Christopher Tabone
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christabone.bsky.social
Christopher Tabone
@christabone.bsky.social
54 followers 71 following 8 posts
Drosophilist geek. PhD. Full time biologist and developer at FlyBase.org and Alliancegenome.org. Personal website @ tabone.dev.
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Reposted by Christopher Tabone
flybase.bsky.social
There's an update on the state of FlyBase on the FlyBase.org front page. You can contribute to FlyBase at this link wiki.flybase.org/wiki/FlyBase...
We express enormous gratitude to the people, labs, groups, and foundations who have already helped us.
#FlyBase #Drosophila
FlyBase Update – October 2025 The termination of the NIH/NHGRI FlyBase grant has placed the long-term sustainability of FlyBase at risk. However, thanks to the generous support of several key individuals and institutions, we are pleased to announce that FlyBase will remain operational through the coming year. We extend our deepest gratitude to Yukiko Yamashita, Cassandra Extavour, Hugo Bellen, Thom Kaufman, the Genetics Society of America / Drosophila Board, the Bloomington Drosophila Stock Center, an anonymous donor and the Wellcome Trust. We are especially thankful for a generous gift from Seemay Chou, Jed McCaleb, and The Navigation Fund. We also greatly appreciate the continued support from the broader Drosophila community – your donations and service fees have been vital in helping us stay afloat. Special thanks also go to Jessica Manning for her tireless administrative work at Harvard, to Ruth Lehmann, Hugo Bellen, and Paul Sternberg for advice and efforts, and to the Board of the European Drosophila Society for all their efforts. Sadly, we must also share that several long-standing FlyBase team members have recently moved on. We are immensely grateful to Susan Russo-Gelbart, Lynn Crosby, Gil dos Santos, Kris Broll, Victoria Jenkins, and TyAnna Lovato for their many years of dedicated service and contributions to FlyBase. Looking ahead, ensuring FlyBase’s sustainability beyond the next year – and successfully integrating with the Alliance – will require new funding sources. We kindly ask for your continued support: • European labs: Please consider contributing to the Cambridge, U.K. FlyBase group • U.S. and other non-European labs: Please consider contributing to the U.S. FlyBase groups • Both U.K. and U.S. FlyBase are working diligently to establish an invoicing system. We appreciate your continued patience. For more information on how to support us, please visit: Contribute to FlyBase wiki page https://wiki.flybase.org/wiki/FlyBase:Contribute_to_FlyBase
October 3, 2025 at 6:19 PM
christabone.bsky.social
Trump's Harvard cuts threaten a giant in biomedical research: A database about the tiny fruit fly
This spring, the Trump administration rescinded a grant that maintained FlyBase, a pillar of global basic research, as part of its broader $2.2 billion funding cuts at Harvard.
www.nbcnews.com
September 16, 2025 at 1:59 AM
Reposted by Christopher Tabone
perrimonlab.bsky.social
www.thecrimson.com/article/2025...
Harvard Funding Cuts Endanger the Massive Fruit Fly Database That Powers Genetic Research
Harvard Funding Cuts Endanger the Massive Fruit Fly Database That Powers Genetic Research | News | The Harvard Crimson
FlyBase lost a multimillion dollar grant when the Trump administration cut off Harvard’s federal funding in May. Now the repository is laying off staff — and researchers worldwide are worried.
www.thecrimson.com
September 9, 2025 at 10:44 AM
christabone.bsky.social
September 7, 2025 at 4:59 PM
christabone.bsky.social
Possibly great news for FlyBase. Awaiting information from Harvard regarding the grant...
Judge Hands Victory to Harvard in Funding Lawsuit, Ruling Trump Administration’s Freeze Unconstitutional | News | The Harvard Crimson
A federal judge ruled that the Trump administration violated the Constitution when it froze more than $2.7 billion in research funding to Harvard, striking down the freeze in its entirety and deliveri...
www.thecrimson.com
September 3, 2025 at 10:45 PM
Reposted by Christopher Tabone
poppi62.bsky.social
Dear president@harvard.edu, dear gaudet@mcb.harvard.edu,
to learn more about the importance of #Drosophila and crucial role of @flybase.bsky.social, and how it gave rise to at least 9 Nobel laureates in Physiology and Medicine, please see this link:
droso4schools.wordpress.com/why-fly/
August 25, 2025 at 9:36 AM
Reposted by Christopher Tabone
peiferlabunc.bsky.social
If you are a researcher whose lab uses FlyBase, consider a tax-deductible personal contribution. A lot of $100 contributions would help bridge the gap until we can set up a user fee system, and even $10 donations send the folks there the message we're behind them. Please share
My own donation
August 27, 2025 at 12:27 AM
Reposted by Christopher Tabone
peiferlabunc.bsky.social
The community of Drosophila researchers is amazing, mutually supportive and collaborative. Right now a key resource for our community, @flybase.bsky.social , is threatened by the cancellation of its NIH grant and is seeking community help in raising short term funds 1/n 🧪 please share
Dear Fly Community, In May 2025, the NIH terminated all grant funding to Harvard University, including the NHGRI grant that supported FlyBase. This grant also funded FlyBase teams at Indiana University (IU) and the University of Cambridge (UK), and as a result, their subawards were also canceled. The Cambridge team has secured support for one to two years through generous donations from the European fly community, emergency funding from the Wellcome Trust, and support from the University of Cambridge. At IU, funding has been secured for one year thanks to reserve funds from Thom Kaufman and a supplement from ORIP/NIH to the Bloomington Drosophila Stock Center (BDSC). Unfortunately, the situation at Harvard is far more critical. Harvard University had supported FlyBase staff since May but recently denied a request for extended bridge funding. As a result, all eight employees (four full-time and four part-time) were abruptly laid off, with termination dates ranging from August to mid-October depending on their positions. In addition, our curator at the University of New Mexico will leave her position at the end of August. This decision came as a shock, and we are urgently pursuing all possible funding options. To put the need into perspective: although FlyBase is free to use, it is not free to make. It takes large teams of people and millions of dollars a year to create FlyBase to support fly research (the last NHGRI grant supported us with more than 2 million USD per annum). To help sustain FlyBase operations, we have been reaching out to you to ask for your support. We have set up a donation site in Cambridge, UK, to which European labs have and can continue to contribute, and a new donation site at IU to which labs in the US and the rest of the world can contribute. We urge researchers to work with their grant administrators to contribute to FlyBase via these sites if at all possible, as more of the money will go to FlyBase. However, we appreciate that some fu… https://wiki.flybase.org/wiki/FlyBase:Contribute_to_FlyBase Our immediate goals are: 1. To maintain core curation activities and keep the FlyBase website online 2. To complete integration with the Alliance of Genome Resources (The Alliance). Integration with the Alliance is essential for FlyBase’s long-term sustainability. For nearly a decade, NHGRI/NIH has supported the unification of Model Organism Databases (MODs) into the Alliance, which we aim to achieve by 2028. Therefore, securing bridge funding to sustain FlyBase over the next three years is crucial for successful integration and the long-term access to FlyBase data. At present, our remaining funds will allow us to keep the FlyBase website online for approximately one more year. Beyond that, its future is uncertain unless new funding is secured. We will, of course, continue pursuing additional grant opportunities as they arise. Given the uncertainty of future NIH or alternative funding sources, we are relying on the Fly community for support. Your contributions will directly help us retain the staff needed to complete this transition and to secure ongoing fly data curation into the Alliance beyond 2028. We at FlyBase are incredibly grateful for the outpouring of support from the community during this challenging time. Your encouragement has strengthened our resolve and underscores how vital this resource remains to Drosophila research worldwide. Sincerely, The FlyBase Team
August 23, 2025 at 12:18 PM
Reposted by Christopher Tabone
drglam.bsky.social
We have finally navigated the endless red tape and gotten the donation site to support the US FlyBase groups up and running.

bsky.app/profile/flyb...
flybase.bsky.social FlyBase @flybase.bsky.social · Aug 15
FlyBase needs your help! We ask that European labs continue to contribute to Cambridge, UK FlyBase, whereas US and other non-European labs can contribute to US FlyBase. For more information and how to donate: wiki.flybase.org/wiki/FlyBase...
FlyBase:Contribute to FlyBase - FlyBase Wiki
wiki.flybase.org
August 16, 2025 at 7:11 PM
Reposted by Christopher Tabone
flybase.bsky.social
FlyBase needs your help! We ask that European labs continue to contribute to Cambridge, UK FlyBase, whereas US and other non-European labs can contribute to US FlyBase. For more information and how to donate: wiki.flybase.org/wiki/FlyBase...
FlyBase:Contribute to FlyBase - FlyBase Wiki
wiki.flybase.org
August 15, 2025 at 12:45 PM
Reposted by Christopher Tabone
drglam.bsky.social
News via The Transmitter www.thetransmitter.org/community/ha...
Harvard University lays off fly database team
The layoffs jeopardize this resource, which has served more than 4,000 labs for about three decades.
www.thetransmitter.org
August 13, 2025 at 7:59 PM
Reposted by Christopher Tabone
drglam.bsky.social
I just got the notice that all the FlyBase people at Harvard, including me, will be laid off on October 12. I'm devastated.
August 11, 2025 at 6:12 PM
Reposted by Christopher Tabone
flybase.bsky.social
MassLive.com recently interviewed several Harvard FlyBase people and wrote this news article about the importance of FlyBase: tinyurl.com/4chpts9f
Why a database of bug genes could be one of Trump’s most devastating cuts at Harvard
FlyBase, the world's only fruit fly database, is in the crosshairs of Trump's attack on Harvard. Here's why it could matter for your health.
tinyurl.com
June 25, 2025 at 8:31 PM
Reposted by Christopher Tabone
lucksmith.bsky.social
calling all fly folks, keep an eye out for new system coming soon, through which you can help support FlyBase in this time of dire need.
briancalvi.bsky.social Brian Calvi @briancalvi.bsky.social · Jun 16
Thanks to all who have expressed a willingness to support FlyBase. The wheels of bureaucracy are large and grind slowly. We expect to have a fee process in place by July. @flybase.bsky.social
June 17, 2025 at 12:46 AM
christabone.bsky.social
My recent webinar regarding orthology and paralogy at the Alliance of Genome Resources.
Orthology and Paralogy at the Alliance
YouTube video by Alliance Of Genome Resources
youtu.be
June 14, 2025 at 4:10 PM
Reposted by Christopher Tabone
thetransmitter.bsky.social
After losing its federal funding, the FlyBase team is requesting donations from labs so it can migrate the resource to another site.

By @callimcflurry.bsky.social

www.thetransmitter.org/community/fl...
FlyBase funding squashed amid Harvard grant terminations
The team behind the Drosophila genetics database is now requesting donations from labs to keep the resource afloat.
www.thetransmitter.org
June 12, 2025 at 6:35 PM
Reposted by Christopher Tabone
alliancegenome.bsky.social
The Alliance webinar on Orthology and Paralogy at the Alliance is TOMORROW (June 12), noon EDT. Preregister by TONIGHT (June 11) by midnight EDT for the Zoom link forms.gle/GzMnmwK23SzP....
June 11, 2025 at 1:42 PM
Reposted by Christopher Tabone
yeastgenome.bsky.social
FlyBase needs your help!

Because of recent changes to government funding, the NIH grant that supported FlyBase has been "terminated." flybase.org
June 9, 2025 at 2:42 PM
Reposted by Christopher Tabone
steven-flybase.bsky.social
European-based researchers can help support future #flybase curation by donating at this site: www.philanthropy.cam.ac.uk/give-to-camb...
Drosophila Genetic Database
The Drosophila Genetic Database, FlyBase, is on the brink of collapse due to the sudden termination of the FlyBase NIH grant, which includes salaries for 5 literature curators based at the University ...
www.philanthropy.cam.ac.uk
June 11, 2025 at 11:10 AM
Reposted by Christopher Tabone
alliancegenome.bsky.social
This month's Alliance webinar is 'Orthology and Paralogy at the Alliance', presented by Chris Tabone, on Thursday June 12 EDT. Preregister by Wednesday June 11 (before midnight EDT, please) to get the Zoom link
forms.gle/GzMnmwK23SzP...
Alliance Of Genome Resources Event Registration
forms.gle
June 5, 2025 at 5:48 PM
Reposted by Christopher Tabone
briancalvi.bsky.social
The current fundraising link is for EU labs to support FlyBase UK group. Still setting up to collect fees from U.S. and all other labs. Stay tuned. Divided because of recent international firewalls.
flybase.bsky.social FlyBase @flybase.bsky.social · Jun 3
We currently have a call for support that has gone out to European labs, to support FlyBase-UK. We are asking our colleagues from labs in the US and other countries to wait for a similar call to them that will go out in the near future, to support the US sites. We thank you for your patience.
hansonmark.bsky.social Mark A. Hanson @hansonmark.bsky.social · Jun 3
URGENT: FlyBase has lost practically all its funding overnight; even user fees are tied up in denied grant funding. 🤬🤯

Any lab using @flybase.bsky.social please donate using the link in post below.

This incredible community, on whose backs our #Drosophila labs depend, can't be left out to dry.
June 4, 2025 at 4:46 PM
Reposted by Christopher Tabone
hansonmark.bsky.social
URGENT: FlyBase has lost practically all its funding overnight; even user fees are tied up in denied grant funding. 🤬🤯

Any lab using @flybase.bsky.social please donate using the link in post below.

This incredible community, on whose backs our #Drosophila labs depend, can't be left out to dry.
marcsdionne.bsky.social Marc Dionne @marcsdionne.bsky.social · Jun 3
My lab studies bacterial infections. We spend a lot of time looking at (or for) species-specific genetic and genomic databases for hosts and microbes. FlyBase is the best of all—there is literally no comparison. Its existence is under threat. Please donate.
www.philanthropy.cam.ac.uk/give-to-camb...
Drosophila Genetic Database
The Drosophila Genetic Database, FlyBase, is on the brink of collapse due to the sudden termination of the FlyBase NIH grant, which includes salaries for 5 literature curators based at the University ...
www.philanthropy.cam.ac.uk
June 3, 2025 at 5:20 PM
Reposted by Christopher Tabone
flybase.bsky.social
We currently have a call for support that has gone out to European labs, to support FlyBase-UK. We are asking our colleagues from labs in the US and other countries to wait for a similar call to them that will go out in the near future, to support the US sites. We thank you for your patience.
hansonmark.bsky.social Mark A. Hanson @hansonmark.bsky.social · Jun 3
URGENT: FlyBase has lost practically all its funding overnight; even user fees are tied up in denied grant funding. 🤬🤯

Any lab using @flybase.bsky.social please donate using the link in post below.

This incredible community, on whose backs our #Drosophila labs depend, can't be left out to dry.
marcsdionne.bsky.social Marc Dionne @marcsdionne.bsky.social · Jun 3
My lab studies bacterial infections. We spend a lot of time looking at (or for) species-specific genetic and genomic databases for hosts and microbes. FlyBase is the best of all—there is literally no comparison. Its existence is under threat. Please donate.
www.philanthropy.cam.ac.uk/give-to-camb...
June 3, 2025 at 9:17 PM
Reposted by Christopher Tabone
ratgenome.bsky.social
Global biodata resources are at risk - funding models are fragile and unsustainable. GBC's open letter campaign needs your support to call for solutions. Science leaders have already signed the letter, please join them. Click here for more: globalbiodata.org/open-letter-...
OPEN LETTER CAMPAIGN - Global Biodata Coalition
Careers at the Global Biodata Coalition.
globalbiodata.org
November 21, 2024 at 4:31 PM