Andrew Kennard

Hello centromere friends, I am grateful and delighted to share that I am chairing the trainee driven Centromere Biology GRS 2026 with Hailey Loucks. We can’t wait to see everyone this summer to chat about our favorite genomic locus!!
Deadline for talk selection:April 19th
www.grc.org/centromere-b...

I guess another question I have is that why, if polygenic screening for complex traits is truly effective, are the screens on offer always for eg "intelligence" and "attractiveness" and never, say, for "empathy" or "compassion"?

Deadline for abstracts is extended untill March 19! So if you are interested in the interfase of physics of life and evolution, consider applying!

Posting again!

Excited to share our new preprint exploring how Paramecium achieves diverse flow functions, i.e. feeding and swimming, simultaneously. This work was spearheaded by our ExM expert, PhD student Daphne Laan @daphnelaan.bsky.social :
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

Global genetic rewiring during compensatory evolution in the yeast polarity network - EMBO Reports Functional defects resulting from deleterious mutations can often be restored during evolution by compensatory mutations. Importantly, this process can generate the genetic diversity seen in networks ...

And another paper!
We show that compensatory evolution in the yeast polarity network leads to global genetic rewiring: restoring polarity reshapes gene disruption tolerance across the genome and rewires entire cellular processes—not just individual genes.
doi.org/10.1038/s44319-026-00709-4

Oligomerization-dependent and synergistic regulation of Cdc42 GTPase cycling by a GEF and a GAP - EMBO Reports Cell polarity is a crucial biological process essential for cell division, directed growth, and motility. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, polarity establishment centers around the small Rho-type GTPase C...

New paper out in EMBO Reports!
We show that Cdc42 regulation is oligomerization-dependent and that a GEF and a GAP act synergistically: Cdc24 relieves self-inhibition of oligomeric Rga2, enabling robust Cdc42 cycling.
doi.org/10.1038/s44319-026-00695-7
#cellpolarity #Cdc42 #synergy #syntheticbiology

Global reorganization of genome architecture at the transition to gametogenesis - Nature Structural & Molecular Biology Huang, Rigau and colleagues observe major changes in how DNA is organized in early germ cells before they start developing into sperm or eggs. These results show that germline removes structural ‘memo...

Happy to share our latest paper.

Our findings uncover a unique chromatin architecture and spatial chromosome arrangement in gonadal germ cells and document that alongside global DNA demethylation, the germline epigenetic reprogramming involves reorganisation of the 3D genome.

Let's try this again 👋

Hi Bluesky - I'm Massachusetts' Attorney General. You might know me from suing President Trump nearly 50 times, beating Uber and Lyft in court, or being the first woman of color elected to statewide office in MA.

I officially left X today - help me find my MA people?

Microtubule depolymerization at kinetochores restricts anaphase spindle elongation | Nature Chemical Biology Anaphase chromosome segregation depends on forces exerted by spindle microtubules. Current models propose two force-generating mechanisms: kinetochore–microtubule (kMT) depolymerization pulls chromosomes toward spindle poles (anaphase A), while antiparallel microtubule sliding in the central spindle further separates sister chromosomes by elongating the spindle (anaphase B). Experimental evidence in cells supports the sliding mechanism but contributions of the depolymerization mechanism remain unclear. We show that kMT depolymerization limits spindle elongation rather than moving chromosomes apart. We developed a chemical optogenetic approach to recruit microtubule depolymerases to kinetochores at anaphase onset, thereby increasing kMT depolymerization rates without perturbing earlier stages of mitosis. We find that increased depolymerization slows the velocity at which spindle poles move apart without changing kinetochore separation velocities. Our findings support a model in which ki

Microtubule depolymerization at kinetochores limits anaphase spindle elongation, balancing forces for precise chromosome segregation. PMID:41617855, Nat Chem Biol 2026, @nchembio https://doi.org/10.1038/s41589-026-02143-y #Medsky #Pharmsky #RNA #ASHG #ESHG 🧪

Community meme: I CAN EXCUSE FASCISM. BUTI DRAW THE LINE AT MERCANTILISM.

The Supreme Court:

It’s so funny to think about the fact that there’s people out there deferring every life decision to this

Any labs out there looking to hire a postbac/technician? I’ve got a an eager, kind, trustworthy team-player of a student looking for more research experience to prep for PhD programs. He’s been an important member of the Q-lab, presented at ASCB, contributed to a pub, & soon will be submit another.

Rare, dangerous side effects of some COVID-19 vaccines explained “Groundbreaking” study uncovers why adenovirus-based shots caused life-threatening blood clots and bleeding in some people

Five years after the rollout of Covid-19 vaccines started, it seems the mystery of why the Astra-Zeneca and J&J vaccines led to a rare but deadly side effect of unusual blood clots and bleeding has finally been solved. 

It's a fascinating case of molecular mimicry that may help make vaccine safer.🧪

Epstein’s economic power among academics was made possible by a capitalist system that makes higher education dependent on the charity economy rather than a public good supported by taxing the rich

Spindles lacking Ase1 adapt more resiliently to compressive force from the nuclear envelope than normal spindles.

Taylor proudly holds a troll doll named Thelonius she has adopted as a lab mascot, along with a copy of her preprint!

Final model figure of our manuscript indicates that compression force from the nuclear envelope regulates spindle biochemistry.

We've got a new preprint posted, you can read all about it (and see a picture of our recently adopted lab mascot) here: eltinglab.github.io/news/taylorB...

The bottom line of this work is that we reveal new ways that S. pombe spindle biochemistry is regulated by force from the nuclear envelope.

Tagging @ajkennard.bsky.social to make sure he gets his proper credit! Sharing a similar handle I’ve become a long-distance admirer of his work 😂

The beauty that DEEPSPACE can do! Thanks to @jotlovell.bsky.social

If you want to read more about it, here: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

What an ingenious idea! Very cool paper. I also appreciate learning about other techniques for brighter and more consistent Exam (eg GMA).

bsky.app/profile/aske...

Found the unbroken link:

www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

Paired with the show, Bob Goldstein created the world's longest microtubule, ascending the Genome Science Building's spiral stairs, to honor Emeritus Professor Ted Salmon

Anyone else on macOS #Tahoe (26.2) notice today that your Logitech mouse/hardware stopped working as expected? #Logitech pushed out a broken #LogiOptionsPlus update. To fix, reinstall version 1.44.415778 (link below from LogiTech) and TURN OFF AUTO UPDATES. 1/2
download01.logi.com/web/ftp/pub/...

Our paper describing the development of ShapeSpaceExplorer is now out: journals.plos.org/ploscompbiol... The software and documentation is available here: github.com/cmcb-warwick... Explainer thread below.

Anyone running a genomic CURE want to collaborate with Dr Abbey to sequence blue beans?

Finally, we’ve solved a long-standing mystery: what tintinnid shells are actually made of:
A new class of biomaterial formed by remarkable structural proteins unique to tintinnids.
A major milestone after 3 years of work! Read about it in our preprint: doi.org/10.64898/202...
#ProtistsOnSky

Tbh my only experience with raveling: numpy.org/doc/stable/r...

The main project of my postdoc with @spo11rulz.bsky.social is now available on bioRxiv! By systematically integrating structural information with molecular evolution analyses, we gained new fascinating insights into the evolution of key meiotic recombination proteins: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Evolutionary cell biology comes of age Summary: This Perspective discusses how the discipline of evolutionary cell biology, by integrating evolutionary theory, comparative physiology and modern molecular approaches, works to understand how...

Thanks @jcellsci.bsky.social for this opportunity to contribute to your centenary collection with our take on the state of the field - 10 years after its modern reincarnation 🧪🌍

W/ @alebenoit.bsky.social @eelcotromer.bsky.social @fritzlaylin.bsky.social

journals.biologists.com/jcs/article/...

100 days of Kavanaugh stops and the justices who silently allowed them — and a bill to change that The Shadow Docket Sunlight Act is being introduced on Wednesday. And, Justice Kavanaugh still isn't saying if he's having second thoughts on his September opinion.

No, Justice Kavanaugh, it's not the "interim" docket.

Yes, Justice Kavanaugh, I would like you to answer for the consequences of your votes — especially when those consequences come from a vote on what you claim is the "interim" docket.

No, you don't have to answer.

Yes, I'll keep asking.