City Councilor @SomervilleCity. Progressive, Biologist @harvardmed, working for a city that works for all of us✊
Somerville, MA
Joined April 2017
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🎈Looking back on highlights from the City Council over the past year - a lot to celebrate. Thank you to every single one of you who took the time to be help us get these over the finish line.
🪰If you’re at #Dros26 and are interested in the fly foregut AND/OR want to support scientists in elected office, please come to talk Friday at 9:45am AND/OR support my run for State Representative in MA :)
benforward3.com/blog/2026/3/…
My paper on how the fruit fly foregut uses a modified cell cycle to respond to tissue damage and cell loss is now published :)
nature.com/articles/s41... #proventriculus #drosophila
🔬New paper! This has been my personal favorite project I’ve ever done - also, the only one that the President of the United States has tried to destroy by 100% defunding our lab & institution. Please enjoy: biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/…
#drosophila #proventriculus #preprint
Ben Ewen-Campen retweeted
🔬New paper! This has been my personal favorite project I’ve ever done - also, the only one that the President of the United States has tried to destroy by 100% defunding our lab & institution. Please enjoy: biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/…
#drosophila #proventriculus #preprint
New paper: Ben Ewen-Campen, Weihang Chen, Sudhir Gopal Tattikota, Ying Liu, Yanhui Hu, Norbert PerrimonThe Drosophila proventriculus lacks stem cells but compensates for age-related cell loss via endoreplication-mediated cell growth
doi: doi.org/10.1101/2025.06.27.6…
Ben Ewen-Campen retweeted
New paper: Ben Ewen-Campen, Weihang Chen, Sudhir Gopal Tattikota, Ying Liu, Yanhui Hu, Norbert PerrimonThe Drosophila proventriculus lacks stem cells but compensates for age-related cell loss via endoreplication-mediated cell growth
doi: doi.org/10.1101/2025.06.27.6…
🔬New paper! This has been my personal favorite project I’ve ever done - also, the only one that the President of the United States has tried to destroy by 100% defunding our lab & institution. Please enjoy: biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/…
#drosophila #proventriculus #preprint
New paper: Ben Ewen-Campen, Weihang Chen, Sudhir Gopal Tattikota, Ying Liu, Yanhui Hu, Norbert PerrimonThe Drosophila proventriculus lacks stem cells but compensates for age-related cell loss via endoreplication-mediated cell growth
doi: doi.org/10.1101/2025.06.27.6…
“Totalitarianism in power invariably replaces all first-rate talents, regardless of their sympathies, with those crackpots and fools whose lack of intelligence and creativity is still the best guarantee of their loyalty.” Hannah Arendt, The Origins of Totalitarianism
In private, Trump has said in conversations that Gaetz has less than even odds of getting confirmed. But he's pushing ahead, making calls and sticking with him in a move that speaks volumes about his second-term mindset @jonathanvswan me nytimes.com/2024/11/18/us/po…
🤯Unreal…for the second time this week, I’m posting a video of jaw-dropping progress for safer streets: the new bike lanes on Washington St. are like a dream come true. This ride is from Beacon up towards Union Square, ending right at the Argenziano School. @SomervilleInfr1
Ben Ewen-Campen retweeted
🟩paint coming soon on Summer Street, but you can see the connectivity for the new cycle track heading west on Summer Street and then making a right on Central Street. #bikenetwork
The new protected bike lanes on Summer St. and Central St. are really extraordinary. Very much still under construction, but this gives a taste of what safe neighborhood cycling will be as our bike network continues to expand. @SomervilleInfr1 @SomervilleCity
The new protected bike lanes on Summer St. and Central St. are really extraordinary. Very much still under construction, but this gives a taste of what safe neighborhood cycling will be as our bike network continues to expand. @SomervilleInfr1 @SomervilleCity
Ben Ewen-Campen retweeted
Great save by Ladder 3!!! Rescuing a victim over the stick from floor 3 on arrival
Group 4 on duty
This morning @somfdlocal76 responded to a building fire on Raymond Ave, on arrival companies had heavy smoke and fire showing and a 2nd alarm was ordered, followed quickly by the 3rd alarm. A victim was rescued via Ladder 3's aerial from the 3rd floor, and transported to an area hospital. Conditions started to deteriorate rapidly and companies went into a defensive posture. Crews battled the stubborn fire well into the afternoon, with a majority of the 3rd-floor roof caving in. The cause of the fire is now under investigation.
boston492.smugmug.com/Emerge…
RENTAL REGISTRY: @SomervilleCity is hosting a public meeting on the proposed Rental Registry & Energy Disclosure Ordinance, on Weds 11/20.
Register: somervilleMA.gov/rred
Would be the first of kind in MA👇
Ben Ewen-Campen retweeted
cambridgeday.com/2024/11/06/…
“This is a city that really gives a shit about each other, cares about each other, loves each other, and we’re going to figure out what the work is that needs to get done, and we’re going to do it together.”
Hell yes, @BenForWard3.
"Giving in to despair is not option...this is a city that really gives a shit about each other, cares about each other, loves each other, and we’re going to figure out what the work is that needs to get done, and we’re going to do it together.” cambridgeday.com/2024/11/06/…
Good news for Somerville: Question 6 won big, which means more money for affordable housing, open space and preserving history.
Somerville voted Yes overwhelmingly on all ballot questions. Unofficial City results👇
Ben Ewen-Campen retweeted
Did you know that the City of Somerville received 18,656 early voting ballots for the 2024 election?
Polls are open until 8 p.m. today. Check your polling location at votesomerville.org and be sure to cast your ballot!
Ben Ewen-Campen retweeted
Philadelphia DA issues warning to anyone who wants to "play militia" or engage in voter intimidation tomorrow:
"We do have the cuffs. We do have the jail cells. We do have the Philly juries. ... F around and find out."
SOMERVILLE BALLOT QUESTIONS! Still haven’t decided how you’re voting on the 6 ballot questions? Here is my guide: eepurl.com/i1eRhQ
Jeffrey Epstein described himself as Trump’s “closest friend.”
EXCLUSIVE | Jeffrey Epstein described himself as Donald Trump’s “closest friend” and claimed intimate knowledge of his proclivity to cuckold his best friends according to explosive tapes recorded by author Michael Wolff.
trib.al/qDsJmjv
Just saw this anti-Question 6 sign, and it looked vaguely familiar…then realized they literally just put a sticker over an old anti-Transfer Fee sign from six years ago 😂 They must truly hate affordable housing.
Anyway, vote Yes on 6 in Somerville! yeson6somerville.com
Ben Ewen-Campen retweeted
Jeffrey Epstein details close relationship with Trump in newly released tapes theguardian.com/us-news/2024…
