Akankshi Munjal
@akankshi.bsky.social
Principles of Tissue Morphogenesis @Duke
https://www.munjallab.com/
https://www.munjallab.com/
Pinned
Akankshi Munjal
@akankshi.bsky.social
· Sep 26
Our latest preprint! Into morphogenesis, Yap, ECM, signaling, vertex models, feedbacks/robustness? There is something here for everyone. We discovered a positive feedback loop that extends inner ear canals, and a built-in mechanism that shuts it down when morphogenesis is done. tinyurl.com/464wsjhd
Reposted by Akankshi Munjal
SAVE THE DATE! Stoked to organize the 2026 Santa Cruz Developmental Biology Meeting with @rashmi-priya.bsky.social, @lowelab.bsky.social, and Shelbi Russell. Come learn about Biomedicine, Biomechanics, and the Biosphere, August 24-28, 2026. Registration dates, etc., coming soon! Please RT
November 19, 2025 at 8:23 PM
SAVE THE DATE! Stoked to organize the 2026 Santa Cruz Developmental Biology Meeting with @rashmi-priya.bsky.social, @lowelab.bsky.social, and Shelbi Russell. Come learn about Biomedicine, Biomechanics, and the Biosphere, August 24-28, 2026. Registration dates, etc., coming soon! Please RT
Reposted by Akankshi Munjal
Part 6: For decades, the zebrafish has helped scientists unlock the mysteries of genetics, development, & disease. But the fish that power most discoveries have spent generations inside lab tanks. This video captures footage of zebrafish in their natural environment in Nepal.
youtu.be/cCZhZpPALqw
youtu.be/cCZhZpPALqw
Zebrafish in the wild
YouTube video by John Rawls
youtu.be
October 28, 2025 at 2:09 PM
Part 6: For decades, the zebrafish has helped scientists unlock the mysteries of genetics, development, & disease. But the fish that power most discoveries have spent generations inside lab tanks. This video captures footage of zebrafish in their natural environment in Nepal.
youtu.be/cCZhZpPALqw
youtu.be/cCZhZpPALqw
Join us in one of the most supportive and collaborative departments, led by an equally supportive chair!
Please repost!!:
We are searching for new AI-Bio faculty at Duke to be part of a new Discovery AI center. Looking for faculty who focus on pushing boundaries in ML model development in a highly interactive environment. DEADLINE for applications- Nov 1st!!
www.nature.com/naturecareer...
We are searching for new AI-Bio faculty at Duke to be part of a new Discovery AI center. Looking for faculty who focus on pushing boundaries in ML model development in a highly interactive environment. DEADLINE for applications- Nov 1st!!
www.nature.com/naturecareer...
Tenure-Track Assistant Professor Position –AI/ML for Cell Biology - Durham, North Carolina (US) job with Duke University School of Medicine | 12844591
Tenure-Track Assistant Professor Position –AI/ML for Cell Biology
www.nature.com
October 25, 2025 at 6:25 PM
Join us in one of the most supportive and collaborative departments, led by an equally supportive chair!
Reposted by Akankshi Munjal
Excited to start my first day as a postdoc in @akankshi.bsky.social's lab! Seeking to understand quantitatively how a living organism can reproducibly form a complex topological structure from simple initial conditions, and what implications this may have for its behavioral function.
October 15, 2025 at 9:31 PM
Excited to start my first day as a postdoc in @akankshi.bsky.social's lab! Seeking to understand quantitatively how a living organism can reproducibly form a complex topological structure from simple initial conditions, and what implications this may have for its behavioral function.
Reposted by Akankshi Munjal
I’m thrilled to share my postdoc work and the first paper from the McKinley Lab! 🎉
@karalmckinley.bsky.social
We built the first transgenic model of menstruation in mice.
We used it to uncover how the endometrium organizes and sheds during menstruation. 🧪
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
🧵
@karalmckinley.bsky.social
We built the first transgenic model of menstruation in mice.
We used it to uncover how the endometrium organizes and sheds during menstruation. 🧪
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
🧵
Induction of menstruation in mice reveals the regulation of menstrual shedding
During menstruation, an inner layer of the endometrium is selectively shed, while an outer, progenitor-containing layer is preserved to support repeated regeneration. Progress in understanding this co...
www.biorxiv.org
October 10, 2025 at 12:50 PM
I’m thrilled to share my postdoc work and the first paper from the McKinley Lab! 🎉
@karalmckinley.bsky.social
We built the first transgenic model of menstruation in mice.
We used it to uncover how the endometrium organizes and sheds during menstruation. 🧪
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
🧵
@karalmckinley.bsky.social
We built the first transgenic model of menstruation in mice.
We used it to uncover how the endometrium organizes and sheds during menstruation. 🧪
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
🧵
Reposted by Akankshi Munjal
Very sad news, John Gurdon has died.
A developmental biologist's developmental biologist, Nobel prize winner
His work is the foundation of much of today's dev & stem cell bio.
An inspiration to many, including me. Always asking questions & wanting the answers
www.magd.cam.ac.uk/news/profess...
A developmental biologist's developmental biologist, Nobel prize winner
His work is the foundation of much of today's dev & stem cell bio.
An inspiration to many, including me. Always asking questions & wanting the answers
www.magd.cam.ac.uk/news/profess...
Professor Sir John Gurdon FRS (1933-2025) | Magdalene College
Magdalene College is deeply saddened to announce the death of Professor Sir John Gurdon FRS, who served as Master of the College from 1995 to 2002.
www.magd.cam.ac.uk
October 7, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Very sad news, John Gurdon has died.
A developmental biologist's developmental biologist, Nobel prize winner
His work is the foundation of much of today's dev & stem cell bio.
An inspiration to many, including me. Always asking questions & wanting the answers
www.magd.cam.ac.uk/news/profess...
A developmental biologist's developmental biologist, Nobel prize winner
His work is the foundation of much of today's dev & stem cell bio.
An inspiration to many, including me. Always asking questions & wanting the answers
www.magd.cam.ac.uk/news/profess...
Reposted by Akankshi Munjal
New preprint from the lab! We discovered a transient fluidization in the basal region of human forebrains by tracking microdroplets in cerebral organoids.This “basal fluidization”, absent in gorilla and mouse, may contribute to greater surface expansion in human forebrains
1/
doi.org/10.1101/2025...
1/
doi.org/10.1101/2025...
October 8, 2025 at 1:05 PM
New preprint from the lab! We discovered a transient fluidization in the basal region of human forebrains by tracking microdroplets in cerebral organoids.This “basal fluidization”, absent in gorilla and mouse, may contribute to greater surface expansion in human forebrains
1/
doi.org/10.1101/2025...
1/
doi.org/10.1101/2025...
Reposted by Akankshi Munjal
🧠 Join us @uzh-ch.bsky.social ! We are a new lab looking for PhDs, Postdocs & Master’s students interested in studying how human neural systems emerge & go awry using brain organoids, light-sheet imaging & genomics. 🚀 Deadline for LSZGS 1st Nov! www.lifescience-graduateschool.uzh.ch/en.html.
October 7, 2025 at 11:57 AM
🧠 Join us @uzh-ch.bsky.social ! We are a new lab looking for PhDs, Postdocs & Master’s students interested in studying how human neural systems emerge & go awry using brain organoids, light-sheet imaging & genomics. 🚀 Deadline for LSZGS 1st Nov! www.lifescience-graduateschool.uzh.ch/en.html.
Reposted by Akankshi Munjal
If you’re applying to your dream lab for an internship/PhD/postdoc, always send a second email 1-2 weeks after the first one if you don’t hear back.
I promise we will be grateful rather than annoyed. My email inbox is a disaster and I’m quite junior - and very few of us have secretarial support
I promise we will be grateful rather than annoyed. My email inbox is a disaster and I’m quite junior - and very few of us have secretarial support
October 4, 2025 at 5:47 AM
If you’re applying to your dream lab for an internship/PhD/postdoc, always send a second email 1-2 weeks after the first one if you don’t hear back.
I promise we will be grateful rather than annoyed. My email inbox is a disaster and I’m quite junior - and very few of us have secretarial support
I promise we will be grateful rather than annoyed. My email inbox is a disaster and I’m quite junior - and very few of us have secretarial support
Reposted by Akankshi Munjal
Latest from ours: www.cell.com/cell-reports...
This is two stories in one: a case study/cautionary tale on developing genetic tools in new organisms, and the first hint at a gene regulatory network for choanoflagellate multicellular development (which turn out to involve a Hippo/YAP/ECM loop!) A 🧵
This is two stories in one: a case study/cautionary tale on developing genetic tools in new organisms, and the first hint at a gene regulatory network for choanoflagellate multicellular development (which turn out to involve a Hippo/YAP/ECM loop!) A 🧵
October 5, 2025 at 10:35 AM
Latest from ours: www.cell.com/cell-reports...
This is two stories in one: a case study/cautionary tale on developing genetic tools in new organisms, and the first hint at a gene regulatory network for choanoflagellate multicellular development (which turn out to involve a Hippo/YAP/ECM loop!) A 🧵
This is two stories in one: a case study/cautionary tale on developing genetic tools in new organisms, and the first hint at a gene regulatory network for choanoflagellate multicellular development (which turn out to involve a Hippo/YAP/ECM loop!) A 🧵
Reposted by Akankshi Munjal
See this? This = implanting mouse embryo. Usually this happens inside its mother and is invisible to us, but we can actually watch implantation ex vivo with the hope of understanding why implantation goes awry in embryos of older women. A 🧵...
October 1, 2025 at 6:21 PM
See this? This = implanting mouse embryo. Usually this happens inside its mother and is invisible to us, but we can actually watch implantation ex vivo with the hope of understanding why implantation goes awry in embryos of older women. A 🧵...
Our latest preprint! Into morphogenesis, Yap, ECM, signaling, vertex models, feedbacks/robustness? There is something here for everyone. We discovered a positive feedback loop that extends inner ear canals, and a built-in mechanism that shuts it down when morphogenesis is done. tinyurl.com/464wsjhd
September 26, 2025 at 12:55 PM
Our latest preprint! Into morphogenesis, Yap, ECM, signaling, vertex models, feedbacks/robustness? There is something here for everyone. We discovered a positive feedback loop that extends inner ear canals, and a built-in mechanism that shuts it down when morphogenesis is done. tinyurl.com/464wsjhd
Reposted by Akankshi Munjal
Tissue 'tectonic' collision is detrimental, but flies found two distinct solutions! Gratifying and grateful to be included in this collective effort, w/ Steffen Lemke, to crack the (or 'a') code of #cephalicfurrow, now out in @nature.com, all with @paveltomancak.bsky.social at the helm. (1/9)
September 4, 2025 at 5:18 PM
Tissue 'tectonic' collision is detrimental, but flies found two distinct solutions! Gratifying and grateful to be included in this collective effort, w/ Steffen Lemke, to crack the (or 'a') code of #cephalicfurrow, now out in @nature.com, all with @paveltomancak.bsky.social at the helm. (1/9)
Reposted by Akankshi Munjal
Jim Hudspeth has died 💔
I am so sad. He was probably my favorite hearing researcher of all time. Absolute genius and also generous - he spent hours on the phone advising me on my career even tho we barely knew each other.
May his memory be a blessing.
www.ted.com/talks/jim_hu...
I am so sad. He was probably my favorite hearing researcher of all time. Absolute genius and also generous - he spent hours on the phone advising me on my career even tho we barely knew each other.
May his memory be a blessing.
www.ted.com/talks/jim_hu...
Jim Hudspeth: The beautiful, mysterious science of how you hear
Have you ever wondered how your ears work? In this delightful and fascinating talk, biophysicist Jim Hudspeth demonstrates the wonderfully simple yet astonishingly powerful mechanics of hair cells, th...
www.ted.com
August 18, 2025 at 10:27 PM
Jim Hudspeth has died 💔
I am so sad. He was probably my favorite hearing researcher of all time. Absolute genius and also generous - he spent hours on the phone advising me on my career even tho we barely knew each other.
May his memory be a blessing.
www.ted.com/talks/jim_hu...
I am so sad. He was probably my favorite hearing researcher of all time. Absolute genius and also generous - he spent hours on the phone advising me on my career even tho we barely knew each other.
May his memory be a blessing.
www.ted.com/talks/jim_hu...
So happy for Kira! She also received NOA for her F32.
Congratulations to the @socdevbio.bsky.social 2025 West Coast Regional Meeting postdoc poster winners (left to right): 1st place- Celja Uebel (Villeneuve lab), 2nd place- Kira Heikes (Munjal lab), honorable mention- Hailey Edward's (Yelon lab)!
August 18, 2025 at 3:05 PM
So happy for Kira! She also received NOA for her F32.
Reposted by Akankshi Munjal
This summer's hot ticket: Arolla 2025 meeting "BioMatter - From cytoskeleton to embryo", taking place from 25.08. - 29.08.2025 at Grand Hotel & Kurhaus, Arolla.
‼️ Submit your abstract until the 1st of June and join in: meetings.ls2.ch/arolla2025
❗ Special rates for LS2 members! ❗
‼️ Submit your abstract until the 1st of June and join in: meetings.ls2.ch/arolla2025
❗ Special rates for LS2 members! ❗
March 13, 2025 at 10:14 AM
This summer's hot ticket: Arolla 2025 meeting "BioMatter - From cytoskeleton to embryo", taking place from 25.08. - 29.08.2025 at Grand Hotel & Kurhaus, Arolla.
‼️ Submit your abstract until the 1st of June and join in: meetings.ls2.ch/arolla2025
❗ Special rates for LS2 members! ❗
‼️ Submit your abstract until the 1st of June and join in: meetings.ls2.ch/arolla2025
❗ Special rates for LS2 members! ❗
Reposted by Akankshi Munjal
This postdoc position is still open! Apply if you want to come work with us on asymmetric cell divisions in spiralian embryos! postdocs.stanford.edu/prospective/...
July 7, 2025 at 8:51 PM
This postdoc position is still open! Apply if you want to come work with us on asymmetric cell divisions in spiralian embryos! postdocs.stanford.edu/prospective/...
Reposted by Akankshi Munjal
Opus magnum of my former #PhD student @akanksha-jain.bsky.social. She brought the power of #lightsheet imaging to the #Treutlein lab. #Organoids #singlecells #bigdata #imageanalysis You have learned much #Akanksha. You are a #JEDI now. ❤️👏
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Morphodynamics of human early brain organoid development - Nature
Human brain morphodynamics are explored using organoids.
www.nature.com
June 22, 2025 at 3:32 PM
Opus magnum of my former #PhD student @akanksha-jain.bsky.social. She brought the power of #lightsheet imaging to the #Treutlein lab. #Organoids #singlecells #bigdata #imageanalysis You have learned much #Akanksha. You are a #JEDI now. ❤️👏
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Akankshi Munjal
Don't miss the latest news, jobs and research from the #zebrafish community!
Also available as a blog post: thenode.biologists.com/daniodigest-...
Also available as a blog post: thenode.biologists.com/daniodigest-...
#DanioDigest (May 2025)
Community News:
Prof Caren Norden @nordenlab.bsky.social appointed Darwin Professor of Animal Embryology at PDN at the University of Cambridge.
Prof Elizabeth Chen @echenlab.bsky.social elected as President of @ascbiology.bsky.social for 2027. (1/38)
Community News:
Prof Caren Norden @nordenlab.bsky.social appointed Darwin Professor of Animal Embryology at PDN at the University of Cambridge.
Prof Elizabeth Chen @echenlab.bsky.social elected as President of @ascbiology.bsky.social for 2027. (1/38)
June 23, 2025 at 2:39 PM
Don't miss the latest news, jobs and research from the #zebrafish community!
Also available as a blog post: thenode.biologists.com/daniodigest-...
Also available as a blog post: thenode.biologists.com/daniodigest-...
Reposted by Akankshi Munjal
Great dinner with current and former members of the lab, as well as current and former Duke members and friends of the lab. Great to catch up with @ceriweber.bsky.social ,Ben, @woonyunghur.bsky.social and share stories. Great @socdevbio.bsky.social meeting!
June 22, 2025 at 2:53 AM
Great dinner with current and former members of the lab, as well as current and former Duke members and friends of the lab. Great to catch up with @ceriweber.bsky.social ,Ben, @woonyunghur.bsky.social and share stories. Great @socdevbio.bsky.social meeting!
Reposted by Akankshi Munjal
Please spread the word!
We are looking for postdoc(s) interested in quantitative problems in Development and Regeneration. Previous experience in quantitative biology is not required. We will support you and provide a great training environment if you are committed to learn new things.
We are looking for postdoc(s) interested in quantitative problems in Development and Regeneration. Previous experience in quantitative biology is not required. We will support you and provide a great training environment if you are committed to learn new things.
December 12, 2024 at 2:03 PM
Please spread the word!
We are looking for postdoc(s) interested in quantitative problems in Development and Regeneration. Previous experience in quantitative biology is not required. We will support you and provide a great training environment if you are committed to learn new things.
We are looking for postdoc(s) interested in quantitative problems in Development and Regeneration. Previous experience in quantitative biology is not required. We will support you and provide a great training environment if you are committed to learn new things.
Reposted by Akankshi Munjal
Please check out this upcoming Gordon Conference (GRC) on Developmental Biology - March 2025
Very diverse and relevant topics! and Gordon Research Seminar (GRS) accompanying it as well ! (speaker list in commentts)
www.grc.org/developmenta...
Very diverse and relevant topics! and Gordon Research Seminar (GRS) accompanying it as well ! (speaker list in commentts)
www.grc.org/developmenta...
2025 Developmental Biology Conference GRC
The 2025 Gordon Research Conference on Developmental Biology will be held in Pomona, California. Apply today to reserve your spot.
www.grc.org
December 2, 2024 at 4:24 AM
Please check out this upcoming Gordon Conference (GRC) on Developmental Biology - March 2025
Very diverse and relevant topics! and Gordon Research Seminar (GRS) accompanying it as well ! (speaker list in commentts)
www.grc.org/developmenta...
Very diverse and relevant topics! and Gordon Research Seminar (GRS) accompanying it as well ! (speaker list in commentts)
www.grc.org/developmenta...
🐟!JOB ALERT!Duke, Durham, NC!🐟 We are looking for a research tech (our current tech is starting grad school this Fall (Yay!)). The candidate will contribute to our ongoing research projects on tissue morphogenesis using zebrafish. Please RT🙏 www.munjallab.com/join-us
February 1, 2024 at 5:01 PM
🐟!JOB ALERT!Duke, Durham, NC!🐟 We are looking for a research tech (our current tech is starting grad school this Fall (Yay!)). The candidate will contribute to our ongoing research projects on tissue morphogenesis using zebrafish. Please RT🙏 www.munjallab.com/join-us
Reposted by Akankshi Munjal
We've gone purple to promote our Slack group! With nearly 400 active members last month, it has become the premier source for questions and queries for the #zebrafish community and beyond! If you are keen to join, please fill out this Google form: forms.gle/bi3gPp3ncQuE... #RockOn
November 3, 2023 at 3:25 PM
We've gone purple to promote our Slack group! With nearly 400 active members last month, it has become the premier source for questions and queries for the #zebrafish community and beyond! If you are keen to join, please fill out this Google form: forms.gle/bi3gPp3ncQuE... #RockOn