A. Murat Eren (Meren)
@merenbey.bsky.social
Professor of Ecosystem Data Science at @hifmb.bsky.social studying the ecology and evolution of microbes through high-resolution 'omics and #anvio
Reposted by A. Murat Eren (Meren)
This paper has been a must! Great collaboration with @mkrupovic.bsky.social and @yifanzhou.bsky.social, a N&V by a legend of halophilic archaea tinyurl.com/yc3dcv72, and one picture of one of our expeditions to Dallol making the cover of the November issue of @natmicrobiol.nature.com
rdcu.be/eLtCH
rdcu.be/eLtCH
November 2, 2025 at 5:52 PM
This paper has been a must! Great collaboration with @mkrupovic.bsky.social and @yifanzhou.bsky.social, a N&V by a legend of halophilic archaea tinyurl.com/yc3dcv72, and one picture of one of our expeditions to Dallol making the cover of the November issue of @natmicrobiol.nature.com
rdcu.be/eLtCH
rdcu.be/eLtCH
Reposted by A. Murat Eren (Meren)
Great to see this finally published!
Metalog: curated and harmonised contextual data for global metagenomics samples
now out in @narjournal.bsky.social
academic.oup.com/nar/advance-...
Metalog: curated and harmonised contextual data for global metagenomics samples
now out in @narjournal.bsky.social
academic.oup.com/nar/advance-...
Metalog: curated and harmonised contextual data for global metagenomics samples
Abstract. Metagenomic sequencing enables the in-depth study of microbes and their functions in humans, animals, and the environment. While sequencing data
academic.oup.com
October 31, 2025 at 3:16 PM
Great to see this finally published!
Metalog: curated and harmonised contextual data for global metagenomics samples
now out in @narjournal.bsky.social
academic.oup.com/nar/advance-...
Metalog: curated and harmonised contextual data for global metagenomics samples
now out in @narjournal.bsky.social
academic.oup.com/nar/advance-...
I wrote a new tutorial on competitive metagenomic read recruitment (and profiling of the results with #anvio), for those of us nerds who would like to get their hands dirty with data:
anvio.org/tutorials/co...
anvio.org/tutorials/co...
Competitive metagenomic read recruitment explained
A tutorial on the nuts and bolts of competitive read recruitment
anvio.org
October 25, 2025 at 10:50 AM
I wrote a new tutorial on competitive metagenomic read recruitment (and profiling of the results with #anvio), for those of us nerds who would like to get their hands dirty with data:
anvio.org/tutorials/co...
anvio.org/tutorials/co...
Reposted by A. Murat Eren (Meren)
Evidence from 14 research funding programmes confirms that early winners tend to keep winning (Matthew effect). But the idea that an early setback makes you stronger later doesn’t replicate widely.
buff.ly/UEtcRd4
buff.ly/UEtcRd4
October 24, 2025 at 8:21 AM
Evidence from 14 research funding programmes confirms that early winners tend to keep winning (Matthew effect). But the idea that an early setback makes you stronger later doesn’t replicate widely.
buff.ly/UEtcRd4
buff.ly/UEtcRd4
Read the annual report from @elife.bsky.social:
elifesciences.org/inside-elife...
I welcome that eLife is no longer indexed by SCIE. And I admire that they have not backed away from their innovative model, which makes me even more motivated to send our best work to eLife.
elifesciences.org/inside-elife...
I welcome that eLife is no longer indexed by SCIE. And I admire that they have not backed away from their innovative model, which makes me even more motivated to send our best work to eLife.
Annual Report: 2024 in review
In 2024, eLife continued with its efforts to make peer review and publishing better for science and scientists.
elifesciences.org
October 23, 2025 at 1:37 PM
Read the annual report from @elife.bsky.social:
elifesciences.org/inside-elife...
I welcome that eLife is no longer indexed by SCIE. And I admire that they have not backed away from their innovative model, which makes me even more motivated to send our best work to eLife.
elifesciences.org/inside-elife...
I welcome that eLife is no longer indexed by SCIE. And I admire that they have not backed away from their innovative model, which makes me even more motivated to send our best work to eLife.
Please share this with anyone who may be interested in a post-doc in Germany:
jobs.awi.de/Vacancies/20...
This is quite an exciting opportunity to push the boundaries of what is known regarding the molecular basis of the formation and demise of photosymbiotic relationships in marine habitats.
jobs.awi.de/Vacancies/20...
This is quite an exciting opportunity to push the boundaries of what is known regarding the molecular basis of the formation and demise of photosymbiotic relationships in marine habitats.
October 22, 2025 at 10:36 AM
Please share this with anyone who may be interested in a post-doc in Germany:
jobs.awi.de/Vacancies/20...
This is quite an exciting opportunity to push the boundaries of what is known regarding the molecular basis of the formation and demise of photosymbiotic relationships in marine habitats.
jobs.awi.de/Vacancies/20...
This is quite an exciting opportunity to push the boundaries of what is known regarding the molecular basis of the formation and demise of photosymbiotic relationships in marine habitats.
Reposted by A. Murat Eren (Meren)
I'm delighted our paper is out: doi.org/10.1093/isme...
With new SAR11 isolate genomes and time-series metagenomes, we reveal coastal and offshore SAR11 ecotypes, identify associated metabolic traits, and pinpoint selective gene sweeps as a likely evolutionary driver to niche partitioning. 🌊🦠
With new SAR11 isolate genomes and time-series metagenomes, we reveal coastal and offshore SAR11 ecotypes, identify associated metabolic traits, and pinpoint selective gene sweeps as a likely evolutionary driver to niche partitioning. 🌊🦠
Habitat-specificity in SAR11 is associated with a few genes under high selection
Abstract. The order Pelagibacterales (SAR11) is the most abundant group of heterotrophic bacteria in the global surface ocean, where individual sublineages
doi.org
October 20, 2025 at 7:40 PM
I'm delighted our paper is out: doi.org/10.1093/isme...
With new SAR11 isolate genomes and time-series metagenomes, we reveal coastal and offshore SAR11 ecotypes, identify associated metabolic traits, and pinpoint selective gene sweeps as a likely evolutionary driver to niche partitioning. 🌊🦠
With new SAR11 isolate genomes and time-series metagenomes, we reveal coastal and offshore SAR11 ecotypes, identify associated metabolic traits, and pinpoint selective gene sweeps as a likely evolutionary driver to niche partitioning. 🌊🦠
Reposted by A. Murat Eren (Meren)
A new review study shows the invisible transport pathways for #iron through #hydrothermal plumes.
More on Iron’s Irony here ➡️ www.marum.de/en/Iron-sIro...
@icbm-uol.bsky.social #ConstructorUniversity @geomarkiel.bsky.social @awi.de @marumunibremen.bsky.social
More on Iron’s Irony here ➡️ www.marum.de/en/Iron-sIro...
@icbm-uol.bsky.social #ConstructorUniversity @geomarkiel.bsky.social @awi.de @marumunibremen.bsky.social
October 20, 2025 at 11:51 AM
A new review study shows the invisible transport pathways for #iron through #hydrothermal plumes.
More on Iron’s Irony here ➡️ www.marum.de/en/Iron-sIro...
@icbm-uol.bsky.social #ConstructorUniversity @geomarkiel.bsky.social @awi.de @marumunibremen.bsky.social
More on Iron’s Irony here ➡️ www.marum.de/en/Iron-sIro...
@icbm-uol.bsky.social #ConstructorUniversity @geomarkiel.bsky.social @awi.de @marumunibremen.bsky.social
One of the things I find hardest to get used to in science is seeing how scientists can completely mischaracterize approaches developed by others just to justify their own. Here is a fresh example in which the highlighted statements are 100% objectively wrong about what PlasX or MobMess does
October 10, 2025 at 8:03 AM
One of the things I find hardest to get used to in science is seeing how scientists can completely mischaracterize approaches developed by others just to justify their own. Here is a fresh example in which the highlighted statements are 100% objectively wrong about what PlasX or MobMess does
TL;DR: "I use AI myself to do things that would have required expertise and training I didn't have, such as making sense of my blood work or writing faster & better, but do not like to see that it is being used for things for which I have expertise and training".
theoatmeal.com/comics/ai_ar...
theoatmeal.com/comics/ai_ar...
A cartoonist's review of AI art - The Oatmeal
This is a comic about AI art.
theoatmeal.com
October 9, 2025 at 6:56 AM
TL;DR: "I use AI myself to do things that would have required expertise and training I didn't have, such as making sense of my blood work or writing faster & better, but do not like to see that it is being used for things for which I have expertise and training".
theoatmeal.com/comics/ai_ar...
theoatmeal.com/comics/ai_ar...
Reposted by A. Murat Eren (Meren)
🪸🧪 We’re hiring! Join our ERC-funded group at the @hifmb.de in Oldenburg, Germany to explore the cellular origins of photosymbiosis:
𝟏 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐝𝐨𝐜 + 𝟐 𝐏𝐡𝐃𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬.
Deadlines: Oct 29 & Nov 5. Links below.
Questions: nils.raedecker@hifmb.de
#Photosymbiosis #HIFMB #ERC #AcademicJobs
𝟏 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐝𝐨𝐜 + 𝟐 𝐏𝐡𝐃𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬.
Deadlines: Oct 29 & Nov 5. Links below.
Questions: nils.raedecker@hifmb.de
#Photosymbiosis #HIFMB #ERC #AcademicJobs
October 6, 2025 at 12:27 PM
🪸🧪 We’re hiring! Join our ERC-funded group at the @hifmb.de in Oldenburg, Germany to explore the cellular origins of photosymbiosis:
𝟏 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐝𝐨𝐜 + 𝟐 𝐏𝐡𝐃𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬.
Deadlines: Oct 29 & Nov 5. Links below.
Questions: nils.raedecker@hifmb.de
#Photosymbiosis #HIFMB #ERC #AcademicJobs
𝟏 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐝𝐨𝐜 + 𝟐 𝐏𝐡𝐃𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬.
Deadlines: Oct 29 & Nov 5. Links below.
Questions: nils.raedecker@hifmb.de
#Photosymbiosis #HIFMB #ERC #AcademicJobs
Reposted by A. Murat Eren (Meren)
💫 #MVIF Season 5 💫
Feel free to join the keynotes by presenting your work–abstract submission is open:
www.microbiome-vif.org/en-US/how-to...
#MVIF is proudly supported by #illumina @corundumsb.bsky.social
and our non-commercial co-organizing partners Seerave Foundation @cunysph.bsky.social
Feel free to join the keynotes by presenting your work–abstract submission is open:
www.microbiome-vif.org/en-US/how-to...
#MVIF is proudly supported by #illumina @corundumsb.bsky.social
and our non-commercial co-organizing partners Seerave Foundation @cunysph.bsky.social
October 6, 2025 at 9:53 AM
💫 #MVIF Season 5 💫
Feel free to join the keynotes by presenting your work–abstract submission is open:
www.microbiome-vif.org/en-US/how-to...
#MVIF is proudly supported by #illumina @corundumsb.bsky.social
and our non-commercial co-organizing partners Seerave Foundation @cunysph.bsky.social
Feel free to join the keynotes by presenting your work–abstract submission is open:
www.microbiome-vif.org/en-US/how-to...
#MVIF is proudly supported by #illumina @corundumsb.bsky.social
and our non-commercial co-organizing partners Seerave Foundation @cunysph.bsky.social
Reposted by A. Murat Eren (Meren)
You like phages ? In this publication, we use metaHiC and our new version of the MetaTOR pipeline to challenge the traditional view of phages with a narrow host range.
@rkoszul.bsky.social @natmicrobiol.nature.com @cnrs.fr @institutpasteur.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
@rkoszul.bsky.social @natmicrobiol.nature.com @cnrs.fr @institutpasteur.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Phages with a broad host range are common across ecosystems - Nature Microbiology
Proximity-ligation-based sequencing from 111 samples and 5 environments reveals that a substantial proportion of phages infect multiple species.
www.nature.com
September 19, 2025 at 9:32 AM
You like phages ? In this publication, we use metaHiC and our new version of the MetaTOR pipeline to challenge the traditional view of phages with a narrow host range.
@rkoszul.bsky.social @natmicrobiol.nature.com @cnrs.fr @institutpasteur.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
@rkoszul.bsky.social @natmicrobiol.nature.com @cnrs.fr @institutpasteur.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Have you ever looked at some differentially occurring gene clusters in a microbial #pangenome and thought to yourself "I wonder if they contribute to any metabolic modules"?
With the most recent changes, the answer is a few clicks away in #anvio 😇
With the most recent changes, the answer is a few clicks away in #anvio 😇
September 18, 2025 at 10:05 AM
Have you ever looked at some differentially occurring gene clusters in a microbial #pangenome and thought to yourself "I wonder if they contribute to any metabolic modules"?
With the most recent changes, the answer is a few clicks away in #anvio 😇
With the most recent changes, the answer is a few clicks away in #anvio 😇
Reposted by A. Murat Eren (Meren)
How do you long-read sequence metagenomes? I would argue it starts with the right sample storage & DNA extraction, to enable efficient @nanoporetech.com /@pacbio.bsky.social sequencing, which we investigated in our new paper: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Massive thanks to Klara for driving this
Massive thanks to Klara for driving this
September 9, 2025 at 3:35 PM
How do you long-read sequence metagenomes? I would argue it starts with the right sample storage & DNA extraction, to enable efficient @nanoporetech.com /@pacbio.bsky.social sequencing, which we investigated in our new paper: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Massive thanks to Klara for driving this
Massive thanks to Klara for driving this
Reposted by A. Murat Eren (Meren)
Congratulations to HIFMB colleague Kim de Luca, who was selected by MIT Technology Review as one of the 35 Innovators Under 35.
www.technologyreview.com/innovator/ki...
www.technologyreview.com/innovator/ki...
Kim de Luca
She tracks DNA damage to improve cancer treatments and save corals.
www.technologyreview.com
September 9, 2025 at 9:04 AM
Congratulations to HIFMB colleague Kim de Luca, who was selected by MIT Technology Review as one of the 35 Innovators Under 35.
www.technologyreview.com/innovator/ki...
www.technologyreview.com/innovator/ki...
A blog post that covers my visit to Barhal, the village where my family comes from:
merenlab.org/2025/09/01/b...
No science this time, just life and personal reflections.
merenlab.org/2025/09/01/b...
No science this time, just life and personal reflections.
The Weight of a Honey Pot: Memory, Belonging, and the Passage of Time
Meren's pilgrimage to Barhal
merenlab.org
September 1, 2025 at 9:17 AM
A blog post that covers my visit to Barhal, the village where my family comes from:
merenlab.org/2025/09/01/b...
No science this time, just life and personal reflections.
merenlab.org/2025/09/01/b...
No science this time, just life and personal reflections.
PSA: This is what the real male loneliness syndrome looks like.
July 31, 2025 at 1:24 PM
PSA: This is what the real male loneliness syndrome looks like.
I was a PhD student when this paper came out. I printed it out with excitement and brought it to the lab next morning.
My advisor Michael Ferris skimmed through the supplementary material and said "this is cryptic growth with As resistance".
I was shocked and learned something essential that day.
My advisor Michael Ferris skimmed through the supplementary material and said "this is cryptic growth with As resistance".
I was shocked and learned something essential that day.
Why I didn't retract this paper when I was Editor-in-Chief at Science (THREAD 🧵)
Science is retracting the December 2010 Research Article, “A bacterium that can grow by using arsenic instead of phosphorus.” (THREAD 🧵) scim.ag/4lGQ9g7
July 27, 2025 at 4:01 PM
I was a PhD student when this paper came out. I printed it out with excitement and brought it to the lab next morning.
My advisor Michael Ferris skimmed through the supplementary material and said "this is cryptic growth with As resistance".
I was shocked and learned something essential that day.
My advisor Michael Ferris skimmed through the supplementary material and said "this is cryptic growth with As resistance".
I was shocked and learned something essential that day.
Reposted by A. Murat Eren (Meren)
Here's our new broad review on the extended mobility of plasmids, about all mechanisms driving and limiting their transfer. From conjugation to conduction, phage-plasmids to hitchers, molecular to evolutionary dynamics, ecology to biotech. The state of affairs. 1/9 academic.oup.com/nar/article/...
July 23, 2025 at 7:35 AM
Here's our new broad review on the extended mobility of plasmids, about all mechanisms driving and limiting their transfer. From conjugation to conduction, phage-plasmids to hitchers, molecular to evolutionary dynamics, ecology to biotech. The state of affairs. 1/9 academic.oup.com/nar/article/...
A comment I wrote for you is now online at @natcomms.nature.com:
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Oh, oh, it says "time travel will likely remain forever off the table in our universe" with a citation, so read it maybe? (am I doing the click-bait thing right? 🥲).
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Oh, oh, it says "time travel will likely remain forever off the table in our universe" with a citation, so read it maybe? (am I doing the click-bait thing right? 🥲).
Gifting future scientists the past through well-preserved specimens of modern microbial ecosystems - Nature Communications
Historical specimens have enabled transformative insights across kingdoms and ecosystems with new technologies, yet microbes remain largely overlooked in preservation efforts. As we recognize microbia...
www.nature.com
July 21, 2025 at 9:18 AM
A comment I wrote for you is now online at @natcomms.nature.com:
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Oh, oh, it says "time travel will likely remain forever off the table in our universe" with a citation, so read it maybe? (am I doing the click-bait thing right? 🥲).
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Oh, oh, it says "time travel will likely remain forever off the table in our universe" with a citation, so read it maybe? (am I doing the click-bait thing right? 🥲).
Reposted by A. Murat Eren (Meren)
The mantra “location, location, location” isn’t just about real estate. For life scientists, more than 50% of their productivity can be attributed to the institution where they work, according to a new study. scim.ag/4kKs1YO
Large study of scientists who move their labs reveals how location drives productivity
Concentrating funding at high-powered universities can maximize output, paper argues, but may sacrifice broader benefits
scim.ag
July 17, 2025 at 1:57 PM
The mantra “location, location, location” isn’t just about real estate. For life scientists, more than 50% of their productivity can be attributed to the institution where they work, according to a new study. scim.ag/4kKs1YO
POV: When you're a middle author of a study, and everything is a matter of life and death 💀
I AM BECOME REVIEWER #2, DESTROYER OF RELATIONSHIPS BEFORE THE STUDY WENT OUT TO REVIEW.
I AM BECOME REVIEWER #2, DESTROYER OF RELATIONSHIPS BEFORE THE STUDY WENT OUT TO REVIEW.
July 16, 2025 at 3:53 PM
POV: When you're a middle author of a study, and everything is a matter of life and death 💀
I AM BECOME REVIEWER #2, DESTROYER OF RELATIONSHIPS BEFORE THE STUDY WENT OUT TO REVIEW.
I AM BECOME REVIEWER #2, DESTROYER OF RELATIONSHIPS BEFORE THE STUDY WENT OUT TO REVIEW.
New blog post I wrote on 'how we do not choose our families but we can choose people who push us', and ONLY for my scientist colleagues who are looking for things to procrastinate with style (by requiring them to be longer than a post on BlueSky) :p
merenlab.org/2025/07/16/s...
merenlab.org/2025/07/16/s...
We do not choose our families but we can choose people who push us
A thought in structures that helps us become who we want to become
merenlab.org
July 16, 2025 at 11:00 AM
New blog post I wrote on 'how we do not choose our families but we can choose people who push us', and ONLY for my scientist colleagues who are looking for things to procrastinate with style (by requiring them to be longer than a post on BlueSky) :p
merenlab.org/2025/07/16/s...
merenlab.org/2025/07/16/s...
Reposted by A. Murat Eren (Meren)
Our paper demonstrating that within-species warfare interactions are ecologically important on human skin is now published in Nature Micro! www.nature.com/articles/s41...
June 30, 2025 at 12:26 PM
Our paper demonstrating that within-species warfare interactions are ecologically important on human skin is now published in Nature Micro! www.nature.com/articles/s41...