Sebastian Schmidt
@tsbschm.bsky.social
Lecturer in Microbiome & Health at @apcmicrobiomeirel.bsky.social & @ucc.bsky.social
Alumnus @borklab.bsky.social
Microbiome, microbial ecology & metagenomics.
Alumnus @borklab.bsky.social
Microbiome, microbial ecology & metagenomics.
me: trust me, there's so much cool stuff we can to with SPIRE data!
half the ppl I say that to: nah, it's a nice resource, but I just don't see it.
me: *gestures wildly at @chanyeong-kim.bsky.social & @podlesny.bsky.social 's new study now out in @cellpress.bsky.social *
half the ppl I say that to: nah, it's a nice resource, but I just don't see it.
me: *gestures wildly at @chanyeong-kim.bsky.social & @podlesny.bsky.social 's new study now out in @cellpress.bsky.social *
In the largest study of its kind, scientists in the Bork Group at EMBL have found that a small subset of microbes can carry and transfer genes across disparate habitats, creating a planet-wide, interconnected network of microbiomes 🌍 🦠
🔗 Read more here: www.embl.org/news/science...
🔗 Read more here: www.embl.org/news/science...
February 10, 2026 at 1:21 PM
me: trust me, there's so much cool stuff we can to with SPIRE data!
half the ppl I say that to: nah, it's a nice resource, but I just don't see it.
me: *gestures wildly at @chanyeong-kim.bsky.social & @podlesny.bsky.social 's new study now out in @cellpress.bsky.social *
half the ppl I say that to: nah, it's a nice resource, but I just don't see it.
me: *gestures wildly at @chanyeong-kim.bsky.social & @podlesny.bsky.social 's new study now out in @cellpress.bsky.social *
Reposted by Sebastian Schmidt
In the largest study of its kind, scientists in the Bork Group at EMBL have found that a small subset of microbes can carry and transfer genes across disparate habitats, creating a planet-wide, interconnected network of microbiomes 🌍 🦠
🔗 Read more here: www.embl.org/news/science...
🔗 Read more here: www.embl.org/news/science...
February 9, 2026 at 4:42 PM
In the largest study of its kind, scientists in the Bork Group at EMBL have found that a small subset of microbes can carry and transfer genes across disparate habitats, creating a planet-wide, interconnected network of microbiomes 🌍 🦠
🔗 Read more here: www.embl.org/news/science...
🔗 Read more here: www.embl.org/news/science...
Reposted by Sebastian Schmidt
Just published: "Planetary microbiome structure and generalist-driven gene flow across disparate habitats" by @podlesny.bsky.social @chanyeong-kim.bsky.social and @jonas-bio.bsky.social www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
See the quoted post below for a thread on the preprint!
See the quoted post below for a thread on the preprint!
February 9, 2026 at 5:08 PM
Just published: "Planetary microbiome structure and generalist-driven gene flow across disparate habitats" by @podlesny.bsky.social @chanyeong-kim.bsky.social and @jonas-bio.bsky.social www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
See the quoted post below for a thread on the preprint!
See the quoted post below for a thread on the preprint!
Reposted by Sebastian Schmidt
I invite you to check our paper entitled “Rebuilding Ukraine’s capacity for fundamental research in evolutionary biology” doi.org/10.1038/s415... in @natecoevo.nature.com about the Ukrainian School in Evolutionary Biology #USEB we organized in 2025.
#biology #evolution #school #science #Ukraine
#biology #evolution #school #science #Ukraine
February 9, 2026 at 3:23 PM
I invite you to check our paper entitled “Rebuilding Ukraine’s capacity for fundamental research in evolutionary biology” doi.org/10.1038/s415... in @natecoevo.nature.com about the Ukrainian School in Evolutionary Biology #USEB we organized in 2025.
#biology #evolution #school #science #Ukraine
#biology #evolution #school #science #Ukraine
Reposted by Sebastian Schmidt
From Fork to Feelings: How Foods Shape Mental Health via the Microbiota–Gut–Brain Axis
Latest review out in @annualreviews.bsky.social -Well done Aimone Ferri, Laise Paes & @elizschneider.bsky.social
www.annualreviews.org/content/jour...
@apcmicrobiomeirel.bsky.social @anatneuroucc.bsky.social
Latest review out in @annualreviews.bsky.social -Well done Aimone Ferri, Laise Paes & @elizschneider.bsky.social
www.annualreviews.org/content/jour...
@apcmicrobiomeirel.bsky.social @anatneuroucc.bsky.social
February 3, 2026 at 10:31 PM
From Fork to Feelings: How Foods Shape Mental Health via the Microbiota–Gut–Brain Axis
Latest review out in @annualreviews.bsky.social -Well done Aimone Ferri, Laise Paes & @elizschneider.bsky.social
www.annualreviews.org/content/jour...
@apcmicrobiomeirel.bsky.social @anatneuroucc.bsky.social
Latest review out in @annualreviews.bsky.social -Well done Aimone Ferri, Laise Paes & @elizschneider.bsky.social
www.annualreviews.org/content/jour...
@apcmicrobiomeirel.bsky.social @anatneuroucc.bsky.social
Aber Hauptsache, wir lassen Homöopathie, Akkupunktur und Ayurveda im Leistungskatalog...
www.zeit.de/politik/deut...
www.zeit.de/politik/deut...
Wirtschaftsrat der CDU: Sollten wir den Zahnarztbesuch bald selbst zahlen?
Der CDU-Wirtschaftsrat schlägt vor, Zahnbehandlungen nicht mehr zu finanzieren. Das soll die Kosten senken. Es könnte aber auch das Gegenteil bewirken.
www.zeit.de
February 2, 2026 at 7:34 PM
Aber Hauptsache, wir lassen Homöopathie, Akkupunktur und Ayurveda im Leistungskatalog...
www.zeit.de/politik/deut...
www.zeit.de/politik/deut...
Reposted by Sebastian Schmidt
It has been two weeks since the unexpected death of Peer Bork, and all of us in his research group are deeply missing him. His scientific vision brought us together as a team, and we are immensely grateful for the time we spent together. 🧵
EMBL is deeply saddened by the passing of our Interim Director General Peer Bork, a pioneering scientist who left an indelible imprint on life science research in Europe and beyond.
We extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues.
www.embl.org/news/people-...
We extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues.
www.embl.org/news/people-...
January 30, 2026 at 3:05 PM
It has been two weeks since the unexpected death of Peer Bork, and all of us in his research group are deeply missing him. His scientific vision brought us together as a team, and we are immensely grateful for the time we spent together. 🧵
Reposted by Sebastian Schmidt
APC & @teagasc.bksy.social are recruiting a Postdoctoral Research Fellow to analyse gut microbiome datasets and the impact of birth mode and antibiotic exposure. Bioinformatics experience required.
#microbiome #jobfairy #researchjobs #metagenomics
Full Details: bit.ly/4qQgRWr
#microbiome #jobfairy #researchjobs #metagenomics
Full Details: bit.ly/4qQgRWr
January 30, 2026 at 9:30 AM
APC & @teagasc.bksy.social are recruiting a Postdoctoral Research Fellow to analyse gut microbiome datasets and the impact of birth mode and antibiotic exposure. Bioinformatics experience required.
#microbiome #jobfairy #researchjobs #metagenomics
Full Details: bit.ly/4qQgRWr
#microbiome #jobfairy #researchjobs #metagenomics
Full Details: bit.ly/4qQgRWr
Reposted by Sebastian Schmidt
FoldMason is out now in @science.org. It generates accurate multiple structure alignments for thousands of protein structures in seconds. Great work by Cameron L. M. Gilchrist and @milot.bsky.social.
📄 www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
🌐 search.foldseek.com/foldmason
💾 github.com/steineggerla...
📄 www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
🌐 search.foldseek.com/foldmason
💾 github.com/steineggerla...
Multiple protein structure alignment at scale with FoldMason
Protein structure is conserved beyond sequence, making multiple structural alignment (MSTA) essential for analyzing distantly related proteins. Computational prediction methods have vastly extended ou...
www.science.org
January 30, 2026 at 6:11 AM
FoldMason is out now in @science.org. It generates accurate multiple structure alignments for thousands of protein structures in seconds. Great work by Cameron L. M. Gilchrist and @milot.bsky.social.
📄 www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
🌐 search.foldseek.com/foldmason
💾 github.com/steineggerla...
📄 www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
🌐 search.foldseek.com/foldmason
💾 github.com/steineggerla...
prodigal has entered the chat.
January 27, 2026 at 8:59 AM
prodigal has entered the chat.
Reposted by Sebastian Schmidt
I have been one of the many people across the world impacted by the sudden death of Peer Bork - a friend, colleague and remarkable scientist. I now have enough time this weekend to write some personal thoughts about Peer. www.linkedin.com/posts/ewan-b...
Peer Bork - personal thoughts | Ewan Birney
Personal thoughts on the passing of Peer Bork
www.linkedin.com
January 24, 2026 at 3:26 PM
I have been one of the many people across the world impacted by the sudden death of Peer Bork - a friend, colleague and remarkable scientist. I now have enough time this weekend to write some personal thoughts about Peer. www.linkedin.com/posts/ewan-b...
Reposted by Sebastian Schmidt
very sad news. Peer Bork was one of the leaders of our field, a wonderful scientist, and he's much too young to be gone. www.embl.org/news/embl-an...
In remembrance of Peer Bork | EMBL
EMBL and its community are deeply saddened by the death of Peer Bork, the organisation’s Interim Director General.
www.embl.org
January 16, 2026 at 6:33 PM
very sad news. Peer Bork was one of the leaders of our field, a wonderful scientist, and he's much too young to be gone. www.embl.org/news/embl-an...
Reposted by Sebastian Schmidt
Sad day. @borklab.bsky.social bring so much to Science and notably in the #microbiome
RIP Peer thank you for all your legacy.
www.embl.org/news/embl-an...
RIP Peer thank you for all your legacy.
www.embl.org/news/embl-an...
In remembrance of Peer Bork | EMBL
EMBL and its community are deeply saddened by the death of Peer Bork, the organisation’s Interim Director General.
www.embl.org
January 16, 2026 at 9:28 PM
Sad day. @borklab.bsky.social bring so much to Science and notably in the #microbiome
RIP Peer thank you for all your legacy.
www.embl.org/news/embl-an...
RIP Peer thank you for all your legacy.
www.embl.org/news/embl-an...
This is such an elegant study. Great to see it published!
Closely related microbes tend to live in similar communities across Earth’s environments.
We call this pattern community conservatism - extending established ecological patterns to the microbial world.
🧬🌍 #MicrobialEcology #Evolution
Read the full article here: doi.org/10.1038/s415...
We call this pattern community conservatism - extending established ecological patterns to the microbial world.
🧬🌍 #MicrobialEcology #Evolution
Read the full article here: doi.org/10.1038/s415...
January 16, 2026 at 11:50 AM
This is such an elegant study. Great to see it published!
We just released a @biorxivpreprint.bsky.social describing the *microntology*, a lightweight controlled vocabulary that we have been using for a while to tag metagenomes with contextual data.
Study by @fullam.bsky.social @vishnuprasoodanan.bsky.social et al:
1/
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Study by @fullam.bsky.social @vishnuprasoodanan.bsky.social et al:
1/
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
microntology: a lightweight, data-driven controlled vocabulary to describe Earth's microbial habitats
Summary. We introduce microntology v1.0, a pragmatic controlled vocabulary of 148 terms to describe microbial habitats and lifestyles, and provide manually curated microntology annotations for >300k m...
www.biorxiv.org
January 13, 2026 at 4:33 PM
We just released a @biorxivpreprint.bsky.social describing the *microntology*, a lightweight controlled vocabulary that we have been using for a while to tag metagenomes with contextual data.
Study by @fullam.bsky.social @vishnuprasoodanan.bsky.social et al:
1/
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Study by @fullam.bsky.social @vishnuprasoodanan.bsky.social et al:
1/
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Finally.
❗️Transnistria is completely cut off from military supplies – Ukraine and Moldova have closed all routes, leaving ~1,500 Russian soldiers without fuel, weapons and resources, - EP
January 12, 2026 at 12:22 PM
Finally.
Hands down one of the best sentences ever written in a scientific Abstract.
And in @nature.com no less...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
And in @nature.com no less...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
January 10, 2026 at 3:18 PM
Hands down one of the best sentences ever written in a scientific Abstract.
And in @nature.com no less...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
And in @nature.com no less...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
My heart goes out to the people of Iran tonight.
January 8, 2026 at 8:57 PM
My heart goes out to the people of Iran tonight.
What if Trump's and Miller's current antics around Greenland are just a devious and elaborate PR stunt to promote an upcoming Gerard Butler movie
January 8, 2026 at 12:25 PM
What if Trump's and Miller's current antics around Greenland are just a devious and elaborate PR stunt to promote an upcoming Gerard Butler movie
This is, quite literally, Putin's playbook for Russia since around the year 2000.
another word for this is "state capture"
1/Quick thoughts on Venezuela oil and what it means for world politics. Rather than a simple story of corporate oligarchy, more about Trump putting himself at the center of spoils that can be used to consolidate power i.e neo-royalism.
www.cnbc.com/2026/01/06/t...
www.cnbc.com/2026/01/06/t...
January 7, 2026 at 12:36 PM
This is, quite literally, Putin's playbook for Russia since around the year 2000.
Reposted by Sebastian Schmidt
Now published in Nature Biotechnology:
go.nature.com/44P7nSm
If you missed it, the TL;DR is in my April thread below
go.nature.com/44P7nSm
If you missed it, the TL;DR is in my April thread below
January 6, 2026 at 9:38 AM
Now published in Nature Biotechnology:
go.nature.com/44P7nSm
If you missed it, the TL;DR is in my April thread below
go.nature.com/44P7nSm
If you missed it, the TL;DR is in my April thread below
Reposted by Sebastian Schmidt
Three decades of biodiversity data, published one decade after we started the project!
Our new paper in @NatureComms shows how airborne eDNA from archived aerosol filters can track ecosystem changes across the tree of life—2700+ genera, weekly resolution, 34 years.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Our new paper in @NatureComms shows how airborne eDNA from archived aerosol filters can track ecosystem changes across the tree of life—2700+ genera, weekly resolution, 34 years.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Airborne eDNA captures three decades of ecosystem biodiversity - Nature Communications
Quantifying ecosystem dynamics is critical in the face of rapid environmental change. This study uses airborne eDNA to quantify changes in organism abundances across the tree of life and reveal a regi...
www.nature.com
December 19, 2025 at 8:06 AM
Three decades of biodiversity data, published one decade after we started the project!
Our new paper in @NatureComms shows how airborne eDNA from archived aerosol filters can track ecosystem changes across the tree of life—2700+ genera, weekly resolution, 34 years.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Our new paper in @NatureComms shows how airborne eDNA from archived aerosol filters can track ecosystem changes across the tree of life—2700+ genera, weekly resolution, 34 years.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
This is amazing.
I once sang the „original“ (Chant des Oiseaux) with an 8 voice a Capella ensemble and this is still one of my fondest choral memories!
I once sang the „original“ (Chant des Oiseaux) with an 8 voice a Capella ensemble and this is still one of my fondest choral memories!
December 18, 2025 at 10:46 PM
This is amazing.
I once sang the „original“ (Chant des Oiseaux) with an 8 voice a Capella ensemble and this is still one of my fondest choral memories!
I once sang the „original“ (Chant des Oiseaux) with an 8 voice a Capella ensemble and this is still one of my fondest choral memories!
Reposted by Sebastian Schmidt
This column captures the core of my Trump shock. It’s not about this or that policy, as awful as most of them are, or about the US abandoning Europe. It is the moral decay, the turn against basic human decency, the lack of manners that keep any good society together.
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/16/o...
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/16/o...
Opinion | Our Petty, Hollow, Squalid Ogre in Chief
www.nytimes.com
December 17, 2025 at 7:49 AM
This column captures the core of my Trump shock. It’s not about this or that policy, as awful as most of them are, or about the US abandoning Europe. It is the moral decay, the turn against basic human decency, the lack of manners that keep any good society together.
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/16/o...
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/16/o...
At this point, Europeans should insist that Russia withdraws from Donbas, Luhansk, Crimea, Belgorod, Belarus,Transnistria, Abchasia, S Ossetia, Chechnya, Dagestan, Karelia and Königsberg as a prerequisite before a cease fire can even be discussed.
❌🇺🇦🇺🇸 Zelensky did not accept Witkoff's proposal to withdraw troops from Donbas at the talks in Berlin, - AFR.
Ukrainian side insists that the ceasefire should be WITHOUT prior territorial concessions, the maximum they agree to is along the front line.
Ukrainian side insists that the ceasefire should be WITHOUT prior territorial concessions, the maximum they agree to is along the front line.
December 15, 2025 at 1:58 PM
At this point, Europeans should insist that Russia withdraws from Donbas, Luhansk, Crimea, Belgorod, Belarus,Transnistria, Abchasia, S Ossetia, Chechnya, Dagestan, Karelia and Königsberg as a prerequisite before a cease fire can even be discussed.