Prof Microbial Ecology & Evolution
@LifeSciencesBath
.
@RoyalSociety
Dorothy Hodgkin Research Fellow. Children's author evolution/genetics. Mum. Same name on 💙☁
🚨 JOB ALERT 🚨
Join the
@Multi_Defence
consortium as a postdoctoral researcher within my lab
@UniofBath
. The project will aim to understand the regulation of multiple bacterial defence systems.
Apply here by 9th Sept:
@lifesciencebath
@MilnerCentre
Come and join my lab! Opening for a
@RoyalSociety
funded
#PhD
studentship starting Jan '24. If you're interested in
#evolution
and molecular
#microbiology
click on the link for more info. Deadline 6th November. Very happy to talk to prospective applicants.
Excited, overwhelmed & everything in between to see the email go out today announcing I have been promoted to Professor. It couldn't have happened without my incredible lab group past & present & my wonderful colleagues
@LifeScienceBath
🙏 Shout out to
@Ellijos
for the 🌟 artwork
Trying to provide meaningful comments on a manuscript while enjoying the dulcet tones of soft play was a life skill I was not aware I needed.
@Momademia
What an end to a fabulous weekend, promoted to senior research fellow! A big thank you to all lab members past and present - your hard work and passion play no small role in this success. Thanks also to marvelous mentors and friends. Time to 🍾
IT'S OUT! My new book Little Letters, explores DNA and genes in a fun bedtime story for 6-9y olds. Read the story for free at also available in print via Amazon. Illustrated by the totally marvelous
@mistermunroltd
, funded by the excellent
@GenSocUK
Celebrating a paper acceptance 🎉. Special congratulations to
@Jameshearsawho
who led the project and
@Shani05255719
on her first publication! Links and details to follow soon, but for now 🥂
Just before the pandemic I managed to get back into regular running training after having kids, but with the pandemic I haven't been able to race. Today I came in 3rd female in a 10k and feeling proud that my body can still achieve such things.
@bitton_rr
Congratulations to the newest Dr Shepherd
@MicrobialMatts
. A remarkable scientist and wonderful human. Best of luck in the
@BrockhurstLab
, I can't wait to see what's next!
Breaking barriers for women: seven academics who have navigated the topsy-turvy world of maternity leave make six recommendations for ensuring motherhood is compatible with academia
#THECampus
So excited, humbled and grateful to the
@royalsociety
for awarding me a Research Fellows Enhancement Award 2020. And excited that I get to celebrate with our awesome departmental speaker today
@ellieevolves
We always start lab meetings by sharing a success & failure, recognising both are part of the journey. But lately we have been celebrating many successes & I'm so happy for the team. Today's 🍾 was for
@MicrobialMatts
for a recent paper acceptance. Details soon but for now 🥂.
There's a vacancy open in my lab for a full-time research assistant in molecular microbiology for 13 months. The project will use experimental
#evolution
with
#molecular
techniques to explore gene regulatory network rewiring. Pls RT
Youngest has COVID. Trying to finish work so I get some kind of Christmas break with two young kids at home. All Christmas family plans are cancelled. My kids managed an abstract impression in cake form of my head right now...
I am so incredibly proud of
@MicrobialMatts
. Today, his graduation ceremony, reminds me of the journey to get here. Mat leave, COVID, he hasn't had an easy ride, but his science is inspiring. If this is what the future of science looks like, it's very bright indeed.
#ProudPI
Really excited to be part of this amazing team, led by
@edzewestra
. Grateful for funding from
@BBSRC
sLola and looking forward to seeing what we can achieve when we put our heads together (P.S. futures positions will be available in my lab, watch this space)
I'm still pinching myself. Huge thanks to Richard Parker from Sheffield (I don't think on twitter?) who led the resistance (and echoed the voices of many others). And congratulations to my fellow (DH) fellows!
A long while ago, a group of us Royal Society Dorothy Hodgkin Fellows argued that it was unfair for our part-time fellowship to have three years less funding than the URF. Today…. IT GOT EQUALISED! Three extra years of funding! Thank you
@royalsociety
, BRAVO!
3 yo: what we doing today?
Me: I've got a friend coming over for dinner.
3 yo: who?
Me: his name's Ben. He's a scientist.
3 yo: can boys be scientists too?
So, hear me out. At Christmas my late mother's best friend left me a Beswick Flute Playing Pig called "David" in her will, and in a letter she hoped it would bring me luck. Today I find out I got my first UKRI grant. Coincidence? Cheers Dave, I needed that (now more than ever).
What is DNA? What are genes? Do our genes make us who we are? Find out more TOMORROW with the
#rinkidinks
in a fun bedtime story for little scientists. Check in tomorrow for the big reveal. Thanks to
@GenSocUK
for funding the project
#DNADay2020
Congratulations to the newest Dr Horton
@Jameshearsawho
. My first PhD fledgling and an absolute corker of a scientist. Thanks to
@Basidiobolus
and
@wong_lab
for their excellent examination. Time to 🎉🍾
I really enjoyed my fleeting visit to Paris to give a seminar at the incredibly historic
@institutpasteur
. Thank you for the invite
@epcrocha
and I think you might have one of the best office views I've seen.
Career goals were achieved today. Giving an invited seminar at my old undergrad department (can you spot me in the photo?!). It was fabulous to see old and new faces and hear about the incredible science still going on here. Edinburgh, you are fantastic.
Lab celebrations 🎉☀️. I'm so lucky to work with such a talented and kind group of people. We missed
@Ellijos
as she is doing amazing things in science policy on her SWBio DTP PIPS placement.
I surprised myself by bursting into tears in the car at the news of Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine approval, and a potential rollout to the vulnerable next week. It feels like a turn in the tide. Thank you to all those that worked so hard to get us here.
#VaccinesWork
#UpYoursCorona
Experiments in bacteria reveal that a powerfully deterministic genetic hotspot can be built and broken by silent mutations, highlighting a role for silent mutations in determining adaptive outcomes.
@Jameshearsawho
@TaylorLabGroup
@Low_wheeze
@RobWJackson
I am passionate about both doing and communicating evolutionary research effectively. If you are too, do check out this
#PhD
opportunity with me and
@Prof_LDHurst
. Deadline 11th Feb, Start Sept 2024, Funding available for home students (Sorry).
#scicomm
On our lab group summer outing we tried axe throwing & I learnt two things 1. It's harder than it looks & 2. Keep
@alanmrice
&
@Jameshearsawho
on speed dial in case of zombie apocalypse. Lucky to be surrounded by such talent & kindness. Welcome to our newest recruit
@FrancescoDB_
I'm feeling excited that it's T-1 week until the
#rinkidinks
return. My new book Little Letters explores DNA, genes and genetics in a fun bedtime story... It will be available to read online for free and via Amazon. Illustrations from the super talented
@mistermunroltd
.
I had lots of fun presenting to this year's
@GenSocUK
summer studentship cohort on the benefits of public engagement not just for the public, but for the researcher. I'm grateful for the support the Genetics Society gave me for
#LittleLetters
First full day of childcare since March. I could be thinking about 6 months worth of career damage control, but honestly I don't know where to start. So instead I'm sitting here like...
I loved how visible families and children were at
#SMBE2019
. Great feedback from people who used the creche and fantastic financial support for carers. It's important for parents to feel included and welcome at conferences!
New preprint 📢 An outstanding piece of science and many years work from
@MicrobialMatts
with support from
@PierceinScience
and myself. This work sheds light on the key properties that determine transcription factor (TF) evolution 🧵 1/10
We're staying in a holiday house and while looking around my 4yo stops dead, looks at my husband and says, "someone died here." Cheers mate. Creepy AF.
This week marks 2 years in the UK since the first national lockdown. And while I sit here, infected with COVID trying to homeschool my kids and fit in the odd bit of work between fatigue and fever chills, I'm left thinking...
#upyourscorona
A fun Friday lab meeting thanks to
@flanagella
for sharing her
#scicomm
game on GRN rewiring. Celebrations also for
@LionMitchWrdrbe
&
@alanmrice
for their recent paper acceptance (more details to follow) and good luck wishes to
@ShaniUPAli
for her Oxford adventures.
Waiting at CDG excited to go home to my small people. But my heart and soul are full after an extraordinary weekend with these all-round wonderful humans. We talked some science, but mostly about life. These women inspire me to do good science and good humaning. Á bientôt.
I enjoy silly poems as much as I enjoy science (life is all about balance). Here's one of mine that was selected by
@afharrold
for the completely marvelous "Midnight Feasts" that seems appropriate today (in the UK, don't panic international folk)
It's my youngest's last day at nursery today. Now that I'm not paying the fees anymore I felt brave enough to figure out how much (ish) it has cost to send 2 kids through nursery in the UK (from 1y, 4 d/wk, incl. 30 free hours from 3 y)... about £60,500... I mean, ouch.
This review from
@Jameshearsawho
is an absolute corker. He is an expert communicator and poured so much of what he's been thinking about over the past 6 years into it. We really hope you like it and it is useful for the community. Excellent 🧵from James below.
Are you interested in the evolution of bacteria? If so, myself and
@TaylorLabGroup
have recently penned ✍️ a review article for
@MicrobioSoc
titled Mutation Bias and Adaptation in Bacteria: (). A short 🧵 on why we should care about mutation bias below (1/7
Chuffed for
@Low_wheeze
winning a poster prize the
@MicrobioSoc
conference for "Most Promising Poster". And as anyone in the Taylor lab knows, what Louise promises, she delivers.
#Microbio21
It's been 10 years since the
#rinkidinks
first made an appearance. I still get a buzz when people tell me they shared this story with the small people in their lives. Read Little Changes, and it's follow up, Little Letters for free at
@mistermunroltd
I'm feeling sad that today is the last day for
@alanmrice
in our lab group (although - once in the Taylor Lab, always in the Taylor Lab). His kindness, fun energy, bioinformatic magic, and fierce intellect will be sorely missed.
@ucddublin
are very lucky to nab him.
TFW you realise you're 15 mins late to pick up your kids because you were engaged in writing a piece on the impacts of parenthood on mothers in science.
I hate goodbyes, so instead I'll say good luck to the incredibly talented scientist Aidan Pierce (not on Twitter) as he leaves us as a research assistant to begin his PhD journey. You're very lucky
@London_NERC_DTP
!
I'm so excited to be part of the Royal Society Young People's Book Prize 2022 judging panel. As a lover of children's books and science this is my dream gig. I'll keep you up to date with the shortlist when announced, and I look forward to seeing the young judging panels at work.
We are very happy to announce the judging panel for the Royal Society Young People's Book Prize 2022! Award winning authors, a big cat researcher and a TV star join this year's shortlisting panel. Find out more:
#YoungSciBooks
What is it about kids that makes you dream of having a weekend off, and when you finally get one you spend your first moments just looking through pictures of them 😭. Have a day off oxytocin.
Very pleased to announce the publication of my first first-author paper "Mutational hotspots lead to robust but suboptimal adaptive outcomes in certain environments" in
@MicrobioSoc
this week with co-authors
@Jameshearsawho
and
@TaylorLabGroup
! See 🧵👇
In memory of my mum today, I made big bread. This recipe brings back such fond memories. It was pretty good, but if anyone has tips I'd love to hear them - it's one of the many questions I didn't think to ask her and so wished I had.
#happymothersdayuk
Constructive reviews are awesome & an essential part of good science. Destructive reviews add to confusion of how to adequately revise a MS. Taking some time to remove hurtful and personal language can be the difference between inspiring and loosing great early career researches.
What a delicious book. Marvelous work from
@afharrold
and beautiful illustrations from
@RiddellKaty
. Oh and look, there's my name. Officially a published poet.
Actual footage of me, after trying to organise childcare for 6 weeks of summer holidays and 2 weeks settling in primary school for my youngest, and maintain some form of career and sanity. [P.S. if you're waiting for me to reply to an email, you're better off sending it again]
There seems to be an appetite for lab based
#parentinghacks
! I can't impart any more but if you want some content for your little scientists check out my kids books on genetics and evolution at
Back from some first class holidaying in the glorious Lake District. Dragged the kids up Scafell Pike, this time sponsored by Fruitella, and the cousins shared all the laughs (as did the sisters). Not sure I'm ready for my inbox tomorrow...
It was great fun to edit this edition of Curr. Op.
#Microbiology
with
@johnbbruce
on Eco-evolutionary dynamics in Microbiology - We indulged ourselves with invitations to people who do work we find super exciting -Our editorial overview is here
Actual footage of me, after trying to organise childcare for 6 weeks of summer holidays and 2 weeks settling in primary school for my youngest, and maintain some form of career and sanity. [P.S. if you're waiting for me to reply to an email, you're better off sending it again]
Today seems like a good day to reshare this poem I wrote, which is nestled within a glorious collection of tasty delights in "Midnight Feasts" by
@afharrold
. And for those that find today hard I feel you too.
#MothersDay
UK
#missyoumum
Virtual conferences are good for inclusivity, for the environment, and for pandemics; but I wont miss being constantly interrupted for snacks, toilet breaks and the background noise of Disney+ that comes when your fellow delegates are 5 and 2.
#mothersinscience
#popgroup54
In our second lightning lecture for
#InternationalWomensDay
, evolutionary biologist and Royal Society Dorothy Hodgkin Research Fellow Dr Tiffany Taylor tells us about her research using experimental evolution to address fundamental questions about biological processes.
THE SECRET IS OUT... the shortlist for the
@royalsociety
Young People's Book Prize 2022. It was incredibly hard to pick just 6 books from the incredible selection - but they're something special! I'm looking forward to seeing what the young judges think of them!
#YoungSciBooks
From how eating insects could help the planet to the women scientists that dared to think differently, we are very happy to announce the six books on this year's Royal Society Young People's Book Prize shortlist!
#YoungSciBooks
I am so proud and excited for
@Jameshearsawho
. Incredibly well deserving. James is literally bursting with ideas and I can't wait to see the science that's to come.
Very excited to have been chosen for an
@EMBO
Postdoctoral Fellowship! Next year, I’ll be joining Ivan Matic at the
@InstitutCochin
in Paris to study the role of DNA topology in driving mutation bias. A huge thank you to
@EMBO
for supporting this research!
Go on then. Jumping on the
#MeAt20
bandwagon. Hard to find photos pre smartphone days (showing my age). Looking cool, but still a proud science geek here too.
Today was the last day in my lab for a very wonderful scientist. One of the Taylor lab OGs .
@flanagella
brought balance, curiosity & wit to the group. Never judged, always listened, and always knew the right thing to say. We wish you all the luck postdoc'ing with
@dannagifford
SNEAK PEEK: Meet Berry, Daisy and Mike. Whose extraordinary encounter leads them to discover the genetics of the
#rinkidinks
in my newest book, Little Letters. Illustrations from the wickedly talented
@mistermunroltd
, funded by
@GenSocUK
... more to follow soon.
Before having children I anticipated a few things. Sleepless nights, poopy nappies etc. What I did not anticipate was never having a bathrobe tie because it was forever being used as a pretend dog lead when my children pretended to be puppies...
Happy to be able to share a new review article from the lab in collaboration with
@MicrobialMatts
,
@RobWJackson
&
@MarkSilby
Natural selection on crosstalk between gene regulatory networks facili... (1/5)