Virginia Llopis-Hernandez

Postdoc at King’s College London. Cell biologist and tissue engineering scientist. Interest in cancer, cell microenvironment, and genetics. Mum of 👶🏻. She/her

[Nature Chemical Biology @nchembio]

A new paper from Pilong Li revealed that cancer-causing fusion proteins can form abnormal condensates and developed a screening method called DropScan to dissolve the condensates to restore normal gene expression. Free to read link at https://t.co/sESFwG16tq

[Virginia Llopis-Hernandez @VirginiaLlH]

No comments.
Unbelievable and says it all about the system.

A Nobel laureate claimed antimale discrimination. An early-career researcher called it out | Science | AAAS https://t.co/fqw5EVWHt3

[Professor De Silva @AshaniTW]

I watched this whole thing and have so much to say. But the main thing I want to know is who is this warrior at minute 46, and how do I send her flowers? I know first hand the immense courage it took for her to speak up, and keep speaking.

https://t.co/ojVVpYwgXZ

[Andrew Akbashev @Andrew_Akbashev]

As a professor, pursue the careers of your PhD students and postdocs instead of pursuing your own.

I know it may sound strange and even provocative. But in fact it is how it’s supposed to be.

Unfortunately, a personal gain is the biggest motivation for many professors. More publications, more awards, more invited talks…

Why? In addition to personal recognition, it can result in more funding and higher salaries (especially in the U.S.).

Many PIs say that their personal growth also helps their students get a better visibility. Plus, more funding brings in more students, which is (kind of) “great” for those students.

Others will say that their “tenure requirements are too demanding” and if they stop focusing on personal gain, they will be denied tenure.

In either case, I want you to think about the following:

1. When we focus on personal achievements, we lose track of the wellbeing and personal preferences of team members. Although it often feels like we still track it, in fact we become far less efficient at it. Students' progress and personal development are impeded. Their career opportunities become less diverse or even missed.

2. Concentrating too much funding in one big lab is NOT a good idea because it leads to PhD students receiving far less mentorship and research advising (than in smaller labs).

3. Tenure requirements often look intimidating to young professors. However, in reality, very few professors are denied tenure. Why? First, because any university invest big resources into TT professors and don’t want get rid of them without a big reason. Second, because departments often exaggerate the tenure challenges to ensure their young hires are “hard-working faculties”.

Many PIs think I am too idealistic and propose unrealistic ideas. And a lot of people will never agree with this post. Even myself, I can easily come up with bitter criticism over it.

However, idealism is among the biggest driving forces. It can drive you through challenging times and help improve.

In either case, I want you to think about the following:

1. When we focus on personal achievements, we lose track of the wellbeing and personal preferences of team members. Although it often feels like we still track it, in fact we become far less efficient at it. Students' progress and personal development are impeded. Their career opportunities become less diverse or even missed.

2. Concentrating too much funding in one big lab is NOT a good idea because it leads to PhD students receiving far less mentorship and research advising (than in smaller labs).

3. Tenure requirements often look intimidating to young professors. However, in reality, very few professors are denied tenure. Why? First, because any university invest big resources into TT professors and don’t want get rid of them without a big reason. Second, because departments often exaggerate the tenure challenges to ensure their young hires are “hard-working faculties”.

My message is:

If we all pursue the careers of your students/postdocs in the first place, this shift in priorities will make academia a much better world to live in.

I see an increasing number of faculties trying to genuinely care for their team members, in all countries and academic environments. It is all possible. Just do it. Make science better.

Oh, and don’t forget: 
Growth of your team members = Growth of yourself.

#AcademicTwitter #research #phdlife

[Science Magazine @ScienceMagazine]

An amino acid that senses cellular stress offers an enticing target for new therapies aimed at suppressing inflammation or accelerating the healing of skin wounds, according to a new @ScienceTM study involving research in large animals and mouse models. https://t.co/jQLh102kXi

[Nature Biotechnology @NatureBiotech]

The culture of science has gradually transitioned toward a more executive and results-oriented approach, contributing to a less creative environment for transformative science https://t.co/nvWUAWbnCO

[Natali Fili @NataliFili]

Our daughter has been diagnosed with this rare brain cancer, DIPG. Due to its rarity, available data and treatment options are limited! Please retweet and If you are aware of any trials, please get in touch! Thank you!

[Lorenz Lab @lorenz_lab]

Only two more weeks left to apply to join our group, where you will combine molecular dynamics simulations and machine learning to investigate conjugated polymers during your PhD project ... https://t.co/MXGn15C0KR

[Marco Cantini @marcocantini24]

Happy to share our new work by @MattWalker_1993, posted to biorxiv, on #viscoelastic #hydrogels for #cartilage #TissueEngineering, with contributions from Eonan Pringle @GiusCiccone @ManlioTassieri Delphine Gourdon @theglasgowcemi @UofGARC @UofGEngineering https://t.co/M7oic8AOR0

[Alfred Fillol @AlfredFillol]

Here is the link for the paper (https://t.co/PnXxbbCCtA), but please read the magnific thread that @jakob_tr has tweeted https://t.co/XUDpBiODpW

[Alfred Fillol @AlfredFillol]

Thrilled to share our latest work about PICIs published in @CellCellPress!
It was a pleasure to work with these brilliants scientists!
Huge congrats to all them (@jakob_tr, @Angeldoris2, @JchenLab, @GillDouce1, @Suzie_Chp, @jrpenades)

[José R Penadés @jrpenades]

Latest from the lab. @AlfredFillol and @jakob_tr deserve all the merit.
Here we show that PICIs carry an impressive arsenal of defense systems that block HGT. We also demonstrate that phages benefit from mobilizing these PICIs to target competing MGEs.

https://t.co/NaS7hxCIrQ

[Nature Biomedical Engineering @natBME]

A polymer patch that rapidly and robustly adheres to diabetic wounds and contracts in a pre-programmed manner
promotes wound closure and re-epithelialization, as shown in mouse and human skin, in mini-pigs and in humanized
mice.

https://t.co/k6PojbDrps

[Katie Mack @AstroKatie]

The term “pregnant people” includes pregnant women & also people who are pregnant but are not women. It doesn’t in any way erase/deny women; it’s just more inclusive. I am a woman. I have friends who are not women but can get pregnant. Language that includes them doesn’t hurt me.

[richard white @whitefishlab]

This paper from the Aceto lab is so wild I'm still trying to think about the implications. Cells metastasize during sleep? https://t.co/aYGWxL86va

[Jason Locasale @LocasaleLab]

Fascinating study @nature showing that a metabolite that may be derived from gut can improve nerve regeneration possibly through immune mechanisms

https://t.co/oARip8dM4B

[Iñaki Alegria Coll @InyakiAlegria]

Esta imagene se hizo viral cuando el virus del bola empezó a infectar a personas blancas. Ahora, ante el aumento de casos de #monkeypox #ViruelaDelMono sigue vigente la misma imagen.

[Science Magazine @ScienceMagazine]

Researchers with the #HumanCellAtlas consortium report a major feat: the creation of detailed maps of more than a million individual cells across 33 organs, representing the most comprehensive, cross-tissue cell atlases to date.

Learn more in Science. ➡ https://t.co/X4bOfet8rq

[Virginia Llopis-Hernandez @VirginiaLlH]

@CBIT_upv @FerrerGallego Enhorabuena @FerrerGallego!!

[Greta Thunberg @GretaThunberg]

School strike week 167, in Glasgow at the #COP26 ! #FridaysForFuture #UprootTheSystem #ClimateStrike