Here are your MiTeGen Hottest Tweets in SBDD, with mesmerizing protein machinery structures and...
Cryo-EM Twitter used to be an incredible place - a scientific hub chipping away at many of academia’s longstanding barriers. Suddenly, knowledge flowed at the speed of science, no longer tethered to glacial publication cycles or oversubscribed conference schedules. Younger scientists, normally buried in the back of lecture halls, could share their breakthroughs directly with global leaders. Peer mentoring flourished, careers took off, and researchers found a stage to showcase not just their data, but their authentic selves.
Perhaps the best part of Twitter was watching siloed sub-communities collide in real time - medical Twitter, biotech Twitter, chemistry Twitter, physics Twitter - coming together in ways the Ivory Tower rarely encourages. It was chaotic at times, sure, but it also broke down walls and sparked new ideas.
Then came Elon and the place practically went up in flames overnight. The issue with Elon runs deeper than mere politics; it’s a clash of cultures. As Nate Silver aptly pointed out , his Twitter acquisition magnified the divide between academia’s ethos and the “tech-bro” mindset that already existed:
Disillusioned scientists (including many from cryo-EM Twitter) finally had enough and migrated to BlueSky, where conversations are slowly taking shape. Meanwhile, biotech Twitter is still holding on to X (formerly Twitter), leaving the rest of us toggling between multiple platforms - because apparently one social media feed just wasn’t exhausting enough.
Let’s face it: Who has the time to constantly monitor X, BlueSky, LinkedIn, and maybe even Mastodon (if you’re really committed) to avoid missing major research news or the occasional meltdown? That’s why cryoDuck is stepping in with a new monthly series, “The Hottest Social in SBDD,” launching in 2025. We’ll sift through the noise to bring you the most compelling posts, insights, and breakthroughs across platforms, saving you from a never-ending cycle of app-hopping.
And we’re off to a big start. January’s buzz alone included spectacular cryo-EM structures that captured how HIV capsids don't stop at nuclear pores instead breaking them, a revolutionary breakthrough in protein purification via microfluidics, eye-popping new stats from the Protein Data Bank, and some spirited debates on industry resilience and investment trends. If this is how 2025 begins, it’s safe to say we have a very interesting year ahead. Strap in, and let cryoDuck keep you on top of what matters—no matter which social media kingdom claims your attention this week.
Target structures and wonderful proteins
Cryo-EM workflow, methods and discovery technologies
KOLs, thoughts and reflections
Biotech pulse and obesity mania
