Helen Lazear

Helen Lazear

@lazearlab.bsky.social

Associate Professor of Microbiology & Immunology UNC Chapel Hill Viral pathogenesis, arboviruses, virus-host interactions, antiviral immunity www.lazearlab.org

1.5K followers334 following183 posts

Helen Lazear reposted

Colm Atkins, PhD
@atkinscolm.bsky.social

Come be my colleague in Cell Biology & Neuroscience at Rutgers-New Brunswick! Assistant Professor (TT) search is open in the broad area of Immunology. jobs.rutgers.edu/postings/282...

jobs.rutgers.eduAssistant Professor – Tenure-Track FacultyThe Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience (CBN) at Rutgers University invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position to develop an innovative research program in the area o...

Helen Lazear reposted

Carl Zimmer
@carlzimmer.com

Here's an update on my story in August about scientists using AI to make viruses. Now a startup has put AI viruses in a patient, to test them as a treatment called phage therapy. Gift link: nyti.ms/47pOLJv

nyti.msStart-Up Claims to Treat a Patient With A.I.-Created Viruses (Gift Article)Certain viruses attack bacteria and can sometimes clear antibiotic-resistant infections. Researchers said they had tailored a virus to attack one patient’s illness.

Helen Lazear reposted

ASM
@asm.org

⏰Don't forget! Submit to ASM's 2026 #AgarArt Contest by Oct. 21, 11:59 p.m. ET. This year's theme, "Microbial Postcards," invites pieces inspired by a place you love — its visible character and the invisible microbes that shape it. See contest details: asm.social/37K

Helen Lazear reposted

Heran Darwin, PhD
@heran.bsky.social

It's happening! NYUGSM Microbiology is hiring and I'd love to see more bacteriology here! Please repost and spread the word!

Heran Darwin, PhD@heran.bsky.social

www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/44...

linkedin.comAssistant Professor, Department of Microbiology at NYU Langone Health — New York, NY | LinkedIn JobsApply for Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology at NYU Langone Health in New York, NY. Full-time Not Applicable role. See responsibilities, qualifications, and similar jobs on LinkedIn.

Helen Lazear reposted

Matthew Lawrenz
@lawrenzlab.bsky.social

Are you interested in the immunology of infections, tumors, or autoimmunity? Great! Come be my colleague! We have an open tenure track position for an immunologist in the Dept. of Microbiology and Immunology at UofL. Happy to answer questions. Please repost.

myworkday.commyworkday.com

Helen Lazear reposted

Joel Pinckney
@jpinckney.bsky.social

Whenever I have to speak in front of a lot of people (as I did at a regional booksellers meeting this morning), I always think about this beautifully simple advice from @joshgondelman.bsky.social: "Everyone wants you to do a good job, and no one will be mad if you mess up a little." It helps!

Josh Gondelman@joshgondelman.bsky.social

Sometimes people ask me for public speaking advice and I included my most crucial tip in this week’s That’s Marvelous! There’s other stuff in it too! Read it: www.thatsmarvelousnewsletter.com/142-pep-talk...

Helen Lazear reposted

Mark Peifer (He, him)
@peiferlabunc.bsky.social

For the last 34 years I have been on the faculty of the UNC-Chapel Hill Department of Biology and have never regretted that decision. This year we are hiring TWO new Assistant Professors in the broad area of Molecular, Cell, Developmental Biology 1/n bio.unc.edu

Helen Lazear reposted

The Assembly
@theassemblync.bsky.social

The Little-Noticed Policy Change Promoting Three-Year High School Diplomas North Carolina’s universities are debating three-year degrees. In 2023, the General Assembly directed public high schools to create an accelerated path too.

theassemblync.comThe Little-Noticed Policy Change Promoting Three-Year High School DiplomasNorth Carolina colleges are debating three-year degrees. In 2023, the legislature directed public high schools to create an accelerated path too.

Helen Lazear reposted

Carl Zimmer
@carlzimmer.com

Four days ago, a scientist was surprised by the news that Anthropic discovered new virus genes for making DNA. He says he’s been studying them for years—and feeding his data to Anthropic’s AI as part of his own research. Coincidence? Here’s my story. nyti.ms/3VSWayc

nyti.msDid Anthropic’s A.I. Really Make a Scientific Discovery on Its Own? (Gift Article)An expert at the University of Copenhagen said his team had been sharing its research with the company’s A.I. model, Claude, and that its new finding matched their work.

Helen Lazear reposted

NPR
@npr.org

In mid-September, Fiji's government declared a national emergency because of a startling rise in HIV infections. The country's crystal meth epidemic is a strong contributing factor. n.pr/4z00OZG

n.prMeth is a key driver in Fiji's fast-growing HIV epidemic: 1 in 60 adults are affectedIn mid-September, Fiji's government declared a national emergency because of a startling rise in HIV infections. The country's crystal meth epidemic is a strong contributing factor.

Helen Lazear reposted

The Assembly
@theassemblync.bsky.social

UNC-Chapel Hill’s Football Investigation is Over. Will We Ever Know What It Found? University officials are providing few details. They say the secrecy is necessary to build trust with future whistleblowers.

theassemblync.comUNC-Chapel Hill’s Football Investigation is Over. Will We Ever Know What It Found?University officials are providing few details. They say the secrecy is necessary to build trust with future whistleblowers.

Helen Lazear reposted

Max Kozlov
@maxkozlov.bsky.social

NEW: Yet another group of researchers is suing the NIH and HHS over a massive purge of federal research grants. The class-action suit alleges the Trump admin is violating scientists' first amendment rights by using keyword searches to censor science that doesn't align with its political views.

aclu.orgResearchers Challenge NIH Screening of Grants for Disfavored Viewpoints | American Civil Liberties UnionClass action lawsuit seeks to stop censorship and termination of federally funded scientific research

Helen Lazear reposted

Vaughn Cooper
@vscooper.micropopbio.org

Authors!🚨 While you scramble for scarce $ 🤔 “Springer Nature reports revenue growth of 6.2%..and adjusted operating profit growth of 7.7%. They reported even more stunning submission growth of 30% and published article growth of 13%.” Publishing in society journals helps YOU not them👇🏻. Pass it on.

Helen Lazear reposted

Nature
@nature.com

The US National Science Foundation (NSF) is changing how it funds research grants — and how it decides which ones to fund — to better align with White House priorities, according to a letter released on 10 September. go.nature.com/4iXOjZI

go.nature.comNSF moves to overhaul funding approach in line with White House prioritiesThe major funder of basic science has not said how its new initiatives will be funded — but staff worry streamlined approach will further squeeze cash for core sciences.

Helen Lazear reposted

Arbovirus seminars
@arbovirus.bsky.social

We’re delighted to announce the 2026–27 programme for the International Virtual Seminars in Arbovirus Biology 🦟🦠 Nine seminars spanning arbovirus virology, immunity, vectors, pathogenesis, structure, emergence and antivirals. Monthly on Zoom, Sep–May. Please share! #Arbovirus #Virology

Helen Lazear reposted

Alex Rubinsteyn
@alexr.bsky.social

Computational Medicine program at UNC is doing a faculty search and I really want more translational / AI-centric labs to join the floor. Anyone on the market who wants to start clinical trials on short timelines and uses AI in the clinical loop?

Helen Lazear reposted

Manuel Kleiner
@manuelkleiner.bsky.social

We are looking to hire a microbiology laboratory research technician here at NC State in Raleigh, NC. If you have experience in microbiology and/or LC-MS/MS please consider applying. Please repost! jobs.ncsu.edu/postings/234...

jobs.ncsu.eduMicrobiology Laboratory Research TechnicianThe Kleiner Lab at North Carolina State University is seeking a Research Technician to support research focused on complex microbial communities, microbial symbioses, and metaproteomics. Reporting to ...

Helen Lazear reposted

Mark Histed
@markhisted.org

Ok here we go: It DOES look like a major purpose of this NIH funding transfer to NIH is to circumvent NIH’s peer review processes so political appointees can have control. Check out the redacted agreement @maxkozlov.bsky.social released: 1/

Max Kozlov@maxkozlov.bsky.social

Under pressure, the DOD just released the text of its secret 10-year agreement with the NIH. Here are the biggest revelations from the document 🧵

Helen Lazear reposted

Nature
@nature.com

An agreement paves the way for hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of projects to be transferred from the NIH’s institute for infectious diseases to the Department of Defense. go.nature.com/4ycEbk8

go.nature.comRevealed: inside the US military's plan to tap huge sums from the NIHAn agreement paves the way for hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of projects to be transferred from the NIH’s institute for infectious diseases to the Department of Defence.