Karen Fisher, PhD
@fisherke.bsky.social
@RutgersU (Busch campus)
Learning CryoEM, Cryo-FIB, and all things viral
Interests: Chytrids, cytoskeletal dynamics, autophagy in plants, cool imaging techniques.
Espresso addict
BA: College of Wooster (OH)
MS, PhD: Arizona State
Learning CryoEM, Cryo-FIB, and all things viral
Interests: Chytrids, cytoskeletal dynamics, autophagy in plants, cool imaging techniques.
Espresso addict
BA: College of Wooster (OH)
MS, PhD: Arizona State
Not quite ready for this -
November 11, 2025 at 7:45 PM
Not quite ready for this -
Reposted by Karen Fisher, PhD
🔬🍀
A timelapse movie (unpublished data) from the lab.
In the movie, the nucleus is moving towards the base of the polarized root hair cell.
A timelapse movie (unpublished data) from the lab.
In the movie, the nucleus is moving towards the base of the polarized root hair cell.
November 11, 2025 at 6:01 PM
🔬🍀
A timelapse movie (unpublished data) from the lab.
In the movie, the nucleus is moving towards the base of the polarized root hair cell.
A timelapse movie (unpublished data) from the lab.
In the movie, the nucleus is moving towards the base of the polarized root hair cell.
Reposted by Karen Fisher, PhD
Ru Zhang, PhD, will lead a team of scientists in a new NSF-funded project that aims to find out how plant cells retain memory of heat stress.
Learn how their work could help future crops adapt to heat: https://loom.ly/F214Eco
Learn how their work could help future crops adapt to heat: https://loom.ly/F214Eco
Collaborative Research Team to Uncover How Plants “Remember” and Adapt to Heat Stress - Danforth Plant Science Center
A new collaborative research team of plant scientists led by Ru Zhang, PhD, associate member, Danforth Plant Science Center has been awarded new funding from the National Science Foundation to investigate how photosynthetic cells retain “heat stress memory” (HSM), a key adaptive mechanism that could help future crops withstand intense and frequent heat waves.
www.danforthcenter.org
November 10, 2025 at 3:32 PM
Ru Zhang, PhD, will lead a team of scientists in a new NSF-funded project that aims to find out how plant cells retain memory of heat stress.
Learn how their work could help future crops adapt to heat: https://loom.ly/F214Eco
Learn how their work could help future crops adapt to heat: https://loom.ly/F214Eco
Reposted by Karen Fisher, PhD
Just a reminder that the application deadline for the @uncbiology.bsky.social tenure-track Assistant Professor in Plant Molecular Biology position closes in a week (Nov 17). Chapel Hill is a wonderful place and Biology is an amazing group of people. To apply, see: unc.peopleadmin.com/postings/307...
November 10, 2025 at 1:07 PM
Just a reminder that the application deadline for the @uncbiology.bsky.social tenure-track Assistant Professor in Plant Molecular Biology position closes in a week (Nov 17). Chapel Hill is a wonderful place and Biology is an amazing group of people. To apply, see: unc.peopleadmin.com/postings/307...
Reposted by Karen Fisher, PhD
One of my science heroes, Joan Brugge, talks about how science funding cuts are slowing their work on breast cancer prevention--share this widely
www.facebook.com/60minutes/vi...
www.facebook.com/60minutes/vi...
439K views · 15K reactions | Harvard researcher Joan Brugge says her work has the potential to prevent breast cancer, but she was notified last spring that her federal funding was terminated. “It was ...
Harvard researcher Joan Brugge says her work has the potential to prevent breast cancer, but she was notified last spring that her federal funding was terminated. “It was just like a gut punch. My...
www.facebook.com
November 10, 2025 at 11:12 AM
One of my science heroes, Joan Brugge, talks about how science funding cuts are slowing their work on breast cancer prevention--share this widely
www.facebook.com/60minutes/vi...
www.facebook.com/60minutes/vi...
That fable about the scorpion and the frog comes to mind right now...
November 10, 2025 at 1:22 AM
That fable about the scorpion and the frog comes to mind right now...
Reposted by Karen Fisher, PhD
Forty days from now:
November 10, 2025 at 1:18 AM
Forty days from now:
Reposted by Karen Fisher, PhD
This is the food distribution line at Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas 11/7/25. This is what Trump doesn't want you to see.
November 8, 2025 at 7:17 PM
This is the food distribution line at Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas 11/7/25. This is what Trump doesn't want you to see.
Reposted by Karen Fisher, PhD
While they’re still screwing about with SNAP, it’s a good idea to donate to pet shelters, too.
If you dare show up with “poor people shouldn’t have pets”, I will tear such a new one it generates a black hole.
apnews.com/article/pets...
If you dare show up with “poor people shouldn’t have pets”, I will tear such a new one it generates a black hole.
apnews.com/article/pets...
Families on SNAP worry about not just feeding themselves but also their pets
With SNAP benefits going out late, nonprofits are begging for pet food donations to prevent desperate owners from surrendering their dogs and cats to animal shelters.
apnews.com
November 8, 2025 at 9:06 PM
While they’re still screwing about with SNAP, it’s a good idea to donate to pet shelters, too.
If you dare show up with “poor people shouldn’t have pets”, I will tear such a new one it generates a black hole.
apnews.com/article/pets...
If you dare show up with “poor people shouldn’t have pets”, I will tear such a new one it generates a black hole.
apnews.com/article/pets...
Reposted by Karen Fisher, PhD
A Sharon Begley byline, almost 5 years after her death.
Upon hearing the news James Watson had died, a STAT reporter said in our Slack, "I wish I could read what Sharon would have written."
Incredible news: Sharon in fact did pre-write a Watson obit. And it is masterful and excoriating.
🧪🧬🧫
Upon hearing the news James Watson had died, a STAT reporter said in our Slack, "I wish I could read what Sharon would have written."
Incredible news: Sharon in fact did pre-write a Watson obit. And it is masterful and excoriating.
🧪🧬🧫
James Watson, dead at 97, was a scientific legend and a pariah among his peers
James Watson, the co-discoverer of the structure of DNA who died Thursday at 97, was a scientific legend and a pariah among his peers.
www.statnews.com
November 8, 2025 at 1:39 PM
A Sharon Begley byline, almost 5 years after her death.
Upon hearing the news James Watson had died, a STAT reporter said in our Slack, "I wish I could read what Sharon would have written."
Incredible news: Sharon in fact did pre-write a Watson obit. And it is masterful and excoriating.
🧪🧬🧫
Upon hearing the news James Watson had died, a STAT reporter said in our Slack, "I wish I could read what Sharon would have written."
Incredible news: Sharon in fact did pre-write a Watson obit. And it is masterful and excoriating.
🧪🧬🧫
Reposted by Karen Fisher, PhD
Why are ICE agents being paid during the shutdown, but not air traffic controllers? 🤨
November 8, 2025 at 12:05 AM
Why are ICE agents being paid during the shutdown, but not air traffic controllers? 🤨
Reposted by Karen Fisher, PhD
There’s a young southern woman on tt doing an experiment: calling churches & asking if they can help her get baby formula, saying she can’t afford it. Of the 30+ she’s called, nearly every church has said no. The ones who said yes were:
Black Baptist Churches
A Mosque
A small Appalachian church
Black Baptist Churches
A Mosque
A small Appalachian church
November 8, 2025 at 11:07 AM
There’s a young southern woman on tt doing an experiment: calling churches & asking if they can help her get baby formula, saying she can’t afford it. Of the 30+ she’s called, nearly every church has said no. The ones who said yes were:
Black Baptist Churches
A Mosque
A small Appalachian church
Black Baptist Churches
A Mosque
A small Appalachian church
Reposted by Karen Fisher, PhD
'Maybe we'll cancel SNAP and 10-20% of all flights through *Thanksgiving* and *Christmas*' is just an insane political position.
You do that and the annual Turkey fryer injuries won't be from turkeys, but from folks attempting to fry whole GOP senators for Thanksgiving.
You do that and the annual Turkey fryer injuries won't be from turkeys, but from folks attempting to fry whole GOP senators for Thanksgiving.
GOP SEN. JOHN KENNEDY: It may be 2026 when we'll come out of the shutdown.
REPORTERS: 😳
KENNEDY: I'm not kidding, you guys. I mean, you see what I see. Okay? This shutdown is going to last a long time. What's going to get us out of it?
REPORTERS: 😳
KENNEDY: I'm not kidding, you guys. I mean, you see what I see. Okay? This shutdown is going to last a long time. What's going to get us out of it?
November 8, 2025 at 5:32 AM
'Maybe we'll cancel SNAP and 10-20% of all flights through *Thanksgiving* and *Christmas*' is just an insane political position.
You do that and the annual Turkey fryer injuries won't be from turkeys, but from folks attempting to fry whole GOP senators for Thanksgiving.
You do that and the annual Turkey fryer injuries won't be from turkeys, but from folks attempting to fry whole GOP senators for Thanksgiving.
Reposted by Karen Fisher, PhD
Trump’s aid cuts are killing far more Nigerian Christians than Islamic terrorists are. Independent monitors in Nigeria report 33 deaths this year in attacks against Christians (fewer than the 88 Muslims killed). But Trump cut off aid that helped save 270,000 lives a year in Nigeria. 270,000 > 33.
Opinion | Trump Aid Cuts Kill More Christians Than Jihadists Do
www.nytimes.com
November 8, 2025 at 12:34 PM
Trump’s aid cuts are killing far more Nigerian Christians than Islamic terrorists are. Independent monitors in Nigeria report 33 deaths this year in attacks against Christians (fewer than the 88 Muslims killed). But Trump cut off aid that helped save 270,000 lives a year in Nigeria. 270,000 > 33.
Reposted by Karen Fisher, PhD
The absolute gall of this administration full of Christian dominionists suddenly, well, getting religion on the separation of church and state because clergy is embarrassing them.
(Also obviously they are wrong on both the law and morality)
(Also obviously they are wrong on both the law and morality)
“During the call, the anonymous representative told a group of faith leaders and activists that ‘There is no more prayer in front of building or inside the building because this is the state and it’s not [of a] religious background.’”
These cowards can’t even talk to clergy face-to-face.
These cowards can’t even talk to clergy face-to-face.
Feds Tell Faith Leaders 'No More Prayer' Outside Broadview Facility
In a possible violation of the First Amendment, federal officials instructed demonstrators to stop holding religious gatherings outside the immigration processing facility in suburban Broadview after ...
blockclubchicago.org
November 8, 2025 at 1:16 PM
The absolute gall of this administration full of Christian dominionists suddenly, well, getting religion on the separation of church and state because clergy is embarrassing them.
(Also obviously they are wrong on both the law and morality)
(Also obviously they are wrong on both the law and morality)
Reposted by Karen Fisher, PhD
To be fair it's usually your own work that you find the fatal flaw in and the comic is just a repeat of the guy on the left
November 7, 2025 at 3:47 PM
To be fair it's usually your own work that you find the fatal flaw in and the comic is just a repeat of the guy on the left
Reposted by Karen Fisher, PhD
To put this in scale, Elon Musk's salary from Tesla alone could fund the SNAP program for the entire country into 2034.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk scored a resounding victory on Thursday as shareholders approved a pay package of as much as $878 billion over the next decade, endorsing his vision of morphing the EV maker into an AI and robotics juggernaut.
Tesla shareholders approve $878 billion pay plan for Elon Musk
Tesla CEO Elon Musk scored a resounding victory on Thursday as shareholders approved a pay package of as much as $878 billion over the next decade, endorsing his vision of morphing the EV maker into an AI and robotics juggernaut.
reut.rs
November 6, 2025 at 10:19 PM
To put this in scale, Elon Musk's salary from Tesla alone could fund the SNAP program for the entire country into 2034.
Reposted by Karen Fisher, PhD
Direct File made tax season easy and free for Arizonans. Ending it will only mean higher costs and more headaches for taxpayers.
I’ll keep fighting to restore free, simple filing.
I’ll keep fighting to restore free, simple filing.
The IRS is officially ending Direct File, the free, government-run tax-filing pilot program that the Biden administration started last year.
Free Tax-Filing Experiment Is Ended by Trump Administration
The IRS is halting Direct File, the Biden-era tax-preparation software pilot, and it pointed to other free services.
on.wsj.com
November 6, 2025 at 11:34 PM
Direct File made tax season easy and free for Arizonans. Ending it will only mean higher costs and more headaches for taxpayers.
I’ll keep fighting to restore free, simple filing.
I’ll keep fighting to restore free, simple filing.
Reposted by Karen Fisher, PhD
Was this the best use of my time today? No. Is it the most amusing way I could have spent the last 90 minutes? Absolutely. Pattern is free here: bit.ly/4nGGCGc
November 6, 2025 at 10:06 PM
Was this the best use of my time today? No. Is it the most amusing way I could have spent the last 90 minutes? Absolutely. Pattern is free here: bit.ly/4nGGCGc
Reposted by Karen Fisher, PhD
Reposted by Karen Fisher, PhD
Don’t think of it as “starving”,
think of it more like “repetitive fasting”
think of it more like “repetitive fasting”
November 6, 2025 at 8:13 PM
Don’t think of it as “starving”,
think of it more like “repetitive fasting”
think of it more like “repetitive fasting”
Reposted by Karen Fisher, PhD
Just under a month left—apply by December 5 through the link on my website!
PhD or Master's position available for Fall 2026!
Interested in how actin drives cell crawling, eating, dividing, or osmoregulation? What about pathogenesis of a brain-eating amoeba? Or eukaryotic evolution? If so, apply through my website: katrinavelle.wixsite.com/science/cont...
Please share!
Interested in how actin drives cell crawling, eating, dividing, or osmoregulation? What about pathogenesis of a brain-eating amoeba? Or eukaryotic evolution? If so, apply through my website: katrinavelle.wixsite.com/science/cont...
Please share!
November 6, 2025 at 10:34 AM
Just under a month left—apply by December 5 through the link on my website!
Reposted by Karen Fisher, PhD
Reposted by Karen Fisher, PhD
Tonight’s dumb napkin cartoon…
November 6, 2025 at 12:04 AM
Tonight’s dumb napkin cartoon…
Reposted by Karen Fisher, PhD
Right before the holidays, the Trump administration is making sure that poor families starve and that no one can go visit their moms. 👍
“U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is expected to order scheduled air traffic cut by 10% at 40 major airports starting Friday…”
www.reuters.com
November 5, 2025 at 9:27 PM
Right before the holidays, the Trump administration is making sure that poor families starve and that no one can go visit their moms. 👍