Venura Herath
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venura.bsky.social
Venura Herath
@venura.bsky.social
Professor in Environmental Genomics @ University of Peradeniya| VisitingScholar, PLPM @tamu | Proud Alumnus of @Umaine | Photographer. @Patriots & @Celtics Fan!
Reposted by Venura Herath
Here's a tutorial I wrote on how I design detection and cloning primers using Primer3. Hopefully it's helpful for students. 💚

binomicalabs.notion.site/PCR-Primer-D...
PCR Primer Design | Notion
Prerequisite Protocols
binomicalabs.notion.site
June 19, 2025 at 3:27 PM
Reposted by Venura Herath
We're excited to welcome @ausjbotany.bsky.social to Bluesky!

Follow along for plant science, including ecology & ecophysiology; invasive biology; conservation biology & biodiversity, forest biology, palaeobotany & biogeography, mycology & pathology, genetics, aquatic botany and much more 🌱
February 28, 2025 at 3:53 AM
Reposted by Venura Herath
Johns Hopkins officials said the NIH funding cut puts at risk approximately 600 current and ongoing clinical trials at Hopkins, including open clinical trials in cancer, pediatrics and children’s health, heart and vascular studies and the aging brain. www.thebaltimorebanner.com/education/hi...
Johns Hopkins sues federal government over NIH funds
Johns Hopkins University joined several universities in a lawsuit on Monday evening suing the federal government over NIH funding.
www.thebaltimorebanner.com
February 11, 2025 at 5:34 PM
Reposted by Venura Herath
The entire field of genetic engineering is WILDLY misunderstood by the vast majority of people.

Read more in ImmunoLogic ⬇️

news.immunologic.org/p/gmos-and-g...
GMOs and genetic engineering are wildly misunderstood
Fear-based messaging from anti-science activist groups are harming public health and our planet
news.immunologic.org
December 16, 2024 at 3:38 PM
Reposted by Venura Herath
I want this: Genome-edited Chardonnay grapes resistant or tolerant to mildew & powdery mildew!
Did you know that grapes are grown on only ~5% of European agricultural land, but account for ~2/3 of all fungicide sprayed in Europe?
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
#plantscience
December 13, 2024 at 5:47 PM
Word!
Science denialists believe they are the true “skeptics” who are embracing science’s rigor.

They claim they want evidence--but failure to accept well-supported conclusions in the light of overwhelming evidence isn’t skepticism.

It’s denial.

- @thinkingpowers.bsky.social
December 11, 2024 at 6:27 PM
Reposted by Venura Herath
The Rowe lab is also recruiting a #PlantScience
PhD student for 2025! You'll use the new ABACUS FRET biosensors to map the dynamic leaf #AbscisicAcid
accumulations at low humidity in Arabidopsis, wheat and rice.
#PhDposition @botanicaljim.bsky.social
tinyurl.com/3h5w6tsd
Uncovering how ABA dynamics in Arabidopsis, wheat and rice respond to low humidity to control water loss at University of Sheffield on FindAPhD.com
PhD Project - Uncovering how ABA dynamics in Arabidopsis, wheat and rice respond to low humidity to control water loss at University of Sheffield, listed on FindAPhD.com
tinyurl.com
November 29, 2024 at 5:18 PM
Reposted by Venura Herath
How does cytokinin (CK) regulate and coordinate cell proliferation, differentiation and expansion?
Help us find out!
Join Neha Bhatia's new research group to work on unravelling how CK is shaping plant aerial organs
Apply by 11 December
www.jobs.cam.ac.uk/job/49272/
#PlantScience #PlantsatCambridge
November 21, 2024 at 3:23 PM
Reposted by Venura Herath
Hello #PlantScience folk! 🌱

The first Plant Cell Identity webinar was a very exciting overview of plant cell morphologies 🔬 Re-watch the recording here: youtu.be/49PQPVGPXuM

Sign up for the rest of the webinars(and receive links to recordings) at bit.ly/PCAPCI_Webinar!
November 20, 2024 at 7:57 PM
I'm so sick of the toxic X (a.k.a. Twitter) environment. I hope all the people from #Academictwitter will join @bsky.app !

#AcademicChatter
November 20, 2024 at 2:17 PM
Flight from the unseen 🦌!
The Sri Lankan axis deer (Axis axis ceylonensis)/ Ceylon spotted deer
#NikonCreators #NikonAsia #AStoryInEveryLens #NIKKOR90thAnniversary
📷 Taken with Nikon D500 & Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR #bbctravel #natgeoyourshot #natgeowildlife #birdphotography #srilanka
September 20, 2024 at 4:41 PM
#EarthDay2024
Let us cradle Earth's tender nest,
with the gentle vigilance of a bird mother,
nurturing the future with each whispered breath!
Black-naped Monarch (𝘏𝘺𝘱𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘺𝘮𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘻𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘢)
#NikonCreators #NikonAsia
April 22, 2024 at 3:19 PM
Happy World Wildlife Day 2024!
The brown fish owl (𝘒𝑒𝘵𝑢𝘱𝑎 𝑧𝘦𝑦𝘭𝑜𝘯𝑒𝘯𝑠𝘪𝑠)
#WorldWildlifeDay #NikonCreators #NikonAsia #AStoryInEveryLens #NIKKOR90thAnniversary
Taken with Nikon D500 & Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR
March 3, 2024 at 4:01 PM
Reposted by Venura Herath
"The single most dangerous statement by a government health agency official since the start of the pandemic, if not for all time."

latimes.com/business/sto...
January 10, 2024 at 2:59 PM
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭❜𝐬 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑
I'm grateful for the incredible support and collaboration I've received from my research colleagues. Most importantly, a Big thanks to my Wife (Damsara) and Family for their unwavering encouragement and understanding throughout this journey.
November 29, 2023 at 3:07 PM
November 8, 2023 at 4:24 PM
Reposted by Venura Herath
Reverse genetics in polyploids used to be painful. Now people can just drop in Cas9 guides, knock out all the gene copies at once, and get phenotypes.
Photo from knocking out different multi-copy genes in the the flavonoid pathway in Brassica napus (canola). onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
October 23, 2023 at 12:00 PM
Contrast! ☯ 🦉
The black-capped bulbul, or black-headed yellow bulbul (Rubigula melanictera). Endemic to Sri Lanka.
@nikonasia D500 & #nikkor AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR
#MyNIKKOR #nikoncreators #nationalpark #birdphotography #visitsrilanka #willpattu #bulbul #endemicbirds #SriLanka
October 24, 2023 at 4:09 PM
October 23, 2023 at 4:09 PM
Pure and Precious 🦌
The Sri Lankan axis deer/ Ceylon spotted deer (Axis axis ceylonensis)
Nikon D500 & #nikkor AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR
#MyNIKKOR #nikoncreators #yourshotphotographers #picoftheday #photography #natgeo #natgeoyourshot #nationalpark #visitsrilanka #deer
October 22, 2023 at 3:30 PM
Hungry Bear 🧸!
The Sri Lankan sloth bear (Melursus ursinus inornatus)
@nikon D500 & #nikkor AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR
#MyNIKKOR #nikoncreators #yourshotphotographers #picoftheday #photography #natgeo #natgeoyourshot #nationalpark #wilpattu #visitsrilanka #bear
October 21, 2023 at 3:28 PM
Death Stare!
The changeable hawk-eagle or crested hawk-eagle (𝘕𝘪𝘴𝘢𝘦𝘵𝘶𝘴 𝘤𝘪𝘳𝘳𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘴)
Nikon D500 & #nikkor AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR
#MyNIKKOR #nikoncreators #yourshotphotographers #picoftheday #natgeo #natgeoyourshot #nationalpark #birdphotography #visitsrilanka #willpattu #eagle #SriLanka
October 20, 2023 at 4:57 PM
𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙰𝚍𝚘𝚛𝚊𝚋𝚕𝚎 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝙵𝚒𝚎𝚛𝚌𝚎 𝙽𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚂𝚝𝚊𝚕𝚔𝚎𝚛 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝙹𝚞𝚗𝚐𝚕𝚎!
T𝐡𝐞 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐭 (𝘍𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘴 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘶𝘴) 🐈 T𝚑𝚎 𝚕𝚊𝚛𝚐𝚎𝚜𝚝 𝚕𝚒𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚖𝚎𝚖𝚋𝚎𝚛 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝙵𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚜 𝚜𝚙𝚎𝚌𝚒𝚎𝚜. Nikon D500 & 500mm f/5.6E ISO 10,000 #MyNIKKOR #NikonCreators #cat #wilpattunationalpark #wildlifephotography #wildcats #junglecat
www.instagram.com/venura.herath/
October 19, 2023 at 4:49 PM
Weekend Vibes! 🐆
Nikon D500 & #nikkor AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR
#MyNIKKOR #nikoncreators #yourshotphotographers
October 7, 2023 at 2:41 PM