Studying immune gene evolution is rarely about a lack of data, itโs about keeping data, biology, and interpretation aligned as everything changes.
New GLUE Genomics post: from viral genomes to immune genes, using interferon lambda as a case study.
gluetools.substack.com/p/glue-resou...
Posts by Daniel Blanco-Melo
Standing ovation to @eeb222.bsky.social for powering through the many intricacies of this project. And huge thanks to @paleogenomics.bsky.social @jonploug.bsky.social JT McCrone, Mike Rutherford, Kathryn Kistler, Ale Castillo, Isabelle Du Plessis, @lauracarrillo.bsky.social & Ting Liu #ThankYouTeam๐ช๐ผ
Excited to share our work on #AncientRNA from alcohol-preserved lungs, recovering the oldest human RNA virus genome (an 18th-century rhinovirus). Our study shows that viral RNA remnants persist in centuries-old tissue, opening new ways to study virus evolution and historical disease #Paleovirology๐ซ๐ฆ
Now live! Nearly all human genes contain multiple transcript isoforms - and the genes that predominantly control infection, ISGs, are no different. Using PacBio with analysis help from Yan Guo, Himadri noticed a never-before-seen transcript isoform of ISG15 that potently restricts flu 1/4
Happy to see @joelrc.bsky.social's paper identifying cellular heterogeneity in basal OASL expression as a major determinant of interferon induction during influenza virus infection out in its final form:
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Happy new year, hope everyone's 2026 is better than 2025!
SMBE2026 Symposium 13 | Perspectives on paleo-omics: defining functional evolution of ancient viruses in the era of big data
SMBE2026 Symposium 13 | Perspectives on paleo-omics: defining functional evolution of ancient viruses in the era of big data
๐จ Abstract submission
smbe2026.org/abstracts
๐ Programme details
smbe2026.org/programme
#SMBE2026
Lovely to work with @blevinske.bsky.social, @paleogenomics.bsky.social & Verena Schuenemann on " Ancient DNA insights into diverse pathogens and their hosts"! Read it at rdcu.be/eSVPN
๐คฌ@&$!โฌยฃยฅ*
Actively looking for a postdoc interested in host-virus evolution. Please apply to the #MahanFellowship This fellowship provides early career scientists with the opportunity to join a Fred Hutch CompBio lab (like ours!). If interested please contact me to coordinate proposal and apply by Dec 05 2025
We mourn the passing of Nobel laureate David Baltimore, a towering figure in molecular biology and virology, and a pioneer and founder of ASV. His discoveries transformed science and medicine, and his mentorship inspired generations. His legacy will continue to guide and inspire virology and ASV.
HVTN 25th Anniversary:
The journey to an HIV vaccine ๐ช๐ผ
Full movie of this incredible 25yr effort ๐๐ผ
www.helpendhiv.org/25-anniversa...
On today's front page @nytimes.com
It was a pleasure to attend the first #APG2025 symposium at UNAM Juriquilla and to listen to great keynote lectures given by @christinawarinner.bsky.social and
@scs22.bsky.social. A big thanks to @dbm003.bsky.social and @paleogenomics.bsky.social and their organizing committee ๐.
๐ข๐ขOne more day to submit your abstract to the Ancient Pathogen Genomics Symposium ๐งฌ๐ฆ ๐ฆด๐ข๐ข
Great program and community ๐
๐ Details: liigh.unam.mx/apg/
๐ฒ๐ฝ ยกNos vemos en Querรฉtaro! ๐ฎ๐ช
Our Diversity is our strength! #StandUpFor Science-Seattle
Seattle #StandUpForScience
Map of Stand Up for Science events, with official SUFS events in Red and solidarity events in Blue
WHERE WILL YOU BE ON MARCH 7TH!?
Head to www.standupforscience2025.org/local-event-information/ or the link in our bio to find your closest eventโor add one if you're hosting one!
#standupforscience2025
Hello Again #Bluesky Im officially over with the #DeadBlueBird. Ready to engage with all of you and all things Viral #LoveVirology๐ฆ
Program for the Ancient Pathogen Genomics symposium between April 12-13 2025.
๐ Hello #AncientPathogens community! ๐ฆด๐งฌ๐ฆ
APG's Preliminary Program is up!
Registration waivers for LMIC trainees (thanks to Novogene & Twist Bioscience)! ๐Abstract deadline extended! โณ
๐ Details: liigh.unam.mx/apg/
๐ฒ๐ฝ ยกNos vemos en Querรฉtaro! ๐ฎ๐ช
Please RT!
Thank you Alistair!
Very Happy to share the very first paper of the Lab! Qing Yang & Ben Nilsson-Payant found that modulating Influenza NS1 levels reveals a ranking in its inhibitory roles: IFN < ISGs < UPR. Huge thanks to Ben tenOever for his helpful advice! For many more to come ๐ฅ
bit.ly/NS1Priority
Exciting work from @nandangokhale.bsky.social Nandan plans to continue studying how RNAs scaffold immune signaling platforms as an independent investigator, and is on the job market. Hire him!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Hello #BlueSky friends! I work on #cancer #genomics in ๐ฒ๐ฝ, focused on acral #melanoma, #liver diseases and also on capacity building and training. We seek to generate genome sequences from cancer and pre-cancer from Latin America to study risk factors & contributors. Excited to join this community!
๐ฉโ๐ฌNew **PostDoc** Opportunity!๐จโ๐ฌ
My new Epidemiology & Virus Evolution (EVE) group at SwissTPH is looking for a PostDoc in evolution & phylogenetics of respiratory viruses ๐ฆ ๐ณ
Interested? See here for more details & to apply!
jobs.swisstph.ch/Vacancies/92...
Please share!๐
m7GpppNm - VERY EXCITED to share my postdoctoral work in @ramlabuw.bsky.socialโs lab, now @bioRxiv. We find that cellular RNA interacts with MAVS, the adaptor protein of the RIG-I-like receptor pathway, to promote antiviral signaling. A ๐งต:
We have an open virology faculty search at the University of Illinois! We have world class core facilities and a fantastic collaborative group of young faculty working on cutting edge questions in virus biology...you could be next!
Please re-post/RT/re-bleet/whatever it is called here!
Hello #AcademicBlueSky! Great to see you again. Ready to share and learn all things #LoveVirology