Bobby Ranjan
@bbbranjan.bsky.social
Interdisciplinary scientist bridging biology, computation & data science to predict disease risk from gene–environment interactions. Previously affiliated with EMBL (Rome 🇮🇹), A*STAR-GIS & NTU (Singapore 🇸🇬). He/his.
🔗: bobbyranjan.com
🔗: bobbyranjan.com
Reposted by Bobby Ranjan
So there you have it, twin study estimates were greatly inflated, and molecular data sets the record straight. I walk through possible counter-arguments, but ultimately the uncomfortable truth is that genes contribute to traits much less than we always thought.
November 21, 2025 at 10:34 PM
So there you have it, twin study estimates were greatly inflated, and molecular data sets the record straight. I walk through possible counter-arguments, but ultimately the uncomfortable truth is that genes contribute to traits much less than we always thought.
This was a lovely read. It is tempting to overlook the “language” aspect of LLMs, which both makes them extremely versatile (since a lot can be described using language) but also imposes an implicit restriction on input. Exciting times in this space ✨
I am genuinely impressed by large language models - they can absorb disparate components of text into some consolidated view, they can produce extremely good language and - with the right model - translate pretty well between languages and they are an excellent text based UI for humans to use. But..
October 26, 2025 at 4:27 PM
This was a lovely read. It is tempting to overlook the “language” aspect of LLMs, which both makes them extremely versatile (since a lot can be described using language) but also imposes an implicit restriction on input. Exciting times in this space ✨
Reposted by Bobby Ranjan
A reminder that the PhD program for EMBL is open for winter recruitment round. If you want to understand life at a molecular level and have a quantitative science (you don't have to have done biology - we love our mathematicians/physcists/chemists!) apply www.embl.org/about/info/e...
Application – EMBL International PhD Programme
www.embl.org
October 9, 2025 at 4:51 AM
A reminder that the PhD program for EMBL is open for winter recruitment round. If you want to understand life at a molecular level and have a quantitative science (you don't have to have done biology - we love our mathematicians/physcists/chemists!) apply www.embl.org/about/info/e...
Reposted by Bobby Ranjan
Embryonic signatures of intergenerational epigenetic inheritance across paternal environment & genetic background
@jamiehackett.bsky.social et al @embl.org see transcriptome changes in offspring after fertilisation by fathers exposed to gut dysbiosis or western diet
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
@jamiehackett.bsky.social et al @embl.org see transcriptome changes in offspring after fertilisation by fathers exposed to gut dysbiosis or western diet
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
September 29, 2025 at 10:25 AM
Embryonic signatures of intergenerational epigenetic inheritance across paternal environment & genetic background
@jamiehackett.bsky.social et al @embl.org see transcriptome changes in offspring after fertilisation by fathers exposed to gut dysbiosis or western diet
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
@jamiehackett.bsky.social et al @embl.org see transcriptome changes in offspring after fertilisation by fathers exposed to gut dysbiosis or western diet
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
Reposted by Bobby Ranjan
❓Can a father’s environmental exposures before conception influence their offspring?
We systematically tackled this - identifying effects of paternal age, environment and genetics on early embryos - as well as confounding influences
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
We systematically tackled this - identifying effects of paternal age, environment and genetics on early embryos - as well as confounding influences
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
Embryonic signatures of intergenerational epigenetic inheritance across paternal environments and genetic backgrounds | The EMBO Journal
imageimagePaternal environmental exposures have been linked with modulation of phenotype and
disease risk in offspring via largely unclear mechanisms. This study employs in vitro
fertilization and sin...
www.embopress.org
September 27, 2025 at 7:28 AM
❓Can a father’s environmental exposures before conception influence their offspring?
We systematically tackled this - identifying effects of paternal age, environment and genetics on early embryos - as well as confounding influences
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
We systematically tackled this - identifying effects of paternal age, environment and genetics on early embryos - as well as confounding influences
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
Reposted by Bobby Ranjan
This is wild. Hotelling's 1930 unpublished work (later provided by Ore) detailing differential geometric approach to describe statistical distributions used population genetics as its first example application.
Perhaps not that surprising given his communications with Fisher, but still neat!
Perhaps not that surprising given his communications with Fisher, but still neat!
September 26, 2025 at 11:25 PM
This is wild. Hotelling's 1930 unpublished work (later provided by Ore) detailing differential geometric approach to describe statistical distributions used population genetics as its first example application.
Perhaps not that surprising given his communications with Fisher, but still neat!
Perhaps not that surprising given his communications with Fisher, but still neat!
Reposted by Bobby Ranjan
I wrote about how genetic risk works in the context of embryo selection and how people often think about it all wrong. A short 🧵:
What we talk about when we talk about risk
How embryo selection exploits our flawed intuitions about risk
open.substack.com
August 10, 2025 at 7:08 PM
I wrote about how genetic risk works in the context of embryo selection and how people often think about it all wrong. A short 🧵:
Reposted by Bobby Ranjan
To evaluate computational models, we rely on trusted benchmark data and metrics
So what if a metrics is widely used… but plain wrong? It means that evaluations in dozens of papers are meaningless.
This has happened in single cell genomics…
(1/)
So what if a metrics is widely used… but plain wrong? It means that evaluations in dozens of papers are meaningless.
This has happened in single cell genomics…
(1/)
Shortcomings of silhouette in single-cell integration benchmarking - @uweohler.bsky.social @prauten.bsky.social @mdc-bimsb.bsky.social @mdc-berlin.bsky.social @humboldtuni.bsky.social go.nature.com/4fcQzZr
Shortcomings of silhouette in single-cell integration benchmarking - Nature Biotechnology
Silhouette score is unsuitable as a metric for single-cell data integration.
go.nature.com
August 6, 2025 at 8:07 AM
To evaluate computational models, we rely on trusted benchmark data and metrics
So what if a metrics is widely used… but plain wrong? It means that evaluations in dozens of papers are meaningless.
This has happened in single cell genomics…
(1/)
So what if a metrics is widely used… but plain wrong? It means that evaluations in dozens of papers are meaningless.
This has happened in single cell genomics…
(1/)
Reposted by Bobby Ranjan
We’re growing @arcadiascience.com & are on the lookout for talent to run new pilot projects contributing to our broader goals. Seeking computational + wet lab fluency to iterate independently on new projects. If you’re a creative scientist w/ ambitious ideas, apply!
jobs.lever.co/arcadiascien...
jobs.lever.co/arcadiascien...
Arcadia Science - Project Scientist
A Bit About Us: We are Arcadia Science, an evolutionary biology company founded and led by scientists. Our mission is to turn natural innovations into real-world solutions by developing systematic, an...
jobs.lever.co
August 8, 2025 at 1:49 AM
We’re growing @arcadiascience.com & are on the lookout for talent to run new pilot projects contributing to our broader goals. Seeking computational + wet lab fluency to iterate independently on new projects. If you’re a creative scientist w/ ambitious ideas, apply!
jobs.lever.co/arcadiascien...
jobs.lever.co/arcadiascien...
Reposted by Bobby Ranjan
#EMBOClimateResilience
“The way in which our universities have divided up the sciences does not reflect the ways in which nature has divided up its problems”
@embo.org
@monicabettencourt.bsky.social
“The way in which our universities have divided up the sciences does not reflect the ways in which nature has divided up its problems”
@embo.org
@monicabettencourt.bsky.social
April 14, 2025 at 10:48 AM
#EMBOClimateResilience
“The way in which our universities have divided up the sciences does not reflect the ways in which nature has divided up its problems”
@embo.org
@monicabettencourt.bsky.social
“The way in which our universities have divided up the sciences does not reflect the ways in which nature has divided up its problems”
@embo.org
@monicabettencourt.bsky.social
Reposted by Bobby Ranjan
Just a gentle reminder that deceptive hyping in scientific publications (which includes preprints) is actually antithetical to the core mission of the scientific process. We can stay grounded, truthful, humble while being ambitious. Revealing caveats, pitfalls & limitations speeds up progress.
April 8, 2025 at 9:03 AM
Just a gentle reminder that deceptive hyping in scientific publications (which includes preprints) is actually antithetical to the core mission of the scientific process. We can stay grounded, truthful, humble while being ambitious. Revealing caveats, pitfalls & limitations speeds up progress.
Reposted by Bobby Ranjan
I'm almost halfway through Night Science (I know, I'm so late on getting on this train). Apropos of absolutely nothing beyond their new logo, here are my top 8 favorite episodes from the first 30 installments of this gem of a podcast. @nightsciencepod.bsky.social nightscience.buzzsprout.com/1744020
Night Science
Where do ideas come from? In each episode, scientists Itai Yanai and Martin Lercher explore science's creative side with a leading colleague. New episodes come out every second Monday.
nightscience.buzzsprout.com
March 27, 2025 at 5:36 PM
I'm almost halfway through Night Science (I know, I'm so late on getting on this train). Apropos of absolutely nothing beyond their new logo, here are my top 8 favorite episodes from the first 30 installments of this gem of a podcast. @nightsciencepod.bsky.social nightscience.buzzsprout.com/1744020
Reposted by Bobby Ranjan
We are hiring! Associate or Senior Editor in computational and mathematical biology #scijobs
US, China, Madrid, Milan
Closing date April 4th
www.nature.com/naturecareer...
US, China, Madrid, Milan
Closing date April 4th
www.nature.com/naturecareer...
Associate or Senior Editor (Computational and mathematical biology), Nature Communications - Beijing, Jersey City, Nanjing, New York, Philadelphia, Shanghai, Madrid, Milan (hybrid working) job with S...
Job Title: Associate or Senior Editor (Computational and mathematical biology) Organisation: Nature Communications Location: Beijing, Jersey City, ...
www.nature.com
March 21, 2025 at 10:59 AM
We are hiring! Associate or Senior Editor in computational and mathematical biology #scijobs
US, China, Madrid, Milan
Closing date April 4th
www.nature.com/naturecareer...
US, China, Madrid, Milan
Closing date April 4th
www.nature.com/naturecareer...
Reposted by Bobby Ranjan
6 days left to apply to the Post-doc opening in our lab
@ebi.embl.org to develop&apply #bioinformatics & #machine-learning methods to study intra-/extra cellular networks to extract disease mechanisms from #single-cell and #spatial multiomic data: embl.wd103.myworkdayjobs.com/EMBL/job/Hin...
@ebi.embl.org to develop&apply #bioinformatics & #machine-learning methods to study intra-/extra cellular networks to extract disease mechanisms from #single-cell and #spatial multiomic data: embl.wd103.myworkdayjobs.com/EMBL/job/Hin...
Postdoctoral fellow - Saez-Rodriguez Group
Your group Saez-Rodriguez Research Group Your supervisor Julio Saez-Rodriguez Your role As a postdoctoral fellow in the Saez Rodriguez group, you will develop and apply computational methods and tools...
embl.wd103.myworkdayjobs.com
March 17, 2025 at 6:01 PM
6 days left to apply to the Post-doc opening in our lab
@ebi.embl.org to develop&apply #bioinformatics & #machine-learning methods to study intra-/extra cellular networks to extract disease mechanisms from #single-cell and #spatial multiomic data: embl.wd103.myworkdayjobs.com/EMBL/job/Hin...
@ebi.embl.org to develop&apply #bioinformatics & #machine-learning methods to study intra-/extra cellular networks to extract disease mechanisms from #single-cell and #spatial multiomic data: embl.wd103.myworkdayjobs.com/EMBL/job/Hin...
Reposted by Bobby Ranjan
“Back then, the overwhelming public sentiment was: never again. Today, it seems: never what?”—Siddhartha Mukherjee
Exceptional essay
Gift link
www.nytimes.com/2025/03/10/o...
Exceptional essay
Gift link
www.nytimes.com/2025/03/10/o...
Opinion | Covid’s Deadliest Effect Took Five Years to Appear (Gift Article)
What once belonged to all of us now belongs to corporations.
www.nytimes.com
March 16, 2025 at 3:58 PM
“Back then, the overwhelming public sentiment was: never again. Today, it seems: never what?”—Siddhartha Mukherjee
Exceptional essay
Gift link
www.nytimes.com/2025/03/10/o...
Exceptional essay
Gift link
www.nytimes.com/2025/03/10/o...
Reposted by Bobby Ranjan
We are excited to announce a new faculty position here in Cambridge, for researchers in computational and/or theoretical biology, based jointly in Genetics and Mathematics. Come and join us! Happy to answer questions about research, teaching and working here. www.jobs.cam.ac.uk/job/50414/
Assistant/Associate Professor in Computational Biology - Job Opportunities - University of Cambridge
Assistant/Associate Professor in Computational Biology in the Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics at the University of Cambridge.
www.jobs.cam.ac.uk
February 21, 2025 at 3:07 PM
We are excited to announce a new faculty position here in Cambridge, for researchers in computational and/or theoretical biology, based jointly in Genetics and Mathematics. Come and join us! Happy to answer questions about research, teaching and working here. www.jobs.cam.ac.uk/job/50414/
Reposted by Bobby Ranjan
Let’s not lose hope that we can find our way to a better world. It might take time but we should realize that we aren’t the product of warring #SelfishGenes but the creation of #CooperativeCells
english.elpais.com/science-tech...
english.elpais.com/science-tech...
March 1, 2025 at 8:20 AM
Let’s not lose hope that we can find our way to a better world. It might take time but we should realize that we aren’t the product of warring #SelfishGenes but the creation of #CooperativeCells
english.elpais.com/science-tech...
english.elpais.com/science-tech...
Reposted by Bobby Ranjan
A study in Nature Medicine provides a comprehensive map of the contributions of environment and genetics to mortality and incidence of common age-related diseases, suggesting that the exposome shapes distinct patterns of disease and mortality risk. #Medsky 🧪
Integrating the environmental and genetic architectures of aging and mortality - Nature Medicine
Based on a systematic analysis of environmental exposures associated with aging and mortality in the UK Biobank, the relative contributions of such exposures and genetic risk for mortality and a range of age-related diseases were compared, highlighting the potential beneficial effects of environment-focused interventions.
go.nature.com
February 23, 2025 at 8:27 PM
A study in Nature Medicine provides a comprehensive map of the contributions of environment and genetics to mortality and incidence of common age-related diseases, suggesting that the exposome shapes distinct patterns of disease and mortality risk. #Medsky 🧪
Reposted by Bobby Ranjan
Why does @weare.rladies.org have less than 1000 followers? We can do better than this #rstats folks. It is a terrific account to follow because every week not only we get to know a new member of the #RLadies community but we also get to read their R favorites, tips, and jokes.
February 10, 2025 at 6:08 PM
Why does @weare.rladies.org have less than 1000 followers? We can do better than this #rstats folks. It is a terrific account to follow because every week not only we get to know a new member of the #RLadies community but we also get to read their R favorites, tips, and jokes.
Reposted by Bobby Ranjan
Do you have ambitious plans to study the molecular mechanisms of environmental adaptation in mammalian model systems? Join EMBL Rome as an independent group leader: generous core funding & benefits, top-level students & core facilities. embl.wd103.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/EMBL/d...
January 28, 2025 at 3:57 PM
Do you have ambitious plans to study the molecular mechanisms of environmental adaptation in mammalian model systems? Join EMBL Rome as an independent group leader: generous core funding & benefits, top-level students & core facilities. embl.wd103.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/EMBL/d...
Reposted by Bobby Ranjan
Fantastic opportunity: 🚀 Calling early-career scientists! Apply for the 2025 ELISIR Scholar at EPFL. From outstanding PhD straight to group leader. Join an interdisciplinary research community to conduct independent research in any area of #lifesciences in Lausanne, CH
👉 go.epfl.ch/ELISIR
👉 go.epfl.ch/ELISIR
EPFL Life Sciences Early Independent Research Scholar (ELISIR)
From exceptional PhD directly to independent group leader
go.epfl.ch
January 10, 2025 at 5:03 PM
Fantastic opportunity: 🚀 Calling early-career scientists! Apply for the 2025 ELISIR Scholar at EPFL. From outstanding PhD straight to group leader. Join an interdisciplinary research community to conduct independent research in any area of #lifesciences in Lausanne, CH
👉 go.epfl.ch/ELISIR
👉 go.epfl.ch/ELISIR
Reposted by Bobby Ranjan
🚨🚨🚨
If you're a bioinformatician who loves:
🧬 #SingleCell #LongReadSequencing & #AlternativeSplicing
🚀 Collaborating and travelling
Apply to work with us at the spectacular BIMSB (@mdc-berlin.bsky.social) in Berlin + @upf.edu-@crg.eu in Barcelona. Qs: www.transdevolab.com
Please RT! 🙏
If you're a bioinformatician who loves:
🧬 #SingleCell #LongReadSequencing & #AlternativeSplicing
🚀 Collaborating and travelling
Apply to work with us at the spectacular BIMSB (@mdc-berlin.bsky.social) in Berlin + @upf.edu-@crg.eu in Barcelona. Qs: www.transdevolab.com
Please RT! 🙏
December 23, 2024 at 3:54 PM
🚨🚨🚨
If you're a bioinformatician who loves:
🧬 #SingleCell #LongReadSequencing & #AlternativeSplicing
🚀 Collaborating and travelling
Apply to work with us at the spectacular BIMSB (@mdc-berlin.bsky.social) in Berlin + @upf.edu-@crg.eu in Barcelona. Qs: www.transdevolab.com
Please RT! 🙏
If you're a bioinformatician who loves:
🧬 #SingleCell #LongReadSequencing & #AlternativeSplicing
🚀 Collaborating and travelling
Apply to work with us at the spectacular BIMSB (@mdc-berlin.bsky.social) in Berlin + @upf.edu-@crg.eu in Barcelona. Qs: www.transdevolab.com
Please RT! 🙏
A great opportunity to be part of a truly unique and collaborative scientific environment 🧬☀️ Do apply!
Postdoc positions in epigenetics!
We have several opportunities to investigate big picture questions on (epi)genome function & mechanisms
Based @embl.org near Rome (Italy), we offer full scientific support/facilities, training & funding. Also...☀️🏛️🍕🏖️
See👇or contact me for other options. Pls RS
We have several opportunities to investigate big picture questions on (epi)genome function & mechanisms
Based @embl.org near Rome (Italy), we offer full scientific support/facilities, training & funding. Also...☀️🏛️🍕🏖️
See👇or contact me for other options. Pls RS
December 2, 2024 at 7:17 PM
A great opportunity to be part of a truly unique and collaborative scientific environment 🧬☀️ Do apply!
Lovely initiative by @jamiehackett.bsky.social, thanks for the highlight 🥰
We are blessed to have @bbbranjan.bsky.social. Follow Bobby for hot takes on preprints, microbiome and ML. Original computational biologist now wetlab guru!
He also just co-first published a cracking preprint
Oh, and he’s looking for ML/AI positions later next year👌
He also just co-first published a cracking preprint
Oh, and he’s looking for ML/AI positions later next year👌
Starter packs are fab, but skew towards established folks
Cue intros into all the amazing people in our lab… give them a follow 🚶
First up Marzia Munafo. Leading a spectacular oocyte epigenomics project (watch this space 👀) and science illustrator extraordinaire. Check out the beautiful works 👇👇
Cue intros into all the amazing people in our lab… give them a follow 🚶
First up Marzia Munafo. Leading a spectacular oocyte epigenomics project (watch this space 👀) and science illustrator extraordinaire. Check out the beautiful works 👇👇
November 29, 2024 at 5:28 AM
Lovely initiative by @jamiehackett.bsky.social, thanks for the highlight 🥰
Some lovely news to open my Bluesky account 😇
Incredibly grateful to Mathilde, @jamiehackett.bsky.social and Ana Boskovic for the opportunity to contribute to this project 🙏
Delighted to see this out on @biorxivpreprint.bsky.social! 🎉🥂
Incredibly grateful to Mathilde, @jamiehackett.bsky.social and Ana Boskovic for the opportunity to contribute to this project 🙏
Delighted to see this out on @biorxivpreprint.bsky.social! 🎉🥂
📢 Preprint! How does the environment of a father before conception influence offspring?
Even more, how do paternal genetics & ages interact with exposures to affect F1 outcome?
We tested this systematically, with intriguing findings & some cautionary tales🧵...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Even more, how do paternal genetics & ages interact with exposures to affect F1 outcome?
We tested this systematically, with intriguing findings & some cautionary tales🧵...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Embryonic Signatures of Intergenerational Inheritance across Paternal Environments and Genetic Backgrounds
The paternal preconception environment has been implicated as a modulator of phenotypic traits and disease risk in F1 offspring. However, the prevalence and mechanisms of such intergenerational epigen...
www.biorxiv.org
November 26, 2024 at 8:53 PM
Some lovely news to open my Bluesky account 😇
Incredibly grateful to Mathilde, @jamiehackett.bsky.social and Ana Boskovic for the opportunity to contribute to this project 🙏
Delighted to see this out on @biorxivpreprint.bsky.social! 🎉🥂
Incredibly grateful to Mathilde, @jamiehackett.bsky.social and Ana Boskovic for the opportunity to contribute to this project 🙏
Delighted to see this out on @biorxivpreprint.bsky.social! 🎉🥂