Arjun Biddanda
@aabiddanda.github.io
Statistical and population geneticist | Postdoc @ JHU Biology | COYS | Costco enthusiast | aabiddanda.github.io
Pinned
Arjun Biddanda
@aabiddanda.github.io
· Apr 7
Thrilled to see this work out - its been fascinating to look at statistical genetics in these IVF embryo datasets underlying meiotic aneuploidies and recombination! Joint work led with @saracarioscia.bsky.social. See thread below, thoughts welcome!
www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Arjun Biddanda
Our new ancient DNA paper has just been published!
We present 28 new genomes from southern Africa - several of them high-coverage whole genomes.
Exciting to be moving towards population-level representation of ancient southern African genetic diversity!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
We present 28 new genomes from southern Africa - several of them high-coverage whole genomes.
Exciting to be moving towards population-level representation of ancient southern African genetic diversity!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Homo sapiens-specific evolution unveiled by ancient southern African genomes - Nature
The genomes of 28 ancient southern African individuals dated to between 10,200 and 150 years before present offer insights into the evolution of Homo sapiens.
www.nature.com
December 3, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Our new ancient DNA paper has just been published!
We present 28 new genomes from southern Africa - several of them high-coverage whole genomes.
Exciting to be moving towards population-level representation of ancient southern African genetic diversity!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
We present 28 new genomes from southern Africa - several of them high-coverage whole genomes.
Exciting to be moving towards population-level representation of ancient southern African genetic diversity!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Arjun Biddanda
We are thrilled to announce the first official release (v0.1.8) of #𝗯𝗲𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗿, the successor to one of our flagship tool, #𝗯𝗲𝗱𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀! Based on ideas we conceived of long ago (!), this was achieved thanks to the dedication of Brent Pedersen.
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Intro to Bedder – The Quinlan Lab
quinlanlab.org
December 2, 2025 at 2:28 AM
Reposted by Arjun Biddanda
Excited to share our new FinnGen single-nucleus multiome preprint! 🧬
We profiled ~10M PBMCs (snRNA-seq + snATAC-seq) from 1,108 Finnish donors to map how genetic variants drive complex disease through chromatin and gene regulation 🧵👇
🔗 Link: www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1...
We profiled ~10M PBMCs (snRNA-seq + snATAC-seq) from 1,108 Finnish donors to map how genetic variants drive complex disease through chromatin and gene regulation 🧵👇
🔗 Link: www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1...
December 1, 2025 at 3:36 PM
Excited to share our new FinnGen single-nucleus multiome preprint! 🧬
We profiled ~10M PBMCs (snRNA-seq + snATAC-seq) from 1,108 Finnish donors to map how genetic variants drive complex disease through chromatin and gene regulation 🧵👇
🔗 Link: www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1...
We profiled ~10M PBMCs (snRNA-seq + snATAC-seq) from 1,108 Finnish donors to map how genetic variants drive complex disease through chromatin and gene regulation 🧵👇
🔗 Link: www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Arjun Biddanda
Excited to share work from my postdoc with @docedge.bsky.social and collaborators Matt Pennell and @jgschraiber.bsky.social, newly out over the weekend: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1... (1/6)
Observational epidemiological studies can mitigate genetic confounding with the genetic relatedness matrix
Observational studies are commonly used in psychology and epidemiology to identify risk factors correlated with health outcomes. However, these studies are vulnerable to confounding when shared geneti...
www.biorxiv.org
December 1, 2025 at 7:09 PM
Excited to share work from my postdoc with @docedge.bsky.social and collaborators Matt Pennell and @jgschraiber.bsky.social, newly out over the weekend: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1... (1/6)
Reposted by Arjun Biddanda
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
We finally submitted the earlier preprint to a journal after massive restructuring.
We've expanded the REML section for those interested in the method. We clarify that ARG-LMM estimates mutational variance and not additive variance.
We finally submitted the earlier preprint to a journal after massive restructuring.
We've expanded the REML section for those interested in the method. We clarify that ARG-LMM estimates mutational variance and not additive variance.
Genetic prediction with ARG-powered linear algebra
Ancestral recombination graphs (ARGs) are an attractive means for quantitative genetic analysis of complex traits because they encode the realized genetic relatedness between a sample of individuals i...
www.biorxiv.org
November 30, 2025 at 5:08 PM
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
We finally submitted the earlier preprint to a journal after massive restructuring.
We've expanded the REML section for those interested in the method. We clarify that ARG-LMM estimates mutational variance and not additive variance.
We finally submitted the earlier preprint to a journal after massive restructuring.
We've expanded the REML section for those interested in the method. We clarify that ARG-LMM estimates mutational variance and not additive variance.
Reposted by Arjun Biddanda
SuSiE 2.0: improved methods and implementations for genetic fine-mapping and phenotype prediction https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.25.690514v1
November 28, 2025 at 10:46 AM
SuSiE 2.0: improved methods and implementations for genetic fine-mapping and phenotype prediction https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.25.690514v1
Reposted by Arjun Biddanda
How do new centromeres evolve while staying compatible with the division machinery?
Discover it in our new Nature paper! We show centromeres transition gradually via a mix of drift, selection, and sex, reaching new states that still work with the kinetochore.
👉 doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-09779-1
Discover it in our new Nature paper! We show centromeres transition gradually via a mix of drift, selection, and sex, reaching new states that still work with the kinetochore.
👉 doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-09779-1
November 26, 2025 at 4:21 PM
How do new centromeres evolve while staying compatible with the division machinery?
Discover it in our new Nature paper! We show centromeres transition gradually via a mix of drift, selection, and sex, reaching new states that still work with the kinetochore.
👉 doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-09779-1
Discover it in our new Nature paper! We show centromeres transition gradually via a mix of drift, selection, and sex, reaching new states that still work with the kinetochore.
👉 doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-09779-1
Reposted by Arjun Biddanda
Our cornetto work is now published at www.nature.com/articles/s41...
It can do near-T2T assembly using @nanoporetech.com adaptive sampling
- with less 💸
- reference agnostic, so works for non-humans
- not just blood, even saliva
Just presented at #abacbs2025 yesterday.
It can do near-T2T assembly using @nanoporetech.com adaptive sampling
- with less 💸
- reference agnostic, so works for non-humans
- not just blood, even saliva
Just presented at #abacbs2025 yesterday.
Targeted sequencing and iterative assembly of near-complete genomes - Nature Communications
Long-read sequencing enables high-quality genome assemblies, but challenges remain. Here, the authors introduce Cornetto, a method that improves assembly quality, enables genome sequencing from saliva...
www.nature.com
November 26, 2025 at 4:12 AM
Our cornetto work is now published at www.nature.com/articles/s41...
It can do near-T2T assembly using @nanoporetech.com adaptive sampling
- with less 💸
- reference agnostic, so works for non-humans
- not just blood, even saliva
Just presented at #abacbs2025 yesterday.
It can do near-T2T assembly using @nanoporetech.com adaptive sampling
- with less 💸
- reference agnostic, so works for non-humans
- not just blood, even saliva
Just presented at #abacbs2025 yesterday.
Reposted by Arjun Biddanda
Excited to share a preprint of my PhD project looking at interactions between SNPs and polygenic scores in the UK Biobank!
A thread... 🧵
www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1...
A thread... 🧵
www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1...
Interactions with polygenic background impact quantitative traits in the UK Biobank
Association studies have linked many genetic variants to a variety of phenotypes but under-standing the biological mechanisms underlying these signals remains a major challenge. Since genes operate wi...
www.medrxiv.org
November 24, 2025 at 5:13 PM
Excited to share a preprint of my PhD project looking at interactions between SNPs and polygenic scores in the UK Biobank!
A thread... 🧵
www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1...
A thread... 🧵
www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Arjun Biddanda
Check out this beautiful paper by @richardcsilva.bsky.social et al., out now in @natcomms.nature.com. Great new DSB sensors to track DNA break formation and repair in real-time
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Engineered chromatin readers track damaged chromatin dynamics in live cells and animals - Nature Communications
DNA damage threatens genome stability, but its dynamics in living systems remain difficult to track. Here, the authors engineer MCPH1-based protein probes that specifically recognize γH2AX, enabling r...
www.nature.com
November 22, 2025 at 12:13 PM
Check out this beautiful paper by @richardcsilva.bsky.social et al., out now in @natcomms.nature.com. Great new DSB sensors to track DNA break formation and repair in real-time
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Arjun Biddanda
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 Arjun Biddanda
CRISPR-Cas–mediated heritable chromosome fusions in Arabidopsis | Science www.science.org/doi/10.1126/... So cool!!!🤩
CRISPR-Cas–mediated heritable chromosome fusions in Arabidopsis
The genome of Arabidopsis thaliana consists of 10 chromosomes. By inducing CRISPR-Cas–mediated breaks at subcentromeric and subtelomeric sequences, we fused entire chromosome arms, obtaining two eight...
www.science.org
November 21, 2025 at 2:04 PM
CRISPR-Cas–mediated heritable chromosome fusions in Arabidopsis | Science www.science.org/doi/10.1126/... So cool!!!🤩
Reposted by Arjun Biddanda
periodic reminder of the existence of Atkinson Hyperlegible, a free font available from the Braille Institute designed to improve readability for people with low vision
I use it in talks because it's pretty and also because, as an audience member, I am perpetually squinting at people's slides
I use it in talks because it's pretty and also because, as an audience member, I am perpetually squinting at people's slides
Atkinson Hyperlegible Font - Braille Institute
Read easier with Atkinson Hyperlegible Font, crafted for low-vision readers. Download for free and enjoy clear letters and numbers on your computer!
www.brailleinstitute.org
November 17, 2025 at 4:19 AM
periodic reminder of the existence of Atkinson Hyperlegible, a free font available from the Braille Institute designed to improve readability for people with low vision
I use it in talks because it's pretty and also because, as an audience member, I am perpetually squinting at people's slides
I use it in talks because it's pretty and also because, as an audience member, I am perpetually squinting at people's slides
Reposted by Arjun Biddanda
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 Arjun Biddanda
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 5:05 PM
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.
Reposted by Arjun Biddanda
First time on Bsky and first big announcement!
I am excited to announce that our new study explaining the missing heritability of many phenotypes using WGS data from ~347,000 UK Biobank participants has just been published in @Nature.
Our manuscript is here: www.nature.com/articles/s41....
I am excited to announce that our new study explaining the missing heritability of many phenotypes using WGS data from ~347,000 UK Biobank participants has just been published in @Nature.
Our manuscript is here: www.nature.com/articles/s41....
Estimation and mapping of the missing heritability of human phenotypes - Nature
WGS data were used from 347,630 individuals with European ancestry in the UK Biobank to obtain high-precision estimates of coding and non-coding rare variant heritability for 34 co...
www.nature.com
November 12, 2025 at 5:57 PM
First time on Bsky and first big announcement!
I am excited to announce that our new study explaining the missing heritability of many phenotypes using WGS data from ~347,000 UK Biobank participants has just been published in @Nature.
Our manuscript is here: www.nature.com/articles/s41....
I am excited to announce that our new study explaining the missing heritability of many phenotypes using WGS data from ~347,000 UK Biobank participants has just been published in @Nature.
Our manuscript is here: www.nature.com/articles/s41....
Reposted by Arjun Biddanda
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 Arjun Biddanda
An empirical approach to evaluating the prevalence of long-lived balancing selection in humans--and important limitations. Work by @hannahmm.bsky.social
November 11, 2025 at 7:14 PM
An empirical approach to evaluating the prevalence of long-lived balancing selection in humans--and important limitations. Work by @hannahmm.bsky.social
Reposted by Arjun Biddanda
Hidden Markov Models Detect Recombination and Ancestry of SARS-CoV-2 https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.08.687354v1
November 11, 2025 at 2:33 AM
Hidden Markov Models Detect Recombination and Ancestry of SARS-CoV-2 https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.08.687354v1
Reposted by Arjun Biddanda
My first preprint of my PhD! Thanks to @ekerdoncuff.bsky.social and @moorjanipriya.bsky.social for their guidance and mentorship in this project!
Revisiting the Evolution of Lactase Persistence: Insights from South Asian Genomes https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.05.686799v1
November 7, 2025 at 12:28 AM
My first preprint of my PhD! Thanks to @ekerdoncuff.bsky.social and @moorjanipriya.bsky.social for their guidance and mentorship in this project!
Reposted by Arjun Biddanda
How do GWAS and rare variant burden tests rank gene signals?
In new work @nature.com with @hakha.bsky.social, @jkpritch.bsky.social, and our wonderful coauthors we find that the key factors are what we call Specificity, Length, and Luck!
🧬🧪🧵
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
In new work @nature.com with @hakha.bsky.social, @jkpritch.bsky.social, and our wonderful coauthors we find that the key factors are what we call Specificity, Length, and Luck!
🧬🧪🧵
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Specificity, length and luck drive gene rankings in association studies - Nature
Genetic association tests prioritize candidate genes based on different criteria.
www.nature.com
November 7, 2025 at 12:05 AM
How do GWAS and rare variant burden tests rank gene signals?
In new work @nature.com with @hakha.bsky.social, @jkpritch.bsky.social, and our wonderful coauthors we find that the key factors are what we call Specificity, Length, and Luck!
🧬🧪🧵
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
In new work @nature.com with @hakha.bsky.social, @jkpritch.bsky.social, and our wonderful coauthors we find that the key factors are what we call Specificity, Length, and Luck!
🧬🧪🧵
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Arjun Biddanda
Elevated mutation near crossovers inhibits the evolution of recombination https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.01.685904v1
November 2, 2025 at 3:32 AM
Elevated mutation near crossovers inhibits the evolution of recombination https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.01.685904v1
Reposted by Arjun Biddanda
New preprint from another part of my PhD! 📝👇
Some mutations arise after fertilisation 🧬, so early they can appear in both a parent’s body and their germ cells.
By analysing family trio genomes 👪, we built one of the largest catalogues of these “hidden” inherited variants yet.
tinyurl.com/mvns2ytv
Some mutations arise after fertilisation 🧬, so early they can appear in both a parent’s body and their germ cells.
By analysing family trio genomes 👪, we built one of the largest catalogues of these “hidden” inherited variants yet.
tinyurl.com/mvns2ytv
Landscape of parental postzygotic mutations in >11,000 rare disease trios
Postzygotic mutations (PZMs) arising post-fertilisation, prior to primordial germ cell specification, may be subsequently inherited by both somatic and germ cells, causing somatic mosaicism in the par...
tinyurl.com
October 28, 2025 at 11:04 AM
New preprint from another part of my PhD! 📝👇
Some mutations arise after fertilisation 🧬, so early they can appear in both a parent’s body and their germ cells.
By analysing family trio genomes 👪, we built one of the largest catalogues of these “hidden” inherited variants yet.
tinyurl.com/mvns2ytv
Some mutations arise after fertilisation 🧬, so early they can appear in both a parent’s body and their germ cells.
By analysing family trio genomes 👪, we built one of the largest catalogues of these “hidden” inherited variants yet.
tinyurl.com/mvns2ytv
Incredibly insightful thread!
October 29, 2025 at 2:15 PM
Incredibly insightful thread!
Reposted by Arjun Biddanda
The Johri Lab has an open postdoc position. Please send me an email, if interested. Start date is flexible. Please do share! Thank you in advance.
October 28, 2025 at 9:31 PM
The Johri Lab has an open postdoc position. Please send me an email, if interested. Start date is flexible. Please do share! Thank you in advance.