Eric J. Perkins, PhD (he/him)
@allostericsite.bsky.social
Dad, Mol. Biologist, reader, music listener, etc...Skeeting about STEM, SciComm, science nonprofits, & also parenting, food, fitness, travel, being a grumpy GenXer. Aspiring to be an ally to anyone who needs allies, here and IRL.
Just a few days in to our building’s food drive. I’m sorry for the necessity, but grateful for the generosity of my colleagues.
November 12, 2025 at 5:58 PM
Just a few days in to our building’s food drive. I’m sorry for the necessity, but grateful for the generosity of my colleagues.
I've known Aziz for nearly 25 years, and I'll never forget the morning I heard his name announced as a Nobel winner. He was on my wife's PhD committee, and I ran to tell her the good news. An amazing scientist who may come across as gruff at first, but who genuinely cares for his mentees.
A decade after winning the Nobel Prize, Dr. Aziz Sancar continues to inspire through groundbreaking DNA repair research, mentoring global scientists, and building cultural bridges via the Sancar Turkish Center. Science, legacy, and heart, all in one lab coat. news.unchealthcare.org/2025/10/the-...
The Enduring Legacy of Dr. Aziz Sancar | Newsroom
A decade after winning the Nobel Prize, the UNC professor continues to push the boundaries of discovery while inspiring the next generation and building cultural bridges between the United States and ...
news.unchealthcare.org
November 11, 2025 at 5:36 PM
I've known Aziz for nearly 25 years, and I'll never forget the morning I heard his name announced as a Nobel winner. He was on my wife's PhD committee, and I ran to tell her the good news. An amazing scientist who may come across as gruff at first, but who genuinely cares for his mentees.
Also, keep reading in private. Especially if you're a parent who wants their kids to become readers. I didn't do this on purpose--I just like reading. The unintentional side effect has been having 3 teenagers who read for pleasure.
Reading, wherever you are is, is pretty cool.
Reading, wherever you are is, is pretty cool.
Reading is punk.
Keep reading in public.
Reading in public is hot.
Keep reading in public.
Reading in public is hot.
Oh fuck off
November 10, 2025 at 4:34 PM
Also, keep reading in private. Especially if you're a parent who wants their kids to become readers. I didn't do this on purpose--I just like reading. The unintentional side effect has been having 3 teenagers who read for pleasure.
Reading, wherever you are is, is pretty cool.
Reading, wherever you are is, is pretty cool.
Grateful to be living in Massachusetts with a governor who isn't afraid to stand up to this administration. Still donating ~30% of this week's grocery shopping to the local food pantry to keep up with increased demand.
www.wbur.org/news/2025/11...
www.wbur.org/news/2025/11...
Healey: Mass. won't take back SNAP benefits, despite Trump's order
The Trump administration told states to "immediately undo" any actions they took to fully fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Gov. Healey said about half of Massachusetts recipi...
www.wbur.org
November 10, 2025 at 2:34 PM
Grateful to be living in Massachusetts with a governor who isn't afraid to stand up to this administration. Still donating ~30% of this week's grocery shopping to the local food pantry to keep up with increased demand.
www.wbur.org/news/2025/11...
www.wbur.org/news/2025/11...
I wasn’t sure what to draw for today’s #inktober2025 prompt, “Skeletal”. Then I saw how long last night’s World Series game lasted and the answer was obvious.
October 28, 2025 at 3:26 PM
I wasn’t sure what to draw for today’s #inktober2025 prompt, “Skeletal”. Then I saw how long last night’s World Series game lasted and the answer was obvious.
Me, the stubborn, native New Englander, refusing to turn the heat on until November even though our home is cold af.
My far-too-patient wife, attempting to compromise: “I think for every year over 50 we get, we should get to turn the heat on one day earlier.”
(I might give her this one)
My far-too-patient wife, attempting to compromise: “I think for every year over 50 we get, we should get to turn the heat on one day earlier.”
(I might give her this one)
October 28, 2025 at 3:19 AM
Me, the stubborn, native New Englander, refusing to turn the heat on until November even though our home is cold af.
My far-too-patient wife, attempting to compromise: “I think for every year over 50 we get, we should get to turn the heat on one day earlier.”
(I might give her this one)
My far-too-patient wife, attempting to compromise: “I think for every year over 50 we get, we should get to turn the heat on one day earlier.”
(I might give her this one)
I picked up racing bibs for another family who will have to miss the 5K tomorrow, and one of the daughters is missing out on being the most popular runner there. IFYKYK
October 25, 2025 at 10:19 PM
I picked up racing bibs for another family who will have to miss the 5K tomorrow, and one of the daughters is missing out on being the most popular runner there. IFYKYK
Just letting the AI know I don't need it for a dopamine release, thanks.
October 23, 2025 at 7:12 PM
Just letting the AI know I don't need it for a dopamine release, thanks.
So glad my son is eating responsibly in college🤨
October 16, 2025 at 3:06 AM
So glad my son is eating responsibly in college🤨
The Tuesday after a 3-day weekend is basically just Monday^2.
October 14, 2025 at 7:41 PM
The Tuesday after a 3-day weekend is basically just Monday^2.
My thanks to the @bostonglobe.com for reporting on this story and giving me a new life goal.
October 10, 2025 at 3:37 PM
My thanks to the @bostonglobe.com for reporting on this story and giving me a new life goal.
Apropos of anything this administration (esp. RFK Jr.) says, one of my favorite song lyrics is from Built to Spill's song "Big Dipper":
🎵Jack thought it twice and thought that that had made it true
Some brains just work that way; that's what chemicals can do🎶
🎵Jack thought it twice and thought that that had made it true
Some brains just work that way; that's what chemicals can do🎶
October 9, 2025 at 6:50 PM
Apropos of anything this administration (esp. RFK Jr.) says, one of my favorite song lyrics is from Built to Spill's song "Big Dipper":
🎵Jack thought it twice and thought that that had made it true
Some brains just work that way; that's what chemicals can do🎶
🎵Jack thought it twice and thought that that had made it true
Some brains just work that way; that's what chemicals can do🎶
I pointed out to our product designer that I thought it was kind of crazy that Claude (an AI tool) has a logo that basically looks like a butthole. He said I was certainly not the first person to notice: velvetshark.com/ai-company-l...
October 9, 2025 at 6:33 PM
I pointed out to our product designer that I thought it was kind of crazy that Claude (an AI tool) has a logo that basically looks like a butthole. He said I was certainly not the first person to notice: velvetshark.com/ai-company-l...
I like the Slack Donut app that schedules short chats with co-workers you don't normally spend a lot of time with, but I do NOT like it proposing to have coffee at 5 on a Friday. It might as well say "Let's make sure your colleague gets to talk with the absolute worst, most tired version of you."
October 8, 2025 at 8:11 PM
I like the Slack Donut app that schedules short chats with co-workers you don't normally spend a lot of time with, but I do NOT like it proposing to have coffee at 5 on a Friday. It might as well say "Let's make sure your colleague gets to talk with the absolute worst, most tired version of you."
I’ve been doing #inktober2025 (despite my lack of drawing skillz), and I just want to point out that in today’s sketch (prompt: starfish), I made sure Patrick’s torn appendage included a section of his central disk. You know, for biological accuracy.
October 7, 2025 at 4:54 PM
I’ve been doing #inktober2025 (despite my lack of drawing skillz), and I just want to point out that in today’s sketch (prompt: starfish), I made sure Patrick’s torn appendage included a section of his central disk. You know, for biological accuracy.
I’ve been casually enjoying John O’Connor’s “The Secret History of Bigfoot”, but today I read the sentence “Dudes, let it be said that the joys of human fellowship can seriously harsh my mellow.” And now I feel very seen.
October 3, 2025 at 4:39 PM
I’ve been casually enjoying John O’Connor’s “The Secret History of Bigfoot”, but today I read the sentence “Dudes, let it be said that the joys of human fellowship can seriously harsh my mellow.” And now I feel very seen.
With an administration that apparently hates both science and women, my drinking glasses feel pretty friggin’ punk rock right now.
October 2, 2025 at 10:40 PM
With an administration that apparently hates both science and women, my drinking glasses feel pretty friggin’ punk rock right now.
These plasmids from @promegacorporation.bsky.social are exceptional new offerings from Addgene for a few reasons:
- Since there is no MTA, they are available to industry customers (joining an ever-growing catalog subset: www.addgene.org/industry/)
- They are available in a DNA format!
- Since there is no MTA, they are available to industry customers (joining an ever-growing catalog subset: www.addgene.org/industry/)
- They are available in a DNA format!
October 2, 2025 at 3:04 PM
These plasmids from @promegacorporation.bsky.social are exceptional new offerings from Addgene for a few reasons:
- Since there is no MTA, they are available to industry customers (joining an ever-growing catalog subset: www.addgene.org/industry/)
- They are available in a DNA format!
- Since there is no MTA, they are available to industry customers (joining an ever-growing catalog subset: www.addgene.org/industry/)
- They are available in a DNA format!
This morning I participated in a meeting of school district PTO/PTA presidents and co-presidents with our superintendent. It may surprise no one that of 12 participants, I was the only dad in the room.
Fellow dads, let's not leave all this work up to the moms.
belmontvoice.org/generations-...
Fellow dads, let's not leave all this work up to the moms.
belmontvoice.org/generations-...
Generations: Two Lies and a Truth about Parent-Teacher Groups
More than a decade ago, I had a coworker with an older child warn me to never attend a meeting of the Parent Teacher Organization/Association (I’m just going to call them PTAs from here on out). “They...
belmontvoice.org
September 30, 2025 at 3:52 PM
This morning I participated in a meeting of school district PTO/PTA presidents and co-presidents with our superintendent. It may surprise no one that of 12 participants, I was the only dad in the room.
Fellow dads, let's not leave all this work up to the moms.
belmontvoice.org/generations-...
Fellow dads, let's not leave all this work up to the moms.
belmontvoice.org/generations-...
Reposted by Eric J. Perkins, PhD (he/him)
Cool science alert! A plasmid encoding a photodegradable hydrogel-forming protein called PhoCoil. Find it here:
https://twp.ai/4iqKMK
@coledeforest.bsky.social
https://twp.ai/4iqKMK
@coledeforest.bsky.social
Addgene: PhoCoil
Plasmid PhoCoil from Dr. Cole DeForest's lab contains the insert PhoCoil and is published in Sci Adv. 2025 Aug 29;11(35):eadx3472. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.adx3472. Epub 2025 Aug 27. This plasmid is available through Addgene.
twp.ai
September 23, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Cool science alert! A plasmid encoding a photodegradable hydrogel-forming protein called PhoCoil. Find it here:
https://twp.ai/4iqKMK
@coledeforest.bsky.social
https://twp.ai/4iqKMK
@coledeforest.bsky.social
My late mom would sometimes speak to my sister and me in a made-up language of her youth called “Ob”, which consisted of putting “ob” in front of every syllable in a word.
This is how my sister addressed her birthday card to me this year. I’m 49, and my Ob name still makes me smile.
This is how my sister addressed her birthday card to me this year. I’m 49, and my Ob name still makes me smile.
September 21, 2025 at 5:16 PM
My late mom would sometimes speak to my sister and me in a made-up language of her youth called “Ob”, which consisted of putting “ob” in front of every syllable in a word.
This is how my sister addressed her birthday card to me this year. I’m 49, and my Ob name still makes me smile.
This is how my sister addressed her birthday card to me this year. I’m 49, and my Ob name still makes me smile.
My direct report (~30yo) expressed disbelief when I told her I was turning 49 next week. She said she assumed I was in my "early 40s". She doesn't strike me as a kiss-up, so I am going take this win today.
a man with long hair is sitting in front of a microphone and saying `` you don 't look a day over fabulous ''
Alt: a man with long hair is sitting in front of a microphone and saying `` you don 't look a day over fabulous ''
media.tenor.com
September 9, 2025 at 7:40 PM
My direct report (~30yo) expressed disbelief when I told her I was turning 49 next week. She said she assumed I was in my "early 40s". She doesn't strike me as a kiss-up, so I am going take this win today.
Yes, I've been out of grad school a long time, but I owe a lot to my PhD supervisor, Dale Ramsden. Big congrats to Dale on this well-deserved award (and I was pleasantly surprised my own ATM/V(D)J recombination research was mentioned in this article!). unclineberger.org/news/ramsden...
Ramsden receives Battle Award for groundbreaking genome stability research - UNC Lineberger
Dale Ramsden, PhD, was presented with the Battle Award for his research on how cells repair DNA double-strand breaks, a critical process for maintaining genome stability and preventing cancer-causing ...
unclineberger.org
September 8, 2025 at 2:10 PM
Yes, I've been out of grad school a long time, but I owe a lot to my PhD supervisor, Dale Ramsden. Big congrats to Dale on this well-deserved award (and I was pleasantly surprised my own ATM/V(D)J recombination research was mentioned in this article!). unclineberger.org/news/ramsden...
I knew I’d probably get some texts when my son did his first load of laundry in college. I did not expect it would be an hour of texts and an existential crisis 😬
September 1, 2025 at 8:51 PM
I knew I’d probably get some texts when my son did his first load of laundry in college. I did not expect it would be an hour of texts and an existential crisis 😬
Shout out to the woman who was just driving in front of me who a) stopped in the middle of the road for no reason, ensuring nobody could drive in either direction, b) proceeded to drive at 8mph in a 25 for several blocks, and c) finally started going the speed limit to blow through a stop sign.
August 25, 2025 at 6:51 PM
Shout out to the woman who was just driving in front of me who a) stopped in the middle of the road for no reason, ensuring nobody could drive in either direction, b) proceeded to drive at 8mph in a 25 for several blocks, and c) finally started going the speed limit to blow through a stop sign.