Sam Blackman 🥖

As I wrap up 2024, I have chosen, once again, to conclude it with a Top Ten List of things that brought me joy in an otherwise very difficult 2024. Hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed putting it together! www.linkedin.com/pulse/top-10...

While Skype may be gone, @skypeascientist.bsky.social is definitely alive and kicking! What a great to talk about cancer biology with two Chapel Hill 7th grade classes yesterday. Want to reaffirm your faith in the power of science to inspire? Teach some kids!

Hey @billywitz.bsky.social - your “clever” parenthetical does NOT belong in a serious news story about a very serious topic. Cut the cutesy stupid shit. This is a serious situation. #Canada will remain sovereign and to suggest that there a possibility otherwise is bullshit.

With all of the news over the past few weeks, and being at the start of a new role, I was contemplating the importance of professional relationships when I came across something while cleaning out an old filing cabinet. timmermanreport.com/2025/03/look...

Those patients and parents who have been hoping and working towards innovated cell and gene therapies for kids have just lost their most important champion inside of the FDA. This will truly hurt a field that is already facing so many headwinds. Ugh.

Trying to think hopeful thoughts on this Ides of March. We can always hope.

I’ve realized that I don’t really need to read the news anymore. I just ask myself, “What are the stupidest and most malicious and ignorant things a government can do today to harm the US?” And voila! Turns out to match the headlines perfectly.

drsamblackman.substack.com/p/prophet-song

Biopharma companies and CEOs are keeping their heads down at their own peril. They should speak up about what’s happening to the NIH and other science agencies before it’s too late. Silence gives consent. And no one should consent to this.

THIS is why I love the internet. I post a cool picture my wife sent me from the flight she's on and 5 minutes later I learn something entirely new from a stranger. Thanks @brewcitychaser.com !

My wife just sent me this incredible photo that she took from the window of her @alaskaairlines.bsky.social flight from SNA to SEA. How she managed to capture the shadow of her plane in a rainbow circle is beyond me. But wow! #aviationphotography #alaskaairlines #planespotting #aviation

And here’s a hummingbird for you as well.

It’s not #caturday yet but given that the country is on fire, here’s a cat with flames. #abyssinian #catshatetrump

I love my various non-profit board roles, but being on the board of @orcasbakery.bsky.social has got to be one of the very best board seats ever. What other board seat gets you backstage access to an incredible bakery, and a chance to try new cookie recipes?

Welcome immigrants from X interested in science to the friendlier skies of @bsky.app, as documented by a new @nature.com survey (but you already knew that 😉) "Bluesky is much better for science. There is much less toxicity, misinformation, and distractions." www.nature.com/articles/d41...

This many days until midterms #resist

My #coffee selections are clearly in sync with the current vibe. @cafegrumpy.bsky.social

Didn’t listen to any news today - the BBc, CBC, nothing. There’s nothing there that’s “news”. These are the worst people doing the worst things they can get away with. So I tried to keep myself occupied with other things, occasionally repeating this mantra.

Oooh ….. this helps.

The world is pretty awful. Fortunately cats don’t seem to care. So here is a picture of our cat Sophie sleeping peacefully.

What do you do when you have FOMO from missing JPM and getting to see everyone? You get @luketimmerman.bsky.social ⁩ to come a visit you in the back of beyond!

Congrats to the @dayonebio.bsky.social team!

Even though I'm not reading the news and avoiding NPR, there's enough awfulness in the world that it seeps in. So I decided to take the day off for a personal timeline cleanse. open.substack.com/pub/drsambla...

It's an old song. But I think it has a vibe for today's stress. youtu.be/gp5JCrSXkJY?...

Palate cleanser … #sunset from MV Samish. @wsdot.bsky.social #ferries

My wife loves doing the jigsaw puzzles that people leave on the ferries. And then I looked closely at the one she’s working on tonight …

I’ve taken this ferry hundreds of times but still never get tired of how beautiful it can be out here on the water. #OrcasIsland #SanJuanIslands #PNW @wsdot.bsky.social @wsferrys.bsky.social

Drowning my #JPM25 FOMO in a weekend of good Japanese food and Indian food with my family for a long weekend in Vancouver, BC.

1/n Some time ago my colleague, excellent cook, and friend Ivan told me: "Cacio e pepe is the recipe that I screw up more often. Let's make a project studying systematically the physics of that sauce". Prepare to get cheesy, I'm glad to share the Cacio e paper preprint: arxiv.org/abs/2501.00536

It was a while since I did this, but when I was in NYC in December I managed to get to a Moth StorySLAM in Brooklyn and got to get up on stage and tell a (true) story. #TheMoth #Storytelling #AutoInsurance @volkswagen.bsky.social youtu.be/fOE-1DkHt5E

We’re christening this “The Gilman”. Fabulous. Equal parts reposado, Aperol, St. German, and lemon juice. Thanks @gilman.bsky.social - it’s a hit!

It's Sunday, so it's trash day. open.substack.com/pub/drsambla...

My kitchen mojo may be coming back. substack.com/@drsamblackm...

Whatever this unholy merger of things is, I'm here to try it. I'll report back later. #hanukkah #latkes #schnitzel #schnitzelatkes carolinagelen.substack.com/p/schnitzel-...

Well spotted, an important biotech need to be aware of. It’s always important to be aware of the regulatory changes ad we move back to the 16th century.

Happy #Hanukkah to those that celebrate!

We do a “4-day” 3-day weekend for every 3-day weekend holiday at Day One exactly for this reason (and also because we saw that everyone still worked on the 3rd day and we wanted them to actually take a 3 day weekend)!

I’m totally here for the sudden sundown transition from Burl Ives to The Klezmer Conservatory Band. Away goes the ham. Out come the latkes! #ChagSameach #HappyHanukkah youtu.be/URcpUqLW8NY?...

Don’t know about you all but I got the best book for #Christmas. It was a pleasure to explain to my daughter why I was so excited about this gift.

There is no Chinese food here on #OrcasIsland so for #Christmas I made a picture perfect lasagna (thanks, Cook’s Illustrated) and paired it with an arugula salad and a nice Barolo. Happy Christmas!

As a public library board member (the incredible Orcas Island Public Library) I can tell you that this is true!

Walking up to my home office on my last work day of the year. Despite the crushing darkness of the far Pacific Northwest, I have been lucky to have my team and my work as a constant source of light.

Last full work day of the year for me and (as my daughter once commented), my brain has way too many tabs open and I cannot tell where the music is coming from.