Rob Steele
@robthehoosier.bsky.social
Professor at UC Irvine, studying the cnidarian Hydra.
Reposted by Rob Steele
5/ All data are published on a publicly available website associated with this article that encourages community participation.
reprosci.epfl.ch
reprosci.epfl.ch
ReproSci
The purpose of the ReproSci reproducibility project is to determine whether a wide range of claims published in a given research field are verifiable using independent sources. As a first project we…
ReproSci.epfl.ch
January 23, 2026 at 9:02 PM
5/ All data are published on a publicly available website associated with this article that encourages community participation.
reprosci.epfl.ch
reprosci.epfl.ch
Reposted by Rob Steele
4/ Experimental validations of a selection of 45 unchallenged claims, reported in their accompanying paper, suggested that a significant fraction (38/45) were non-reproducible.
🔗 elifesciences.org/reviewed-pre....
🔗 elifesciences.org/reviewed-pre....
Reproducibility of Scientific Claims in Drosophila Immunity: A Retrospective Analysis of 400 Publications
Altmetric provides a collated score for online attention across various platforms and media.See more details
elifesciences.org
January 23, 2026 at 9:02 PM
4/ Experimental validations of a selection of 45 unchallenged claims, reported in their accompanying paper, suggested that a significant fraction (38/45) were non-reproducible.
🔗 elifesciences.org/reviewed-pre....
🔗 elifesciences.org/reviewed-pre....
Reposted by Rob Steele
1/ A field-wide audit of reproducibility in Drosophila immunity
The ReproSci project assessed how many claims from 400 papers had been verified by later research, and, in an accompanying study, tested those that remained uncorroborated.
🔗 elifesciences.org/reviewed-pre...
The ReproSci project assessed how many claims from 400 papers had been verified by later research, and, in an accompanying study, tested those that remained uncorroborated.
🔗 elifesciences.org/reviewed-pre...
January 23, 2026 at 9:02 PM
1/ A field-wide audit of reproducibility in Drosophila immunity
The ReproSci project assessed how many claims from 400 papers had been verified by later research, and, in an accompanying study, tested those that remained uncorroborated.
🔗 elifesciences.org/reviewed-pre...
The ReproSci project assessed how many claims from 400 papers had been verified by later research, and, in an accompanying study, tested those that remained uncorroborated.
🔗 elifesciences.org/reviewed-pre...
Reposted by Rob Steele
THE Indiana University
January 20, 2026 at 4:18 AM
THE Indiana University
Reposted by Rob Steele
Blue buttons jellies float at the oceans surface, like little animal flowers, living between sea and sky. There are millions of them out there right now, and most will live their whole lives without even being seen by a human.
Despite the hard things, the world is still wondrous.
Despite the hard things, the world is still wondrous.
January 15, 2026 at 10:58 PM
Blue buttons jellies float at the oceans surface, like little animal flowers, living between sea and sky. There are millions of them out there right now, and most will live their whole lives without even being seen by a human.
Despite the hard things, the world is still wondrous.
Despite the hard things, the world is still wondrous.
Reposted by Rob Steele
Now Open: E-STEEM Postdoc Call 2026
20+ fully funded 4 year-postdoc positions for females in STEM (and Economics) at the University of Vienna.
careers.univie.ac.at/en/postdoc/e...
Application Deadline: March 2, 2026
Select your desired Host. Anyone interested in my lab, please get in touch.
20+ fully funded 4 year-postdoc positions for females in STEM (and Economics) at the University of Vienna.
careers.univie.ac.at/en/postdoc/e...
Application Deadline: March 2, 2026
Select your desired Host. Anyone interested in my lab, please get in touch.
careers.univie.ac.at
January 9, 2026 at 4:53 PM
Now Open: E-STEEM Postdoc Call 2026
20+ fully funded 4 year-postdoc positions for females in STEM (and Economics) at the University of Vienna.
careers.univie.ac.at/en/postdoc/e...
Application Deadline: March 2, 2026
Select your desired Host. Anyone interested in my lab, please get in touch.
20+ fully funded 4 year-postdoc positions for females in STEM (and Economics) at the University of Vienna.
careers.univie.ac.at/en/postdoc/e...
Application Deadline: March 2, 2026
Select your desired Host. Anyone interested in my lab, please get in touch.
Reposted by Rob Steele
The re-analysis of this #sponge #ctenophore study made me realize how important it is to really *look* at your data.
Their filtering pipeline was meant to retain "strong" genes, but many of them had NO ctenophores and most had polyphyletic sponges.
Time to put down the pitchforks for a while.
Their filtering pipeline was meant to retain "strong" genes, but many of them had NO ctenophores and most had polyphyletic sponges.
Time to put down the pitchforks for a while.
Our eLetter github.com/caseywdunn/s... responding to a recent Science paper was just posted. The paper found more genes with consistent support for sponge-sister than ctenophore-sister. We found several technical issues that, when corrected, reverse the conclusions and recover ctenophore-sister.
January 9, 2026 at 4:52 PM
The re-analysis of this #sponge #ctenophore study made me realize how important it is to really *look* at your data.
Their filtering pipeline was meant to retain "strong" genes, but many of them had NO ctenophores and most had polyphyletic sponges.
Time to put down the pitchforks for a while.
Their filtering pipeline was meant to retain "strong" genes, but many of them had NO ctenophores and most had polyphyletic sponges.
Time to put down the pitchforks for a while.
Reposted by Rob Steele
Exclusive: In a remarkable milestone in a decadelong odyssey, members of the Leonardo da Vinci DNA Project report in a new paper that they have recovered DNA from Holy Child and other objects—and some may be from Leonardo himself. https://scim.ag/4aO5Wr8
Exclusive: Have scientists found Leonardo da Vinci’s DNA?
Inside the decadeslong quest to reveal the genes of a genius—and revolutionize art authentication
scim.ag
January 6, 2026 at 7:48 PM
Exclusive: In a remarkable milestone in a decadelong odyssey, members of the Leonardo da Vinci DNA Project report in a new paper that they have recovered DNA from Holy Child and other objects—and some may be from Leonardo himself. https://scim.ag/4aO5Wr8
Reposted by Rob Steele
Scientists have combined lab-grown human brain tissue with an electronic circuit in an attempt to create a more powerful computer. #ScienceMagArchives https://scim.ag/4qjjPSE
Scientists fuse human brain cells with electronic circuits—and make it ‘think’
Hybrid “biocomputer” performs simple calculations, recognizes speech, albeit imperfectly
scim.ag
December 19, 2025 at 11:30 PM
Scientists have combined lab-grown human brain tissue with an electronic circuit in an attempt to create a more powerful computer. #ScienceMagArchives https://scim.ag/4qjjPSE
Reposted by Rob Steele
Grateful to @pewtrusts.org for funding our snow fly work, in collaboration with Sebastian Brauchi at Universidad Austral de Chile.
We are now looking for post-docs to work on the biophysical mechanisms that allow snow fly neurons and muscles to function below zero.
newsroom.uw.edu/news-release...
We are now looking for post-docs to work on the biophysical mechanisms that allow snow fly neurons and muscles to function below zero.
newsroom.uw.edu/news-release...
Most insects slow down in bitter cold. Not snow flies. - UW Medicine | Newsroom
newsroom.uw.edu
December 18, 2025 at 10:48 PM
Grateful to @pewtrusts.org for funding our snow fly work, in collaboration with Sebastian Brauchi at Universidad Austral de Chile.
We are now looking for post-docs to work on the biophysical mechanisms that allow snow fly neurons and muscles to function below zero.
newsroom.uw.edu/news-release...
We are now looking for post-docs to work on the biophysical mechanisms that allow snow fly neurons and muscles to function below zero.
newsroom.uw.edu/news-release...
Reposted by Rob Steele
Pretty sure this is MANY people's dream job
This could be your dream job: working full time at the Friday Harbor Labs on marine invertebrate organismal biology. Nine month salary from an endowment, teaching and research faculty position.
apply.interfolio.com/178804
apply.interfolio.com/178804
Apply - Interfolio
{{$ctrl.$state.data.pageTitle}} - Apply - Interfolio
apply.interfolio.com
December 17, 2025 at 12:17 AM
Pretty sure this is MANY people's dream job
Reposted by Rob Steele
Excited to share our story nutrition and cell quiescence in sea anemones, great postdoctoral work of
@eudaldpascual.bsky.social
Finally out in @plosbiology.org
And thanks to @msarscentre.bsky.social for the nice news piece:
www.uib.no/en/michaelsa...
@eudaldpascual.bsky.social
Finally out in @plosbiology.org
And thanks to @msarscentre.bsky.social for the nice news piece:
www.uib.no/en/michaelsa...
December 16, 2025 at 6:24 PM
Excited to share our story nutrition and cell quiescence in sea anemones, great postdoctoral work of
@eudaldpascual.bsky.social
Finally out in @plosbiology.org
And thanks to @msarscentre.bsky.social for the nice news piece:
www.uib.no/en/michaelsa...
@eudaldpascual.bsky.social
Finally out in @plosbiology.org
And thanks to @msarscentre.bsky.social for the nice news piece:
www.uib.no/en/michaelsa...
Reposted by Rob Steele
Our dispatch:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960982225014691
on the recent Hydra volume EM paper by Zhang, Rafa Yuste and colleagues:
#connectomics, without synapses
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960982225013090
#neuroscience
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960982225014691
on the recent Hydra volume EM paper by Zhang, Rafa Yuste and colleagues:
#connectomics, without synapses
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960982225013090
#neuroscience
December 16, 2025 at 7:27 AM
Our dispatch:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960982225014691
on the recent Hydra volume EM paper by Zhang, Rafa Yuste and colleagues:
#connectomics, without synapses
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960982225013090
#neuroscience
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960982225014691
on the recent Hydra volume EM paper by Zhang, Rafa Yuste and colleagues:
#connectomics, without synapses
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960982225013090
#neuroscience
Reposted by Rob Steele
The December issue of #ScienceImmunology is out!
This month's cover highlights the juvenile axolotl's ability to regenerate its thymus after complete removal—possibly making it an exception among vertebrates. Learn about this research and more: https://scim.ag/4anWlqv
This month's cover highlights the juvenile axolotl's ability to regenerate its thymus after complete removal—possibly making it an exception among vertebrates. Learn about this research and more: https://scim.ag/4anWlqv
December 8, 2025 at 9:43 PM
The December issue of #ScienceImmunology is out!
This month's cover highlights the juvenile axolotl's ability to regenerate its thymus after complete removal—possibly making it an exception among vertebrates. Learn about this research and more: https://scim.ag/4anWlqv
This month's cover highlights the juvenile axolotl's ability to regenerate its thymus after complete removal—possibly making it an exception among vertebrates. Learn about this research and more: https://scim.ag/4anWlqv
Reposted by Rob Steele
Brown algae are incredibly useful, in part for their potential to feed us, but also because they are one of a few lineages that evolved multicellularity. Research into the genes behind their lifecycles could hold secrets to evolution.
The double life of brown algae
Brown algae show life-cycle-related patterns of gene expression, which may be – at least partially – conserved between different species.
buff.ly
November 30, 2025 at 9:21 AM
Brown algae are incredibly useful, in part for their potential to feed us, but also because they are one of a few lineages that evolved multicellularity. Research into the genes behind their lifecycles could hold secrets to evolution.
Reposted by Rob Steele
This is so cool :)
Cells can form patterns within themselves just like embryos do. How? Connie Yan's new preprint shows how the anterior-posterior cytoskeleton pattern in Stentor is dictated by regionalized scaffolding proteins
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
November 30, 2025 at 8:57 PM
This is so cool :)
Reposted by Rob Steele
A specialized appendage responds to female sex hormones, allowing male octopuses to find their sex organs in the dark. https://scim.ag/4roFry3
‘Superarm’ helps male octopuses deliver sperm to females
Specialized appendage responds to female sex hormones, allowing males to find sex organs in the dark
scim.ag
November 26, 2025 at 11:12 PM
A specialized appendage responds to female sex hormones, allowing male octopuses to find their sex organs in the dark. https://scim.ag/4roFry3
Reposted by Rob Steele
Natural and artificial variations of the standard genetic code
Great new review by Julius Lukes & colleagues 👇
www.cell.com/current-biol...
Great new review by Julius Lukes & colleagues 👇
www.cell.com/current-biol...
November 26, 2025 at 11:54 PM
Natural and artificial variations of the standard genetic code
Great new review by Julius Lukes & colleagues 👇
www.cell.com/current-biol...
Great new review by Julius Lukes & colleagues 👇
www.cell.com/current-biol...
Reposted by Rob Steele
This will be historic! 🔭
November 26, 2025 at 3:45 PM
This will be historic! 🔭
Reposted by Rob Steele
Is it a flagellate? A tiny ball with tentacles? Contamination in my ciliate culture? NEW SUPERGROUP OF EUKARYOTES? Yes to all 4! Meet Solarion - just out in #Nature doi.org/10.1038/s415... Huge congrats to Marek Valt, Cepicka Lab & the star team! Very happy to be part of this project. #ProtistsOnSky
November 19, 2025 at 9:39 PM
Is it a flagellate? A tiny ball with tentacles? Contamination in my ciliate culture? NEW SUPERGROUP OF EUKARYOTES? Yes to all 4! Meet Solarion - just out in #Nature doi.org/10.1038/s415... Huge congrats to Marek Valt, Cepicka Lab & the star team! Very happy to be part of this project. #ProtistsOnSky
Reposted by Rob Steele
New @pnas.org
"This work represents the most extensive study to
date regarding the effect of tattoo ink on the immune response and raises serious health concerns associated with the tattooing" including reduced response to Covid vaccination
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
"This work represents the most extensive study to
date regarding the effect of tattoo ink on the immune response and raises serious health concerns associated with the tattooing" including reduced response to Covid vaccination
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Tattoo ink induces inflammation in the draining lymph node and alters the immune response to vaccination | PNAS
Despite safety concerns regarding the toxicity of tattoo ink, no studies have reported
the consequences of tattooing on the immune response. In thi...
www.pnas.org
November 25, 2025 at 7:35 PM
New @pnas.org
"This work represents the most extensive study to
date regarding the effect of tattoo ink on the immune response and raises serious health concerns associated with the tattooing" including reduced response to Covid vaccination
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
"This work represents the most extensive study to
date regarding the effect of tattoo ink on the immune response and raises serious health concerns associated with the tattooing" including reduced response to Covid vaccination
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Reposted by Rob Steele
Every year around Thanksgiving, I see tons of grad students post heartbreaking messages on social media about how their loved ones don’t understand or support their decision to study what seems like something pointless or silly.
Perhaps my American Scientist essay can help!
🧪🌎🦑 #SciComm
Perhaps my American Scientist essay can help!
🧪🌎🦑 #SciComm
“Why Are We Funding This?”
Long-standing myths about “silly science” have contributed to the reckless slashing of government-supported research.
www.americanscientist.org
November 25, 2025 at 6:42 PM
Every year around Thanksgiving, I see tons of grad students post heartbreaking messages on social media about how their loved ones don’t understand or support their decision to study what seems like something pointless or silly.
Perhaps my American Scientist essay can help!
🧪🌎🦑 #SciComm
Perhaps my American Scientist essay can help!
🧪🌎🦑 #SciComm
Reposted by Rob Steele
Some archaea—an ancient group of microorganisms—have an entirely novel genetic code, according to a new study in Science.
The findings expand our understanding of how alternative genetic codes evolve and hint at new molecular tools for biotechnology applications. https://scim.ag/4omApQ7
The findings expand our understanding of how alternative genetic codes evolve and hint at new molecular tools for biotechnology applications. https://scim.ag/4omApQ7
An archaeal genetic code with all TAG codons as pyrrolysine
Multiple genetic codes developed during the evolution of eukaryotes and bacteria, yet no alternative genetic code is known for archaea. We used proteomics to confirm our prediction that certain archae...
scim.ag
November 25, 2025 at 8:24 PM
Some archaea—an ancient group of microorganisms—have an entirely novel genetic code, according to a new study in Science.
The findings expand our understanding of how alternative genetic codes evolve and hint at new molecular tools for biotechnology applications. https://scim.ag/4omApQ7
The findings expand our understanding of how alternative genetic codes evolve and hint at new molecular tools for biotechnology applications. https://scim.ag/4omApQ7
Reposted by Rob Steele
We've updated our Hydractinia Genome Project Portal! The site includes genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic datasets, genome browsers, an interactive single-cell gene expression atlas, proteome-scale structure predictions, a custom BLAST interface, and more. Check it out! tinyurl.com/hydractinia
The Hydractinia Genome Project Portal: multi-omic annotation and visualization of Hydractinia genomic datasets
AbstractMotivation. The colonial hydroid Hydractinia exhibits several unique biological properties, including its remarkable regenerative capacity and the
academic.oup.com
November 25, 2025 at 7:56 PM
We've updated our Hydractinia Genome Project Portal! The site includes genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic datasets, genome browsers, an interactive single-cell gene expression atlas, proteome-scale structure predictions, a custom BLAST interface, and more. Check it out! tinyurl.com/hydractinia