Sebastien Calvignac-Spencer
@scs22.bsky.social
Infectious disease ecology and evolution, pathogen genomics, environmental DNA, ancient DNA/RNA
Reposted by Sebastien Calvignac-Spencer
A paper for the #eDNA crowd, in particular those using flies for terrestrial biomonitoring. We show that massive pooling works well, reducing costs + time, bringing us a step closer to scalable terrestrial eDNA biomonitoring. doi.org/10.1002/edn3...
An Exploration of DNA Extraction Methods of Fly iDNA for Scalable Biodiversity Monitoring
Metabarcoding of invertebrate-derived DNA (iDNA) is an excellent tool for assessing terrestrial mammal diversity, but the time and costs associated with sample processing constrain its wider adoption....
doi.org
October 30, 2025 at 11:47 AM
A paper for the #eDNA crowd, in particular those using flies for terrestrial biomonitoring. We show that massive pooling works well, reducing costs + time, bringing us a step closer to scalable terrestrial eDNA biomonitoring. doi.org/10.1002/edn3...
If you could take just one journalist with you to a polar archipelago, who would it be? 100% @kakape.bsky.social😉 Thanks for the extensive conversations and excellent reporting. Immer wieder gerne!
Evolutionary biologist @scs22.bsky.social has had a lot of success recently sequencing ancient RNA viruses from museum samples. This summer I had the chance to accompany him and a team of researchers to the Arctic where they hope that the permafrost might allow them to go further back in time.
🧪
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On an Arctic archipelago, frozen soil may preserve a hidden history of viruses
Scientists are hunting for ancient RNA in Svalbard’s permafrost, hoping to shed light on the evolution of viral diseases
www.science.org
October 16, 2025 at 10:00 PM
If you could take just one journalist with you to a polar archipelago, who would it be? 100% @kakape.bsky.social😉 Thanks for the extensive conversations and excellent reporting. Immer wieder gerne!
Reposted by Sebastien Calvignac-Spencer
New study by the Institut Pasteur de Bangui and HIOH examines CAR #mpox outbreaks via genomic #epidemiology. High frequencies of independent spillovers highlight the need to strengthen systematic surveillance & identify animal sources to prevent future outbreaks www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
September 5, 2025 at 9:49 AM
New study by the Institut Pasteur de Bangui and HIOH examines CAR #mpox outbreaks via genomic #epidemiology. High frequencies of independent spillovers highlight the need to strengthen systematic surveillance & identify animal sources to prevent future outbreaks www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
We were part of another viral aRNA study that was just published. In this work spearheaded by Christian Urban in the lab of Verena Schuenemann, a new protocol was assessed (good for short fragments) and a seventh 1918 flu genome was completely sequenced
bmcbiol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10....
bmcbiol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10....
An ancient influenza genome from Switzerland allows deeper insights into host adaptation during the 1918 flu pandemic in Europe - BMC Biology
Background From 1918 to 1920, the largest influenza A virus (IAV) pandemic known to date spread globally causing between 20 to 100 million deaths. Historical records have captured critical aspects of ...
bmcbiol.biomedcentral.com
July 2, 2025 at 10:20 AM
We were part of another viral aRNA study that was just published. In this work spearheaded by Christian Urban in the lab of Verena Schuenemann, a new protocol was assessed (good for short fragments) and a seventh 1918 flu genome was completely sequenced
bmcbiol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10....
bmcbiol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10....
We just succeeded in formally linking a specific rodent species - the otherwise charming fire-footed rope squirrel - to the onset of a mpox outbreak in a primate species - sooty mangabeys. Here Kai’s report on the preprint we released yesterday 1/2
Researchers have been trying for a long time to nail down where in nature mpox lurks.
Now they appear to have caught the virus that causes mpox in the act of spilling over from squirrels to monkeys.
“It is the best clue so far for what the reservoir might be”, says @kgandersen.bsky.social
#IDsky 🧪
Now they appear to have caught the virus that causes mpox in the act of spilling over from squirrels to monkeys.
“It is the best clue so far for what the reservoir might be”, says @kgandersen.bsky.social
#IDsky 🧪
How do mpox outbreaks start? Dead baby monkey provides important clue
“Landmark” study fingers fire-footed rope squirrel as a reservoir of fatal disease
www.science.org
April 9, 2025 at 6:24 AM
We just succeeded in formally linking a specific rodent species - the otherwise charming fire-footed rope squirrel - to the onset of a mpox outbreak in a primate species - sooty mangabeys. Here Kai’s report on the preprint we released yesterday 1/2
Reposted by Sebastien Calvignac-Spencer
We are looking for a dedicated replacement to work as a technical assistant.
www.helmholtz-hzi.de/karriere/job...
If you are interested, please send us your complete application documents in accordance with the job advertisement. @helmholtz-hioh.bsky.social
www.helmholtz-hzi.de/karriere/job...
If you are interested, please send us your complete application documents in accordance with the job advertisement. @helmholtz-hioh.bsky.social
Das Helmholtz-Institut für One Health (HIOH) sucht eine_n Technische_n Assistent_in (w/m/d)
Das Helmholtz-Institut für One Health (HIOH) Greifswald ist ein Standort des Helmholtz-Zentrums für Infektionsforschung (HZI). Hier werden die Zusammen...
www.helmholtz-hzi.de
March 6, 2025 at 11:54 AM
We are looking for a dedicated replacement to work as a technical assistant.
www.helmholtz-hzi.de/karriere/job...
If you are interested, please send us your complete application documents in accordance with the job advertisement. @helmholtz-hioh.bsky.social
www.helmholtz-hzi.de/karriere/job...
If you are interested, please send us your complete application documents in accordance with the job advertisement. @helmholtz-hioh.bsky.social
Reposted by Sebastien Calvignac-Spencer
🧬 First update from the eDNA lab! 🪰
Extracting mammalian DNA from carrion flies collected in Tanzania for biodiversity studies.
A first trial using @helmholtz-hioh.bsky.social protocol for the flies collected by @uantwerpen.bsky.social + #Gecolab
Shoutout to @paulinevanl.bsky.social ! 📸
#eDNA
Extracting mammalian DNA from carrion flies collected in Tanzania for biodiversity studies.
A first trial using @helmholtz-hioh.bsky.social protocol for the flies collected by @uantwerpen.bsky.social + #Gecolab
Shoutout to @paulinevanl.bsky.social ! 📸
#eDNA
January 23, 2025 at 11:20 AM
🧬 First update from the eDNA lab! 🪰
Extracting mammalian DNA from carrion flies collected in Tanzania for biodiversity studies.
A first trial using @helmholtz-hioh.bsky.social protocol for the flies collected by @uantwerpen.bsky.social + #Gecolab
Shoutout to @paulinevanl.bsky.social ! 📸
#eDNA
Extracting mammalian DNA from carrion flies collected in Tanzania for biodiversity studies.
A first trial using @helmholtz-hioh.bsky.social protocol for the flies collected by @uantwerpen.bsky.social + #Gecolab
Shoutout to @paulinevanl.bsky.social ! 📸
#eDNA
Reposted by Sebastien Calvignac-Spencer
🚨 #Job Alert 🚨
Die Bewerbungsfrist für die Position als Institutssekretär:in am HIOH endet bald! 📅 Bewerbungsschluss: 22. Januar.
Eine spannende Chance, Teil eines internationalen Forschungsteams in Greifswald zu werden. Mehr Infos: www.helmholtz-hioh.de/fileadmin/HI...
#JobOpportunity #OneHealth
Die Bewerbungsfrist für die Position als Institutssekretär:in am HIOH endet bald! 📅 Bewerbungsschluss: 22. Januar.
Eine spannende Chance, Teil eines internationalen Forschungsteams in Greifswald zu werden. Mehr Infos: www.helmholtz-hioh.de/fileadmin/HI...
#JobOpportunity #OneHealth
January 10, 2025 at 10:48 AM
🚨 #Job Alert 🚨
Die Bewerbungsfrist für die Position als Institutssekretär:in am HIOH endet bald! 📅 Bewerbungsschluss: 22. Januar.
Eine spannende Chance, Teil eines internationalen Forschungsteams in Greifswald zu werden. Mehr Infos: www.helmholtz-hioh.de/fileadmin/HI...
#JobOpportunity #OneHealth
Die Bewerbungsfrist für die Position als Institutssekretär:in am HIOH endet bald! 📅 Bewerbungsschluss: 22. Januar.
Eine spannende Chance, Teil eines internationalen Forschungsteams in Greifswald zu werden. Mehr Infos: www.helmholtz-hioh.de/fileadmin/HI...
#JobOpportunity #OneHealth
Reposted by Sebastien Calvignac-Spencer
Excited to announce the African STARS Fellowship, one of the largest programs in Africa. In partnership with Mastercard Foundation, Institut Pasteur & Stellenbosch University, initial funding of 165 million rands. Press release ceri.org.za/news/?token=... Launch 15 Jan, Cape Town, SA
January 12, 2025 at 8:26 AM
Excited to announce the African STARS Fellowship, one of the largest programs in Africa. In partnership with Mastercard Foundation, Institut Pasteur & Stellenbosch University, initial funding of 165 million rands. Press release ceri.org.za/news/?token=... Launch 15 Jan, Cape Town, SA
A very reasonable thread on this (a bit unnecessarily overheated) debate.
Personally, I have a lot of sympathy for Jens Kuhn. He's dealing with a fundamental and increasingly pressing issue in virology, one that might otherwise be neglected without the intense dedication of someone so earnestly committed to the cause.
“Somebody needs to take away whatever drugs the committee is on,” wrote Kristian Andersen"
"Kuhn, the autocrat, mainly rolled his eyes. He hated some of the names, too. “Salt in my wounds,” he called syllabic stews like Lentivirus humimdef1"*
#Virology 😆
www.statnews.com/2025/01/09/v...
"Kuhn, the autocrat, mainly rolled his eyes. He hated some of the names, too. “Salt in my wounds,” he called syllabic stews like Lentivirus humimdef1"*
#Virology 😆
www.statnews.com/2025/01/09/v...
January 11, 2025 at 12:44 PM
A very reasonable thread on this (a bit unnecessarily overheated) debate.
Reposted by Sebastien Calvignac-Spencer
Hi
Related to your & the previous post, I looked it up and there are 120 Study Groups (SGs), with collectively more than 900 members. These are expert and typically quite experienced virologists, & should provide a reasonable cross-section of knowledge and expertise. So it's not a mad dictatorship!
Related to your & the previous post, I looked it up and there are 120 Study Groups (SGs), with collectively more than 900 members. These are expert and typically quite experienced virologists, & should provide a reasonable cross-section of knowledge and expertise. So it's not a mad dictatorship!
January 10, 2025 at 3:39 PM
Hi
Related to your & the previous post, I looked it up and there are 120 Study Groups (SGs), with collectively more than 900 members. These are expert and typically quite experienced virologists, & should provide a reasonable cross-section of knowledge and expertise. So it's not a mad dictatorship!
Related to your & the previous post, I looked it up and there are 120 Study Groups (SGs), with collectively more than 900 members. These are expert and typically quite experienced virologists, & should provide a reasonable cross-section of knowledge and expertise. So it's not a mad dictatorship!
Reposted by Sebastien Calvignac-Spencer
🦠 We are recruiting two 2-year postdocs to work at the intersection of virus genomics and infectious disease. jobs.rvc.ac.uk/vacancy.aspx... Please share widely!
December 18, 2024 at 6:03 PM
🦠 We are recruiting two 2-year postdocs to work at the intersection of virus genomics and infectious disease. jobs.rvc.ac.uk/vacancy.aspx... Please share widely!
Here the article where the ICTV explains the transition to Latinized binomial species names. I think the rationale is compelling: this change brings coherence, aligning viral taxonomy with that of all other biological entities 1/5
www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/jour...
www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/jour...
December 12, 2024 at 5:01 PM
Here the article where the ICTV explains the transition to Latinized binomial species names. I think the rationale is compelling: this change brings coherence, aligning viral taxonomy with that of all other biological entities 1/5
www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/jour...
www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/jour...
Reposted by Sebastien Calvignac-Spencer
Grateful to @smritimallapaty.bsky.social for covering our analysis of host transcriptional infection signatures at the Huanan market! Still not the “smoking raccoon dog” but getting closer…
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Sick animals suggest COVID pandemic started in Wuhan market
A preliminary analysis takes a closer look at genomic data collected at the market.
www.nature.com
December 4, 2024 at 6:27 AM
Grateful to @smritimallapaty.bsky.social for covering our analysis of host transcriptional infection signatures at the Huanan market! Still not the “smoking raccoon dog” but getting closer…
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Reposted by Sebastien Calvignac-Spencer
Out now: How we screened great apes from museum collections to find viruses!
rdcu.be/d1UsZ
rdcu.be/d1UsZ
Screening great ape museum specimens for DNA viruses
Scientific Reports - Screening great ape museum specimens for DNA viruses
rdcu.be
November 30, 2024 at 11:14 AM
Out now: How we screened great apes from museum collections to find viruses!
rdcu.be/d1UsZ
rdcu.be/d1UsZ