Evolutionary biologist | Visiting Postdoctoral Fellow @HBCSE_TIFR | PhD @CamZoology @stjohnscam #WOCinSTEM

Joined November 2017
Our paper on the #seasonal correlates of #behaviour, physiology and #lifehistory in wild populations of #buryingbeetles is out now in @Ecol_Evol! onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/…
5
5
1
23
2,666
In July 2023, researchers on a whale watching expedition in the Caribbean Sea encountered an unusual scene: 11 sperm whales clustered tightly at the water’s surface. The animals began to inch closer and closer together in the waters off the island of Dominica, with their attention turned to one individual, until a burst of blood tinted the water. At first, the scientists—part of @ProjectCETI, a nonprofit that studies how sperm whales interact—thought the animal had been attacked. But then they saw a tiny tail pop out of the water. The researchers quickly realized they had in fact observed a group of whales helping a calf take its first breath. Even more fortuitous, they had captured it on video from a drone. Read more: scim.ag/4lVlIDO @NewsfromScience
31
175
8
1,294
141,568
Biologists have long puzzled over how organs develop into their final shapes, and the nearly transparent bodies of young sea stars may offer a unique window into the organ development process. 🔗 Read the full story here: go.mbl.edu/sea-star-organs
1
11
33
1,771
Swastika Issar retweeted
Liberalism’s great success lay in its ability to cloak Western self-interest—its imperial conquests, its methods of war—in moral language. Its success was so complete that the West now suffers from an impaired sense of justice both in law, where the boundaries of legality fall short of justice, and in politics, where public morality remains captive to ideas of civilisation and intent. Raghu Kesavan reports: caravanmagazine.in/conflict/… #gaza
5
11
1,953
How animals sense Earth’s magnetic field is one of biology’s enduring mysteries. Researchers in Science have now identified superparamagnetic macrophages in the livers of rock pigeons to be crucial for magnetic sensing. The finding uncovers an unexpected role for immune cells in sensory perception and may fundamentally change our understanding of animal navigation. Learn more in this week's issue: scim.ag/4uAKQDl
45
596
77
1,956
121,933
Swastika Issar retweeted
Help us tackle financial barriers to participation in open science practices by spreading the word! 💚 Join us sortee.org/join/ #openscienceisforeveryone #SORTEE
1
2
89
Swastika Issar retweeted
"The SORTEE guidelines for data and code quality control in ecology and evolutionary biology" are now published in the Peer Community Journal 🔗 doi.org/10.24072/pcjournal.6…
13
29
1,707
Swastika Issar retweeted
Latest from the Nature Pod 🔊 This fish shouldn’t exist — the weird genetics of clonal vertebrates go.nature.com/4lnhe8J
7
23
9,144
#TeacherTraining Bioinformatics and Computational Biology for Undergraduate Teaching 📅 23-28 March, 2026 📍@ncbs_bangalore Application link: forms.gle/himjfjJVDRpFLf8K6 Application deadline: 13 March 2026 #ApplyNow!
1
16
1
56
3,664
Women are much more likely than men to be killed by their intimate partner— The chart shows this across nine OECD countries in 2023. These deaths are rarely isolated events. Research shows that partner homicides are usually the endpoint of a long pattern of coercive control — behaviors such as surveillance, isolation, intimidation, restrictions on daily life, and physical violence. Recognizing both the gender imbalance and its roots in coercive control can help focus support services, encourage family and friends to act sooner, and increase social pressure against abusive behavior. While women face the highest risk from intimate partners, men make up about 80% of homicide victims globally. The gender split in partner homicides is therefore a striking exception. (This Data Insight was written by @S_VanTeutem.)
11
38
6
97
12,699
Swastika Issar retweeted
Introducing "The SORTEE Guidelines for Data and Code Quality Control in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology" The first standardised set of data editor guidelines. Led by SORTEE with input from numerous data editors across ecology and evolution. 🔗 doi.org/10.32942/X24P8S
8
24
1,162
🌿Under the mentorship of @gauri_gharpure and @IssarSwastika, the initiative began with interactive presentations on ecology, followed by a nature walk led by the Research and Collections team at NCBS—sparking curiosity and real-world observation. (2/4)
1
1
4
130
📢We are excited to launch the Indica School of Field Ecology and Conservation, generously supported by a grant from the Murty Trust! It aims to provide immersive, field-based training for PhD students, early-career researchers, conservation practitioners, & forest managers.🧵👇
2
40
2
123
14,777
Swastika Issar retweeted
Very excited to publicly share news about a new tool, Papercheck, that Lisa DeBruine and me started to develop more than a year ago! In an introductory blog post, we explain our philosophy to automatically check scientific papers for best practices. daniellakens.blogspot.com/20…
2
57
3
163
11,764
It’s TIIIiiiiiIIImmEee 🎶 We are back for the 2025 edition of the #EvoBioCC 🥳💚✨ Register to our free online course on Evolutionary Biology, focused on supporting the dreams of Global South students hoping to build their careers in the field, here: forms.gle/RW4onGhoZaw12JLeA
4
68
4
135
10,185
Pint of Science, the global science festival- hugely popular across Europe & beyond, has finally arrived in India! 🍻🧬 Catch NCBS researchers @IssarSwastika @jobinvarughese @nishantnaraya15 sharing their cool science stories at Bengaluru's favourite hangout spots! Know more👇
Pint of Science is just a week away! Bengaluru is getting ready to welcome guests to exciting soirées showcasing cutting-edge science 🧫🧬🔭 with the relaxed ambience of afterwork hangout spots ☕🍵🍹🍺 Check out the mind blowing themes 🤯 that are guaranteed to fascinate you🎉
5
1
15
1,960
Death is a ubiquitous driver of global ecosystems and supports a captivating diversity of living organisms. Looking forward to talking about how death begets life @pintofscienceIN next week! 🪲🍸 #scienceisforeveryone #Pint25 pintofscience.in/event-detai…
Pint of Science is just a week away! Bengaluru is getting ready to welcome guests to exciting soirées showcasing cutting-edge science 🧫🧬🔭 with the relaxed ambience of afterwork hangout spots ☕🍵🍹🍺 Check out the mind blowing themes 🤯 that are guaranteed to fascinate you🎉
2
6
217
Swastika Issar retweeted
New #SORTEEjournalclub post alert! Tara A. Pelletier & Camilo Andrés Calderón Acevedo discuss the opportunities & challenges associated with using open-sourced genetic data for large-scale biogeography research. sortee.org/blog/2025/03/18/2…
3
6
249
If you're still looking for inspiration on how to dye your #Easter Eggs, I would love to draw your attention to our updated chart of #dinosaur egg colors! 🦕🦖🐣🥚🟠🔵
2
51
1
205
5,271
Looking for grants to fund your next exciting ecological project?  Take a look at our BES grants! We’re here to support young researchers with innovative ideas and projects that might not receive funding elsewhere. If you have an ecological research project, we’ve got the resources to help you.  Every year, we allocate half a million to impactful projects around the globe through our exclusive member grants. Plus, if you’re a student studying ecology or a related area—whether undergraduate, master’s or in your first year of a PhD—you can take advantage of 12 months of free BES membership. Don’t wait—sign up and start applying 👉 s.mtrbio.com/odftbaunci
34
1
85
6,863