Laura Lagomarsino, PhD
@tropicalbotany.bsky.social
Botanist. Evolutionary biologist. Associate Professor and Herbarium Director, LSU. Passionate about plants, inclusive mentoring, and puzzles. I don't know what I'm doing here.
https://www.lagolab.net
https://www.lagolab.net
Pinned
Meet Dr. Laura Lagomarsino, who fell in love with plants during childhood camping trips in California's redwood forests. Her passion for plant-pollinator relationships began with a magical moment watching hummingbirds visit curved flowers in Costa Rica's cloud forests.
#Botany 🧪
wp.me/pdRZhH-m9q
#Botany 🧪
wp.me/pdRZhH-m9q
I’m honored to be highlighted in the most recent @botany.one feature!
Love this lab, love this PI, love this time of year in Louisiana 💜💚💛.
Happy Mardi Gras y’all!!!! From the Ferris Lab with 💗
February 13, 2026 at 11:56 PM
Love this lab, love this PI, love this time of year in Louisiana 💜💚💛.
Reposted by Laura Lagomarsino, PhD
We should talk more about the graduate admissions crisis that's taking shape in the US.
Talking to colleagues across universities, many graduate programs are slashing admission numbers and reducing class sizes substantially for the upcoming academic year.
This is shortsighted
Talking to colleagues across universities, many graduate programs are slashing admission numbers and reducing class sizes substantially for the upcoming academic year.
This is shortsighted
February 12, 2026 at 6:54 PM
We should talk more about the graduate admissions crisis that's taking shape in the US.
Talking to colleagues across universities, many graduate programs are slashing admission numbers and reducing class sizes substantially for the upcoming academic year.
This is shortsighted
Talking to colleagues across universities, many graduate programs are slashing admission numbers and reducing class sizes substantially for the upcoming academic year.
This is shortsighted
Reposted by Laura Lagomarsino, PhD
How do we know our research results are REAL? We replicate them! Most folks agree but lament on how hard it is to publish these replications.
My dearest gentle reader, lament no more! Delighted to unveil: Replication Studies, a new section of Behavioral Ecology 1/
academic.oup.com/beheco/artic...
My dearest gentle reader, lament no more! Delighted to unveil: Replication Studies, a new section of Behavioral Ecology 1/
academic.oup.com/beheco/artic...
Replication studies: a win-win for early-career training and behavioral ecology
Replicating previous research builds confidence that results are real and meaningful. But close replications are rare due to limitations in resources and d
academic.oup.com
February 10, 2026 at 7:42 PM
How do we know our research results are REAL? We replicate them! Most folks agree but lament on how hard it is to publish these replications.
My dearest gentle reader, lament no more! Delighted to unveil: Replication Studies, a new section of Behavioral Ecology 1/
academic.oup.com/beheco/artic...
My dearest gentle reader, lament no more! Delighted to unveil: Replication Studies, a new section of Behavioral Ecology 1/
academic.oup.com/beheco/artic...
Reposted by Laura Lagomarsino, PhD
Holy shit: it's an RFP for the NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology (PRFB). Hello old friend www.nsf.gov/funding/oppo...
Postdoctoral Research Fellowships in Biology (PRFB)
www.nsf.gov
February 5, 2026 at 11:41 PM
Holy shit: it's an RFP for the NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology (PRFB). Hello old friend www.nsf.gov/funding/oppo...
Welcome Dr. Laymon Ball into the world! @laymonstera.bsky.social rocked her PhD defense today.
February 3, 2026 at 3:56 AM
Welcome Dr. Laymon Ball into the world! @laymonstera.bsky.social rocked her PhD defense today.
Reposted by Laura Lagomarsino, PhD
My student @laymonstera.bsky.social is defending her @lsubiosci.bsky.social @lsuscience.bsky.social PhD thesis today! If you're at LSU, join us in LSA A101 at 1pm for Laymon's talk: "Disentangling Mechanisms of Speciation in a Florally Diverse Neotropical Plant Clade, Hillieae (Rubiaceae)".
February 2, 2026 at 7:40 AM
My student @laymonstera.bsky.social is defending her @lsubiosci.bsky.social @lsuscience.bsky.social PhD thesis today! If you're at LSU, join us in LSA A101 at 1pm for Laymon's talk: "Disentangling Mechanisms of Speciation in a Florally Diverse Neotropical Plant Clade, Hillieae (Rubiaceae)".
My student @laymonstera.bsky.social is defending her @lsubiosci.bsky.social @lsuscience.bsky.social PhD thesis today! If you're at LSU, join us in LSA A101 at 1pm for Laymon's talk: "Disentangling Mechanisms of Speciation in a Florally Diverse Neotropical Plant Clade, Hillieae (Rubiaceae)".
February 2, 2026 at 7:40 AM
My student @laymonstera.bsky.social is defending her @lsubiosci.bsky.social @lsuscience.bsky.social PhD thesis today! If you're at LSU, join us in LSA A101 at 1pm for Laymon's talk: "Disentangling Mechanisms of Speciation in a Florally Diverse Neotropical Plant Clade, Hillieae (Rubiaceae)".
Reposted by Laura Lagomarsino, PhD
This is Callie. She is trained to accurately detect bowel cancer in order to provide rapid diagnoses through non-invasive testing. Some might call it lab work, but Callie is actually a sprocker spaniel. 14/10 incredible job, Callie (IG: medicaldetectiondogs)
January 29, 2026 at 11:44 PM
This is Callie. She is trained to accurately detect bowel cancer in order to provide rapid diagnoses through non-invasive testing. Some might call it lab work, but Callie is actually a sprocker spaniel. 14/10 incredible job, Callie (IG: medicaldetectiondogs)
Reposted by Laura Lagomarsino, PhD
There's a lot going on right now. But I just want to take a moment to celebrate the recent accomplishments of the truly incredible young scientists I get to work with on a daily basis in my lab. #proudPI
Here are some of their recent accomplishments (a thread):
Here are some of their recent accomplishments (a thread):
January 28, 2026 at 9:51 PM
There's a lot going on right now. But I just want to take a moment to celebrate the recent accomplishments of the truly incredible young scientists I get to work with on a daily basis in my lab. #proudPI
Here are some of their recent accomplishments (a thread):
Here are some of their recent accomplishments (a thread):
Reposted by Laura Lagomarsino, PhD
A new extreme of meiotic evolution:
✔️ 𝗻𝗼 crossovers
✔️ 𝗻𝗼 gene conversion
✔️ 𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗹 meiosis & fertility
Sex mimics clonality without becoming asexual, in the holocentric multicellular eukaryote 𝘙𝘩𝘺𝘯𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘢 𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘶𝘪𝘴.
more about it:
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
✔️ 𝗻𝗼 crossovers
✔️ 𝗻𝗼 gene conversion
✔️ 𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗹 meiosis & fertility
Sex mimics clonality without becoming asexual, in the holocentric multicellular eukaryote 𝘙𝘩𝘺𝘯𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘢 𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘶𝘪𝘴.
more about it:
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
January 27, 2026 at 10:57 AM
A new extreme of meiotic evolution:
✔️ 𝗻𝗼 crossovers
✔️ 𝗻𝗼 gene conversion
✔️ 𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗹 meiosis & fertility
Sex mimics clonality without becoming asexual, in the holocentric multicellular eukaryote 𝘙𝘩𝘺𝘯𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘢 𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘶𝘪𝘴.
more about it:
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
✔️ 𝗻𝗼 crossovers
✔️ 𝗻𝗼 gene conversion
✔️ 𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗹 meiosis & fertility
Sex mimics clonality without becoming asexual, in the holocentric multicellular eukaryote 𝘙𝘩𝘺𝘯𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘢 𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘶𝘪𝘴.
more about it:
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Reposted by Laura Lagomarsino, PhD
One little thing you can do if you’re feeling helpless tonight: throw a few bucks to the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota. They’re reportedly stretched thin for obvious reasons and could use some help if you can offer it.
www.ilcm.org?ref=badfaith...
www.ilcm.org?ref=badfaith...
Home - Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota
www.ilcm.org
January 25, 2026 at 4:46 AM
One little thing you can do if you’re feeling helpless tonight: throw a few bucks to the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota. They’re reportedly stretched thin for obvious reasons and could use some help if you can offer it.
www.ilcm.org?ref=badfaith...
www.ilcm.org?ref=badfaith...
Reposted by Laura Lagomarsino, PhD
And it's out indeed! Huge congrats to @josanesousa.bsky.social, @gabrielalima19.bsky.social, @perezlouise.bsky.social & Hannah Schof! A true tour-de-force that highlights how emerging model systems can shed new light on long-standing macro-evolutionary questions. Go #axolotl, #polypterus #zebrafish!
It’s out! 🐟 We compared three regeneration superstars—axolotl, zebrafish, and Polypterus—to ask how animals regrow limbs and fins. We find shared core processes, and other programs fine-tuned by evolution in surprising, lineage-specific ways. tinyurl.com/mpftkn7y
January 22, 2026 at 5:59 PM
And it's out indeed! Huge congrats to @josanesousa.bsky.social, @gabrielalima19.bsky.social, @perezlouise.bsky.social & Hannah Schof! A true tour-de-force that highlights how emerging model systems can shed new light on long-standing macro-evolutionary questions. Go #axolotl, #polypterus #zebrafish!
Reposted by Laura Lagomarsino, PhD
How to get into nature.
January 20, 2026 at 1:04 PM
How to get into nature.
Reposted by Laura Lagomarsino, PhD
A greeting card for my Bluesky friends
January 17, 2026 at 10:53 PM
A greeting card for my Bluesky friends
Reposted by Laura Lagomarsino, PhD
The National Science Foundation sign on our Eisenhower Av building is now gone.
The NSF mural in the foyer is removed and torn off in sheets.
We were supposed to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the agency in May 2025. That never happened.
The NSF mural in the foyer is removed and torn off in sheets.
We were supposed to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the agency in May 2025. That never happened.
January 18, 2026 at 2:00 AM
The National Science Foundation sign on our Eisenhower Av building is now gone.
The NSF mural in the foyer is removed and torn off in sheets.
We were supposed to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the agency in May 2025. That never happened.
The NSF mural in the foyer is removed and torn off in sheets.
We were supposed to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the agency in May 2025. That never happened.
Life has been an absolute whirlwind for me for the last 10 days with #SSB2026 and associated meetings in Baton Rouge. But my heart has been so full, sharing my home with some of my very favorite people 💛💜. Looking forward to a calm weekend though…
January 17, 2026 at 4:43 PM
Life has been an absolute whirlwind for me for the last 10 days with #SSB2026 and associated meetings in Baton Rouge. But my heart has been so full, sharing my home with some of my very favorite people 💛💜. Looking forward to a calm weekend though…
Reposted by Laura Lagomarsino, PhD
Nice to see strong support in Congress: “In an 82-15 vote, the Senate approved a minibus budget bill to fund agencies involved in science and the environment, among other issues, through Sept. 30. The bill passed in the House last week by a vote of 397 to 28.” www.nbcnews.com/politics/pol...
Congress passes bill to fund U.S. science agencies, rebuffing Trump's requested cuts
The Senate voted to provide billions more to NASA, NOAA and the National Science Foundation than the president had asked for.
www.nbcnews.com
January 16, 2026 at 6:14 PM
Nice to see strong support in Congress: “In an 82-15 vote, the Senate approved a minibus budget bill to fund agencies involved in science and the environment, among other issues, through Sept. 30. The bill passed in the House last week by a vote of 397 to 28.” www.nbcnews.com/politics/pol...
Apparently I'm the Director of a 3-star herbarium?
January 16, 2026 at 4:22 PM
Apparently I'm the Director of a 3-star herbarium?
Some of the most disturbing photos I’ve seen…
Stunning photos from Minneapolis, including this one by John Locher for the Associated Press. www.theatlantic.com/photography/...
January 16, 2026 at 11:57 AM
Some of the most disturbing photos I’ve seen…
So, @tribblelab.bsky.social, @jesusgm.bsky.social and I (with Tanya!) have been up to conference shenanigans since at least 2018, when we stole the inflatable cactus marking the next year's meeting in Tucson and ran around the Rochester, MN conference center with after the ASPT banquet. #botany2018
January 14, 2026 at 9:28 PM
So, @tribblelab.bsky.social, @jesusgm.bsky.social and I (with Tanya!) have been up to conference shenanigans since at least 2018, when we stole the inflatable cactus marking the next year's meeting in Tucson and ran around the Rochester, MN conference center with after the ASPT banquet. #botany2018
Reposted by Laura Lagomarsino, PhD
Paper submitted!!!! Way to go @jillmlove.bsky.social !!!! You're on 🔥 this year !!!!!!! #ProudPI
Preprint coming soon to a screen near you... #Mimuluspropaganda
(this post is sponsored by the "Katie thinks we should celebrate anything we can right now" corporation for public expressions of joy)
Preprint coming soon to a screen near you... #Mimuluspropaganda
(this post is sponsored by the "Katie thinks we should celebrate anything we can right now" corporation for public expressions of joy)
a cartoon character from bob 's burgers is making a surprised face and saying yay !
ALT: a cartoon character from bob 's burgers is making a surprised face and saying yay !
media.tenor.com
January 14, 2026 at 6:45 PM
Paper submitted!!!! Way to go @jillmlove.bsky.social !!!! You're on 🔥 this year !!!!!!! #ProudPI
Preprint coming soon to a screen near you... #Mimuluspropaganda
(this post is sponsored by the "Katie thinks we should celebrate anything we can right now" corporation for public expressions of joy)
Preprint coming soon to a screen near you... #Mimuluspropaganda
(this post is sponsored by the "Katie thinks we should celebrate anything we can right now" corporation for public expressions of joy)
I learned so much about other types of collections from this panel. Thanks for organizing, @corriemoreau.bsky.social !! I hope we can continue these discussions going forward.
Had such a great time hosting the Future of Natural History Collections panel at the #ssb2026 meeting this weekend. Big thanks to @jembrown.bsky.social sky.social for organizing the meeting for @systbiol.bsky.social and for all the amazing panelists who shared so much knowledge and great ideas!
January 13, 2026 at 4:47 PM
I learned so much about other types of collections from this panel. Thanks for organizing, @corriemoreau.bsky.social !! I hope we can continue these discussions going forward.
Reposted by Laura Lagomarsino, PhD
We've just created an exciting new Phylogenomics Botanist role to join our vibrant team at Botanic Gardens of Sydney and help us build the NSW Plant Tree of Life! Applications close 26 Jan 2026: iworkfor.nsw.gov.au/job/phylogen...
#botanicgardens #nswflora #nswptol #phylogenomics
#botanicgardens #nswflora #nswptol #phylogenomics
January 13, 2026 at 12:26 AM
We've just created an exciting new Phylogenomics Botanist role to join our vibrant team at Botanic Gardens of Sydney and help us build the NSW Plant Tree of Life! Applications close 26 Jan 2026: iworkfor.nsw.gov.au/job/phylogen...
#botanicgardens #nswflora #nswptol #phylogenomics
#botanicgardens #nswflora #nswptol #phylogenomics
Reposted by Laura Lagomarsino, PhD
Actual botanists don't feel like they need to lie to their neighbors about their jobs.
“Minneapolis ICE shooter told longtime neighbor he was a botanist,” @people.com reports.
"He said he worked with plants, as a botanist, so he lied about what he did," she said.
people.com/ice-agent-jo...
"He said he worked with plants, as a botanist, so he lied about what he did," she said.
people.com/ice-agent-jo...
Minneapolis ICE Shooter Told Longtime Neighbor He Was a Botanist: 'I Had No Idea He Was an ICE Agent' (Exclusive)
ICE agent Jonathan Ross, who shot and killed Renee Good in Minneapolis on Jan. 7, once told neighbors he was a botanist, a woman who lives nearby tells PEOPLE. 'I had no idea he was an ICE agent,' she...
people.com
January 13, 2026 at 3:13 AM
Actual botanists don't feel like they need to lie to their neighbors about their jobs.
Reposted by Laura Lagomarsino, PhD
Join @amsocplanttaxon.bsky.social for the first webinar in our 2026 series: "Taxonomy: What is it good for?"
Free to all! Join us to hear @sandyknapp.bsky.social's "Of course taxonomy matters! The story of the mega-genus Solanum (Solanaceae)"
Pls register & share:
us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
Free to all! Join us to hear @sandyknapp.bsky.social's "Of course taxonomy matters! The story of the mega-genus Solanum (Solanaceae)"
Pls register & share:
us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
January 12, 2026 at 7:19 PM
Join @amsocplanttaxon.bsky.social for the first webinar in our 2026 series: "Taxonomy: What is it good for?"
Free to all! Join us to hear @sandyknapp.bsky.social's "Of course taxonomy matters! The story of the mega-genus Solanum (Solanaceae)"
Pls register & share:
us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
Free to all! Join us to hear @sandyknapp.bsky.social's "Of course taxonomy matters! The story of the mega-genus Solanum (Solanaceae)"
Pls register & share:
us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...