University of Utah School of Biological Sciences

Michael Werner, assist. prof., #biology @utah.edu discusses research uncovering nematodes living inside microbialites in the #GreatSaltLake , first discovered by his team in 2022. Life finds a way, even when it’s salty! @drjuliejung.bsky.social

🎤listen: www.kpcw.org/podcast/cool...

“My disease drove me to pursue a degree in biology. All the while I continued competing in archery as a member of USA RED Team with a goal of qualifying for the Los Angeles Olympics.“ #HumansOfTheU

Learn more about @uofubiology.bsky.social student Sydney Brooksby: attheu.utah.edu/athletics/hu...

SRI Stories: Mentoring Through Microbes | College of Science SRI Stories: Mentoring through Microbes October 15, 2025 Above: Alexis Rousek Alexis Rousek didn’t always know she would become a microbiologist — but the signs were there early. In middle school, she...

Mulvey lab alumna Alexis Rousek taking on UTIs with the Student Research Initiative at the U of Utah.
science.utah.edu/sri/sri-stor...

@uofubiology.bsky.social @globaluti.bsky.social #UTIGA

As climate warms, migratory songbirds’ fall feather molt advances by a day every year - @theU Study by U biologists taps data from 22,000 songbirds captured at Bonderman Field Station to reveal changes in how they replace their feathers

As temperatures increase, migratory songbirds’ fall feather molt advances by a day every year.

Study by @uofubiology.bsky.social taps data from 22,000 songbirds captured at Bonderman Field Station to reveal changes in how they replace their feathers

Utah scientists with Misha the elephant unlock past migrations Thure Cerling, a University of Utah professor of both geology and biology, and a pioneer in the use of isotope analysis, shares how geologists have developed a method for tracking the movements of lar...

KPCW radio spotlights Thure Cerling (UofU Geology & @uofubiology.bsky.social) and his innovative research tracking animal migrations through strontium isotopes in elephant teeth. This method has important applications for conservation. Hear the complete interview: www.kpcw.org/show/cool-sc...

Woodrats’ immunity to snake venom changes with the weather - @theU Researchers looking at effects of the desert rodent's toxic diet discover cool temperatures reduce the critter's ability to survive rattlesnake bites.

Woodrats are basically desert superheroes, able to eat toxic plants and survive rattlesnake bites. But @utah.edu researchers find their venom resistance drops when it’s cool. @uofubiology.bsky.social
attheu.utah.edu/research/woo...
#ScienceNews #VenomResistance #Ecology

Woodrats’ immunity to snake venom changes with the weather - @theU Researchers looking at effects of the desert rodent's toxic diet discover cool temperatures reduce the critter's ability to survive rattlesnake bites

Warm temps and woodrats have remarkable resistance to snake venom, but that changes when temps cool! Dearing Lab (www.dearinglab.com/) in collaboration with U of Michigan and U of Nevada Reno
@utah.edu @uofu-science.bsky.social

On Friday, April 4th, Sara Kuebbing from @yaleforestry.bsky.social will visit @utah.edu to share her work with applied science to guide sustainable land management.
RSVP here: forms.gle/6ZSEXPgoobLG...
@yalee360.bsky.social
@uofu-science.bsky.social
@uofubiology.bsky.social
#ecology

Prof Mike Shapiro, biologist and Sundance critic, reviewed SALLY:
“In the mid-1980s, astronaut Sally Ride was one of the most famous people in the U.S. Ride died in 2012 and kept her 27-year same-sex relationship…a secret out of fear that going public would negate her accomplishments…”

A young professor shaping how to study and communicate chromosome dynamics 2024 Genetics Society of America Early Career Medal recipient Ofer Rog pursues a mechanistic understanding of chromosome structure and function during meiosis.

It was during Rog's postdoc that he discovered the SC behaves like a liquid. @theroglabbsky.social

Learn about Dr. Rog's trailblazing research into the mechanics of chromosome structure and function during meiosis (Genes to Genomes, Genetics Society of America):

genestogenomes.org/a-young-prof...

The synaptonemal complex aligns meiotic chromosomes by wetting During sexual reproduction, the synaptonemal complex aligns the maternal and paternal chromosomes by wetting.

News! @theroglab.bsky.social Gordon et al. discovers synaptonemal complex wets & aligns chromosomes, a crucial step in sexual reproduction, where errors in chromosome# can be fatal to the embryo. @utah.edu

Read in Science Advances
www.science.org/doi/full/10....

National Donor Day: A student’s transplant journey - @theU For National Donor Day on Feb. 14, a biology student shares how receiving her first liver transplant as a teenager ignited a passion for medical research and patient advocacy.

Today is also National Donor Day, for which we highlight @uofubiology.bsky.social senior Sophie Hansen who received her first liver transplant as a teenager—an experience that drives her passion for medical research and patient care.

Using Oyster Shell Reefs To Counter Sea Level Rise In Louisiana Tribes’ historic lands on the Gulf Coast are being lost to the sea. To slow it down, one tribe has turned to oyster shells.

Rising seas are submerging tribal land along the Gulf Coast. One tribe is building protective reefs out of bags of recycled oyster shells.

@utah.edu @uuhsresearch.bsky.social scientists: Visit the U's Executive Actions and Federal Agency Updates for the latest information and guidance on research administration.

Information on awards, proposals, budgets, news, announcements and more.

osp.utah.edu/news/eo-fede...

WORKING LIFE Four lessons for being a great mentor to undergrads. Illustration shows two individuals walking through darkness, one using a flashlight that shines a light on various symbols

"... I ended up being reluctant to work with undergraduate researchers at all—until a new student helped me realize what is required to mentor undergraduates, and the rewards it can bring." #NationalMentoringMonth https://scim.ag/3E1bAYj

Highest honor bestowed by U.S. government on scientists and engineers: Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE). Congratulations, Professor Anderegg, one of the world’s leading climate scientists and forest ecologists
🔗in bio for story

@utah.edu

Ooh- How did I miss this? Learn more about the ever-curious @elearlybird.bsky.social @uuhsresearch.bsky.social @utah.edu and his lab's very cool research.

How much do people around the world trust scientists?

"Most people have a relatively high trust in scientists. People want scientists to take an active role in society and policymaking."

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Trump hits NIH with ‘devastating’ freezes on meetings, travel, communications, and hiring Researchers facing

“The impact of the collective executive orders and directives appears devastating.” scim.ag/40ureTO

Our DNA 2024 Our DNA is the official magazine of the School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, published in partnership with College of Science.

"Discovery happens every time we open our minds, whether in the classroom, the field or in the lab, and when the boundary between research and instruction breaks down." --Fred Adler, Professor of Mathematics and Biology, Director, School of Biological Sciences

issuu.com/uofucollegeo...

“...rising temperatures and human water depletions continue to put at risk the benefits created by the lake,” said William Anderegg, Strike Team co-chair, Biology Prof, and Director of the Wilkes Center for Climate Science and Policy at the University of Utah.

Opinion: University of Utah and Utah State University presidents say Utah is winning Investing in research will help Utah tap into its potential as a national innovation hub.

Our vision for Utah’s research future — requires investing in talent, competitiveness and impact. #UofU #Inspire #Innovate #Impact
www.deseret.com/opinion/2025...