Dr. Lauren E. Fuess
@laurenfuess.bsky.social
#newPI @ TX State leading the Symbiommunity Lab.
Eco-evo-immunologist interested in immune variation, host-symbiont dynamics
🐎 & 🐈 mom; Posts my own.
Eco-evo-immunologist interested in immune variation, host-symbiont dynamics
🐎 & 🐈 mom; Posts my own.
Pinned
opportunities – Symbiommunity Lab
tinyurl.com
🚨🚨We’re hiring graduate students!🚨🚨
We are hiring 1-2 PhD students to start sometime in 2026 (Fall start dates preferred). Opportunities to work on a diversity of eco-evo-immuno and symbiosis projects!
Deadline Oct 15! Please share broadly!
Info here: tinyurl.com/y2abjsem
We are hiring 1-2 PhD students to start sometime in 2026 (Fall start dates preferred). Opportunities to work on a diversity of eco-evo-immuno and symbiosis projects!
Deadline Oct 15! Please share broadly!
Info here: tinyurl.com/y2abjsem
Crazy to think all my non-equestrian friends are out there just having a normal week while my horsey bubble is imploding over this.
I honestly can’t overstate how bad it is. Maybe we’ll look back and think we’ve overreacted but I’d rather that than the alternative.
www.kwtx.com/2025/11/19/e...
I honestly can’t overstate how bad it is. Maybe we’ll look back and think we’ve overreacted but I’d rather that than the alternative.
www.kwtx.com/2025/11/19/e...
2 Texas EHV-1 cases confirmed as Equine Herpes Virus outbreak begins in Waco
The Texas Animal Health Commission says they are aware of two cases now and are continuing their investigations to track the virus and where it spreads.
www.kwtx.com
November 21, 2025 at 1:18 AM
Crazy to think all my non-equestrian friends are out there just having a normal week while my horsey bubble is imploding over this.
I honestly can’t overstate how bad it is. Maybe we’ll look back and think we’ve overreacted but I’d rather that than the alternative.
www.kwtx.com/2025/11/19/e...
I honestly can’t overstate how bad it is. Maybe we’ll look back and think we’ve overreacted but I’d rather that than the alternative.
www.kwtx.com/2025/11/19/e...
If anyone was still on the fence over whether American tipping culture has gotten out of hand… Went to grab takeout today, no one taking orders, just a kiosk.. but the tip options were still 20-30%.
How about these companies just pay their cooks a working wage!?!?
How about these companies just pay their cooks a working wage!?!?
November 21, 2025 at 12:02 AM
If anyone was still on the fence over whether American tipping culture has gotten out of hand… Went to grab takeout today, no one taking orders, just a kiosk.. but the tip options were still 20-30%.
How about these companies just pay their cooks a working wage!?!?
How about these companies just pay their cooks a working wage!?!?
Follow up: I still can’t get over the fact that this man sold out Dickies arena and then showed up looking like he belongs in a Progressive commercial.
Fully embracing the “Dad rock” vibes and honestly, I’m here for it.
Fully embracing the “Dad rock” vibes and honestly, I’m here for it.
November 17, 2025 at 1:28 AM
Follow up: I still can’t get over the fact that this man sold out Dickies arena and then showed up looking like he belongs in a Progressive commercial.
Fully embracing the “Dad rock” vibes and honestly, I’m here for it.
Fully embracing the “Dad rock” vibes and honestly, I’m here for it.
So I scrambled to submit my MIRA Oct 3rd for nothing and will now have to complete rethink my existing strategy for grant submissions over the next year…
November 15, 2025 at 2:26 AM
So I scrambled to submit my MIRA Oct 3rd for nothing and will now have to complete rethink my existing strategy for grant submissions over the next year…
Back in the town where I got my PhD tonight, seeing two of the musicians who defined that period of my life. One of them I haven’t seen live since I was a newly minted PhD, 4 days post defense and a week out from getting engaged.
You could say I’m feeling just a little nostalgic
You could say I’m feeling just a little nostalgic
November 14, 2025 at 2:07 AM
Back in the town where I got my PhD tonight, seeing two of the musicians who defined that period of my life. One of them I haven’t seen live since I was a newly minted PhD, 4 days post defense and a week out from getting engaged.
You could say I’m feeling just a little nostalgic
You could say I’m feeling just a little nostalgic
Dear SICB: charging postbac technicians for full price membership and registration is really really not cool. There is no reason this group of early career researcher should be paying over double what students pay for registration.
Let’s fix this moving forward.
Let’s fix this moving forward.
November 11, 2025 at 8:55 PM
Dear SICB: charging postbac technicians for full price membership and registration is really really not cool. There is no reason this group of early career researcher should be paying over double what students pay for registration.
Let’s fix this moving forward.
Let’s fix this moving forward.
This was such a fun project and I’m so glad to see it out officially!!
Happy to share this AREES paper on Evolutionary Immunology
www.annualreviews.org/docserver/fu...
Now "officially" published OA. Hope its useful... it was a joy working w great colleagues on this one. @nataliesteinel.bsky.social @grahammunology.bsky.social @laurenfuess.bsky.social
www.annualreviews.org/docserver/fu...
Now "officially" published OA. Hope its useful... it was a joy working w great colleagues on this one. @nataliesteinel.bsky.social @grahammunology.bsky.social @laurenfuess.bsky.social
www.annualreviews.org
November 7, 2025 at 8:52 PM
This was such a fun project and I’m so glad to see it out officially!!
Not the headline anyone wants to see but this hits particularly close to home… I lived through a cat 1 (Sandy) hit just outside of Kingston and that was rough.. I can’t even fathom this.
Thinking of all the friends and colleagues I made during my time in Jamaica and hoping for safety for all.
Thinking of all the friends and colleagues I made during my time in Jamaica and hoping for safety for all.
Writing is my coping mechanism when I am worried about a weather situation. As an unprecedented storm like #HurricaneMelissa approaches Jamaica, I feel helpless, so I write. My Tuesday morning thoughts on the storm.
www.forbes.com/sites/marsha...
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www.forbes.com/sites/marsha...
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Hurricane Melissa Is The Strongest Storm On Earth In 2025
The strongest storm on Earth in 2025 is about to hit Jamaica. Here's what you need to know about Hurricane Melissa before its first landfall.
www.forbes.com
October 28, 2025 at 11:54 AM
Not the headline anyone wants to see but this hits particularly close to home… I lived through a cat 1 (Sandy) hit just outside of Kingston and that was rough.. I can’t even fathom this.
Thinking of all the friends and colleagues I made during my time in Jamaica and hoping for safety for all.
Thinking of all the friends and colleagues I made during my time in Jamaica and hoping for safety for all.
Alright bioinformaticians of Blue Sky… I need your help.
We’ve been aligning TagSeq data to a new reference genome using STAR. I get decent mapping rates to the gff3 file from STAR for unique mappers. But when I go to assemble a count matrix using feature counts it plummets (lots of multi mappers)
We’ve been aligning TagSeq data to a new reference genome using STAR. I get decent mapping rates to the gff3 file from STAR for unique mappers. But when I go to assemble a count matrix using feature counts it plummets (lots of multi mappers)
October 24, 2025 at 2:12 PM
Alright bioinformaticians of Blue Sky… I need your help.
We’ve been aligning TagSeq data to a new reference genome using STAR. I get decent mapping rates to the gff3 file from STAR for unique mappers. But when I go to assemble a count matrix using feature counts it plummets (lots of multi mappers)
We’ve been aligning TagSeq data to a new reference genome using STAR. I get decent mapping rates to the gff3 file from STAR for unique mappers. But when I go to assemble a count matrix using feature counts it plummets (lots of multi mappers)
This feels appropriate
a toy that says yes i canada in front of a purple background
Alt: Duke kaboom from Toy Story 4 says yes i canada in front of a purple background
media.tenor.com
October 21, 2025 at 3:02 AM
This feels appropriate
Reminder, we’re hiring 2 PhD students for next year!! I’m extending the deadline to Nov 1, but please get your app in soon if you’re interested in joining us! More info is on our webpage. 🦠🦑
Please share with ECRs you know as well and check out our other open positio. (Postdoc!)
Please share with ECRs you know as well and check out our other open positio. (Postdoc!)
🚨🚨We’re hiring graduate students!🚨🚨
We are hiring 1-2 PhD students to start sometime in 2026 (Fall start dates preferred). Opportunities to work on a diversity of eco-evo-immuno and symbiosis projects!
Deadline Oct 15! Please share broadly!
Info here: tinyurl.com/y2abjsem
We are hiring 1-2 PhD students to start sometime in 2026 (Fall start dates preferred). Opportunities to work on a diversity of eco-evo-immuno and symbiosis projects!
Deadline Oct 15! Please share broadly!
Info here: tinyurl.com/y2abjsem
opportunities – Symbiommunity Lab
tinyurl.com
October 14, 2025 at 10:46 PM
Reminder, we’re hiring 2 PhD students for next year!! I’m extending the deadline to Nov 1, but please get your app in soon if you’re interested in joining us! More info is on our webpage. 🦠🦑
Please share with ECRs you know as well and check out our other open positio. (Postdoc!)
Please share with ECRs you know as well and check out our other open positio. (Postdoc!)
It’s a wallow on the couch eating spicy noodles and binge watching ER kind of night.
Have a feeling many of my colleagues are doing similar things. #IYKYK
Have a feeling many of my colleagues are doing similar things. #IYKYK
October 14, 2025 at 1:02 AM
It’s a wallow on the couch eating spicy noodles and binge watching ER kind of night.
Have a feeling many of my colleagues are doing similar things. #IYKYK
Have a feeling many of my colleagues are doing similar things. #IYKYK
In person guests are also more than welcome if you’re in the central TX area. Reach out if you need any info!
Science friends and collaborators!! This week I will be giving my tenure review seminar! It will be available via zoom to accommodate some folks travel schedules.
So, if you’d like to hear more about what the labs been up to over the past five years please reach out and I will give you the link
So, if you’d like to hear more about what the labs been up to over the past five years please reach out and I will give you the link
September 23, 2025 at 9:01 PM
In person guests are also more than welcome if you’re in the central TX area. Reach out if you need any info!
Science friends and collaborators!! This week I will be giving my tenure review seminar! It will be available via zoom to accommodate some folks travel schedules.
So, if you’d like to hear more about what the labs been up to over the past five years please reach out and I will give you the link
So, if you’d like to hear more about what the labs been up to over the past five years please reach out and I will give you the link
September 23, 2025 at 9:01 PM
Science friends and collaborators!! This week I will be giving my tenure review seminar! It will be available via zoom to accommodate some folks travel schedules.
So, if you’d like to hear more about what the labs been up to over the past five years please reach out and I will give you the link
So, if you’d like to hear more about what the labs been up to over the past five years please reach out and I will give you the link
5 years of hard work on this guys brain at shows has really paid off. He’s starting to feel like an old pro.
Did he try to kill himself in the trailer on the way over? Yeah. But did that bother him when he got there? Nope.
Set a first level PB & exceeded our 2nd level debut goal by 4 points!
Did he try to kill himself in the trailer on the way over? Yeah. But did that bother him when he got there? Nope.
Set a first level PB & exceeded our 2nd level debut goal by 4 points!
September 20, 2025 at 10:35 PM
5 years of hard work on this guys brain at shows has really paid off. He’s starting to feel like an old pro.
Did he try to kill himself in the trailer on the way over? Yeah. But did that bother him when he got there? Nope.
Set a first level PB & exceeded our 2nd level debut goal by 4 points!
Did he try to kill himself in the trailer on the way over? Yeah. But did that bother him when he got there? Nope.
Set a first level PB & exceeded our 2nd level debut goal by 4 points!
Guess I need to go through and swap genetic diversity for genetic variation in my proposal… ugh
NEW: NIH leadership has denied the existence of a list of banned words for grantmaking purposes, but I have seen such a list circulating among staff. It has lots of words relating to gender and diversity, of course. Also things like "climate change," "vaccine hesitancy," "ethnic origin," and others.
September 18, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Guess I need to go through and swap genetic diversity for genetic variation in my proposal… ugh
One year ago today I pretty dramatically broke my wrist… and unofficially dislocated my elbow.
I still can’t fully lock that elbow; nor can I touch my thumb to my shoulder on that side… but 95% functionality gets you pretty far day to day and I’m lifting heavier than ever so I’ll take it!
I still can’t fully lock that elbow; nor can I touch my thumb to my shoulder on that side… but 95% functionality gets you pretty far day to day and I’m lifting heavier than ever so I’ll take it!
September 9, 2025 at 8:15 PM
One year ago today I pretty dramatically broke my wrist… and unofficially dislocated my elbow.
I still can’t fully lock that elbow; nor can I touch my thumb to my shoulder on that side… but 95% functionality gets you pretty far day to day and I’m lifting heavier than ever so I’ll take it!
I still can’t fully lock that elbow; nor can I touch my thumb to my shoulder on that side… but 95% functionality gets you pretty far day to day and I’m lifting heavier than ever so I’ll take it!
Super behind on this but so excited to see this preprint out. Dan did an excellent job summarizing the science; I won’t duplicate efforts.
But on a personal note- I set out this summer with a goal to get my last postdoc MS done before submitting my tenure packet… mission accomplished!!
But on a personal note- I set out this summer with a goal to get my last postdoc MS done before submitting my tenure packet… mission accomplished!!
When populations evolve different strategies to defend against a recently acquired parasite (e.g., tolerance, resistance), what sets of gene expression responses are conserved, or diverge? Using a vaccination experiment with #stickleback @laurenfuess.bsky.social reports some fun results...
August 21, 2025 at 12:23 PM
Super behind on this but so excited to see this preprint out. Dan did an excellent job summarizing the science; I won’t duplicate efforts.
But on a personal note- I set out this summer with a goal to get my last postdoc MS done before submitting my tenure packet… mission accomplished!!
But on a personal note- I set out this summer with a goal to get my last postdoc MS done before submitting my tenure packet… mission accomplished!!
Currently unclaimed taxa (mostly inverts):
- ctenophores or sponges
- platyhelminths
- annelids
- crustaceans
- insects/arachnids
- chitons/gastropods/bivalves
- cephalopods
- amphioxus
- tunicates
- jawless fish
- birds
- ctenophores or sponges
- platyhelminths
- annelids
- crustaceans
- insects/arachnids
- chitons/gastropods/bivalves
- cephalopods
- amphioxus
- tunicates
- jawless fish
- birds
Hey wild immunologists of blue sky… do you work on a non-model taxa???
Would you have 15 min to spare to zoom in and share your research with my comparative immunology class?
I’m looking to spotlight real research this semester. Please spread the word and reach out if you’re interested!
Would you have 15 min to spare to zoom in and share your research with my comparative immunology class?
I’m looking to spotlight real research this semester. Please spread the word and reach out if you’re interested!
August 15, 2025 at 9:52 PM
Currently unclaimed taxa (mostly inverts):
- ctenophores or sponges
- platyhelminths
- annelids
- crustaceans
- insects/arachnids
- chitons/gastropods/bivalves
- cephalopods
- amphioxus
- tunicates
- jawless fish
- birds
- ctenophores or sponges
- platyhelminths
- annelids
- crustaceans
- insects/arachnids
- chitons/gastropods/bivalves
- cephalopods
- amphioxus
- tunicates
- jawless fish
- birds
🚨🚨We’re hiring graduate students!🚨🚨
We are hiring 1-2 PhD students to start sometime in 2026 (Fall start dates preferred). Opportunities to work on a diversity of eco-evo-immuno and symbiosis projects!
Deadline Oct 15! Please share broadly!
Info here: tinyurl.com/y2abjsem
We are hiring 1-2 PhD students to start sometime in 2026 (Fall start dates preferred). Opportunities to work on a diversity of eco-evo-immuno and symbiosis projects!
Deadline Oct 15! Please share broadly!
Info here: tinyurl.com/y2abjsem
opportunities – Symbiommunity Lab
tinyurl.com
August 15, 2025 at 8:54 PM
🚨🚨We’re hiring graduate students!🚨🚨
We are hiring 1-2 PhD students to start sometime in 2026 (Fall start dates preferred). Opportunities to work on a diversity of eco-evo-immuno and symbiosis projects!
Deadline Oct 15! Please share broadly!
Info here: tinyurl.com/y2abjsem
We are hiring 1-2 PhD students to start sometime in 2026 (Fall start dates preferred). Opportunities to work on a diversity of eco-evo-immuno and symbiosis projects!
Deadline Oct 15! Please share broadly!
Info here: tinyurl.com/y2abjsem
Been thinking a lot about the many grant programs with institutional gate keeping (HHMI, Packard, etc). In a world of reduced funding opportunities, those of us at “lesser than” unis will be increasingly boxed out. This plan would not help…
Good science can be done at all kinds of places!
Good science can be done at all kinds of places!
-Dr. Bhattacharya mentioned idea of making K awards an institutional mechanism instead of a PI-initiated mechanism. Institutions that hire new faculty could give them K award, move that to next faculty when the first hire gets first grant.
August 15, 2025 at 1:52 AM
Been thinking a lot about the many grant programs with institutional gate keeping (HHMI, Packard, etc). In a world of reduced funding opportunities, those of us at “lesser than” unis will be increasingly boxed out. This plan would not help…
Good science can be done at all kinds of places!
Good science can be done at all kinds of places!
Yall some company is making equestrian jumpsuits and I can’t even….. who in their right mind??? 🤮🤮🤮
August 14, 2025 at 9:24 PM
Yall some company is making equestrian jumpsuits and I can’t even….. who in their right mind??? 🤮🤮🤮
Hey wild immunologists of blue sky… do you work on a non-model taxa???
Would you have 15 min to spare to zoom in and share your research with my comparative immunology class?
I’m looking to spotlight real research this semester. Please spread the word and reach out if you’re interested!
Would you have 15 min to spare to zoom in and share your research with my comparative immunology class?
I’m looking to spotlight real research this semester. Please spread the word and reach out if you’re interested!
August 13, 2025 at 6:03 PM
Hey wild immunologists of blue sky… do you work on a non-model taxa???
Would you have 15 min to spare to zoom in and share your research with my comparative immunology class?
I’m looking to spotlight real research this semester. Please spread the word and reach out if you’re interested!
Would you have 15 min to spare to zoom in and share your research with my comparative immunology class?
I’m looking to spotlight real research this semester. Please spread the word and reach out if you’re interested!
🚨🚨We’re hiring a postdoc!🚨🚨
Min two year contract; start in 2026 (flexible) & contribute to this project focused on understanding the link between bleaching recovery and disease in cnidarians!! Opportunities to work on side projects too!
Deadline Nov 1!
Info here: tinyurl.com/y2abjsem
Min two year contract; start in 2026 (flexible) & contribute to this project focused on understanding the link between bleaching recovery and disease in cnidarians!! Opportunities to work on side projects too!
Deadline Nov 1!
Info here: tinyurl.com/y2abjsem
August 12, 2025 at 10:00 PM
🚨🚨We’re hiring a postdoc!🚨🚨
Min two year contract; start in 2026 (flexible) & contribute to this project focused on understanding the link between bleaching recovery and disease in cnidarians!! Opportunities to work on side projects too!
Deadline Nov 1!
Info here: tinyurl.com/y2abjsem
Min two year contract; start in 2026 (flexible) & contribute to this project focused on understanding the link between bleaching recovery and disease in cnidarians!! Opportunities to work on side projects too!
Deadline Nov 1!
Info here: tinyurl.com/y2abjsem
Anyone else absolutely drowning in review requests this summer? I’ve been getting multiple a day.
Meanwhile we’ve been waiting FIFTEEN weeks and still no reviews on a MS submitted at the end of May. Last news was they were “waiting on a reviewer”… that was a month ago.
Meanwhile we’ve been waiting FIFTEEN weeks and still no reviews on a MS submitted at the end of May. Last news was they were “waiting on a reviewer”… that was a month ago.
August 10, 2025 at 7:59 PM
Anyone else absolutely drowning in review requests this summer? I’ve been getting multiple a day.
Meanwhile we’ve been waiting FIFTEEN weeks and still no reviews on a MS submitted at the end of May. Last news was they were “waiting on a reviewer”… that was a month ago.
Meanwhile we’ve been waiting FIFTEEN weeks and still no reviews on a MS submitted at the end of May. Last news was they were “waiting on a reviewer”… that was a month ago.