Joanna Masel
@joannamasel.bsky.social
Theoretical biologist and advisor to data scientists at the University of Arizona. Mostly theoretical population genetics and molecular evolution, but I've also published in biochemistry, infectious disease, aging, economics, education. Opinions are my own
Reposted by Joanna Masel
A study on 1.7 million people in Hong Kong shows superior hybrid immunity to Covid in people who got vaccinated before infection vs. people who got infected first. "Our findings are a direct rebuttal to arguments for natural immunity," the authors write. doi.org/10.1016/j.va...
Redirecting
doi.org
December 6, 2025 at 5:02 PM
A study on 1.7 million people in Hong Kong shows superior hybrid immunity to Covid in people who got vaccinated before infection vs. people who got infected first. "Our findings are a direct rebuttal to arguments for natural immunity," the authors write. doi.org/10.1016/j.va...
Reposted by Joanna Masel
Sequence alignments are notoriously prone to error. Our latest preprint offers a new tool for filtering errors out, assesses it and other filtering tools, and recommends new best practice. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6... @phylowheeler.bsky.social 1/10
Improved gene tree inference from removing alignment errors both from focal genes and when training substitution models
Multiple Sequence Alignment (MSA) is a key step in phylogenetic analysis, and is prone to error. Unfortunately, algorithms that remove likely alignment errors from MSAs sometimes also remove informati...
www.biorxiv.org
December 4, 2025 at 11:42 PM
Sequence alignments are notoriously prone to error. Our latest preprint offers a new tool for filtering errors out, assesses it and other filtering tools, and recommends new best practice. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6... @phylowheeler.bsky.social 1/10
Sequence alignments are notoriously prone to error. Our latest preprint offers a new tool for filtering errors out, assesses it and other filtering tools, and recommends new best practice. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6... @phylowheeler.bsky.social 1/10
Improved gene tree inference from removing alignment errors both from focal genes and when training substitution models
Multiple Sequence Alignment (MSA) is a key step in phylogenetic analysis, and is prone to error. Unfortunately, algorithms that remove likely alignment errors from MSAs sometimes also remove informati...
www.biorxiv.org
December 4, 2025 at 11:42 PM
Sequence alignments are notoriously prone to error. Our latest preprint offers a new tool for filtering errors out, assesses it and other filtering tools, and recommends new best practice. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6... @phylowheeler.bsky.social 1/10
Reposted by Joanna Masel
I wrote about missing heritability, "missing environmentality," and why I still think twin studies are interesting and valuable: kathrynpaigeharden.substack.com/p/twins-are-...
Twins Are So Much More Interesting Than Heritability Estimates
On starting places, "missing environmentality," and the Waddington landscape of life
kathrynpaigeharden.substack.com
December 4, 2025 at 7:08 PM
I wrote about missing heritability, "missing environmentality," and why I still think twin studies are interesting and valuable: kathrynpaigeharden.substack.com/p/twins-are-...
Reposted by Joanna Masel
Currently dorking out over this graph about child mortality with my brother. Just mind boggling to take in.
December 2, 2025 at 5:00 AM
Currently dorking out over this graph about child mortality with my brother. Just mind boggling to take in.
Reposted by Joanna Masel
Hi everyone! I'm co-organizing this retreat/workshop June 15-19 for those looking to get started in mathematical/computational modeling of biological processes. Location is a beautiful farm in NC. Please share with students and others who want to build modeling skills. Interdisciplinarity welcome!
December 2, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Hi everyone! I'm co-organizing this retreat/workshop June 15-19 for those looking to get started in mathematical/computational modeling of biological processes. Location is a beautiful farm in NC. Please share with students and others who want to build modeling skills. Interdisciplinarity welcome!
Reposted by Joanna Masel
This article provides more data showing how easy it is to manipulate humans on social media.
These researchers rerouted the algorithm on Twitter to push some users toward “antidemocratic attitudes and partisan animosity”.
It only took 1 week to elicit changes that used to take 3 years.
These researchers rerouted the algorithm on Twitter to push some users toward “antidemocratic attitudes and partisan animosity”.
It only took 1 week to elicit changes that used to take 3 years.
Reranking partisan animosity in algorithmic social media feeds alters affective polarization
Today, social media platforms hold the sole power to study the effects of feed-ranking algorithms. We developed a platform-independent method that reranks participants’ feeds in real time and used thi...
www.science.org
November 28, 2025 at 2:42 PM
This article provides more data showing how easy it is to manipulate humans on social media.
These researchers rerouted the algorithm on Twitter to push some users toward “antidemocratic attitudes and partisan animosity”.
It only took 1 week to elicit changes that used to take 3 years.
These researchers rerouted the algorithm on Twitter to push some users toward “antidemocratic attitudes and partisan animosity”.
It only took 1 week to elicit changes that used to take 3 years.
Reposted by Joanna Masel
Reposted by Joanna Masel
We have a “poverty trap” and it’s driving the destruction of social cohesion.
The “poverty line” is’t 35,000, it’s $150,000, and making more than one, and less than the other is worse than being “poor”.
Which is why the rage.
www.yesigiveafig.com/p/part-1-my-...
The “poverty line” is’t 35,000, it’s $150,000, and making more than one, and less than the other is worse than being “poor”.
Which is why the rage.
www.yesigiveafig.com/p/part-1-my-...
Part 1: My Life Is a Lie
How a Broken Benchmark Quietly Broke America
www.yesigiveafig.com
November 26, 2025 at 2:13 PM
We have a “poverty trap” and it’s driving the destruction of social cohesion.
The “poverty line” is’t 35,000, it’s $150,000, and making more than one, and less than the other is worse than being “poor”.
Which is why the rage.
www.yesigiveafig.com/p/part-1-my-...
The “poverty line” is’t 35,000, it’s $150,000, and making more than one, and less than the other is worse than being “poor”.
Which is why the rage.
www.yesigiveafig.com/p/part-1-my-...
Reposted by Joanna Masel
Does blinding--i.e., concealing applicants' identities--reduce gender gaps in academic conference paper acceptances?
Nope!
Does blinding do anything?
It does! Blinding reduces gaps in acceptances by institution rank.
haruka-uchida.github.io/websitefiles...
Nope!
Does blinding do anything?
It does! Blinding reduces gaps in acceptances by institution rank.
haruka-uchida.github.io/websitefiles...
November 26, 2025 at 9:54 PM
Does blinding--i.e., concealing applicants' identities--reduce gender gaps in academic conference paper acceptances?
Nope!
Does blinding do anything?
It does! Blinding reduces gaps in acceptances by institution rank.
haruka-uchida.github.io/websitefiles...
Nope!
Does blinding do anything?
It does! Blinding reduces gaps in acceptances by institution rank.
haruka-uchida.github.io/websitefiles...
Reposted by Joanna Masel
New data that supports metformin as a potential intervention to reduce #LongCovid www.authorea.com/users/100423...
Metformin at the time of Covid-19 infection and risk of Long Covid: A Target Trial Emulation Study
Background: Our objective was to evaluate metformin prescribed at the time of SARS-CoV-2 infection on the risk of developing Long Covid (LC) in electronic health record data. Methods: We conducted a n...
www.authorea.com
November 26, 2025 at 7:12 PM
New data that supports metformin as a potential intervention to reduce #LongCovid www.authorea.com/users/100423...
Reposted by Joanna Masel
Please pass along - We've extended the CAMBIUM fellowship deadline to December 15! Our NSF NRT supports new grad students to harness biodiversity big data to adapt to & mitigate climate change impacts. Great fit for evolutionary genomics, bioinformatics, ecology & more. cambium.arizona.edu 🧬🌐🌎
November 26, 2025 at 7:19 PM
Please pass along - We've extended the CAMBIUM fellowship deadline to December 15! Our NSF NRT supports new grad students to harness biodiversity big data to adapt to & mitigate climate change impacts. Great fit for evolutionary genomics, bioinformatics, ecology & more. cambium.arizona.edu 🧬🌐🌎
Reposted by Joanna Masel
Lab’s first paper is out!! We show the first structures of #Asgard #chromatin by #cryo-EM 🧬❄️
Asgard histones form closed and open hypernucleosomes. Closed are conserved across #Archaea, while open resemble eukaryotic H3–H4 octasomes and are Asgard-specific. More here: www.cell.com/molecular-ce...
Asgard histones form closed and open hypernucleosomes. Closed are conserved across #Archaea, while open resemble eukaryotic H3–H4 octasomes and are Asgard-specific. More here: www.cell.com/molecular-ce...
October 28, 2025 at 3:07 PM
Lab’s first paper is out!! We show the first structures of #Asgard #chromatin by #cryo-EM 🧬❄️
Asgard histones form closed and open hypernucleosomes. Closed are conserved across #Archaea, while open resemble eukaryotic H3–H4 octasomes and are Asgard-specific. More here: www.cell.com/molecular-ce...
Asgard histones form closed and open hypernucleosomes. Closed are conserved across #Archaea, while open resemble eukaryotic H3–H4 octasomes and are Asgard-specific. More here: www.cell.com/molecular-ce...
Reposted by Joanna Masel
Rares: Contrast his summary with the abstract of Wainschtein et al. Focusing on ultra-rare to the exclusion of rare/de novo/structural variants seems like cherry picking a threshold in this context.
November 23, 2025 at 2:01 PM
Rares: Contrast his summary with the abstract of Wainschtein et al. Focusing on ultra-rare to the exclusion of rare/de novo/structural variants seems like cherry picking a threshold in this context.
Reposted by Joanna Masel
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 Joanna Masel
Hot off the press! Our latest paper led by @fernpizza.bsky.social, understanding how plasmids evolve inside cells. These small, self-replicating DNA circles live inside bacteria and carry antibiotic resistance genes, but also compete with one another to replicate. 1/
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Intracellular competition shapes plasmid population dynamics
From populations of multicellular organisms to selfish genetic elements, conflicts between levels of biological organization are central to evolution. Plasmids are extrachromosomal, self-replicating g...
www.science.org
November 20, 2025 at 9:42 PM
Hot off the press! Our latest paper led by @fernpizza.bsky.social, understanding how plasmids evolve inside cells. These small, self-replicating DNA circles live inside bacteria and carry antibiotic resistance genes, but also compete with one another to replicate. 1/
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Joanna Masel
Meet the plenary speakers for #APSPM2026.
Joanna Masel @joannamasel.bsky.social
Nicholas Matzke @nicholasmatzke.bsky.social
Join us to discuss how protein structure is changing evolutionary theory, phylogenetics and molecular evolution.
biosig.lab.uq.edu.au/strphy26/spe...
Joanna Masel @joannamasel.bsky.social
Nicholas Matzke @nicholasmatzke.bsky.social
Join us to discuss how protein structure is changing evolutionary theory, phylogenetics and molecular evolution.
biosig.lab.uq.edu.au/strphy26/spe...
APSPM 2026: Structural Phylogenetics Meeting
A pivotal SMBE regional meeting in Brisbane on the interface of protein structure, function, and evolution.
biosig.lab.uq.edu.au
November 14, 2025 at 2:23 AM
Meet the plenary speakers for #APSPM2026.
Joanna Masel @joannamasel.bsky.social
Nicholas Matzke @nicholasmatzke.bsky.social
Join us to discuss how protein structure is changing evolutionary theory, phylogenetics and molecular evolution.
biosig.lab.uq.edu.au/strphy26/spe...
Joanna Masel @joannamasel.bsky.social
Nicholas Matzke @nicholasmatzke.bsky.social
Join us to discuss how protein structure is changing evolutionary theory, phylogenetics and molecular evolution.
biosig.lab.uq.edu.au/strphy26/spe...
Reposted by Joanna Masel
Abstract submission deadline for #AbSciCon2026 is Jan 14. I'll be co-organizing a session on "The Last Universal Common Ancestor and the Origins of Translation" with @lorendw.bsky.social and @seekingluca.bsky.social, with lots of other cool related topics at agu.confex.com/agu/abscicon.... Join us!
2026 Astrobiology Science Conference
agu.confex.com
November 13, 2025 at 6:26 PM
Abstract submission deadline for #AbSciCon2026 is Jan 14. I'll be co-organizing a session on "The Last Universal Common Ancestor and the Origins of Translation" with @lorendw.bsky.social and @seekingluca.bsky.social, with lots of other cool related topics at agu.confex.com/agu/abscicon.... Join us!
Reposted by Joanna Masel
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 Joanna Masel
🧪
Hard to believe that this is still something we have to argue for in 2025. The science is settled.
Hard to believe that this is still something we have to argue for in 2025. The science is settled.
Doctors & scientists urge WHO: N95s—not surgical masks—must be the standard in healthcare.
Add your name before Oct 31 👇
tinyurl.com/RespiratorsN...
#RespiratorsNotSurgicals #ProtectHCWs
Add your name before Oct 31 👇
tinyurl.com/RespiratorsN...
#RespiratorsNotSurgicals #ProtectHCWs
A Call for the Universal Use of Respirators in Healthcare - Add Your Name
In an effort to advance global public health through turbulent times, a group of experts from around the globe in medicine, public health, law, industrial hygiene, and other disciplines, met at the Un...
tinyurl.com
October 28, 2025 at 9:08 PM
🧪
Hard to believe that this is still something we have to argue for in 2025. The science is settled.
Hard to believe that this is still something we have to argue for in 2025. The science is settled.
Reposted by Joanna Masel
We are excited to announce APSPM 2026 - the SMBE Australasian Protein Structural Phylogenetics Meeting!
🗓️ 15-18 Feb. 2026
🌏 Brisbane, Australia
🔗 biosig.lab.uq.edu.au/strphy26/
📄 Abstract submission: 28.11.2025
✈️ Travel grant application: 28.11.2025
✏️ Registration: 15.01.2026
#StrPhy26
🗓️ 15-18 Feb. 2026
🌏 Brisbane, Australia
🔗 biosig.lab.uq.edu.au/strphy26/
📄 Abstract submission: 28.11.2025
✈️ Travel grant application: 28.11.2025
✏️ Registration: 15.01.2026
#StrPhy26
APSPM 2026: Structural Phylogenetics Meeting
A pivotal SMBE regional meeting in Brisbane on the interface of protein structure, function, and evolution.
biosig.lab.uq.edu.au
October 22, 2025 at 10:17 AM
We are excited to announce APSPM 2026 - the SMBE Australasian Protein Structural Phylogenetics Meeting!
🗓️ 15-18 Feb. 2026
🌏 Brisbane, Australia
🔗 biosig.lab.uq.edu.au/strphy26/
📄 Abstract submission: 28.11.2025
✈️ Travel grant application: 28.11.2025
✏️ Registration: 15.01.2026
#StrPhy26
🗓️ 15-18 Feb. 2026
🌏 Brisbane, Australia
🔗 biosig.lab.uq.edu.au/strphy26/
📄 Abstract submission: 28.11.2025
✈️ Travel grant application: 28.11.2025
✏️ Registration: 15.01.2026
#StrPhy26
Reposted by Joanna Masel
The new #NSF #GRFP application now excludes 1000’s of students, including those who were told they could apply this year, or who planned to apply next year.
We have a new specific petition urging #NSFGRFP undo this harmful action. If you are impacted sign here: laurenkuehne.github.io/grfpChanges/
We have a new specific petition urging #NSFGRFP undo this harmful action. If you are impacted sign here: laurenkuehne.github.io/grfpChanges/
September 29, 2025 at 5:47 PM
The new #NSF #GRFP application now excludes 1000’s of students, including those who were told they could apply this year, or who planned to apply next year.
We have a new specific petition urging #NSFGRFP undo this harmful action. If you are impacted sign here: laurenkuehne.github.io/grfpChanges/
We have a new specific petition urging #NSFGRFP undo this harmful action. If you are impacted sign here: laurenkuehne.github.io/grfpChanges/
Reposted by Joanna Masel
It is insanity that this hugely consequential news — whether Trump’s EO vomit tirade about H1Bs applies to current visa holders — is sourced *anonymously*! No one will go on record to clarify the new rules!? www.politico.com/news/2025/09...
Trump administration tries to tamp down panic for high-skill visa holders after last-minute overhaul
The president announced Friday that H-1B visas will now come with a $100,000 annual fee, but a U.S. official said it will only apply to new visa applicants.
www.politico.com
September 20, 2025 at 5:44 PM
It is insanity that this hugely consequential news — whether Trump’s EO vomit tirade about H1Bs applies to current visa holders — is sourced *anonymously*! No one will go on record to clarify the new rules!? www.politico.com/news/2025/09...
Reposted by Joanna Masel
Massive sibling regression study finds that human traits are largely environmentally driven (average heritability = 0.3)
Within-family heritability estimates for behavioural and disease phenotypes from 500,000 sibling pairs of diverse ancestries
Quantification of the direct effect of genetic variation on human behavioural traits is important for understanding between-individual variation in socio-economic and health outcomes but estimates of ...
www.medrxiv.org
September 20, 2025 at 6:19 PM
Massive sibling regression study finds that human traits are largely environmentally driven (average heritability = 0.3)