Susan Johnston
Senior Lecturer at the University of Edinburgh. Quantitative genomics of meiotic recombination, sex differences, and immunity in 🐦🐟🦄🌾. Shy Glaswegian. Mum of two. Fluent in franglais.
- Reposted by Susan JohnstonI'm excited to share that our preprint is now available on bioRxiv! Our study challenges the widespread use of molecular genetic diversity as a predictor adaptive potential, with important implications for how genetic data is used to inform conservation decisions. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
- A must read for conservation geneticists on the utility (or not??) of using molecular diversity to predict adaptive potential 👇🏻
- I'm excited to share that our preprint is now available on bioRxiv! Our study challenges the widespread use of molecular genetic diversity as a predictor adaptive potential, with important implications for how genetic data is used to inform conservation decisions. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
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- Are you a recombination researcher heading to #SMBE2026? Submit your abstract to our Symposium, organised by Marie Raynaud, Laurent Duret, and myself. We're excited to have Aurora Ruiz-Herrera from UAB Barcelona as our invited speaker. 🧬🦄🦠🌿🐝🐟🍄🪱 @aruizherrera.bsky.social @duret-lbbe.bsky.social
- SMBE2026 Symposium 11 | The evolution of recombination landscapes 📨 Abstract submission smbe2026.org/abstracts 📋 Programme details smbe2026.org/programme #SMBE2026
- Happy to have been awarded an @erc.europa.eu grant RECOSEX to investigate molecular causes and evolutionary consequences of sex differences in recombination, using the wonderful Helgeland house sparrows as a model 🧬🐦 #ERCCoG 1/2 (Photos: Peter S. Ranke & Hamish Burnett)
- This was my second try after scoring a B in 2023! This journey was only possible with advice, examples, mentorship, feedback, and collaboration from many kind colleagues around the world. I am especially grateful to Henrik Jensen at NTNU and the sparrow project in Norway. Thank you so much 🙏 2/2
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- Reposted by Susan Johnston1/9 New in @science.org www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.ado8005 How does genetic architecture constrain evolutionary trajectories? To address this question, we inferred the genetic architecture of convergent plumage coloration and its evolutionary history in wheatears.
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- Reposted by Susan Johnston🚀 We’re hiring a Postdoc! Join our group in Poznan, Poland to study meiotic crossover recombination in plants 🌱 Highly motivated & enthusiastic candidates are welcome! 📅 Deadline: Nov 1, 2025 🔗 ibmib.web.amu.edu.pl/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Postdoc_position-2025-Ziolkowskis-Lab.pdf
- Reposted by Susan JohnstonNow published in Cell! We found that ~15% of SNPs from divergent refs did not liftover as SNPs in the gray fox ref—half mapped to monomorphic sites, half failed to map. Co-authored with Matthew Genchev, @elliecat.bsky.social, and @jazlynmooney.bsky.social www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
- 1/7 🧬 New Preprint Alert: Our study highlights the risks of using divergent reference genomes in population genomics. The choice of reference genome can skew key inferences about demography, diversity, and selection. Read on for insights! www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
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- I'm missing #eseb2025 but the lab is well-represented 🤩 📊 Kenneth Aase: genomic prediction of crossover rates (Mon S03) 🎤 Lisa Ammer: sex-differences in CO landscape (Thu 11.30am S28) 📊 Gina Henderson: (no) selection on immunity (Thu S48) 📊 Marie Raynaud: recombination hotspot variation (Thu S02)
- We also have two posters this evening at #eseb2025 from our co-supervised students: 📊 Katie Abson: Predicting adaptive potential from genomic data and its implications for conservation (Hadfield lab) 📊 Harry Ames: Exploring the inbreeding dynamics in a cooperatively breeding mongoose (Kruuk Lab)
- Reposted by Susan Johnston🚨Introducing the @sortee.bsky.social Guidelines for Data and Code Quality Control in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology🚨 doi.org/10.32942/X24... Increasingly E&E journals are recruiting data editors. We provide standardised guidelines for journals with data editors and those wanting to recruit them 🧵
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- Reposted by Susan Johnston3.5-year #Postdoc position on avian microbiomes and reproduction @animalecol-nioo.bsky.social @niooknaw.bsky.social on a fully-funded ERC project focused on understanding the significance of reproductive microbiomes for host biology and fitness. Reach out for more info! nioo.knaw.nl/en/vacancies...
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- Happy Eurovision day to all who celebrate 💖
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- Reposted by Susan Johnston👋 Interested in working on the evolution of genetic architecture 🧬 of complex traits using linked-read sequencing of thousands of common lizards 🦎 from a wild population and common garden experiment? #evolution #genetics Well, I have a PhD offer for you 👇 devillemereuil.legtux.org/erc-funded-p...
- I have had an incredible once-in-a-lifetime visit to UNIS Svalbard to attend the MERGE workshop to understand the ecology and evolution of adaptation to climate change in Svalbard reindeer. Such an amazing research system and community at the top of the world!
- Good morning from 78°N 💅❄️
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- New lab paper in press: crossover dynamics have different genetic bases in female pigs. RNF212 is associated with crossover rate and interference, but... SYCP2, MEI4 and PRDM9 are associated with crossover positioning and intra-chromosomal allelic shuffling. www.nature.com/articles/s41...
- ... yet Elon Musk is still a Fellow of the Royal Society.
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- Echoing Kees's comments - Evolution in Sweden was an awesome meeting with so many great ECR talks!! Thanks so much to @scilifelab.se and Dominic Wright for hosting us!
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- I presented John McAuley's PhD work on the polygenic basis of individual recombination rates in house sparrows at #Evol2024. Now in press at Molecular Biology and Evolution. The live captioning did a commendable job throughout the conference 👏👏 #Evolution2024 www.youtube.com/watch?v=gptl...
- 🧬 New recombination review 🧬 Genetic variation is essential for evolution. So what do we know about genetic variation underlying recombination rates & distribution? I've written a perspective for MBE on why its important, what we have learned, & open questions for the future.
- New lab preprint: GWAS on crossover dynamics in pigs led by Cathrine Brekke. Significant loci in ♀️🐷: 📈👯♀️ Rate & interference at RNF212 (+small rate effects at CTCF & REC114/REC8/CCNB1IP1) 📌 Positioning at MEI4, SYCP2, PRDM9 (+small effects at ZCWPW1 & ZCWPW2) #meiosis www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
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- With a link that works 😊
