Mia Levine
@levine-lab.bsky.social
Associate Professor @ Penn Biology, Penn Epigenetics Institute, Penn Center for Genome Integrity.
We combine evolutionary genetics and cell biology to study how DNA repeat evolution perturbs and preserves genome integrity.
We combine evolutionary genetics and cell biology to study how DNA repeat evolution perturbs and preserves genome integrity.
Reposted by Mia Levine
Deeply saddened by the passing of my colleague, Prof. Meng-Chao Yao, a remarkable scientist and mentor. He left an indelible mark on all of us fortunate enough to know him. His legacy in molecular and ciliate biology will endure. Rest well, my friend. 1/
obituaries.seattletimes.com/obituary/men...
obituaries.seattletimes.com/obituary/men...
Meng-Chao Yao Obituary | 1949 - 2025 | Seattle Times
View Meng-Chao Yao's complete obituary, share memories, and explore 1 tribute posts from the community.
obituaries.seattletimes.com
November 17, 2025 at 11:24 PM
Deeply saddened by the passing of my colleague, Prof. Meng-Chao Yao, a remarkable scientist and mentor. He left an indelible mark on all of us fortunate enough to know him. His legacy in molecular and ciliate biology will endure. Rest well, my friend. 1/
obituaries.seattletimes.com/obituary/men...
obituaries.seattletimes.com/obituary/men...
Reposted by Mia Levine
I am looking to hire a postdoc interested in combining genetics and evolution to understand why telomeres vary so much in plants. My group has been developing Mimulus a genetic model for studying plant telomeres and we have really cool research brewing. Please check ad for detail. Deadline is 12/31.
November 16, 2025 at 8:29 PM
I am looking to hire a postdoc interested in combining genetics and evolution to understand why telomeres vary so much in plants. My group has been developing Mimulus a genetic model for studying plant telomeres and we have really cool research brewing. Please check ad for detail. Deadline is 12/31.
Reposted by Mia Levine
Our NY area population genetics meeting is back and "upgraded", as Simons Foundation @simonsfoundation.org generously agreed to host. Please save the date: March 9, 2026. Look forward to seeing many of you from NY and beyond.
SAVE THE DATE: the yearly NY Population Genetics meeting will be back on March 9 2026, generously hosted by the
@simonsfoundation.org. Details to follow. Please RT.
@simonsfoundation.org. Details to follow. Please RT.
November 14, 2025 at 5:58 PM
Our NY area population genetics meeting is back and "upgraded", as Simons Foundation @simonsfoundation.org generously agreed to host. Please save the date: March 9, 2026. Look forward to seeing many of you from NY and beyond.
Reposted by Mia Levine
Our lab's paper describing the North American H5N1 epizootic is out now in Nature! So thrilled to have this out, and congratulations to @lambod50.bsky.social for all the fantastic work on this: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Ecology and spread of the North American H5N1 epizootic - Nature
The panzootic of highly pathogenic H5N1 since 2021 was driven by around nine introductions into the Atlantic and Pacific flyways, followed by rapid dissemination through wild migratory birds, primaril...
www.nature.com
November 12, 2025 at 7:33 PM
Our lab's paper describing the North American H5N1 epizootic is out now in Nature! So thrilled to have this out, and congratulations to @lambod50.bsky.social for all the fantastic work on this: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Mia Levine
I am so excited to share new work on a TE insertion that regulates iridescence in swordtails, led by fantastic grad student @nadiahaghani.bsky.social and with help from many coauthors! In a time that has been so difficult to navigate, this & other projects have kept my spirits up: shorturl.at/NE65A
Insertion of an invading retrovirus regulates a novel color trait in swordtail fish
For over a century, evolutionary biologists have been motivated to understand the mechanisms through which organisms adapt to their environments. Coloration and pigmentation are remarkably variable wi...
shorturl.at
November 12, 2025 at 8:34 PM
I am so excited to share new work on a TE insertion that regulates iridescence in swordtails, led by fantastic grad student @nadiahaghani.bsky.social and with help from many coauthors! In a time that has been so difficult to navigate, this & other projects have kept my spirits up: shorturl.at/NE65A
Reposted by Mia Levine
Are you an early-stage graduate student (2nd or 3rd year) or early-stage postdoc based in the US or Canada, working primarily in Drosophila? Would you like to help improve the experience of all trainees working in Drosophila research? If so, read on.
(Please repost to reach a broad audience.)
(Please repost to reach a broad audience.)
November 12, 2025 at 4:49 AM
Are you an early-stage graduate student (2nd or 3rd year) or early-stage postdoc based in the US or Canada, working primarily in Drosophila? Would you like to help improve the experience of all trainees working in Drosophila research? If so, read on.
(Please repost to reach a broad audience.)
(Please repost to reach a broad audience.)
Reposted by Mia Levine
Some impressions from the rather fabulous #EMBOmobilegenome Mobile Genome meeting in Heidelberg
Morning walk through the woods, exciting panel discussion, flash talks, lab community, drosophila friends, …
@events.embl.org
The transposon community is going very strong. see you all again in 2027!!
Morning walk through the woods, exciting panel discussion, flash talks, lab community, drosophila friends, …
@events.embl.org
The transposon community is going very strong. see you all again in 2027!!
November 7, 2025 at 7:38 AM
Some impressions from the rather fabulous #EMBOmobilegenome Mobile Genome meeting in Heidelberg
Morning walk through the woods, exciting panel discussion, flash talks, lab community, drosophila friends, …
@events.embl.org
The transposon community is going very strong. see you all again in 2027!!
Morning walk through the woods, exciting panel discussion, flash talks, lab community, drosophila friends, …
@events.embl.org
The transposon community is going very strong. see you all again in 2027!!
Reposted by Mia Levine
Come be our colleague! The University of Rochester is hiring a TT Assistant Professor in evolutionary genetics and genomics: apply.interfolio.com/173431.
Apply - Interfolio
{{$ctrl.$state.data.pageTitle}} - Apply - Interfolio
apply.interfolio.com
October 29, 2025 at 2:12 PM
Come be our colleague! The University of Rochester is hiring a TT Assistant Professor in evolutionary genetics and genomics: apply.interfolio.com/173431.
Reposted by Mia Levine
(1/9) Join us in Bern, Switzerland (8–11 Feb 2026) for our EMBO Workshop on Molecular Mechanisms of Selfish Elements and Strategies!
Organized with Tanja Schwander, Laura Ross (@laurarossevo.bsky.social) and Axel Imhof.
meetings.embo.org/event/26-sel...
#EMBOselfishElements #EMBOevents
Organized with Tanja Schwander, Laura Ross (@laurarossevo.bsky.social) and Axel Imhof.
meetings.embo.org/event/26-sel...
#EMBOselfishElements #EMBOevents
Molecular mechanisms of selfish elements and strategies
Certain genes, chromosomes, organelles, or entire sets of chromosomes can bias their transmission to the next generation, propagating themselves at the expense of the rest of the genome. Referred to …
meetings.embo.org
October 27, 2025 at 5:37 PM
(1/9) Join us in Bern, Switzerland (8–11 Feb 2026) for our EMBO Workshop on Molecular Mechanisms of Selfish Elements and Strategies!
Organized with Tanja Schwander, Laura Ross (@laurarossevo.bsky.social) and Axel Imhof.
meetings.embo.org/event/26-sel...
#EMBOselfishElements #EMBOevents
Organized with Tanja Schwander, Laura Ross (@laurarossevo.bsky.social) and Axel Imhof.
meetings.embo.org/event/26-sel...
#EMBOselfishElements #EMBOevents
Reposted by Mia Levine
How does life evolve to adapt to modern cities?
Out now in Science, my PhD work with @lindymcbr.bsky.social uncovers the ancient origin of the “London Underground mosquito” – one of the most iconic examples of urban adaptation.
🧵(1/n)
@science.org
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.ady4515
Out now in Science, my PhD work with @lindymcbr.bsky.social uncovers the ancient origin of the “London Underground mosquito” – one of the most iconic examples of urban adaptation.
🧵(1/n)
@science.org
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.ady4515
Ancient origin of an urban underground mosquito
Understanding how life is adapting to urban environments represents an important challenge in evolutionary biology. In this work, we investigate a widely cited example of urban adaptation, Culex pipie...
www.science.org
October 25, 2025 at 4:46 AM
How does life evolve to adapt to modern cities?
Out now in Science, my PhD work with @lindymcbr.bsky.social uncovers the ancient origin of the “London Underground mosquito” – one of the most iconic examples of urban adaptation.
🧵(1/n)
@science.org
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.ady4515
Out now in Science, my PhD work with @lindymcbr.bsky.social uncovers the ancient origin of the “London Underground mosquito” – one of the most iconic examples of urban adaptation.
🧵(1/n)
@science.org
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.ady4515
Reposted by Mia Levine
1/10 Genome maintenance by telomerase is a fundamental process in nearly all eukaryotes. But where does it come from?
Today, we report the discovery of telomerase homologs in a family of antiviral RTs, revealing an unexpected evolutionary origin in bacteria.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Today, we report the discovery of telomerase homologs in a family of antiviral RTs, revealing an unexpected evolutionary origin in bacteria.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Antiviral reverse transcriptases reveal the evolutionary origin of telomerase
Defense-associated reverse transcriptases (DRTs) employ diverse and distinctive mechanisms of cDNA synthesis to protect bacteria against viral infection. However, much of DRT family diversity remains ...
www.biorxiv.org
October 17, 2025 at 5:22 PM
1/10 Genome maintenance by telomerase is a fundamental process in nearly all eukaryotes. But where does it come from?
Today, we report the discovery of telomerase homologs in a family of antiviral RTs, revealing an unexpected evolutionary origin in bacteria.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Today, we report the discovery of telomerase homologs in a family of antiviral RTs, revealing an unexpected evolutionary origin in bacteria.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Mia Levine
Our latest paper on a histone methyltransferase-independent function of PRC2 controlling small RNA dynamics during programmed DNA elimination in Paramecium is now published in #NAR.
#RNAbiology #TEsky #smallRNAs #PRC2 #DNAelimination
1/5
academic.oup.com/nar/article-...
#RNAbiology #TEsky #smallRNAs #PRC2 #DNAelimination
1/5
academic.oup.com/nar/article-...
A histone methyltransferase-independent function of PRC2 controls small RNA dynamics during programmed DNA elimination in Paramecium
Abstract. To limit transposable element (TE) mobilization, most eukaryotes have evolved small RNAs to silence TE activity via homology-dependent mechanisms
academic.oup.com
October 17, 2025 at 11:58 AM
Our latest paper on a histone methyltransferase-independent function of PRC2 controlling small RNA dynamics during programmed DNA elimination in Paramecium is now published in #NAR.
#RNAbiology #TEsky #smallRNAs #PRC2 #DNAelimination
1/5
academic.oup.com/nar/article-...
#RNAbiology #TEsky #smallRNAs #PRC2 #DNAelimination
1/5
academic.oup.com/nar/article-...
Reposted by Mia Levine
🚨 New paper alert on telomeres! 🚨
Something different from the group! Thanks to Yuxin, a talented student in the lab, we used long-reads in 75 human trios to study telomeres and their inheritance.
Something different from the group! Thanks to Yuxin, a talented student in the lab, we used long-reads in 75 human trios to study telomeres and their inheritance.
October 9, 2025 at 5:33 AM
🚨 New paper alert on telomeres! 🚨
Something different from the group! Thanks to Yuxin, a talented student in the lab, we used long-reads in 75 human trios to study telomeres and their inheritance.
Something different from the group! Thanks to Yuxin, a talented student in the lab, we used long-reads in 75 human trios to study telomeres and their inheritance.
Reposted by Mia Levine
Reposted by Mia Levine
Long-read sequencing reveals telomere inheritance patterns from human trios https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.07.680721v1
October 7, 2025 at 11:32 PM
Long-read sequencing reveals telomere inheritance patterns from human trios https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.07.680721v1
Check out this new Levine-Lampson collaboration, led by the talented Hyuk-Joon Jeon.
We explored the consequences of inheriting long telomeres from dad and short telomeres from mom. Or the reciprocal. Turns out, parent-of-origin matters (in mice, at least).
authors.elsevier.com/c/1loW-3QW8S...
We explored the consequences of inheriting long telomeres from dad and short telomeres from mom. Or the reciprocal. Turns out, parent-of-origin matters (in mice, at least).
authors.elsevier.com/c/1loW-3QW8S...
authors.elsevier.com
October 4, 2025 at 4:40 PM
Check out this new Levine-Lampson collaboration, led by the talented Hyuk-Joon Jeon.
We explored the consequences of inheriting long telomeres from dad and short telomeres from mom. Or the reciprocal. Turns out, parent-of-origin matters (in mice, at least).
authors.elsevier.com/c/1loW-3QW8S...
We explored the consequences of inheriting long telomeres from dad and short telomeres from mom. Or the reciprocal. Turns out, parent-of-origin matters (in mice, at least).
authors.elsevier.com/c/1loW-3QW8S...
Reposted by Mia Levine
Registration deadline for @embo.org workshop EvoChromo extended until September 30.
meetings.embo.org/event/24-evo...
meetings.embo.org/event/24-evo...
September 14, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Registration deadline for @embo.org workshop EvoChromo extended until September 30.
meetings.embo.org/event/24-evo...
meetings.embo.org/event/24-evo...
Reposted by Mia Levine
Happy to share the Biodiversity Cell Atlas white paper, out today in @nature.com. We look at the possibilities, challenges, and potential impacts of molecularly mapping cells across the tree of life.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
September 24, 2025 at 3:12 PM
Happy to share the Biodiversity Cell Atlas white paper, out today in @nature.com. We look at the possibilities, challenges, and potential impacts of molecularly mapping cells across the tree of life.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Mia Levine
This was a HUGE effort, taking years of diligent work. Hongfei was a true leader, and I'm really proud of this cool piece. We'd love any feedback y'all might have. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Unique genetic bases of repeated life-history divergence associated with high altitude adaptation in Mimulus perennials
Understanding evolutionary repeatability is a central question in biology, as it informs how predictably organisms respond to similar selection pressures. However, the extent to which phenotypic repea...
www.biorxiv.org
September 24, 2025 at 4:55 PM
This was a HUGE effort, taking years of diligent work. Hongfei was a true leader, and I'm really proud of this cool piece. We'd love any feedback y'all might have. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Mia Levine
Excited to share a new method developed from my group thats published at Genome Biology. This was an amazing effort by my grad student Linh @linhngk.bsky.social. We developed Topsicle, a method that analyzes long read data for telomere analysis and length measuring.
doi.org/10.1186/s130...
doi.org/10.1186/s130...
Topsicle: a method for estimating telomere length from whole genome long-read sequencing data - Genome Biology
Telomeres protect chromosome ends and their length varies significantly between organisms. Because telomere length variation is associated with various biomedical and eco-evolutionary phenotypes, many...
doi.org
September 22, 2025 at 2:18 PM
Excited to share a new method developed from my group thats published at Genome Biology. This was an amazing effort by my grad student Linh @linhngk.bsky.social. We developed Topsicle, a method that analyzes long read data for telomere analysis and length measuring.
doi.org/10.1186/s130...
doi.org/10.1186/s130...
Reposted by Mia Levine
Love RNA biology?
Join us to explore the piRNA pathway with structural and genetic approaches (see 👇👇).
PhD student/postdoc position co-supervised by Clemens Plaschka & myself.
DM or email us if you’d like to know more!
@vbcscitraining.bsky.social @imbavienna.bsky.social @impvienna.bsky.social
Join us to explore the piRNA pathway with structural and genetic approaches (see 👇👇).
PhD student/postdoc position co-supervised by Clemens Plaschka & myself.
DM or email us if you’d like to know more!
@vbcscitraining.bsky.social @imbavienna.bsky.social @impvienna.bsky.social
PIWI clade Argonautes are essential for transposon silencing. Without them, animals are sterile due to massive transposon activity.
But how does piRNA-guided target interaction translate into silencing?
PhD student Júlia Portell Montserrat has an intriguing answer
www.cell.com/molecular-ce...
But how does piRNA-guided target interaction translate into silencing?
PhD student Júlia Portell Montserrat has an intriguing answer
www.cell.com/molecular-ce...
September 18, 2025 at 2:34 PM
Love RNA biology?
Join us to explore the piRNA pathway with structural and genetic approaches (see 👇👇).
PhD student/postdoc position co-supervised by Clemens Plaschka & myself.
DM or email us if you’d like to know more!
@vbcscitraining.bsky.social @imbavienna.bsky.social @impvienna.bsky.social
Join us to explore the piRNA pathway with structural and genetic approaches (see 👇👇).
PhD student/postdoc position co-supervised by Clemens Plaschka & myself.
DM or email us if you’d like to know more!
@vbcscitraining.bsky.social @imbavienna.bsky.social @impvienna.bsky.social
Reposted by Mia Levine
I’m super happy to present the first discoveries of the RIKEN-Cambridge Joint Crop Symbiosis Research Team, based in Japan 🇯🇵
doi.org/10.1101/2025...
A thread 👇
doi.org/10.1101/2025...
A thread 👇
Reductive evolution of the DNA replication machinery in endosymbiotic fungi
The molecular machinery for replicating and repairing DNA accurately is critically important for life and highly conserved across the Tree of Life. Here we show that two major lineages of fungi, Glome...
doi.org
September 3, 2025 at 3:21 PM
I’m super happy to present the first discoveries of the RIKEN-Cambridge Joint Crop Symbiosis Research Team, based in Japan 🇯🇵
doi.org/10.1101/2025...
A thread 👇
doi.org/10.1101/2025...
A thread 👇
Reposted by Mia Levine
Really excited to share our latest paper led by @simonaube.bsky.social. Fascinating results examining whether regulatory mutations can lead to adaptation as fast as coding mutations do. #mevosky #evobio #evoSky
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Adaptation is less accessible through mutations in promoters than in coding sequences when large effect sizes are needed
Mutations within promoters and coding sequences are both involved in adaptation, but their relative contributions remain to be compared directly. Using the fungal enzyme cytosine deaminase, we examine...
www.biorxiv.org
September 10, 2025 at 11:09 AM
Really excited to share our latest paper led by @simonaube.bsky.social. Fascinating results examining whether regulatory mutations can lead to adaptation as fast as coding mutations do. #mevosky #evobio #evoSky
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Mia Levine
Please re-post:
Interested in chromatin and its evolution? Good news! There's still time to join us in beautiful Catalonia (9-12 Dec) to discuss eukaryotic, bacterial, archaeal, and viral chromatin and how it all hangs together meetings.embo.org/event/24-evo...
Abstract deadline: 30 September
Interested in chromatin and its evolution? Good news! There's still time to join us in beautiful Catalonia (9-12 Dec) to discuss eukaryotic, bacterial, archaeal, and viral chromatin and how it all hangs together meetings.embo.org/event/24-evo...
Abstract deadline: 30 September
EvoChromo: Evolutionary approaches to research in chromatin
Chromatin is the complex of DNA, RNA and protein that is found making up the chromosomes in eukaryotic cells. Chromatin is essential for proper genome function and is involved in chromosome segregati…
meetings.embo.org
September 8, 2025 at 11:14 AM
Please re-post:
Interested in chromatin and its evolution? Good news! There's still time to join us in beautiful Catalonia (9-12 Dec) to discuss eukaryotic, bacterial, archaeal, and viral chromatin and how it all hangs together meetings.embo.org/event/24-evo...
Abstract deadline: 30 September
Interested in chromatin and its evolution? Good news! There's still time to join us in beautiful Catalonia (9-12 Dec) to discuss eukaryotic, bacterial, archaeal, and viral chromatin and how it all hangs together meetings.embo.org/event/24-evo...
Abstract deadline: 30 September
Reposted by Mia Levine
New from the lab led by @natrigg.bsky.social. We started by characterizing mRNA in sperm, EVs, and the epithelium across epididymal transit. This revealed evidence that sperm acquire specific mRNAs through fusion with epididymal EVs, which we further established with in vitro co-incubation assays
Epididymal extracellular vesicles harbor and convey mRNA to sperm for transfer to zygotes https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.08.18.670952v1
August 23, 2025 at 6:30 PM
New from the lab led by @natrigg.bsky.social. We started by characterizing mRNA in sperm, EVs, and the epithelium across epididymal transit. This revealed evidence that sperm acquire specific mRNAs through fusion with epididymal EVs, which we further established with in vitro co-incubation assays