Isobel Beasley
@ijbeasley.bsky.social
Biological and Medical Informatics PhD student @UCSF by day, hobby collector and lemur lover by night. Working towards a world where everyone is included in, and benefits from, genetics research.
🏳️🌈 she/they
isobelbeasley.com
🏳️🌈 she/they
isobelbeasley.com
Reposted by Isobel Beasley
Today is the day! Our reply to the two concurrent critiques (from the same set of authors) is now published in the journal Intelligence 🧵 1/
November 12, 2025 at 3:31 PM
Today is the day! Our reply to the two concurrent critiques (from the same set of authors) is now published in the journal Intelligence 🧵 1/
Reposted by Isobel Beasley
@joann-trejo.bsky.social, @marymunson4.bsky.social and I have a commentary in @natcellbio.nature.com on recent attacks on DEI in biomedical research: "If scientific research, especially biomedical research, is meant to serve everyone, then it requires that everyone has an opportunity to participate"
Scaling back DEI programmes and the loss of scientific talent
Nature Cell Biology - Programmes that support diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in science are under attack in the USA. Data indicate that diversity in the scientific workforce increases...
www.nature.com
October 23, 2025 at 4:36 PM
@joann-trejo.bsky.social, @marymunson4.bsky.social and I have a commentary in @natcellbio.nature.com on recent attacks on DEI in biomedical research: "If scientific research, especially biomedical research, is meant to serve everyone, then it requires that everyone has an opportunity to participate"
Reposted by Isobel Beasley
September 30, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Reposted by Isobel Beasley
Flybase lost all of the NIH support overnight - it is a disaster for the community. Please consider donating. I just did! www.philanthropy.cam.ac.uk/give-to-camb...
Drosophila Genetic Database
The Drosophila Genetic Database, FlyBase, is on the brink of collapse due to the sudden termination of the FlyBase NIH grant, which includes salaries for 5 literature curators based at the University ...
www.philanthropy.cam.ac.uk
June 3, 2025 at 6:23 PM
Flybase lost all of the NIH support overnight - it is a disaster for the community. Please consider donating. I just did! www.philanthropy.cam.ac.uk/give-to-camb...
Reposted by Isobel Beasley
BSA’s Graduate Research Fellowship Writing Workshop is back! Whether you’re applying for the NSF GRFP or another graduate-level fellowship, this workshop will help you craft clear, compelling research statements.
Apply by Sept. 26: forms.gle/wfFPhVUELj47...
Workshop date to be announced soon!
Apply by Sept. 26: forms.gle/wfFPhVUELj47...
Workshop date to be announced soon!
September 23, 2025 at 5:44 PM
BSA’s Graduate Research Fellowship Writing Workshop is back! Whether you’re applying for the NSF GRFP or another graduate-level fellowship, this workshop will help you craft clear, compelling research statements.
Apply by Sept. 26: forms.gle/wfFPhVUELj47...
Workshop date to be announced soon!
Apply by Sept. 26: forms.gle/wfFPhVUELj47...
Workshop date to be announced soon!
Reposted by Isobel Beasley
Really insightful post from Julie Tibshirani (spotted in LinkedIn, can't find on Bsky) reflecting on #rstats 's unique governance structure and what can be learned for other languages
jtibs.substack.com/p/if-all-the...
jtibs.substack.com/p/if-all-the...
If all the world were a monorepo
The R ecosystem and the case for extreme empathy in software maintenance
jtibs.substack.com
September 14, 2025 at 11:29 PM
Really insightful post from Julie Tibshirani (spotted in LinkedIn, can't find on Bsky) reflecting on #rstats 's unique governance structure and what can be learned for other languages
jtibs.substack.com/p/if-all-the...
jtibs.substack.com/p/if-all-the...
Reposted by Isobel Beasley
Here is a word cloud of the words that were missing from the noncompetitive renewal awards but had been present in the parent award.
3/4
3/4
September 9, 2025 at 11:22 PM
Here is a word cloud of the words that were missing from the noncompetitive renewal awards but had been present in the parent award.
3/4
3/4
Reposted by Isobel Beasley
A higher resolution pic than my screenshot that captured the salute, from Alyssa Pointer (Reuters) – press weren’t allowed past the front gate for security reasons.
August 29, 2025 at 1:01 AM
A higher resolution pic than my screenshot that captured the salute, from Alyssa Pointer (Reuters) – press weren’t allowed past the front gate for security reasons.
Reposted by Isobel Beasley
I just got the notice that all the FlyBase people at Harvard, including me, will be laid off on October 12. I'm devastated.
August 11, 2025 at 6:12 PM
I just got the notice that all the FlyBase people at Harvard, including me, will be laid off on October 12. I'm devastated.
Reposted by Isobel Beasley
So delighted to congratulate @scimiguel.bsky.social on his PhD thesis being officially signed by his committee and accepted by the formatting gods! Just awaiting the conferral date to formally welcome Dr. Guardado to the club!!!
August 7, 2025 at 4:08 PM
So delighted to congratulate @scimiguel.bsky.social on his PhD thesis being officially signed by his committee and accepted by the formatting gods! Just awaiting the conferral date to formally welcome Dr. Guardado to the club!!!
Reposted by Isobel Beasley
📣 New preprint from the SCIMaP team!
Across three studies, we show that communicating the economic impact of NIH funding cuts—especially with interactive quizzes and maps—decreases approval and motivates action to oppose the cuts, across the political spectrum. 🧵 1/8
osf.io/preprints/ps...
Across three studies, we show that communicating the economic impact of NIH funding cuts—especially with interactive quizzes and maps—decreases approval and motivates action to oppose the cuts, across the political spectrum. 🧵 1/8
osf.io/preprints/ps...
OSF
osf.io
August 4, 2025 at 9:52 PM
📣 New preprint from the SCIMaP team!
Across three studies, we show that communicating the economic impact of NIH funding cuts—especially with interactive quizzes and maps—decreases approval and motivates action to oppose the cuts, across the political spectrum. 🧵 1/8
osf.io/preprints/ps...
Across three studies, we show that communicating the economic impact of NIH funding cuts—especially with interactive quizzes and maps—decreases approval and motivates action to oppose the cuts, across the political spectrum. 🧵 1/8
osf.io/preprints/ps...
Reposted by Isobel Beasley
Germany used to lead the world in science. The language of science was German—until the Nazis came to power and chased out, imprisoned, or killed all the non-Nazi scientists. Fascists break good things, and it is happening here. (2/2)
July 28, 2025 at 5:54 PM
Germany used to lead the world in science. The language of science was German—until the Nazis came to power and chased out, imprisoned, or killed all the non-Nazi scientists. Fascists break good things, and it is happening here. (2/2)
Reposted by Isobel Beasley
Looking to build a community of folks working to improve and advance scientific #research, #innovation and #STEMworkforce development. #competitiveness #policy
@chrispickett5.bsky.social @ubadahsabbagh.com @scipolguy.bsky.social @matthourihan.bsky.social @jpflores.bsky.social
go.bsky.app/FQk37Ba
@chrispickett5.bsky.social @ubadahsabbagh.com @scipolguy.bsky.social @matthourihan.bsky.social @jpflores.bsky.social
go.bsky.app/FQk37Ba
December 26, 2024 at 2:52 PM
Looking to build a community of folks working to improve and advance scientific #research, #innovation and #STEMworkforce development. #competitiveness #policy
@chrispickett5.bsky.social @ubadahsabbagh.com @scipolguy.bsky.social @matthourihan.bsky.social @jpflores.bsky.social
go.bsky.app/FQk37Ba
@chrispickett5.bsky.social @ubadahsabbagh.com @scipolguy.bsky.social @matthourihan.bsky.social @jpflores.bsky.social
go.bsky.app/FQk37Ba
Reposted by Isobel Beasley
Are you from one of these states? Then we need your help to save American science!
The Senate Appropriations Committee will be marking up the President's Budget Request for science on Wednesday. People have been saying the proposed cuts "decimated" US science, but that's wrong: they are apocalyptic
The Senate Appropriations Committee will be marking up the President's Budget Request for science on Wednesday. People have been saying the proposed cuts "decimated" US science, but that's wrong: they are apocalyptic
July 7, 2025 at 6:23 PM
Are you from one of these states? Then we need your help to save American science!
The Senate Appropriations Committee will be marking up the President's Budget Request for science on Wednesday. People have been saying the proposed cuts "decimated" US science, but that's wrong: they are apocalyptic
The Senate Appropriations Committee will be marking up the President's Budget Request for science on Wednesday. People have been saying the proposed cuts "decimated" US science, but that's wrong: they are apocalyptic
Reposted by Isobel Beasley
Excellent work, Adrienne! Thank you so much for sharing, and speaking to the public about your work and why federally funded research matters.
@cornellasap.bsky.social my McClintock letter in the Petersburg Observer! Research helps everyone, including farmers 👩🌾🚜🌽
June 30, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Excellent work, Adrienne! Thank you so much for sharing, and speaking to the public about your work and why federally funded research matters.
Reposted by Isobel Beasley
If one of these people is your senator, it is incredibly important that you call them today.
Urge them to vote NO on the Senate budget bill that would make most Americans poorer to give billionaires a tax cut they don't even need.
Urge them to vote NO on the Senate budget bill that would make most Americans poorer to give billionaires a tax cut they don't even need.
June 30, 2025 at 3:54 PM
If one of these people is your senator, it is incredibly important that you call them today.
Urge them to vote NO on the Senate budget bill that would make most Americans poorer to give billionaires a tax cut they don't even need.
Urge them to vote NO on the Senate budget bill that would make most Americans poorer to give billionaires a tax cut they don't even need.
Reposted by Isobel Beasley
🚨 BREAKING: Nearly 4 months the NIH cut its first grants, a judge has ruled that the directives and process that led to cuts are arbitrary and capricious.
"The explanations are bereft of reasoning — virtually in their entirety... unsupported by [facts]."
Each of them are VOID and ILLEGAL, he says.
"The explanations are bereft of reasoning — virtually in their entirety... unsupported by [facts]."
Each of them are VOID and ILLEGAL, he says.
June 16, 2025 at 6:16 PM
🚨 BREAKING: Nearly 4 months the NIH cut its first grants, a judge has ruled that the directives and process that led to cuts are arbitrary and capricious.
"The explanations are bereft of reasoning — virtually in their entirety... unsupported by [facts]."
Each of them are VOID and ILLEGAL, he says.
"The explanations are bereft of reasoning — virtually in their entirety... unsupported by [facts]."
Each of them are VOID and ILLEGAL, he says.
Reposted by Isobel Beasley
I wrote about science cuts and my family's immigration story as part of The McClintock Letters organized by @cornellasap.bsky.social. Haven't yet placed it in a Houston-based newspaper but hopefully it's useful here
gargnikhil.com/posts/202506...
gargnikhil.com/posts/202506...
Science and immigration cuts · Nikhil Garg
gargnikhil.com
June 16, 2025 at 11:09 AM
I wrote about science cuts and my family's immigration story as part of The McClintock Letters organized by @cornellasap.bsky.social. Haven't yet placed it in a Houston-based newspaper but hopefully it's useful here
gargnikhil.com/posts/202506...
gargnikhil.com/posts/202506...
Reposted by Isobel Beasley
Op-eds across the country and an open letter are out today to fight for the future of science in honor of Barbara McClintock's birthday - including mine. Thanks to @cornellasap.bsky.social @sciencehomecoming.bsky.social and @standupforscience.bsky.social!! www.dallasnews.com/opinion/comm...
Research cuts will strangle our nation’s progress
The benefits of basic scientific study take time, even decades after an initial finding. Research cuts will hinder our progress.
www.dallasnews.com
June 16, 2025 at 5:08 PM
Op-eds across the country and an open letter are out today to fight for the future of science in honor of Barbara McClintock's birthday - including mine. Thanks to @cornellasap.bsky.social @sciencehomecoming.bsky.social and @standupforscience.bsky.social!! www.dallasnews.com/opinion/comm...
Reposted by Isobel Beasley
Since we featured the Stand Up for Science letter in the Good Trouble segment of the Daily Beans podcast this morning, signatures have gone from roughly 5,000 to 15,000! You can add your name by clicking the link below:
“We are compelled to speak up when our leadership prioritizes political momentum over human safety and faithful stewardship of public resources.”
Bravo to the brave folks at NIH who published the Bethesda Declaration this morning to hold this administration accountable! You can sign a letter…
Bravo to the brave folks at NIH who published the Bethesda Declaration this morning to hold this administration accountable! You can sign a letter…
Bethesda Declaration — STAND UP FOR SCIENCE
Support NIH Staff Now!
www.standupforscience.net
June 10, 2025 at 8:45 PM
Since we featured the Stand Up for Science letter in the Good Trouble segment of the Daily Beans podcast this morning, signatures have gone from roughly 5,000 to 15,000! You can add your name by clicking the link below:
Reposted by Isobel Beasley
Very happy that my first PhD paper is now out in PLOS Genetics! journals.plos.org/plosgenetics.... We describe our implementation of variant-specific priors in coloc. We show that using distance to the TSS as information about which variants are causal can improve colocalisation performance, 1/n
Variant-specific priors clarify colocalisation analysis
Author summary Evaluating whether two traits, such as disease risk and gene expression, are affected by the same genetic variants is crucial for understanding the molecular mechanisms through which ge...
journals.plos.org
June 9, 2025 at 10:45 AM
Very happy that my first PhD paper is now out in PLOS Genetics! journals.plos.org/plosgenetics.... We describe our implementation of variant-specific priors in coloc. We show that using distance to the TSS as information about which variants are causal can improve colocalisation performance, 1/n
Reposted by Isobel Beasley
🚨BREAKING: 300+ NIH employees call out the harm of censorship & politicized science in scathing email to Bhattacharya, demanding an end to political interference, a lift on funding freezes, & rehiring of fired staff whose work saves lives.
This is historic - insiders are blowing the whistle.
🧵(1/5)
This is historic - insiders are blowing the whistle.
🧵(1/5)
June 9, 2025 at 12:03 PM
🚨BREAKING: 300+ NIH employees call out the harm of censorship & politicized science in scathing email to Bhattacharya, demanding an end to political interference, a lift on funding freezes, & rehiring of fired staff whose work saves lives.
This is historic - insiders are blowing the whistle.
🧵(1/5)
This is historic - insiders are blowing the whistle.
🧵(1/5)
Reposted by Isobel Beasley
forms.gle/47FXU1dnFCNc...
Early career researchers, sign the open letter calling to preserve the future of American science.
#ECR #McClintockLetters #DefendResearch
Early career researchers, sign the open letter calling to preserve the future of American science.
#ECR #McClintockLetters #DefendResearch
Open Letter: A Call to Preserve the Future of American Science
The Scientist Network for Advancing Policy (SNAP) invites early-career scientists (e.g., student, post-bacc, PhD candidate, post-doctoral researcher, early-career faculty) in the United States to join...
forms.gle
June 6, 2025 at 3:06 AM
forms.gle/47FXU1dnFCNc...
Early career researchers, sign the open letter calling to preserve the future of American science.
#ECR #McClintockLetters #DefendResearch
Early career researchers, sign the open letter calling to preserve the future of American science.
#ECR #McClintockLetters #DefendResearch
Reposted by Isobel Beasley
And PIs, don't tell your students/postdocs to do it, even if *you* did and were okay in the past! They may not feel like they can push back if they're not comfortable, and the stakes have gotten a lot higher.
STOP TRYING TO BRING IN SHIT WITHOUT PAPERWORK
The time for everyone to be cute with the rules is over, especially if you are not a U.S. citizen. By the book, people.
And honestly for the time being, maybe decide if you need those specimens or if a colleague outside the U.S. can do the work.
The time for everyone to be cute with the rules is over, especially if you are not a U.S. citizen. By the book, people.
And honestly for the time being, maybe decide if you need those specimens or if a colleague outside the U.S. can do the work.
Yunqing Jian is a postdoc at UM Molecular Plant-Microbe Interaction Working Group & has been arrested on suspicion of.. you know, being an international scholar of plant-microbe interactions??
until proven otherwise, this is probably Sinophobic bs
sites.lsa.umich.edu/mpmi/research/
until proven otherwise, this is probably Sinophobic bs
sites.lsa.umich.edu/mpmi/research/
June 4, 2025 at 5:16 AM
And PIs, don't tell your students/postdocs to do it, even if *you* did and were okay in the past! They may not feel like they can push back if they're not comfortable, and the stakes have gotten a lot higher.