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minyaaa.bsky.social
闵娅(Min Ya; Minya) PhD
@minyaaa.bsky.social
2.5K followers 1.3K following 570 posts
Assist Prof at UIUC Plant Bio #NewPI. NSF Postdoc UConn EEB. PhD Harvard OEB. Erasmus MEME evobio alumna. She/Her. Lover of ALL plants.
🧪🔬🌱🌾
Development; Evolution; Evo-Devo; Microscopy; Meristems.
Lived in 🇨🇳🇯🇵🇸🇪🇫🇷🇩🇪🇺🇸
www.minyaaa.com
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minyaaa.bsky.social
闵娅(Min Ya; Minya) PhD @minyaaa.bsky.social · Nov 24
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
minyaaa.bsky.social
Happy winter solstice to everyone from my beautiful hometown Chengdu (where gingko leaves are still hanging on the branches shockingly)!
December 22, 2025 at 2:11 AM
Reposted by 闵娅(Min Ya; Minya) PhD
roederlab.bsky.social
Join us! We are going to have a ton of fun this summer with 2 week projects on plant and animal morphogenesis! @maizel-lab.org is leading a module. For my section we are going to live image developing leaves.
kitp-ucsb.bsky.social Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics @kitp-ucsb.bsky.social · Nov 19
Advanced grad students + postdocs: apply for the 2026 #kitpqbio summer course, "Physical Principles of Morphogenesis in Plants and Animals," at buff.ly/OXXMKEv. Apply by Feb. 1.
Course directors Adrienne Roeder (Cornell) and Sebastian Streichan (UCSB)
December 18, 2025 at 5:40 PM
Reposted by 闵娅(Min Ya; Minya) PhD
mariemonniaux.bsky.social
Check our new preprint! How the petal identity gene PhDEF behaves differently in the epidermis and mesophyll, in petunia flowers (1/n)
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Interplay between petal identity and cell layer identity in petunia flowers
In flowering plants, floral organ identity is specified by the combinatorial action of homeotic genes. While the role of these genes in the early specification of organ identity is well established, t...
www.biorxiv.org
December 15, 2025 at 8:18 AM
Reposted by 闵娅(Min Ya; Minya) PhD
botsocamerica.bsky.social
We 💚 the Stranger Plants—and now they’re on #BSAswag!

The shirts feature bold illustrations by BSA’s own Catrina Adams, with a list of each species by common & scientific name on the back.

BSA members (exp. 2026+) get 10% off—email aneely@botany.org for code.

www.bonfire.com/store/bsa-wi...
Promotional graphic on a red background featuring two black-and-white raglan shirts from the Botanical Society of America’s “Stranger Plants” collection. One shirt shows a large illustrated plant scene; the other displays a grid of illustrated unusual plants. White text reads “We love the Stranger Plants BSA SWAG!” Below, descriptive text explains that the shirts highlight strange plants, with common and scientific names listed on the back in a concert-style format. A QR code labeled “Scan to Shop” appears at the lower right, along with BSA logos and text promoting additional BSA apparel.
December 12, 2025 at 4:29 PM
Reposted by 闵娅(Min Ya; Minya) PhD
jeffontherock.bsky.social
Lichens on a stick. Left to right - Vulpicidia, Xanthoria (I think), Physcia, and Hypogymnia. Northwest Territories, Canada.
#lichen #fungi #fungifriends
Several colourful lichens on a twig. From left to right the colours are yellow, orange and grey.
December 10, 2025 at 11:38 PM
Reposted by 闵娅(Min Ya; Minya) PhD
relenski.bsky.social
The 2026 Guarda Summer Course in Evolutionary Biology is now accepting applications. Amazing place, amazing course, amazing opportunity for early grad students.

tb.ethz.ch/education/gu...
Summer school:<br> Evolutionary Biology in Guarda
Information about the annual summer school Evolutionary Biology in Guarda
tb.ethz.ch
December 10, 2025 at 2:24 PM
Reposted by 闵娅(Min Ya; Minya) PhD
jbyoder.org
A resurrection study of scarlet monkeyflower populations across the species' range finds relatively little adaptive response to a seven-year drought event, showing that evolutionary rescue is not as predictable as we might hope 🌿

buff.ly/L8o4hhr
A bright red, tubular flower of Mimulus cardinalis, viewed in profile; photo by Curtis Clark via Wikimedia Commons
December 10, 2025 at 2:15 PM
minyaaa.bsky.social
Ran into a delightful paper on AJB @botsocamerica.bsky.social:"The gas bubbles produced by male flowers of H. verticillata came from the gas produced by branches under light. These bubbles can help ascending male flowers bypass the obstacles in water and reach the surface to complete pollination" 🧪🌸
Fig 3: The obstacle-bypassing process of the male flower of Hydrilla verticillata during pollination. Superimposed images of a male flower surfacing with an attached bubble (A) and a male flower surfacing with bubbles removed (B). The white dotted lines show the surfacing trajectories of male flowers, and the red arrows indicate the position where the male flowers encounter obstacles. (C) Deformation process of a bubble attached to a male flower when it bypasses obstacles in the water. The left column is the picture sequence taken by a high-speed camera, and the right column is the state sequence of a bubble bypassing an obstacle in digital simulation. The colors indicate the volume fraction of gas in different areas. (D) The relationship between the bubble diameter and the maximum obstacle size it can bypass. The black data points are the simulation results and the curve is a trend line interpolated from data points. Fig 1: Morphology of staminate branches of Hydrilla verticillata. (A) Bubble-producing male spathe on the submerged branch. (B) Cross-section and longitudinal section of the shoot indicated by colored arrows in (A). (C) Male flower under a stereomicroscope; the inset shows the contact angle of the outer surface of the calyx. (D) Leaf under a stereomicroscope; the upper and lower two insets show the contact angle of the upper and lower surfaces of the leaf, respectively. (E) Male flower with an attached bubble in the dark field under an optical microscope
December 7, 2025 at 10:54 PM
Reposted by 闵娅(Min Ya; Minya) PhD
weibingyang.bsky.social
Thrilled to have our paper out in @science.org. Cell division guides plant cell wall formation. Does the reverse hold? We show that bimodal pectin methylesterification, via PME5 mRNA nuclear sequestration, influences plant cell division and cell plate orientation. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Cell wall patterning regulates plant stem cell dynamics
The plant cell wall regulates development through spatiotemporal modulation of its chemical and mechanical properties. Pectin methylesterification is recognized as a rheological switch controlling wal...
www.science.org
December 6, 2025 at 10:11 AM
minyaaa.bsky.social
Perfect time for #FluoresenceFriday as I’m finallllly back to the scope this week. 🔬🌸🧪
(Progress for #newPI setting up a new lab: a lot is happening everyday, but at the same time nothing is happening lol)
A pic of Zeiss Zen snapshot of our plasma membrane transgenic line with DR5
December 5, 2025 at 4:31 PM
Reposted by 闵娅(Min Ya; Minya) PhD
mathpreu.bsky.social
This distal gill tip is giving full branchial art vibes for #FluorescenceFriday 🦓🐟
— who knew oxygen exchange could be this pretty.
🔴 kdrl:mCherry highlights the vasculature
⚪ fgf10b:nEOS marks the pillar cells

#Zebrafish #DevBio #SciArt
December 5, 2025 at 1:39 PM
Reposted by 闵娅(Min Ya; Minya) PhD
botsocamerica.bsky.social
Looking for SciComm experience? 👀🌿

Check out this Spring 2026 internship from Let’s Botanize — great opportunity for undergrad students in botany! $1,500 stipend or course credit.

Apply via: letsbotanize@gmail.com
A green-toned flyer titled “Let’s Botanize Science Communication Internship Program Spring 2026.” At the top, a large stylized “Let’s Botanize” logo appears with a small leaf accent. Below, the internship is described as a program for undergraduate students interested in botany and science communication, running February 2–May 22, 2026 for about 12 hours a week. Sections include bullet lists for Key Responsibilities (media management, SciComm content creation, data and analytics), Qualifications (enrolled undergraduate in botany or related field, strong communication skills, familiarity with social media, teamwork, U.S. work authorization), and Benefits (experience in science communication, mentorship, nonprofit insight, flexible schedule, $1,500 stipend or course credit). The application process lists required materials such as proof of enrollment, resume, cover letter, and two references. At the bottom, candidates are instructed to email materials to letsbotanize@gmail.com with the subject line “Science Communication Internship Application [Your Last Name].” The background includes faint botanical illustrations in soft green.
December 5, 2025 at 3:12 PM
Reposted by 闵娅(Min Ya; Minya) PhD
rcollepardo.bsky.social
Our Science paper is out!

Huge congratulations to @huabin-zhou.bsky.social, Mike Rosen, and the brilliant @janhuemar.bsky.social @juliamaristany.bsky.social and @kieran-russell.bsky.social from our group

News: bit.ly/4avnkAr and bit.ly/3XBGVHS

Great perspective by @vram142.bsky.social +K Zhang
December 5, 2025 at 9:47 AM
Reposted by 闵娅(Min Ya; Minya) PhD
ologies.bsky.social
WE GOT FERNS, folks.

I hope you like ferns. If you don’t, just listen and you will like ferns. 🌿🌿🌿

Dr. Li is hilarious and charming and you will love him. And ferns.

In conclusion: ferns.

www.alieward.com/ologies/pter...
Pteridology (FERNS) with Dr. Fay-Wei Li — alie ward
Fronds. Forest dwellers. Spores. Houseplants. Queer icons. We’ve got ferns. The charming and hilarious professor and author of “Ferns: Lessons in Survival from Earth’s Most Adaptable Plants,” Dr. Fay-...
www.alieward.com
December 3, 2025 at 11:55 PM
Reposted by 闵娅(Min Ya; Minya) PhD
andrewlhipp.bsky.social
​The @mortonarboretum.bsky.social NSF REU program ​is open for summer 2026! $7500 stipend + housing / travel. Apply by 31 Jan 2026 and share with your networks!

Details at ​​https://mortonarb.org/science/opportunities-in-science/research-experiences-for-undergraduates-program/
December 4, 2025 at 5:20 PM
Reposted by 闵娅(Min Ya; Minya) PhD
nat-prunet.bsky.social
Going to Cell Bio 2025 in Philly? Join us at the Science and Art session on Sunday! You may know that I love the intersection of art and science. I'll be talking about the art of microscopy 🔬👨‍🎨

#sciart #bioart #cellbio #cellfie #microscopy #scicomm
December 4, 2025 at 2:49 PM
Reposted by 闵娅(Min Ya; Minya) PhD
triggerloop.bsky.social
Very interesting paper from Yi Liu's lab. Translation initiation regulation through 5' UTR can turn off codon usage effects in viruses. Adds to previous work in field that codon usage control feeds back to translation initiation www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Viral RNA blocks circularization to evade host codon usage control - Nature
Rather than adapting to the codon usage of their host, viruses use viral 5′ untranslated regions to initiate translation, which allows them to produce viral proteins in host cells efficiently despite ...
www.nature.com
December 3, 2025 at 7:40 PM
Reposted by 闵娅(Min Ya; Minya) PhD
ibioillinois.bsky.social
New Current Biology study from @minyaaa.bsky.social and colleagues shows how early CYC expression patterns establish dorsal identity in Mimulus parishii meristems. A clear step forward in understanding floral symmetry and developmental evolution. 🧪 🧪

🔗 buff.ly/3JOjkV1
December 3, 2025 at 4:02 PM
minyaaa.bsky.social
Huge thanks to Lanxi and @roederlab.bsky.social for writing a nice dispatch for our newest paper on Current Bio @currentbiology.bsky.social ! #mimuluspropaganda and #flowerpower FTW! 🥳🌸
December 3, 2025 at 3:58 PM
Reposted by 闵娅(Min Ya; Minya) PhD
penlindsay.bsky.social
A little over a year ago, I co-directed a short film as part of the Symbiosis Film competition, called "No Two Plants". I was paired with a filmmaker and we had a week to make a short film. I also made the score for the film.

I'm sharing it here, please enjoy!
No Two Plants
YouTube video by Nora Jane Long
youtu.be
December 2, 2025 at 3:59 PM
Reposted by 闵娅(Min Ya; Minya) PhD
flowerwhatelse.bsky.social
What makes some Mimulus petals so special ? Work by @minyaaa.bsky.social Nice work to present in June at the flower meeting in France

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Spatiotemporal dynamics of CYCLOIDEA expression during early floral development in monkeyflower
The establishment of bilateral symmetry in flowers depends on the precise regulation of CYCLOIDEA (CYC) gene expression along the dorsal-ventral axis.…
www.sciencedirect.com
November 28, 2025 at 8:55 AM
Reposted by 闵娅(Min Ya; Minya) PhD
sarahmackattack.bsky.social
Hey conference-organizers (sorry for addressing you in one of your professional capacities on a holiday).

I posted this 5 days ago, and 65 artists have already applied. Many of them are PSYCHED, and many of them are extremely qualified.

There's HUGE interest from artists in working w/scientists.
sarahmackattack.bsky.social Sarah McAnulty, Ph.D. @sarahmackattack.bsky.social · Nov 22
ARTISTS!
I need your help!

In collab. w/the Society for Integrative & Comparative Biology, I'm organizing a group of artists to come to our Jan. meeting! We're looking for artists to create based on what they learn at the conference. $1000 stipend.

Application is V short! forms.gle/ah1i8KwNJinZ...
A picture of a frog on a leaf with the SICB and Skype a Scientist logos on the bottom right with the following words on top: "Call for Artists!" Learn about the latest animal research adn create art inspired by the science at the SICB meeting in Portland, OR. Deadline to apply: dec 12, Project dates Jan 3-7, Stipend $1000"
November 27, 2025 at 7:03 PM
Reposted by 闵娅(Min Ya; Minya) PhD
sarraceniamason.bsky.social
Im so excited I wrote an article about it! www.canr.msu.edu/news/plantsg...
#PlantsGiving: Bringing plant relatives back into view
#PlantsGiving encourages us to appreciate the remarkable diversity behind holiday gatherings. Keep a tally of the plant families used in your holiday meal and share photos online with #PlantsGiving.
www.canr.msu.edu
November 26, 2025 at 3:38 PM
Reposted by 闵娅(Min Ya; Minya) PhD
science-irl.bsky.social
Is everyone ready for #Plantsgiving?!?!

Thank you @martinebotany.bsky.social for my favorite botanical tradition 🥹🌱
November 26, 2025 at 3:20 PM
Reposted by 闵娅(Min Ya; Minya) PhD
martinebotany.bsky.social
Yes! Let’s do this.

#plantsgiving #iamabotanist
science-irl.bsky.social Molly Edwards, PhD @science-irl.bsky.social · Nov 26
Is everyone ready for #Plantsgiving?!?!

Thank you @martinebotany.bsky.social for my favorite botanical tradition 🥹🌱
November 26, 2025 at 3:58 PM