Hope Robinson, PhD

[Sarwish Rafiq, PhD @SarwishRafiq]

I'm happy to share our work on developing an "all-in-one" activation reagent for manufacturing superior CAR T cells. Congrats to @hklin3, Biaggio, and the entire team! @CancerBioEmory @WinshipAtEmory @EmoryMSTP

https://t.co/PpL5o77kMN

[Hope Robinson, PhD @Hope34Me]

And thanks to our many collaborators
@WinshipAtEmory
and elsewhere
@ajaynookaMD
@PariharCohen
@nanostringtech
@JKaufmanMD
@EagleMyeloma
@SagarLonialMD
@MadhavDhodapka1

[Hope Robinson, PhD @Hope34Me]

Excited to share the most recent work from the Dhodapkar Lab. Nancy Villa and I collaborated with the whole lab to make intriguing discoveries re: immune infiltration in MM and its precursor, MGUS. https://t.co/RKbiJyNZPl.🧵

[Hope Robinson, PhD @Hope34Me]

Thanks to our very collaborative lab for all their help and for the guidance and support of Dr. Kavita Dhodapkar and Dr. Madhav Dhodapkar! @MadhavDhodapkar @alyssamarieduff @SayaleePotdar @sam_mccachren

[Hope Robinson, PhD @Hope34Me]

@reparkersci Economics changed my mind on a few long held beliefs that were wrong. Ancient history introduced me to Enheduanna. Bigger world, broader mind. Wouldn't change it even though it would have been less time in school!

[Veera Rajagopal  @doctorveera]

A mind-blowing paper has come out today in @Nature

In 2016, JC Venter Institute scientists trimmed a bacterial genome to its barest minimum required for life to synthesize what they called a "minimal genome" (https://t.co/Rk8oZJ0bUj).

Today, a group of scientists from Indiana University reports how that minimal genome evolved over 2000 generations in comparison to the non-minimal genome.

The authors found that even when you reduce a bacterial genome to its absolute minimum where every nucleotide matters, the genome undergoes mutational events generation after generation as much as the non-minimal genome. One simply cannot stop the evolution.

Just over 300 days of evolution (equivalent to 40,000 years in humans) the minimal cell has gained everything it lacked in fitness on day one in comparison to the non-minimal cell.

When comparing the evolved traits between the minimal and non-minimal cells, the scientists found something striking. The evolutionary process increased the cell size of non-minimal cells but not that of the minimal cell. But that is not the striking part.

The scientists were able to identify the key mutation that resulted in cell size evolution. And it turned out that the mutation that helped the non-minimal cells to grow bigger is the same that helped the minimal cells to stay smaller. Growing bigger had a survival advantage for non-minimal cells and not growing bigger had a survival advantage for minimal cells. So, the mutation had a context-dependent effect. This just demonstrates that the evolutionary effects on traits have no absolute direction. All that matter is what is beneficial for the organism's survival.

The conclusion of the paper is metaphorically a quote from the Jurassic Park movie:

“Listen, if there’s one thing the history of evolution has taught us is that life will not be contained. Life breaks free. It expands to new territories, and it crashes through barriers painfully, maybe even dangerously, but . . . life finds a way". (https://t.co/UlxRlb86CT)

https://t.co/zA9OAqSoAu

[Hope Robinson, PhD @Hope34Me]

@aaminasdfghjkl To every undergrad I meet "If there is ANYTHING you can do that will pay for your life and bring a measure of fulfillment that doesn't require extra letters after your name - DO THAT THING!!"

[Hope Robinson, PhD @Hope34Me]

@joshydgr8 @AnjaliEnjeti Don't forget our entire food chain depends on pollinators like bees. They are really important.

[Hope Robinson, PhD @Hope34Me]

@allisoncarrbs @ACTScience Of course you were! You're amazing!