Mara Duncan
@mcduncanlab.bsky.social
Associate Professor at the University of Michigan. I post photos of my cat and garden, and helpful tips for running a lab. Thoughts my own.
Pinned
Mara Duncan
@mcduncanlab.bsky.social
· Nov 29
🧪Dear Grad student,
Are you overdue for a thesis committee meeting but feel like you have nothing to show since your last meeting? I'm begging you to schedule that meeting now!
1/🧵
Are you overdue for a thesis committee meeting but feel like you have nothing to show since your last meeting? I'm begging you to schedule that meeting now!
1/🧵
Gaaaa--I just want to buy a stupid gene fragment, why can't you just tell me how much it will cost and if I need to break it into two fragments without talking to your sales rep to get a quote!?!
November 19, 2025 at 8:25 PM
Gaaaa--I just want to buy a stupid gene fragment, why can't you just tell me how much it will cost and if I need to break it into two fragments without talking to your sales rep to get a quote!?!
Phew! Due to the shutdown, yesterday evening I got an e-mail that made it seem like a grant had been rejected.
Thankfully, it was just an email informing me that three weeks ago, I asked my signing official to withdraw a submitted proposal due to an error, and replace it with a correct version.
Thankfully, it was just an email informing me that three weeks ago, I asked my signing official to withdraw a submitted proposal due to an error, and replace it with a correct version.
November 19, 2025 at 2:15 PM
Phew! Due to the shutdown, yesterday evening I got an e-mail that made it seem like a grant had been rejected.
Thankfully, it was just an email informing me that three weeks ago, I asked my signing official to withdraw a submitted proposal due to an error, and replace it with a correct version.
Thankfully, it was just an email informing me that three weeks ago, I asked my signing official to withdraw a submitted proposal due to an error, and replace it with a correct version.
Reposted by Mara Duncan
🤔 #AskZebrafish: "Do any of you have a protocol or a kit recommendation to do subcellular fractionation of zebrafish embryos. Ideally I'd like to separate the mitochondria and the nucleus (and as a bonus the rest of the cell parts)"
November 18, 2025 at 4:09 PM
🤔 #AskZebrafish: "Do any of you have a protocol or a kit recommendation to do subcellular fractionation of zebrafish embryos. Ideally I'd like to separate the mitochondria and the nucleus (and as a bonus the rest of the cell parts)"
Reposted by Mara Duncan
Calling all rising juniors & seniors: Interested in biological or biomedical research? Applications for our ’26 Summer Undergraduate Research Experience Program are now open! Nine weeks, hands-on research, & mentorship from some of the nation’s top scientists — learn more: bit.ly/CechFellows
Summer Undergraduate Research Experience | HHMI
The Cech Fellows Program is a paid, nine-week summer research experience empowering the next generation of scientific leaders.
bit.ly
November 18, 2025 at 2:44 PM
Calling all rising juniors & seniors: Interested in biological or biomedical research? Applications for our ’26 Summer Undergraduate Research Experience Program are now open! Nine weeks, hands-on research, & mentorship from some of the nation’s top scientists — learn more: bit.ly/CechFellows
Reposted by Mara Duncan
I just found this now. @jalview.bsky.social team needs your support for their BBSRC application. Deadline tomorrow!
discourse.jalview.org/t/write-a-le...
discourse.jalview.org/t/write-a-le...
Write a letter of support to help keep Jalview funded!
Jalview’s core funding from the Wellcome Trust ends in 2026, and we are now preparing an application to the UK’s BBSRC to support Jalview into the next decade. You can help us keep Jalview available ...
discourse.jalview.org
November 17, 2025 at 9:55 PM
I just found this now. @jalview.bsky.social team needs your support for their BBSRC application. Deadline tomorrow!
discourse.jalview.org/t/write-a-le...
discourse.jalview.org/t/write-a-le...
Reposted by Mara Duncan
Is there anywhere in the US that does dual lipidomics analysis? 🦠🔬
November 17, 2025 at 2:48 PM
Is there anywhere in the US that does dual lipidomics analysis? 🦠🔬
Reposted by Mara Duncan
New Article: "A combined biochemical and computational approach provides evidence for membrane remodelling by the structural scaffold of the endocytic TPLATE complex" rdcu.be/eP4fX
... to generate a comprehensive structure of the multisubunit endocytic TPLATE complex.
... to generate a comprehensive structure of the multisubunit endocytic TPLATE complex.
November 15, 2025 at 12:03 PM
New Article: "A combined biochemical and computational approach provides evidence for membrane remodelling by the structural scaffold of the endocytic TPLATE complex" rdcu.be/eP4fX
... to generate a comprehensive structure of the multisubunit endocytic TPLATE complex.
... to generate a comprehensive structure of the multisubunit endocytic TPLATE complex.
Reposted by Mara Duncan
Are you an early-stage graduate student (2nd or 3rd year) or early-stage postdoc based in the US or Canada, working primarily in Drosophila? Would you like to help improve the experience of all trainees working in Drosophila research? If so, read on.
(Please repost to reach a broad audience.)
(Please repost to reach a broad audience.)
November 12, 2025 at 4:49 AM
Are you an early-stage graduate student (2nd or 3rd year) or early-stage postdoc based in the US or Canada, working primarily in Drosophila? Would you like to help improve the experience of all trainees working in Drosophila research? If so, read on.
(Please repost to reach a broad audience.)
(Please repost to reach a broad audience.)
Reposted by Mara Duncan
Thrilled to share that the final piece of my PhD work is now on bioRxiv! biorxiv.org/content/10.1... With support from @nvidia and the @NSF, we used AlphaFold to screen 1.6M+ protein pairs, revealing thousands of potential novel PPIs. All data can be viewed at predictomes.org/hp
Proteome-wide in silico screening for human protein-protein interactions
Protein-protein interactions (PPIs) drive virtually all biological processes, yet most PPIs have not been identified and even more remain structurally unresolved. We developed a two-step computational...
biorxiv.org
November 12, 2025 at 9:26 PM
Thrilled to share that the final piece of my PhD work is now on bioRxiv! biorxiv.org/content/10.1... With support from @nvidia and the @NSF, we used AlphaFold to screen 1.6M+ protein pairs, revealing thousands of potential novel PPIs. All data can be viewed at predictomes.org/hp
Reposted by Mara Duncan
Interested in learning materials to prepare undergraduate students for working with pathogens and pathogen data? I’m hosting a small curriculum development sprint/workshop. Industry/clinical and educators needed.
Please share. Apply by November 28, 2025
dnalc.cshl.edu/pdn-2026-wor...
Please share. Apply by November 28, 2025
dnalc.cshl.edu/pdn-2026-wor...
Call for Applications: Pathogen Data CUREs—Curriculum Development Workshop
dnalc.cshl.edu
November 11, 2025 at 8:29 PM
Interested in learning materials to prepare undergraduate students for working with pathogens and pathogen data? I’m hosting a small curriculum development sprint/workshop. Industry/clinical and educators needed.
Please share. Apply by November 28, 2025
dnalc.cshl.edu/pdn-2026-wor...
Please share. Apply by November 28, 2025
dnalc.cshl.edu/pdn-2026-wor...
Reposted by Mara Duncan
small SOS:
My lab is struggling to use Napari to visualize and work with MERFISH images. Can one of you kind experts give my student a few pointers?
@mads100tist.bsky.social
My lab is struggling to use Napari to visualize and work with MERFISH images. Can one of you kind experts give my student a few pointers?
@mads100tist.bsky.social
November 11, 2025 at 6:21 PM
small SOS:
My lab is struggling to use Napari to visualize and work with MERFISH images. Can one of you kind experts give my student a few pointers?
@mads100tist.bsky.social
My lab is struggling to use Napari to visualize and work with MERFISH images. Can one of you kind experts give my student a few pointers?
@mads100tist.bsky.social
Biological Chemistry's position is still taking applications. UM is a great place to be a PI, I'd love to see a new membrane biology or lipids expert join our community.
This is open for new and established investigators.
This is open for new and established investigators.
Collaborative. Creative. Impactful. Come join us in Ann Arbor! For more information and application link see jobs.sciencecareers.org/job/675674/f...
November 11, 2025 at 3:33 PM
Biological Chemistry's position is still taking applications. UM is a great place to be a PI, I'd love to see a new membrane biology or lipids expert join our community.
This is open for new and established investigators.
This is open for new and established investigators.
🧪Hey Sciencers:
What's the best protein to tag if you want to look at the recycling endosome without disrupting it's function in human cells?
@franbottanelli.bsky.social ?
What's the best protein to tag if you want to look at the recycling endosome without disrupting it's function in human cells?
@franbottanelli.bsky.social ?
November 11, 2025 at 1:59 PM
🧪Hey Sciencers:
What's the best protein to tag if you want to look at the recycling endosome without disrupting it's function in human cells?
@franbottanelli.bsky.social ?
What's the best protein to tag if you want to look at the recycling endosome without disrupting it's function in human cells?
@franbottanelli.bsky.social ?
Reposted by Mara Duncan
Reposting for the afternoon/early evening scientists
BIOLOG question: is there a good pipeline or program to compare biolog results (either in terms of absorbance reads or carbon sources/antibiotics/etc) to KEGG outputs from whole genome sequencing? Right now our tech is doing am manual comparison but there has to be an easier way. 🦠🧬
November 10, 2025 at 11:30 PM
Reposting for the afternoon/early evening scientists
Do you need a cat in your timeline?
Happy to oblige.
Here is Molly, ready to murder someone because they put the white stuff outside.
Happy to oblige.
Here is Molly, ready to murder someone because they put the white stuff outside.
November 10, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Do you need a cat in your timeline?
Happy to oblige.
Here is Molly, ready to murder someone because they put the white stuff outside.
Happy to oblige.
Here is Molly, ready to murder someone because they put the white stuff outside.
Reposted by Mara Duncan
From MBoC... Lois Weisman ( @umichnews.bsky.social ) reveals how one protein’s teamwork — or lack of it — could hold clues to treating childhood neurodegenerative disease.
🔗 www.molbiolcell.org/doi/full/10....
🔗 www.molbiolcell.org/doi/full/10....
November 10, 2025 at 2:10 PM
From MBoC... Lois Weisman ( @umichnews.bsky.social ) reveals how one protein’s teamwork — or lack of it — could hold clues to treating childhood neurodegenerative disease.
🔗 www.molbiolcell.org/doi/full/10....
🔗 www.molbiolcell.org/doi/full/10....
Reposted by Mara Duncan
Opportunity!
Anybody knows of young marine ecologists (within 7 years from earned PhD) that would like to come to Gothenburg, Sweden, for a nationally funded Assistant Professorship? It is highly competitive but well funded. (1) of (3)
Anybody knows of young marine ecologists (within 7 years from earned PhD) that would like to come to Gothenburg, Sweden, for a nationally funded Assistant Professorship? It is highly competitive but well funded. (1) of (3)
November 10, 2025 at 9:32 AM
Opportunity!
Anybody knows of young marine ecologists (within 7 years from earned PhD) that would like to come to Gothenburg, Sweden, for a nationally funded Assistant Professorship? It is highly competitive but well funded. (1) of (3)
Anybody knows of young marine ecologists (within 7 years from earned PhD) that would like to come to Gothenburg, Sweden, for a nationally funded Assistant Professorship? It is highly competitive but well funded. (1) of (3)
Reposted by Mara Duncan
Check out our @ascbiology.bsky.social #CellBio2025 Minisymposium on ER Homeostasis. With THIS speaker lineup, this event will be as dynamic, transformative and productive as the ER itself!
So don’t 𝗦𝗧𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗦, 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙡𝙤𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙚 yourselves over and join us to 𝗡𝗘𝗧𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗞 in world of the ER. (All PUNS intended.)
So don’t 𝗦𝗧𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗦, 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙡𝙤𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙚 yourselves over and join us to 𝗡𝗘𝗧𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗞 in world of the ER. (All PUNS intended.)
November 9, 2025 at 6:04 PM
Check out our @ascbiology.bsky.social #CellBio2025 Minisymposium on ER Homeostasis. With THIS speaker lineup, this event will be as dynamic, transformative and productive as the ER itself!
So don’t 𝗦𝗧𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗦, 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙡𝙤𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙚 yourselves over and join us to 𝗡𝗘𝗧𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗞 in world of the ER. (All PUNS intended.)
So don’t 𝗦𝗧𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗦, 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙡𝙤𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙚 yourselves over and join us to 𝗡𝗘𝗧𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗞 in world of the ER. (All PUNS intended.)
Finally inoculated the mushrooms for Thanksgiving. I’m sure it’s too late, but maybe for Xmas.
Doing pink oysters for the first time.
Doing pink oysters for the first time.
November 9, 2025 at 3:36 PM
Finally inoculated the mushrooms for Thanksgiving. I’m sure it’s too late, but maybe for Xmas.
Doing pink oysters for the first time.
Doing pink oysters for the first time.
Reposted by Mara Duncan
another sunday, another slew of reco letters for my lovely undergrads. ~ 12 students, each applying to 10-15 schools. you do the math. Why on earth no centralized system like for med school? You do the math for how many faculty hours are 'lost' each fall to this mindless (yet important!) task.
November 9, 2025 at 2:23 PM
another sunday, another slew of reco letters for my lovely undergrads. ~ 12 students, each applying to 10-15 schools. you do the math. Why on earth no centralized system like for med school? You do the math for how many faculty hours are 'lost' each fall to this mindless (yet important!) task.
Reposted by Mara Duncan
A new reporter mouse for visualising Hedgehog/GLI signalling activity
This Research Highlight showcases the work from Hannah Schrader Dear, Nicole Franks, Benjamin Allen and colleagues:
journals.biologists.com/dev/article/...
This Research Highlight showcases the work from Hannah Schrader Dear, Nicole Franks, Benjamin Allen and colleagues:
journals.biologists.com/dev/article/...
November 7, 2025 at 12:33 PM
A new reporter mouse for visualising Hedgehog/GLI signalling activity
This Research Highlight showcases the work from Hannah Schrader Dear, Nicole Franks, Benjamin Allen and colleagues:
journals.biologists.com/dev/article/...
This Research Highlight showcases the work from Hannah Schrader Dear, Nicole Franks, Benjamin Allen and colleagues:
journals.biologists.com/dev/article/...
Reposted by Mara Duncan
2026 #Yeast #Genetics Meeting is 13–17 June 2026 in Pacific Grove CA. Conference website has invited speakers, abstract submission topics, preliminary schedule, etc. Bookmark the site as additional updates will be published as they become available. #YEAST26
genetics-gsa.org/yeast-2026/
genetics-gsa.org/yeast-2026/
November 7, 2025 at 3:41 PM
2026 #Yeast #Genetics Meeting is 13–17 June 2026 in Pacific Grove CA. Conference website has invited speakers, abstract submission topics, preliminary schedule, etc. Bookmark the site as additional updates will be published as they become available. #YEAST26
genetics-gsa.org/yeast-2026/
genetics-gsa.org/yeast-2026/
Reposted by Mara Duncan
Can somebody get me a PDF of this paper for a student? www.cell.com/current-biol...
Photosynthetic acclimation is a key contributor to exponential growth of a desert plant in Death Valley summer
Extreme heat threatens crops, yet some plants thrive. Prado et al. show how Tidestromia
oblongifolia acclimates to extreme heat: photosynthetic optima rise, growth accelerates,
cells become smaller, a...
www.cell.com
November 8, 2025 at 1:18 AM
Can somebody get me a PDF of this paper for a student? www.cell.com/current-biol...
In the mid-90s someone I knew very well said something on irc that made our common friends concerned. The friends contacted me. I got worried. I contacted somebody at the university, and that person got help. They did not hurt themselves. Win for rando internet ppl.
congrats to everyone for thinking this through before signing very big contracts to put it on every student’s device at the school or university you run
OVER A MILLION USERS
DISCUSS SUICIDE WITH CHATGPT
EVERY *WEEK*
what the fuck are we DOING here
DISCUSS SUICIDE WITH CHATGPT
EVERY *WEEK*
what the fuck are we DOING here
November 8, 2025 at 1:12 AM
In the mid-90s someone I knew very well said something on irc that made our common friends concerned. The friends contacted me. I got worried. I contacted somebody at the university, and that person got help. They did not hurt themselves. Win for rando internet ppl.