Afra Salazar
@salazarafra.bsky.social
PhD student in microbial ecology and evolution at the University of Lausanne salazarafra.github.io | Literary fiction, philosophy & cinema
Reposted by Afra Salazar
Today is the #InternationalDayofWomenandGirlsinScience ✨
To celebrate, we’re opening registration for our workshop "Women in Evolutionary Biology II" — keynotes, research, networking, and discussions on equality & inclusion in science.
📍 Plön (Germany) | 🔗 workshops.evolbio.mpg.de/event/144/ov...
To celebrate, we’re opening registration for our workshop "Women in Evolutionary Biology II" — keynotes, research, networking, and discussions on equality & inclusion in science.
📍 Plön (Germany) | 🔗 workshops.evolbio.mpg.de/event/144/ov...
February 11, 2026 at 2:03 PM
Today is the #InternationalDayofWomenandGirlsinScience ✨
To celebrate, we’re opening registration for our workshop "Women in Evolutionary Biology II" — keynotes, research, networking, and discussions on equality & inclusion in science.
📍 Plön (Germany) | 🔗 workshops.evolbio.mpg.de/event/144/ov...
To celebrate, we’re opening registration for our workshop "Women in Evolutionary Biology II" — keynotes, research, networking, and discussions on equality & inclusion in science.
📍 Plön (Germany) | 🔗 workshops.evolbio.mpg.de/event/144/ov...
Reposted by Afra Salazar
Excited to share first preprint from our lab! @giubotti.bsky.social found that antibiotic tolerance in multispecies biofilms follows a surprising spatial pattern: cells survive only at intermediate distances from a partner species. 🦠 Preprint: doi.org/10.64898/202...
February 11, 2026 at 3:21 PM
Excited to share first preprint from our lab! @giubotti.bsky.social found that antibiotic tolerance in multispecies biofilms follows a surprising spatial pattern: cells survive only at intermediate distances from a partner species. 🦠 Preprint: doi.org/10.64898/202...
Reposted by Afra Salazar
Worried you might miss the EMPSEB 31 abstract submission deadline? Fret not, because we have decided to extend the deadline!
Send us your abstracts till February 15, 2026! Mark this one on your calendars so you don't forget!
Send us your abstracts till February 15, 2026! Mark this one on your calendars so you don't forget!
January 30, 2026 at 9:50 AM
Worried you might miss the EMPSEB 31 abstract submission deadline? Fret not, because we have decided to extend the deadline!
Send us your abstracts till February 15, 2026! Mark this one on your calendars so you don't forget!
Send us your abstracts till February 15, 2026! Mark this one on your calendars so you don't forget!
Reposted by Afra Salazar
We're happy to announce our 12th ROTO Workshop: "Diversity in Motion". It will be held on March 26-27 in Bochum. Please register here: rotoworkshop2026.wixsite.com/diversity/co... and tell us if you'll participate in person or online. Registration and participation is free and everybody is welcome!
February 10, 2026 at 3:37 PM
We're happy to announce our 12th ROTO Workshop: "Diversity in Motion". It will be held on March 26-27 in Bochum. Please register here: rotoworkshop2026.wixsite.com/diversity/co... and tell us if you'll participate in person or online. Registration and participation is free and everybody is welcome!
Reposted by Afra Salazar
How do bacterial pangenomes evolve, what controls their dynamics, why do they exist?
Fitting a mechanistic model to 450 species from allthebacteria.org suggesting fast vs slow gene exchange (i.e. amount of MGEs) is a major differentiating factor, correlated with phylogeny rather than lifestyle
Fitting a mechanistic model to 450 species from allthebacteria.org suggesting fast vs slow gene exchange (i.e. amount of MGEs) is a major differentiating factor, correlated with phylogeny rather than lifestyle
February 9, 2026 at 10:55 AM
How do bacterial pangenomes evolve, what controls their dynamics, why do they exist?
Fitting a mechanistic model to 450 species from allthebacteria.org suggesting fast vs slow gene exchange (i.e. amount of MGEs) is a major differentiating factor, correlated with phylogeny rather than lifestyle
Fitting a mechanistic model to 450 species from allthebacteria.org suggesting fast vs slow gene exchange (i.e. amount of MGEs) is a major differentiating factor, correlated with phylogeny rather than lifestyle
Reposted by Afra Salazar
iDiv Leipzig is organizing a symposium for early career researchers from all fields interested in scientific integrity & reproducibility.
Some good stuff, e.g.: @haesleinhuepf.bsky.social on generative AI for science, @rmcelreath.bsky.social on a guerilla approach to scientific workflow.>
Some good stuff, e.g.: @haesleinhuepf.bsky.social on generative AI for science, @rmcelreath.bsky.social on a guerilla approach to scientific workflow.>
📢 Call for registrations - Science:TBD
📍 Leipzig | 3–4 March 2026
Join us for an inspiring lineup of keynotes:
⭐Sheena F. Bartscherer
⭐Alice Hughes @achughes.bsky.social
⭐Wolfgang Forstmeier
⭐Ulrich Dirnagl
⭐Dietram A. Scheufele @dietram.bsky.social
Register now: www.idiv.de/science-tbd
📍 Leipzig | 3–4 March 2026
Join us for an inspiring lineup of keynotes:
⭐Sheena F. Bartscherer
⭐Alice Hughes @achughes.bsky.social
⭐Wolfgang Forstmeier
⭐Ulrich Dirnagl
⭐Dietram A. Scheufele @dietram.bsky.social
Register now: www.idiv.de/science-tbd
February 9, 2026 at 10:53 AM
iDiv Leipzig is organizing a symposium for early career researchers from all fields interested in scientific integrity & reproducibility.
Some good stuff, e.g.: @haesleinhuepf.bsky.social on generative AI for science, @rmcelreath.bsky.social on a guerilla approach to scientific workflow.>
Some good stuff, e.g.: @haesleinhuepf.bsky.social on generative AI for science, @rmcelreath.bsky.social on a guerilla approach to scientific workflow.>
Reposted by Afra Salazar
New perspective on the evolutionary potential of symbiotic interactions!
Is there something special about symbiosis that leads to new traits and adaptations? If so, how would we know and how would this work?
academic.oup.com/jeb/advance-...
Is there something special about symbiosis that leads to new traits and adaptations? If so, how would we know and how would this work?
academic.oup.com/jeb/advance-...
The evolutionary potential of symbiosis
Abstract. Symbiosis is considered a source of evolutionary innovation. Example innovations that have evolved in symbioses include new organs, morphological
academic.oup.com
February 3, 2026 at 4:08 PM
New perspective on the evolutionary potential of symbiotic interactions!
Is there something special about symbiosis that leads to new traits and adaptations? If so, how would we know and how would this work?
academic.oup.com/jeb/advance-...
Is there something special about symbiosis that leads to new traits and adaptations? If so, how would we know and how would this work?
academic.oup.com/jeb/advance-...
Reposted by Afra Salazar
Lecturer in Ecology and Evolution position available in Biology Department at Stanford University. Apply by April 1, 2026. (Photo by Rick Morris)
academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/31606
academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/31606
January 30, 2026 at 5:35 AM
Lecturer in Ecology and Evolution position available in Biology Department at Stanford University. Apply by April 1, 2026. (Photo by Rick Morris)
academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/31606
academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/31606
Reposted by Afra Salazar
New paper with @vsudbrack.bsky.social. Using pop gen modelling, we show that partial selfing makes selection on tandem repeats more efficient, reducing the associated load across different scenarios. Thanks to @snsf.ch @dee-unil.bsky.social @fbm-unil.bsky.social !
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
The evolution of tandem repeat sequences under partial selfing and different modes of selection - Heredity
Heredity - The evolution of tandem repeat sequences under partial selfing and different modes of selection
www.nature.com
January 29, 2026 at 4:30 PM
New paper with @vsudbrack.bsky.social. Using pop gen modelling, we show that partial selfing makes selection on tandem repeats more efficient, reducing the associated load across different scenarios. Thanks to @snsf.ch @dee-unil.bsky.social @fbm-unil.bsky.social !
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Afra Salazar
NEW PAPER with @arvidagren.bsky.social and Manus Patten on evolutionary reversions in individuality now out (as an advance article) at @jevbio.bsky.social (see academic.oup.com/jeb/advance-...). Thread below! [1/8]
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Evolutionary transitions and reversions in individuality
Abstract. Biological individuality exists in different forms—unicellular, multicellular, colonial, etc.—which have arisen through evolutionary transitions
academic.oup.com
January 28, 2026 at 5:33 PM
NEW PAPER with @arvidagren.bsky.social and Manus Patten on evolutionary reversions in individuality now out (as an advance article) at @jevbio.bsky.social (see academic.oup.com/jeb/advance-...). Thread below! [1/8]
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Reposted by Afra Salazar
Join us at the Evolutionary Biology Centre at Uppsala University. We’re searching for an Assistant Professor in Biology. www.uu.se/en/about-uu/...
January 28, 2026 at 8:28 PM
Join us at the Evolutionary Biology Centre at Uppsala University. We’re searching for an Assistant Professor in Biology. www.uu.se/en/about-uu/...
Reposted by Afra Salazar
New paper out in @pnas.org, and it made the cover! 👁️
We represent plasmids as circles and mutations as dots, resembling an eye, because in this paper we literally 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑐ℎ plasmids evolve.
‼️Check Paula’s 🧵 and the paper👇
𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘀𝗺𝗶𝗱 𝗺𝘂𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗰𝗼𝗽𝘆 𝗻𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
We represent plasmids as circles and mutations as dots, resembling an eye, because in this paper we literally 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑐ℎ plasmids evolve.
‼️Check Paula’s 🧵 and the paper👇
𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘀𝗺𝗶𝗱 𝗺𝘂𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗰𝗼𝗽𝘆 𝗻𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
January 27, 2026 at 8:23 PM
New paper out in @pnas.org, and it made the cover! 👁️
We represent plasmids as circles and mutations as dots, resembling an eye, because in this paper we literally 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑐ℎ plasmids evolve.
‼️Check Paula’s 🧵 and the paper👇
𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘀𝗺𝗶𝗱 𝗺𝘂𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗰𝗼𝗽𝘆 𝗻𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
We represent plasmids as circles and mutations as dots, resembling an eye, because in this paper we literally 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑐ℎ plasmids evolve.
‼️Check Paula’s 🧵 and the paper👇
𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘀𝗺𝗶𝗱 𝗺𝘂𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗰𝗼𝗽𝘆 𝗻𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Reposted by Afra Salazar
Join our KLI Colloquium:
"O Theory Where Art Thou? The Changing Role of Theory in Theoretical Biology in the 20th Century and Beyond"
Speaker: Jan BAEDKE (Ruhr University Bochum)
🕒 26 Jan 2026, 3:00 PM CET
🗺️ at KLI, join online via ZOOM (link & info: www.kli.ac.at/content/en/e...)
"O Theory Where Art Thou? The Changing Role of Theory in Theoretical Biology in the 20th Century and Beyond"
Speaker: Jan BAEDKE (Ruhr University Bochum)
🕒 26 Jan 2026, 3:00 PM CET
🗺️ at KLI, join online via ZOOM (link & info: www.kli.ac.at/content/en/e...)
January 23, 2026 at 8:58 AM
Join our KLI Colloquium:
"O Theory Where Art Thou? The Changing Role of Theory in Theoretical Biology in the 20th Century and Beyond"
Speaker: Jan BAEDKE (Ruhr University Bochum)
🕒 26 Jan 2026, 3:00 PM CET
🗺️ at KLI, join online via ZOOM (link & info: www.kli.ac.at/content/en/e...)
"O Theory Where Art Thou? The Changing Role of Theory in Theoretical Biology in the 20th Century and Beyond"
Speaker: Jan BAEDKE (Ruhr University Bochum)
🕒 26 Jan 2026, 3:00 PM CET
🗺️ at KLI, join online via ZOOM (link & info: www.kli.ac.at/content/en/e...)
Reposted by Afra Salazar
Looking for something new to integrate into an #evolution or #microbiology course? Useful for lectures, labs, homework?
Have a look at our STEPS program, which simulates bacterial evolution, including the #LTEE. Easy web-based interface & lab manual w/ exercises to help develop students' intuition.
Have a look at our STEPS program, which simulates bacterial evolution, including the #LTEE. Easy web-based interface & lab manual w/ exercises to help develop students' intuition.
Excited to share new #program, STEPS, which can simulate #dynamics of the E. coli Long-Term Evolution Experiment (#LTEE) or other microbes in serial transfer regime.
telliamedrevisited.wordpress.com/2025/08/12/s...
STEPS developed by @devinmlake.bsky.social, Zachary Matson, Minako Izutsu, and me.
telliamedrevisited.wordpress.com/2025/08/12/s...
STEPS developed by @devinmlake.bsky.social, Zachary Matson, Minako Izutsu, and me.
STEPS To It
Announcing a new program, called STEPS, to simulate the dynamics of evolving microbial populations.
telliamedrevisited.wordpress.com
January 20, 2026 at 4:12 PM
Looking for something new to integrate into an #evolution or #microbiology course? Useful for lectures, labs, homework?
Have a look at our STEPS program, which simulates bacterial evolution, including the #LTEE. Easy web-based interface & lab manual w/ exercises to help develop students' intuition.
Have a look at our STEPS program, which simulates bacterial evolution, including the #LTEE. Easy web-based interface & lab manual w/ exercises to help develop students' intuition.
Reposted by Afra Salazar
A formal theory of group-level adaptation for obligate eusociality:
doi.org/10.1093/jeb/...
@kztwyman.bsky.social & @andygardner.bsky.social (2025)
#OpenAccess
doi.org/10.1093/jeb/...
@kztwyman.bsky.social & @andygardner.bsky.social (2025)
#OpenAccess
A formal theory of group-level adaptation for obligate eusociality
Abstract. Darwin argued that natural selection leads organisms to appear as if they are striving to maximize their fitness. This idea is readily recognized
doi.org
January 22, 2026 at 10:37 AM
A formal theory of group-level adaptation for obligate eusociality:
doi.org/10.1093/jeb/...
@kztwyman.bsky.social & @andygardner.bsky.social (2025)
#OpenAccess
doi.org/10.1093/jeb/...
@kztwyman.bsky.social & @andygardner.bsky.social (2025)
#OpenAccess
Reposted by Afra Salazar
Expressions of interest: Director at MPI EvolBio (f/m/d) — We invite expressions of interest from distinguished scientists in evolutionary biology with a bold, long-term research vision that complements our Institute. More information: www.evolbio.mpg.de/3856225/Dire...
Directors
www.evolbio.mpg.de
January 21, 2026 at 11:15 AM
Expressions of interest: Director at MPI EvolBio (f/m/d) — We invite expressions of interest from distinguished scientists in evolutionary biology with a bold, long-term research vision that complements our Institute. More information: www.evolbio.mpg.de/3856225/Dire...
Reposted by Afra Salazar
The @dmf-unil.bsky.social is supporting the application of a candidate for the SNSF/ERC Starting Grant (deadline 5th of May). Reach out to me if you are interested. We are collecting CV’s until the 8th of Feb. We can offer a stimulating scientific environment and help with the application/interview.
January 20, 2026 at 3:41 PM
The @dmf-unil.bsky.social is supporting the application of a candidate for the SNSF/ERC Starting Grant (deadline 5th of May). Reach out to me if you are interested. We are collecting CV’s until the 8th of Feb. We can offer a stimulating scientific environment and help with the application/interview.
Reposted by Afra Salazar
Join us for another Internal Conflicts STN seminar tomorrow at 9:00 UTC! Emily Hornett (@bolinabug.bsky.social) and Greg Hurst (@greghurst.bsky.social) will talk about their work on male-killing and sex determination evolution. Zoom info and more: internalconflictsstn.wordpress.com/seminars/
January 20, 2026 at 1:47 PM
Join us for another Internal Conflicts STN seminar tomorrow at 9:00 UTC! Emily Hornett (@bolinabug.bsky.social) and Greg Hurst (@greghurst.bsky.social) will talk about their work on male-killing and sex determination evolution. Zoom info and more: internalconflictsstn.wordpress.com/seminars/
Reposted by Afra Salazar
🚨 What if evolution is the ”law”… and networks are the machines that do the work?
In this paper (just published) I try to formalize how living systems are non-equilibrium, information-processing, adaptive matter. With a great biological flavor! 🧪🌐🌍🧬🦠
👉 iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1...
🧵 1/
In this paper (just published) I try to formalize how living systems are non-equilibrium, information-processing, adaptive matter. With a great biological flavor! 🧪🌐🌍🧬🦠
👉 iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1...
🧵 1/
December 16, 2025 at 9:04 AM
🚨 What if evolution is the ”law”… and networks are the machines that do the work?
In this paper (just published) I try to formalize how living systems are non-equilibrium, information-processing, adaptive matter. With a great biological flavor! 🧪🌐🌍🧬🦠
👉 iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1...
🧵 1/
In this paper (just published) I try to formalize how living systems are non-equilibrium, information-processing, adaptive matter. With a great biological flavor! 🧪🌐🌍🧬🦠
👉 iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1...
🧵 1/
Reposted by Afra Salazar
Do you have an interest in quantitative microbiology and interdisciplinary research? I'm recruiting a UK PhD student to develop high-throughput ecological screens to help us understand how chemical inputs impact microbial ecosystems: www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
Identifying how chemicals shape microbial diversity through high-throughput ecological screens at University of Sheffield on FindAPhD.com
PhD Project - Identifying how chemicals shape microbial diversity through high-throughput ecological screens at University of Sheffield, listed on FindAPhD.com
www.findaphd.com
January 7, 2026 at 4:00 PM
Do you have an interest in quantitative microbiology and interdisciplinary research? I'm recruiting a UK PhD student to develop high-throughput ecological screens to help us understand how chemical inputs impact microbial ecosystems: www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
Reposted by Afra Salazar
New preprint from the lab!
Stress-Induced Cooperation Promotes Tolerance in Resource-Limited Auxotrophic Microbial Consortia.
Great and long journey with great collaborators.
Stress-Induced Cooperation Promotes Tolerance in Resource-Limited Auxotrophic Microbial Consortia.
Great and long journey with great collaborators.
We’re very happy to share the results from the last chapter of my PhD, now out as a preprint on bioRxiv
www.biorxiv.org/content/bior...
www.biorxiv.org/content/bior...
www.biorxiv.org
January 14, 2026 at 9:05 PM
New preprint from the lab!
Stress-Induced Cooperation Promotes Tolerance in Resource-Limited Auxotrophic Microbial Consortia.
Great and long journey with great collaborators.
Stress-Induced Cooperation Promotes Tolerance in Resource-Limited Auxotrophic Microbial Consortia.
Great and long journey with great collaborators.
Reposted by Afra Salazar
📢 Open faculty position – Origins of Life
We have an opening in our section at the University of Geneva! 🧬🚀
SPREAD THE WORD
Apply here: jobs.unige.ch/www/wd_porta...
We have an opening in our section at the University of Geneva! 🧬🚀
SPREAD THE WORD
Apply here: jobs.unige.ch/www/wd_porta...
a woman says " would you like to join us " with her eyes closed
ALT: a woman says " would you like to join us " with her eyes closed
media.tenor.com
January 16, 2026 at 5:49 PM
📢 Open faculty position – Origins of Life
We have an opening in our section at the University of Geneva! 🧬🚀
SPREAD THE WORD
Apply here: jobs.unige.ch/www/wd_porta...
We have an opening in our section at the University of Geneva! 🧬🚀
SPREAD THE WORD
Apply here: jobs.unige.ch/www/wd_porta...
Reposted by Afra Salazar
Postdoc in statistical ecology & evolution! Develop models bridging evolutionary theory with empirical data on sex differences in immunity and life history. Apply now!
#postdoc #statistics #evolution #academicjobs #ecology jobs.helsinki.fi/job/Helsinki...
#postdoc #statistics #evolution #academicjobs #ecology jobs.helsinki.fi/job/Helsinki...
Postdoctoral Researcher in Statistical Ecology and Evolution
Postdoctoral Researcher in Statistical Ecology and Evolution
jobs.helsinki.fi
January 14, 2026 at 9:08 AM
Postdoc in statistical ecology & evolution! Develop models bridging evolutionary theory with empirical data on sex differences in immunity and life history. Apply now!
#postdoc #statistics #evolution #academicjobs #ecology jobs.helsinki.fi/job/Helsinki...
#postdoc #statistics #evolution #academicjobs #ecology jobs.helsinki.fi/job/Helsinki...
Reposted by Afra Salazar
Bacteria chromosomes contain Genomic Islands that provide virulence, antibiotic resistance, MGE-defence,... They transfer between cells, but the mechanism of most remains elusive.
Here we explore the conjugative capacity of these mysterious Genomic Islands.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Here we explore the conjugative capacity of these mysterious Genomic Islands.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
www.biorxiv.org
January 14, 2026 at 10:14 AM
Bacteria chromosomes contain Genomic Islands that provide virulence, antibiotic resistance, MGE-defence,... They transfer between cells, but the mechanism of most remains elusive.
Here we explore the conjugative capacity of these mysterious Genomic Islands.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Here we explore the conjugative capacity of these mysterious Genomic Islands.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Reposted by Afra Salazar
Reminder 📢 We are advertising a postdoctoral position in #philbio or #philphysics to work on an interdisciplinary project that adopts the lens of self-organization & active matter to explore the boundary between living and nonliving systems👇 www.kuleuven.be/personeel/jo... #philjobs #philsci #evosky
January 13, 2026 at 6:49 PM
Reminder 📢 We are advertising a postdoctoral position in #philbio or #philphysics to work on an interdisciplinary project that adopts the lens of self-organization & active matter to explore the boundary between living and nonliving systems👇 www.kuleuven.be/personeel/jo... #philjobs #philsci #evosky