Rush Dhillon, PhD | Cartoonist & Illustrator

As more people head outdoors to hike, bike, and explore, what does that mean for wildlife sharing those same spaces? Research by @claytontlamb.bsky.social et al in the mountains near Fernie, BC found that animals respond very differently to recreation:

elk strongly avoided busy trails, grizzly bears showed moderate avoidance, while species like moose and deer were less affected. The good news?

Part 2/2: A “molecular passport” is like a travel document for each seed, recording its origin story—where it came from, who its parent was, and its unique genetic fingerprint. By combining this with location and climate data, scientists can follow each seed’s journey,…

Part 1/2: A very fun illustration project into the novel (for me!) world of plant genetics. I got to work with the amazing @jillhamilton.bsky.social on this manuscript

scientists can better track, manage, and protect this diversity, turning seed collections into more powerful tools for conservation.

Part 1/2: A very fun illustration project into the novel (for me!) world of plant genetics. I got to work with the amazing @jillhamilton.bsky.social on this manuscript

From 2025! Fruit flies change their pigmentation depending on temperature, becoming lighter in warmer conditions. By studying wild and experimental populations across space (ie: latitude) and time (ie: seasons)…

Freshwater habitats are in serious decline, and while many projects aim to restore them, it’s often unclear whether they actually work. This paper explains how measuring habitat quality can better show if restoration efforts are truly helping habitats recover.

Temperature sensing Part 1: Climate change is warming the environment faster than many animals can adapt, and ectotherms, like most fish, are especially at risk because their physiology depend directly on the surrounding temperature.

But it is not only the degree of warming that matters, but also the animal’s ability to accurately detect and respond to these changes. Enter transient receptor potential (TRP) channels.

This piece was illustrated for Tigist et al.’s recent paper in Molecular Cell. The dynamic regulation and fine-tuning of proteins via phosphorylation can turn metabolism into a coordinated and often improvised rhythm.

Their study reveal potential functional roles when these sites undergo functional modifications, which can pinpoint targets for treating metabolic disease. We couldn’t get this image finished in time for the cover, but it was a fun piece to work on regardless!

Excellent piece by Matz @heatshok.bsky.social and colleagues discussing the dire status of Caribbean reefs, and potential plans and policies that can be implemented if these reefs are to have any chance. Check it out in PNAS!

Logo for the Forest Genetics Conference 2025. The logo is a nod to the Western Forest Genetics Association (WFGA), the Southern Forest Tree Improvement Committee (SFTIC), & the Northern Forest Genetics Association (NFGA). June 23-27th, hosted by the Schatz Centre at Penn State, in State College, PA

From the archives - a little different from my usual projects, but a rewarding one: Van Kam is a Canadian company owned and operating out of Western Canada for almost 70 years. A while back they asked me to help them visualize their core values: Care, Achieve, and Develop.

Recent paper from the lab of @tfrasierdna.bsky.social. The endangered North Atlantic right whale suffer from low genetic diversity and high mutation load, which can impact recovery. However, genetic purging has reduced harmful mutations, potentially contributing to future recovery.

New paper by Lamb et al. (@claytontlamb.bsky.social). Southern mountain caribou exhibit both vertical and horizontal migration, but migratory behaviours are under threat due to disturbances, particularly at lower elevations.

Happy Holidays! Due to the postal strike this card did not get the distribution it usually does, and those who get one expect it late. But the sentiment remains the same - I hope everyone has a kickass 2025! And on behalf of Kuma and Yider, don’t forget, #adoptdontshop.

Happy Holidays from sunny Vancouver! The number one highlight of 2023 was arranging for the adoption of Yider for my parents (Free Korean Dogs) and Kuma for us (Adopt Korean Rescue). The upgrade to my life has been immeasurable, mostly because these goofballs are a laugh a minute.