Benjamin Swedlund
@benswedlund.bsky.social
Postdoc in the Morsut lab at USC trying to understand and engineer self-organisation using synthetic gene circuits. SynBio, Dev Bio & Stem Cells. Passionate about science, music, gymnastics, and nature.
Pinned
Check out our lab's latest publication - cells that make waves! We also tell a cautionary tale for those trying to engineer tissues with synthetic gene circuits: tissue physics, such as cellular crowding, may affect circuit behaviour #NotInTheGenes. See Jos's summary for details. More to come soon!
Reposted by Benjamin Swedlund
The Drain of Scientific Publishing details very clearly how for-profit publishers making >30% profit margins have corrupted any solution the research community has attempted.
Let's cut ourselves free.
Drain: arxiv.org/abs/2511.04820
Strain: bit.ly/StrainQSS
Oligopoly: bit.ly/OligSciPub
12/12
Let's cut ourselves free.
Drain: arxiv.org/abs/2511.04820
Strain: bit.ly/StrainQSS
Oligopoly: bit.ly/OligSciPub
12/12
The Drain of Scientific Publishing
The domination of scientific publishing in the Global North by major commercial publishers is harmful to science. We need the most powerful members of the research community, funders, governments and ...
arxiv.org
November 11, 2025 at 11:52 AM
The Drain of Scientific Publishing details very clearly how for-profit publishers making >30% profit margins have corrupted any solution the research community has attempted.
Let's cut ourselves free.
Drain: arxiv.org/abs/2511.04820
Strain: bit.ly/StrainQSS
Oligopoly: bit.ly/OligSciPub
12/12
Let's cut ourselves free.
Drain: arxiv.org/abs/2511.04820
Strain: bit.ly/StrainQSS
Oligopoly: bit.ly/OligSciPub
12/12
Why do we do science?
This was my opener for a department roundtable “Reimagining Scientific Evaluation: Are we judging a book by its cover?”, inspired by @asapbio.bsky.social’s Fellows program. Now more than ever, we should strive for an academic culture that’s transparent, efficient, and fair. 1/5
This was my opener for a department roundtable “Reimagining Scientific Evaluation: Are we judging a book by its cover?”, inspired by @asapbio.bsky.social’s Fellows program. Now more than ever, we should strive for an academic culture that’s transparent, efficient, and fair. 1/5
October 27, 2025 at 5:47 PM
Why do we do science?
This was my opener for a department roundtable “Reimagining Scientific Evaluation: Are we judging a book by its cover?”, inspired by @asapbio.bsky.social’s Fellows program. Now more than ever, we should strive for an academic culture that’s transparent, efficient, and fair. 1/5
This was my opener for a department roundtable “Reimagining Scientific Evaluation: Are we judging a book by its cover?”, inspired by @asapbio.bsky.social’s Fellows program. Now more than ever, we should strive for an academic culture that’s transparent, efficient, and fair. 1/5
Reposted by Benjamin Swedlund
🎉🎉 We finally have a website! 🎉🎉
Did you miss a thread?
Want to know who our delegates are?
Do you want to join our big club?
Check it out:
epithelialmechanics.github.io
Huge thanks to all thread-contributors and to you for following us!
Did you miss a thread?
Want to know who our delegates are?
Do you want to join our big club?
Check it out:
epithelialmechanics.github.io
Huge thanks to all thread-contributors and to you for following us!
Epithelial Mechanics Fan Club
epithelialmechanics.github.io
October 23, 2025 at 7:00 AM
🎉🎉 We finally have a website! 🎉🎉
Did you miss a thread?
Want to know who our delegates are?
Do you want to join our big club?
Check it out:
epithelialmechanics.github.io
Huge thanks to all thread-contributors and to you for following us!
Did you miss a thread?
Want to know who our delegates are?
Do you want to join our big club?
Check it out:
epithelialmechanics.github.io
Huge thanks to all thread-contributors and to you for following us!
Reposted by Benjamin Swedlund
📣Announcing the 4th edition of the EMBL‑IBEC Conference on “Engineering Multicellular Systems”, taking place 11–13 March 2026 in Barcelona. Exploring organoids, mechanobiology, embryo models, organ-on-chip systems, multiomics and more. Abstracts open now!
events.ibecbarcelona.eu/embl-ibec-co...
events.ibecbarcelona.eu/embl-ibec-co...
October 22, 2025 at 2:06 PM
📣Announcing the 4th edition of the EMBL‑IBEC Conference on “Engineering Multicellular Systems”, taking place 11–13 March 2026 in Barcelona. Exploring organoids, mechanobiology, embryo models, organ-on-chip systems, multiomics and more. Abstracts open now!
events.ibecbarcelona.eu/embl-ibec-co...
events.ibecbarcelona.eu/embl-ibec-co...
Reposted by Benjamin Swedlund
Finally, someone has solved a real problem with AI! No more having to take a paper in the format for a journal that rejected you, and reformat it for a new journal. Well done!! formatmypaper.com
October 15, 2025 at 6:33 AM
Finally, someone has solved a real problem with AI! No more having to take a paper in the format for a journal that rejected you, and reformat it for a new journal. Well done!! formatmypaper.com
Reposted by Benjamin Swedlund
🚨JOB ALERT
Dr. Buceta at @i2sysbio.es welcome applications for 36-month postdocs on:
👉 Mechanical markers of tissue dysfunction due to ageing – digital twins & machine learning
Details here: fgcsic.es/convocatoria...
📩 Contact [email protected] to shape your proposal!
@epimechfc.bsky.social
Dr. Buceta at @i2sysbio.es welcome applications for 36-month postdocs on:
👉 Mechanical markers of tissue dysfunction due to ageing – digital twins & machine learning
Details here: fgcsic.es/convocatoria...
📩 Contact [email protected] to shape your proposal!
@epimechfc.bsky.social
ComFuturo Fourth Edition: ComFuturo iAGE Call - FGCSIC
The Fundación General CSIC (FGCSIC) launches the fourth edition of its ComFuturo programme: ComFuturo iAGE, a postdoctoral initiative co-financed by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions COFUND scheme of...
fgcsic.es
October 13, 2025 at 1:04 PM
🚨JOB ALERT
Dr. Buceta at @i2sysbio.es welcome applications for 36-month postdocs on:
👉 Mechanical markers of tissue dysfunction due to ageing – digital twins & machine learning
Details here: fgcsic.es/convocatoria...
📩 Contact [email protected] to shape your proposal!
@epimechfc.bsky.social
Dr. Buceta at @i2sysbio.es welcome applications for 36-month postdocs on:
👉 Mechanical markers of tissue dysfunction due to ageing – digital twins & machine learning
Details here: fgcsic.es/convocatoria...
📩 Contact [email protected] to shape your proposal!
@epimechfc.bsky.social
Reposted by Benjamin Swedlund
A Nobel-winning scientist of great modesty and humour, John Gurdon died on 7 Oct. Not only did he make a discovery that laid the foundations for stem cell research, he also created one of the best environments for research at the Wellcome/CRUK Gurdon Institute wellcome.org/news/sir-joh...
Sir John Gurdon, 1933-2025 | Wellcome
A Nobel-winning scientist of great modesty and humour, John Gurdon died on 7 October. He made a discovery that opened up the field of cloning research, and created one of the best environments for res...
wellcome.org
October 9, 2025 at 1:39 PM
A Nobel-winning scientist of great modesty and humour, John Gurdon died on 7 Oct. Not only did he make a discovery that laid the foundations for stem cell research, he also created one of the best environments for research at the Wellcome/CRUK Gurdon Institute wellcome.org/news/sir-joh...
A bold call to challenge the status quo in scientific publishing: «Science advances through disagreement, through competing hypotheses tested against reality. Why should scientific communication be any different? »
New Blog Post:
Scholarly Communication Is a Research Problem. This Means You.
pracheeac.substack.com/p/scholarly-...
Scholarly Communication Is a Research Problem. This Means You.
pracheeac.substack.com/p/scholarly-...
Scholarly Communication Is a Research Problem. This Means You.
Scholarly Communication Is a Research Problem.
pracheeac.substack.com
October 4, 2025 at 4:50 PM
A bold call to challenge the status quo in scientific publishing: «Science advances through disagreement, through competing hypotheses tested against reality. Why should scientific communication be any different? »
Reposted by Benjamin Swedlund
New Blog Post:
Scholarly Communication Is a Research Problem. This Means You.
pracheeac.substack.com/p/scholarly-...
Scholarly Communication Is a Research Problem. This Means You.
pracheeac.substack.com/p/scholarly-...
Scholarly Communication Is a Research Problem. This Means You.
Scholarly Communication Is a Research Problem.
pracheeac.substack.com
October 4, 2025 at 4:11 PM
New Blog Post:
Scholarly Communication Is a Research Problem. This Means You.
pracheeac.substack.com/p/scholarly-...
Scholarly Communication Is a Research Problem. This Means You.
pracheeac.substack.com/p/scholarly-...
Reposted by Benjamin Swedlund
The Jane Goodall Institute of Canada has learned this morning, Wednesday, October 1st, 2025, that Dr. Jane Goodall DBE, UN Messenger of Peace and Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute, has passed away due to natural causes.
She was in California as part of her speaking tour in the United States.
She was in California as part of her speaking tour in the United States.
October 1, 2025 at 6:14 PM
The Jane Goodall Institute of Canada has learned this morning, Wednesday, October 1st, 2025, that Dr. Jane Goodall DBE, UN Messenger of Peace and Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute, has passed away due to natural causes.
She was in California as part of her speaking tour in the United States.
She was in California as part of her speaking tour in the United States.
When I asked my PI @leonardomorsut.bsky.social why he publishes all our lab’s work first as preprints, he said:
“It seemed like the obvious thing to do.”
In mammalian synBio, we’re lucky: most of the community uses preprints. Why it matters 👇 1/5
In mammalian synBio, we’re lucky: most of the community uses preprints. Why it matters 👇 1/5
September 8, 2025 at 4:11 PM
When I asked my PI @leonardomorsut.bsky.social why he publishes all our lab’s work first as preprints, he said:
“It seemed like the obvious thing to do.”
In mammalian synBio, we’re lucky: most of the community uses preprints. Why it matters 👇 1/5
In mammalian synBio, we’re lucky: most of the community uses preprints. Why it matters 👇 1/5
Different cell types are like oil and water - check out my @epimechfc.bsky.social thread on differential adhesion and its potential applications in tissue engineering!
Are different cell types like oil and water? Over a century ago, researchers found that dissociated sponges and embryonic tissues can self-assemble into functional structures. Join me, @benswedlund.bsky.social to explore the differential adhesion hypothesis & its applications in tissue engineering!
August 31, 2025 at 3:53 PM
Different cell types are like oil and water - check out my @epimechfc.bsky.social thread on differential adhesion and its potential applications in tissue engineering!
Why am I interested in preprints? For me, they tie directly to two fundamentals of academia: how we share findings and how we evaluate each other. Preprints can accelerate research and support new ways of evaluating scientists—beyond metrics we currently use, like journal impact factor (1,2). 1/4
August 26, 2025 at 8:19 PM
Why am I interested in preprints? For me, they tie directly to two fundamentals of academia: how we share findings and how we evaluate each other. Preprints can accelerate research and support new ways of evaluating scientists—beyond metrics we currently use, like journal impact factor (1,2). 1/4
Reposted by Benjamin Swedlund
Collective cell motion has many forms, but rotation is the coolest of them all.
I'm @onenimesa.bsky.social , and in this short🧵, I'll highlight some instances of global tissue rotation like this one from @BauschLab
I'm @onenimesa.bsky.social , and in this short🧵, I'll highlight some instances of global tissue rotation like this one from @BauschLab
August 23, 2025 at 7:00 AM
Collective cell motion has many forms, but rotation is the coolest of them all.
I'm @onenimesa.bsky.social , and in this short🧵, I'll highlight some instances of global tissue rotation like this one from @BauschLab
I'm @onenimesa.bsky.social , and in this short🧵, I'll highlight some instances of global tissue rotation like this one from @BauschLab
Grateful to @jacoates.bsky.social for leading this year's @asapbio.bsky.social Fellows program! What a great way to build community around shared values in open science. I'm now motivated to keep advocating - stay tuned for resources, reflections & hopes for a better future in academia (and beyond)!
Ava Chan, Benjamin Swedlund @benswedlund.bsky.social, Domenico Azarnia Tehran @doazte.bsky.social, Peren Coskun, and @perencoskun.bsky.social Fotis Mystakopoulos are focusing on the “Recognition of preprints” project.
Be on the lookout for the results of the projects, which we will share soon!
Be on the lookout for the results of the projects, which we will share soon!
August 19, 2025 at 7:48 PM
Grateful to @jacoates.bsky.social for leading this year's @asapbio.bsky.social Fellows program! What a great way to build community around shared values in open science. I'm now motivated to keep advocating - stay tuned for resources, reflections & hopes for a better future in academia (and beyond)!
Reposted by Benjamin Swedlund
NIH wants to hear from you. No really.
Request for Information on Maximizing Research Funds by Limiting Allowable Publishing Costs
grants.nih.gov/grants/guide...
Request for Information on Maximizing Research Funds by Limiting Allowable Publishing Costs
grants.nih.gov/grants/guide...
NOT-OD-25-138: Request for Information on Maximizing Research Funds by Limiting Allowable Publishing Costs
NIH Funding Opportunities and Notices in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts: Request for Information on Maximizing Research Funds by Limiting Allowable Publishing Costs NOT-OD-25-138. NIH
grants.nih.gov
July 31, 2025 at 3:21 AM
NIH wants to hear from you. No really.
Request for Information on Maximizing Research Funds by Limiting Allowable Publishing Costs
grants.nih.gov/grants/guide...
Request for Information on Maximizing Research Funds by Limiting Allowable Publishing Costs
grants.nih.gov/grants/guide...
Reposted by Benjamin Swedlund
The "reproducibility crisis" in science constantly makes headlines. Repro efforts are often limited. What if you could assess reproducibility of an entire field?
That's what @brunolemaitre.bsky.social et al. have done. Fly immunity is highly replicable & offers lessons for #metascience
A 🧵 1/n
That's what @brunolemaitre.bsky.social et al. have done. Fly immunity is highly replicable & offers lessons for #metascience
A 🧵 1/n
July 10, 2025 at 8:23 AM
The "reproducibility crisis" in science constantly makes headlines. Repro efforts are often limited. What if you could assess reproducibility of an entire field?
That's what @brunolemaitre.bsky.social et al. have done. Fly immunity is highly replicable & offers lessons for #metascience
A 🧵 1/n
That's what @brunolemaitre.bsky.social et al. have done. Fly immunity is highly replicable & offers lessons for #metascience
A 🧵 1/n
Reposted by Benjamin Swedlund
Online now @ Cell is the yeast multicellular engineering paper from Fankang Meng - the fruits of his productive PhD in our group. He developed modular synthetic biology tools to bring multicellular behaviours to yeast - specific adhesion, juxtacrine signalling and more. www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
Engineering yeast multicellular behaviors via synthetic adhesion and contact signaling
By designing synthetic toolkits for contact-based signaling (MARS) and cell-cell adhesion
(SATURN), we program yeast to form multicellular structures and perform complex tasks,
like building logic cir...
www.cell.com
July 11, 2025 at 3:01 PM
Online now @ Cell is the yeast multicellular engineering paper from Fankang Meng - the fruits of his productive PhD in our group. He developed modular synthetic biology tools to bring multicellular behaviours to yeast - specific adhesion, juxtacrine signalling and more. www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
Reposted by Benjamin Swedlund
Exciting Research Professorship Position in Stem Cell and Developmental Biology at the University of Leuven. Amazing research ecosystem, great colleagues, high quality of life, tenure track. For those interested in joining us, please see below:
www.kuleuven.be/personeel/jo...
www.kuleuven.be/personeel/jo...
July 7, 2025 at 2:01 PM
Exciting Research Professorship Position in Stem Cell and Developmental Biology at the University of Leuven. Amazing research ecosystem, great colleagues, high quality of life, tenure track. For those interested in joining us, please see below:
www.kuleuven.be/personeel/jo...
www.kuleuven.be/personeel/jo...
Reposted by Benjamin Swedlund
Enter our essay competition and win £250. Share with us your ideas on how to innovate event organisation to have a lower environmental impact. Find out how to enter at biologists.com/stories/essa...
April 29, 2025 at 9:31 AM
Enter our essay competition and win £250. Share with us your ideas on how to innovate event organisation to have a lower environmental impact. Find out how to enter at biologists.com/stories/essa...
Reposted by Benjamin Swedlund
From the Editors-in-Chief of all @biologists.bsky.social's journals: "In these uncertain times, we must strengthen our international scientific networks. We must build new bridges of collaboration. We must speak with a unified voice in support of evidence-based policymaking and scientific freedom."
Science under siege: protecting scientific progress in turbulent times
journals.biologists.com/dev/article/...
journals.biologists.com/dev/article/...
Science under siege: protecting scientific progress in turbulent times
As Editors-in-Chief of The Company of Biologists' journals, we have been watching with growing concern the policy changes in the United States of America (USA) and the challenges that these are creati...
journals.biologists.com
March 13, 2025 at 3:22 PM
From the Editors-in-Chief of all @biologists.bsky.social's journals: "In these uncertain times, we must strengthen our international scientific networks. We must build new bridges of collaboration. We must speak with a unified voice in support of evidence-based policymaking and scientific freedom."
Reposted by Benjamin Swedlund
you’re fired. wait you’re rehired. email us a list of things you’ve done today wait forget it you’re fired again. come back your job was important. you’re fired. or hired. come in to the office. wait the office has no computers go home. we are the department of government efficiency.
March 5, 2025 at 10:34 PM
you’re fired. wait you’re rehired. email us a list of things you’ve done today wait forget it you’re fired again. come back your job was important. you’re fired. or hired. come in to the office. wait the office has no computers go home. we are the department of government efficiency.
Reposted by Benjamin Swedlund
Most EU organisations post on euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/funding... as well as findaphd.com
PhD program
IFP Energies nouvelles, a French public research and innovation organisation, offers PhD positions in a wide range of scientific disciplines (chemistry, biotechnology, applied mathematics, economics, ...
euraxess.ec.europa.eu
March 1, 2025 at 2:45 PM
Most EU organisations post on euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/funding... as well as findaphd.com
Reposted by Benjamin Swedlund
Pretty sad. Just got the email that CZI is canceling the second round of Diversity Leadership Awards. Private industry will definitely not fill the hole that NIH and NSF are leaving. 😢💔
February 19, 2025 at 1:03 AM
Pretty sad. Just got the email that CZI is canceling the second round of Diversity Leadership Awards. Private industry will definitely not fill the hole that NIH and NSF are leaving. 😢💔