Collin Tran, PhD

Molecular neurobiologist. Lipid and Neurochemistry laboratory. Doctoral graduate ‘20 (UNSW, Centenary Institute). NSW Health Pathology Research Scientist

[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

[Collin Tran, PhD @collin_phd]

@lipidchronicles

[Collin Tran, PhD @collin_phd]

New paper out regarding FTD and disrupted lipid metabolism! #lipid #myelin #neuroscience #science #metabolism #FTD #dementia #AcademicChatter @BioMedCentral @BrainMind_Usyd @Sydney_Uni

https://t.co/rVVWXmFpg7

[Collin Tran, PhD @collin_phd]

@EyeDaisyShu @PNgsabrina @StGeniezLab @leomdphd Well done! Congrats!

[Collin Tran, PhD @collin_phd]

@LukeHesson @culturaltutor Loving the look with the hat

[Collin Tran, PhD @collin_phd]

@culturaltutor @LukeHesson long time no chat but I thought you’d appreciate this given one of our last discussions was about art!

[Collin Tran, PhD @collin_phd]

@lyndalpn That’s one way of being viral without catching covid 🤪

[Collin Tran, PhD @collin_phd]

@DemmingsMatthew @ISN_society Nice! Have fun buddy!

[Chief Health Officer, Victoria @VictorianCHO]

The unfathomable bit for me about protestors outside hospitals is that they think nurses and doctors - people who’ve dedicated their lives to helping people - are somehow part of a huge global movement to poison children and adults. It’s bloody astounding.

[Rachel Kratofil 🔬 @rachelkratofil]

After 6.5 years and countless hours on the microscope🔬, my PhD work from @Kubes_Lab is finally out in @Nature!

✨"A monocyte-leptin-angiogenesis pathway critical for repair post-infection"✨ (1/11)
https://t.co/DIUnYNgcPF

[Tom Wilks @tom_wilks]

Bohemian rhapsody for postdocs:

Is this a real job?
Or more like a PhD?
Caught in short contracts
No chance of stability

Open your eyes
Look up to PIs and see
I'm just a postdoc
I get no sympathy
Because I'm easy come, easy go
Stress is high
Pay is low

[Collin Tran, PhD @collin_phd]

@lyndalpn What about zoom med interview rooms? 🤣

[Collin Tran, PhD @collin_phd]

@AffanJamsari Good luck

[Oded Rechavi @OdedRechavi]

"Did I turn off the microscope?"

[Slava Bobrov @slava__bobrov]

Brain cells are making connections. Networking in action:
#neuroscience

[Collin Tran, PhD @collin_phd]

Wonderful day organised by the Cardiovascular Initiative! Look forward to future work and collaborations!

[Prof Gemma Figtree AM @gemtreee]

Astonishing to be back with the 3D version of our BioHeart bioinformatics team thanks to the support of ⁦@DedesGroup⁩ ⁦@USYD_CVI⁩ ⁦@HeartResearchAU⁩ ⁦@CPC_usyd⁩ ⁦@NSWCVRN⁩ ⁦@NSWHSBiobank⁩ ⁦@OzCvA⁩

[Collin Tran, PhD @collin_phd]

@Seadonkey4 @Kevin_Cage_ #delistxrp

[Collin Tran, PhD @collin_phd]

@Seadonkey4 @BLaw @CecereCarl Delist XRP

[Collin Tran, PhD @collin_phd]

@realimjasmine @elonmusk @Seadonkey4

[Collin Tran, PhD @collin_phd]

@Seadonkey4 @BitrueOfficial Anyone still waiting on their BFT compensation? It's been like 6 weeks!