Joe Thornton

Joe Thornton

@joethorntonlab.bsky.social

Evolutionary biochemistry at UChicago. Reconstructing ancient proteins.

1.1K followers92 following16 posts

Joe Thornton
@joethorntonlab.bsky.social

I am so excited for this conference. A stellar line-up of incredible researchers across disciplines, a beautiful location, and a great environment for younger scientists. And what a treat that I get to co-organize this with @levine-lab.bsky.social! www.grc.org/molecular-me...

grc.org2027 Molecular Mechanisms in Evolution Conference GRCThe 2027 Gordon Research Conference on Molecular Mechanisms in Evolution will be held in Portland, Maine. Apply today to reserve your spot.
Mia Levine@levine-lab.bsky.social

@joethorntonlab.bsky.social and I are thrilled to co-organize the 2027 Molecular Mechanisms in Evolution GRC, June 13–18, in beautiful Portland, Maine! See our ⭐stellar⭐ lineup of speakers ⬇️ spanning evolutionary biochemistry, cell biology, development, behavior... www.grc.org/molecular-me... 1/n

grc.org2027 Molecular Mechanisms in Evolution Conference GRCThe 2027 Gordon Research Conference on Molecular Mechanisms in Evolution will be held in Portland, Maine. Apply today to reserve your spot.

Joe Thornton reposted

georghochberg.bsky.social
@georghochberg.bsky.social

New paper from the lab from Sriram Garg in my group. We introduce a general substitution matrix for structural phylogenetics. I think this is a big deal, so read on below if you think deep history is important. academic.oup.com/mbe/advance-...

academic.oup.comA general substitution matrix for structural phylogenetics.Abstract. Sequence-based maximum likelihood (ML) phylogenetics is a widely used method for inferring evolutionary relationships, which has illuminated the

Joe Thornton reposted

AAUP
@aaup.org

Harvard will not comply. “No government — regardless of which party is in power — should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue.” — Harvard President Alan M. Garber www.thecrimson.com/article/2025...

thecrimson.comHarvard Will Fight Trump’s Demands | News | The Harvard CrimsonHarvard will not comply with the Trump administration’s demands to dismantle its diversity programming and limit student protests in exchange for its federal funding, University President Alan M. Garb...

Joe Thornton reposted

Vaughn Cooper
@vscooper.micropopbio.org

My OpEd in @elife.bsky.social “It feels as if we are trying to fight a series of attacks on science with one arm tied behind our back and our lips half sewn shut.” “Yet we are not beaten, and some of us are downright energized.” elifesciences.org/articles/106...

elifesciences.orgScience Under Threat in the United States: Feeling abandoned but energizedMany individual researchers are frustrated by the response - or the lack of a response - from universities to a growing crisis.
Joe Thornton
@joethorntonlab.bsky.social

The government’s attack on Columbia University has nothing to do with addressing antisemitism. The goal is to force universities to police and punish students and faculty to Trump’s liking — to use our universities against us to obliterate political protest and chill discourse.

Joe Thornton
@joethorntonlab.bsky.social

This attack on Columbia University is patently illegal, but the bully could still succeed by making other universities cower and pre-submit to the White House's climate of fear. Solidarity!

Carl Zimmer@carlzimmer.com

DOJ, HHS, ED, and GSA Announce Initial Cancellation of Grants and Contracts to Columbia University Worth $400 Million (government press release) www.gsa.gov/about-us/new...

gsa.govDOJ, HHS, ED, and GSA Announce Initial Cancellation of Grants and Contracts to Columbia University Worth $400 MillionToday, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Department of Education (ED), and the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) announced that through their coordinated efforts they would i...
Joe Thornton
@joethorntonlab.bsky.social

I see no other institution that has taken a position as unnecessarily restrictive of research, and as submissively precompliant, as that taken by the University of Chicago. bsky.app/profile/jere...

Jeremy Berg@jeremymberg.bsky.social

Academic Skyers: I am compiling a list of policies and statements from various universities about how they are handling the "pause" in terms of stopping expenditures (or not). Please respond to this post with your institution and materials. THANK YOU!

Joe Thornton
@joethorntonlab.bsky.social

Scientists at universities that have raised graduate student stipends: What have your administrations done to mitigate the costs to lab budgets so that the science itself doesn’t have to be curtailed? Examples of best practices would be appreciated.

Joe Thornton
@joethorntonlab.bsky.social

If a university increases the stipend by 15k per year with no compensation to labs, it also gives itself a big raise in overhead costs (~10k per year per student), which it takes from our grants, too. Does it really cost the university more to administer a higher stipend?

Joe Thornton
@joethorntonlab.bsky.social

Scientists at universities that have raised graduate student stipends: What have your administrations done to mitigate the costs to lab budgets so that the science itself doesn’t have to be curtailed? Examples of best practices would be appreciated.

Joe Thornton
@joethorntonlab.bsky.social

Have they reduced the graduate tuition they take from your grant budgets? Reduced the overhead charges (typically 55-80%) that they impose on student stipends? Reduced the overhead they take on your salary as PI? Other ideas?

Joe Thornton reposted

Jaeda Patton
@jaedapatton.bsky.social

The Human Genetics and Genetics, Genomics & Systems Biology PhD programs at UChicago are hosting our second annual info session for prospective applicants. Sign up at bit.ly/GeneticsInfo20… for application tips from a diverse panel of current PhD students and faculty! And please repost! 🧪🧬🖥️

Joe Thornton
@joethorntonlab.bsky.social

Here’s a powerful and insightful critique of “protecting science from woke-ism” rhetoric and policy. Written for a UK context, it’s very relevant in the US and elsewhere. Please read and consider signing.

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