Chris Miller
@chrismiller.science
I study cancer at Washington University in St Louis. Cancer Genomics, Bioinformatics, Data Viz, Tumor Evolution, AML, Immunotherapy, Irreverent humor 🧬 🖥️ mostly @chrisamiller on other platforms
Reposted by Chris Miller
AI tells you what you want to hear, statisticians usually tell you what you don't want to hear
The advances we've made in statistics, experimental study design, and causal inference over the past century are remarkably useful for understanding our world. But there is never been a push to make people use them like we are seeing with generative AI. Perhaps take a moment to consider why.
November 7, 2025 at 9:13 AM
AI tells you what you want to hear, statisticians usually tell you what you don't want to hear
I am adding this to my bioinformatics course immediately.
mtcars |>
yeet(mpg > 20) |>
vibe_check(mpg, cyl, hp) |>
glow_up(kpg = mpg * 1.6) |>
slay(desc(mpg))
mtcars |>
yeet(mpg > 20) |>
vibe_check(mpg, cyl, hp) |>
glow_up(kpg = mpg * 1.6) |>
slay(desc(mpg))
Do you teach #rstats? Do your students complain about how lame and old-fashioned dplyr is? Don't worry: I have the solution for you: github.com/hadley/genzp....
genzplyr is dplyr, but bussin fr fr no cap.
genzplyr is dplyr, but bussin fr fr no cap.
GitHub - hadley/genzplyr: dplyr but make it bussin fr fr no cap
dplyr but make it bussin fr fr no cap. Contribute to hadley/genzplyr development by creating an account on GitHub.
github.com
November 7, 2025 at 4:19 AM
I am adding this to my bioinformatics course immediately.
mtcars |>
yeet(mpg > 20) |>
vibe_check(mpg, cyl, hp) |>
glow_up(kpg = mpg * 1.6) |>
slay(desc(mpg))
mtcars |>
yeet(mpg > 20) |>
vibe_check(mpg, cyl, hp) |>
glow_up(kpg = mpg * 1.6) |>
slay(desc(mpg))
Reposted by Chris Miller
I will support any New York mayoral candidate who admits bodegas are just convenience stores and everywhere in the world has them
November 4, 2025 at 2:05 AM
I will support any New York mayoral candidate who admits bodegas are just convenience stores and everywhere in the world has them
Reposted by Chris Miller
This is from Autocracy, Inc, about how modern autocratic propaganda works.
I consider this every time I decide what to share and how to frame it.
I consider this every time I decide what to share and how to frame it.
November 2, 2025 at 12:04 PM
This is from Autocracy, Inc, about how modern autocratic propaganda works.
I consider this every time I decide what to share and how to frame it.
I consider this every time I decide what to share and how to frame it.
Reposted by Chris Miller
Nature suggests you use their "Manuscript Adviser" bot to get advice before submitting
I uploaded the classic Watson & Crick paper about DNA structure, and the Adviser had this to say about one of the greatest paper endings of the century:
I uploaded the classic Watson & Crick paper about DNA structure, and the Adviser had this to say about one of the greatest paper endings of the century:
November 3, 2025 at 1:55 PM
Nature suggests you use their "Manuscript Adviser" bot to get advice before submitting
I uploaded the classic Watson & Crick paper about DNA structure, and the Adviser had this to say about one of the greatest paper endings of the century:
I uploaded the classic Watson & Crick paper about DNA structure, and the Adviser had this to say about one of the greatest paper endings of the century:
😱😱😱😱😱
October 31, 2025 at 1:48 PM
😱😱😱😱😱
Reposted by Chris Miller
I've been asked about this paper (www.nature.com/articles/s41...) enough times that I finally had to read it.
The basic claim is that mRNA vaccines had huge synergistic benefit with checkpoint blockade against lung cancer melanoma.
tl;dr it's glam-slop & everyone involved should be embarrassed
The basic claim is that mRNA vaccines had huge synergistic benefit with checkpoint blockade against lung cancer melanoma.
tl;dr it's glam-slop & everyone involved should be embarrassed
SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines sensitize tumours to immune checkpoint blockade - Nature
mRNA vaccines targeting SARS-CoV-2 also sensitize tumours to immune checkpoint inhibitors.
www.nature.com
October 30, 2025 at 3:35 PM
I've been asked about this paper (www.nature.com/articles/s41...) enough times that I finally had to read it.
The basic claim is that mRNA vaccines had huge synergistic benefit with checkpoint blockade against lung cancer melanoma.
tl;dr it's glam-slop & everyone involved should be embarrassed
The basic claim is that mRNA vaccines had huge synergistic benefit with checkpoint blockade against lung cancer melanoma.
tl;dr it's glam-slop & everyone involved should be embarrassed
Interviewer: Oh, nice! I see you've published in Nature Cell and Science. You should really proofread your CV, though - you forgot some commas.
Interviewee: Errrr...
Interviewee: Errrr...
October 24, 2025 at 6:34 PM
Interviewer: Oh, nice! I see you've published in Nature Cell and Science. You should really proofread your CV, though - you forgot some commas.
Interviewee: Errrr...
Interviewee: Errrr...
Reposted by Chris Miller
WashU in STL just announced, in a university-wide email, that we will NOT be signing The Compact.
This statement, I believe, exists thanks to the tremendous energy generated w/in our community by, among others, the Faculty Senate, the revived AAUP, and student journalists. I'm proud of everybody.
This statement, I believe, exists thanks to the tremendous energy generated w/in our community by, among others, the Faculty Senate, the revived AAUP, and student journalists. I'm proud of everybody.
October 22, 2025 at 4:35 PM
WashU in STL just announced, in a university-wide email, that we will NOT be signing The Compact.
This statement, I believe, exists thanks to the tremendous energy generated w/in our community by, among others, the Faculty Senate, the revived AAUP, and student journalists. I'm proud of everybody.
This statement, I believe, exists thanks to the tremendous energy generated w/in our community by, among others, the Faculty Senate, the revived AAUP, and student journalists. I'm proud of everybody.
Reposted by Chris Miller
The 400 richest Americans are now worth a record $6.6 trillion.
The entire bottom 50% of America is worth just $4.2 trillion.
Read that back.
When 400 people control more wealth than half a country’s population, we have a very serious problem.
The entire bottom 50% of America is worth just $4.2 trillion.
Read that back.
When 400 people control more wealth than half a country’s population, we have a very serious problem.
October 12, 2025 at 11:30 PM
The 400 richest Americans are now worth a record $6.6 trillion.
The entire bottom 50% of America is worth just $4.2 trillion.
Read that back.
When 400 people control more wealth than half a country’s population, we have a very serious problem.
The entire bottom 50% of America is worth just $4.2 trillion.
Read that back.
When 400 people control more wealth than half a country’s population, we have a very serious problem.
Reposted by Chris Miller
he's going to come after you either way, so you might as well act with integrity
October 8, 2025 at 11:47 PM
he's going to come after you either way, so you might as well act with integrity
PSA: dbGaP authorized access/run selectors seem to be not working. I assume it's the shutdown - either they turned the lights off, or something's busted and no one is there to fix it
a man in a suit and tie holds his head in his hands
ALT: a man in a suit and tie holds his head in his hands
media.tenor.com
October 7, 2025 at 8:13 PM
PSA: dbGaP authorized access/run selectors seem to be not working. I assume it's the shutdown - either they turned the lights off, or something's busted and no one is there to fix it
Reposted by Chris Miller
These 3-L bottles contain one million tiny colored spheres each.
One sphere is black (1 ppm).
Finding the black sphere is comparable to detecting a protein present at ~ 6,000 copies in the proteome of a human cell.
Quantifying the protein requires analyzing multiple jars.
One sphere is black (1 ppm).
Finding the black sphere is comparable to detecting a protein present at ~ 6,000 copies in the proteome of a human cell.
Quantifying the protein requires analyzing multiple jars.
September 27, 2025 at 11:52 AM
These 3-L bottles contain one million tiny colored spheres each.
One sphere is black (1 ppm).
Finding the black sphere is comparable to detecting a protein present at ~ 6,000 copies in the proteome of a human cell.
Quantifying the protein requires analyzing multiple jars.
One sphere is black (1 ppm).
Finding the black sphere is comparable to detecting a protein present at ~ 6,000 copies in the proteome of a human cell.
Quantifying the protein requires analyzing multiple jars.
Reposted by Chris Miller
I have been trying to get this published as an op-ed, but I am going to post it here since I think it is timely in light of the "consent" extortion events.
Deafening Quiet from the Scientific Establishment
jeremymberg.github.io/jeremyberg.g...
1/14
Deafening Quiet from the Scientific Establishment
jeremymberg.github.io/jeremyberg.g...
1/14
jeremymberg.github.io
October 6, 2025 at 11:28 PM
I have been trying to get this published as an op-ed, but I am going to post it here since I think it is timely in light of the "consent" extortion events.
Deafening Quiet from the Scientific Establishment
jeremymberg.github.io/jeremyberg.g...
1/14
Deafening Quiet from the Scientific Establishment
jeremymberg.github.io/jeremyberg.g...
1/14
Today's little mystery involving started simply enough: I was hacking on a web tool that autocompletes gene names, and was surprised when searching for "TP53" didn't return that gene. I checked, and it was definitely in the input data, so I was left scratching my head (1/n)
a close up of a man wearing glasses and a wig .
ALT: a close up of a man wearing glasses and a wig .
media.tenor.com
October 6, 2025 at 6:54 PM
Today's little mystery involving started simply enough: I was hacking on a web tool that autocompletes gene names, and was surprised when searching for "TP53" didn't return that gene. I checked, and it was definitely in the input data, so I was left scratching my head (1/n)
How do we get @ensembl.org l the infrastructure they need to not be unresponsive like three times a week? Like can we pass the hat? I'm in for twenty bucks.
October 6, 2025 at 4:23 PM
How do we get @ensembl.org l the infrastructure they need to not be unresponsive like three times a week? Like can we pass the hat? I'm in for twenty bucks.
Reposted by Chris Miller
Immigrants, particularly on H1Bs, are the lifeblood of American innovation. If you wanted to hurt US competitiveness in the next century, I can think of few more effective ways than a move like this
Even when found illegal, the mere intent will have irreparably harmed our future
Even when found illegal, the mere intent will have irreparably harmed our future
September 20, 2025 at 4:24 PM
Immigrants, particularly on H1Bs, are the lifeblood of American innovation. If you wanted to hurt US competitiveness in the next century, I can think of few more effective ways than a move like this
Even when found illegal, the mere intent will have irreparably harmed our future
Even when found illegal, the mere intent will have irreparably harmed our future
Reposted by Chris Miller
Critical part of the President's new $100,000 charge for H1-B visas: The Administration can also offer a $100,000 discount to any person, company, or industry that it wants. Replacing rules with arbitrary discretion.
Want visas? You know who to call and who to flatter.
Want visas? You know who to call and who to flatter.
September 20, 2025 at 1:40 PM
Critical part of the President's new $100,000 charge for H1-B visas: The Administration can also offer a $100,000 discount to any person, company, or industry that it wants. Replacing rules with arbitrary discretion.
Want visas? You know who to call and who to flatter.
Want visas? You know who to call and who to flatter.
When you want to do reproducible analysis in R, some packages require you to set a RNG seed. I'm not sure I trust anyone who doesn't immediately run `set.seed(42)`
September 18, 2025 at 7:47 PM
When you want to do reproducible analysis in R, some packages require you to set a RNG seed. I'm not sure I trust anyone who doesn't immediately run `set.seed(42)`
Reposted by Chris Miller
Zstandard's --long range mode works wonders for assemblies, but needs uninterrupted single line sequences.
*AllTheBacteria 661k, multiline fasta*
gzip (pigz): 751GB
zstandard --long: 641GB (30% original size)
*Single line fasta*
gzip (pigz): 700GB
zstandard --long: 232GB (10% original size)
*AllTheBacteria 661k, multiline fasta*
gzip (pigz): 751GB
zstandard --long: 641GB (30% original size)
*Single line fasta*
gzip (pigz): 700GB
zstandard --long: 232GB (10% original size)
September 9, 2025 at 10:27 AM
Zstandard's --long range mode works wonders for assemblies, but needs uninterrupted single line sequences.
*AllTheBacteria 661k, multiline fasta*
gzip (pigz): 751GB
zstandard --long: 641GB (30% original size)
*Single line fasta*
gzip (pigz): 700GB
zstandard --long: 232GB (10% original size)
*AllTheBacteria 661k, multiline fasta*
gzip (pigz): 751GB
zstandard --long: 641GB (30% original size)
*Single line fasta*
gzip (pigz): 700GB
zstandard --long: 232GB (10% original size)
Reposted by Chris Miller
Everyone has a second full time job being mad at the government now
September 3, 2025 at 12:45 AM
Everyone has a second full time job being mad at the government now
Reposted by Chris Miller
Good news. The House of Representatives stands behind the NIH budget with no cuts.
September 2, 2025 at 12:53 AM
Good news. The House of Representatives stands behind the NIH budget with no cuts.
Reposted by Chris Miller
These are the words of a lunatic who does not belong in government, much less as our nation's top health official.
It is dangerous to allow him to oversee ALL federal health research and public health infrastructure. It is never too late to do the right thing. Fire RFK Jr.
It is dangerous to allow him to oversee ALL federal health research and public health infrastructure. It is never too late to do the right thing. Fire RFK Jr.
August 28, 2025 at 7:35 PM
These are the words of a lunatic who does not belong in government, much less as our nation's top health official.
It is dangerous to allow him to oversee ALL federal health research and public health infrastructure. It is never too late to do the right thing. Fire RFK Jr.
It is dangerous to allow him to oversee ALL federal health research and public health infrastructure. It is never too late to do the right thing. Fire RFK Jr.
Reposted by Chris Miller
📢🚨📢🚨 Genome Informatics deadline extended to September 8! meetings.cshl.edu/meetings.asp....
Please spread the word. If you are like me and had at least one abstract that wasn't quite ready by last week's deadline, you get another swing. See you there!
Please spread the word. If you are like me and had at least one abstract that wasn't quite ready by last week's deadline, you get another swing. See you there!
Genome Informatics
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Meetings & Courses -- a private, non-profit institution with research programs in cancer, neuroscience, plant biology, genomics, bioinformatics.
meetings.cshl.edu
August 26, 2025 at 8:38 PM
📢🚨📢🚨 Genome Informatics deadline extended to September 8! meetings.cshl.edu/meetings.asp....
Please spread the word. If you are like me and had at least one abstract that wasn't quite ready by last week's deadline, you get another swing. See you there!
Please spread the word. If you are like me and had at least one abstract that wasn't quite ready by last week's deadline, you get another swing. See you there!
Reposted by Chris Miller
The Genome Informatics conference (@ Cold Spring Harbor Lab, Nov 5 - 8) abstract deadline is **today**. We welcome your submissions! Topics include:
- PanGenomes
- Genome Assembly & Seq. Algos.
- Algorithmic Evo. Bio
- Single Cell & Spatial Omics
- Microbial Genomics
- AI/ML & Integrative Omics
🙏🙏🙏
- PanGenomes
- Genome Assembly & Seq. Algos.
- Algorithmic Evo. Bio
- Single Cell & Spatial Omics
- Microbial Genomics
- AI/ML & Integrative Omics
🙏🙏🙏
August 22, 2025 at 3:00 PM
The Genome Informatics conference (@ Cold Spring Harbor Lab, Nov 5 - 8) abstract deadline is **today**. We welcome your submissions! Topics include:
- PanGenomes
- Genome Assembly & Seq. Algos.
- Algorithmic Evo. Bio
- Single Cell & Spatial Omics
- Microbial Genomics
- AI/ML & Integrative Omics
🙏🙏🙏
- PanGenomes
- Genome Assembly & Seq. Algos.
- Algorithmic Evo. Bio
- Single Cell & Spatial Omics
- Microbial Genomics
- AI/ML & Integrative Omics
🙏🙏🙏