Shawn Burgess
@burgesslab.bsky.social
zebrafish researcher, genetics and genomics of regeneration
All posts are my personal opinions and do not reflect the position of the NIH or US government
All posts are my personal opinions and do not reflect the position of the NIH or US government
Pinned
Shawn Burgess
@burgesslab.bsky.social
· May 15
Danio rerio Annotation ReportTwitterFacebookLinkedInGitHubNCBI Insights BlogTwitterFacebookYoutube
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Some exciting news! NCBI has finished the annotation pipeline for our new #zebrafish reference sequence GRCz12tu:
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/refseq/annot...
This is a big step up in data depth and quality and should be super helpful going forward.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/refseq/annot...
This is a big step up in data depth and quality and should be super helpful going forward.
Reposted by Shawn Burgess
Wait, I was told 19 kids dead in a single month didn’t matter.
November 29, 2025 at 2:45 PM
Wait, I was told 19 kids dead in a single month didn’t matter.
Reposted by Shawn Burgess
Even the the damn twitter card for this Nature Scientific Reports is clearly AI Slop.
November 27, 2025 at 6:56 PM
Even the the damn twitter card for this Nature Scientific Reports is clearly AI Slop.
Reposted by Shawn Burgess
I cannot stress this enough.
Germany is becoming a phd factory while there is limited future, especially for foreigners after.
Germany is becoming a phd factory while there is limited future, especially for foreigners after.
German academia: great place to work? You should think twice before giving it a try: Permanent positions are very rare, most scholars have to drop out after some precarious years. @dianakwon.bsky.social has written a great piece about this for @nature.com and also talked to yours truly. #IchBinHanna
How to stop the revolving door of German academia
Germany is one of the most popular destinations for students and scholars worldwide, but those pursuing academic careers face significant hurdles to success.
www.nature.com
November 28, 2025 at 4:38 PM
I cannot stress this enough.
Germany is becoming a phd factory while there is limited future, especially for foreigners after.
Germany is becoming a phd factory while there is limited future, especially for foreigners after.
Reposted by Shawn Burgess
I don’t know if anyone else notices or cares, but when I see a presentation in which the speaker uses obviously generated-AI images to illustrate their slides, it makes me immediately less confident in whatever other content they’re presenting.
November 28, 2025 at 3:07 PM
I don’t know if anyone else notices or cares, but when I see a presentation in which the speaker uses obviously generated-AI images to illustrate their slides, it makes me immediately less confident in whatever other content they’re presenting.
Reposted by Shawn Burgess
FIFTY FOUR MILLION DOLLARS, to fire a football coach at a state university
SOURCE: LSU has given Brian Kelly formal written notice that he has been terminated without cause and that it will fulfill the obligation of his nearly $54 million buyout.
November 27, 2025 at 1:59 AM
FIFTY FOUR MILLION DOLLARS, to fire a football coach at a state university
Reposted by Shawn Burgess
With @burgesslab.bsky.social, not one, but TWO freshly caught T2T zebrafish reference genomes for the Tübingen and AB strains 🎣 🎣 🎉
🎉 Excited to share our new preprint presenting a complete de novo assembly of the zebrafish genome; a major advance for zebrafish genomics and research! 🧬
Full paper: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
@zebrafishrock.bsky.social @izfs.bsky.social @zfinmod.bsky.social @modelzebrafish.bsky.social
Full paper: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
@zebrafishrock.bsky.social @izfs.bsky.social @zfinmod.bsky.social @modelzebrafish.bsky.social
doi.org
November 26, 2025 at 2:51 PM
With @burgesslab.bsky.social, not one, but TWO freshly caught T2T zebrafish reference genomes for the Tübingen and AB strains 🎣 🎣 🎉
Reposted by Shawn Burgess
Like so.
one of the coolest things about ChatGPT is how you can actually just never use it. you can fill your whole entire life with simply not once using it. it's incredible.
November 26, 2025 at 2:12 AM
Like so.
Reposted by Shawn Burgess
We are looking for a postdoctoral fellow to work on induced proximity 🤜🤛 and functional genomics! Join our team in Toronto 🇨🇦 to tackle major challenges in oncology and neurodegeneration. www.nature.com/naturecareer...
POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW - Toronto (City), Ontario (CA) job with Taipale Lab, Donnelly Centre, University of Toronto | 12849004
The Taipale lab in the Donnelly CCBR and University of Toronto is looking for a highly motivated Postdoctoral Fellow
www.nature.com
November 19, 2025 at 5:51 PM
We are looking for a postdoctoral fellow to work on induced proximity 🤜🤛 and functional genomics! Join our team in Toronto 🇨🇦 to tackle major challenges in oncology and neurodegeneration. www.nature.com/naturecareer...
Reposted by Shawn Burgess
🐟Meet the DANIO-ReCODE team!🐟
This week: Martina Sevo and Prof Blaz Zupan from University of Ljubljana
Martina´s research focuses on conversational AI for exploring complex data in tissue regeneration research
📢Stay tuned! #DANIO #MSCA @obog.bsky.social @cabd-upo-csic.bsky.social
This week: Martina Sevo and Prof Blaz Zupan from University of Ljubljana
Martina´s research focuses on conversational AI for exploring complex data in tissue regeneration research
📢Stay tuned! #DANIO #MSCA @obog.bsky.social @cabd-upo-csic.bsky.social
November 24, 2025 at 12:49 PM
🐟Meet the DANIO-ReCODE team!🐟
This week: Martina Sevo and Prof Blaz Zupan from University of Ljubljana
Martina´s research focuses on conversational AI for exploring complex data in tissue regeneration research
📢Stay tuned! #DANIO #MSCA @obog.bsky.social @cabd-upo-csic.bsky.social
This week: Martina Sevo and Prof Blaz Zupan from University of Ljubljana
Martina´s research focuses on conversational AI for exploring complex data in tissue regeneration research
📢Stay tuned! #DANIO #MSCA @obog.bsky.social @cabd-upo-csic.bsky.social
Reposted by Shawn Burgess
I should also point out that some of you are starting to use AI-assisted emails, and we can tell. Use your own words, own thoughts, be honest, be real, dig a little deep and ask yourselves "what really excites me about this" and please stop with the cookie cutter, AI copy-paste emails. End of PSA.
November 21, 2025 at 9:53 PM
I should also point out that some of you are starting to use AI-assisted emails, and we can tell. Use your own words, own thoughts, be honest, be real, dig a little deep and ask yourselves "what really excites me about this" and please stop with the cookie cutter, AI copy-paste emails. End of PSA.
Reposted by Shawn Burgess
Students applying for grad school, or reaching out to professors. I have an important piece of advice for you: STOP DOING THIS 👇 (a thread) #STEM #PhD #gradschool #academictips
November 21, 2025 at 9:53 PM
Students applying for grad school, or reaching out to professors. I have an important piece of advice for you: STOP DOING THIS 👇 (a thread) #STEM #PhD #gradschool #academictips
Reposted by Shawn Burgess
yeah, so often a paper comes out having "discovered" something that was very clearly discovered several years ago with simpler/unavailable technology. >5yrs ago is really not very long. Let's talk about 10+. If you're a good scientist you know your scientific background/history. No excuses.
So many “new” ideas are old repackaged ones using updated terms based on current technologies.
Either folks need to read papers from > 5yrs ago. Or they need to cite them so readers & the public see the slow plodding incremental nature of discovery science.
#AcademicSky
Either folks need to read papers from > 5yrs ago. Or they need to cite them so readers & the public see the slow plodding incremental nature of discovery science.
#AcademicSky
November 23, 2025 at 8:46 PM
yeah, so often a paper comes out having "discovered" something that was very clearly discovered several years ago with simpler/unavailable technology. >5yrs ago is really not very long. Let's talk about 10+. If you're a good scientist you know your scientific background/history. No excuses.
Twenty twenty twenty-four hours ago,
I wanna be sedated,
Nothing to do nowhere to go home,
I wanna be sedated,
Just put me in a wheelchair, put me on a plane,
Hurry hurry hurry before I go insane
I can’t control my fingers, I can’t control my brain,
Oh no no no no no
I wanna be sedated,
Nothing to do nowhere to go home,
I wanna be sedated,
Just put me in a wheelchair, put me on a plane,
Hurry hurry hurry before I go insane
I can’t control my fingers, I can’t control my brain,
Oh no no no no no
November 23, 2025 at 2:18 PM
Twenty twenty twenty-four hours ago,
I wanna be sedated,
Nothing to do nowhere to go home,
I wanna be sedated,
Just put me in a wheelchair, put me on a plane,
Hurry hurry hurry before I go insane
I can’t control my fingers, I can’t control my brain,
Oh no no no no no
I wanna be sedated,
Nothing to do nowhere to go home,
I wanna be sedated,
Just put me in a wheelchair, put me on a plane,
Hurry hurry hurry before I go insane
I can’t control my fingers, I can’t control my brain,
Oh no no no no no
Reposted by Shawn Burgess
Every once in a while I go back and rewatch this performance, and every time I'm glad I did youtu.be/6SFNW5F8K9Y
Prince, Tom Petty, Steve Winwood, Jeff Lynne, more - "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" | 2004 Induction
YouTube video by Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
youtu.be
November 22, 2025 at 4:20 PM
Every once in a while I go back and rewatch this performance, and every time I'm glad I did youtu.be/6SFNW5F8K9Y
Reposted by Shawn Burgess
Someone is going to have the write the thing about how “vibe” has become a substitute for meaningful theory in a world where the theory is so clear — grift and power — but we collectively refuse if because it isn’t sophisticated enough to generate make work for empiricists.
November 22, 2025 at 1:12 PM
Someone is going to have the write the thing about how “vibe” has become a substitute for meaningful theory in a world where the theory is so clear — grift and power — but we collectively refuse if because it isn’t sophisticated enough to generate make work for empiricists.
4 out of 5 academic jobs in biology advertised in Nature are in China.
November 21, 2025 at 4:08 PM
4 out of 5 academic jobs in biology advertised in Nature are in China.
Reposted by Shawn Burgess
type for books used to be set using little metal letters built into words in racks and then inked and pressed on to paper. If you had stock phrases you wanted to reuse a lot you could make a cast of them called a ‘stereotype’. The sound of them *clicking* into place, in French, is ‘cliché’
Man, everything is so bleak, anyone got a fun fact or little bit of trivia they want to share
November 21, 2025 at 10:17 AM
type for books used to be set using little metal letters built into words in racks and then inked and pressed on to paper. If you had stock phrases you wanted to reuse a lot you could make a cast of them called a ‘stereotype’. The sound of them *clicking* into place, in French, is ‘cliché’
Reposted by Shawn Burgess
Name a band that was huge when you were a kid, has been all but forgotten now, but totally deserves a renaissance because they put out bangers. I'll start:
youtu.be/ZbkypX1OhZ0?...
youtu.be/ZbkypX1OhZ0?...
Cheap Trick - Surrender (from Budokan!)
YouTube video by cheaptrickVEVO
youtu.be
November 20, 2025 at 4:48 PM
Name a band that was huge when you were a kid, has been all but forgotten now, but totally deserves a renaissance because they put out bangers. I'll start:
youtu.be/ZbkypX1OhZ0?...
youtu.be/ZbkypX1OhZ0?...
Reposted by Shawn Burgess
#KnowYourZDM: In 2019, a 10-year-old patient w/ a life-threatening lymphatic disorder was losing hope. Zebrafish to the rescue! Scientists created zebrafish with the same gene mutation and found a melanoma drug that fixed the fish. Then, doctors used the same drug on the patient to save his life! 🧪
November 20, 2025 at 6:51 PM
#KnowYourZDM: In 2019, a 10-year-old patient w/ a life-threatening lymphatic disorder was losing hope. Zebrafish to the rescue! Scientists created zebrafish with the same gene mutation and found a melanoma drug that fixed the fish. Then, doctors used the same drug on the patient to save his life! 🧪
Reposted by Shawn Burgess
I am currently searching for a new postdoctoral researcher to study the evolution, genetics, and physiology of cold acclimation and freezing tolerance in switchgrass at Michigan State University. This work will be funded by a newly funded five-year DOE grant. careers.msu.edu/jobs/researc...
Research Associate-Fixed Term - East Lansing, Michigan, United States
Position Summary
The Lowry Lab at Michigan State University is searching for a postdoctoral research associate to conduct molecular and physiological experiments to understand the causes of genetic va...
careers.msu.edu
November 20, 2025 at 2:50 PM
I am currently searching for a new postdoctoral researcher to study the evolution, genetics, and physiology of cold acclimation and freezing tolerance in switchgrass at Michigan State University. This work will be funded by a newly funded five-year DOE grant. careers.msu.edu/jobs/researc...
Reposted by Shawn Burgess
How stem cell treatments, without evidence of benefit but with risk of harm, are promoted at YouTube by celebrities and influencers
cell.com/stem-cell-re...
cell.com/stem-cell-re...
Stem cells in your YouTube feed: The complex landscape and unexpected mediators of online information
In this article, Grundtvig and Munsie provide a large-scale analysis, identifying
4,481 stem cell-related videos on YouTube across 1,734 channels and attracting 134
million views. The article explores...
cell.com
November 20, 2025 at 5:09 PM
How stem cell treatments, without evidence of benefit but with risk of harm, are promoted at YouTube by celebrities and influencers
cell.com/stem-cell-re...
cell.com/stem-cell-re...
Reposted by Shawn Burgess
@tywooldr.bsky.social et al. present assemblies for three bear species — the sun, sloth, and Andean bears — and use a whole-genome alignment of all bear species and other carnivores to reconstruct the evolution of Ursidae.
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/gbe/evaf188
#genome #evolution
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/gbe/evaf188
#genome #evolution
Chromosome-scale Genomes Show Rapid Diversification and Ancient Gene Flow Among Bear Species
Abstract. Reconstructions of evolutionary history can be restricted by a lack of high-quality reference genomes. To date, only four of the eight species of
doi.org
November 20, 2025 at 4:46 PM
@tywooldr.bsky.social et al. present assemblies for three bear species — the sun, sloth, and Andean bears — and use a whole-genome alignment of all bear species and other carnivores to reconstruct the evolution of Ursidae.
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/gbe/evaf188
#genome #evolution
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/gbe/evaf188
#genome #evolution
ThAt cOuLD riVAl NEurALinK. Show me any evidence that Neuralink has any valid product or use case. It is vaporware.
This trial has two goals: ensure the brain implant is safe; and to restore a person's ability to communicate with real-time speech
go.nature.com/4oSXuLj
go.nature.com/4oSXuLj
A brain implant that could rival Neuralink's enters clinical trials
Neurotechnology company Paradromics will test its device in a trial aimed at safely restoring speech for people with severe motor impairments.
go.nature.com
November 20, 2025 at 4:54 PM
ThAt cOuLD riVAl NEurALinK. Show me any evidence that Neuralink has any valid product or use case. It is vaporware.
Name a band that was huge when you were a kid, has been all but forgotten now, but totally deserves a renaissance because they put out bangers. I'll start:
youtu.be/ZbkypX1OhZ0?...
youtu.be/ZbkypX1OhZ0?...
Cheap Trick - Surrender (from Budokan!)
YouTube video by cheaptrickVEVO
youtu.be
November 20, 2025 at 4:48 PM
Name a band that was huge when you were a kid, has been all but forgotten now, but totally deserves a renaissance because they put out bangers. I'll start:
youtu.be/ZbkypX1OhZ0?...
youtu.be/ZbkypX1OhZ0?...
Reposted by Shawn Burgess
November 20, 2025 at 9:25 AM