James Gurney
@jamesgurney.bsky.social
Assistant professor working on phage. Occasional writer/fact checker for kurzgesagt. I didn’t write dinotopia.
Interesting, if anyone has other suggestions on ways to poison AIs to reduce student cheating I'm all ears!
Introducing bluffbench, a new tool to evaluate how well LLMs actually see data plots.
When we trick LLMs with secret #RStats transformations, they can miss the visual contradiction.
bluffbench helps us measure this "blind spot" in AI coding agents. Learn more: posit.co/blog/introdu...
When we trick LLMs with secret #RStats transformations, they can miss the visual contradiction.
bluffbench helps us measure this "blind spot" in AI coding agents. Learn more: posit.co/blog/introdu...
When plotting, LLMs see what they expect to see - Posit
Data science agents need to accurately read plots even when the content contradicts their expectations. Our testing shows today's LLMs still struggle here.
posit.co
November 19, 2025 at 6:49 PM
Interesting, if anyone has other suggestions on ways to poison AIs to reduce student cheating I'm all ears!
Reposted by James Gurney
PhD opportunity in my lab: exploring how commensals and pathogens build biofilm communities on endotracheal (ventilator) tubes. Microbial ecology, medical microbiology and fancy imaging! Co-supervised with the fabulous Saskia Bakker and Jeremy Webb warwick.ac.uk/fac/cross_fa... #MicroSky
Dr Freya Harrison
Dr Freya Harrison
warwick.ac.uk
October 15, 2025 at 8:09 PM
PhD opportunity in my lab: exploring how commensals and pathogens build biofilm communities on endotracheal (ventilator) tubes. Microbial ecology, medical microbiology and fancy imaging! Co-supervised with the fabulous Saskia Bakker and Jeremy Webb warwick.ac.uk/fac/cross_fa... #MicroSky
Reposted by James Gurney
Interested in doing a PhD in phage biology? See below a super cool project on megaphage ecology and evolution available at the University of Jyväskylä (FIN) in Elina Laanto's lab (Project no. 4). Co-supervision provided by yours truly.
🚀 PhD opportunity
The Dept of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, is recruiting 1–4 new PhD candidates.
One of the positions is potentially in my lab, focusing on megaphages and their hosts.
Details and apply here 👇
bit.ly/48eqYNB
#phage
The Dept of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, is recruiting 1–4 new PhD candidates.
One of the positions is potentially in my lab, focusing on megaphages and their hosts.
Details and apply here 👇
bit.ly/48eqYNB
#phage
Doctoral Researcher positions, Biological and Environmental Sciences
The Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences is seeking applicants for 1–4 fully funded doctoral researcher positions. The positions will begin on August 1, 2026, or as agreed, for a maximu...
ats.talentadore.com
November 14, 2025 at 9:47 AM
Interested in doing a PhD in phage biology? See below a super cool project on megaphage ecology and evolution available at the University of Jyväskylä (FIN) in Elina Laanto's lab (Project no. 4). Co-supervision provided by yours truly.
Reposted by James Gurney
I made a phage… I think it’s in LB
November 11, 2025 at 10:50 PM
I made a phage… I think it’s in LB
Reposted by James Gurney
Such a Friday, double win at Biology Department with Bio for Breakfast and Research day @jamesgurney.bsky.social @persisterbritt.bsky.social @kswetzel1.bsky.social
November 7, 2025 at 11:54 PM
Such a Friday, double win at Biology Department with Bio for Breakfast and Research day @jamesgurney.bsky.social @persisterbritt.bsky.social @kswetzel1.bsky.social
Reposted by James Gurney
Do you want to do a Masters in Evolutionary Biology? The call for applying to the MEME program is now open! MEME is a fantastic 2-year MSc between four European Universities on all areas of Evolutionary Biology. Apply and study in Sweden/France/the Netherlands/Germany/USA/Switzerland! www.evobio.eu
October 24, 2025 at 9:04 AM
Do you want to do a Masters in Evolutionary Biology? The call for applying to the MEME program is now open! MEME is a fantastic 2-year MSc between four European Universities on all areas of Evolutionary Biology. Apply and study in Sweden/France/the Netherlands/Germany/USA/Switzerland! www.evobio.eu
A few months ago, myself @sallylepage.bsky.social and @dhewlett.bsky.social sat down and recorded a pilot podcast for Kurzgesagt interviewing Cancer expert @kimberly-luddy.bsky.social about all things Cancer. While the project is no more, I thought I'd share it! youtu.be/ZXo6uTf3Im8
Trust Us, we're Liars -Pilot Podcast
YouTube video by The League of Nerds
youtu.be
October 21, 2025 at 2:44 AM
A few months ago, myself @sallylepage.bsky.social and @dhewlett.bsky.social sat down and recorded a pilot podcast for Kurzgesagt interviewing Cancer expert @kimberly-luddy.bsky.social about all things Cancer. While the project is no more, I thought I'd share it! youtu.be/ZXo6uTf3Im8
Household energy after submitting grant this week.
October 5, 2025 at 12:36 AM
Household energy after submitting grant this week.
Reposted by James Gurney
Come and work with me and @ariannebabina.bsky.social on #Streptomyces evolution and antibiotic production
Origins of a tangled bank: Adaptation and evolution in antibiotic-producing Streptomyces
www.gla.ac.uk/postgraduate...
please repost
Origins of a tangled bank: Adaptation and evolution in antibiotic-producing Streptomyces
www.gla.ac.uk/postgraduate...
please repost
University of Glasgow - Postgraduate study - Centres for Doctoral Training - NorthWest Biosciences - Our Projects - Underpinning Bioscience - Paul A Hoskisson
www.gla.ac.uk
September 30, 2025 at 11:02 AM
Come and work with me and @ariannebabina.bsky.social on #Streptomyces evolution and antibiotic production
Origins of a tangled bank: Adaptation and evolution in antibiotic-producing Streptomyces
www.gla.ac.uk/postgraduate...
please repost
Origins of a tangled bank: Adaptation and evolution in antibiotic-producing Streptomyces
www.gla.ac.uk/postgraduate...
please repost
Reposted by James Gurney
PhD fellowship in biofilm-phage interactions - with Mette Burmølle at University of Copenhagen 🇩🇰
deadline 1 October 2025
employment.ku.dk/faculty?show...
#phagesky #microsky
deadline 1 October 2025
employment.ku.dk/faculty?show...
#phagesky #microsky
PhD fellowship in biofilm-phage interactions
employment.ku.dk
September 28, 2025 at 2:26 PM
PhD fellowship in biofilm-phage interactions - with Mette Burmølle at University of Copenhagen 🇩🇰
deadline 1 October 2025
employment.ku.dk/faculty?show...
#phagesky #microsky
deadline 1 October 2025
employment.ku.dk/faculty?show...
#phagesky #microsky
Reposted by James Gurney
Come join us in Knoxville! 🧫🧪🦠
We’re hiring a tenure-track Assistant Professor in Microbial Drivers of Chronic Disease, starting Fall 2026!
September 17, 2025 at 8:00 PM
Come join us in Knoxville! 🧫🧪🦠
Reposted by James Gurney
Recent paper from the lab studying predictors of phage cocktail efficacy against complex clinical Pseudomonas populations
royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/epdf/10....
Led by Rosanna Wright with extraordinary MSc (PhD) student Maisie Czernuska
royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/epdf/10....
Led by Rosanna Wright with extraordinary MSc (PhD) student Maisie Czernuska
Bacteria–phage infection network structure and genomic defence system content predict efficacy of a phage therapy cocktail against Pseudomonas aeruginosa from chronic lung infections
royalsocietypublishing.org
September 25, 2025 at 1:55 PM
Recent paper from the lab studying predictors of phage cocktail efficacy against complex clinical Pseudomonas populations
royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/epdf/10....
Led by Rosanna Wright with extraordinary MSc (PhD) student Maisie Czernuska
royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/epdf/10....
Led by Rosanna Wright with extraordinary MSc (PhD) student Maisie Czernuska
Reposted by James Gurney
Andrew Frando, @jrchandler.bsky.social, and I wrote a primer about excellent work done in Sam Brown's group @brownlab.bsky.social
journals.plos.org/plosbiology/...
journals.plos.org/plosbiology/...
Better together: Reciprocal activation of quorum sensing circuits enhances bacterial communication
Many bacteria use quorum sensing to control gene transcription based on population density. This primer explores a recent study in PLOS Biology which found that in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, two quorum-s...
journals.plos.org
September 6, 2025 at 9:08 PM
Andrew Frando, @jrchandler.bsky.social, and I wrote a primer about excellent work done in Sam Brown's group @brownlab.bsky.social
journals.plos.org/plosbiology/...
journals.plos.org/plosbiology/...
Reposted by James Gurney
Bacterial #QuorumSensing is often assumed to follow a strict hierarchy. @brownlab.bsky.social &co find that #Pseudomonas aeruginosa instead uses a reciprocal, cooperative system that enhances responsiveness to population density & environmental changes @plosbiology.org 🧪 plos.io/3I7DhRG
September 5, 2025 at 1:36 PM
Bacterial #QuorumSensing is often assumed to follow a strict hierarchy. @brownlab.bsky.social &co find that #Pseudomonas aeruginosa instead uses a reciprocal, cooperative system that enhances responsiveness to population density & environmental changes @plosbiology.org 🧪 plos.io/3I7DhRG
Standing room only for Eli Mehlferber from @brownbio.bsky.social for breakfast talk this morning. Giving a great talk.
September 5, 2025 at 12:41 PM
Standing room only for Eli Mehlferber from @brownbio.bsky.social for breakfast talk this morning. Giving a great talk.
WHAT?!? one way to cut off my last connection to the UK. Since when has the BBC News become subscription based?
September 3, 2025 at 7:30 PM
WHAT?!? one way to cut off my last connection to the UK. Since when has the BBC News become subscription based?
Reposted by James Gurney
Do you love phage? I have an opening for a postdoc in my lab at the University of South Florida College of Marine Science (@cmarinescience.bsky.social) looking at interactions between marine phage and iron, which is an important limiting trace metal in the oceans (1/5) 🧵#phagesky 🦠🌊
August 1, 2025 at 1:45 PM
Do you love phage? I have an opening for a postdoc in my lab at the University of South Florida College of Marine Science (@cmarinescience.bsky.social) looking at interactions between marine phage and iron, which is an important limiting trace metal in the oceans (1/5) 🧵#phagesky 🦠🌊
~3 inch Joro Spider. Invasive species in Georgia now.
August 17, 2025 at 11:18 PM
~3 inch Joro Spider. Invasive species in Georgia now.
New foster in the house. “Lovely” she fits her name to a tee. If you know anyone looking for a dog in the Atlanta area hit me up!
August 16, 2025 at 10:04 PM
New foster in the house. “Lovely” she fits her name to a tee. If you know anyone looking for a dog in the Atlanta area hit me up!
This is what the look of betrayal from a cat looks like.
August 16, 2025 at 5:50 PM
This is what the look of betrayal from a cat looks like.
Reposted by James Gurney
Feels surreal to say but: I'm hiring! If you are or know anyone interested in looking at the evolution of phage resistance using A. baumannii and natural transformation, then this might be for you
www.jobbnorge.no/en/available...
www.jobbnorge.no/en/available...
Research position in Microbial Pharmacology and Population Biology (282139) | UiT The Arctic University of Norway
Job title: Research position in Microbial Pharmacology and Population Biology (282139), Employer: UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Deadline: Wednesday, August 27, 2025
www.jobbnorge.no
August 8, 2025 at 7:52 AM
Feels surreal to say but: I'm hiring! If you are or know anyone interested in looking at the evolution of phage resistance using A. baumannii and natural transformation, then this might be for you
www.jobbnorge.no/en/available...
www.jobbnorge.no/en/available...
Very proud of my three wonderful Summer undergrad research fellows, all supported by the Molecular Basis for Disease program at State. All three have done great work and have been a pleasure to have in the lab.
August 7, 2025 at 8:24 PM
Very proud of my three wonderful Summer undergrad research fellows, all supported by the Molecular Basis for Disease program at State. All three have done great work and have been a pleasure to have in the lab.
Finally got my iPod touch to turn back on. I bought this with my first PhD pay check. Time to listen to some classic pre 2010 tunes.
July 28, 2025 at 3:15 PM
Finally got my iPod touch to turn back on. I bought this with my first PhD pay check. Time to listen to some classic pre 2010 tunes.
Used AI to recreate the strangest bathroom I viewed when I was trying to find an apartment in France. This is a fairly close rendering. Including the off angle steps and it being in the center of the room. It was a bizarre death trap. Just the right height if you fell you’d break your neck.
July 18, 2025 at 12:00 AM
Used AI to recreate the strangest bathroom I viewed when I was trying to find an apartment in France. This is a fairly close rendering. Including the off angle steps and it being in the center of the room. It was a bizarre death trap. Just the right height if you fell you’d break your neck.