Alex P. R. Phillips, Ph.D.
@archaealex.bsky.social
Microbiologist and former science policy fellow. Co-host and co-author of Archaeacast https://rss.com/podcasts/archaeacast/
Hypersaline ecosystems display remarkable consistency across the world, but how do they change over time? Our new preprint shows off our first foray into investigating this with 16S seq and hydrodynamic modeling in Great Salt Lake during an especially variable water year. tinyurl.com/hc3zkvrf
Microbial community dynamics during historic drought and flood in the Great Salt Lake
Understanding human-driven environmental impacts on microbial community distribution, abundance, and function remains a central challenge in microbial ecology. In particular, the drivers of temporal s...
tinyurl.com
October 27, 2025 at 3:19 PM
Hypersaline ecosystems display remarkable consistency across the world, but how do they change over time? Our new preprint shows off our first foray into investigating this with 16S seq and hydrodynamic modeling in Great Salt Lake during an especially variable water year. tinyurl.com/hc3zkvrf
Reposted by Alex P. R. Phillips, Ph.D.
Some keen Observations in Our October issue!
🦠 Cancer microbiome
🌊 Marine microbes in warming oceans
🌐 broad-range phages
🧬 genetically minimised Salmonella
🔧 Viral infection mechanisms
🧪 Oxaloacetate antiviral defence
and more, here: www.nature.com/nmicrobiol/v...
🦠 Cancer microbiome
🌊 Marine microbes in warming oceans
🌐 broad-range phages
🧬 genetically minimised Salmonella
🔧 Viral infection mechanisms
🧪 Oxaloacetate antiviral defence
and more, here: www.nature.com/nmicrobiol/v...
October 1, 2025 at 5:30 PM
Some keen Observations in Our October issue!
🦠 Cancer microbiome
🌊 Marine microbes in warming oceans
🌐 broad-range phages
🧬 genetically minimised Salmonella
🔧 Viral infection mechanisms
🧪 Oxaloacetate antiviral defence
and more, here: www.nature.com/nmicrobiol/v...
🦠 Cancer microbiome
🌊 Marine microbes in warming oceans
🌐 broad-range phages
🧬 genetically minimised Salmonella
🔧 Viral infection mechanisms
🧪 Oxaloacetate antiviral defence
and more, here: www.nature.com/nmicrobiol/v...
Reposted by Alex P. R. Phillips, Ph.D.
CoE Deputy Director of Research, @chmoei.bsky.social @medunigraz.at, was on ArchaeaCast! She discussed human #Archaea, why there are no pathogenic Archaea (yet!), and her favorite topic – the human cow 🐄. Tune in! rss.com/podcasts/arc...
@fwf-at.bsky.social #archaeasky #microsky
@fwf-at.bsky.social #archaeasky #microsky
May 22, 2025 at 12:24 PM
CoE Deputy Director of Research, @chmoei.bsky.social @medunigraz.at, was on ArchaeaCast! She discussed human #Archaea, why there are no pathogenic Archaea (yet!), and her favorite topic – the human cow 🐄. Tune in! rss.com/podcasts/arc...
@fwf-at.bsky.social #archaeasky #microsky
@fwf-at.bsky.social #archaeasky #microsky
Reposted by Alex P. R. Phillips, Ph.D.
We're getting a wave of articles that are like, "gee willikers it sure seems like the people who complained about 'cancel culture' for years really like canceling people."
Yes! This was extremely obvious at the time and a lot of us pointed it out!
Yes! This was extremely obvious at the time and a lot of us pointed it out!
Some say canceling is an act of redress. Others blame it on a mob.
“People have used the word ‘cancel’ so loosely,” Ernest Owens author of “The Case for Cancel Culture,” said, “that everyone’s calling everything a cancellation.”
“People have used the word ‘cancel’ so loosely,” Ernest Owens author of “The Case for Cancel Culture,” said, “that everyone’s calling everything a cancellation.”
How cancel culture came for everyone
Few issues in recent years have united the American right as much as their professed hatred of cancel culture. That’s changing.
www.washingtonpost.com
October 2, 2025 at 5:30 AM
We're getting a wave of articles that are like, "gee willikers it sure seems like the people who complained about 'cancel culture' for years really like canceling people."
Yes! This was extremely obvious at the time and a lot of us pointed it out!
Yes! This was extremely obvious at the time and a lot of us pointed it out!
Reposted by Alex P. R. Phillips, Ph.D.
this is the last physics video for a bit.
and I didn't even get to do any physics.
and I didn't even get to do any physics.
conspiracy physics and you (and also me)
YouTube video by Angela Collier
youtu.be
September 30, 2025 at 7:39 PM
this is the last physics video for a bit.
and I didn't even get to do any physics.
and I didn't even get to do any physics.
Reposted by Alex P. R. Phillips, Ph.D.
Our article on equitable reuse of public sequencing data is out! Led by @alexjprobst.bsky.social, @lhug.bsky.social, Cristina Moraru, @geomicrosoares.bsky.social, @folker.bsky.social and myself -, co-authored by Anke Heyder, and developed in consultation with 167 scientists. tinyurl.com/n6yeanmk
A roadmap for equitable reuse of public microbiome data - Nature Microbiology
In this Consensus Statement, a consortium of microbiome scientists discuss current sequencing data sharing policies and propose the use of a Data Reuse Information (DRI) tag to promote equitable and collaborative data sharing.
tinyurl.com
September 26, 2025 at 8:14 PM
Our article on equitable reuse of public sequencing data is out! Led by @alexjprobst.bsky.social, @lhug.bsky.social, Cristina Moraru, @geomicrosoares.bsky.social, @folker.bsky.social and myself -, co-authored by Anke Heyder, and developed in consultation with 167 scientists. tinyurl.com/n6yeanmk
This new video by @hankgreen.bsky.social is one of the best arguments for better science policy I’ve ever seen. Also I learned a ton about where these autism numbers are coming from. Necessary viewing IMO m.youtube.com/watch?v=BdpS...
This Autism Stat Makes No Sense
YouTube video by Hank Green
m.youtube.com
September 27, 2025 at 9:26 PM
This new video by @hankgreen.bsky.social is one of the best arguments for better science policy I’ve ever seen. Also I learned a ton about where these autism numbers are coming from. Necessary viewing IMO m.youtube.com/watch?v=BdpS...
Reposted by Alex P. R. Phillips, Ph.D.
I can't believe I have spent my entire life being told to shut up about feminism and now it's 2025 and women are not allowed to have acetaminophen.
September 26, 2025 at 6:16 PM
I can't believe I have spent my entire life being told to shut up about feminism and now it's 2025 and women are not allowed to have acetaminophen.
Instant watch when the nebula notification came through.
failing the 'stop bringing up nazis' challenge in new and creative ways over here:
dyson spheres are a joke
YouTube video by Angela Collier
youtu.be
September 17, 2025 at 9:28 PM
Instant watch when the nebula notification came through.
Reposted by Alex P. R. Phillips, Ph.D.
Heads up: ignore samtools dot org, similarly minimap2 dot com and likely others. It's owned by a known phishing site and while the binaries they offer look valid currently (but note they may be serving us different binaries to others), that could change.
Ie: it's not us (Samtools team)! Be warned
Ie: it's not us (Samtools team)! Be warned
September 15, 2025 at 8:40 AM
Heads up: ignore samtools dot org, similarly minimap2 dot com and likely others. It's owned by a known phishing site and while the binaries they offer look valid currently (but note they may be serving us different binaries to others), that could change.
Ie: it's not us (Samtools team)! Be warned
Ie: it's not us (Samtools team)! Be warned
Not an original observation but I’m remembering that he internet is a machine that distributes information, collects every possible take, and delivers the most viral and engagement-baiting ones right to your senses in a death spiral that is driving the world insane.
September 12, 2025 at 5:03 PM
Not an original observation but I’m remembering that he internet is a machine that distributes information, collects every possible take, and delivers the most viral and engagement-baiting ones right to your senses in a death spiral that is driving the world insane.
Reposted by Alex P. R. Phillips, Ph.D.
Here's a new episode of Archaeacast! Listen to @archaealex.bsky.social and Priyanka discuss the many unique viruses which affect Archaea. Afterward Dr. Rachel Whitaker tells us about her labs work investigating these infectious virions!
rss.com/podcasts/arc...
#SciSky #AcademicSky #Microbiology
rss.com/podcasts/arc...
#SciSky #AcademicSky #Microbiology
September 10, 2025 at 6:55 PM
Here's a new episode of Archaeacast! Listen to @archaealex.bsky.social and Priyanka discuss the many unique viruses which affect Archaea. Afterward Dr. Rachel Whitaker tells us about her labs work investigating these infectious virions!
rss.com/podcasts/arc...
#SciSky #AcademicSky #Microbiology
rss.com/podcasts/arc...
#SciSky #AcademicSky #Microbiology
Reposted by Alex P. R. Phillips, Ph.D.
September 8, 2025 at 10:23 PM
Reposted by Alex P. R. Phillips, Ph.D.
ArchaeaCast: A podcast about the coolest domain of life: Archaea. rss.com/podcasts/arc...
November 13, 2024 at 4:10 PM
ArchaeaCast: A podcast about the coolest domain of life: Archaea. rss.com/podcasts/arc...
Back at my old postdoc after my science policy fellowship and, boy lemme tell you, turns out I really do love looking at DNA on the computer and then writing about it.
August 21, 2025 at 6:23 PM
Back at my old postdoc after my science policy fellowship and, boy lemme tell you, turns out I really do love looking at DNA on the computer and then writing about it.
Reposted by Alex P. R. Phillips, Ph.D.
The White House is taking new steps to undermine every international student at our universities.
It has approved a new rule restricting student visas to 4 years max. That's not long enough for PhD students, or about half of undergrads, to finish their degree.
Likely to enter force within days.
It has approved a new rule restricting student visas to 4 years max. That's not long enough for PhD students, or about half of undergrads, to finish their degree.
Likely to enter force within days.
August 8, 2025 at 11:20 AM
The White House is taking new steps to undermine every international student at our universities.
It has approved a new rule restricting student visas to 4 years max. That's not long enough for PhD students, or about half of undergrads, to finish their degree.
Likely to enter force within days.
It has approved a new rule restricting student visas to 4 years max. That's not long enough for PhD students, or about half of undergrads, to finish their degree.
Likely to enter force within days.
Reposted by Alex P. R. Phillips, Ph.D.
Just to give the TL;DR on this one:
*The* main purpose of the EO is to move funding priorities and decisions away from experts and career professionals over to political appointees. With the ultimate power held by Vought / OMB.
*The* main purpose of the EO is to move funding priorities and decisions away from experts and career professionals over to political appointees. With the ultimate power held by Vought / OMB.
This is literally some of the craziest shit I have ever read.
And that's saying a lot.
www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...
And that's saying a lot.
www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...
Improving Oversight of Federal Grantmaking
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and to improve the process of Federal
www.whitehouse.gov
August 7, 2025 at 10:55 PM
Just to give the TL;DR on this one:
*The* main purpose of the EO is to move funding priorities and decisions away from experts and career professionals over to political appointees. With the ultimate power held by Vought / OMB.
*The* main purpose of the EO is to move funding priorities and decisions away from experts and career professionals over to political appointees. With the ultimate power held by Vought / OMB.
Boosting because Drew is brilliant as well as being a very good hang.
Amidst all the chaos, I'm thrilled to have received a notice of award for my K99/R00! I've been waiting on pins and needles since this was scored in April (impact score of 14!!). I am officially on the job market - reach out if you are hiring or know of interesting positions anywhere!
July 31, 2025 at 5:08 PM
Boosting because Drew is brilliant as well as being a very good hang.
Reposted by Alex P. R. Phillips, Ph.D.
Flood risk Thursday bumped to a Level 3 out of 4. NWS warns of localized 8-inch totals possible, with 2-3 inches in an hour in some spots. Details on the rain and heat @ cwg.live.
July 30, 2025 at 8:51 PM
Flood risk Thursday bumped to a Level 3 out of 4. NWS warns of localized 8-inch totals possible, with 2-3 inches in an hour in some spots. Details on the rain and heat @ cwg.live.
Reposted by Alex P. R. Phillips, Ph.D.
The Central Collection of Algal Cultures (CCAC) at @unidue.bsky.social is advertising a 3-year PhD position supervised by the current Curator, Dr. Olga Matantseva!
This PhD will take place in close collaboration with the @jgi.doe.gov. 🦠🧬💻
Apply here: www.uni-due.de/karriere/ste...
This PhD will take place in close collaboration with the @jgi.doe.gov. 🦠🧬💻
Apply here: www.uni-due.de/karriere/ste...
July 31, 2025 at 3:02 PM
The Central Collection of Algal Cultures (CCAC) at @unidue.bsky.social is advertising a 3-year PhD position supervised by the current Curator, Dr. Olga Matantseva!
This PhD will take place in close collaboration with the @jgi.doe.gov. 🦠🧬💻
Apply here: www.uni-due.de/karriere/ste...
This PhD will take place in close collaboration with the @jgi.doe.gov. 🦠🧬💻
Apply here: www.uni-due.de/karriere/ste...
Today is my last day as an AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellow contracting with USDA. I was laid off a month early as part of cost saving efforts.
I rolled the dice applying for the fellowship this year and.. wow.. they certainly came up a certain way.
I rolled the dice applying for the fellowship this year and.. wow.. they certainly came up a certain way.
July 31, 2025 at 3:44 PM
Today is my last day as an AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellow contracting with USDA. I was laid off a month early as part of cost saving efforts.
I rolled the dice applying for the fellowship this year and.. wow.. they certainly came up a certain way.
I rolled the dice applying for the fellowship this year and.. wow.. they certainly came up a certain way.
Reposted by Alex P. R. Phillips, Ph.D.
Everyone is acting like US scientists will just go get science jobs elsewhere and sure some will but there are not anywhere close to enough science jobs elsewhere.
The end result of this will be much, much, much less science, not science happening in different places.
The end result of this will be much, much, much less science, not science happening in different places.
People are talking about the imminent brain drain of US researchers to other countries but that’s not the only way it’s going to look. There is going to be a brain drain out of science and into other US sectors. There are a lot of non-science things you can do with a Ph.D.
July 10, 2025 at 8:25 PM
Everyone is acting like US scientists will just go get science jobs elsewhere and sure some will but there are not anywhere close to enough science jobs elsewhere.
The end result of this will be much, much, much less science, not science happening in different places.
The end result of this will be much, much, much less science, not science happening in different places.
Reposted by Alex P. R. Phillips, Ph.D.
Archaeal cell have a hard start in life, dying in excess around cell division, and then, their risk of dying decreases.
Is it aging? Is it #ontogenescence?
Do archaeal cells age?
Can archaeal cells rejuvenate by asymetric cell division?
#archaea #aging #rejuvenation Thanks @mkrupovic.bsky.social
Is it aging? Is it #ontogenescence?
Do archaeal cells age?
Can archaeal cells rejuvenate by asymetric cell division?
#archaea #aging #rejuvenation Thanks @mkrupovic.bsky.social
July 7, 2025 at 6:20 PM
Congratulations, Miguel, this is super cool!
Very happy to share the first publication from my PhD as a preprint!!
Are you an archaea enthusiast? A network afficionado? Do you love the cell cycle?
If you answered yes to any of those questions this preprint is for you! Little 🧵 (1/11)
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Are you an archaea enthusiast? A network afficionado? Do you love the cell cycle?
If you answered yes to any of those questions this preprint is for you! Little 🧵 (1/11)
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Transcriptional landscape of the archaeal cell cycle is broadly conserved in eukaryotes
The cell cycle is a series of events that occur from the moment of cell birth to cell division. In eukaryotes, cell growth, genome replication, genome segregation, and cytokinesis are strictly coordin...
www.biorxiv.org
July 1, 2025 at 7:52 PM
Congratulations, Miguel, this is super cool!
Reposted by Alex P. R. Phillips, Ph.D.
Elated to have our pre-print now published in @natcomms.nature.com #ArchaeaSky #Microbiology #MEvoSky
rdcu.be/euila
Our main results stay the same: S. islandicus follows a cell cycle akin to that of some eukaryotes, like the budding yeast, with cellular processes cycling similarly.
old🧵cited below👇
rdcu.be/euila
Our main results stay the same: S. islandicus follows a cell cycle akin to that of some eukaryotes, like the budding yeast, with cellular processes cycling similarly.
old🧵cited below👇
July 1, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Elated to have our pre-print now published in @natcomms.nature.com #ArchaeaSky #Microbiology #MEvoSky
rdcu.be/euila
Our main results stay the same: S. islandicus follows a cell cycle akin to that of some eukaryotes, like the budding yeast, with cellular processes cycling similarly.
old🧵cited below👇
rdcu.be/euila
Our main results stay the same: S. islandicus follows a cell cycle akin to that of some eukaryotes, like the budding yeast, with cellular processes cycling similarly.
old🧵cited below👇