development presents… seminar
thenode.biologists.com/development-...
And exciting that she is again talking (more science and less preprints) today for the Development presents… seminar
thenode.biologists.com/development-...
June 4, 2025 at 8:04 AM
It was great talking to @giuliapaci.bsky.social about her work and #preprints at #biologists100 earlier this year.
And exciting that she is again talking (more science and less preprints) today for the Development presents… seminar
thenode.biologists.com/development-...
And exciting that she is again talking (more science and less preprints) today for the Development presents… seminar
thenode.biologists.com/development-...
Reposted by Jonathan Townson
While I applaud Europe taking a step to fund bringing scientific excellence to Europe, the ERC’s current success rates at 10% for Europe based scientists is statistically at lottery levels. The total ERC budget should double across the board aiming at doubling funding rates.
May 16, 2025 at 12:55 PM
While I applaud Europe taking a step to fund bringing scientific excellence to Europe, the ERC’s current success rates at 10% for Europe based scientists is statistically at lottery levels. The total ERC budget should double across the board aiming at doubling funding rates.
Reposted by Jonathan Townson
Human, C. elegans, and fruit flies shared a common ancestor pre-Cambrian, which was at the very least 500-600 million years ago (mya), whereas angiosperms shared a common ancestor in late Jurassic (~160 mya), meaning Arabidopsis is more closely related to most crops than worms or flies are to human.
May 28, 2025 at 1:24 AM
Human, C. elegans, and fruit flies shared a common ancestor pre-Cambrian, which was at the very least 500-600 million years ago (mya), whereas angiosperms shared a common ancestor in late Jurassic (~160 mya), meaning Arabidopsis is more closely related to most crops than worms or flies are to human.
Reposted by Jonathan Townson
ICYMI, our FocalPlane reporter Margarida Araújo shares her Biologists @ 100 conference report. As well giving an overall of the event, Margarida picks out some of her highlights including talks on #climatechange and #imaging.
focalplane.biologists.com/2025/05/08/b...
#NoNeedForFOMO
focalplane.biologists.com/2025/05/08/b...
#NoNeedForFOMO
Biologists @ 100 conference report - FocalPlane
Biologists @ 100 conference report - News
focalplane.biologists.com
May 22, 2025 at 1:34 PM
ICYMI, our FocalPlane reporter Margarida Araújo shares her Biologists @ 100 conference report. As well giving an overall of the event, Margarida picks out some of her highlights including talks on #climatechange and #imaging.
focalplane.biologists.com/2025/05/08/b...
#NoNeedForFOMO
focalplane.biologists.com/2025/05/08/b...
#NoNeedForFOMO
At the @biologists.bsky.social #biologists100 conference, I worked with @prelights.bsky.social to interview some of the researchers presenting their #preprint. The first two have been published. (1/3)
May 22, 2025 at 8:38 AM
At the @biologists.bsky.social #biologists100 conference, I worked with @prelights.bsky.social to interview some of the researchers presenting their #preprint. The first two have been published. (1/3)
It was great to meet @richardsever.bsky.social at #biologists100 in Liverpool. As part of a conference #spotLights series with @prelights.bsky.social, he very kindly agreed to answer a few questions on #preprints, and their past and future impact. Check it out: www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5O2...
spotLights Ep 8: preLights in conversation with Richard Sever
YouTube video by The Company of Biologists
www.youtube.com
April 24, 2025 at 9:25 AM
It was great to meet @richardsever.bsky.social at #biologists100 in Liverpool. As part of a conference #spotLights series with @prelights.bsky.social, he very kindly agreed to answer a few questions on #preprints, and their past and future impact. Check it out: www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5O2...
Reposted by Jonathan Townson
What does openRxiv mean for bioRxiv/medRxiv? How did biologists embrace preprints? And what's the future of the scientific article?
Fun talking with @jontytownson.bsky.social at #biologists100
www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5O2...
Fun talking with @jontytownson.bsky.social at #biologists100
www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5O2...
spotLights Ep 8: preLights in conversation with Richard Sever
YouTube video by The Company of Biologists
www.youtube.com
April 16, 2025 at 11:48 AM
What does openRxiv mean for bioRxiv/medRxiv? How did biologists embrace preprints? And what's the future of the scientific article?
Fun talking with @jontytownson.bsky.social at #biologists100
www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5O2...
Fun talking with @jontytownson.bsky.social at #biologists100
www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5O2...
Reflecting on #biologists100 last week, I greatly enjoyed meeting past colleagues and getting to know the work of @biologists.bsky.social better. The experience reinforced for me the importance of society own journals and their work (1/3).
April 1, 2025 at 10:44 AM
Reflecting on #biologists100 last week, I greatly enjoyed meeting past colleagues and getting to know the work of @biologists.bsky.social better. The experience reinforced for me the importance of society own journals and their work (1/3).
The preList for the @biologists.bsky.social conference #biologists100 is out! With @prelights.bsky.social we compiled the cutting-edge research and exciting preprints that were presented last week Check it out here:
prelights.biologists.com/prelists/bio...
(1/2).
prelights.biologists.com/prelists/bio...
(1/2).
April 1, 2025 at 10:33 AM
The preList for the @biologists.bsky.social conference #biologists100 is out! With @prelights.bsky.social we compiled the cutting-edge research and exciting preprints that were presented last week Check it out here:
prelights.biologists.com/prelists/bio...
(1/2).
prelights.biologists.com/prelists/bio...
(1/2).
Reposted by Jonathan Townson
Had lots of fun representing @prelights.bsky.social together with @jontytownson.bsky.social at #biologists100 @biologists.bsky.social
Keep an eye out for our conference #preList + the #spotLights episodes that will appear on preLights over the next few weeks! 👀
Keep an eye out for our conference #preList + the #spotLights episodes that will appear on preLights over the next few weeks! 👀
March 28, 2025 at 6:38 AM
Had lots of fun representing @prelights.bsky.social together with @jontytownson.bsky.social at #biologists100 @biologists.bsky.social
Keep an eye out for our conference #preList + the #spotLights episodes that will appear on preLights over the next few weeks! 👀
Keep an eye out for our conference #preList + the #spotLights episodes that will appear on preLights over the next few weeks! 👀
Reposted by Jonathan Townson
Built a peer review system that doesn’t take forever.
Spoiler: scientists love it.
Huge thanks to the amazing team at The Company of Biologists for making Fast & Fair happen.
Read the preprint: bit.ly/4iZ30st
#biologists100 @biologists.bsky.social @biologyopen.bsky.social
Spoiler: scientists love it.
Huge thanks to the amazing team at The Company of Biologists for making Fast & Fair happen.
Read the preprint: bit.ly/4iZ30st
#biologists100 @biologists.bsky.social @biologyopen.bsky.social
Fast & Fair peer review: a pilot study demonstrating feasibility of rapid, high-quality peer review in a biology journal
Traditional peer review is slow, often delayed by the time-consuming process of identifying reviewers and lengthy review turnaround times. This study tests the feasibility of the Fast & Fair peer revi...
bit.ly
March 26, 2025 at 11:52 AM
Built a peer review system that doesn’t take forever.
Spoiler: scientists love it.
Huge thanks to the amazing team at The Company of Biologists for making Fast & Fair happen.
Read the preprint: bit.ly/4iZ30st
#biologists100 @biologists.bsky.social @biologyopen.bsky.social
Spoiler: scientists love it.
Huge thanks to the amazing team at The Company of Biologists for making Fast & Fair happen.
Read the preprint: bit.ly/4iZ30st
#biologists100 @biologists.bsky.social @biologyopen.bsky.social
Reposted by Jonathan Townson
We're walking around #biologists100 with a polaroid frame, capturing snapshots of the wonderful #ECRs attending this conference! ✨
First up: @jontytownson.bsky.social, the #preLights conference reporter, uncovering the stories behind the #preprints being presented.
Come say hi & strike a pose! 🕺
First up: @jontytownson.bsky.social, the #preLights conference reporter, uncovering the stories behind the #preprints being presented.
Come say hi & strike a pose! 🕺
March 25, 2025 at 7:40 AM
We're walking around #biologists100 with a polaroid frame, capturing snapshots of the wonderful #ECRs attending this conference! ✨
First up: @jontytownson.bsky.social, the #preLights conference reporter, uncovering the stories behind the #preprints being presented.
Come say hi & strike a pose! 🕺
First up: @jontytownson.bsky.social, the #preLights conference reporter, uncovering the stories behind the #preprints being presented.
Come say hi & strike a pose! 🕺
Reposted by Jonathan Townson
Will you be discussing a preprint at Biologists @ 100, either as a poster or talk? Jonty Townson @jontytownson.bsky.social is curating a @prelights.bsky.social preList of #preprints at the conference. Include yours by sending it to forms.gle/JYiTFj8iSUcT...
#biologists100
#biologists100
March 24, 2025 at 11:31 AM
Will you be discussing a preprint at Biologists @ 100, either as a poster or talk? Jonty Townson @jontytownson.bsky.social is curating a @prelights.bsky.social preList of #preprints at the conference. Include yours by sending it to forms.gle/JYiTFj8iSUcT...
#biologists100
#biologists100
Arrived in Liverpool for #biologists100. I’m looking forward to the ECR sessions today and presenting my organelle dynamics poster later in the week! (1/2)
March 24, 2025 at 9:06 AM
Arrived in Liverpool for #biologists100. I’m looking forward to the ECR sessions today and presenting my organelle dynamics poster later in the week! (1/2)
My next @prelights.bsky.social post is out. I saw this first preprint from @storerlab.bsky.social a while back and took some time over writing it but I think it was worth it! (1/2)
#preprint #regeneration #mechanosensing #ECM
#preprint #regeneration #mechanosensing #ECM
Hyaluronic acid deposition & a soft ECM promote digit regeneration in mice. 🐁
@jontytownson.bsky.social covers the first #preprint from the @storerlab.bsky.social delving into the importance of the ECM in wound regeneration in mice.
#preLight ⬇️ 👀
prelights.biologists.com/highlights/h...
@jontytownson.bsky.social covers the first #preprint from the @storerlab.bsky.social delving into the importance of the ECM in wound regeneration in mice.
#preLight ⬇️ 👀
prelights.biologists.com/highlights/h...
Hyaluronic Acid and Emergent Tissue Mechanics Orchestrate Digit Tip Regeneration - preLights
Mui and team show hyaluronic acid deposition and a soft ECM promote digit regeneration in mice.
prelights.biologists.com
March 21, 2025 at 8:38 PM
My next @prelights.bsky.social post is out. I saw this first preprint from @storerlab.bsky.social a while back and took some time over writing it but I think it was worth it! (1/2)
#preprint #regeneration #mechanosensing #ECM
#preprint #regeneration #mechanosensing #ECM