#MeetOurMembers
Today, we would like to introduce our Italian PhD student: Giorgio Boccarrella

Origin of Life Early-career Network An international post-disciplinary network connecting early-career researchers exploring how life emerged on Earth and beyond.

Are you an early-career researcher interested in the origins of life? 🌌 🧬 Join OoLEN for networking with amazing people that is also doing research in how life begins 🧪✨

Link here: www.oolen.org

Evolutionary Modelling Group | KU Leuven We develop evolutionary models to understand how living organisms adapt - from antibiotic resistance to human language evolution.

Take a look at our new website at www.pietervdberg.com !

For everything on our research topics, publications, and ourselves.

#MeetOurMembers
Today, we would like to introduce our PhD student, Kat Van der Poorten!

Back in Belgium after traveling the world! She is an autistic evolutionary biologist intrigued by all things ‘language’.

Follow her on Bluesky to learn more about her work: @kathetgedacht.bsky.social

#meetourmembers!
Today, we would like to introduce our PhD Student Alger Jorritsma! He is an 'oprjochte Fries'.

If you’re an early-career OoL researcher, please consider taking a few minutes to fill it out! 👇

Our team member Kat speaking to a diverse audience (including the rector of KU Leuven!) about the challenges of being an autistic researcher.

@kathetgedacht.bsky.social @lavavzw.bsky.social

Forced sterilization in Europe | DW Documentary YouTube video by DW Documentary

Forced sterilisation for disabled people? Still happening

youtu.be/7ac_LxNHSOU?...

@sara-rocha.bsky.social

Figure 1. Common approaches to modeling the relationship between genotype and phenotype (A,B) and phenotype and fitness (C,D) in models of mutational robustness evolution.

"The evolutionary role of mutational robustness: theoretical insights"
by Pieter van den Berg & co

"Here, we categorize and critically discuss the main approaches for modeling the evolutionary causes and consequences of mutational robustness."

FREE till Jan 18:
authors.elsevier.com/a/1mBGtcQbJF...

Am I like Hitler? During an event organized by Metaforum (KU Leuven), I had the opportunity to reflect and speak, drawing on my own experience, about how we can make the university more accessible to everyone. I off…

I have again been given the opportunity to speak out loud. This time a little louder…

kathetgedacht.com/2025/12/02/a...

New paper from my colleagues at the @vandenberglab.bsky.social !

The evolutionary role of mutational robustness: theoretical insights Mutational robustness, the ensemble of mechanisms that allow organisms to maintain a stable phenotype despite genetic mutations, affects adaptive evol…

#Review: The evolutionary role of mutational robustness: theoretical insights in Trends in Genetics by @ronbaas.bsky.social

We bring together results across models to clarify when robustness is favoured and how it influences a population’s capacity to evolve.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

@cp-trendsgenetics.bsky.social @michielslab.bsky.social @verstrepenlab.bsky.social @goverssander.bsky.social ander.bsky.social @vandenberglab.bsky.social

The evolutionary role of mutational robustness: theoretical insights Mutational robustness, the ensemble of mechanisms that allow organisms to maintain a stable phenotype despite genetic mutations, affects adaptive evol…

Excited to share our new review: The evolutionary role of mutational robustness: theoretical insights, in Trends in Genetics!
Our review distils the main theoretical insights into when robustness evolves and how it shapes evolvability.

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

OoLEN Diversity and Inclusion Survey 2025 This survey is intended to be taken by anyone who considers themselves to be an early career researcher, working on topics related to OoL. It is a repeat of the OoLEN Diversity and Inclusion Survey 20...

We’re running the 2025 OoLEN Diversity & Inclusion Survey 🧬🌍

If you are an early-career origins-of-life researcher, we would really value your anonymous input.

It takes about 5–8 minutes, and you can skip any question.

Trigger warning: bullying and harassment.

Form: bit.ly/44rUzko

Curious about the origins-of-life community? 🌱
Sign up for the OoLEN newsletter for research highlights, events & opportunities. Something new is landing very soon... 👀
🔗 bit.ly/48Bb7sJ

Hi I am Piet! Pi of the Evolutionary Modelling Group!
Isn’t it just fascinating that we are all here because of evolution?
If you feel the same, feel free to reach out to me to join our group!

Hi everyone! We are the Evolutionary Modelling Group!
We are interested in many topics, from the evolution of microbial mutational robustness to the evolution of language and culture in humans. We rely on a variety of methods, both computational (evolutionary simulations) and mathematical.

Tomorrow is Pig Day On absurdity and the academic machine.

What are we even doing, really?

kathetgedacht.com/2025/11/07/t...

Launch Readiness Review concludes: we are ready!

🛰️Earth observer Copernicus Sentinel-1D is on its #Ariane6 rocket and set for launch.
☁️ Weather conditions favourable.
🚀 Liftoff at 21:03 GMT/22:03 CET
▶️ Watch live: www.esa.int/Applications...

Positive News:
Green turtles came back from the brink.

The species came off the ‘endangered’ list. It offers hope at a time when more species are being added to the IUCN’s red list.
61% of bird species are now in decline.
Coordinated actions can reverse populations at risk of extinction.

🧪 Curious how chemistry becomes biology? Join OoLEN’s open seminar Thu Sep 12, 06:30 UTC (15:30 JST / 08:30 CEST) !

📣 We’ll share a short yearly update, then Tony Z Jia dives into Primitive Polyester Microdroplets on Early Earth. 🫧🌍

▶️ Live stream: youtube.com/@OoLEN_org

Just wrapped up an incredible week at #ESEB2025! Grateful for the inspiring science, brilliant minds, and new connections. 🧬✨

Huge thanks to the organizers and volunteers for putting together such a fantastic conference!

Feeling energized and full of ideas. Until next time!