Vikas Navratna
@vikasnavaratna.bsky.social
Scientist. Cook. Research Faculty at the University of Michigan. Membrane protein paparazzi. Dining enthusiast. Immigrant.
Reposted by Vikas Navratna
Discovery of new AMPA receptor regulators – RNA molecules that act as competitive antagonists causing CNS-related toxicity when intended for treatment of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). Collaboration with Regulus Therapeutic/Novartis! www.nature.com/articles/s41...
November 28, 2025 at 5:26 PM
Discovery of new AMPA receptor regulators – RNA molecules that act as competitive antagonists causing CNS-related toxicity when intended for treatment of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). Collaboration with Regulus Therapeutic/Novartis! www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Vikas Navratna
Prof. Laura Dassama (Stanford Chem) is developing a small-molecule therapy for sickle cell disease that removes BCL11A, restoring fetal hemoglobin without gene editing. Her goal is a simpler, more affordable sickle cell therapy. brnw.ch/21wXP8k
November 26, 2025 at 9:10 PM
Prof. Laura Dassama (Stanford Chem) is developing a small-molecule therapy for sickle cell disease that removes BCL11A, restoring fetal hemoglobin without gene editing. Her goal is a simpler, more affordable sickle cell therapy. brnw.ch/21wXP8k
Reposted by Vikas Navratna
Go my Bothriolepis... This year's fish pecan pie! Bothriolepis was a peculiar-looking placoderm from the Devonian period or the Paleozoic. It had two long pointed pectoral fins and silly little eyes on top of its head.
#fossil #fish #paleontology #bothriolepis
#fossil #fish #paleontology #bothriolepis
November 27, 2025 at 10:16 PM
Go my Bothriolepis... This year's fish pecan pie! Bothriolepis was a peculiar-looking placoderm from the Devonian period or the Paleozoic. It had two long pointed pectoral fins and silly little eyes on top of its head.
#fossil #fish #paleontology #bothriolepis
#fossil #fish #paleontology #bothriolepis
Happy eating until you physically can't anymore day to those who celebrate! I'm kinda looking forward to my timeline being inundated with Thanksgiving meal pictures! Longer tables not higher fences and all that!
November 27, 2025 at 11:55 AM
Happy eating until you physically can't anymore day to those who celebrate! I'm kinda looking forward to my timeline being inundated with Thanksgiving meal pictures! Longer tables not higher fences and all that!
How are they both 99 cents each?
November 26, 2025 at 5:13 PM
How are they both 99 cents each?
Reposted by Vikas Navratna
Out today, we can now multiplex receptor mapping at synapses thanks to a dimeric gold nanoparticle label optimized by Hoyoung that's distinguishable from monomers!
Dimeric gold nanoparticles enable multiplexed labeling in cryoelectron tomography | PNAS www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Dimeric gold nanoparticles enable multiplexed labeling in cryoelectron tomography | PNAS www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
PNAS
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), a peer reviewed journal of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) - an authoritative source of high-impact, original research that broadly spans...
www.pnas.org
November 24, 2025 at 8:54 PM
Out today, we can now multiplex receptor mapping at synapses thanks to a dimeric gold nanoparticle label optimized by Hoyoung that's distinguishable from monomers!
Dimeric gold nanoparticles enable multiplexed labeling in cryoelectron tomography | PNAS www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Dimeric gold nanoparticles enable multiplexed labeling in cryoelectron tomography | PNAS www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Layman's summary.
I guess for some people, junior scientists are like eggs. If you have a dozen, you can break most of them because you only need a couple to produce an omelet.
November 23, 2025 at 12:16 PM
Layman's summary.
Although I know it won't happen, it is foolish to not see that so much more could be achieved with our funding simply by making some long overdue tweaks to the ways in which we disseminate our research output & evaluate our research track record.
"academic publishing is dominated by profit-oriented, multinational companies for whom scientific knowledge is a commodity to be sold back to the academic community who created it... The dominant four collectively generated... $12 billion in profits between 2019 and 2024."
November 18, 2025 at 4:11 PM
Although I know it won't happen, it is foolish to not see that so much more could be achieved with our funding simply by making some long overdue tweaks to the ways in which we disseminate our research output & evaluate our research track record.
If you're in downtown Ann Arbor, there are at least a dozen coffee shops just around central campus, that make far more superior coffee for prices that are the same as, or cheaper than, Starbucks!
Hyperion
Lowertown
Vertex
Lab Cafe
Comet
Cahoots
Curious
Common cup
Roosroast
Bun Chai
Mynt
Moka & Co
Hyperion
Lowertown
Vertex
Lab Cafe
Comet
Cahoots
Curious
Common cup
Roosroast
Bun Chai
Mynt
Moka & Co
It's Monday morning. Where are you getting your coffee?
Because it best not be from Starbucks.
Don't. Cross. The. Picket. Line.
#NoContractNoCoffee
Because it best not be from Starbucks.
Don't. Cross. The. Picket. Line.
#NoContractNoCoffee
a great strike captain once said “anyone can cook, but only the fearless can be great” and we're putting that into practice on the picket line. we’re on national ULP strike to demand higher pay, better hours, and an end to union-busting at starbucks 🐁✊ #nocontractnocoffee
November 17, 2025 at 2:52 PM
If you're in downtown Ann Arbor, there are at least a dozen coffee shops just around central campus, that make far more superior coffee for prices that are the same as, or cheaper than, Starbucks!
Hyperion
Lowertown
Vertex
Lab Cafe
Comet
Cahoots
Curious
Common cup
Roosroast
Bun Chai
Mynt
Moka & Co
Hyperion
Lowertown
Vertex
Lab Cafe
Comet
Cahoots
Curious
Common cup
Roosroast
Bun Chai
Mynt
Moka & Co
WHAT!? Why was this even allowed?
If you are not in academia, you might not know this, but job interviews used to be held at conferences IN HOTEL ROOMS. Women candidates in a hotel room alone with often all-male committees. People sitting on beds! The horror stories I've heard.
I thing I sometimes thing about is that university departments were still doing job interviews in hotel rooms in the mid aughts
November 16, 2025 at 8:49 PM
WHAT!? Why was this even allowed?
Made a calzone for the first time. The crust needs a bit of work, as the bread is not uniform on all sides. I used enriched (egg & yogurt) pizza dough (50% sprouted whole wheat). I sauteed the veggies briefly in butter, homemade spicy marinara sauce, & some parmesan. Turned out to be decent.
November 15, 2025 at 8:23 PM
Made a calzone for the first time. The crust needs a bit of work, as the bread is not uniform on all sides. I used enriched (egg & yogurt) pizza dough (50% sprouted whole wheat). I sauteed the veggies briefly in butter, homemade spicy marinara sauce, & some parmesan. Turned out to be decent.
Reposted by Vikas Navratna
MISO: microfluidic protein isolation enables single-particle cryo-EM structure determination from a single cell colony.
Or from a single dish of HEK cell culture in the case of two membrane proteins.
Out in Nature Methods now! lnkd.in/gpyBSceg
Wonderful collaboration with the Efremov lab.
Or from a single dish of HEK cell culture in the case of two membrane proteins.
Out in Nature Methods now! lnkd.in/gpyBSceg
Wonderful collaboration with the Efremov lab.
November 14, 2025 at 6:38 PM
MISO: microfluidic protein isolation enables single-particle cryo-EM structure determination from a single cell colony.
Or from a single dish of HEK cell culture in the case of two membrane proteins.
Out in Nature Methods now! lnkd.in/gpyBSceg
Wonderful collaboration with the Efremov lab.
Or from a single dish of HEK cell culture in the case of two membrane proteins.
Out in Nature Methods now! lnkd.in/gpyBSceg
Wonderful collaboration with the Efremov lab.
I think I'm going to do well in 2026!
November 14, 2025 at 12:16 AM
I think I'm going to do well in 2026!
Reposted by Vikas Navratna
Great news: Johns Hopkins makes tuition free for most undergraduate students. ($200k/year or less is about 85% of American households.)
hub.jhu.edu/2025/11/13/j...
hub.jhu.edu/2025/11/13/j...
Johns Hopkins becomes tuition-free for undergraduate students from families earning up to $200,000
New tuition promise program will offer free tuition for students from more than 85% of American households and tuition plus living expenses for families earning up to $100,000
hub.jhu.edu
November 13, 2025 at 9:36 PM
Great news: Johns Hopkins makes tuition free for most undergraduate students. ($200k/year or less is about 85% of American households.)
hub.jhu.edu/2025/11/13/j...
hub.jhu.edu/2025/11/13/j...
Based on this article, the math is terrifying!! As it stands, in the US alone, about 6 million kids will die before they're 5 years of age, due to rare diseases!!
The weird reality of 'rare' diseases is that almost everyone knows someone who is affected by one.
1 in 10 people in the US, and *at least* 1 in 20 globally, will have a rare disease during their lifetime.
1 in 10 people in the US, and *at least* 1 in 20 globally, will have a rare disease during their lifetime.
1 in 10 Americans have a rare disease, but few have treatments
The scientific community has identified more than 10,000 rare diseases, but the path to accurately diagnosing and treating these illnesses has been
www.statnews.com
November 13, 2025 at 6:46 PM
Based on this article, the math is terrifying!! As it stands, in the US alone, about 6 million kids will die before they're 5 years of age, due to rare diseases!!
Reposted by Vikas Navratna
The Gowrishankar lab will be opening its doors @neuro_MUSC on Dec 1, 2025! We will be hiring at all levels. I will also be at @SfNtweets presenting my lab's vision on Wednesday, Nov 19, 8AM-12PM at poster board GG7. If you're interested, please reach out!
www.raajgowrishankarlab.org
www.raajgowrishankarlab.org
Gowrishankar Lab
www.raajgowrishankarlab.org
November 12, 2025 at 10:23 PM
The Gowrishankar lab will be opening its doors @neuro_MUSC on Dec 1, 2025! We will be hiring at all levels. I will also be at @SfNtweets presenting my lab's vision on Wednesday, Nov 19, 8AM-12PM at poster board GG7. If you're interested, please reach out!
www.raajgowrishankarlab.org
www.raajgowrishankarlab.org
Who's the number one spice?
Who's the number one spice?
Well, Mr. Cardamom, the number one spice is actually your namesake!
Who's the number one spice?
Well, Mr. Cardamom, the number one spice is actually your namesake!
November 12, 2025 at 9:55 PM
Who's the number one spice?
Who's the number one spice?
Well, Mr. Cardamom, the number one spice is actually your namesake!
Who's the number one spice?
Well, Mr. Cardamom, the number one spice is actually your namesake!
Reposted by Vikas Navratna
"She tells of a student who kept trying to save her meal to carry home, because she didn’t have anything to eat there. Seiber-Garland and her staff found a way to provide her with a second meal for the evening."
All Praise to the Lunch Ladies — THE BITTER SOUTHERNER
Blessed are the women who watch over America’s children.
bittersoutherner.com
November 12, 2025 at 2:02 PM
"She tells of a student who kept trying to save her meal to carry home, because she didn’t have anything to eat there. Seiber-Garland and her staff found a way to provide her with a second meal for the evening."
Reposted by Vikas Navratna
New preprint from the lab in collaboration with @sherberg128.bsky.social. By only altering the stiffness of the substrate, we discovered changes in corneal endothelial cell health. This study indicates how physical changes to the Descemet's membrane can affect the endothelium.
Decreased substrate stiffness leads to mitochondrial dysfunctions and Endothelial to Mesenchymal transition through Focal Adhesion Kinase activity in corneal endothelial cells https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.08.687366v1
November 10, 2025 at 4:38 PM
New preprint from the lab in collaboration with @sherberg128.bsky.social. By only altering the stiffness of the substrate, we discovered changes in corneal endothelial cell health. This study indicates how physical changes to the Descemet's membrane can affect the endothelium.
Reposted by Vikas Navratna
In today’s @insidehighered.com article, @abankston.bsky.social and I draw from our book 'Thriving As An International Scientist' to unpack:
- challenges international scientists in U.S. face
- concrete actions universities, employers & scientific societies can take for their dynamic career success.
- challenges international scientists in U.S. face
- concrete actions universities, employers & scientific societies can take for their dynamic career success.
Career Advice | From Training to Thriving: Building Systems That Support International Scientists
Universities and professional organizations can take practical steps to remove systemic barriers faced by international Ph.D. students and postdocs in their career planning. https://bit.ly/3LuxbfE
Universities and professional organizations can take practical steps to remove systemic barriers faced by international Ph.D. students and postdocs in their career planning. https://bit.ly/3LuxbfE
November 11, 2025 at 12:14 AM
In today’s @insidehighered.com article, @abankston.bsky.social and I draw from our book 'Thriving As An International Scientist' to unpack:
- challenges international scientists in U.S. face
- concrete actions universities, employers & scientific societies can take for their dynamic career success.
- challenges international scientists in U.S. face
- concrete actions universities, employers & scientific societies can take for their dynamic career success.
Reposted by Vikas Navratna
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....
The entire interview is great, obviously. But, this is perhaps the best part.
November 10, 2025 at 7:35 PM
The entire interview is great, obviously. But, this is perhaps the best part.
Reposted by Vikas Navratna
Sharing this, quite relevant this week. www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
Remembering my sister Rosalind Franklin
Rosalind Franklin died of ovarian cancer in 1958 aged 37 years. Sympathy and feminism
have combined to give us her familiar image as a downtrodden woman scientist, brilliant
but neglected, a heroine t...
www.thelancet.com
November 8, 2025 at 10:25 AM
Sharing this, quite relevant this week. www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
Oh nooooooo! My chicken drowned in the herbal bath that I drew for them!!
November 8, 2025 at 12:11 AM
Oh nooooooo! My chicken drowned in the herbal bath that I drew for them!!