Sebastian Kittelmann
@sebkittelmann.bsky.social
Research Fellow in the Centre for Functional Genomics at Oxford Brookes University, UK. Genetics, development, sequencing, Drosophila
Reposted by Sebastian Kittelmann
Thrilled to see our review article "The evolutionary origins of synaptic proteins" highlighted on the cover of Nature Reviews Neuroscience 🤩.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
@msarscentre.bsky.social 🧠✨🧬🌊🪼🧽
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
@msarscentre.bsky.social 🧠✨🧬🌊🪼🧽
December 17, 2025 at 3:25 PM
Thrilled to see our review article "The evolutionary origins of synaptic proteins" highlighted on the cover of Nature Reviews Neuroscience 🤩.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
@msarscentre.bsky.social 🧠✨🧬🌊🪼🧽
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
@msarscentre.bsky.social 🧠✨🧬🌊🪼🧽
Reposted by Sebastian Kittelmann
#WntA is a crucial marker of stripe elements early in development for the Nymphalidae butterfly family. @jasminealqassar.bsky.social & co explore if WntA has maintained its role in stripe elements over 95 million years of evolution in the Hesperiidae family of butterflies. doi.org/10.1242/bio....
December 17, 2025 at 8:09 PM
#WntA is a crucial marker of stripe elements early in development for the Nymphalidae butterfly family. @jasminealqassar.bsky.social & co explore if WntA has maintained its role in stripe elements over 95 million years of evolution in the Hesperiidae family of butterflies. doi.org/10.1242/bio....
Reposted by Sebastian Kittelmann
Join us at SMBE26! We are in a golden period for understanding the evolution of gene regulation.
SMBE2026 Symposium 22 | Evolution of gene regulation: insights from novel molecular and statistical approaches
📨 Abstract submission
smbe2026.org/abstracts
📋 Programme details
smbe2026.org/programme
#SMBE2026
📨 Abstract submission
smbe2026.org/abstracts
📋 Programme details
smbe2026.org/programme
#SMBE2026
December 17, 2025 at 10:42 AM
Join us at SMBE26! We are in a golden period for understanding the evolution of gene regulation.
Reposted by Sebastian Kittelmann
Just TWO DAYS until the application deadline for our funded PhD disentangling the impacts of light pollution on spider eyes and visual ecology! 👀🕷️🌃
The project will combine development, morphology, behaviour, and genetics, and can be shaped by the student👩🏽🔬
Interested? Apply!
Questions? Message me!
The project will combine development, morphology, behaviour, and genetics, and can be shaped by the student👩🏽🔬
Interested? Apply!
Questions? Message me!
Exciting times ahead - I'm beyond delighted to be joining @bristolbiosci.bsky.social in 2026! 🎉🕷️🎉🐌🎉
I'm also looking for a PhD student to join @multipleye-lab.bsky.social in our new home! Come and study the effects of light pollution on the evolution and development of spider eyes with us 🌃🕷️👀 👇
I'm also looking for a PhD student to join @multipleye-lab.bsky.social in our new home! Come and study the effects of light pollution on the evolution and development of spider eyes with us 🌃🕷️👀 👇
December 13, 2025 at 1:15 AM
Just TWO DAYS until the application deadline for our funded PhD disentangling the impacts of light pollution on spider eyes and visual ecology! 👀🕷️🌃
The project will combine development, morphology, behaviour, and genetics, and can be shaped by the student👩🏽🔬
Interested? Apply!
Questions? Message me!
The project will combine development, morphology, behaviour, and genetics, and can be shaped by the student👩🏽🔬
Interested? Apply!
Questions? Message me!
Reposted by Sebastian Kittelmann
Download our large database of postdoc fellowships in all fields of research.
Database freely available to all; 281 fellowships.
Download here: research.jhu.edu/rdt/funding-...
Database freely available to all; 281 fellowships.
Download here: research.jhu.edu/rdt/funding-...
December 13, 2025 at 1:38 PM
Download our large database of postdoc fellowships in all fields of research.
Database freely available to all; 281 fellowships.
Download here: research.jhu.edu/rdt/funding-...
Database freely available to all; 281 fellowships.
Download here: research.jhu.edu/rdt/funding-...
Reposted by Sebastian Kittelmann
Elegant way to test for CRISPR-Cas9 off targets thanks to @weibian.bsky.social @davidmcquarrie.bsky.social @roliarnold.bsky.social @ihaussmann.bsky.social
but there seems very little. At least to say CRISPR-Cas9 is safe for flies
rdcu.be/eUyma
but there seems very little. At least to say CRISPR-Cas9 is safe for flies
rdcu.be/eUyma
Genetic evaluation of CRISPR-Cas9 off-target effects from deleterious mutations on Drosophila male single X chromosome
rdcu.be
December 13, 2025 at 6:42 PM
Elegant way to test for CRISPR-Cas9 off targets thanks to @weibian.bsky.social @davidmcquarrie.bsky.social @roliarnold.bsky.social @ihaussmann.bsky.social
but there seems very little. At least to say CRISPR-Cas9 is safe for flies
rdcu.be/eUyma
but there seems very little. At least to say CRISPR-Cas9 is safe for flies
rdcu.be/eUyma
Reposted by Sebastian Kittelmann
CUT&ID for simultaneous profiling of protein-DNA and protein-protein interactions https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2025.12.11.693662v1
December 12, 2025 at 11:16 PM
CUT&ID for simultaneous profiling of protein-DNA and protein-protein interactions https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2025.12.11.693662v1
Reposted by Sebastian Kittelmann
Fly Friends: The Larry Sandler Award recognizes the PhD student with the most amazing these using Drosophila as a model. Just three days left to nominate someone. For more info on the process and the link to nominations, see:
genetics-gsa.org/drosophila-2...
genetics-gsa.org/drosophila-2...
December 12, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Fly Friends: The Larry Sandler Award recognizes the PhD student with the most amazing these using Drosophila as a model. Just three days left to nominate someone. For more info on the process and the link to nominations, see:
genetics-gsa.org/drosophila-2...
genetics-gsa.org/drosophila-2...
Reposted by Sebastian Kittelmann
Calling all aspiring geneticists! Apply for our Summer Studentship Grant and kick-start your research journey. Deadline: 31 March
Apply now: genetics.org.uk/grants/summe...
Apply now: genetics.org.uk/grants/summe...
December 12, 2025 at 1:51 PM
Calling all aspiring geneticists! Apply for our Summer Studentship Grant and kick-start your research journey. Deadline: 31 March
Apply now: genetics.org.uk/grants/summe...
Apply now: genetics.org.uk/grants/summe...
Reposted by Sebastian Kittelmann
Are you ready for the 17th edition of 'Transcription and chromatin'? Our conference remains a must-attend event for anyone engaged in the forefront of transcription research and we hope you can join us! 🧬
25 – 28 August 2026
Submit your abstract by 25 May: s.embl.org/trm26-01-bl
#EMBLTranscript
25 – 28 August 2026
Submit your abstract by 25 May: s.embl.org/trm26-01-bl
#EMBLTranscript
December 10, 2025 at 8:59 AM
Are you ready for the 17th edition of 'Transcription and chromatin'? Our conference remains a must-attend event for anyone engaged in the forefront of transcription research and we hope you can join us! 🧬
25 – 28 August 2026
Submit your abstract by 25 May: s.embl.org/trm26-01-bl
#EMBLTranscript
25 – 28 August 2026
Submit your abstract by 25 May: s.embl.org/trm26-01-bl
#EMBLTranscript
Reposted by Sebastian Kittelmann
Big new blogpost!
My guide to data visualization, which includes a very long table of contents, tons of charts, and more.
--> Why data visualization matters and how to make charts more effective, clear, transparent, and sometimes, beautiful.
www.scientificdiscovery.dev/p/salonis-gu...
My guide to data visualization, which includes a very long table of contents, tons of charts, and more.
--> Why data visualization matters and how to make charts more effective, clear, transparent, and sometimes, beautiful.
www.scientificdiscovery.dev/p/salonis-gu...
December 9, 2025 at 8:28 PM
Big new blogpost!
My guide to data visualization, which includes a very long table of contents, tons of charts, and more.
--> Why data visualization matters and how to make charts more effective, clear, transparent, and sometimes, beautiful.
www.scientificdiscovery.dev/p/salonis-gu...
My guide to data visualization, which includes a very long table of contents, tons of charts, and more.
--> Why data visualization matters and how to make charts more effective, clear, transparent, and sometimes, beautiful.
www.scientificdiscovery.dev/p/salonis-gu...
Reposted by Sebastian Kittelmann
Meeting schedule now online for @bsdb.bsky.social 2026 spring meeting: Molecules to Morphogenesis!
***Abstracts due in by January 16***
Join the outstanding line up! Submit your abstract for a short talk, flash talk, or poster presentation:
👇👇👇
bsdb.org/meetings/
***Abstracts due in by January 16***
Join the outstanding line up! Submit your abstract for a short talk, flash talk, or poster presentation:
👇👇👇
bsdb.org/meetings/
December 9, 2025 at 10:07 AM
Meeting schedule now online for @bsdb.bsky.social 2026 spring meeting: Molecules to Morphogenesis!
***Abstracts due in by January 16***
Join the outstanding line up! Submit your abstract for a short talk, flash talk, or poster presentation:
👇👇👇
bsdb.org/meetings/
***Abstracts due in by January 16***
Join the outstanding line up! Submit your abstract for a short talk, flash talk, or poster presentation:
👇👇👇
bsdb.org/meetings/
Reposted by Sebastian Kittelmann
My biggest pet peeve with R is the inclusion of a space between 0 and the x-axis. It makes zeros look like non-zeros.
Fix this in ggplot by adding:
scale_y_continuous(expand = expansion(mult = c(0, 0.05)))
Fix this in ggplot by adding:
scale_y_continuous(expand = expansion(mult = c(0, 0.05)))
December 9, 2025 at 6:26 PM
My biggest pet peeve with R is the inclusion of a space between 0 and the x-axis. It makes zeros look like non-zeros.
Fix this in ggplot by adding:
scale_y_continuous(expand = expansion(mult = c(0, 0.05)))
Fix this in ggplot by adding:
scale_y_continuous(expand = expansion(mult = c(0, 0.05)))
Reposted by Sebastian Kittelmann
@jorkussmellington.bsky.social On coffee (and really, I would say most other food-related questions OTHER than unchecked consumption of red meat, which the biggest single food-related source of emissions and unsustainable use of land/water resources), this post makes an excellent point!
December 9, 2025 at 6:27 PM
@jorkussmellington.bsky.social On coffee (and really, I would say most other food-related questions OTHER than unchecked consumption of red meat, which the biggest single food-related source of emissions and unsustainable use of land/water resources), this post makes an excellent point!
Reposted by Sebastian Kittelmann
I wrote a guide on constructive peer review. This is a polished version of an internal guide I had for my group. Of course, constructive feedback is welcome, peers!
deboer.bme.ubc.ca/2025/12/09/g...
deboer.bme.ubc.ca/2025/12/09/g...
December 9, 2025 at 6:38 PM
I wrote a guide on constructive peer review. This is a polished version of an internal guide I had for my group. Of course, constructive feedback is welcome, peers!
deboer.bme.ubc.ca/2025/12/09/g...
deboer.bme.ubc.ca/2025/12/09/g...
Reposted by Sebastian Kittelmann
🚨RA/PhD position available in evolutionary neurobiology 🚨
Working on a deep dive into circuit changes during mushroom body expansion in Heliconius butterflies @camzoology.bsky.social
- employment benefits
- 4 years funding
- 1000% fun
Deadline: 14/1/2026
Details:
www.cam.ac.uk/jobs/researc...
Working on a deep dive into circuit changes during mushroom body expansion in Heliconius butterflies @camzoology.bsky.social
- employment benefits
- 4 years funding
- 1000% fun
Deadline: 14/1/2026
Details:
www.cam.ac.uk/jobs/researc...
November 21, 2025 at 2:31 PM
🚨RA/PhD position available in evolutionary neurobiology 🚨
Working on a deep dive into circuit changes during mushroom body expansion in Heliconius butterflies @camzoology.bsky.social
- employment benefits
- 4 years funding
- 1000% fun
Deadline: 14/1/2026
Details:
www.cam.ac.uk/jobs/researc...
Working on a deep dive into circuit changes during mushroom body expansion in Heliconius butterflies @camzoology.bsky.social
- employment benefits
- 4 years funding
- 1000% fun
Deadline: 14/1/2026
Details:
www.cam.ac.uk/jobs/researc...
Reposted by Sebastian Kittelmann
A question for old-ish fly folk:
Any idea if the webpage for the old DrosDel site that could design deletions still lives somewhere?
The DrosDel url is defunct, and the link I found to DrosDel at Cambridge doesn’t work.
I’d make a new Df or two, if I knew the best way to do it.
Any idea if the webpage for the old DrosDel site that could design deletions still lives somewhere?
The DrosDel url is defunct, and the link I found to DrosDel at Cambridge doesn’t work.
I’d make a new Df or two, if I knew the best way to do it.
December 8, 2025 at 8:30 PM
A question for old-ish fly folk:
Any idea if the webpage for the old DrosDel site that could design deletions still lives somewhere?
The DrosDel url is defunct, and the link I found to DrosDel at Cambridge doesn’t work.
I’d make a new Df or two, if I knew the best way to do it.
Any idea if the webpage for the old DrosDel site that could design deletions still lives somewhere?
The DrosDel url is defunct, and the link I found to DrosDel at Cambridge doesn’t work.
I’d make a new Df or two, if I knew the best way to do it.
Reposted by Sebastian Kittelmann
Horrible idea. AI will regress all grants towards the mean since AI is trained to produce the average output.
Grants require expertise that ignores bad literature and rejects author assertions if false. no AI review I've seen has ever challenged the author's assertions as fundamentally flawed.
Grants require expertise that ignores bad literature and rejects author assertions if false. no AI review I've seen has ever challenged the author's assertions as fundamentally flawed.
UKRI exploring use of AI in grant review - this will prompt debate but interested to know if people think it’d encourage novelty or the opposite? www.chemistryworld.com/news/ukri-op...
UKRI opens up grant proposal data to explore using AI to smooth peer review
Surging applications has led the UK's main funder to look at ways to reduce the burden on reviewers
www.chemistryworld.com
December 4, 2025 at 2:30 PM
Horrible idea. AI will regress all grants towards the mean since AI is trained to produce the average output.
Grants require expertise that ignores bad literature and rejects author assertions if false. no AI review I've seen has ever challenged the author's assertions as fundamentally flawed.
Grants require expertise that ignores bad literature and rejects author assertions if false. no AI review I've seen has ever challenged the author's assertions as fundamentally flawed.
Reposted by Sebastian Kittelmann
Looking to ditch Spotify? @janus.bsky.social wrote this up for @fightforthefuture.org and it's an easy step-by-step guide for how to do it in the least painless way possible
touchgrass.fightforthefuture.org/how-to-ditch...
touchgrass.fightforthefuture.org/how-to-ditch...
How To Ditch Spotify and Support Music in the Age of AI Slop
There’s no shortage of reasons to quit Spotify in 2025. Artists and fans have been departing the platform in droves because they’re fed up with the company paying artists virtually nothing, using algo...
touchgrass.fightforthefuture.org
December 4, 2025 at 6:12 PM
Looking to ditch Spotify? @janus.bsky.social wrote this up for @fightforthefuture.org and it's an easy step-by-step guide for how to do it in the least painless way possible
touchgrass.fightforthefuture.org/how-to-ditch...
touchgrass.fightforthefuture.org/how-to-ditch...
Reposted by Sebastian Kittelmann
Coming up in 30 minutes! Just a quick registration away from some nice neuronal nanoscopy 🔬
🔬 Discover the neuronal cytoskeleton in #SuperResolution!
Join our webinar on 4 December 2026 with Flavie Lavoie-Cardinal & Christophe Leterrier + live Q&A - and enter for a chance to win an Abbelight Smart Buffer Kit.
Register:
us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
#SMLM #Neuroscience
Join our webinar on 4 December 2026 with Flavie Lavoie-Cardinal & Christophe Leterrier + live Q&A - and enter for a chance to win an Abbelight Smart Buffer Kit.
Register:
us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
#SMLM #Neuroscience
December 4, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Coming up in 30 minutes! Just a quick registration away from some nice neuronal nanoscopy 🔬
Reposted by Sebastian Kittelmann
Near complete assembly of Drosophila melanogaster Canton S strain genome
#Drosophila
#Drosophila
Near complete assembly of Drosophila melanogaster Canton S strain genome
#Drosophila
PubMed link
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
December 4, 2025 at 10:23 AM
Near complete assembly of Drosophila melanogaster Canton S strain genome
#Drosophila
#Drosophila
Reposted by Sebastian Kittelmann
Applications are open for @dev-journal.bsky.social 2026 Pathway to Independence (PI) programme, supporting postdocs applying for group leader positions:
Mentoring
Profile raising
Leadership training
Network building
Spread the word...
www.biologists.com/grants/devel...
Mentoring
Profile raising
Leadership training
Network building
Spread the word...
www.biologists.com/grants/devel...
Development's Pathway to Independence Programme
Our grants support and encourage the sharing of knowledge throughout the community by facilitating international collaboration, event attendance and the organisation of scientific meetings, conference...
www.biologists.com
December 3, 2025 at 6:56 AM
Applications are open for @dev-journal.bsky.social 2026 Pathway to Independence (PI) programme, supporting postdocs applying for group leader positions:
Mentoring
Profile raising
Leadership training
Network building
Spread the word...
www.biologists.com/grants/devel...
Mentoring
Profile raising
Leadership training
Network building
Spread the word...
www.biologists.com/grants/devel...
Reposted by Sebastian Kittelmann
@nature.com asked me to write an op-ed on the perspective of the AI reviewing process, prompted by the recent partnership between @biorxivpreprint.bsky.social and @qedscience.bsky.social
Hope my perspective adds value to the conversation.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Hope my perspective adds value to the conversation.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
AI reviewers are here — we are not ready
Artificial intelligence promises rapid and polite feedback on papers — but we must first review the reviewer.
www.nature.com
December 3, 2025 at 10:56 AM
@nature.com asked me to write an op-ed on the perspective of the AI reviewing process, prompted by the recent partnership between @biorxivpreprint.bsky.social and @qedscience.bsky.social
Hope my perspective adds value to the conversation.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Hope my perspective adds value to the conversation.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Reposted by Sebastian Kittelmann
JASPAR 2026 is out 🎉
The new release massively expands the TF motif collections and adds a dedicated DeepLearning collection of motifs learned from deep learning models.
Database: jaspar.elixir.no
Paper (NAR): doi.org/10.1093/nar/...
🧵1/2
The new release massively expands the TF motif collections and adds a dedicated DeepLearning collection of motifs learned from deep learning models.
Database: jaspar.elixir.no
Paper (NAR): doi.org/10.1093/nar/...
🧵1/2
JASPAR: An open-access database of transcription factor binding profiles
JASPAR is the largest open-access database of curated and non-redundant transcription factor (TF) binding profiles from six different taxonomic groups.
jaspar.elixir.no
December 3, 2025 at 2:43 PM
JASPAR 2026 is out 🎉
The new release massively expands the TF motif collections and adds a dedicated DeepLearning collection of motifs learned from deep learning models.
Database: jaspar.elixir.no
Paper (NAR): doi.org/10.1093/nar/...
🧵1/2
The new release massively expands the TF motif collections and adds a dedicated DeepLearning collection of motifs learned from deep learning models.
Database: jaspar.elixir.no
Paper (NAR): doi.org/10.1093/nar/...
🧵1/2
Reposted by Sebastian Kittelmann
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.
1/n
1/n
Intro to Bedder – The Quinlan Lab
quinlanlab.org
December 2, 2025 at 2:28 AM