Kelly Sheppard (he/him/his)
@kstrna62.bsky.social
Spouse, parent, home cook, educator, cynical optimist, tRNA biochemist at a small liberal arts college, collaborative research w/ undergrads, flipped classroom, CUREs, assessment, pre-health advising, Californian living in upstate NY via CT
Reposted by Kelly Sheppard (he/him/his)
I wrote a little bit about the "missing heritability" question and several recent studies that have brought it to a close. A short 🧵
The missing heritability question is now (mostly) answered
Not with a bang but with a whimper
theinfinitesimal.substack.com
November 21, 2025 at 10:34 PM
I wrote a little bit about the "missing heritability" question and several recent studies that have brought it to a close. A short 🧵
Reposted by Kelly Sheppard (he/him/his)
The law of the jungle.
Interactions of cells in a collective lead to global rotation.
In 80% of the case HUVEC cells turn clockwise.
How many cells does it take for this to happen?
Interactions of cells in a collective lead to global rotation.
In 80% of the case HUVEC cells turn clockwise.
How many cells does it take for this to happen?
November 21, 2025 at 1:07 PM
The law of the jungle.
Interactions of cells in a collective lead to global rotation.
In 80% of the case HUVEC cells turn clockwise.
How many cells does it take for this to happen?
Interactions of cells in a collective lead to global rotation.
In 80% of the case HUVEC cells turn clockwise.
How many cells does it take for this to happen?
Reposted by Kelly Sheppard (he/him/his)
I know that at this point it's a subplot in the Epstein files drama, but I feel compelled to point out, once again, that Larry Summers HAS NO BUSINESS teaching students at ANY university ever again!
My latest cries into the abyss, in @thenation.com
www.thenation.com/article/soci...
My latest cries into the abyss, in @thenation.com
www.thenation.com/article/soci...
Why Is Larry Summers Still Employed?
The revelations about the economist’s attempts to pressure a women into a “relationship”—with guidance from Jeffrey Epstein—should finally disqualify him from teaching students.
www.thenation.com
November 19, 2025 at 4:24 PM
I know that at this point it's a subplot in the Epstein files drama, but I feel compelled to point out, once again, that Larry Summers HAS NO BUSINESS teaching students at ANY university ever again!
My latest cries into the abyss, in @thenation.com
www.thenation.com/article/soci...
My latest cries into the abyss, in @thenation.com
www.thenation.com/article/soci...
Reposted by Kelly Sheppard (he/him/his)
Reposted by Kelly Sheppard (he/him/his)
Oh no.
The incredible, indomitable, inspirational Alice Wong has left us.
I'm so grateful to have known her on social media, and so grateful for all the words she shared with us and all the actions she encouraged us into making.
May we live up to her example.
(so you don't have to go to Instagram)
I'm so grateful to have known her on social media, and so grateful for all the words she shared with us and all the actions she encouraged us into making.
May we live up to her example.
(so you don't have to go to Instagram)
November 15, 2025 at 12:30 PM
Oh no.
When we stop lionizing, it doesn't mean we stop talking about people in science - it means we better recognize the humanity in doing science, capturing the tapestry of people involved.
Don't disagree about stop lionizing - my point is to focus on what the Central Dogma actually is, which gets at what is happening in the cell and possibly why.
November 14, 2025 at 1:22 PM
When we stop lionizing, it doesn't mean we stop talking about people in science - it means we better recognize the humanity in doing science, capturing the tapestry of people involved.
What Crick proposed with the Central Dogma gets at understanding structure/function relationships, the underlying chemistry.
Watson's textbook simplification was memorization of the typical flow in the cells to make proteins.
Our students deserve better. #ChemChat #MolBio #Biochem
Watson's textbook simplification was memorization of the typical flow in the cells to make proteins.
Our students deserve better. #ChemChat #MolBio #Biochem
With Watson's death can we stop teaching his simplified version of the Central Dogma (DNA-RNA-protein) & instead teach what Crick actually proposed? It promotes understanding & critical thinking. wellcomecollection.org/works/xmscu3...
November 13, 2025 at 11:25 PM
With Watson's death can we stop teaching his simplified version of the Central Dogma (DNA-RNA-protein) & instead teach what Crick actually proposed? It promotes understanding & critical thinking. wellcomecollection.org/works/xmscu3...
November 13, 2025 at 11:13 PM
With Watson's death can we stop teaching his simplified version of the Central Dogma (DNA-RNA-protein) & instead teach what Crick actually proposed? It promotes understanding & critical thinking. wellcomecollection.org/works/xmscu3...
Watson was a sexist, racist, arrogant a-hole. In 1951, he attended a seminar Rosalind Franklin gave on DNA X-ray data. He didn't take notes, conveying the wrong information to Crick. He also popularized the overly simplified version of Crick's Central Dogma of Mol Bio - DNA to RNA to protein.
November 8, 2025 at 8:56 PM
Watson was a sexist, racist, arrogant a-hole. In 1951, he attended a seminar Rosalind Franklin gave on DNA X-ray data. He didn't take notes, conveying the wrong information to Crick. He also popularized the overly simplified version of Crick's Central Dogma of Mol Bio - DNA to RNA to protein.
Reposted by Kelly Sheppard (he/him/his)
This a million times. Denial never really changes, just shifts to update its language with new discoveries and new terminology. We see the same with evolution and HIV denial. Plus, people were sick of antivaxxers even in the late 1800s.
November 4, 2025 at 11:48 AM
This a million times. Denial never really changes, just shifts to update its language with new discoveries and new terminology. We see the same with evolution and HIV denial. Plus, people were sick of antivaxxers even in the late 1800s.
Wallace Shawn - fighting the good fight yet again.
November 2, 2025 at 11:10 PM
Wallace Shawn - fighting the good fight yet again.
Reposted by Kelly Sheppard (he/him/his)
please support if you can; RT if you don't mind
My niece Punkin needs a kidney 🫶🏾🫶🏾 Please share and tell a friend who may be able to help 🙏🏾
www.gofundme.com/f/give-marci...
www.gofundme.com/f/give-marci...
Donate to Give Marcia a Chance at a Healthy Future, organized by Sharday H
Marcia is a vibrant 14-year-old girl who has always loved to dance and play the flu… Sharday H needs your support for Give Marcia a Chance at a Healthy Future
www.gofundme.com
October 28, 2025 at 3:49 AM
please support if you can; RT if you don't mind
Count me in as a Grinch towards Booing in October - why push people to do even more for such little gain - the intensive-parenting culture? Why can't Halloween be enough?
www.parents.com/the-downside...
www.parents.com/the-downside...
Getting 'Boo'd' Turns Me Into the Halloween Grinch
Here's why this newer holiday tradition is more burdensome and than bewitching.
www.parents.com
October 30, 2025 at 3:50 AM
Count me in as a Grinch towards Booing in October - why push people to do even more for such little gain - the intensive-parenting culture? Why can't Halloween be enough?
www.parents.com/the-downside...
www.parents.com/the-downside...
Reposted by Kelly Sheppard (he/him/his)
"Viewpoint diversity" about whether human activity is warming the planet, or whether vaccines work, is like "viewpoint diversity" about whether the sky is blue or whether the Earth is round. It falls outside the range of good faith scientific and academic discourse.
#ScienceUnderSiege
#ScienceUnderSiege
October 21, 2025 at 2:51 PM
"Viewpoint diversity" about whether human activity is warming the planet, or whether vaccines work, is like "viewpoint diversity" about whether the sky is blue or whether the Earth is round. It falls outside the range of good faith scientific and academic discourse.
#ScienceUnderSiege
#ScienceUnderSiege
Reposted by Kelly Sheppard (he/him/his)
"Viewpoint diversity" is ever only invoked to force the inclusion of rightwing dogmas. You never hear any "viewpoint diversity" advocates clamoring for Buddhist perspectives, Navajo ideas, or Zoroastrian ideas. True viewpoint diversity has nothing to do with American left-right politics.
"Viewpoint diversity" about whether human activity is warming the planet, or whether vaccines work, is like "viewpoint diversity" about whether the sky is blue or whether the Earth is round. It falls outside the range of good faith scientific and academic discourse.
#ScienceUnderSiege
#ScienceUnderSiege
October 22, 2025 at 12:16 AM
"Viewpoint diversity" is ever only invoked to force the inclusion of rightwing dogmas. You never hear any "viewpoint diversity" advocates clamoring for Buddhist perspectives, Navajo ideas, or Zoroastrian ideas. True viewpoint diversity has nothing to do with American left-right politics.
Cloud service outages remind me to teach my students how to save files to a local drive - important when the cloud access is tied to being a student and ends when they graduate.
October 20, 2025 at 8:48 PM
Cloud service outages remind me to teach my students how to save files to a local drive - important when the cloud access is tied to being a student and ends when they graduate.
May I also point out, it is faster to look something up on Wiki, with reliable info and relevant sources, than trying to use ChatGPT to do the same. Speed with better results - wiki is more efficient in that regard.
wikipedia's data shows that AI is siphoning traffic away from the site, which is a danger to its sustainability. ironically Wikipedia is more important than ever to users who want reliable information instead of slop, and to AI companies that need it for training data www.404media.co/wikipedia-sa...
Wikipedia Says AI Is Causing a Dangerous Decline in Human Visitors
“With fewer visits to Wikipedia, fewer volunteers may grow and enrich the content, and fewer individual donors may support this work.”
www.404media.co
October 20, 2025 at 6:57 PM
May I also point out, it is faster to look something up on Wiki, with reliable info and relevant sources, than trying to use ChatGPT to do the same. Speed with better results - wiki is more efficient in that regard.
I graduated high school in '95. The amount of vile racist comments directed at my teammates and coaches at games and written on chalkboards would strongly argue against the commenters point. As would the lack of response from anyone in positions of power.
My parents' generation was super racist, but they took pains to hide it from us. So a lot of young conservatives in the 90s and early aughts were earnest small government and/or evangelical types.
As I said, the overt racists and radicals had to form their own orgs.
As I said, the overt racists and radicals had to form their own orgs.
October 15, 2025 at 3:19 PM
I graduated high school in '95. The amount of vile racist comments directed at my teammates and coaches at games and written on chalkboards would strongly argue against the commenters point. As would the lack of response from anyone in positions of power.
Reposted by Kelly Sheppard (he/him/his)
This piece made possible by the detailed data and analysis in CDC's MMWR reports, the staff of which was reportedly laid off in last night's purge...
Last year's flu season was brutal-280 kids died. That came amid a drop in flu vax rates among vulnerable groups. Convincing people to get the flu shot has always been hard-under RFK, doctors' job got much tougher. Anyway: it's October, get your flu shot! My latest for @opinion.bloomberg.com (🎁):
This Flu Season Doesn’t Have to Be as Deadly as the Last
Last year’s flu season was long, brutal, and ultimately tragic. By the time infections had subsided in May, as many as 1.1 million Americans were estimated to have been hospitalized and as many as 100...
www.bloomberg.com
October 11, 2025 at 1:12 PM
This piece made possible by the detailed data and analysis in CDC's MMWR reports, the staff of which was reportedly laid off in last night's purge...
Reposted by Kelly Sheppard (he/him/his)
Our department is hiring a tenure-track line in Organic Chemistry and related fields! We teach and do research with undergraduate students exclusively. For a PUI, we have very good facilities and instrumentation (400 MHz NMR, six mass specs).
@chemjobber.bsky.social
jobs.cofc.edu/postings/17246
@chemjobber.bsky.social
jobs.cofc.edu/postings/17246
Assistant Professor of Organic Chemistry
Tenure-Track Assistant Professor in Organic Chemistry. The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the College of Charleston invites applications for a tenure-track faculty position beginning in F...
jobs.cofc.edu
October 10, 2025 at 2:24 PM
Our department is hiring a tenure-track line in Organic Chemistry and related fields! We teach and do research with undergraduate students exclusively. For a PUI, we have very good facilities and instrumentation (400 MHz NMR, six mass specs).
@chemjobber.bsky.social
jobs.cofc.edu/postings/17246
@chemjobber.bsky.social
jobs.cofc.edu/postings/17246
Reposted by Kelly Sheppard (he/him/his)
15 years in the making, we confirmed that mitochondria - the powerhouse of the cell - have an unusual localization in patients who experience psychosis (including schizophrenia and bipolar disorders). You’ll never guess what kind of patient cells we used to make this discovery… 🧵
October 10, 2025 at 4:47 PM
15 years in the making, we confirmed that mitochondria - the powerhouse of the cell - have an unusual localization in patients who experience psychosis (including schizophrenia and bipolar disorders). You’ll never guess what kind of patient cells we used to make this discovery… 🧵
Reposted by Kelly Sheppard (he/him/his)
Claim: 10 cars rammed ICE
Truth: No cars rammed ICE
Claim: She boxed ICE in
Truth: ICE boxed her in
Claim: She shot a rifle at ICE
Truth: She did not have a rifle
Claim: ICE returned fire
Truth: Only ICE fired
Claim: She drove herself to the hospital
Truth: Paramedics found her
Truth: No cars rammed ICE
Claim: She boxed ICE in
Truth: ICE boxed her in
Claim: She shot a rifle at ICE
Truth: She did not have a rifle
Claim: ICE returned fire
Truth: Only ICE fired
Claim: She drove herself to the hospital
Truth: Paramedics found her
Body-camera video appears to contradict the government’s claim that Marimar Martinez, 30, drove toward officers before one of them opened fire at her late Saturday morning in Brighton Park, her attorney claimed.
trib.al/9Sxu9IN
trib.al/9Sxu9IN
Attorney for woman shot by Border Patrol claims officer said 'Do something b-----' before shooting
Body-camera video appears to contradict the government's claim that Marimar Martinez, 30, drove toward officers before one of them opened fire at her late Saturday morning in Brighton Park, her attorney claimed. A judge ordered Martinez and a co-defendant released pending trial.
trib.al
October 6, 2025 at 10:49 PM
Claim: 10 cars rammed ICE
Truth: No cars rammed ICE
Claim: She boxed ICE in
Truth: ICE boxed her in
Claim: She shot a rifle at ICE
Truth: She did not have a rifle
Claim: ICE returned fire
Truth: Only ICE fired
Claim: She drove herself to the hospital
Truth: Paramedics found her
Truth: No cars rammed ICE
Claim: She boxed ICE in
Truth: ICE boxed her in
Claim: She shot a rifle at ICE
Truth: She did not have a rifle
Claim: ICE returned fire
Truth: Only ICE fired
Claim: She drove herself to the hospital
Truth: Paramedics found her
Reposted by Kelly Sheppard (he/him/his)
perhaps the biggest story TFPever ran was a catastrophically shoddy argument that George Floyd ackshully died of an overdose. When confronted with irrefutable evidence that the piece was simply wrong, Weiss didn’t take it down, she asked her critic, @radleybalko.bsky.social, to come on a podcast.
David Ellison’s note to staff on Paramount’s acquisition of the Free Press
October 6, 2025 at 1:35 PM
perhaps the biggest story TFPever ran was a catastrophically shoddy argument that George Floyd ackshully died of an overdose. When confronted with irrefutable evidence that the piece was simply wrong, Weiss didn’t take it down, she asked her critic, @radleybalko.bsky.social, to come on a podcast.