Chenxin Li, PhD
@chenxinli2.bsky.social
Or just “Li” |
Assist. Prof. @ Plant Bio Michigan State U. |
Also post data visualization |
Lab: https://cxli233.github.io/cxLi_lab/ |
GitHub: https://github.com/cxli233
Assist. Prof. @ Plant Bio Michigan State U. |
Also post data visualization |
Lab: https://cxli233.github.io/cxLi_lab/ |
GitHub: https://github.com/cxli233
Pinned
Chenxin Li, PhD
@chenxinli2.bsky.social
· Nov 12
Here is a thread showcasing my GitHub repositories: 1) Friends Don't Let Friends Make Bad Graphs. An opinionated essay on good and bad graphs.
My popular one by a long shot with 6.4k stars and 248 forks. github.com/cxli233/Frie...
My popular one by a long shot with 6.4k stars and 248 forks. github.com/cxli233/Frie...
Reposted by Chenxin Li, PhD
So happy to announce our new preprint, “A geothermal amoeba sets a new upper temperature limit for eukaryotes.” We cultured a novel amoeba from Lassen Volcanic NP (CA, USA) that divides at 63°C (145°F) 🔥 - a new record for euk growth!
#protistsonsky 🧵
#protistsonsky 🧵
November 25, 2025 at 8:41 PM
So happy to announce our new preprint, “A geothermal amoeba sets a new upper temperature limit for eukaryotes.” We cultured a novel amoeba from Lassen Volcanic NP (CA, USA) that divides at 63°C (145°F) 🔥 - a new record for euk growth!
#protistsonsky 🧵
#protistsonsky 🧵
Reposted by Chenxin Li, PhD
huge news I just found a folder of these that I forgot i had!!!!!!!
November 25, 2025 at 11:50 PM
huge news I just found a folder of these that I forgot i had!!!!!!!
Reposted by Chenxin Li, PhD
Why does skunk spray smell so bad, and what are some science-backed methods for removing the stench? The latest edition of #PeriodicGraphics in @cenmag.bsky.social takes a look: cen.acs.org/biological-c...
#ChemSky 🧪
#ChemSky 🧪
November 25, 2025 at 8:51 PM
Why does skunk spray smell so bad, and what are some science-backed methods for removing the stench? The latest edition of #PeriodicGraphics in @cenmag.bsky.social takes a look: cen.acs.org/biological-c...
#ChemSky 🧪
#ChemSky 🧪
Reposted by Chenxin Li, PhD
Trees are amazing! They build their bodies from thin air, move water with pressures that would crush a human, and grow using a system of living cables wrapped in layers of corpses. Watch our video to find out how they work, and why they might even be immortal: https://kgs.link/TreesAreDead
November 25, 2025 at 3:02 PM
Trees are amazing! They build their bodies from thin air, move water with pressures that would crush a human, and grow using a system of living cables wrapped in layers of corpses. Watch our video to find out how they work, and why they might even be immortal: https://kgs.link/TreesAreDead
Reposted by Chenxin Li, PhD
Expanding the plant epigenetic code: histone short-chain acylation #plantscience
Expanding the plant epigenetic code: histone short-chain acylation
Gene expression regulation in plants involves complex epigenetic mechanisms. Historically, histone acetylation and methylation have been recognized as central determinants of chromatin dynamics and transcriptional regulation. However, recent studies have identified novel types of short-chain lysine acylation – including crotonylation, butyrylation, β-hydroxybutyrylation, 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation, succinylation, and lactylation – as emerging players in epigenetic control. Although these modifications have been extensively characterized in mammals, accumulating evidence now confirms their presence in plants. We focus on plant-specific findings related to histone acylation and analyze its metabolic sources, writers, and erasers, as well as its functional roles in plant development and stress adaptation. Investigation of these modifications in higher plants may unveil unique regulatory mechanisms that underlie developmental plasticity and resilience, and thereby open new avenues for crop improvement and sustainable agriculture.
dlvr.it
November 25, 2025 at 1:40 PM
Expanding the plant epigenetic code: histone short-chain acylation #plantscience
Reposted by Chenxin Li, PhD
bHLH090 promotes insect resistance by positively regulating myrosin idioblast development and myrosinase biosynthesis (Lijuan Zhou, Linyan Zhu, Siyuan Liu, Limei Liu, Wenbin Wang, Zijing Zhang, Houping Wang, Xiaolan Chen) doi.org/10.1093/plph... #PlantScience @aspbofficial
bHLH090 promotes insect resistance by positively regulating myrosin idioblast development and myrosinase biosynthesis
The transcription factors FAMA and bHLH090 work together to activate TGG1 expression, thereby promoting the development of myrosin idioblast cells and enha
doi.org
November 25, 2025 at 3:03 PM
bHLH090 promotes insect resistance by positively regulating myrosin idioblast development and myrosinase biosynthesis (Lijuan Zhou, Linyan Zhu, Siyuan Liu, Limei Liu, Wenbin Wang, Zijing Zhang, Houping Wang, Xiaolan Chen) doi.org/10.1093/plph... #PlantScience @aspbofficial
3 months into my job. Submitted 3 proposals. USDA NIFA (co-PI) in August, NIH MIRA ESI in September, and NSF-IOS in November. All I can say is hope for the best, and they are the best "speculative science fiction" I have written yet.
November 25, 2025 at 1:10 AM
3 months into my job. Submitted 3 proposals. USDA NIFA (co-PI) in August, NIH MIRA ESI in September, and NSF-IOS in November. All I can say is hope for the best, and they are the best "speculative science fiction" I have written yet.
Reposted by Chenxin Li, PhD
I am looking for a PostDoc to join my group at Genentech to drive the development of proteomics technologies to fuel target and therapeutic discovery and development. Check out the link below!
careers.gene.com/us/en/job/20...
careers.gene.com/us/en/job/20...
November 25, 2025 at 12:39 AM
I am looking for a PostDoc to join my group at Genentech to drive the development of proteomics technologies to fuel target and therapeutic discovery and development. Check out the link below!
careers.gene.com/us/en/job/20...
careers.gene.com/us/en/job/20...
Reposted by Chenxin Li, PhD
Postdoc positions focused on gene editing using protoplasts and plant regeneration for genetic improvement of forest trees at NC State 🌳
jobs.ncsu.edu/postings/225...
jobs.ncsu.edu/postings/225...
Postdoctoral Research Scholar
The Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources has a wide variety of strengths in forestry and natural resources management, policy and economics, environmental science and technology, wildlif...
jobs.ncsu.edu
November 24, 2025 at 5:50 PM
Postdoc positions focused on gene editing using protoplasts and plant regeneration for genetic improvement of forest trees at NC State 🌳
jobs.ncsu.edu/postings/225...
jobs.ncsu.edu/postings/225...
Reposted by Chenxin Li, PhD
Confirmation of the new triage line at 65-70% of proposals. Introduction of a new “competitive but ND” class to permit exception pay pickups.
November 24, 2025 at 6:57 PM
Confirmation of the new triage line at 65-70% of proposals. Introduction of a new “competitive but ND” class to permit exception pay pickups.
Reposted by Chenxin Li, PhD
#OpenCloning is a an Open Source alternative to SnapGene/Benchling that supports automation and integration with other software
✅ Free
🔓 Open Source
🧬 More cloning methods than SnapGene
🤖 Can be automated with python
👨🔬 Built by a researcher — for researchers!
👉 Check it out at opencloning.org
✅ Free
🔓 Open Source
🧬 More cloning methods than SnapGene
🤖 Can be automated with python
👨🔬 Built by a researcher — for researchers!
👉 Check it out at opencloning.org
November 24, 2025 at 4:57 PM
#OpenCloning is a an Open Source alternative to SnapGene/Benchling that supports automation and integration with other software
✅ Free
🔓 Open Source
🧬 More cloning methods than SnapGene
🤖 Can be automated with python
👨🔬 Built by a researcher — for researchers!
👉 Check it out at opencloning.org
✅ Free
🔓 Open Source
🧬 More cloning methods than SnapGene
🤖 Can be automated with python
👨🔬 Built by a researcher — for researchers!
👉 Check it out at opencloning.org
Reposted by Chenxin Li, PhD
Very happy to share that this paper is now online on @currentbiology.bsky.social !! 🥳🧪 Check out the final published verion here: www.cell.com/current-biol...
#mimuluspropaganda
#mimuluspropaganda
November 24, 2025 at 4:25 PM
Very happy to share that this paper is now online on @currentbiology.bsky.social !! 🥳🧪 Check out the final published verion here: www.cell.com/current-biol...
#mimuluspropaganda
#mimuluspropaganda
It has happened. I had to decline a manuscript review invitation (due to potential conflict of interest) because the abstract is too similar to another manuscript I am on under review at another journal.
November 24, 2025 at 1:14 PM
It has happened. I had to decline a manuscript review invitation (due to potential conflict of interest) because the abstract is too similar to another manuscript I am on under review at another journal.
Reposted by Chenxin Li, PhD
I don't understand how anyone can watch how blatantly Grok is manipulated to answer the way ownership desires it to and then act like the other LLM chatbots couldn't possibly be similarly but less obviously compromised to produce responses in whatever way corporate interests and priorities dictate.
November 23, 2025 at 7:13 PM
I don't understand how anyone can watch how blatantly Grok is manipulated to answer the way ownership desires it to and then act like the other LLM chatbots couldn't possibly be similarly but less obviously compromised to produce responses in whatever way corporate interests and priorities dictate.
Cell division, but bread. You can tell this is not plant cell division.
November 24, 2025 at 12:28 AM
Cell division, but bread. You can tell this is not plant cell division.
Reposted by Chenxin Li, PhD
Spatiotemporal dynamics of CYCLOIDEA expression during early floral development in monkeyflower www.cell.com/current-biol...
Spatiotemporal dynamics of CYCLOIDEA expression during early floral development in monkeyflower
Bilateral floral symmetry is a repeated evolutionary innovation governed by the CYCLOIDEA-dependent
program, yet how the dorsal-specific CYC expression is initiated and maintained remains
elusive. Min...
www.cell.com
November 23, 2025 at 10:50 PM
Spatiotemporal dynamics of CYCLOIDEA expression during early floral development in monkeyflower www.cell.com/current-biol...
Reposted by Chenxin Li, PhD
Amazing story, state legislator and Turning Points USA leader who crusaded against bogus voter fraud claims pleads guilty to attempted election fraud. azmirror.com/briefs/turni...
Turning Point leader, former GOP Rep pleads guilty to attempted election fraud | Arizona Mirror
Austin Smith election fraud guilty plea: Former GOP Rep admits forging 100+ signatures on ballot petitions in Arizona
azmirror.com
November 23, 2025 at 8:06 PM
Amazing story, state legislator and Turning Points USA leader who crusaded against bogus voter fraud claims pleads guilty to attempted election fraud. azmirror.com/briefs/turni...
Reposted by Chenxin Li, PhD
November 23, 2025 at 3:32 PM
Reposted by Chenxin Li, PhD
Gatekeeping by demanding expensive technology or approaches is the ancient tactic of the rich laboratory.
My favorite from an @hhmi.org scientist: “the great thing about optogenetics is it keeps the riff raff out of the field.”
Heard an established successful neuroscientist dismissing junior scientists as "people at the bottom" 🤦♀️
You folks with lots of research funds & power: young scientists more than ever need our respect and support even if you don't agree with their ideas and approaches
#sfn2025
You folks with lots of research funds & power: young scientists more than ever need our respect and support even if you don't agree with their ideas and approaches
#sfn2025
November 23, 2025 at 6:30 PM
Gatekeeping by demanding expensive technology or approaches is the ancient tactic of the rich laboratory.
Reposted by Chenxin Li, PhD
Unpause! I'm super happy to now be able to share the published version of our paper at Science Advances showing that:
1) active histone mods occur independently of transcription
2) transcription coordinates histone deacetylation at active promoters
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
1) active histone mods occur independently of transcription
2) transcription coordinates histone deacetylation at active promoters
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
RNA polymerase II coordinates histone deacetylation at active promoters
Transcription initiation limits histone acetylation and H2AZ incorporation at promoters.
www.science.org
February 12, 2025 at 9:21 PM
Unpause! I'm super happy to now be able to share the published version of our paper at Science Advances showing that:
1) active histone mods occur independently of transcription
2) transcription coordinates histone deacetylation at active promoters
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
1) active histone mods occur independently of transcription
2) transcription coordinates histone deacetylation at active promoters
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Chenxin Li, PhD
Humans will NEVER colonize another planet. Never.
If we can’t even agree to do the minimum to keep Earth habitable, there’s no way in hell we’ll cooperate to make another planet habitable.
If we can’t even agree to do the minimum to keep Earth habitable, there’s no way in hell we’ll cooperate to make another planet habitable.
November 22, 2025 at 11:29 AM
Humans will NEVER colonize another planet. Never.
If we can’t even agree to do the minimum to keep Earth habitable, there’s no way in hell we’ll cooperate to make another planet habitable.
If we can’t even agree to do the minimum to keep Earth habitable, there’s no way in hell we’ll cooperate to make another planet habitable.
Reposted by Chenxin Li, PhD
Twitter pays people based on engagement (views, retweets, comments, etc). It appears that many MAGA accounts are based abroad and they use AI technology to generate low-effort rage bait.
My guess is that this will get worse as AI tech improves. For instance, fake videos of minorities doing crime.
My guess is that this will get worse as AI tech improves. For instance, fake videos of minorities doing crime.
November 23, 2025 at 9:23 AM
Twitter pays people based on engagement (views, retweets, comments, etc). It appears that many MAGA accounts are based abroad and they use AI technology to generate low-effort rage bait.
My guess is that this will get worse as AI tech improves. For instance, fake videos of minorities doing crime.
My guess is that this will get worse as AI tech improves. For instance, fake videos of minorities doing crime.
Reposted by Chenxin Li, PhD
Fungal friends: The University of Minnesota is hiring a tenure track medical mycologist, with emphasis on emergence of pathogens, genomics and evolution!
www.nature.com/naturecareer...
www.nature.com/naturecareer...
New Assistant Professor: Tenure Track - Fungal Biology/Medical Mycology - Minneapolis, Minnesota job with University of Minnesota - Medical School | 12848307
About the Job: The Department of Microbiology & Immunology and the Institute on Infectious Diseases (UMIID) at the University of Minnesota Medical ...
www.nature.com
November 23, 2025 at 11:42 AM
Fungal friends: The University of Minnesota is hiring a tenure track medical mycologist, with emphasis on emergence of pathogens, genomics and evolution!
www.nature.com/naturecareer...
www.nature.com/naturecareer...
Reposted by Chenxin Li, PhD
Photosynthetic sea slugs can decapitate themselves & regenerate whole body from the detached head (without the heart or guts), while the shed body do not regenerate. The process takes ~2-3 weeks. A new model for regeneration?
From: www.cell.com/current-biol...
From: www.cell.com/current-biol...
Extreme autotomy and whole-body regeneration in photosynthetic sea slugs
Autotomy, the voluntary shedding of a body part, is common among animals. Mitoh and
Yusa report an extreme case of autotomy with the shedding of the main body, including
the whole heart, and subsequen...
www.cell.com
November 22, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Photosynthetic sea slugs can decapitate themselves & regenerate whole body from the detached head (without the heart or guts), while the shed body do not regenerate. The process takes ~2-3 weeks. A new model for regeneration?
From: www.cell.com/current-biol...
From: www.cell.com/current-biol...
Reposted by Chenxin Li, PhD
Got hired to go on day hikes and count tree seedlings up on Mt. Rainier as an undergrad and distinctly remember having the thought: "how long can I get away with being paid to do this?"
Answer: 15 years and counting
Answer: 15 years and counting
November 23, 2025 at 12:47 AM
Got hired to go on day hikes and count tree seedlings up on Mt. Rainier as an undergrad and distinctly remember having the thought: "how long can I get away with being paid to do this?"
Answer: 15 years and counting
Answer: 15 years and counting