Claus Wilke
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Claus Wilke
@clauswilke.com
6.3K followers 470 following 1.1K posts
Computational biologist, data scientist, occasional blogger | https://blog.genesmindsmachines.com/ | https://clauswilke.com/ | Opinions are my own and do not represent UT Austin.
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Reposted by Claus Wilke
clauswilke.com
The Department of Integrative Biology at UT Austin has two open positions for assistant professors, one in evolutionary biology and one in mechanistic processes. Please share.

Apply here: apply.interfolio.com/193270
Two Assistant Professor Positions in Evolutionary Biology and Mechanistic Processes Description The Department of Integrative Biology at The University of Texas at Austin seeks to fill two faculty positions in the areas of Evolutionary Biology and Mechanistic Processes, broadly defined. We are looking for candidates who are advancing (1) evolutionary biology or (2) the mechanistic understanding of organismal processes. These positions will be filled at the level of Assistant Professor. Qualifications Candidates should be using innovative approaches in evolutionary biology and/or the mechanistic understanding of whole-organism processes. Mechanistic processes include, but are not limited to, behavior, biomechanics, cognition, physiology, and development. The phylogenetic scope of the Evolutionary Biology position may include eukaryotes, prokaryotes, viruses, and the scale may include individual molecules to entire ecosystems and beyond. Candidates for either position may employ experimental, theoretical, or computational frameworks, or a combination thereof. Special consideration will be given to applicants with demonstrated potential for integrating across our target disciplines. We seek applicants with a strong record of high-quality research, publications, potential for extramural funding, and a commitment to excellence in teaching and mentorship. A PhD or equivalent is required at the time of appointment, and postdoctoral research experience is strongly recommended.
September 15, 2026 at 7:02 PM
Reposted by Claus Wilke
archaeal.bsky.social
Two Assistant Professor Positions in Evolutionary Biology and Mechanistic Processes - including microbes! faculty.utexas.edu/career/191568
Faculty Careers - The University of Texas at Austin
Unleash your intellectual power by joining a world-renowned faculty that is solving the world's most urgent problems. At UT Austin, we provide you the freedom to blaze trails, follow your curiosity, e...
faculty.utexas.edu
September 15, 2026 at 6:53 PM
clauswilke.com
The Department of Integrative Biology at UT Austin has two open positions for assistant professors, one in evolutionary biology and one in mechanistic processes. Please share.

Apply here: apply.interfolio.com/193270
Two Assistant Professor Positions in Evolutionary Biology and Mechanistic Processes Description The Department of Integrative Biology at The University of Texas at Austin seeks to fill two faculty positions in the areas of Evolutionary Biology and Mechanistic Processes, broadly defined. We are looking for candidates who are advancing (1) evolutionary biology or (2) the mechanistic understanding of organismal processes. These positions will be filled at the level of Assistant Professor. Qualifications Candidates should be using innovative approaches in evolutionary biology and/or the mechanistic understanding of whole-organism processes. Mechanistic processes include, but are not limited to, behavior, biomechanics, cognition, physiology, and development. The phylogenetic scope of the Evolutionary Biology position may include eukaryotes, prokaryotes, viruses, and the scale may include individual molecules to entire ecosystems and beyond. Candidates for either position may employ experimental, theoretical, or computational frameworks, or a combination thereof. Special consideration will be given to applicants with demonstrated potential for integrating across our target disciplines. We seek applicants with a strong record of high-quality research, publications, potential for extramural funding, and a commitment to excellence in teaching and mentorship. A PhD or equivalent is required at the time of appointment, and postdoctoral research experience is strongly recommended.
September 15, 2026 at 7:02 PM
Reposted by Claus Wilke
mattbearden.bsky.social
“Looking into what the evidence says once or twice every decade feels like a good cadence.”

We’re impatient beings, but this is so grand. Not just with Covid, but political autopsies, giant crimes, divorces, etc
clauswilke.com Claus Wilke @clauswilke.com · 1d
I wrote up my thoughts about the COVID origin. I don't plan to weigh in on the topic beyond this one post for the next five years or so. Looking into what the evidence says once or twice every decade feels like a good cadence.
blog.genesmindsmachines.com/p/it-still-w...
It still wasn’t a lab leak
Six years in, all the evidence points in one direction
blog.genesmindsmachines.com
September 15, 2026 at 6:36 PM
Reposted by Claus Wilke
kmichaelpollard.bsky.social
When you can, devote a little of your time to this. It will be worth it. 🧪
clauswilke.com Claus Wilke @clauswilke.com · 1d
I wrote up my thoughts about the COVID origin. I don't plan to weigh in on the topic beyond this one post for the next five years or so. Looking into what the evidence says once or twice every decade feels like a good cadence.
blog.genesmindsmachines.com/p/it-still-w...
It still wasn’t a lab leak
Six years in, all the evidence points in one direction
blog.genesmindsmachines.com
September 15, 2026 at 6:11 PM
clauswilke.com
I wrote up my thoughts about the COVID origin. I don't plan to weigh in on the topic beyond this one post for the next five years or so. Looking into what the evidence says once or twice every decade feels like a good cadence.
blog.genesmindsmachines.com/p/it-still-w...
It still wasn’t a lab leak
Six years in, all the evidence points in one direction
blog.genesmindsmachines.com
September 15, 2026 at 1:59 PM
clauswilke.com
If you want to worry about the dangers of AI, something like this is a much better place to start than an engineered bioweapon.
t.me/MaxOsintInte...
⚡️🇾🇪🇾🇪 — A cell in northern Yemen used Anthropic's Claude Code to develop software for guided rockets, a long-range ballistic missile, and a hypersonic glide vehicle concept, according to Anthropic's September threat report cited by Clash Report. ➡️ The operators ran several Claude instances in parallel — dividing coding, research, and technical review — allowing a small group to replicate the work of specialist engineering teams. Anthropic assessed the cell as highly likely linked to the Houthis.
September 11, 2026 at 10:37 PM
Reposted by Claus Wilke
kgandersen.bsky.social
Controversial, not so controversial, take - the dangers posed by AI are real, current, and well-documented.

Those do not include human extinction within a decade, nor do they include AI-manufactured-printed-out-in-the-lab bioweapons, yet, those are the ones we chose to focus on.

Good lord.
September 10, 2026 at 9:31 PM
clauswilke.com
I want to know whether this APR is correct or a typo. I'd be embarrassed plastering this all over the airport.
An ad for a British Airways credit card advertising a 135.7% APR.
September 10, 2026 at 12:52 PM
clauswilke.com
Going forward, if you're working on anything unique or special or sensitive you probably don't want to tell ChatGPT about it. (And I wouldn't tell Claude either, just to be on the safe side.)
techcrunch.com/2026/09/08/o...
OpenAI fought dirty on career-making math problem, says NYU mathematician | TechCrunch
There is a $1 million bounty for the first person providing a solution to the Navier-Stokes existence and smoothness problem.
techcrunch.com
September 9, 2026 at 1:00 PM
clauswilke.com
The reason Claude did well at binder design is because the prompt hardcoded that it should use ESMFold2 for scoring, and apparently ESMFold2 is really good. It's also only a few months old so not widely used yet.

AI in biology keeps disappointing.
blog.genesmindsmachines.com/p/anthropic-...
Anthropic has not solved the peptide-binder design problem, but maybe bi[o]hub has
The protein design field is getting pushed forward by human experts in protein design, who would have thought
blog.genesmindsmachines.com
September 3, 2026 at 10:20 PM
Reposted by Claus Wilke
minorallele.bsky.social
Brandon Frenz did his graduate work in in the UW Institute of Protein Design. He has opinions on Anthropic claims.
youtu.be/hIJFwP5RWAE?...
Human Expert Reviews Claude's Miniprotein Binders
YouTube video by Protein Engineering
youtu.be
September 3, 2026 at 5:23 PM
Reposted by Claus Wilke
teunbrand.bsky.social
Folks, hot off the press here are a few plots about what the new ggarrow update can do:

teunbrand.github.io/teunbrand_bl...

I'll also tease them below

#rstats #ggplot2
Plot where four arrows connect three points. Two points are connected via double arrows pointing in opposite directions. Plot where four arrows connect three points. Arrowheads are one sided/halved. One connection has two arrows in opposite directions, giving the impression of a compound arrow with half-arrowheads at opposite ends. Plot with four arrows connecting three points. The shafts of the arrows are squiggly lines.
September 3, 2026 at 6:10 AM
Reposted by Claus Wilke
clauswilke.com
You may have seen that Claude can now design peptide binders. I'm not quite sure what to make of this, but I'm quite certain Claude has not unlocked anything new that wasn't already available in all the standalone tools that are floating around.
blog.genesmindsmachines.com/p/has-anthro...
Has Anthropic solved the peptide-binder design problem?
A small step towards curing all of human disease within the next ten years
blog.genesmindsmachines.com
September 1, 2026 at 9:31 PM
Reposted by Claus Wilke
kyleserikawa.bsky.social
Agree
clauswilke.com Claus Wilke @clauswilke.com · 15d
You may have seen that Claude can now design peptide binders. I'm not quite sure what to make of this, but I'm quite certain Claude has not unlocked anything new that wasn't already available in all the standalone tools that are floating around.
blog.genesmindsmachines.com/p/has-anthro...
Has Anthropic solved the peptide-binder design problem?
A small step towards curing all of human disease within the next ten years
blog.genesmindsmachines.com
September 1, 2026 at 9:36 PM
clauswilke.com
You may have seen that Claude can now design peptide binders. I'm not quite sure what to make of this, but I'm quite certain Claude has not unlocked anything new that wasn't already available in all the standalone tools that are floating around.
blog.genesmindsmachines.com/p/has-anthro...
Has Anthropic solved the peptide-binder design problem?
A small step towards curing all of human disease within the next ten years
blog.genesmindsmachines.com
September 1, 2026 at 9:31 PM
Reposted by Claus Wilke
clauswilke.com
I'm really frustrated by the constant fear-mongering about AI-designed superviruses. Can we focus on the things that should actually worry us, such as measles?
blog.genesmindsmachines.com/p/im-sorry-y...
I'm sorry, you're not going to die from an AI-engineered supervirus
God save us from economists who think they can competently talk about biology
blog.genesmindsmachines.com
August 30, 2026 at 3:42 PM
Reposted by Claus Wilke
kgandersen.bsky.social
"What really bothers me about these stories about how AI will design killer viruses is that they are pure fear mongering, and more importantly they divert attention from the things that matter".

Indeed 🎯.
clauswilke.com Claus Wilke @clauswilke.com · 17d
I'm really frustrated by the constant fear-mongering about AI-designed superviruses. Can we focus on the things that should actually worry us, such as measles?
blog.genesmindsmachines.com/p/im-sorry-y...
I'm sorry, you're not going to die from an AI-engineered supervirus
God save us from economists who think they can competently talk about biology
blog.genesmindsmachines.com
August 31, 2026 at 7:26 AM
Reposted by Claus Wilke
isabelott.bsky.social
Great piece. It’s not a zero opportunity cost issue to focus $/time/effort on stopping improbable villains, rather than putting those resources towards stronger multi-hazard mitigation - infrastructure and tools that’ll help us handle everyday problems AND the occasional maliciously devised ones.
clauswilke.com Claus Wilke @clauswilke.com · 17d
I'm really frustrated by the constant fear-mongering about AI-designed superviruses. Can we focus on the things that should actually worry us, such as measles?
blog.genesmindsmachines.com/p/im-sorry-y...
I'm sorry, you're not going to die from an AI-engineered supervirus
God save us from economists who think they can competently talk about biology
blog.genesmindsmachines.com
August 30, 2026 at 8:25 PM
Reposted by Claus Wilke
skyjase.bsky.social
a good take. the dominant philosophy in AI circles leads to some very strange places, which should really earn more scrutiny of the philosophy itself
clauswilke.com Claus Wilke @clauswilke.com · 17d
I'm really frustrated by the constant fear-mongering about AI-designed superviruses. Can we focus on the things that should actually worry us, such as measles?
blog.genesmindsmachines.com/p/im-sorry-y...
I'm sorry, you're not going to die from an AI-engineered supervirus
God save us from economists who think they can competently talk about biology
blog.genesmindsmachines.com
August 30, 2026 at 6:02 PM
Reposted by Claus Wilke
paulnightingale.bsky.social
This is excellent.
clauswilke.com Claus Wilke @clauswilke.com · 17d
I'm really frustrated by the constant fear-mongering about AI-designed superviruses. Can we focus on the things that should actually worry us, such as measles?
blog.genesmindsmachines.com/p/im-sorry-y...
I'm sorry, you're not going to die from an AI-engineered supervirus
God save us from economists who think they can competently talk about biology
blog.genesmindsmachines.com
August 30, 2026 at 5:02 PM
clauswilke.com
I'm really frustrated by the constant fear-mongering about AI-designed superviruses. Can we focus on the things that should actually worry us, such as measles?
blog.genesmindsmachines.com/p/im-sorry-y...
I'm sorry, you're not going to die from an AI-engineered supervirus
God save us from economists who think they can competently talk about biology
blog.genesmindsmachines.com
August 30, 2026 at 3:42 PM
clauswilke.com
There are many solutions to the challenge of F chords:
- Get a smaller guitar (have you tried electric?)
- Use thinner strings
- Switch to piano
- Tune your guitar half a note higher
August 22, 2026 at 11:33 PM
Reposted by Claus Wilke
r-foundation.bsky.social
We invite #RStats users to contribute to a fund dedicated to helping the family of Tomáš Kalibera following his untimely death in April. Find out more and donate here: www.r-project.org/foundation/k...
R: Tomáš Kalibera Family Fund
www.r-project.org
August 19, 2026 at 5:32 PM
clauswilke.com
Moscow today.
specialkhersoncat.bsky.social 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 @specialkhersoncat.bsky.social · Aug 16
A morning view over Moscow, with the burning Wildberries hub in Koledino sending a massive volcanic looking plume of smoke into the sky.
August 16, 2026 at 5:26 PM