Sandy Hetherington
@sandyheth.bsky.social
Dr Alexander J. Hetherington | Plant evolutionary biologist, University of Edinburgh UK | UKRI Future Leader Fellow |
Lab website: https://www.ed.ac.uk/biology/groups/hetherington
Lab website: https://www.ed.ac.uk/biology/groups/hetherington
Pinned
Sandy Hetherington
@sandyheth.bsky.social
· Sep 21
Our recent paper @newphyt.bsky.social @anajusagasti.bsky.social @instmolplantsci.bsky.social is featured today in the Sunday Post!
Thanks Sally McDonald for your piece helping to promote and communicate Scotland’s rich fossil heritage
nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Thanks Sally McDonald for your piece helping to promote and communicate Scotland’s rich fossil heritage
nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Reposted by Sandy Hetherington
I've been catching up on recordings of the recent #Palaeobotany public lecture series from University of Oxford Botanic Garden & Arboretum, featuring @sandyheth.bsky.social, Paul Kenrick, @jameswclark.bsky.social, Jenny McElwain & Julia Gravendyck. Excellent stuff. ⚒️🌍🌿🔬🌲
www.youtube.com/@OxfordBGA
www.youtube.com/@OxfordBGA
University of Oxford Botanic Garden and Arboretum
Sharing the scientific wonder and importance of plants with the world.
www.youtube.com
December 18, 2025 at 12:21 PM
I've been catching up on recordings of the recent #Palaeobotany public lecture series from University of Oxford Botanic Garden & Arboretum, featuring @sandyheth.bsky.social, Paul Kenrick, @jameswclark.bsky.social, Jenny McElwain & Julia Gravendyck. Excellent stuff. ⚒️🌍🌿🔬🌲
www.youtube.com/@OxfordBGA
www.youtube.com/@OxfordBGA
I had a great time writing this dispatch @currentbiology.bsky.social about Jacob Suissa's recent paper on the link between fern phyllotaxis and vascular architecture. "Evo–devo: Ferns flourished due to developmental covariance between leaves and vasculature"
authors.elsevier.com/a/1mH793QW8S...
authors.elsevier.com/a/1mH793QW8S...
December 15, 2025 at 4:09 PM
I had a great time writing this dispatch @currentbiology.bsky.social about Jacob Suissa's recent paper on the link between fern phyllotaxis and vascular architecture. "Evo–devo: Ferns flourished due to developmental covariance between leaves and vasculature"
authors.elsevier.com/a/1mH793QW8S...
authors.elsevier.com/a/1mH793QW8S...
Super excited that the non-seed meeting will be coming to Edinburgh next year. What this space for me details 👇👇
We’re delighted to announce that the #nonseedUK26 meeting will be held in Edinburgh. Watch this space for further details 🌱 🏴 😃
the letter e is on a black background
ALT: the letter e is on a black background
media.tenor.com
December 15, 2025 at 8:48 AM
Super excited that the non-seed meeting will be coming to Edinburgh next year. What this space for me details 👇👇
Reposted by Sandy Hetherington
Non-seed science is accelerating forwards at a truly impressive rate. Thanks to @philcarella.bsky.social and Kayla Robinson for an awesome #nonseedUK25 meeting, and to @justingoodrich.bsky.social and @sandyheth.bsky.social for agreeing to organise #nonseedUK26 in Edinburgh - looking forward to it 👍
Thanks to everyone who came along to the #nonseedUK25 meeting. Another fantastic day of non-seed science. Thanks to @philcarella.bsky.social and Kayla Robinson for looking after us all so well 👍
December 13, 2025 at 9:54 AM
Non-seed science is accelerating forwards at a truly impressive rate. Thanks to @philcarella.bsky.social and Kayla Robinson for an awesome #nonseedUK25 meeting, and to @justingoodrich.bsky.social and @sandyheth.bsky.social for agreeing to organise #nonseedUK26 in Edinburgh - looking forward to it 👍
Reposted by Sandy Hetherington
It was a great meeting, thanks to all the speakers, particularly @sramundo.bsky.social and @rensingstefan.bsky.social for their keynotes.
Next year is already announced, looking forward to #NonseedUK2026 in Edinburgh,organised by @justingoodrich.bsky.social and @sandyheth.bsky.social 🙂
#Plantscience
Next year is already announced, looking forward to #NonseedUK2026 in Edinburgh,organised by @justingoodrich.bsky.social and @sandyheth.bsky.social 🙂
#Plantscience
December 13, 2025 at 6:54 AM
It was a great meeting, thanks to all the speakers, particularly @sramundo.bsky.social and @rensingstefan.bsky.social for their keynotes.
Next year is already announced, looking forward to #NonseedUK2026 in Edinburgh,organised by @justingoodrich.bsky.social and @sandyheth.bsky.social 🙂
#Plantscience
Next year is already announced, looking forward to #NonseedUK2026 in Edinburgh,organised by @justingoodrich.bsky.social and @sandyheth.bsky.social 🙂
#Plantscience
Reposted by Sandy Hetherington
@davidjhoey.bsky.social discusses the acquisition of vasculature as an evolutionary innovation - lovely comparative approaches across multiple land plant lineages #nonseedUK25 🌱 😊
December 12, 2025 at 12:02 PM
@davidjhoey.bsky.social discusses the acquisition of vasculature as an evolutionary innovation - lovely comparative approaches across multiple land plant lineages #nonseedUK25 🌱 😊
Reposted by Sandy Hetherington
🌱 2x David Sainsbury Career Development Fellowships at @slcuplants.bsky.social
Unique opportunity for early-career researchers to launch their own independent research programme in quantitative plant development, with generous support & world-class facilities.
www.cam.ac.uk/jobs/david-s...
Unique opportunity for early-career researchers to launch their own independent research programme in quantitative plant development, with generous support & world-class facilities.
www.cam.ac.uk/jobs/david-s...
December 11, 2025 at 11:45 AM
🌱 2x David Sainsbury Career Development Fellowships at @slcuplants.bsky.social
Unique opportunity for early-career researchers to launch their own independent research programme in quantitative plant development, with generous support & world-class facilities.
www.cam.ac.uk/jobs/david-s...
Unique opportunity for early-career researchers to launch their own independent research programme in quantitative plant development, with generous support & world-class facilities.
www.cam.ac.uk/jobs/david-s...
Reposted by Sandy Hetherington
November 24, 2025 at 6:09 PM
Brilliant first day of the @embo.org Plant Evolution Workshop!!
This year’s @embo.org Workshop is held at the @viennabiocenter.bsky.social. Open to 120 participants, it is over-enrolled with 180 attendees! Thank you to the organizers @isabelmonte.bsky.social, Aino Komatsu, @moodytomato.bsky.social, and Liam Dolan for making this event possible. #EMBOplantEvo
November 25, 2025 at 8:24 PM
Brilliant first day of the @embo.org Plant Evolution Workshop!!
Reposted by Sandy Hetherington
Very happy to share that this paper is now online on @currentbiology.bsky.social !! 🥳🧪 Check out the final published verion here: www.cell.com/current-biol...
#mimuluspropaganda
#mimuluspropaganda
November 24, 2025 at 4:25 PM
Very happy to share that this paper is now online on @currentbiology.bsky.social !! 🥳🧪 Check out the final published verion here: www.cell.com/current-biol...
#mimuluspropaganda
#mimuluspropaganda
Reposted by Sandy Hetherington
Thanks so much for bringing me onboard for this Sandy! It was great working with you again, and I really grew to love Oxroadia: it's a fascinating plant and I loved the resolutions we were able to get with these restorations!
#paleobotany #paleoart #paleontology #fossilfriday
#paleobotany #paleoart #paleontology #fossilfriday
Huge congratulations @jeremywyman.bsky.social @instmolplantsci.bsky.social for publishing the results of your masters thesis @annbot.bsky.social
The work includes a new reconstruction of the Carboniferous isoetalean Oxroadia by the brilliant @palaeojules.bsky.social
academic.oup.com/aob/advance-...
The work includes a new reconstruction of the Carboniferous isoetalean Oxroadia by the brilliant @palaeojules.bsky.social
academic.oup.com/aob/advance-...
November 21, 2025 at 2:58 PM
Thanks so much for bringing me onboard for this Sandy! It was great working with you again, and I really grew to love Oxroadia: it's a fascinating plant and I loved the resolutions we were able to get with these restorations!
#paleobotany #paleoart #paleontology #fossilfriday
#paleobotany #paleoart #paleontology #fossilfriday
Reposted by Sandy Hetherington
Serial section videography (SSV): A low-cost protocol for generating 3D reconstructions of internal plant structure
New in #AppsPlantSci by Jacob Suissa & Giselle Reyes
bsapubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.... #botany #plantanatomy #plantdevelopment #microCT #PlantScience
New in #AppsPlantSci by Jacob Suissa & Giselle Reyes
bsapubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.... #botany #plantanatomy #plantdevelopment #microCT #PlantScience
November 20, 2025 at 4:48 PM
Serial section videography (SSV): A low-cost protocol for generating 3D reconstructions of internal plant structure
New in #AppsPlantSci by Jacob Suissa & Giselle Reyes
bsapubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.... #botany #plantanatomy #plantdevelopment #microCT #PlantScience
New in #AppsPlantSci by Jacob Suissa & Giselle Reyes
bsapubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.... #botany #plantanatomy #plantdevelopment #microCT #PlantScience
Reposted by Sandy Hetherington
www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DPI115/r...
A postdoc position is open in my group for a bioinformatician with expertise in RNA-seq as part of our tree speedbreeding project with @forest-protection.bsky.social.
If interested in speeding trees, please apply, deadline Dec 2nd 🙂
#Plantscience
#Plantscijobs
A postdoc position is open in my group for a bioinformatician with expertise in RNA-seq as part of our tree speedbreeding project with @forest-protection.bsky.social.
If interested in speeding trees, please apply, deadline Dec 2nd 🙂
#Plantscience
#Plantscijobs
Research Fellow (Postdoctoral) at University of Birmingham
An opportunity for an academic position as a Research Fellow (Postdoctoral) is available, as advertised on jobs.ac.uk. Apply now and explore other academic job openings.
www.jobs.ac.uk
November 18, 2025 at 6:10 PM
www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DPI115/r...
A postdoc position is open in my group for a bioinformatician with expertise in RNA-seq as part of our tree speedbreeding project with @forest-protection.bsky.social.
If interested in speeding trees, please apply, deadline Dec 2nd 🙂
#Plantscience
#Plantscijobs
A postdoc position is open in my group for a bioinformatician with expertise in RNA-seq as part of our tree speedbreeding project with @forest-protection.bsky.social.
If interested in speeding trees, please apply, deadline Dec 2nd 🙂
#Plantscience
#Plantscijobs
Reposted by Sandy Hetherington
I’ve released a tool to sketch and edit phylogenetic trees!
yawak.jp/PhyloWeaver/
Load a Newick file and intuitively add/remove/resize branches.
Useful for quick conceptual trees, extracting subtrees, or turning ideas into Newick.
yawak.jp/PhyloWeaver/
Load a Newick file and intuitively add/remove/resize branches.
Useful for quick conceptual trees, extracting subtrees, or turning ideas into Newick.
PhyloWeaver – Interactive phylogenetic tree editor
Edit and visualize phylogenetic trees directly in your browser. PhyloWeaver lets you interactively rearrange tree topologies and export high-quality figures for publications and presentations.
yawak.jp
November 18, 2025 at 1:59 AM
I’ve released a tool to sketch and edit phylogenetic trees!
yawak.jp/PhyloWeaver/
Load a Newick file and intuitively add/remove/resize branches.
Useful for quick conceptual trees, extracting subtrees, or turning ideas into Newick.
yawak.jp/PhyloWeaver/
Load a Newick file and intuitively add/remove/resize branches.
Useful for quick conceptual trees, extracting subtrees, or turning ideas into Newick.
Congratulations @thibault-durieux.bsky.social - it was a wonderful thesis and a pleasure to discuss it with you in the viva yesterday!
We have a new Dr in #paleobotany! Congratulations to @thibault-durieux.bsky.social who successfully passed his viva. It was a great journey & he made the advising job very easy for
@petermoonlight.bsky.social, Carla Harper and I. Big thanks to the examiners Jenny McElwain & @sandyheth.bsky.social!
@petermoonlight.bsky.social, Carla Harper and I. Big thanks to the examiners Jenny McElwain & @sandyheth.bsky.social!
November 14, 2025 at 4:47 PM
Congratulations @thibault-durieux.bsky.social - it was a wonderful thesis and a pleasure to discuss it with you in the viva yesterday!
Reposted by Sandy Hetherington
New light on old stones: a fossil #fungus in #symbiosis with one of the oldest known land plants
@chistinesd.bsky.social, et al.
nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
@dromius.bsky.social @ffercoq.bsky.social #PlantScience
Summary also available in French and Spanish.
@chistinesd.bsky.social, et al.
nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
@dromius.bsky.social @ffercoq.bsky.social #PlantScience
Summary also available in French and Spanish.
November 14, 2025 at 7:35 AM
New light on old stones: a fossil #fungus in #symbiosis with one of the oldest known land plants
@chistinesd.bsky.social, et al.
nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
@dromius.bsky.social @ffercoq.bsky.social #PlantScience
Summary also available in French and Spanish.
@chistinesd.bsky.social, et al.
nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
@dromius.bsky.social @ffercoq.bsky.social #PlantScience
Summary also available in French and Spanish.
Reposted by Sandy Hetherington
Plz RP. Come join us at @slcuplants.bsky.social @cam.ac.uk to study effector-targeted plant processes impacting plant cell biology and development.
www.cam.ac.uk/jobs/post-do...
www.schornacklab.net
www.cam.ac.uk/jobs/post-do...
www.schornacklab.net
November 6, 2025 at 6:51 PM
Plz RP. Come join us at @slcuplants.bsky.social @cam.ac.uk to study effector-targeted plant processes impacting plant cell biology and development.
www.cam.ac.uk/jobs/post-do...
www.schornacklab.net
www.cam.ac.uk/jobs/post-do...
www.schornacklab.net
Huge congratulations @jeremywyman.bsky.social @instmolplantsci.bsky.social for publishing the results of your masters thesis @annbot.bsky.social
The work includes a new reconstruction of the Carboniferous isoetalean Oxroadia by the brilliant @palaeojules.bsky.social
academic.oup.com/aob/advance-...
The work includes a new reconstruction of the Carboniferous isoetalean Oxroadia by the brilliant @palaeojules.bsky.social
academic.oup.com/aob/advance-...
November 5, 2025 at 10:37 AM
Huge congratulations @jeremywyman.bsky.social @instmolplantsci.bsky.social for publishing the results of your masters thesis @annbot.bsky.social
The work includes a new reconstruction of the Carboniferous isoetalean Oxroadia by the brilliant @palaeojules.bsky.social
academic.oup.com/aob/advance-...
The work includes a new reconstruction of the Carboniferous isoetalean Oxroadia by the brilliant @palaeojules.bsky.social
academic.oup.com/aob/advance-...
Thanks @wickellomics.bsky.social for the brilliant @instmolplantsci.bsky.social seminar! Fascinating study of CAM evolution and I’m always excited for all things Isoetes.
November 3, 2025 at 1:25 PM
Thanks @wickellomics.bsky.social for the brilliant @instmolplantsci.bsky.social seminar! Fascinating study of CAM evolution and I’m always excited for all things Isoetes.
Real pleasure to be invited to speak at the British Pteridological Society meeting today.
Brilliant mix of talks spanning evolution, conservation and botanical collections.
And always great to have a tour of the wonderful @thebotanics.bsky.social collections! 🌿
Brilliant mix of talks spanning evolution, conservation and botanical collections.
And always great to have a tour of the wonderful @thebotanics.bsky.social collections! 🌿
October 25, 2025 at 3:19 PM
Real pleasure to be invited to speak at the British Pteridological Society meeting today.
Brilliant mix of talks spanning evolution, conservation and botanical collections.
And always great to have a tour of the wonderful @thebotanics.bsky.social collections! 🌿
Brilliant mix of talks spanning evolution, conservation and botanical collections.
And always great to have a tour of the wonderful @thebotanics.bsky.social collections! 🌿
Thanks Bianca Lopez @science.org for highlighting our recent @newphyt.bsky.social paper led by @anajusagasti.bsky.social in this weeks "In Other Journals" section of Science #FossilFriday
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
In Other Journals
Editors’ selections from the current scientific literature
www.science.org
October 24, 2025 at 8:29 AM
Thanks Bianca Lopez @science.org for highlighting our recent @newphyt.bsky.social paper led by @anajusagasti.bsky.social in this weeks "In Other Journals" section of Science #FossilFriday
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Sandy Hetherington
BIG ANNOUNCEMENT📣: I haven’t been this excited to be part of something new in 15 years… Thrilled to reveal the passion project I’ve been working on for the past year and a half!🙀🥳 (thread 👇)
October 15, 2025 at 12:22 PM
BIG ANNOUNCEMENT📣: I haven’t been this excited to be part of something new in 15 years… Thrilled to reveal the passion project I’ve been working on for the past year and a half!🙀🥳 (thread 👇)
Reposted by Sandy Hetherington
Sharing a beautiful photomicrograph of Trichormus variabilis, a nitrogen-fixing biofilm-forming cyanobacterium with long tangled filaments.🌀
Those eye-like structures made me feel "observed", a fun sort-of revenge from the microbial world.😯
#BiofilmCreate #BiofilmAware @ukbiofilms.bsky.social
Those eye-like structures made me feel "observed", a fun sort-of revenge from the microbial world.😯
#BiofilmCreate #BiofilmAware @ukbiofilms.bsky.social
October 16, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Sharing a beautiful photomicrograph of Trichormus variabilis, a nitrogen-fixing biofilm-forming cyanobacterium with long tangled filaments.🌀
Those eye-like structures made me feel "observed", a fun sort-of revenge from the microbial world.😯
#BiofilmCreate #BiofilmAware @ukbiofilms.bsky.social
Those eye-like structures made me feel "observed", a fun sort-of revenge from the microbial world.😯
#BiofilmCreate #BiofilmAware @ukbiofilms.bsky.social
Reposted by Sandy Hetherington
Students (and recent graduates) working on anything phylogenetics, systematics or taxonomy-related, the abstract submission deadline for this year's (FREE ONLINE) Young Systematists' Forum approaches!
Send us your abstracts by Saturday, OCTOBER 25 11:59PM GMT+1
tinyurl.com/2w5n3e8
Send us your abstracts by Saturday, OCTOBER 25 11:59PM GMT+1
tinyurl.com/2w5n3e8
YSF2025 Registration Form
Welcome to the YSF2025 Registration and Abstract Submission form.
This year the conference will be held online on Friday, November 14th 2025. We look forward to seeing old and new faces from across t...
tinyurl.com
October 16, 2025 at 8:48 AM
Students (and recent graduates) working on anything phylogenetics, systematics or taxonomy-related, the abstract submission deadline for this year's (FREE ONLINE) Young Systematists' Forum approaches!
Send us your abstracts by Saturday, OCTOBER 25 11:59PM GMT+1
tinyurl.com/2w5n3e8
Send us your abstracts by Saturday, OCTOBER 25 11:59PM GMT+1
tinyurl.com/2w5n3e8
What a brilliant conference - thanks so much for the invitation to speak at Morph Up North, and for all the brilliant talks this afternoon!
October 15, 2025 at 4:13 PM
What a brilliant conference - thanks so much for the invitation to speak at Morph Up North, and for all the brilliant talks this afternoon!