Steven Van Belleghem
@svbelleghem.bsky.social
Evolutionary biologist @KU_Leuven. #Adaptation #Plasticity #Speciation #Genomics #Beetles #Butterflies #Daphnia.
https://bio.kuleuven.be/eeb/sv/
https://bio.kuleuven.be/eeb/sv/
"Tomorrow is Pig day!" 🐷🐖🐽Great thoughts for a reality check at the start of the weekend! by
@kathetgedacht.bsky.social
@kathetgedacht.bsky.social
November 7, 2025 at 1:35 PM
"Tomorrow is Pig day!" 🐷🐖🐽Great thoughts for a reality check at the start of the weekend! by
@kathetgedacht.bsky.social
@kathetgedacht.bsky.social
Reposted by Steven Van Belleghem
How does life evolve to adapt to modern cities?
Out now in Science, my PhD work with @lindymcbr.bsky.social uncovers the ancient origin of the “London Underground mosquito” – one of the most iconic examples of urban adaptation.
🧵(1/n)
@science.org
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.ady4515
Out now in Science, my PhD work with @lindymcbr.bsky.social uncovers the ancient origin of the “London Underground mosquito” – one of the most iconic examples of urban adaptation.
🧵(1/n)
@science.org
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.ady4515
Ancient origin of an urban underground mosquito
Understanding how life is adapting to urban environments represents an important challenge in evolutionary biology. In this work, we investigate a widely cited example of urban adaptation, Culex pipie...
www.science.org
October 25, 2025 at 4:46 AM
How does life evolve to adapt to modern cities?
Out now in Science, my PhD work with @lindymcbr.bsky.social uncovers the ancient origin of the “London Underground mosquito” – one of the most iconic examples of urban adaptation.
🧵(1/n)
@science.org
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.ady4515
Out now in Science, my PhD work with @lindymcbr.bsky.social uncovers the ancient origin of the “London Underground mosquito” – one of the most iconic examples of urban adaptation.
🧵(1/n)
@science.org
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.ady4515
Reposted by Steven Van Belleghem
1/9 New in @science.org www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.ado8005
How does genetic architecture constrain evolutionary trajectories? To address this question, we inferred the genetic architecture of convergent plumage coloration and its evolutionary history in wheatears.
How does genetic architecture constrain evolutionary trajectories? To address this question, we inferred the genetic architecture of convergent plumage coloration and its evolutionary history in wheatears.
A mosaic of modular variation at a single gene underpins convergent plumage coloration
The reshuffling of genomic variation from multiple origins is an important contributor to phenotypic diversification, yet insights into the evolutionary trajectories of this combinatorial process and ...
www.science.org
October 17, 2025 at 5:50 AM
1/9 New in @science.org www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.ado8005
How does genetic architecture constrain evolutionary trajectories? To address this question, we inferred the genetic architecture of convergent plumage coloration and its evolutionary history in wheatears.
How does genetic architecture constrain evolutionary trajectories? To address this question, we inferred the genetic architecture of convergent plumage coloration and its evolutionary history in wheatears.
Reposted by Steven Van Belleghem
New paper out! A nice collaboration.
We explore how olfactory brain structures and receptors evolved across this remarkable group, Heliconiini butterflies.
We explore how olfactory brain structures and receptors evolved across this remarkable group, Heliconiini butterflies.
Evolution of the olfactory system during the radiation of Heliconiini butterflies
Abstract. Sensory system evolution plays a crucial role in shaping species’ interactions with their environment, yet the extent to which olfactory system d
academic.oup.com
October 7, 2025 at 6:43 PM
New paper out! A nice collaboration.
We explore how olfactory brain structures and receptors evolved across this remarkable group, Heliconiini butterflies.
We explore how olfactory brain structures and receptors evolved across this remarkable group, Heliconiini butterflies.
Reposted by Steven Van Belleghem
💬 Missed the #ERGAPlenary this month? No problem - catch up now on the #ERGAchannel with the recorded talk "Global genetic diversity loss and the power of conservation to restore species resilience"
youtu.be/8y0V2pjwd0A?... #conservation #speciesresilience
youtu.be/8y0V2pjwd0A?... #conservation #speciesresilience
Global genetic diversity loss & the power of conservation to restore species resilience - Robyn Shaw
YouTube video by ERGA - European Reference Genome Atlas
youtu.be
October 1, 2025 at 8:05 AM
💬 Missed the #ERGAPlenary this month? No problem - catch up now on the #ERGAchannel with the recorded talk "Global genetic diversity loss and the power of conservation to restore species resilience"
youtu.be/8y0V2pjwd0A?... #conservation #speciesresilience
youtu.be/8y0V2pjwd0A?... #conservation #speciesresilience
Recording of last weeks intro to Efficient evidence-based genome annotation with #EviAnn by Aleksey Zimin: www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1us...
October 1, 2025 at 8:28 AM
Recording of last weeks intro to Efficient evidence-based genome annotation with #EviAnn by Aleksey Zimin: www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1us...
Reposted by Steven Van Belleghem
Join us Tuesday to hear more about #EviAnn! It's already been an amazing tool for us to annotate our genomes!!
#Seminar: Evidence-based genome #annotation with EviAnn
🗓️ Tuesday, Sep 23 - 15:00 CEST
🔗 www.erga-biodiversity.eu/post/efficie...
Aleksey Zimin will introduce & demonstrate the use of #EviAnn -a new system for eukaryotic gene annotation.
@ebpgenome.bsky.social @biogeneurope.bsky.social
🗓️ Tuesday, Sep 23 - 15:00 CEST
🔗 www.erga-biodiversity.eu/post/efficie...
Aleksey Zimin will introduce & demonstrate the use of #EviAnn -a new system for eukaryotic gene annotation.
@ebpgenome.bsky.social @biogeneurope.bsky.social
Efficient evidence-based genome annotation with EviAnn
This month's ERGA BioGenome Analysis & Applications Seminar will feature a talk by speaker Aleksey V. Zimin about EviAnn (Evidence-based Annotator), a novel evidence-based eukaryotic gene annotation s...
www.erga-biodiversity.eu
September 20, 2025 at 10:40 AM
Join us Tuesday to hear more about #EviAnn! It's already been an amazing tool for us to annotate our genomes!!
Reposted by Steven Van Belleghem
#Seminar: Evidence-based genome #annotation with EviAnn
🗓️ Tuesday, Sep 23 - 15:00 CEST
🔗 www.erga-biodiversity.eu/post/efficie...
Aleksey Zimin will introduce & demonstrate the use of #EviAnn -a new system for eukaryotic gene annotation.
@ebpgenome.bsky.social @biogeneurope.bsky.social
🗓️ Tuesday, Sep 23 - 15:00 CEST
🔗 www.erga-biodiversity.eu/post/efficie...
Aleksey Zimin will introduce & demonstrate the use of #EviAnn -a new system for eukaryotic gene annotation.
@ebpgenome.bsky.social @biogeneurope.bsky.social
Efficient evidence-based genome annotation with EviAnn
This month's ERGA BioGenome Analysis & Applications Seminar will feature a talk by speaker Aleksey V. Zimin about EviAnn (Evidence-based Annotator), a novel evidence-based eukaryotic gene annotation s...
www.erga-biodiversity.eu
September 18, 2025 at 8:28 AM
#Seminar: Evidence-based genome #annotation with EviAnn
🗓️ Tuesday, Sep 23 - 15:00 CEST
🔗 www.erga-biodiversity.eu/post/efficie...
Aleksey Zimin will introduce & demonstrate the use of #EviAnn -a new system for eukaryotic gene annotation.
@ebpgenome.bsky.social @biogeneurope.bsky.social
🗓️ Tuesday, Sep 23 - 15:00 CEST
🔗 www.erga-biodiversity.eu/post/efficie...
Aleksey Zimin will introduce & demonstrate the use of #EviAnn -a new system for eukaryotic gene annotation.
@ebpgenome.bsky.social @biogeneurope.bsky.social
Join us Tuesday to hear more about #EviAnn! It's already been an amazing tool for us to annotate our genomes!!
#Seminar: Evidence-based genome #annotation with EviAnn
🗓️ Tuesday, Sep 23 - 15:00 CEST
🔗 www.erga-biodiversity.eu/post/efficie...
Aleksey Zimin will introduce & demonstrate the use of #EviAnn -a new system for eukaryotic gene annotation.
@ebpgenome.bsky.social @biogeneurope.bsky.social
🗓️ Tuesday, Sep 23 - 15:00 CEST
🔗 www.erga-biodiversity.eu/post/efficie...
Aleksey Zimin will introduce & demonstrate the use of #EviAnn -a new system for eukaryotic gene annotation.
@ebpgenome.bsky.social @biogeneurope.bsky.social
Efficient evidence-based genome annotation with EviAnn
This month's ERGA BioGenome Analysis & Applications Seminar will feature a talk by speaker Aleksey V. Zimin about EviAnn (Evidence-based Annotator), a novel evidence-based eukaryotic gene annotation s...
www.erga-biodiversity.eu
September 20, 2025 at 10:40 AM
Join us Tuesday to hear more about #EviAnn! It's already been an amazing tool for us to annotate our genomes!!
Fantastic "first" #EvolutionaryGenomics day @naturalsciences-be.bsky.social with talks from Kerstin Johannesson, Felicity Jones, Alexander Suh, @wenjuanma84.bsky.social, @mariamadrid16.bsky.social, and many others 🐌🐦🐟🐞🐚🌱🧬
September 19, 2025 at 10:13 PM
Fantastic "first" #EvolutionaryGenomics day @naturalsciences-be.bsky.social with talks from Kerstin Johannesson, Felicity Jones, Alexander Suh, @wenjuanma84.bsky.social, @mariamadrid16.bsky.social, and many others 🐌🐦🐟🐞🐚🌱🧬
Reposted by Steven Van Belleghem
Hybridization and introgression are major evolutionary processes. Since the 1940s, the prevailing view has been that they shape plants far more than animals. In our new study (www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
), we find the opposite: animals exchange genes more, and for longer, than plants
), we find the opposite: animals exchange genes more, and for longer, than plants
September 12, 2025 at 7:55 AM
Hybridization and introgression are major evolutionary processes. Since the 1940s, the prevailing view has been that they shape plants far more than animals. In our new study (www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
), we find the opposite: animals exchange genes more, and for longer, than plants
), we find the opposite: animals exchange genes more, and for longer, than plants
Reposted by Steven Van Belleghem
I'm looking for PhD students to join the lab starting August 2026. We study the evolution of insect chemical signals so if you're interested in evolutionary biology, chemical ecology, molecular biology, behavior, or genetics, this could be a good fit for you! More info here: tinyurl.com/mrxchwfm
September 11, 2025 at 1:45 PM
I'm looking for PhD students to join the lab starting August 2026. We study the evolution of insect chemical signals so if you're interested in evolutionary biology, chemical ecology, molecular biology, behavior, or genetics, this could be a good fit for you! More info here: tinyurl.com/mrxchwfm
Reposted by Steven Van Belleghem
You may have missed this #ant poster at #ESEB2025, but be sure not to miss the article just published in #openacess in @nature.com: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
One mother for two species via obligate cross-species cloning in ants - Nature
In a case of obligate cross-species cloning, female ants of Messor ibericus need to clone males of Messor structor to obtain sperm for producing the worker caste, resulting in males from the same moth...
www.nature.com
September 4, 2025 at 10:06 AM
You may have missed this #ant poster at #ESEB2025, but be sure not to miss the article just published in #openacess in @nature.com: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Steven Van Belleghem
Still possible to apply to this #post-doc position at CESAB #Montpellier.
Application closing date: September 15th 2025 (12:00 PM CET)
How taking intraspecific diversity and evolutionary processes into account in translocation-based programs.
Please share widely #PopGen #NbS #Biodiversity
Application closing date: September 15th 2025 (12:00 PM CET)
How taking intraspecific diversity and evolutionary processes into account in translocation-based programs.
Please share widely #PopGen #NbS #Biodiversity
3-year #postdoc position at Centre de synthèse et d'analyse de la biodiversité (CESAB) in Montpellier to work on how taking intraspecific diversity and evolutionary processes into account in translocation-based programs. Please share widely #PopGen #NbS
[📢 Postdoc offer in Montpellier] Work on intraspecific diversity & translocation in Nature-based Solutions 🌿
Join the EVOLUTION Knowledge-Hub at the #FRB-CESAB
🔗 More informations: bit.ly/43uRz6Z
@cnrs.fr @inrae-france.bsky.social @umontpellier.bsky.social
Join the EVOLUTION Knowledge-Hub at the #FRB-CESAB
🔗 More informations: bit.ly/43uRz6Z
@cnrs.fr @inrae-france.bsky.social @umontpellier.bsky.social
September 2, 2025 at 2:28 PM
Still possible to apply to this #post-doc position at CESAB #Montpellier.
Application closing date: September 15th 2025 (12:00 PM CET)
How taking intraspecific diversity and evolutionary processes into account in translocation-based programs.
Please share widely #PopGen #NbS #Biodiversity
Application closing date: September 15th 2025 (12:00 PM CET)
How taking intraspecific diversity and evolutionary processes into account in translocation-based programs.
Please share widely #PopGen #NbS #Biodiversity
Reposted by Steven Van Belleghem
Great times at @eseb2025.bsky.social. Recovering now with @aaronkiggen.bsky.social @mariamadrid16.bsky.social @biologaboricua.bsky.social @alexkourt.bsky.social @kristinayefimak.bsky.social
August 23, 2025 at 2:17 PM
Great times at @eseb2025.bsky.social. Recovering now with @aaronkiggen.bsky.social @mariamadrid16.bsky.social @biologaboricua.bsky.social @alexkourt.bsky.social @kristinayefimak.bsky.social
Reposted by Steven Van Belleghem
And that’s a wrap for #ESEB2025 - what an amazing week!
It was wonderful to see so many familiar faces and meet new ones.
Thanks to everyone who stopped by to chat with us! We look forward to seeing many of you online soon. #ERGA meetings resume in September ☀️
@ebpgenome.bsky.social
It was wonderful to see so many familiar faces and meet new ones.
Thanks to everyone who stopped by to chat with us! We look forward to seeing many of you online soon. #ERGA meetings resume in September ☀️
@ebpgenome.bsky.social
August 22, 2025 at 2:39 PM
And that’s a wrap for #ESEB2025 - what an amazing week!
It was wonderful to see so many familiar faces and meet new ones.
Thanks to everyone who stopped by to chat with us! We look forward to seeing many of you online soon. #ERGA meetings resume in September ☀️
@ebpgenome.bsky.social
It was wonderful to see so many familiar faces and meet new ones.
Thanks to everyone who stopped by to chat with us! We look forward to seeing many of you online soon. #ERGA meetings resume in September ☀️
@ebpgenome.bsky.social
Reposted by Steven Van Belleghem
FANTASIA's paper is finally out! Check it out if you're interested in alternative methods to homology for functional annotation in nonmodel organisms 🦐🐙🪱🧬🐝🪲
@gemmaeling.bsky.social @amrojasm.bsky.social @ibe-barcelona.bsky.social @cabd-upo-csic.bsky.social
@csic.es www.nature.com/articles/s42...
@gemmaeling.bsky.social @amrojasm.bsky.social @ibe-barcelona.bsky.social @cabd-upo-csic.bsky.social
@csic.es www.nature.com/articles/s42...
FANTASIA leverages language models to decode the functional dark proteome across the animal tree of life
Communications Biology - FANTASIA, a protein language model-based tool, enables large-scale functional annotation across ~1000 animal proteomes, revealing novel gene functions in both model and...
www.nature.com
August 15, 2025 at 12:05 AM
FANTASIA's paper is finally out! Check it out if you're interested in alternative methods to homology for functional annotation in nonmodel organisms 🦐🐙🪱🧬🐝🪲
@gemmaeling.bsky.social @amrojasm.bsky.social @ibe-barcelona.bsky.social @cabd-upo-csic.bsky.social
@csic.es www.nature.com/articles/s42...
@gemmaeling.bsky.social @amrojasm.bsky.social @ibe-barcelona.bsky.social @cabd-upo-csic.bsky.social
@csic.es www.nature.com/articles/s42...
Reposted by Steven Van Belleghem
I combined my love for snakes🐍 with data science to study climate change impacts on the snake diversity in Europe. Cold‐adapted snakes and W. Europe will be impacted the most. Protecting refuges & resilient habitats is key. Read more: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Snakes in Europe Under Climate Change: Is It Getting Too Hot for the Cold‐Blooded?
Modelled projections indicate a widespread decline in ecological suitability for snakes across Europe, with cold-adapted species demonstrating particular vulnerability to global warming.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
August 13, 2025 at 11:04 AM
I combined my love for snakes🐍 with data science to study climate change impacts on the snake diversity in Europe. Cold‐adapted snakes and W. Europe will be impacted the most. Protecting refuges & resilient habitats is key. Read more: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Reposted by Steven Van Belleghem
There's going to be a lot of sketches by the end of this week! We're not even halfway though #eseb2025 and I've filled up my usual template of boxes! Looking forward to seeing what the rest of the week's talks include
#eseb #sciart #sketchnotes
#eseb #sciart #sketchnotes
August 19, 2025 at 6:42 PM
There's going to be a lot of sketches by the end of this week! We're not even halfway though #eseb2025 and I've filled up my usual template of boxes! Looking forward to seeing what the rest of the week's talks include
#eseb #sciart #sketchnotes
#eseb #sciart #sketchnotes
Reposted by Steven Van Belleghem
Got the chance to present my research on chromosomal inversions and beetles at ESEB 2025 in Barcelona 🪲🧬 Thanks for everyone who came and asked questions!
Big thanks also to @eseb2025.bsky.social for organizing and for having me. We’re having a wonderful time!
@svbelleghem.bsky.social
Big thanks also to @eseb2025.bsky.social for organizing and for having me. We’re having a wonderful time!
@svbelleghem.bsky.social
August 20, 2025 at 9:49 AM
Got the chance to present my research on chromosomal inversions and beetles at ESEB 2025 in Barcelona 🪲🧬 Thanks for everyone who came and asked questions!
Big thanks also to @eseb2025.bsky.social for organizing and for having me. We’re having a wonderful time!
@svbelleghem.bsky.social
Big thanks also to @eseb2025.bsky.social for organizing and for having me. We’re having a wonderful time!
@svbelleghem.bsky.social
Reposted by Steven Van Belleghem
Reposted by Steven Van Belleghem
@pavelmatosm.bsky.social has a new PhD position opportunity to work with conservation genomics of European butterflies! The project involves very cool collaborations with @projectpsyche.bsky.social, @10klepgenomes.bsky.social and the LepEUConsortium!
Deadline Sep 12
pavelmatos.wordpress.com/join-us/
Deadline Sep 12
pavelmatos.wordpress.com/join-us/
Join us
Opportunities Below are the positions currently open in our lab. PhD position (full-time doctoral funding) We are seeking a highly motivated PhD student to join our team. The goal of the project is…
pavelmatos.wordpress.com
August 18, 2025 at 7:35 AM
@pavelmatosm.bsky.social has a new PhD position opportunity to work with conservation genomics of European butterflies! The project involves very cool collaborations with @projectpsyche.bsky.social, @10klepgenomes.bsky.social and the LepEUConsortium!
Deadline Sep 12
pavelmatos.wordpress.com/join-us/
Deadline Sep 12
pavelmatos.wordpress.com/join-us/
Reposted by Steven Van Belleghem
*ALERT! GLOBAL GENETIC DIVERSITY TREND RE-ANALYSIS*
"Signals of consistent genetic diversity decline are not yet measurable in global meta-analysis" doi.org/10.1101/2025...
"Signals of consistent genetic diversity decline are not yet measurable in global meta-analysis" doi.org/10.1101/2025...
August 4, 2025 at 6:35 PM
*ALERT! GLOBAL GENETIC DIVERSITY TREND RE-ANALYSIS*
"Signals of consistent genetic diversity decline are not yet measurable in global meta-analysis" doi.org/10.1101/2025...
"Signals of consistent genetic diversity decline are not yet measurable in global meta-analysis" doi.org/10.1101/2025...
Reposted by Steven Van Belleghem
1
To predict the behaviour of a primate, would you rather base your guess on a closely related species or one with a similar brain shape? We looked at brains & behaviours of 70 species, you’ll be surprised!
🧵Thread on our new preprint with @r3rt0.bsky.social , doi.org/10.1101/2025...
To predict the behaviour of a primate, would you rather base your guess on a closely related species or one with a similar brain shape? We looked at brains & behaviours of 70 species, you’ll be surprised!
🧵Thread on our new preprint with @r3rt0.bsky.social , doi.org/10.1101/2025...
July 27, 2025 at 5:26 PM
1
To predict the behaviour of a primate, would you rather base your guess on a closely related species or one with a similar brain shape? We looked at brains & behaviours of 70 species, you’ll be surprised!
🧵Thread on our new preprint with @r3rt0.bsky.social , doi.org/10.1101/2025...
To predict the behaviour of a primate, would you rather base your guess on a closely related species or one with a similar brain shape? We looked at brains & behaviours of 70 species, you’ll be surprised!
🧵Thread on our new preprint with @r3rt0.bsky.social , doi.org/10.1101/2025...