Jess Butler
@jessbutler.bsky.social
Lead Data Scientist, NHS Grampian + Senior Research Fellow, University of Aberdeen
Trying to do useful things with big, messy, high-security data. Huge nerd for open science and public health
https://www.abdn.ac.uk/iahs/people/profiles/jessicabutler
Trying to do useful things with big, messy, high-security data. Huge nerd for open science and public health
https://www.abdn.ac.uk/iahs/people/profiles/jessicabutler
Reposted by Jess Butler
What is the most profitable industry in the world, this side of the law? Not oil, not IT, not pharma.
It's *scientific publishing*.
We call this the Drain of Scientific Publishing.
Paper: arxiv.org/abs/2511.04820
Background: doi.org/10.1162/qss_...
Thread @markhanson.fediscience.org.ap.brid.gy 👇
It's *scientific publishing*.
We call this the Drain of Scientific Publishing.
Paper: arxiv.org/abs/2511.04820
Background: doi.org/10.1162/qss_...
Thread @markhanson.fediscience.org.ap.brid.gy 👇
November 12, 2025 at 10:31 AM
What is the most profitable industry in the world, this side of the law? Not oil, not IT, not pharma.
It's *scientific publishing*.
We call this the Drain of Scientific Publishing.
Paper: arxiv.org/abs/2511.04820
Background: doi.org/10.1162/qss_...
Thread @markhanson.fediscience.org.ap.brid.gy 👇
It's *scientific publishing*.
We call this the Drain of Scientific Publishing.
Paper: arxiv.org/abs/2511.04820
Background: doi.org/10.1162/qss_...
Thread @markhanson.fediscience.org.ap.brid.gy 👇
Reposted by Jess Butler
Thrilled to see PLOS Medicine (@plos.org) now REQUIRES the TARGET checklist to be completed for submitted target trial emulations. doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1004796
Transparent reporting shouldn't be optional, if you edit at a journal, please encourage your EiC or publishers to follow suit.
Transparent reporting shouldn't be optional, if you edit at a journal, please encourage your EiC or publishers to follow suit.
Raising the bar for causal inference: PLOS Medicine adopts the TARGET guidelines for target trial emulation studies
The TARGET guidelines aim to improve transparency and consistency in reporting of observational studies that emulate target trials. This Editorial announces that PLOS Medicine fully endorses the TARGE...
doi.org
November 7, 2025 at 12:57 AM
Thrilled to see PLOS Medicine (@plos.org) now REQUIRES the TARGET checklist to be completed for submitted target trial emulations. doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1004796
Transparent reporting shouldn't be optional, if you edit at a journal, please encourage your EiC or publishers to follow suit.
Transparent reporting shouldn't be optional, if you edit at a journal, please encourage your EiC or publishers to follow suit.
Reposted by Jess Butler
A Sharon Begley byline, almost 5 years after her death.
Upon hearing the news James Watson had died, a STAT reporter said in our Slack, "I wish I could read what Sharon would have written."
Incredible news: Sharon in fact did pre-write a Watson obit. And it is masterful and excoriating.
🧪🧬🧫
Upon hearing the news James Watson had died, a STAT reporter said in our Slack, "I wish I could read what Sharon would have written."
Incredible news: Sharon in fact did pre-write a Watson obit. And it is masterful and excoriating.
🧪🧬🧫
James Watson, dead at 97, was a scientific legend and a pariah among his peers
James Watson, the co-discoverer of the structure of DNA who died Thursday at 97, was a scientific legend and a pariah among his peers.
www.statnews.com
November 8, 2025 at 1:39 PM
A Sharon Begley byline, almost 5 years after her death.
Upon hearing the news James Watson had died, a STAT reporter said in our Slack, "I wish I could read what Sharon would have written."
Incredible news: Sharon in fact did pre-write a Watson obit. And it is masterful and excoriating.
🧪🧬🧫
Upon hearing the news James Watson had died, a STAT reporter said in our Slack, "I wish I could read what Sharon would have written."
Incredible news: Sharon in fact did pre-write a Watson obit. And it is masterful and excoriating.
🧪🧬🧫
Reposted by Jess Butler
Anyone who's seen my previous WTF biology threads will probably see what appeals to me so much about this. Once again, the crucial principles of how life works at the molecular level turn out to be fuzzy, cooperative, and combinatorial, in a manner that's clearly selected for. 7/7
October 30, 2025 at 11:24 PM
Anyone who's seen my previous WTF biology threads will probably see what appeals to me so much about this. Once again, the crucial principles of how life works at the molecular level turn out to be fuzzy, cooperative, and combinatorial, in a manner that's clearly selected for. 7/7
Reposted by Jess Butler
You may have seen reports about a paper claiming that "Stem cell therapy prevents heart attacks": bmj.altmetric.com/details/1830...
If so, you might want to grab some popcorn: pubpeer.com/publications...
If so, you might want to grab some popcorn: pubpeer.com/publications...
Report for: Prevention of acute myocardial infarction induced heart failure by intracoronary infusion of mesenchymal stem cells: phase 3 randomised clinical trial (PREVENT-TAHA8)
In the top 5% of all research outputs scored by Altmetric
bmj.altmetric.com
November 2, 2025 at 3:12 PM
You may have seen reports about a paper claiming that "Stem cell therapy prevents heart attacks": bmj.altmetric.com/details/1830...
If so, you might want to grab some popcorn: pubpeer.com/publications...
If so, you might want to grab some popcorn: pubpeer.com/publications...
Reposted by Jess Butler
Hare and hedgehog costumes, from the 1862 fairytale-themed ball of the Jung-München Artist’s Association. More in our latest post: https://publicdomainreview.org/collection/maskenfest/
October 30, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Hare and hedgehog costumes, from the 1862 fairytale-themed ball of the Jung-München Artist’s Association. More in our latest post: https://publicdomainreview.org/collection/maskenfest/
Reposted by Jess Butler
We publish *imaginary* research abstracts!
The Journal of Imaginary Research is now accepting submissions of new short fictional pieces. Click to read:
Why Abstract fiction?
The theme
How to get started
What to submit to us
What *not* to submit
journalofimaginaryresearch.home.blog/2025/10/28/c...
The Journal of Imaginary Research is now accepting submissions of new short fictional pieces. Click to read:
Why Abstract fiction?
The theme
How to get started
What to submit to us
What *not* to submit
journalofimaginaryresearch.home.blog/2025/10/28/c...
Call for Abstracts – Journal Of Imaginary Research Volume 11
The Journal of Imaginary Research is now accepting submissions of new short fictional pieces for our annual volume produced each November to celebrate Global Academic Writing Month. We pu…
journalofimaginaryresearch.home.blog
October 29, 2025 at 9:38 AM
We publish *imaginary* research abstracts!
The Journal of Imaginary Research is now accepting submissions of new short fictional pieces. Click to read:
Why Abstract fiction?
The theme
How to get started
What to submit to us
What *not* to submit
journalofimaginaryresearch.home.blog/2025/10/28/c...
The Journal of Imaginary Research is now accepting submissions of new short fictional pieces. Click to read:
Why Abstract fiction?
The theme
How to get started
What to submit to us
What *not* to submit
journalofimaginaryresearch.home.blog/2025/10/28/c...
Reposted by Jess Butler
Calling ALL health data folk: Re UK Health Data Research Service.
The UK gov & Wellcome have pledged up to £600 million to create a HDRS.
Myself & an ace team have been tasked by Wellcome to assess the existing health data ecosystem & identify what is needed to support the HDRS 👇.
Get in touch
The UK gov & Wellcome have pledged up to £600 million to create a HDRS.
Myself & an ace team have been tasked by Wellcome to assess the existing health data ecosystem & identify what is needed to support the HDRS 👇.
Get in touch
October 28, 2025 at 6:02 PM
Calling ALL health data folk: Re UK Health Data Research Service.
The UK gov & Wellcome have pledged up to £600 million to create a HDRS.
Myself & an ace team have been tasked by Wellcome to assess the existing health data ecosystem & identify what is needed to support the HDRS 👇.
Get in touch
The UK gov & Wellcome have pledged up to £600 million to create a HDRS.
Myself & an ace team have been tasked by Wellcome to assess the existing health data ecosystem & identify what is needed to support the HDRS 👇.
Get in touch
Reposted by Jess Butler
Python was awarded a funding grant, funding grant asked Python foundation to remove all diversity and inclusion initiatives they have.
Python foundation said no and rejected the grant.
If you use Python, send a few dollars to the charity to keep it going. I’m pushing a dono on behalf of ScamGuard.
Python foundation said no and rejected the grant.
If you use Python, send a few dollars to the charity to keep it going. I’m pushing a dono on behalf of ScamGuard.
Please read our statement, share it with your networks, and support us if you can. www.python.org/sponsors/app... psfmember.org/civicrm/cont...
October 27, 2025 at 4:11 PM
Python was awarded a funding grant, funding grant asked Python foundation to remove all diversity and inclusion initiatives they have.
Python foundation said no and rejected the grant.
If you use Python, send a few dollars to the charity to keep it going. I’m pushing a dono on behalf of ScamGuard.
Python foundation said no and rejected the grant.
If you use Python, send a few dollars to the charity to keep it going. I’m pushing a dono on behalf of ScamGuard.
I loved this course when I took it a few years ago. Highly recommend it for the content, and for the chance to hang out with passionate people
Interested in leading improvements to #research practices within your institution?
UKRN are offering a 2-day Research Leadership residential course at Cumberland Lodge, Windsor, 10 to 11 Dec 2025.
For info on how to apply, visit: www.ukrn.org/2025/10/03/u...
Applications close 2 Nov 2025.
UKRN are offering a 2-day Research Leadership residential course at Cumberland Lodge, Windsor, 10 to 11 Dec 2025.
For info on how to apply, visit: www.ukrn.org/2025/10/03/u...
Applications close 2 Nov 2025.
UKRN Research Leadership training
www.ukrn.org
October 27, 2025 at 2:26 PM
I loved this course when I took it a few years ago. Highly recommend it for the content, and for the chance to hang out with passionate people
Sparrowhawk feasting on a pigeon in our tiny city centre garden
October 25, 2025 at 10:22 AM
Sparrowhawk feasting on a pigeon in our tiny city centre garden
Reposted by Jess Butler
Recruitment has begun for a new National Statistician (£200k). Important role as the strategic head of the UK statistical system. There is less operational work as there is now a Perm Sec for ONS. So they are seeking an ‘internationally recognised leader in statistics’
www.saxbam.com/appointment/...
www.saxbam.com/appointment/...
UK Statistics Authority
Official statistics play a vital role in supporting society and the economy - informing government policymaking and evaluation, guiding economic and
www.saxbam.com
October 25, 2025 at 6:56 AM
Recruitment has begun for a new National Statistician (£200k). Important role as the strategic head of the UK statistical system. There is less operational work as there is now a Perm Sec for ONS. So they are seeking an ‘internationally recognised leader in statistics’
www.saxbam.com/appointment/...
www.saxbam.com/appointment/...
Reposted by Jess Butler
Fantastic opportunity to lead the Equity Lab @wellcometrust.bsky.social working with the legendary Jimmy Volmink, details here wellcome.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/en-GB/Wellco... Please repost so as many as possible can see this great opportunity
Associate Director, Equity Lab
Salary: £120,800 Closing date: 9th November Contract type: Permanent Interview dates: 24th and 28th November The Wellcome Trust is a global charitable foundation. We improve health for everyone by fun...
wellcome.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com
October 23, 2025 at 11:12 PM
Fantastic opportunity to lead the Equity Lab @wellcometrust.bsky.social working with the legendary Jimmy Volmink, details here wellcome.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/en-GB/Wellco... Please repost so as many as possible can see this great opportunity
Reposted by Jess Butler
The academic publishing industry is an oligopoly, an inefficient market. Oligopoly actors force us to buy a long list of crap so we can read the dozen journals we want. Anti-trust action would be rational. Let's hope at least that exploitative bundle deals are refused. We can walk away!
'New proposals by Elsevier, Springer Nature, Taylor & Francis, Wiley and Sage were sent to universities this week after their initial offers were decisively rejected by institutions in a sector-wide consultation run by Jisc,...negotiating jointly with Universities UK on behalf of universities.' 1/3
New offers from big five ‘still too costly’ for UK universities
‘Significant’ number of institutions predicted to drop deals with main scholarly imprints, leaving journal access much reduced
www.timeshighereducation.com
October 23, 2025 at 7:30 AM
The academic publishing industry is an oligopoly, an inefficient market. Oligopoly actors force us to buy a long list of crap so we can read the dozen journals we want. Anti-trust action would be rational. Let's hope at least that exploitative bundle deals are refused. We can walk away!
Reposted by Jess Butler
"institutions are the cornerstone of evidence-based policymaking, yet events in the United States have exposed how fragile that independence can be"
On strengthening the indepence of the ONS, Office for Budget Responsibility, Food Standards Agency, MHRA, Met Office, UKRI, Natural England, and UKHSA
On strengthening the indepence of the ONS, Office for Budget Responsibility, Food Standards Agency, MHRA, Met Office, UKRI, Natural England, and UKHSA
How safe are UK research institutions from politicisation?
@chrischirp.bsky.social & have have written a new blog for LSE on our report
blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsoci...
@chrischirp.bsky.social & have have written a new blog for LSE on our report
blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsoci...
How safe are UK research institutions from politicisation? - Impact of Social Sciences
New research finds the arm's length bodies that underpin UK research run the risk of politicisation unless they are put on a firmer footing.
blogs.lse.ac.uk
October 21, 2025 at 6:57 AM
"institutions are the cornerstone of evidence-based policymaking, yet events in the United States have exposed how fragile that independence can be"
On strengthening the indepence of the ONS, Office for Budget Responsibility, Food Standards Agency, MHRA, Met Office, UKRI, Natural England, and UKHSA
On strengthening the indepence of the ONS, Office for Budget Responsibility, Food Standards Agency, MHRA, Met Office, UKRI, Natural England, and UKHSA
"institutions are the cornerstone of evidence-based policymaking, yet events in the United States have exposed how fragile that independence can be"
On strengthening the indepence of the ONS, Office for Budget Responsibility, Food Standards Agency, MHRA, Met Office, UKRI, Natural England, and UKHSA
On strengthening the indepence of the ONS, Office for Budget Responsibility, Food Standards Agency, MHRA, Met Office, UKRI, Natural England, and UKHSA
How safe are UK research institutions from politicisation?
@chrischirp.bsky.social & have have written a new blog for LSE on our report
blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsoci...
@chrischirp.bsky.social & have have written a new blog for LSE on our report
blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsoci...
How safe are UK research institutions from politicisation? - Impact of Social Sciences
New research finds the arm's length bodies that underpin UK research run the risk of politicisation unless they are put on a firmer footing.
blogs.lse.ac.uk
October 21, 2025 at 6:57 AM
"institutions are the cornerstone of evidence-based policymaking, yet events in the United States have exposed how fragile that independence can be"
On strengthening the indepence of the ONS, Office for Budget Responsibility, Food Standards Agency, MHRA, Met Office, UKRI, Natural England, and UKHSA
On strengthening the indepence of the ONS, Office for Budget Responsibility, Food Standards Agency, MHRA, Met Office, UKRI, Natural England, and UKHSA
Reposted by Jess Butler
I convinced @roppenhe.bsky.social, astrophysicist extraordinaire and the discoverer of the first brown dwarf, to join @bsky.app. Please welcome her.
September 24, 2025 at 12:03 PM
I convinced @roppenhe.bsky.social, astrophysicist extraordinaire and the discoverer of the first brown dwarf, to join @bsky.app. Please welcome her.
Reposted by Jess Butler
More than *anything* the people who actually know how technology works, who actually build things, wish that people would treat LLMs like every other technology, and be normal about them. Don't build a religion about them, don't force them on people, don't ignore the problems. Just be normal.
October 17, 2025 at 4:34 AM
More than *anything* the people who actually know how technology works, who actually build things, wish that people would treat LLMs like every other technology, and be normal about them. Don't build a religion about them, don't force them on people, don't ignore the problems. Just be normal.
Reposted by Jess Butler
The Paul Meehl Graduate school provides FREE education for PhD students in Europe, especially in metascience and methodology paulmeehlschool.github.io Today is the kick-off of their annual conference!
October 17, 2025 at 7:11 AM
The Paul Meehl Graduate school provides FREE education for PhD students in Europe, especially in metascience and methodology paulmeehlschool.github.io Today is the kick-off of their annual conference!
"Carspreading" is excellent here
Cardiff Council is set to become the first local authority in the UK to introduce higher parking charges for SUVs and other heavy vehicles, in a move campaigners say will make city streets safer and fairer
Cardiff set to tackle SUV 'carspreading' in UK first
Cardiff Council is set to become the first local authority in the UK to introduce higher parking charges for SUVs and other heavy vehicles, in a move campaigners say will make city streets safer and f...
nation.cymru
October 16, 2025 at 7:34 AM
"Carspreading" is excellent here
Reposted by Jess Butler
"Triangulation: moving from correlations to causation", Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine Distinguished Lecture 2025, Thursday, October 16th, 5pm, in person or online
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/school-of-...
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/school-of-...
September 12, 2025 at 4:19 PM
"Triangulation: moving from correlations to causation", Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine Distinguished Lecture 2025, Thursday, October 16th, 5pm, in person or online
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/school-of-...
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/school-of-...
“Despite women making up 51% of the global population, only about 19% of biographies on English language Wikipedia are about women. And that’s not just women scientists. That’s women in all professional areas. That’s anyone that the Internet has deemed notable.”
Wade getting shit done 💪
Wade getting shit done 💪
Jess Wade is amazing, and it's my absolute honour to be one of the more than 2000 women in STEM whose wikipedia page she started: mymodernmet.com/jessica-wade... 🧪🔭👩🔬
Meet the Physicist Who Wrote Over 2,000 Wikipedia Biographies for Women in STEM
After noticing a lack of entries on Wikipedia for incredible women throughout history, this incredible woman decided to take matters into her own hands.
mymodernmet.com
October 12, 2025 at 12:48 PM
“Despite women making up 51% of the global population, only about 19% of biographies on English language Wikipedia are about women. And that’s not just women scientists. That’s women in all professional areas. That’s anyone that the Internet has deemed notable.”
Wade getting shit done 💪
Wade getting shit done 💪
Reposted by Jess Butler
cry havoc and let slip the frogs of war
October 11, 2025 at 12:32 AM
cry havoc and let slip the frogs of war
"Is a body established in law?
Who appoints its leadership?
Is a body directly accountable to parliament?
Who sets its priorities?
Who controls its funding?
Is it free to publish without ministerial say-so?"
Great thread 👇
Who appoints its leadership?
Is a body directly accountable to parliament?
Who sets its priorities?
Who controls its funding?
Is it free to publish without ministerial say-so?"
Great thread 👇
🧵🚨
The UK’s independent scientific bodies are highly vulnerable to politicisation - over the past 5 months I've been working with @martinmckee.bsky.social to map out their vulnerabilities and it's not good news.
Today our report is published!
www.ucl.ac.uk/policy-lab/n...
1/11
The UK’s independent scientific bodies are highly vulnerable to politicisation - over the past 5 months I've been working with @martinmckee.bsky.social to map out their vulnerabilities and it's not good news.
Today our report is published!
www.ucl.ac.uk/policy-lab/n...
1/11
UK’s arm’s length public bodies are highly vulnerable to politicisation
Seven in ten Britons say it is important for top scientific institutions to be independent in exclusive new polling.
www.ucl.ac.uk
October 10, 2025 at 3:09 PM
"Is a body established in law?
Who appoints its leadership?
Is a body directly accountable to parliament?
Who sets its priorities?
Who controls its funding?
Is it free to publish without ministerial say-so?"
Great thread 👇
Who appoints its leadership?
Is a body directly accountable to parliament?
Who sets its priorities?
Who controls its funding?
Is it free to publish without ministerial say-so?"
Great thread 👇
Reposted by Jess Butler
Just a reminder that if you are a scientist wondering how you can communicate the value of federally-funded scientific research outside of your bubble, @sciencehomecoming.bsky.social is here to help you pitch and publish in your hometown newspaper
sciencehomecoming.com
sciencehomecoming.com
Science Homecoming
sciencehomecoming.com
October 8, 2025 at 5:44 PM
Just a reminder that if you are a scientist wondering how you can communicate the value of federally-funded scientific research outside of your bubble, @sciencehomecoming.bsky.social is here to help you pitch and publish in your hometown newspaper
sciencehomecoming.com
sciencehomecoming.com