Claudio R. Alonso
@claudiomics.bsky.social
Molecular biologist interested in how the brain forms and functions. Professor, PI and proud member of Sussex Neuroscience. Core interests in Hox genes and microRNAs. And Drosophila!
Beautiful and mysterious…and all that actin action packed in less than 10 seconds across less than 100 square microns of tissue. Cells are incredible…
Still posting cytoskeleton videos, it seems. Actin this time.
Sample: Lifeact-eGFP in HeLa cells.
Modality: Airyscan confocal
Timestamp is mm:ss and the scale bar is 5 µm.
Sample: Lifeact-eGFP in HeLa cells.
Modality: Airyscan confocal
Timestamp is mm:ss and the scale bar is 5 µm.
November 24, 2025 at 9:41 PM
Beautiful and mysterious…and all that actin action packed in less than 10 seconds across less than 100 square microns of tissue. Cells are incredible…
Impressive tour de force on the molecular and structural principles underlying mRNA export from the nucleus
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
An ATP-gated molecular switch orchestrates human messenger RNA export - Nature
Nature - An ATP-gated molecular switch orchestrates human messenger RNA export
www.nature.com
November 23, 2025 at 12:01 PM
Impressive tour de force on the molecular and structural principles underlying mRNA export from the nucleus
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
A Cellular ballet, and with chirality…!
The law of the jungle.
Interactions of cells in a collective lead to global rotation.
In 80% of the case HUVEC cells turn clockwise.
How many cells does it take for this to happen?
Interactions of cells in a collective lead to global rotation.
In 80% of the case HUVEC cells turn clockwise.
How many cells does it take for this to happen?
November 21, 2025 at 6:28 PM
A Cellular ballet, and with chirality…!
When you are that small, you don’t need much to take off!
The remarkable forewing and hindwing of a 0.3mm long Alaptus minimus wasp of the Mymaridae.
#entomology #Mymaridae #wasps
#entomology #Mymaridae #wasps
November 15, 2025 at 10:22 AM
When you are that small, you don’t need much to take off!
Reposted by Claudio R. Alonso
The European Drosophila Society #flyEDS extends the condolences on the passing of Antonio García-Bellido, considered the founder of the Spanish school of #Drosophila genetics and an influential figure in developmental biology research worldwide. May he rest in peace.
November 11, 2025 at 2:15 PM
The European Drosophila Society #flyEDS extends the condolences on the passing of Antonio García-Bellido, considered the founder of the Spanish school of #Drosophila genetics and an influential figure in developmental biology research worldwide. May he rest in peace.
Very sad news… Antonio Garcia-Bellido was a scientific giant and one of the founders of developmental genetics R.I.P. elpais.com/ciencia/2025...
Muere Antonio García-Bellido, descubridor de las fronteras invisibles dentro de los seres vivos
El biólogo, fallecido a los 89 años, deja un legado científico que roza las alturas de los nobeles Santiago Ramón y Cajal y Severo Ochoa
elpais.com
November 11, 2025 at 10:35 PM
Very sad news… Antonio Garcia-Bellido was a scientific giant and one of the founders of developmental genetics R.I.P. elpais.com/ciencia/2025...
An interesting perspective on the evolutionary origins of synaptic communication
First neurons didn’t appear overnight. We trace their roots to ancient secretory cells - showing how lifestyle & behavior shaped the evolution of first synapses.🧠🌊 #Evolution #Neuroscience
Our latest in @natrevneuro.nature.com
Link: rdcu.be/eMX3E
@jeffcolgren.bsky.social @msarscentre.bsky.social
Our latest in @natrevneuro.nature.com
Link: rdcu.be/eMX3E
@jeffcolgren.bsky.social @msarscentre.bsky.social
The evolutionary origins of synaptic proteins and their changing roles in different organisms across evolution
Nature Reviews Neuroscience - Recent studies have shed further light on the evolutionary origins of chemical synapses, In this Review, Colgren and Burkhardt explore how ancient proteins were...
rdcu.be
October 28, 2025 at 9:46 AM
An interesting perspective on the evolutionary origins of synaptic communication
Reposted by Claudio R. Alonso
🦎THREAD: We just published something wild in @asn-amnat.bsky.social - lizards missing entire limbs not only survive, but some appear to actually thrive in the wild?!
Let me tell you about the "three-legged pirate" lizards 🏴☠️
[Paper: www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/... ]
(1/n)
Let me tell you about the "three-legged pirate" lizards 🏴☠️
[Paper: www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/... ]
(1/n)
October 14, 2025 at 1:52 PM
🦎THREAD: We just published something wild in @asn-amnat.bsky.social - lizards missing entire limbs not only survive, but some appear to actually thrive in the wild?!
Let me tell you about the "three-legged pirate" lizards 🏴☠️
[Paper: www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/... ]
(1/n)
Let me tell you about the "three-legged pirate" lizards 🏴☠️
[Paper: www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/... ]
(1/n)
Nice piece on John Gurdon written by Ron Laskey www.nature.com/articles/d41...
John Gurdon obituary: Biologist who made cloning possible
He showed that specialized cells retain the genes to form an organism.
www.nature.com
October 22, 2025 at 9:17 PM
Nice piece on John Gurdon written by Ron Laskey www.nature.com/articles/d41...
This is very sad news… an outstanding scientist and experimentalist, a superb writer and mentor. He will be greatly missed…
www.magd.cam.ac.uk/news/profess...
www.magd.cam.ac.uk/news/profess...
Professor Sir John Gurdon FRS (1933-2025) | Magdalene College
Magdalene College is deeply saddened to announce the death of Professor Sir John Gurdon FRS, who served as Master of the College from 1995 to 2002.
www.magd.cam.ac.uk
October 7, 2025 at 4:21 PM
This is very sad news… an outstanding scientist and experimentalist, a superb writer and mentor. He will be greatly missed…
www.magd.cam.ac.uk/news/profess...
www.magd.cam.ac.uk/news/profess...
We are looking for 2 postdocs to join my lab at Sussex University in Brighton, UK (South of London, on the sea). One position is for a molecular/cell biologist, the other, for a neurobiologist/behavioural person. Drosophila experience desirable. Flyer w/more info below. Please repost. Thank you!
July 24, 2025 at 9:26 PM
We are looking for 2 postdocs to join my lab at Sussex University in Brighton, UK (South of London, on the sea). One position is for a molecular/cell biologist, the other, for a neurobiologist/behavioural person. Drosophila experience desirable. Flyer w/more info below. Please repost. Thank you!
Reposted by Claudio R. Alonso
We currently have a call for support that has gone out to European labs, to support FlyBase-UK. We are asking our colleagues from labs in the US and other countries to wait for a similar call to them that will go out in the near future, to support the US sites. We thank you for your patience.
URGENT: FlyBase has lost practically all its funding overnight; even user fees are tied up in denied grant funding. 🤬🤯
Any lab using @flybase.bsky.social please donate using the link in post below.
This incredible community, on whose backs our #Drosophila labs depend, can't be left out to dry.
Any lab using @flybase.bsky.social please donate using the link in post below.
This incredible community, on whose backs our #Drosophila labs depend, can't be left out to dry.
My lab studies bacterial infections. We spend a lot of time looking at (or for) species-specific genetic and genomic databases for hosts and microbes. FlyBase is the best of all—there is literally no comparison. Its existence is under threat. Please donate.
www.philanthropy.cam.ac.uk/give-to-camb...
www.philanthropy.cam.ac.uk/give-to-camb...
June 3, 2025 at 9:17 PM
We currently have a call for support that has gone out to European labs, to support FlyBase-UK. We are asking our colleagues from labs in the US and other countries to wait for a similar call to them that will go out in the near future, to support the US sites. We thank you for your patience.
Reposted by Claudio R. Alonso
It's publication day of my first book: The Tree of Life. The tree of life is a time machine that can take us back 4 billion years to meet our most distant ancestor. It is the magic that lets us tell the origin stories, beginning with this ancient relative, of everything from mushrooms to man.
April 24, 2025 at 11:31 AM
It's publication day of my first book: The Tree of Life. The tree of life is a time machine that can take us back 4 billion years to meet our most distant ancestor. It is the magic that lets us tell the origin stories, beginning with this ancient relative, of everything from mushrooms to man.
Delighted to share a new preprint from the lab exploring the links between morphology and behaviour: using a novel method we map the sensory inputs that trigger an evolutionarily conserved adaptive postural behaviour (self-righting) in the Drosophila larva 👉🏼 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
April 23, 2025 at 3:42 PM
Delighted to share a new preprint from the lab exploring the links between morphology and behaviour: using a novel method we map the sensory inputs that trigger an evolutionarily conserved adaptive postural behaviour (self-righting) in the Drosophila larva 👉🏼 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Claudio R. Alonso
Guys I made a breakthrough
April 7, 2025 at 12:28 AM
Guys I made a breakthrough
All the very best to our colleagues at @standupforscience.bsky.social today! We are all with you: science is international
March 7, 2025 at 7:51 AM
All the very best to our colleagues at @standupforscience.bsky.social today! We are all with you: science is international
Reposted by Claudio R. Alonso
It’s been a tough few weeks. My 10yo daughter was diagnosed with a very rare, aggressive cancer called interdigitating dendritic cell sarcoma (IDCS). I’m reaching out to identify clinicians/patients who have encountered pediatric IDCS or other (non-LCH) dendritic or histiocytic sarcomas cases.
February 8, 2025 at 9:21 PM
It’s been a tough few weeks. My 10yo daughter was diagnosed with a very rare, aggressive cancer called interdigitating dendritic cell sarcoma (IDCS). I’m reaching out to identify clinicians/patients who have encountered pediatric IDCS or other (non-LCH) dendritic or histiocytic sarcomas cases.
Trump administration to cut billions in research funding to NIH www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Trump administration to cut billions in medical research funding
National Institutes of Health said the $4bn loss will affect ‘indirect’ funding of buildings, equipment and staff
www.theguardian.com
February 8, 2025 at 10:51 PM
Trump administration to cut billions in research funding to NIH www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Our lab is looking for 2 postdocs interested in the molecular basis of neural development and behaviour.
Post 1: www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DLJ521/r...
Post 2: www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DLJ529/r...
The deadline is 17-FEB-2025
For informal enquiries email me at: [email protected]
Please repost - Thank you!
Post 1: www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DLJ521/r...
Post 2: www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DLJ529/r...
The deadline is 17-FEB-2025
For informal enquiries email me at: [email protected]
Please repost - Thank you!
January 30, 2025 at 6:45 PM
Our lab is looking for 2 postdocs interested in the molecular basis of neural development and behaviour.
Post 1: www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DLJ521/r...
Post 2: www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DLJ529/r...
The deadline is 17-FEB-2025
For informal enquiries email me at: [email protected]
Please repost - Thank you!
Post 1: www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DLJ521/r...
Post 2: www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DLJ529/r...
The deadline is 17-FEB-2025
For informal enquiries email me at: [email protected]
Please repost - Thank you!
This study by Fu, Xing, Rabadan and colleagues might represent a novel and promising application of AI to the prediction of cell-specific transcriptional patterns, a key unresolved problem in gene regulation. Take a look 👉🏼https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-08391-z
A foundation model of transcription across human cell types - Nature
A foundation model learns transcriptional regulatory syntax from chromatin accessibility and sequence data across a range of cell types to predict gene expression and transcription factor interactions...
www.nature.com
January 9, 2025 at 3:20 PM
This study by Fu, Xing, Rabadan and colleagues might represent a novel and promising application of AI to the prediction of cell-specific transcriptional patterns, a key unresolved problem in gene regulation. Take a look 👉🏼https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-08391-z