Paul Francois
@pfrancois.bsky.social
Professor Université de Montréal, Physics of Living Systems, Machine Learning, etc…
https://www.francoisresearch.org/
https://www.francoisresearch.org/
Pinned
Generative epigenetic landscapes map the topology and topography of cell fates | PNAS
Epigenetic landscapes were proposed by Waddington as the central concept to describe
cell fate dynamics in a locally low-dimensional space. In mode...
www.pnas.org
Very happy to share our 'Evoscape' paper, now published in PNAS ! www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Reposted by Paul Francois
The "Hard Truth" about how hard it is to publish in Development. We wrote this to really drive the point that we are a discerning community journal, and we really want to publish your best developmental and stem cell biology contributions.
journals.biologists.com/dev/article/...
journals.biologists.com/dev/article/...
a cartoon of homer simpson and bart simpson sitting on a couch with the words join us above them .
ALT: a cartoon of homer simpson and bart simpson sitting on a couch with the words join us above them .
media.tenor.com
January 2, 2026 at 10:04 PM
The "Hard Truth" about how hard it is to publish in Development. We wrote this to really drive the point that we are a discerning community journal, and we really want to publish your best developmental and stem cell biology contributions.
journals.biologists.com/dev/article/...
journals.biologists.com/dev/article/...
First and last Fat bike ride in 2025, this was magic !
December 31, 2025 at 6:52 PM
First and last Fat bike ride in 2025, this was magic !
Reposted by Paul Francois
⚡️Canada to provide $1.8 billion in economic aid to Ukraine.
Canada will provide Ukraine with $2.5 billion Canadian dollars ($1.8 billion) in economic aid to Ukraine, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced on Dec. 27.
Canada will provide Ukraine with $2.5 billion Canadian dollars ($1.8 billion) in economic aid to Ukraine, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced on Dec. 27.
Canada to provide $1.8 billion in economic aid to Ukraine
Canada will provide Ukraine with $2.5 billion Canadian dollars ($1.8 billion) in economic aid to Ukraine, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced on Dec. 27.
kyivindependent.com
December 27, 2025 at 6:28 PM
⚡️Canada to provide $1.8 billion in economic aid to Ukraine.
Canada will provide Ukraine with $2.5 billion Canadian dollars ($1.8 billion) in economic aid to Ukraine, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced on Dec. 27.
Canada will provide Ukraine with $2.5 billion Canadian dollars ($1.8 billion) in economic aid to Ukraine, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced on Dec. 27.
Reposted by Paul Francois
The Embassy staff of Germany, France and the United Kingdom sing Schedryk in the Kyiv underground.
Wonderful!
Wonderful!
December 24, 2025 at 10:29 PM
The Embassy staff of Germany, France and the United Kingdom sing Schedryk in the Kyiv underground.
Wonderful!
Wonderful!
Reposted by Paul Francois
In my case, this painstaking labor in the process through which the science gets done. Science isn't measuring stuff in a lab. It's thinking deeply, extracting the heart of idea from the soup of thoughts running through my mind, molding it, and finding a way to communicate that idea to others.
December 16, 2025 at 11:46 PM
In my case, this painstaking labor in the process through which the science gets done. Science isn't measuring stuff in a lab. It's thinking deeply, extracting the heart of idea from the soup of thoughts running through my mind, molding it, and finding a way to communicate that idea to others.
Not surprising, but I also can see a touch of collective denial from our US friends and colleagues. I was approached to coorganize a conference in the US, and people were very surprised when I told them I would pass for now. Also the US dollar is insanely high.
Researchers are devising creative ways to get together as Trump’s policies curb travel to US gatherings
go.nature.com/4adSEUq
go.nature.com/4adSEUq
Scientists skip key US meetings — and seize on smaller alternatives
Researchers are devising creative ways to get together as Trump’s policies curb travel to US gatherings.
go.nature.com
December 16, 2025 at 5:42 PM
Not surprising, but I also can see a touch of collective denial from our US friends and colleagues. I was approached to coorganize a conference in the US, and people were very surprised when I told them I would pass for now. Also the US dollar is insanely high.
Reposted by Paul Francois
Me as an author: can’t wait to get this manuscript off my desk and into peer review so I can relax over the holidays!
Me as a journal editor: who submits a paper right before the holidays? Obviously we won’t be able to find any peer reviewers for weeks!
Me as a journal editor: who submits a paper right before the holidays? Obviously we won’t be able to find any peer reviewers for weeks!
December 16, 2025 at 4:07 PM
Me as an author: can’t wait to get this manuscript off my desk and into peer review so I can relax over the holidays!
Me as a journal editor: who submits a paper right before the holidays? Obviously we won’t be able to find any peer reviewers for weeks!
Me as a journal editor: who submits a paper right before the holidays? Obviously we won’t be able to find any peer reviewers for weeks!
Deux avantages à avoir un temps de Janvier en Décembre :
1. Un Noël blanc
2. Une saison de ski de fond qui commence en automne, avec des températures plutôt douces !
Très très hâte de skier tous les jours ou presque pendant la pause de Noël ! 🎄
1. Un Noël blanc
2. Une saison de ski de fond qui commence en automne, avec des températures plutôt douces !
Très très hâte de skier tous les jours ou presque pendant la pause de Noël ! 🎄
December 14, 2025 at 7:07 PM
Deux avantages à avoir un temps de Janvier en Décembre :
1. Un Noël blanc
2. Une saison de ski de fond qui commence en automne, avec des températures plutôt douces !
Très très hâte de skier tous les jours ou presque pendant la pause de Noël ! 🎄
1. Un Noël blanc
2. Une saison de ski de fond qui commence en automne, avec des températures plutôt douces !
Très très hâte de skier tous les jours ou presque pendant la pause de Noël ! 🎄
Had an interesting car discussion with my 16 y.o. daugther regarding AI. She did not know there were actual 'neurons' in those algorithms, which kind of surprised me then, but makes sense in retrospect.
December 12, 2025 at 1:55 PM
Had an interesting car discussion with my 16 y.o. daugther regarding AI. She did not know there were actual 'neurons' in those algorithms, which kind of surprised me then, but makes sense in retrospect.
Reposted by Paul Francois
TGV Québec-Toronto | Le premier tronçon à être construit reliera Montréal et Ottawa: ✱ Incroyable.
TGV Québec-Toronto | Le premier tronçon à être construit reliera Montréal et Ottawa
✱ Incroyable.
www.lapresse.ca
December 12, 2025 at 11:05 AM
TGV Québec-Toronto | Le premier tronçon à être construit reliera Montréal et Ottawa: ✱ Incroyable.
Reposted by Paul Francois
Reposted by Paul Francois
Saw this adorable French animation ad and I had to share it over here! The style looks familiar but I can’t my finger on what group it is. Any ideas?
December 9, 2025 at 3:11 PM
Saw this adorable French animation ad and I had to share it over here! The style looks familiar but I can’t my finger on what group it is. Any ideas?
Among other things, post-doc and doctorate fellowships for international candidates !
🇨🇦🇨🇦 Just announced: a massive new program from the Canadian govt, separate from the well-known CRCs and CERCs, to recruit foreign scientific talent
Canada was already a destination for scientists but whoa. Real impressive for a new govt to back political talking points with serious investment
Canada was already a destination for scientists but whoa. Real impressive for a new govt to back political talking points with serious investment
$1.7 billion to attract international researchers to Canada
Details of the major federal initiative to draw new talent to the country's universities were announced today at UdeM.
nouvelles.umontreal.ca
December 10, 2025 at 2:22 PM
Among other things, post-doc and doctorate fellowships for international candidates !
Very happy to share our 'Evoscape' paper, now published in PNAS ! www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Generative epigenetic landscapes map the topology and topography of cell fates | PNAS
Epigenetic landscapes were proposed by Waddington as the central concept to describe
cell fate dynamics in a locally low-dimensional space. In mode...
www.pnas.org
December 10, 2025 at 1:27 PM
Very happy to share our 'Evoscape' paper, now published in PNAS ! www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
I really think we should have a proper scientific discussion on the ‘AI will cure cancer’ discourse (even for the sake of AI as an applied field). And beyond science, the effective transfer of research money to AI from health research is getting us further from this.
3. I appealed to the joy of doing science—and got the predictable question:
Would you rather live in a world where AI cured cancer or live in a world where you personally get to do science?
But that's not the dilemma we face at all. There's no cause to think that AI could do anything of the sort.
Would you rather live in a world where AI cured cancer or live in a world where you personally get to do science?
But that's not the dilemma we face at all. There's no cause to think that AI could do anything of the sort.
December 8, 2025 at 5:13 PM
I really think we should have a proper scientific discussion on the ‘AI will cure cancer’ discourse (even for the sake of AI as an applied field). And beyond science, the effective transfer of research money to AI from health research is getting us further from this.
Voilà, 3 flocons et on sort les décorations de Noël et les chorales ! Vive Montréal !
December 6, 2025 at 9:50 PM
Voilà, 3 flocons et on sort les décorations de Noël et les chorales ! Vive Montréal !
Reposted by Paul Francois
Aujourd'hui, nous nous rappelons les quatorze jeunes femmes dont les vies ont été volées à Polytechnique Montréal il y a 36 ans.
Leurs noms nous rappellent les conséquences dévastatrices de la violence fondée sur le sexe et la responsabilité qui accompagne notre souvenir.
Leurs noms nous rappellent les conséquences dévastatrices de la violence fondée sur le sexe et la responsabilité qui accompagne notre souvenir.
December 6, 2025 at 4:51 PM
Aujourd'hui, nous nous rappelons les quatorze jeunes femmes dont les vies ont été volées à Polytechnique Montréal il y a 36 ans.
Leurs noms nous rappellent les conséquences dévastatrices de la violence fondée sur le sexe et la responsabilité qui accompagne notre souvenir.
Leurs noms nous rappellent les conséquences dévastatrices de la violence fondée sur le sexe et la responsabilité qui accompagne notre souvenir.
Reposted by Paul Francois
6 décembre 2025 – 36 ans après – Souvenir et recueillement
1/2 Nous continuons à nous souvenir des treize étudiantes et d'une membre du personnel de Polytechnique ayant perdu la vie le 6 décembre 1989 et des personnes qui en sont restées meurtries.
polymtl.ca/6decembre
1/2 Nous continuons à nous souvenir des treize étudiantes et d'une membre du personnel de Polytechnique ayant perdu la vie le 6 décembre 1989 et des personnes qui en sont restées meurtries.
polymtl.ca/6decembre
December 6, 2025 at 5:00 AM
6 décembre 2025 – 36 ans après – Souvenir et recueillement
1/2 Nous continuons à nous souvenir des treize étudiantes et d'une membre du personnel de Polytechnique ayant perdu la vie le 6 décembre 1989 et des personnes qui en sont restées meurtries.
polymtl.ca/6decembre
1/2 Nous continuons à nous souvenir des treize étudiantes et d'une membre du personnel de Polytechnique ayant perdu la vie le 6 décembre 1989 et des personnes qui en sont restées meurtries.
polymtl.ca/6decembre
“As a scientist, as a person, I am obsessed with Waddington’s landscape, but for people instead of cells.”
I wrote about missing heritability, "missing environmentality," and why I still think twin studies are interesting and valuable: kathrynpaigeharden.substack.com/p/twins-are-...
Twins Are So Much More Interesting Than Heritability Estimates
On starting places, "missing environmentality," and the Waddington landscape of life
kathrynpaigeharden.substack.com
December 6, 2025 at 4:06 PM
“As a scientist, as a person, I am obsessed with Waddington’s landscape, but for people instead of cells.”
Reposted by Paul Francois
Ahhhhh @erikhoel.blogsky.venki.dev has done wonders here in puncturing the genius mythology related to John von Neumann. He was very smart! He received a credible education! He couldn't remember entire books!
open.substack.com/pub/erikhoel...
open.substack.com/pub/erikhoel...
John von Neumann Shot Lightning From His Arse
Pop-hereditarianism is built on selective credulity
open.substack.com
December 6, 2025 at 3:50 PM
Ahhhhh @erikhoel.blogsky.venki.dev has done wonders here in puncturing the genius mythology related to John von Neumann. He was very smart! He received a credible education! He couldn't remember entire books!
open.substack.com/pub/erikhoel...
open.substack.com/pub/erikhoel...
Amazing how we went from a Soccer World Cup co-organized by Mexico/Canada/the US to 'we might move games out of Blue Cities'. Another terrible loss for US soft power and credibility. And if everything is allowed, it would make much more sense to put more games in cooler and friendlier Canada :)
December 5, 2025 at 4:33 PM
Amazing how we went from a Soccer World Cup co-organized by Mexico/Canada/the US to 'we might move games out of Blue Cities'. Another terrible loss for US soft power and credibility. And if everything is allowed, it would make much more sense to put more games in cooler and friendlier Canada :)
Heureux de voir que la société civile réagit.
Bernard Drainville admet «un consensus» sur le maintien de la cible climatique du Québec. Les scientifiques qui conseillent le gouvernement insistent d'ailleurs pour dire qu'il faut garder le cap pour protéger citoyens et économie. www.ledevoir.com/actualites/e...
Bernard Drainville admet «un consensus» sur le maintien de la cible climatique du Québec
Les scientifiques qui conseillent le gouvernement insistent : il faut garder le cap pour protéger citoyens et économie.
www.ledevoir.com
December 2, 2025 at 7:34 PM
Heureux de voir que la société civile réagit.
Reposted by Paul Francois
How I contributed to rejecting one of my favorite papers of all times, Yes, I teach it to students daily, and refer to it in lots of papers. Sorry. open.substack.com/pub/kording/...
How I contributed to rejecting one of my favorite papers of all time
I believe we should talk about the mistakes we make.
open.substack.com
December 2, 2025 at 1:27 AM
How I contributed to rejecting one of my favorite papers of all times, Yes, I teach it to students daily, and refer to it in lots of papers. Sorry. open.substack.com/pub/kording/...
An update on the fascinating field of Pilot Wave hydrodynamics (a classical system behaving like Quantum mechanics) by John Bush. My understanding was that entanglement was missing but John seems to suggest otherwise ? www.siam.org/publications...
Shifting the Classical-quantum Boundary: Insights From Pilot-wave Hydrodynamics | SIAM
John Bush explores the completeness of quantum theory, hydrodynamic quantum analogs, and the field of pilot-wave hydrodynamics.
www.siam.org
December 1, 2025 at 6:00 PM
An update on the fascinating field of Pilot Wave hydrodynamics (a classical system behaving like Quantum mechanics) by John Bush. My understanding was that entanglement was missing but John seems to suggest otherwise ? www.siam.org/publications...
Reposted by Paul Francois
#UDEM101 | 👀🏫 Qu’y-a-t’il vraiment dans la tour de l’UdeM?
Sarah vous révèle 4 faits (peut-être) inconnus sur Roger-Gaudry! 👇
#udem101 #rogergaudry #umontreal #campus
Sarah vous révèle 4 faits (peut-être) inconnus sur Roger-Gaudry! 👇
#udem101 #rogergaudry #umontreal #campus
November 28, 2025 at 8:59 PM
#UDEM101 | 👀🏫 Qu’y-a-t’il vraiment dans la tour de l’UdeM?
Sarah vous révèle 4 faits (peut-être) inconnus sur Roger-Gaudry! 👇
#udem101 #rogergaudry #umontreal #campus
Sarah vous révèle 4 faits (peut-être) inconnus sur Roger-Gaudry! 👇
#udem101 #rogergaudry #umontreal #campus