Meghan Ferguson
@micro-megs.bsky.social
PostDoc in the Guse lab studying immune control of cnidarian-algal symbiosis.
Fascinated by microbes, microscopy and bioinformatics.
Lover of nature, music, art and hula hoops.
Fascinated by microbes, microscopy and bioinformatics.
Lover of nature, music, art and hula hoops.
Pinned
Meghan Ferguson
@micro-megs.bsky.social
· Jan 24
www.biorxiv.org
🚨New Preprint Alert!🚨 Integrins are key receptors involved in the phagocytosis of symbionts in cnidarians. This sheds light on the mechanisms of symbiosis establishment in coral reefs. A thread... #coralreef #aiptasia #marinesymbiosis www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Meghan Ferguson
Aurélia Joly, @micro-megs.bsky.social & co show that stem cell-intrinsic NF-κB activity is crucial for preventing apoptosis and ensuring proper intestinal epithelial repair following injury in #Drosophila. 🪰
doi.org/10.1242/bio....
#StemCells #Intestine
doi.org/10.1242/bio....
#StemCells #Intestine
November 5, 2025 at 10:08 AM
Aurélia Joly, @micro-megs.bsky.social & co show that stem cell-intrinsic NF-κB activity is crucial for preventing apoptosis and ensuring proper intestinal epithelial repair following injury in #Drosophila. 🪰
doi.org/10.1242/bio....
#StemCells #Intestine
doi.org/10.1242/bio....
#StemCells #Intestine
Reposted by Meghan Ferguson
CALL FOR ABSTRACTS NOW LIVE! 16th International Coral Reef Symposium
Submit an abstract here: www.icrs2026.nz/call-for-abs...
#coralreefs #symposium #newzealand #icrs #coralresearch #networking #coral #internationalcoralreefsociety #marinescience #marinebiology
Submit an abstract here: www.icrs2026.nz/call-for-abs...
#coralreefs #symposium #newzealand #icrs #coralresearch #networking #coral #internationalcoralreefsociety #marinescience #marinebiology
Call for abstracts
We are pleased to announce that the Call for Abstracts is now open. Submissions are invited under the approved sessions, each aligned with one of the eight broad Symposium themes.
www.icrs2026.nz
September 28, 2025 at 2:30 PM
CALL FOR ABSTRACTS NOW LIVE! 16th International Coral Reef Symposium
Submit an abstract here: www.icrs2026.nz/call-for-abs...
#coralreefs #symposium #newzealand #icrs #coralresearch #networking #coral #internationalcoralreefsociety #marinescience #marinebiology
Submit an abstract here: www.icrs2026.nz/call-for-abs...
#coralreefs #symposium #newzealand #icrs #coralresearch #networking #coral #internationalcoralreefsociety #marinescience #marinebiology
Last chapter of my PhD is out now! This project got me excited about the various roles of immune regulators like NF-kB. Drosophila taught me a lot about this concept, and I'm happy to apply my knowledge to Aiptasia. I will always treasure my time with the fly journals.biologists.com/bio/article/...
Stem cell-specific NF-κB is required for stem cell survival and epithelial regeneration upon intestinal damage
Summary: Stem cell-intrinsic NF-κB activity is essential to prevent apoptosis and ensure proper intestinal epithelial repair following injury.
journals.biologists.com
September 19, 2025 at 7:30 AM
Last chapter of my PhD is out now! This project got me excited about the various roles of immune regulators like NF-kB. Drosophila taught me a lot about this concept, and I'm happy to apply my knowledge to Aiptasia. I will always treasure my time with the fly journals.biologists.com/bio/article/...
Reposted by Meghan Ferguson
📢#TMHMS25 is just around the corner! 🦠🌊
Join us to dive into the latest discoveries in #marinehostmicrobesymbioses and explore how microbial superpowers can contribute to restoring ocean health!
Please share with fellow marine science and microbiology enthusiasts!
Join us to dive into the latest discoveries in #marinehostmicrobesymbioses and explore how microbial superpowers can contribute to restoring ocean health!
Please share with fellow marine science and microbiology enthusiasts!
August 19, 2025 at 1:42 PM
📢#TMHMS25 is just around the corner! 🦠🌊
Join us to dive into the latest discoveries in #marinehostmicrobesymbioses and explore how microbial superpowers can contribute to restoring ocean health!
Please share with fellow marine science and microbiology enthusiasts!
Join us to dive into the latest discoveries in #marinehostmicrobesymbioses and explore how microbial superpowers can contribute to restoring ocean health!
Please share with fellow marine science and microbiology enthusiasts!
Reposted by Meghan Ferguson
Trainees and faculty that I had the privilege to be a part of did something quite special. The context here is that experimental and theoretical biologists were in a room together on Coconut Island, Hawaii for 3 weeks to hammer out a vision #holobiont theory. 🧵
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Theory of host-microbe symbioses: Challenges and opportunities
Growing insight into microbial symbioses highlights the need to model these systems mathematically. We discuss three areas requiring theoretical advan…
www.sciencedirect.com
July 10, 2025 at 1:06 PM
Trainees and faculty that I had the privilege to be a part of did something quite special. The context here is that experimental and theoretical biologists were in a room together on Coconut Island, Hawaii for 3 weeks to hammer out a vision #holobiont theory. 🧵
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Spent the week in Cambridge with @benkinsjenkins.bsky.social testing this custom made microscope to live image Aiptasia larvae. Got some cool videos that we hope to share very soon! Thanks for hosting me Ben!
July 4, 2025 at 7:43 AM
Spent the week in Cambridge with @benkinsjenkins.bsky.social testing this custom made microscope to live image Aiptasia larvae. Got some cool videos that we hope to share very soon! Thanks for hosting me Ben!
Coral spawning up close from my travels to Okinawa at this time last year. 😍 I learned a lot about coral fieldwork and gained valuable insights into immune mechanisms of symbiosis establishment, can't wait to go back! #SymbioSky
May 30, 2025 at 5:00 AM
Coral spawning up close from my travels to Okinawa at this time last year. 😍 I learned a lot about coral fieldwork and gained valuable insights into immune mechanisms of symbiosis establishment, can't wait to go back! #SymbioSky
Reposted by Meghan Ferguson
1/6 Call for session proposals
16th International Coral Reef Symposium, 19–24th July 2026, Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand.
Session proposal deadline: Sunday 15th June 2025.
Details and submission link at www.icrs2026.nz/call-for-ses...
16th International Coral Reef Symposium, 19–24th July 2026, Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand.
Session proposal deadline: Sunday 15th June 2025.
Details and submission link at www.icrs2026.nz/call-for-ses...
Call for Session Proposals
www.icrs2026.nz
May 5, 2025 at 9:22 PM
1/6 Call for session proposals
16th International Coral Reef Symposium, 19–24th July 2026, Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand.
Session proposal deadline: Sunday 15th June 2025.
Details and submission link at www.icrs2026.nz/call-for-ses...
16th International Coral Reef Symposium, 19–24th July 2026, Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand.
Session proposal deadline: Sunday 15th June 2025.
Details and submission link at www.icrs2026.nz/call-for-ses...
Reposted by Meghan Ferguson
🚨 Just under two weeks left to submit your abstract for ESEB2025 - don’t miss the chance to be part of the Symposium on the Evolution of Symbiosis and Interactions in Microbial Eukaryotes 🦠🔬
📅 Abstract deadline: April 25, 2025
🔗 More: eseb2025.com/list-of-symposia
#ESEB25 #Symbiosis #ProtistOnSky
📅 Abstract deadline: April 25, 2025
🔗 More: eseb2025.com/list-of-symposia
#ESEB25 #Symbiosis #ProtistOnSky
April 14, 2025 at 8:06 AM
🚨 Just under two weeks left to submit your abstract for ESEB2025 - don’t miss the chance to be part of the Symposium on the Evolution of Symbiosis and Interactions in Microbial Eukaryotes 🦠🔬
📅 Abstract deadline: April 25, 2025
🔗 More: eseb2025.com/list-of-symposia
#ESEB25 #Symbiosis #ProtistOnSky
📅 Abstract deadline: April 25, 2025
🔗 More: eseb2025.com/list-of-symposia
#ESEB25 #Symbiosis #ProtistOnSky
I've been busy the last couple years developing Aiptasia as a genetically tractable model organism to study corals. Here you can see me injecting CRISPR-Cas9 into these fragile little Aiptasia zygotes. Hopefully soon we will have our very first mutant lines!
April 14, 2025 at 2:19 PM
I've been busy the last couple years developing Aiptasia as a genetically tractable model organism to study corals. Here you can see me injecting CRISPR-Cas9 into these fragile little Aiptasia zygotes. Hopefully soon we will have our very first mutant lines!
Was a pleasure to present my work on immune regulation of symbiosis in corals and anemones at the Wild frontiers of model organisms conference hosted by @events.embl.org Highly recommend you checking out this event again in 2027! #EESWildModels
April 11, 2025 at 11:46 AM
Was a pleasure to present my work on immune regulation of symbiosis in corals and anemones at the Wild frontiers of model organisms conference hosted by @events.embl.org Highly recommend you checking out this event again in 2027! #EESWildModels
Reposted by Meghan Ferguson
Corals maintain stable populations of essential photosynthetic symbionts by controlling their cell cycle, not by eating them! Our new #PNAS paper monitored and modelled #aiptasia cell cycle, autophagy, and expulsion for over a year. #symbiosis #microbiology www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
April 4, 2025 at 12:04 AM
Corals maintain stable populations of essential photosynthetic symbionts by controlling their cell cycle, not by eating them! Our new #PNAS paper monitored and modelled #aiptasia cell cycle, autophagy, and expulsion for over a year. #symbiosis #microbiology www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Reposted by Meghan Ferguson
It is happening again! Consider taking our course on the Molecular and Cell Biology of Symbiosis at
@MBLScience. We extended the deadline for
applications to Apr 14, 2025. www.mbl.edu/education/ad...
@MBLScience. We extended the deadline for
applications to Apr 14, 2025. www.mbl.edu/education/ad...
Molecular and Cell Biology of Symbiosis | Marine Biological Laboratory
This is an immersive research-based course designed to teach basic concepts, open research questions, and facilitate state-of-the-art experimental approaches in symbiosis research.
www.mbl.edu
April 2, 2025 at 4:38 PM
It is happening again! Consider taking our course on the Molecular and Cell Biology of Symbiosis at
@MBLScience. We extended the deadline for
applications to Apr 14, 2025. www.mbl.edu/education/ad...
@MBLScience. We extended the deadline for
applications to Apr 14, 2025. www.mbl.edu/education/ad...
Reposted by Meghan Ferguson
Course updates! ⚠️ Molecular and Cell Biology of Symbiosis is REOPENING applications (deadline March 31), and Visual Neuroscience is EXTENDING applications (deadline April 1).
Flyers below ⤵️ Read more and apply here: bit.ly/4acDH2V
#ScienceStartsHere
Flyers below ⤵️ Read more and apply here: bit.ly/4acDH2V
#ScienceStartsHere
March 17, 2025 at 9:23 PM
Course updates! ⚠️ Molecular and Cell Biology of Symbiosis is REOPENING applications (deadline March 31), and Visual Neuroscience is EXTENDING applications (deadline April 1).
Flyers below ⤵️ Read more and apply here: bit.ly/4acDH2V
#ScienceStartsHere
Flyers below ⤵️ Read more and apply here: bit.ly/4acDH2V
#ScienceStartsHere
Reposted by Meghan Ferguson
Check out our dispatch on apicomplexans that infect corals!
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
These parasite-like partners have lost photosynthesis but retained chlorophyll... are they friend or foe?
@currentbiology.bsky.social #protistsonsky #symbiosky #microsky #coralreefs
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
These parasite-like partners have lost photosynthesis but retained chlorophyll... are they friend or foe?
@currentbiology.bsky.social #protistsonsky #symbiosky #microsky #coralreefs
March 13, 2025 at 12:11 PM
Check out our dispatch on apicomplexans that infect corals!
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
These parasite-like partners have lost photosynthesis but retained chlorophyll... are they friend or foe?
@currentbiology.bsky.social #protistsonsky #symbiosky #microsky #coralreefs
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
These parasite-like partners have lost photosynthesis but retained chlorophyll... are they friend or foe?
@currentbiology.bsky.social #protistsonsky #symbiosky #microsky #coralreefs
Reposted by Meghan Ferguson
🚨New Preprint Alert: Are bearded fireworms🪱 acting as vectors for Corallicolids? Here we show evidence that H. carunculata is acting as a reservoir for these coral-infecting Apicomplexans, but corallicolid functional roles in the holobiont are still unknown! 🪸🦠.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Fireworms (Hermodice carunculata) are a reservoir and potential vector for coral-infecting apicomplexans
Corals (Cnidaria; Anthozoa) play critical roles as habitat-forming species with a wide range, from warm shallow-water tropical coral reefs to cold-water ecosystems [1-3]. They also represent a complex...
www.biorxiv.org
March 7, 2025 at 3:43 PM
🚨New Preprint Alert: Are bearded fireworms🪱 acting as vectors for Corallicolids? Here we show evidence that H. carunculata is acting as a reservoir for these coral-infecting Apicomplexans, but corallicolid functional roles in the holobiont are still unknown! 🪸🦠.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Meghan Ferguson
🚀 Registrations are open: 2025 SymbNET PhD Summer School on Host-Microbe Symbioses, Oeiras (Lisbon), Portugal
👉 gimm.idloom.events/phd-summer-s...
Please help us sharing this announcement 📣
@gimmfoundation.bsky.social #CBR @moorefound.bsky.social @crc1182.bsky.social #CIFAR
👉 gimm.idloom.events/phd-summer-s...
Please help us sharing this announcement 📣
@gimmfoundation.bsky.social #CBR @moorefound.bsky.social @crc1182.bsky.social #CIFAR
PhD Summer School on Host-Microbe Symbioses 2025
Symbnet PhD Summer School on Host-Microbe Symbioses Gulbenkian Institute for Molecular Medicine (GIMM) & Católica Biomedical Research Centre (CBR) July 06...
gimm.idloom.events
March 6, 2025 at 2:08 PM
🚀 Registrations are open: 2025 SymbNET PhD Summer School on Host-Microbe Symbioses, Oeiras (Lisbon), Portugal
👉 gimm.idloom.events/phd-summer-s...
Please help us sharing this announcement 📣
@gimmfoundation.bsky.social #CBR @moorefound.bsky.social @crc1182.bsky.social #CIFAR
👉 gimm.idloom.events/phd-summer-s...
Please help us sharing this announcement 📣
@gimmfoundation.bsky.social #CBR @moorefound.bsky.social @crc1182.bsky.social #CIFAR
Reposted by Meghan Ferguson
OUT NOW 'coral reef microbiome' by Springer Nature link.springer.com/book/10.1007... .. some 2.5 years in the making, jam packed: check out Ch.16 on Assisted Restoration as the sum of approaches required to deliver effective ecological restoration! Many thanks to all contributors @uni-konstanz.de
Coral Reef Microbiome
This book focuses on Structure, Function and Ecology of the coral microbiome and associated active interventions to conserve and restore coral reefs.
link.springer.com
March 6, 2025 at 3:06 PM
OUT NOW 'coral reef microbiome' by Springer Nature link.springer.com/book/10.1007... .. some 2.5 years in the making, jam packed: check out Ch.16 on Assisted Restoration as the sum of approaches required to deliver effective ecological restoration! Many thanks to all contributors @uni-konstanz.de
Reposted by Meghan Ferguson
Don't miss out, October 22-25, 2025: International Symposium – Trends in Marine Host-Microbe Symbioses with an exciting lineup of speakers marinesymbioses.eu/invited-spea...; looking forward to insightful & inspiring discussions; registration: marinesymbioses.eu/register/ @uni-konstanz.de
Invited speakers – Trends in Marine Host-Microbe Symbioses Symposium
marinesymbioses.eu
February 28, 2025 at 9:05 AM
Don't miss out, October 22-25, 2025: International Symposium – Trends in Marine Host-Microbe Symbioses with an exciting lineup of speakers marinesymbioses.eu/invited-spea...; looking forward to insightful & inspiring discussions; registration: marinesymbioses.eu/register/ @uni-konstanz.de
Reposted by Meghan Ferguson
Woohoo! Our image made the cover! 🎉 @jexpbiol.bsky.social The image captures photosymbiotic Anemonia viridis pointing it's tentacles towards the light.
journals.biologists.com/jeb
journals.biologists.com/jeb
February 17, 2025 at 5:57 PM
Woohoo! Our image made the cover! 🎉 @jexpbiol.bsky.social The image captures photosymbiotic Anemonia viridis pointing it's tentacles towards the light.
journals.biologists.com/jeb
journals.biologists.com/jeb
Reposted by Meghan Ferguson
Save the date 📅: The PhD Summer School on Host-microbe Symbioses is taking place from 6-19 of July in Oeiras, Portugal.
Registration is opening soon!
Learn more 👉 gimm.idloom.events/phd-summer-s...
@gimmfoundation.bsky.social @moorefound.bsky.social
@crc1182.bsky.social #CIFAR #CBR
Registration is opening soon!
Learn more 👉 gimm.idloom.events/phd-summer-s...
@gimmfoundation.bsky.social @moorefound.bsky.social
@crc1182.bsky.social #CIFAR #CBR
February 5, 2025 at 5:27 PM
Save the date 📅: The PhD Summer School on Host-microbe Symbioses is taking place from 6-19 of July in Oeiras, Portugal.
Registration is opening soon!
Learn more 👉 gimm.idloom.events/phd-summer-s...
@gimmfoundation.bsky.social @moorefound.bsky.social
@crc1182.bsky.social #CIFAR #CBR
Registration is opening soon!
Learn more 👉 gimm.idloom.events/phd-summer-s...
@gimmfoundation.bsky.social @moorefound.bsky.social
@crc1182.bsky.social #CIFAR #CBR
The final paper from my PhD is out! Give it a read if you're into immunity, stem cells and guts! Thanks to @edanfoley.bsky.social and the rest of the team 💪
February 5, 2025 at 8:22 PM
The final paper from my PhD is out! Give it a read if you're into immunity, stem cells and guts! Thanks to @edanfoley.bsky.social and the rest of the team 💪
Reposted by Meghan Ferguson
During my PhD, I met so many colleagues who only read papers for journal clubs or when their PI demanded it.
Reading the literature is a must for PhDs. It keeps you sharp, sparks ideas, builds critical thinking, and once it’s a habit, it’s even fun.
Young scientists: READ!
Reading the literature is a must for PhDs. It keeps you sharp, sparks ideas, builds critical thinking, and once it’s a habit, it’s even fun.
Young scientists: READ!
Ten simple rules for developing good reading habits during graduate school and beyond
journals.plos.org/ploscompbiol...
journals.plos.org/ploscompbiol...
January 26, 2025 at 10:30 AM
During my PhD, I met so many colleagues who only read papers for journal clubs or when their PI demanded it.
Reading the literature is a must for PhDs. It keeps you sharp, sparks ideas, builds critical thinking, and once it’s a habit, it’s even fun.
Young scientists: READ!
Reading the literature is a must for PhDs. It keeps you sharp, sparks ideas, builds critical thinking, and once it’s a habit, it’s even fun.
Young scientists: READ!
🚨New Preprint Alert!🚨 Integrins are key receptors involved in the phagocytosis of symbionts in cnidarians. This sheds light on the mechanisms of symbiosis establishment in coral reefs. A thread... #coralreef #aiptasia #marinesymbiosis www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org
January 24, 2025 at 3:08 PM
🚨New Preprint Alert!🚨 Integrins are key receptors involved in the phagocytosis of symbionts in cnidarians. This sheds light on the mechanisms of symbiosis establishment in coral reefs. A thread... #coralreef #aiptasia #marinesymbiosis www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...