B. Duygu Özpolat (she/her)
@biyolokum.bsky.social
Assistant Professor, Biology, Washington University in Saint Louis
Regeneration, germ cells, segmented worms
I also make Science Art (mostly pottery)
#SciArt #WormWednesday #Annelida
www.ozpolatlab.org
Regeneration, germ cells, segmented worms
I also make Science Art (mostly pottery)
#SciArt #WormWednesday #Annelida
www.ozpolatlab.org
Pinned
It's a worm's world: regeneration and regrowth in the Özpolat Lab
Inside a corner lab in the basement of Busch, thousands of worms lay in wait. The windowless room stays at a cool 18 degrees Celsius. Small plastic containers (think the ones you might have put some c...
biology.wustl.edu
"It's a worm's world" a lovely article by Maddy Frank about our lab's work!
biology.wustl.edu/news/its-wor...
biology.wustl.edu/news/its-wor...
Reposted by B. Duygu Özpolat (she/her)
Before LLMs we still got many copy-paste materials! My favorite was a CV that started "My squid-like head is a masterful problem solver and I hope that I can bring world domination to your organization." If you google the first phrase you can find dozens! They unwittingly copied a joke C'thulhu CV.
November 24, 2025 at 3:52 PM
Before LLMs we still got many copy-paste materials! My favorite was a CV that started "My squid-like head is a masterful problem solver and I hope that I can bring world domination to your organization." If you google the first phrase you can find dozens! They unwittingly copied a joke C'thulhu CV.
Students applying for grad school, or reaching out to professors. I have an important piece of advice for you: STOP DOING THIS 👇 (a thread) #STEM #PhD #gradschool #academictips
November 21, 2025 at 9:53 PM
Students applying for grad school, or reaching out to professors. I have an important piece of advice for you: STOP DOING THIS 👇 (a thread) #STEM #PhD #gradschool #academictips
Reposted by B. Duygu Özpolat (she/her)
Drawing together findings from several projects over many years, we make a case that neural cell types in the Clytia larva have two embryological origins: i-cells and ectodermal.
bioRxiv 2025.11.17.688882; doi: doi.org/10.1101/2025...
bioRxiv 2025.11.17.688882; doi: doi.org/10.1101/2025...
November 19, 2025 at 7:43 AM
Drawing together findings from several projects over many years, we make a case that neural cell types in the Clytia larva have two embryological origins: i-cells and ectodermal.
bioRxiv 2025.11.17.688882; doi: doi.org/10.1101/2025...
bioRxiv 2025.11.17.688882; doi: doi.org/10.1101/2025...
Reposted by B. Duygu Özpolat (she/her)
Our paper on the role of neurons in Nematostella head regeneration is now out at @currentbiology.bsky.social Big thank you to all collaborators, it was a pleasure!
Ectopic head regeneration after nervous system ablation in a sea anemone: Current Biology www.cell.com/current-biol...
Ectopic head regeneration after nervous system ablation in a sea anemone: Current Biology www.cell.com/current-biol...
Ectopic head regeneration after nervous system ablation in a sea anemone
Via genetic ablation of neurons, Mazloumi Gavgani et al. show that the nervous system
is essential for defining axial polarity during whole-body regeneration in the sea
anemone Nematostella vectensis.
www.cell.com
November 18, 2025 at 10:00 AM
Our paper on the role of neurons in Nematostella head regeneration is now out at @currentbiology.bsky.social Big thank you to all collaborators, it was a pleasure!
Ectopic head regeneration after nervous system ablation in a sea anemone: Current Biology www.cell.com/current-biol...
Ectopic head regeneration after nervous system ablation in a sea anemone: Current Biology www.cell.com/current-biol...
Reposted by B. Duygu Özpolat (she/her)
Why did I only just find out that that there are water striders that live IN (ON!!) THE OPEN OCEAN? 🧪
OCEAN STRIDERS!!
OCEAN STRIDERS!!
Why did only one genus of insects, Halobates, take to the high seas?
Oceans cover over 70% of the earth’s surface and house a dizzying array of organisms, including five species of the peppercorn-sized ocean-skater Halobates, which live exclusively at the ocean surface...
journals.plos.org
November 19, 2025 at 12:24 PM
Why did I only just find out that that there are water striders that live IN (ON!!) THE OPEN OCEAN? 🧪
OCEAN STRIDERS!!
OCEAN STRIDERS!!
Reposted by B. Duygu Özpolat (she/her)
Do we still do starter packs on here?
I’d love it if you’d share this post, and let me know which ones I’m missing!
go.bsky.app/MRgGsPy
I’d love it if you’d share this post, and let me know which ones I’m missing!
go.bsky.app/MRgGsPy
October 2, 2025 at 7:48 PM
Do we still do starter packs on here?
I’d love it if you’d share this post, and let me know which ones I’m missing!
go.bsky.app/MRgGsPy
I’d love it if you’d share this post, and let me know which ones I’m missing!
go.bsky.app/MRgGsPy
Reposted by B. Duygu Özpolat (she/her)
Creatives from any industry more than welcome to submit auction lots - whether it's a half hour chat about breaking into your industry, a piece of art, a poem, a curated booklist by a librarian, say! Sign up and more info here! #Creatives4Sudan #KeepEyesOnSudan www.sudancoup.com/auction
Creatives4Sudan Fundraising Auction — Keep Eyes On Sudan
Creatives coming together to raise life-saving funds for the people escaping genocide in El-Fasher, Sudan
www.sudancoup.com
November 16, 2025 at 8:26 AM
Creatives from any industry more than welcome to submit auction lots - whether it's a half hour chat about breaking into your industry, a piece of art, a poem, a curated booklist by a librarian, say! Sign up and more info here! #Creatives4Sudan #KeepEyesOnSudan www.sudancoup.com/auction
Reposted by B. Duygu Özpolat (she/her)
#InverteFest season is almost here, which means it's time to submit your bug & slug art! The form closes at 100 entries.
Find more info, download past art book, and submit here:
invertefest.com/#artbook
Find more info, download past art book, and submit here:
invertefest.com/#artbook
November 11, 2025 at 4:12 PM
#InverteFest season is almost here, which means it's time to submit your bug & slug art! The form closes at 100 entries.
Find more info, download past art book, and submit here:
invertefest.com/#artbook
Find more info, download past art book, and submit here:
invertefest.com/#artbook
Reposted by B. Duygu Özpolat (she/her)
🚨ISRB Webinar Alert - Zone 3: The Americas📷 Join us on November 14th at 12pm US East Coast Time on #LiverRegeneration featuring Nick Baker from the Kalsotra Lab and Soumita Ghosh from the Mamatha Bhat Lab @uhnresearch.ca
November 12, 2025 at 4:10 PM
🚨ISRB Webinar Alert - Zone 3: The Americas📷 Join us on November 14th at 12pm US East Coast Time on #LiverRegeneration featuring Nick Baker from the Kalsotra Lab and Soumita Ghosh from the Mamatha Bhat Lab @uhnresearch.ca
This article seems to sum up the Franklin, Wilkins, Watson, Crick story pretty well.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
November 8, 2025 at 10:48 PM
This article seems to sum up the Franklin, Wilkins, Watson, Crick story pretty well.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Choose Development! An amazing program for undergrads to do research in the summer.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6Do...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6Do...
Introduction to SDB Choose Development! - 2026
YouTube video by Society for Developmental Biology
www.youtube.com
November 7, 2025 at 11:53 PM
Choose Development! An amazing program for undergrads to do research in the summer.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6Do...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6Do...
Gonna leave this great video about Rosalind Franklin here:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIP0...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIP0...
Rosalind Franklin: DNA's unsung hero - Cláudio L. Guerra
YouTube video by TED-Ed
www.youtube.com
November 7, 2025 at 11:20 PM
Gonna leave this great video about Rosalind Franklin here:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIP0...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIP0...
Reposted by B. Duygu Özpolat (she/her)
Hey folks, as news of Watson's demise spreads, please don't set aside his weighty legacy of misogyny and racism. He was truly among the worst of us. www.vox.com/2019/1/15/18...
DNA scientist James Watson has a remarkably long history of sexist, racist public comments
“People say it would be terrible if we made all girls pretty,” he said in 2003. “I think it would be great.”
www.vox.com
November 7, 2025 at 7:45 PM
Hey folks, as news of Watson's demise spreads, please don't set aside his weighty legacy of misogyny and racism. He was truly among the worst of us. www.vox.com/2019/1/15/18...
Ok, I got very curious about this tool, and tried it on a paper we already published. But I uploaded the first version of the paper we originally submitted (not the published version). I am VERY IMPRESSED. But based on this one paper, I don't think the tool replaces human peer-reviewers. Thread 👇
Excited to launch an openRxiv partnership with the scientist-run AI review service qed (@qedscience.bsky.social), the brainchild of @odedrechavi.bsky.social 1/n
openrxiv.org/enabling-rev...
openrxiv.org/enabling-rev...
Enabling options for review: from training and transparency to author-centered AI tools - openRxiv
Peer review is widely viewed as a critical aspect of biomedical communication. Ideally, it provides authors with feedback so they can improve manuscripts and gives readers, particularly nonspecialists...
openrxiv.org
November 7, 2025 at 5:11 PM
Ok, I got very curious about this tool, and tried it on a paper we already published. But I uploaded the first version of the paper we originally submitted (not the published version). I am VERY IMPRESSED. But based on this one paper, I don't think the tool replaces human peer-reviewers. Thread 👇
Reposted by B. Duygu Özpolat (she/her)
A molecular, spatial and regulatory atlas of the Hydra vulgaris nervous system
Read this #LifelongDevSI #OA Techniques and Resources Article by Hannah Morris Little, Abby S. Primack, Jennifer Tsverov, Celina E. Juliano (@julianolab.bsky.social) and colleagues:
doi.org/10.1242/dev....
Read this #LifelongDevSI #OA Techniques and Resources Article by Hannah Morris Little, Abby S. Primack, Jennifer Tsverov, Celina E. Juliano (@julianolab.bsky.social) and colleagues:
doi.org/10.1242/dev....
November 3, 2025 at 3:53 PM
A molecular, spatial and regulatory atlas of the Hydra vulgaris nervous system
Read this #LifelongDevSI #OA Techniques and Resources Article by Hannah Morris Little, Abby S. Primack, Jennifer Tsverov, Celina E. Juliano (@julianolab.bsky.social) and colleagues:
doi.org/10.1242/dev....
Read this #LifelongDevSI #OA Techniques and Resources Article by Hannah Morris Little, Abby S. Primack, Jennifer Tsverov, Celina E. Juliano (@julianolab.bsky.social) and colleagues:
doi.org/10.1242/dev....
Reposted by B. Duygu Özpolat (she/her)
Beyond the beginning – development that lasts a lifetime
Read this #LifelongDevSI Editorial by Meritxell Huch (@merihuchlab.bsky.social), Mansi Srivastava and Alex Eve (@amjeve.bsky.social).
doi.org/10.1242/dev....
Read this #LifelongDevSI Editorial by Meritxell Huch (@merihuchlab.bsky.social), Mansi Srivastava and Alex Eve (@amjeve.bsky.social).
doi.org/10.1242/dev....
Beyond the beginning – development that lasts a lifetime
Traditionally, developmental biology has been considered the study of the embryo, and significant events such as metamorphosis or birth signify the pinnacle of development. However, we now better appr...
doi.org
November 3, 2025 at 4:12 PM
Beyond the beginning – development that lasts a lifetime
Read this #LifelongDevSI Editorial by Meritxell Huch (@merihuchlab.bsky.social), Mansi Srivastava and Alex Eve (@amjeve.bsky.social).
doi.org/10.1242/dev....
Read this #LifelongDevSI Editorial by Meritxell Huch (@merihuchlab.bsky.social), Mansi Srivastava and Alex Eve (@amjeve.bsky.social).
doi.org/10.1242/dev....
Internet enshittification reached another level indeed.
Another problem with AI is it makes us lose trust in what we're seeing
Is it just me or does it look like This American Life is now using AI cover art for the podcast?☹️
(I hope I’m wrong about this!)
(I hope I’m wrong about this!)
November 3, 2025 at 4:03 AM
Internet enshittification reached another level indeed.
Reposted by B. Duygu Özpolat (she/her)
Continuing on with photos from this last batch of pottery — pls enjoy these wee Worrybirds (warbler-mode)! I got a lovely matte clear glaze for this batch & they feel like the smoothest, most pleasant river stones now 🥰
October 30, 2025 at 1:43 PM
Continuing on with photos from this last batch of pottery — pls enjoy these wee Worrybirds (warbler-mode)! I got a lovely matte clear glaze for this batch & they feel like the smoothest, most pleasant river stones now 🥰
Reposted by B. Duygu Özpolat (she/her)
The handle broke off this one before bisque firing, but I figured it was good as piece as any to test a new glaze on. Omg the colors came out soooo good 😭 this means I can start glazing stuff now!!
October 31, 2025 at 5:33 PM
The handle broke off this one before bisque firing, but I figured it was good as piece as any to test a new glaze on. Omg the colors came out soooo good 😭 this means I can start glazing stuff now!!
Reposted by B. Duygu Özpolat (she/her)
🧪hey all, a friend and colleague, @maddoxfornc.bsky.social, is running for Congress in North Carolina. He is a scientist, professor, and parent, perspectives that are especially important right now. I hope you will support his run for Congress. Find out more here: www.maddoxforcongress.com/about/
Meet Paul Maddox
Paul Maddox is a world-renowned cancer researcher, two-time entrepreneur, and native son of Western North Carolina–and now, a candidate for U.S. Congress. ....
www.maddoxforcongress.com
October 30, 2025 at 7:26 PM
🧪hey all, a friend and colleague, @maddoxfornc.bsky.social, is running for Congress in North Carolina. He is a scientist, professor, and parent, perspectives that are especially important right now. I hope you will support his run for Congress. Find out more here: www.maddoxforcongress.com/about/
Reposted by B. Duygu Özpolat (she/her)
Well reported story on the PBS News Hour about science cuts and the ongoing and potential brain drain.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLvO...
Thanks to Terrance Tao and other scientists at various career stages for having the courage to speak out.
Watch and share!
1/7
www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLvO...
Thanks to Terrance Tao and other scientists at various career stages for having the courage to speak out.
Watch and share!
1/7
Top researchers consider leaving U.S. amid funding cuts: 'The science world is ending'
YouTube video by PBS NewsHour
www.youtube.com
October 30, 2025 at 11:36 AM
Well reported story on the PBS News Hour about science cuts and the ongoing and potential brain drain.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLvO...
Thanks to Terrance Tao and other scientists at various career stages for having the courage to speak out.
Watch and share!
1/7
www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLvO...
Thanks to Terrance Tao and other scientists at various career stages for having the courage to speak out.
Watch and share!
1/7
Reposted by B. Duygu Özpolat (she/her)
Please help distribute this announcement for the Ph.D. in Biology Program @stowersinstitute.bsky.social
October 29, 2025 at 6:15 PM
Please help distribute this announcement for the Ph.D. in Biology Program @stowersinstitute.bsky.social
Reposted by B. Duygu Özpolat (she/her)
Scientific Reports meanwhile on course to publish 40K papers = >$100M pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov?term=%22Scie...
October 28, 2025 at 3:51 PM
Scientific Reports meanwhile on course to publish 40K papers = >$100M pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov?term=%22Scie...
Reposted by B. Duygu Özpolat (she/her)
New story up on the non-existent banned words from NIH grants (based on my grant title, word cloud analysis)
www.statnews.com/2025/10/29/n...
1/3
www.statnews.com/2025/10/29/n...
1/3
Scientists had to change more than 700 grant titles to receive NIH funding. Health disparities researchers fear what’s next
The titles of more than 700 multi-year NIH grants have been changed this year, according to an analysis by Jeremy Berg, a former agency official
www.statnews.com
October 29, 2025 at 12:07 PM
New story up on the non-existent banned words from NIH grants (based on my grant title, word cloud analysis)
www.statnews.com/2025/10/29/n...
1/3
www.statnews.com/2025/10/29/n...
1/3