Joined October 2009
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Science writer and computational biologist.
Available internationally for comp. biology, writing, editing.
Enquiries welcome: DM me, or email nzibis (gmail).
RTs β endorsements. Opinions are my own.
Currently I'm in New Zealandπ³πΏ (Previously in SE Asia and Europe.)
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G Jacobs (NotJustDNA on other sites)π§¬π¬π»βοΈππ³πΏ retweeted
The outbreak of #Ebola #Bundibugyo is now the 3rd largest on record. The #WHO country rep in DRC, Anne Ancia, told the World Health Assembly today that the suspected case count is now over 500, with 130 suspected deaths.
This will be hugely difficult to contain. unognewsroom.org/story/en/31β¦
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#NZ A national immunisation week starts on Monday to raise vaccination rates
For measles we need a 95% coverage. Currently itβs
- 76.4% of all 2-year-olds
- 70.4% of Pacific 2-year-olds
- 63.3% of MΔori toddlers
- 1 in 3 kids who catch it are hospitalised
sciencemediacentre.co.nz/202β¦
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G Jacobs (NotJustDNA on other sites)π§¬π¬π»βοΈππ³πΏ retweeted
23 May 2025
If any PhD student working in computational biology is displaced by this most recent tumult and is looking for a new lab, I have room for one (or potentially two) PhD students in my group. Feel free to reach out via email.
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Great to hear of this π
H/T @MarionKoopmans
24 Feb 2025
On behalf of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, I am grateful to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for their new funding of $500 million over five years, to help #EndPolio and improve health systems to protect children from other life-threatening diseases.
Β
We are on the cusp of making history, and this funding will get us even closer.
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I always remember writing at Sciblogs, quite a few years ago, about closing in on ending polio, with efforts tackling measles along with it.
I hope that this can help finally close out polio, like we already have for smallpox.
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G Jacobs (NotJustDNA on other sites)π§¬π¬π»βοΈππ³πΏ retweeted
3 Feb 2025
The African Society for Human Genetics meeting is underway in Uganda with 400 participants, and a great line up of speakers and sessions. We are hearing of the great strides made in developing genomics capacity in Africa, but more data and training are needed! #AFSHG2025
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G Jacobs (NotJustDNA on other sites)π§¬π¬π»βοΈππ³πΏ retweeted
2 Feb 2025
Maryland variant update.
The only real update is that it is still there. We detected it 3 more times in the last month, most recently Jan 9.
x.com/SolidEvidence/status/1β¦
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7 Jun 2024
Update on the Maryland variant, the highly diverse Delta variant from a sewershed South of Baltimore.
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G Jacobs (NotJustDNA on other sites)π§¬π¬π»βοΈππ³πΏ retweeted
1 Feb 2025
Virologist Wendy Barclay: βWild avian viruses are mixing up their genetics all the time. Itβs like viral sex on steroidsβ Always worth listening to β¦@wendybarclay11β© β¦@imperialcollegeβ© theguardian.com/science/2025β¦
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G Jacobs (NotJustDNA on other sites)π§¬π¬π»βοΈππ³πΏ retweeted
For those looking for public health datasets that seem to have become unaccessible: archive.org/details/20250128β¦
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G Jacobs (NotJustDNA on other sites)π§¬π¬π»βοΈππ³πΏ retweeted
2 Feb 2025
Happy retraction day!
Fifteen years agoβthat ghastly pile of utter bollocks by Mr Wakefield was retracted
All kudos to @deerbrian for exposing Wakefield for his fraud
#vaccineswork
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G Jacobs (NotJustDNA on other sites)π§¬π¬π»βοΈππ³πΏ retweeted
2 Feb 2025
Here's the thing: he knows that virus discovery isn't bioweapons research. He wants everyone to think it is to justify eliminating infectious diseases research for the sake of repurposing those funds for himself.
This is a self-serving lie. Don't believe it.
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G Jacobs (NotJustDNA on other sites)π§¬π¬π»βοΈππ³πΏ retweeted
31 Jan 2025
Hereβs one reason why we need @WHO.
There is an outbreak of Sudan virus (a type of ebolavirus) in Uganda. They are trying to rapidly detect cases to prevent the new ones. Time is critical to stop an outbreak from growing into an epidemic. WHO helps speed things up.
30 Jan 2025
π β¦@WHOβ© accelerates efforts to support response to Sudan virus disease outbreak in Uganda | WHO | Regional Office for Africa afro.who.int/countries/ugandβ¦
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G Jacobs (NotJustDNA on other sites)π§¬π¬π»βοΈππ³πΏ retweeted
Apparently we haven't dumbed it down enough for Rand Paul:
Hepatitis B's primary transmission route is vertical (mom to child)
HBV can transmit by bites or hygiene implements
If a child gets HBV they have a 90% chance of getting chronic disease
30 Jan 2025
Today, at @RobertKennedyJr's HELP hearing, I made it clear that we need medical freedom.
There's such a belief in submission.
"Submit to the government. Do what you're told."
There is no discussion. There ought to be a debate.
RFK Jr. has my vote. MAHA!
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G Jacobs (NotJustDNA on other sites)π§¬π¬π»βοΈππ³πΏ retweeted
31 Jan 2025
I am the author of this OpEd, which was given a misleading title and from which key lines were cutβlines that made very clear that RFK Jr is dangerously ignorant, has absolutely no business near HHS, and is effectively a mass murderer in waiting.
31 Jan 2025
Trumpβs healthcare disruption could pay off β if he pushes real reform β¦@latimesβ© β¦@RobertKennedyJrβ©.He is our best chance of doing so latimes.com/opinion/story/20β¦
Community note
The author of this article says that the LA Times edited out his clear opposition to RFK Jr. without his consent and gave it a headline which directly contradicts the point he was trying to make. x.com/_Eric_Reinhartβ¦
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G Jacobs (NotJustDNA on other sites)π§¬π¬π»βοΈππ³πΏ retweeted
30 Jan 2025
This morning Uganda announced a new Ebola outbreak.
The last time there was an Ebola outbreak in Uganda, the CDC worked with the WHO on helping end it.
But now, the CDC canβt even talk to the WHO.
I repeat, again and again, this is pure stupidity that will only hurt us.
30 Jan 2025
Permanent Secretary, Dr. @DianaAtwine addresses the media this afternoon.
βAn outbreak of Sudan Ebola Virus Disease has been confirmed in Kampala, Uganda following confirmation from 3 National Reference Laboratories.β
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G Jacobs (NotJustDNA on other sites)π§¬π¬π»βοΈππ³πΏ retweeted
13 Dec 2024
πΆπΊ2025 Public Health Summer SchoolπΊπΆ
Build your knowledge and skills!
10β21 Feb 2025
19 short courses, mostly 1 day
Some in-person, some online
University of Otago Wellington NZ
25% early bird discount until 19 Dec
Find your course here:
otago.ac.nz/wellington/deparβ¦
ALT Image shows smiling faces and text reads: Public Health Summer School Wellington A healthier community. A better tomorrow Offering 19 short courses to build your knowledge and skills. University of Otago Wellington. PΕneke Wellington Campus.
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I am *SO* sick of @facebook "refreshing" the page I have open, throwing it away.
Is there no way to stop it?
Itβs a major UI fail. People have particular pages open because, duh, *theyβre using them* LEAVE THEM OPEN FOR THE READER
Thatβs not hard to work out is it?
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G Jacobs (NotJustDNA on other sites)π§¬π¬π»βοΈππ³πΏ retweeted
11 Dec 2024
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Thereβs _so_ much more to say.*
The Royal Society, who administers this fund, only learnt of these changes the day before they were announced.
So⦠what *in-depth* consultation & justification is there? AFAIK so far no in-depth rationale or working has been presented.
4 Dec 2024
Comment: The Government's decision to cut humanities and social science research from its major funding stream is both breathtakingly bad policy and scientifically illiterate writes Dame Anne Salmond newsroom.co.nz/2024/12/05/anβ¦
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Iβm sceptical itβd even yield the shorter-term economic gains they seem to think it will.
It also runs counter to that the Marsden is investigator led & NOT subject to govt. socio-economic aims β¬οΈ
βββ
*I mostly write elsewhere now, for a variety of reasons.
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