Kristian G. Andersen
@kgandersen.bsky.social
Infectious diseases & genomics. Immunologist in (voluntary) exile. Minimal sarcasm. Fierce HOA (Hater of Acronyms). Personal account - opinions expressed are my own and not those of my employer.
Reposted by Kristian G. Andersen
I am so grateful for colleagues & friends, who keep fighting despite losing almost everything for nothing of substance. Thank you @peterdaszak.bsky.social & David Morens for your courage. Thank you @microbetv.bsky.social for training me & your tireless evidence-based advocacy for our profession. ❤️
November 11, 2025 at 3:51 AM
I am so grateful for colleagues & friends, who keep fighting despite losing almost everything for nothing of substance. Thank you @peterdaszak.bsky.social & David Morens for your courage. Thank you @microbetv.bsky.social for training me & your tireless evidence-based advocacy for our profession. ❤️
It's been more than a decade (😱) since opening the lab here in La Jolla, so it was time for a website refresh!
Want to see what kind of trouble we have been up to lately? Give our tools and data a spin? Maybe even provide some tips and feedback?
Head on over to: andersen-lab.com
Want to see what kind of trouble we have been up to lately? Give our tools and data a spin? Maybe even provide some tips and feedback?
Head on over to: andersen-lab.com
November 11, 2025 at 12:30 AM
It's been more than a decade (😱) since opening the lab here in La Jolla, so it was time for a website refresh!
Want to see what kind of trouble we have been up to lately? Give our tools and data a spin? Maybe even provide some tips and feedback?
Head on over to: andersen-lab.com
Want to see what kind of trouble we have been up to lately? Give our tools and data a spin? Maybe even provide some tips and feedback?
Head on over to: andersen-lab.com
"SARS-CoV-2 is too well-adapted to humans [hence, insert your favorite conspiracy theory]".
That was never right because, for one, SARS-CoV-2 is a pandemic virus so it necessarily had to be "well-adapted".
Now, a new study shows the same is true for BANAL-236 - a related virus isolated from bats.
That was never right because, for one, SARS-CoV-2 is a pandemic virus so it necessarily had to be "well-adapted".
Now, a new study shows the same is true for BANAL-236 - a related virus isolated from bats.
November 10, 2025 at 8:09 PM
"SARS-CoV-2 is too well-adapted to humans [hence, insert your favorite conspiracy theory]".
That was never right because, for one, SARS-CoV-2 is a pandemic virus so it necessarily had to be "well-adapted".
Now, a new study shows the same is true for BANAL-236 - a related virus isolated from bats.
That was never right because, for one, SARS-CoV-2 is a pandemic virus so it necessarily had to be "well-adapted".
Now, a new study shows the same is true for BANAL-236 - a related virus isolated from bats.
Reposted by Kristian G. Andersen
From @zeblarson.bsky.social.
From Liberal Currents: "Propaganda, Rather than Pandemic Policies, Caused the War on Public Health--The backlash narrative ignores basic facts of the case."
www.liberalcurrents.com/propaganda-r...
From Liberal Currents: "Propaganda, Rather than Pandemic Policies, Caused the War on Public Health--The backlash narrative ignores basic facts of the case."
www.liberalcurrents.com/propaganda-r...
Propaganda, Rather than Pandemic Policies, Caused the War on Public Health
The backlash narrative ignores basic facts of the case.
www.liberalcurrents.com
November 10, 2025 at 4:44 PM
From @zeblarson.bsky.social.
From Liberal Currents: "Propaganda, Rather than Pandemic Policies, Caused the War on Public Health--The backlash narrative ignores basic facts of the case."
www.liberalcurrents.com/propaganda-r...
From Liberal Currents: "Propaganda, Rather than Pandemic Policies, Caused the War on Public Health--The backlash narrative ignores basic facts of the case."
www.liberalcurrents.com/propaganda-r...
Before this gets out of hand, I watched Pluribus earlier tonight and, yes, that's inconsistent with expectations from evolutionary theory.
I had a quick chat with Big T and we'll have a conference call ASAP. The Bald One, the Scotsman, and the One Who Counts Cards will also be there.
🧪🍩😷
I had a quick chat with Big T and we'll have a conference call ASAP. The Bald One, the Scotsman, and the One Who Counts Cards will also be there.
🧪🍩😷
November 10, 2025 at 4:53 AM
Before this gets out of hand, I watched Pluribus earlier tonight and, yes, that's inconsistent with expectations from evolutionary theory.
I had a quick chat with Big T and we'll have a conference call ASAP. The Bald One, the Scotsman, and the One Who Counts Cards will also be there.
🧪🍩😷
I had a quick chat with Big T and we'll have a conference call ASAP. The Bald One, the Scotsman, and the One Who Counts Cards will also be there.
🧪🍩😷
Reposted by Kristian G. Andersen
Can't emphasize how damaging this is. A single non-scientist—Peter Bogner—holds all power & makes all decisions at GISAID & provides no justifications for any of them, except blatantly false ones.
He has that power because he conned rich & powerful people into giving it to him. Enough.
He has that power because he conned rich & powerful people into giving it to him. Enough.
I want to spell this out in case the implications aren't clear:
This means all public tools/webapps of GISAID data (all the ones you've been used to seeing thru the pandemic, as far as we can tell) are prohibited.
The file allowed this. Cut that - cut off all tools the public & others were using.
This means all public tools/webapps of GISAID data (all the ones you've been used to seeing thru the pandemic, as far as we can tell) are prohibited.
The file allowed this. Cut that - cut off all tools the public & others were using.
On Oct 1, 2025, GISAID informed us that they had ended updates to the flat file of SARS-CoV-2 genomic sequences and associated metadata that we had used to update Nextstrain analyses since Feb 2020. GISAID's stated rationale was that their "resources are limited". 1/5
November 10, 2025 at 2:46 AM
Can't emphasize how damaging this is. A single non-scientist—Peter Bogner—holds all power & makes all decisions at GISAID & provides no justifications for any of them, except blatantly false ones.
He has that power because he conned rich & powerful people into giving it to him. Enough.
He has that power because he conned rich & powerful people into giving it to him. Enough.
Reposted by Kristian G. Andersen
Nextstrain's daily-updated tree of SARS-CoV-2 genomes was my gateway into the world of viral phylogenetics in early 2020, and Nextstrain's beautiful interactive tree display is crucial to making usher.bio results usable. GISAID cutting off data harms global surveillance efforts. 🧵👇
On Oct 1, 2025, GISAID informed us that they had ended updates to the flat file of SARS-CoV-2 genomic sequences and associated metadata that we had used to update Nextstrain analyses since Feb 2020. GISAID's stated rationale was that their "resources are limited". 1/5
November 7, 2025 at 5:03 AM
Nextstrain's daily-updated tree of SARS-CoV-2 genomes was my gateway into the world of viral phylogenetics in early 2020, and Nextstrain's beautiful interactive tree display is crucial to making usher.bio results usable. GISAID cutting off data harms global surveillance efforts. 🧵👇
Reposted by Kristian G. Andersen
Hundreds of thousands of people, dead because of a decision made by the world's richest man
One analytical model shows that, as of November 5th, the dismantling of U.S.A.I.D. has already caused the deaths of 600,000 people, two-thirds of them children. https://newyorkermag.visitlink.me/jUzNSc
The Shutdown of U.S.A.I.D. Has Already Killed Hundreds of Thousands
The short documentary “Rovina’s Choice” tells the story of what goes when aid goes.
newyorkermag.visitlink.me
November 7, 2025 at 12:20 PM
Hundreds of thousands of people, dead because of a decision made by the world's richest man
Reposted by Kristian G. Andersen
One analytical model shows that, as of November 5th, the dismantling of U.S.A.I.D. has already caused the deaths of 600,000 people, two-thirds of them children. https://newyorkermag.visitlink.me/jUzNSc
The Shutdown of U.S.A.I.D. Has Already Killed Hundreds of Thousands
The short documentary “Rovina’s Choice” tells the story of what goes when aid goes.
newyorkermag.visitlink.me
November 6, 2025 at 9:00 PM
One analytical model shows that, as of November 5th, the dismantling of U.S.A.I.D. has already caused the deaths of 600,000 people, two-thirds of them children. https://newyorkermag.visitlink.me/jUzNSc
Reposted by Kristian G. Andersen
On Oct 1, 2025, GISAID informed us that they had ended updates to the flat file of SARS-CoV-2 genomic sequences and associated metadata that we had used to update Nextstrain analyses since Feb 2020. GISAID's stated rationale was that their "resources are limited". 1/5
November 6, 2025 at 9:46 PM
On Oct 1, 2025, GISAID informed us that they had ended updates to the flat file of SARS-CoV-2 genomic sequences and associated metadata that we had used to update Nextstrain analyses since Feb 2020. GISAID's stated rationale was that their "resources are limited". 1/5
Reposted by Kristian G. Andersen
🚨 NEW: The majority holder of the world's genetic sequence data is a bad actor who can cut off access to critics and competing services. We've tolerated this for years, and now it threatens the pandemic treaty. Time for WHO to step in. With @ctrlalttim.com: www.thinkglobalhealth.org/article/to-f...
To Finish the Pandemic Agreement, WHO Needs a Trustworthy Viral Database | Think Global Health
Online platforms for sharing virus sequences are in disarray. The World Health Organization has a chance to build something new
www.thinkglobalhealth.org
November 5, 2025 at 3:31 PM
🚨 NEW: The majority holder of the world's genetic sequence data is a bad actor who can cut off access to critics and competing services. We've tolerated this for years, and now it threatens the pandemic treaty. Time for WHO to step in. With @ctrlalttim.com: www.thinkglobalhealth.org/article/to-f...
"BlueSky"
Indeed.
Indeed.
November 5, 2025 at 4:48 AM
"BlueSky"
Indeed.
Indeed.
Reposted by Kristian G. Andersen
Some charts for those who don't know the extent of the US public (and private) investment in research (particularly in biomedical research) compared to other countries and institutions. The destruction of the US' scientific institutions has global implications.
November 2, 2025 at 10:52 AM
Some charts for those who don't know the extent of the US public (and private) investment in research (particularly in biomedical research) compared to other countries and institutions. The destruction of the US' scientific institutions has global implications.
Reposted by Kristian G. Andersen
The US funds the bulk of biomedical research globally by far. It's not like other countries can simply take up the slack. The more likely: people leave research, new people don't become researchers. There is no happy ending. www.pbs.org/newshour/sho...
Top researchers consider leaving U.S. amid funding cuts: 'The science world is ending'
A poll from the journal Nature found that 75% of researchers in the U.S. are considering leaving the country. That includes a man who’s been dubbed the "Mozart of Math." Stephanie Sy examines what’s b...
www.pbs.org
November 1, 2025 at 8:15 PM
The US funds the bulk of biomedical research globally by far. It's not like other countries can simply take up the slack. The more likely: people leave research, new people don't become researchers. There is no happy ending. www.pbs.org/newshour/sho...
“Furin cleavage site”, that is. Just casually, and naturally, sitting there in one of the most evolutionarily active parts of the genome.
Mystery solved.
Mystery solved.
CIDRAP: New coronavirus subspecies with SARS-CoV-2–like mutation discovered in Brazilian bat
by Mary Van Beusekom
@cidrap.bsky.social
bit.ly/4hHRfam
by Mary Van Beusekom
@cidrap.bsky.social
bit.ly/4hHRfam
November 1, 2025 at 6:15 PM
“Furin cleavage site”, that is. Just casually, and naturally, sitting there in one of the most evolutionarily active parts of the genome.
Mystery solved.
Mystery solved.
The key thing re. Moderna and other companies in the same situation - when the next pandemic hits, which it will, they won't be there to save us.
The same will be true for scientists and other responders who immediately stood up in the face of a devastating pandemic - they too will be gone.
The same will be true for scientists and other responders who immediately stood up in the face of a devastating pandemic - they too will be gone.
1. Looking for weekend reads? Can't do better than these by my uber-talented @statnews.com colleagues @jasonmast.bsky.social & @lizzylawrence.bsky.social.
First, Jason's indepth look at #Moderna's transition from pandemic savior to company with significant problems. www.statnews.com/2025/10/30/m...
First, Jason's indepth look at #Moderna's transition from pandemic savior to company with significant problems. www.statnews.com/2025/10/30/m...
How Moderna, the company that helped save the world, unraveled
Exclusive: The inside story of why Moderna now faces a crisis unlike any in its 15-year-history.
www.statnews.com
October 31, 2025 at 9:23 PM
The key thing re. Moderna and other companies in the same situation - when the next pandemic hits, which it will, they won't be there to save us.
The same will be true for scientists and other responders who immediately stood up in the face of a devastating pandemic - they too will be gone.
The same will be true for scientists and other responders who immediately stood up in the face of a devastating pandemic - they too will be gone.
Reposted by Kristian G. Andersen
Bottom line of systematic assessment of studies on Covid vaccinations/boosters:
~50% reduction of hospitalization, across all adults (not just older) who are not immunocompromised
Real data on vaccine-induced myocarditis: occurred in 1-3 per 100,000 male adolescents
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
~50% reduction of hospitalization, across all adults (not just older) who are not immunocompromised
Real data on vaccine-induced myocarditis: occurred in 1-3 per 100,000 male adolescents
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
October 31, 2025 at 8:17 PM
Bottom line of systematic assessment of studies on Covid vaccinations/boosters:
~50% reduction of hospitalization, across all adults (not just older) who are not immunocompromised
Real data on vaccine-induced myocarditis: occurred in 1-3 per 100,000 male adolescents
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
~50% reduction of hospitalization, across all adults (not just older) who are not immunocompromised
Real data on vaccine-induced myocarditis: occurred in 1-3 per 100,000 male adolescents
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
Reposted by Kristian G. Andersen
Maybe an even more inside baseball in these documents -- but it's key:
No mention of furin cleavage site in the slides...
which matches a remark made by Peter Daszak in an email to David Morens in May 2021, made public by FOIA ▫️1/8
#CovidOrigin
www.hsgac.senate.gov/wp-content/u...
No mention of furin cleavage site in the slides...
which matches a remark made by Peter Daszak in an email to David Morens in May 2021, made public by FOIA ▫️1/8
#CovidOrigin
www.hsgac.senate.gov/wp-content/u...
October 31, 2025 at 8:50 PM
Maybe an even more inside baseball in these documents -- but it's key:
No mention of furin cleavage site in the slides...
which matches a remark made by Peter Daszak in an email to David Morens in May 2021, made public by FOIA ▫️1/8
#CovidOrigin
www.hsgac.senate.gov/wp-content/u...
No mention of furin cleavage site in the slides...
which matches a remark made by Peter Daszak in an email to David Morens in May 2021, made public by FOIA ▫️1/8
#CovidOrigin
www.hsgac.senate.gov/wp-content/u...
This is 💯 Origin inside baseball, but I've always been perplexed by Baric's claim that our "market" studies could not be correct because, according to him, the molecular timing of the pandemic in in October, not later.
That was always wrong, but where did he get this October date from?
Well... 🧵👇
That was always wrong, but where did he get this October date from?
Well... 🧵👇
October 31, 2025 at 5:41 PM
This is 💯 Origin inside baseball, but I've always been perplexed by Baric's claim that our "market" studies could not be correct because, according to him, the molecular timing of the pandemic in in October, not later.
That was always wrong, but where did he get this October date from?
Well... 🧵👇
That was always wrong, but where did he get this October date from?
Well... 🧵👇
Reposted by Kristian G. Andersen
I am going to be that annoying friend. Get your #COVID & #flu shots. There is little downside to getting immunized and it will spare you from being out sick, having to go to the doctor's office, hospitalization and yes, death. Too many people aren't stepping up to get the shots. Do it this weekend.
October 31, 2025 at 10:55 AM
Reposted by Kristian G. Andersen
This is heartbreaking 💔 to read. Thank you 🙏 for sharing this with us. I want to apologize to you on behalf of real Americans. It’s a painful reminder that we must keep resisting these harmful policies so we don’t lose more people like @wwenneuro.bsky.social, whom we spent over a decade training.
After 13 years in the US, I’ve made the difficult decision to leave. Having packed up everything and rethought about priorities, rather painstakingly, while I’m sad to leave the life I’ve made here, I’m also relieved that I won’t have to plan my life around immigration policies anymore.
October 31, 2025 at 12:18 PM
This is heartbreaking 💔 to read. Thank you 🙏 for sharing this with us. I want to apologize to you on behalf of real Americans. It’s a painful reminder that we must keep resisting these harmful policies so we don’t lose more people like @wwenneuro.bsky.social, whom we spent over a decade training.
As expected, unfortunately.
If ever you needed a reason for never using GISAID ever again (as a data producer or data user - we're both), look no further.
Time to move on to more trusted and transparent solutions.
If ever you needed a reason for never using GISAID ever again (as a data producer or data user - we're both), look no further.
Time to move on to more trusted and transparent solutions.
October 31, 2025 at 1:41 AM
As expected, unfortunately.
If ever you needed a reason for never using GISAID ever again (as a data producer or data user - we're both), look no further.
Time to move on to more trusted and transparent solutions.
If ever you needed a reason for never using GISAID ever again (as a data producer or data user - we're both), look no further.
Time to move on to more trusted and transparent solutions.
Reposted by Kristian G. Andersen
For 61 years the #BBCWorldService has been broadcasting the latest in science via its weekly Science in Action programme. That dies in the next half hour, with this final edition, reflecting on the fall in trust in expertise driven by malign interests over recent years.
It's the end of the road for BBC Science in Action. But science itself is facing growing roadblocks. For this terminal edition of SinA I'm joined by @naomioreskes.bsky.social @drdebhoury.bsky.social @michaelemann.bsky.social & @angierasmussen.bsky.social for where now?
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w...
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w...
BBC World Service - Science In Action, How science got here, and where next
As anti-science leaves research reeling, does evidence-based policy have a future?
www.bbc.co.uk
October 30, 2025 at 8:28 PM
For 61 years the #BBCWorldService has been broadcasting the latest in science via its weekly Science in Action programme. That dies in the next half hour, with this final edition, reflecting on the fall in trust in expertise driven by malign interests over recent years.
Exactly this. Reading all the headlines this morning, none of them mention this very key point - in fact, it’s the *only* point that matters.
Waiting for someone to explain why the announcement of a trade relationship that is worse than the one we had a year ago is received as a big success
October 30, 2025 at 2:13 PM
Exactly this. Reading all the headlines this morning, none of them mention this very key point - in fact, it’s the *only* point that matters.
Reposted by Kristian G. Andersen
🧵Remember the preprint claiming SARS-CoV-2 has a "synthetic fingerprint"?
It said a restriction map was "extremely unlikely to have arisen by random evolution.”
I took its claims seriously.
The "synthetic fingerprint" hypothesis collapses. My new preprint explains why.
arxiv.org/abs/2510.23833
It said a restriction map was "extremely unlikely to have arisen by random evolution.”
I took its claims seriously.
The "synthetic fingerprint" hypothesis collapses. My new preprint explains why.
arxiv.org/abs/2510.23833
October 29, 2025 at 7:32 AM
🧵Remember the preprint claiming SARS-CoV-2 has a "synthetic fingerprint"?
It said a restriction map was "extremely unlikely to have arisen by random evolution.”
I took its claims seriously.
The "synthetic fingerprint" hypothesis collapses. My new preprint explains why.
arxiv.org/abs/2510.23833
It said a restriction map was "extremely unlikely to have arisen by random evolution.”
I took its claims seriously.
The "synthetic fingerprint" hypothesis collapses. My new preprint explains why.
arxiv.org/abs/2510.23833