Vaughn Cooper
Evangelist for the study of evolution in action by everyone.
Pitt Prof | EvolvingSTEM | biofilms | EvMed | genomics entrepreneur (@SeqCoast.bsky.social, @midauthorbio.bsky.social) | ASM volunteer | lifelong exercise addict ~ swim bike run
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- For our first post on Bluesky, we're excited to share our recent work published in mBio @asm.org! Led by PhD student @madeofmicrobes.bsky.social, we show that flagellar motility and interactions with the mucus environment influence Pseudomonas antibiotic tolerance. journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...
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- 🧪Did you know that America is known for its cancer research b/c of the National Cancer Act in 1971 signed by Nixon. Mary Lasker took her cause to congress and the American public as a leading proponent of the National Cancer Act. She said, "If you think research is expensive, try disease!"
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- Just called my senator and FOR THE FIRST TIME reached an actual person! so excited! here is your reminder to keep calling to support NIH and NSF!
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- Huge loss for the Post—a giant talent and one of its top writers by traffic—is huge gain for the Atlantic. @petridishes.bsky.social is what my friends like to call an American original—a unique voice you can spot from a mile off www.theatlantic.com/press-releas...
- This book is *psychotic*. Revisionist, fact-free propaganda from the very first page. I know I shouldn’t be at this point, but it’s shocking that the authors were featured on The Daily
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- NEWS: I just led 112 of my colleagues in demanding answers from the Trump Administration on their funding freeze of the National Science Foundation. Cutting off NSF funding threatens vital research, stalls innovation, and risks ceding global scientific leadership to China.
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- In loving memory of Strike, 2010 – 2025
- New paper: “The clonality window: relatedness and the group covariance effect in the evolution of division of labour”, with @kztwyman.bsky.social #OpenAccess doi.org/10.1093/evol... @journal-evo.bsky.social #Image: #ChatGPT #Evolution #OA
- Looks like I’ll be even busier than expected the next 3 years.
- As part of the week of action for NSF that @sse-evolution.bsky.social is promoting, I have: ✅ Called my senators and reps about illegal grant terminations, reductions in the budget, and the 15% indirects cap. ✅ Engaged others on social media about critical NSF funding ✅ Reached out to the media
- Apropos of the debates about the definition of #PetosParadox, Gemini describes it as "the apparent lack of a strong positive correlation between body size and cancer risk across different species."
- Dear fellow olds - recognize that the term 'next generation sequencing' is confusing to those that never had experience with the first generation. Also - what 'generation' are we on anyways?
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- Get to remove all versions of "ass" from my title - now Professor of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics! If only there wasn't a grant proposal to route tomorrow...
- Pie charts are quite justifiably looked down upon. But every now and then there’s a good one. Like when the topic involves the species composition of yeasts on apples. Ladies and gentlemen, thanks to a PhD student, we give you… the apple (yeast) pie chart With crust Of course
- New exhibit at the National Inventors Hall of Fame 👀
- Check out this amazing segment on Pittsburgh's WTAE about our EvolvingSTEM program. 🙏🏻 to anchor Shannon Perrine for telling our story and showcasing how we engage students grades 6-12 to learn w/ authentic experiments. Teachers and students see themselves as scientists! #SaveNSF #SupportNIH
- Vaughn, this is such a good program.
- If you want to yell at a politician at the state level for a change I have a list:
- All 27 Republican members and five Democrats voted for SB 9: Tartaglione, Miller, Boscola, Flynn and Malone. www.politicspa.com/pa-senate-pa...
- For any who do not know, the increases on the left were the end of the commitment to double the NIH budget over 10 years voted in by Congress following Newt Gingrich's leadership on this. Flatlining nominal dollars under the Bush administration onward led to gradual un-doubling of purchase power.
- This is not brand new stuff. drugmonkey.scientopia.org/2008/06/16/t...
- Well done @asm.org
- The American Society of Microbiology @asm.org just released a strong statement opposing yesterday's EO on "Improving the Safety and Security of Biological Research." Read ASM's statement: asm.org/press-releas...
- My WFH was interrupted today by a catbird hell bent on attacking his reflection in my window. Tried drawing lines in highlighter on the panes (reddit), now using old CD's as reflectors. He's confused now. Here's to solving simpler problems
- I use these decals on the outside of my windows. Also prevents birds colliding with windows. windowalert.com?_vsrefdom=ad...
- "Senator Cassidy, it is not too late to do something about this. I agree with Dr. Georges Benjamin, head of the American Public Health Association, that for the sake of America’s children, RFK Jr. must step down." pauloffit.substack.com/p/an-open-le...
- I can't imagine a worse pick from the ranks of those not already employed in the Trump administration.
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- Got a great show lined up for later today at 4p ET/ 1p PT on Substack and YouTube! I’ll be joined by Senator @chrismurphyct.bsky.social who’s been talking to Americans at town hall events. Plus my pal @mollyjongfast.bsky.social rejoins the program. See you soon!
- And that, my friends, is a sign that congressional Republicans in purple states and districts are rightfully starting to panic.
- NEW — GOP Sen. Thom Tillis says he won't support Ed Martin for D.C. U.S. attorney, likely derailing his nomination www.nbcnews.com/politics/jus... by @ryanjreilly.com @frankthorp.bsky.social
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- As a follow-up to the Kaiser interview, here is my exchange with Dr. Bhattacharya starting Sunday evening... 1/n
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- he has never practiced as a physician and he is definitely not a scientist. He is a healthcare economist who has never been independently NIH funded (only as a consultant on others grants).
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