NEW: "Ecological and socioeconomic factors associated with globally reported tick-borne viruses", led by @samsambado.bsky.social, in which she applied BRT modelling to a global database of TBVs to pick apart the complicated pathway from transmission to reported cases!
www.nature.com/articles/s43...
Ig references matter for accurate estimates of gene identification and somatic mutation. Bat Igs do undergo SHM, especially in response to infections, but maybe at lower levels than humans. Also there are some interesting bat-specific glycosylations and extra cysteines in these Igs!
🦇 Very excited to share our Artibeus jamaicensis genome and IG locus annotations! A beautiful piece of work led by Ashley Reers in collaboration with the @schountz.bsky.social lab. This is just the beginning of a dive into the fascinating world of bat Igs in the future! 🦇🦠
doi.org/10.1016/j.is...
This is going to be so, so useful. Amazing job, @stephseifertphd.bsky.social and especially Dr Alexander Brown!
Some difficult news from the team: In NSF's FY25-26 Budget Request to Congress, we learned that our program will take a whopping 50% cut - meaning that in September, we'll be $1.25m short of an operating budget that currently supports a cohort of seven PhD students, four postdocs, and three full-time staff. Verena is one of the largest and last pandemic prevention-focused programs in the United States: since 2020, we've supported the training of over 60 postdocs, graduate students, and undergraduates. Our researchers have established unique laboratory resources for studying animal immune systems, and discovered new antiviral immune adaptations in bats; developed risk assessment algorithms for wildlife and livestock viruses, and diagnostic algorithms for viruses like dengue, Ebola, and Zika; and quantified the effects of climate change, deforestation, and factory farming on spillover risk. Everything we develop is 100% open source, and our data has supported the research of nearly 150 external researchers in 21 countries to date. We have three months to make up our budget shortfall. Every dollar spent on Verena supports not just our team, but the community of researchers who use our data, code, and resources. You can help us by sharing this post, and reaching out if you're able to support a unique and vulnerable program. Or just head over to viralemergence.org, and take a look at what we do. 🦟 🦇 🦠
An update from the team on the uncertain future of our program and the impact of NSF budget cuts. Please share and reach out 🦠
Please enjoy this fabulous meme made by a student in my “biology of bats” class. (I obviously laminated it and put it on my office door.)
5: This is so embarrassing.
Husband: What?
5: You.
So it begins.
I cannot imagine my career #WithoutNSF. My DDIG made me feel like a real scientist and gave me the data and confidence that allowed me to start my lab, (get additional NSF funding!), investigate bat immunity, and train 5 PhD students, 1 postdoc, 2 masters students and many undergrads!
About NSF’s new(est) bulletin -
15% indirect cost rates will kill universities.
Apparently that’s the point.
I am sick.
SaveNSF is a coalition of concerned scientists and allies who are working to save funding for scientific grants through the NSF.
The mission is to support and advocate for the continuation of vital research and innovation.
Join: www.savensf.com
Absolutely devastating and unconscionable what this administration is doing to destroy science in the US
The degree of squint is closely correlated with the level of excitement and gratitude.
@sjryan3.bsky.social is awesome and this looks like a great opportunity!
Cuts to US foreign aid, science and public health are having and will have devastating consequences including many deaths. Today’s version: my personal nightmare, drug-resistant TB.
apple.news/ABACC9a5RRlK...
Conference registration and lodging are now open for #BatID2025! Sign up at batid.org by April 15!
@bat-lady.bsky.social @virology.bsky.social @danjbecker.bsky.social @stephseifertphd.bsky.social
Firings happening right now at the NSF.
Bats are a diverse and species rich order (Chiroptera). This diversity also brings along differences in immune systems. Read more here, led by the Becker and Frank laboratories, along with contributions from us. #LZCI @danjbecker.bsky.social @bat-lady.bsky.social
ecoevorxiv.org/repository/v...
I thought zombies would be a fun way to give my students practice with SIR/ compartment models. It was but mostly we learned that people have wildly diverging and strong opinions on how one becomes a zombie. 🧟♀️
Abstract submissions and travel scholarships are now open for BatID 2025!
Submit your abstracts by March 15 and your scholarship requests by February 28 on our website: batid.org
@danjbecker.bsky.social @bat-lady.bsky.social @virology.bsky.social @stephseifertphd.bsky.social
It’s a confusing, anxious, no good very bad day for scientists, conservationists, community helpers…
Hi BlueSky, it’s snowing in New Orleans. 😬