Jason Gallant
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jasongallant.bsky.social
Jason Gallant
@jasongallant.bsky.social
evolutionary biologist at MSU with a fondness for fish that make electricity
Woot, my new perspective piece on the importance of leveraging earth's biodiversity to solve biology's most pressing questions was just published! Let me know if you'd like a copy!
The first of these is a Comment by Jason Gallant on diversifying animal-based research beyond canonical research organisms by selecting organisms best-suited to answer biological questions. 🧪🌎
Web link: go.nature.com/4qStiBc
November 12, 2025 at 3:01 PM
Reposted by Jason Gallant
The Braasch Lab @fishevodevogeno.bsky.social will soon post a position to replace manager of our *Ancient Fish Facility* at Michigan State. Looking for aquaculturist excited for unusual 🐟 species (gar, bowfin, paddlefish, polypterus) + zebrafish. Pls send candidates our way (DM or braasch@msu.edu)!
July 1, 2025 at 6:43 PM
Reposted by Jason Gallant
There are 2 previous historical cases of countries destroying their science and universities, crippling them for decades: Lysenkoism in the USSR and Nazi Germany. The Trump administration will be the 3rd.
It's not just budgets but research, institutions, expertise, and training the next generation.
May 31, 2025 at 4:43 AM
Whats up Athens!?? #evolution2025
June 19, 2025 at 10:37 PM
American science isn’t just under siege—it’s officially occupied territory today. Trump’s NSF plan? Abolish 37 divisions and cut the budget to the point it is a glorified science fair run by politicians. 75 years of world-leading innovation? Poof. We’re trading CRISPR for leeches and witch trials.
May 9, 2025 at 1:59 PM
Reposted by Jason Gallant
The end of NSF and American science expertise as we know it is here.🧪

www.science.org/content/arti...
Exclusive: NSF faces radical shake-up as officials abolish its 37 divisions
Changes seen as a response to presidential directives on what research to fund
www.science.org
May 9, 2025 at 12:47 AM
Reposted by Jason Gallant
PhD Timeline xkcd.com/3081
April 25, 2025 at 3:32 PM
Reposted by Jason Gallant
Exclusive: The director of the National Science Foundation announced his resignation today, 16 months before his 6-year term ends, in a letter to staff obtained by Science. scim.ag/42vc3fn
Exclusive: ‘I have done all I can’: NSF director announces he is resigning
Sethuraman Panchanathan, a Trump appointee who has led the agency since 2020, leaves amid mass firings and grant terminations
scim.ag
April 24, 2025 at 6:16 PM
Heard today on the drive home:

"There is no reason in the United States for us to have a single child die of measles." -- Peter Marx, until last month, the top vaccine regulator at the CDC.
A vaccine expert worries child measles deaths are being 'normalized'
Ousted FDA vaccine chief Dr. Peter Marks talks about the current administration's policy on vaccines, and how that is impact its response to the on-going measles outbreak in the southwestern U.S.
www.npr.org
April 15, 2025 at 12:46 AM
Reposted by Jason Gallant
📣 GET IN, DORKS!
We are going protesting...AGAIN! 📣

This time we are standing up for our core value of academic freedom and asking university leadership to STAND UP WITH US against Trump's attack on higher ed ✊

#StandUpWithUS

Register/find an event: actionnetwork.org/event_campai...
April 8, 2025 at 10:09 PM
Reposted by Jason Gallant
Inside me there are two wolves. One of them has a 15 genome edits the other 20 genome edits. Neither of them is a dire wolf.
April 8, 2025 at 1:56 PM
You can’t defend freedom while attacking the people who make discovery possible.
When you target scientists, you don’t protect America — you weaken it.

Shame, shame, shame.
International students’ visas have been revoked, MSU says - The State News
At least some international students at MSU have had their visas revoked by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, a university spokesperson confirmed Monday.
statenews.com
April 8, 2025 at 1:23 AM
Reposted by Jason Gallant
Love seeing all the people who care. Big cities are amazing, but this bravery is what makes my heart burst.
April 6, 2025 at 11:15 AM
Reposted by Jason Gallant
Are steps at the Michigan State Capitol ADA compliant 🤔
April 6, 2025 at 3:27 PM
Reposted by Jason Gallant
The message is: crowd large.

Many politicians, administrators, and business leaders, in bowing to Trump, have drawn confidence and comfort from the perceived vibe shift.

Events like this puncture that delusion.
You can stop asking where the mass opposition is. It's everywhere.
People poured out to protest not only what Trump has done—and what they fear he will do next.
www.motherjones.com
April 5, 2025 at 11:37 PM
Protesters in Lansing, MI today joined me to say #handsoff our science.
April 6, 2025 at 12:31 AM
I got to speak at a political rally (video below). Today, I stood up for science in Michigan at the Hands Off Day of action in Lansing. Inspired talks and one hell of a crowd!! @50501mi.bsky.social
Standing up for science in Lansing
YouTube video by Jason Gallant
youtu.be
April 5, 2025 at 8:47 PM
Reposted by Jason Gallant
Did you ask for a fish fact? No, but you're getting one whether you like it or not. 🐟

Electrosensitive rostral appendages that can detect prey items have evolved multiple times within mormyrid fishes, and one of these organs is called the Schnauzenorgan.

doi.org/10.1093/iob/...
April 3, 2025 at 6:30 PM
Reposted by Jason Gallant
Bumping to the Fishes! and Science feeds.🐟🧪
Some microphagous fishes have a unique pocket-like throat structure, epibranchial organ (EBO), that helps gather tiny food particles. New study of 13 species reveals diverse EBO anatomy, weak phylogenetic ties & possible link to diet
Evans et al:
anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
April 3, 2025 at 7:03 PM
Reposted by Jason Gallant
Tired: “due to ongoing uncertainties about federal funding…”

Wired: “due to President Trump and his administration’s illegal seizure of funds to American educational institutions…”
March 12, 2025 at 10:05 PM
Awesome work from awesome scientists! @lizmillermacroevo.bsky.social and @sternarchella.bsky.social !! What a face!
Easy breezy beautiful cover girl!!
We got the cover of Nature Eco Evo for our anglerfish study!! Shoutout to our graduate student HoWan Chan for the slick image. Read to study here www.nature.com/articles/s41...
March 12, 2025 at 10:07 PM
We are hiring a fixed-term faculty member in the MSU Integrative Biology department to teach our core courses in Genetics, Evolution and Ecology! Check out the full ad here! Please RP! #sciencejobs #BlackinSTEM #LatinxinSTEM #diversityinSTEM
MSU Careers Details - Inst/Ast Prof - Fixed Term
careers.msu.edu
December 19, 2023 at 1:36 AM
Wow-- signal/noise ratio is vastly improved over here! See ya, X!
December 19, 2023 at 1:31 AM