Mike Connelly
@michaeltconnelly.bsky.social
Postdoc Fellow at NHGRI, Research Associate at Smithsonian NMNH. Cnidarian evolution, symbiosis, cell biology, and conservation genomics. PhD at University of Miami Rosenstiel School. Posts are my own. 🪼🪸🧬💙
Now that shutdown is over, I'm looking forward to #SICB2026 in Portland, Oregon in January! Please check out Session 18: A Stinging Sense of Self: Cnidarian Cell Type Evolution on Sunday Jan. 4 at 10:00am! Also please reach out if you're interested in making lunch/dinner plans during the conference!
November 17, 2025 at 4:52 PM
Now that shutdown is over, I'm looking forward to #SICB2026 in Portland, Oregon in January! Please check out Session 18: A Stinging Sense of Self: Cnidarian Cell Type Evolution on Sunday Jan. 4 at 10:00am! Also please reach out if you're interested in making lunch/dinner plans during the conference!
Reading this week: muscles! 💪🧬
Overview of Muscle Cytoskeleton
(pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28640448/)
Microtubules coordinate mitochondria transport... during muscle development
(doi.org/10.1016/j.de...)
Evolutionary origin of bilaterian smooth and striated myocytes
(pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27906129/)
Overview of Muscle Cytoskeleton
(pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28640448/)
Microtubules coordinate mitochondria transport... during muscle development
(doi.org/10.1016/j.de...)
Evolutionary origin of bilaterian smooth and striated myocytes
(pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27906129/)
August 4, 2025 at 5:38 PM
Reading this week: muscles! 💪🧬
Overview of Muscle Cytoskeleton
(pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28640448/)
Microtubules coordinate mitochondria transport... during muscle development
(doi.org/10.1016/j.de...)
Evolutionary origin of bilaterian smooth and striated myocytes
(pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27906129/)
Overview of Muscle Cytoskeleton
(pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28640448/)
Microtubules coordinate mitochondria transport... during muscle development
(doi.org/10.1016/j.de...)
Evolutionary origin of bilaterian smooth and striated myocytes
(pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27906129/)
Reposted by Mike Connelly
Microtubules: the architect of muscles. Watch how microtubules transport mitochondria in proximity to energy consuming sarcomeres in muscles of flies and mice. @jeromeavellaneda.bsky.social @nunoluis.bsky.social @ibdm.bsky.social with @gomeslabo.bsky.social www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
July 21, 2025 at 12:52 PM
Microtubules: the architect of muscles. Watch how microtubules transport mitochondria in proximity to energy consuming sarcomeres in muscles of flies and mice. @jeromeavellaneda.bsky.social @nunoluis.bsky.social @ibdm.bsky.social with @gomeslabo.bsky.social www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Reposted by Mike Connelly
Alberto Rivera of the Baxevanis group @baxevanislab.bsky.social presents on the allorecognition in cnidarians 🪸
There is evidence for synteny and conservation across allorecognition complexes in Cnidaria... How does this compare to bilaterians?
#Evol2025 #Evol25
There is evidence for synteny and conservation across allorecognition complexes in Cnidaria... How does this compare to bilaterians?
#Evol2025 #Evol25
June 24, 2025 at 4:14 PM
Alberto Rivera of the Baxevanis group @baxevanislab.bsky.social presents on the allorecognition in cnidarians 🪸
There is evidence for synteny and conservation across allorecognition complexes in Cnidaria... How does this compare to bilaterians?
#Evol2025 #Evol25
There is evidence for synteny and conservation across allorecognition complexes in Cnidaria... How does this compare to bilaterians?
#Evol2025 #Evol25
What I'm reading this (short) week:
🤖 Cell type evolution reconstruction across species through cell phylogenies of scRNAseq data (www.nature.com/articles/s41...)
🧬 Origin and evolution of eukaryotic transcription factors
(doi.org/10.1016/j.gd...)
🤖 Cell type evolution reconstruction across species through cell phylogenies of scRNAseq data (www.nature.com/articles/s41...)
🧬 Origin and evolution of eukaryotic transcription factors
(doi.org/10.1016/j.gd...)
June 16, 2025 at 2:36 PM
What I'm reading this (short) week:
🤖 Cell type evolution reconstruction across species through cell phylogenies of scRNAseq data (www.nature.com/articles/s41...)
🧬 Origin and evolution of eukaryotic transcription factors
(doi.org/10.1016/j.gd...)
🤖 Cell type evolution reconstruction across species through cell phylogenies of scRNAseq data (www.nature.com/articles/s41...)
🧬 Origin and evolution of eukaryotic transcription factors
(doi.org/10.1016/j.gd...)
What I'm reading this week:
Nanos2 marks precursors of somatic lineages and is req'd for germline formation in Nematostella (www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...)
Chromatin loops are an ancestral hallmark of the animal regulatory genome
(www.nature.com/articles/s41...)
- many thanks to the authors!
Nanos2 marks precursors of somatic lineages and is req'd for germline formation in Nematostella (www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...)
Chromatin loops are an ancestral hallmark of the animal regulatory genome
(www.nature.com/articles/s41...)
- many thanks to the authors!
June 2, 2025 at 12:18 PM
What I'm reading this week:
Nanos2 marks precursors of somatic lineages and is req'd for germline formation in Nematostella (www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...)
Chromatin loops are an ancestral hallmark of the animal regulatory genome
(www.nature.com/articles/s41...)
- many thanks to the authors!
Nanos2 marks precursors of somatic lineages and is req'd for germline formation in Nematostella (www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...)
Chromatin loops are an ancestral hallmark of the animal regulatory genome
(www.nature.com/articles/s41...)
- many thanks to the authors!
What I'm reading this week 😀
Cubozoan transcriptome and neuropeptide identification (rdcu.be/emF7h)
Nematostella mechanosensory neuron diversity
(rdcu.be/emF7X)
Cnidarian larvae sensory cell types and settlement
(doi.org/10.1126/scia...)
Siphonophore chromosome-scale genome
(doi.org/10.1101/2025...)
Cubozoan transcriptome and neuropeptide identification (rdcu.be/emF7h)
Nematostella mechanosensory neuron diversity
(rdcu.be/emF7X)
Cnidarian larvae sensory cell types and settlement
(doi.org/10.1126/scia...)
Siphonophore chromosome-scale genome
(doi.org/10.1101/2025...)
May 19, 2025 at 2:19 PM
What I'm reading this week 😀
Cubozoan transcriptome and neuropeptide identification (rdcu.be/emF7h)
Nematostella mechanosensory neuron diversity
(rdcu.be/emF7X)
Cnidarian larvae sensory cell types and settlement
(doi.org/10.1126/scia...)
Siphonophore chromosome-scale genome
(doi.org/10.1101/2025...)
Cubozoan transcriptome and neuropeptide identification (rdcu.be/emF7h)
Nematostella mechanosensory neuron diversity
(rdcu.be/emF7X)
Cnidarian larvae sensory cell types and settlement
(doi.org/10.1126/scia...)
Siphonophore chromosome-scale genome
(doi.org/10.1101/2025...)
Reposted by Mike Connelly
Our chromosome-scale genome assembly of Nanomia septata, a siphonophore - doi.org/10.1101/2025... . Much larger than many other cnidarian genomes, fewer chromosomes, and highly rearranged. No smoking gun for how they achieve complex colony-level organization. Great work Namrata Ahuja and friends!
May 13, 2025 at 7:46 PM
Our chromosome-scale genome assembly of Nanomia septata, a siphonophore - doi.org/10.1101/2025... . Much larger than many other cnidarian genomes, fewer chromosomes, and highly rearranged. No smoking gun for how they achieve complex colony-level organization. Great work Namrata Ahuja and friends!
Reposted by Mike Connelly
Despite how things ended, I still learned so much from my time at EPA about how applied, interdisciplinary science can drive progress on complex problems like climate change. I look forward to taking these experiences into my next chapter, with more details on that soon! 7/7
May 6, 2025 at 10:02 PM
Despite how things ended, I still learned so much from my time at EPA about how applied, interdisciplinary science can drive progress on complex problems like climate change. I look forward to taking these experiences into my next chapter, with more details on that soon! 7/7
Reposted by Mike Connelly
🌟We are excited to announce the non-bilaterian satellite symposia at PASEDB meeting Miami July 22, 2025! 🪼🪸 #pasedb #evodevo
Organizers: Drs. Athula Wikarmanayake, Bill Browne & @natclarke.bsky.social
Register here: evodevo.wildapricot.org/event-6007396
Organizers: Drs. Athula Wikarmanayake, Bill Browne & @natclarke.bsky.social
Register here: evodevo.wildapricot.org/event-6007396
May 3, 2025 at 2:09 PM
🌟We are excited to announce the non-bilaterian satellite symposia at PASEDB meeting Miami July 22, 2025! 🪼🪸 #pasedb #evodevo
Organizers: Drs. Athula Wikarmanayake, Bill Browne & @natclarke.bsky.social
Register here: evodevo.wildapricot.org/event-6007396
Organizers: Drs. Athula Wikarmanayake, Bill Browne & @natclarke.bsky.social
Register here: evodevo.wildapricot.org/event-6007396
Reposted by Mike Connelly
Graduate students can apply for the Robert D. Hevey, Jr. and Constance M. Filling Fellowship in Invertebrate Zoology at the Smithsonian. Applications due 28 April 2025. More info: https://naturalhistory.si.edu/research/invertebrate-zoology #gradstudent
Invertebrate Zoology
Invertebrate Zoology
naturalhistory.si.edu
April 9, 2025 at 7:37 PM
Graduate students can apply for the Robert D. Hevey, Jr. and Constance M. Filling Fellowship in Invertebrate Zoology at the Smithsonian. Applications due 28 April 2025. More info: https://naturalhistory.si.edu/research/invertebrate-zoology #gradstudent
Reposted by Mike Connelly
1/4 🚨 a brand new @biorxiv preprint from the lab! We charcterized both transcriptionally, morphologically and functionally (phagocytosis) immune cells from #Nematostella! We are convinced that our data supports the existence of such specialized cells! www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
🧵
🧵
https://biorxiv.org/content/10.110…
January 28, 2025 at 2:09 PM
1/4 🚨 a brand new @biorxiv preprint from the lab! We charcterized both transcriptionally, morphologically and functionally (phagocytosis) immune cells from #Nematostella! We are convinced that our data supports the existence of such specialized cells! www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
🧵
🧵
Reposted by Mike Connelly
Application reviews for a postdoc in my lab will begin next week. Two years of funding to conduct EvoDevo research using cnidarians.
Please share! I am hiring a postdoc in Evolutionary Development to join our lab 🧪 🥼 🧬 recruit.ucsc.edu/JPF01855 initial reviews begin Jan 31st (to be adjusted in the ad)
Postdoctoral Scholar in Evolutionary Development
University of California, Santa Cruz is hiring. Apply now!
recruit.ucsc.edu
January 28, 2025 at 6:57 PM
Application reviews for a postdoc in my lab will begin next week. Two years of funding to conduct EvoDevo research using cnidarians.
Reposted by Mike Connelly
Congrats to Dr. Andrea Quattrini (Coral Curator, SI NMNH) for winning The Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers!
This is the highest honor bestowed by the United States federal government on outstanding scientists in the early stages of their independent research careers!
This is the highest honor bestowed by the United States federal government on outstanding scientists in the early stages of their independent research careers!
January 16, 2025 at 9:12 PM
Congrats to Dr. Andrea Quattrini (Coral Curator, SI NMNH) for winning The Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers!
This is the highest honor bestowed by the United States federal government on outstanding scientists in the early stages of their independent research careers!
This is the highest honor bestowed by the United States federal government on outstanding scientists in the early stages of their independent research careers!
Reposted by Mike Connelly
Mike Connelly from our group sharing his hot-off-the-10X Podocoryna single-cell data @SICB2025, establishing a really solid foundation for future work on this very interesting and informative regenerative cnidarian. Stay tuned... more to follow!
January 9, 2025 at 12:31 PM
Mike Connelly from our group sharing his hot-off-the-10X Podocoryna single-cell data @SICB2025, establishing a really solid foundation for future work on this very interesting and informative regenerative cnidarian. Stay tuned... more to follow!
Looking forward to this symposium at #SICB2025 and meeting all the researchers in attendance!
Excited for #SICB2025? Interest in cnidarians? sensory systems? Evolution of complexity? Check out the symposium @kypodseyepods.bsky.social and I are putting together. We have an amazing list of speakers! Jan 6th Marquis C 8:30-3:30. 🧪🧬🧠
January 2, 2025 at 4:04 PM
Looking forward to this symposium at #SICB2025 and meeting all the researchers in attendance!
Reposted by Mike Connelly
Cnidofest is excited to join the bluesky party! We will start a Cnidarian starter pack. Please like this post if you'd like to be in the pack!
December 3, 2024 at 3:25 AM
Cnidofest is excited to join the bluesky party! We will start a Cnidarian starter pack. Please like this post if you'd like to be in the pack!
Reposted by Mike Connelly
This week's beautiful #MicroscopyMonday is a juvenile Nematostella with stinging cells labeled with eGFP (green). (Gibson Lab) #Biology
November 25, 2024 at 3:09 PM
This week's beautiful #MicroscopyMonday is a juvenile Nematostella with stinging cells labeled with eGFP (green). (Gibson Lab) #Biology
Check, check, is this thing on?
Allow me to introduce myself! I'm Mike Connelly, and I'm an evolutionary biologist - currently a postdoc at the National Human Genome Research Institute and research associate at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.
I love cnidarians (esp. corals)!🪸
Allow me to introduce myself! I'm Mike Connelly, and I'm an evolutionary biologist - currently a postdoc at the National Human Genome Research Institute and research associate at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.
I love cnidarians (esp. corals)!🪸
November 25, 2024 at 1:52 PM
Check, check, is this thing on?
Allow me to introduce myself! I'm Mike Connelly, and I'm an evolutionary biologist - currently a postdoc at the National Human Genome Research Institute and research associate at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.
I love cnidarians (esp. corals)!🪸
Allow me to introduce myself! I'm Mike Connelly, and I'm an evolutionary biologist - currently a postdoc at the National Human Genome Research Institute and research associate at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.
I love cnidarians (esp. corals)!🪸