Jesse Veenvliet
@jesseveenvliet
proud papa | group leader team stembryo @ MPI-CBG Dresden | re- and deconstructing (st)embryos | #stembryogenesis | solves problems in lab & climbing hall | views mine
Very interesting work that reminded me of the Bonini Paradox from computer science that I often reference in the context of stem-cell-based embryo models and organoids:
Our 8yo is finally bearing the fruits (legumes…) of her long-term school project & is obviously very stoked about it 🌱
Seems pretty simple: if you don’t want to get destroyed by Germany in soccer ⚽️, don’t wear a yellow-blue kit…
Our 👶 son Caspar was born on Pentecost Monday & my lab @mpi-cbg.de gifted me this 💜. Best team in the world 💚 #teamembryo #teamstembryo
Decorating the walls a bit more = trip down memory-lane. When we had just moved to Dresden, a random encounter led to a 2h coffee chat at Oswaldz. Met them again a week later at a flea market & they gave us this as a welcome gift. Made me feel incredibly welcome. Random kindness goes a long way 💚.
🚨 Still one week left to apply - deadline May 20th. Come join the @mpi-cbg.de or @biohub.org. Happy to host projects that align with my lab's overarching question how embryos leverage their (micro-)environment to build themselves robustly. Embryo models, morphospaces, mechanics, metabolism & more!
Based on this framework, we present a practical guide for ethically embedded human stem-cell-based embryo model development with concrete examples. (12/n)
We outline a nested benchmarking strategy to periodically evaluate the scientific & ethical status of hSCBEMs within a project, w/ the human embryo as reference & weighting criteria along a hierarchy of features that chart embryo-likeness, completeness and the developmental stage modelled. (10/n)
Our suggested solution: embedded ethics. An approach that is purpose-anchored, dynamic, iterative, and integrative. ‘Ethics & Law’ teams and ‘Science & Technology’ teams engage in continuous dialogue to address ethical issues alongside scientific developments throughout the project. (4/n)
This is a central problem to pioneering, emerging technologies. Their societal impacts are by nature uncertain, because we cannot anticipate all their applications and consequences. This is formulated in the classic Collingridge dilemma (The Social Control of Technology, 1982). Paraphrased: (3/n)
🥳 My wonderful dad turns 80 today 🎉 Hoping for many more healthy years of memories to make together 💚
Just realised the current stack of “in-use” books in my office is all about Life. 📚
Anyone else facing this problem with @biorxivpreprint.bsky.social? Or is there a Cloudflare issue again?
@lufthansagroup.bsky.social - are you out of your mind? I literally sent you all the proofs of purchase & payment receipts yesterday? Also, it would be kinda useful if you'd have a phone number to settle these kinda issues instead of some stupid AI bot.
What a wonderful day! Bouldering paradise Bahratal just 30 minutes from Dresden 💚🦥
Being in the same building sparked this dream collaboration. Spearheaded by our joint PhD student Marc @mtrani.bsky.social. I also want to highlight the critical input from @cryaaa.bsky.social, who developed the framework to quantify 3D morphodynamics & much more (SpinePy: doi.org/10.1101/2025...)
We find that a surface actin cap constrains proliferation-driven forces, re-directing the expansive forces of proliferation to ensure unidirectional body axis elongation. Key findings are beautifully summarized in Otger’s 🧵 (bsky.app/profile/camp...). Below some personal notes.
We combined our expertise to answer a long-standing Q: What is the physical mechanism of mammalian body axis elongation? Since mechanical measurements & manipulations are nearly impossible in implanted embryos, we used gastruloids to measure the forces that shape the embryo (model) with oil droplets
Me too! And I think those working with stem cell models should read broad & delve deep into more traditional devbio. But not fond of how this is phrased
Important message here👇. But what I don’t like is this false dichotomy. In vitro models allow for all of this as well. In my opinion, it’s the back-and-forth between in vivo & in vitro through mutual appreciation and learning that will shape biological discovery, innovation & future leaders.
These benches with Hannah Arendt quotes in Ljubljana, Slovenia 🇸🇮! 💜💚
📣 New preprint! We present SpinePy, a modular framework that enables automated 3D spatiotemporal quantification of #gastruloids & other multicellular in vitro systems. Spearheaded by @cryaaa.bsky.social @mpi-cbg.de. Check out his thread 👇 & the paper: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
