Anu Puppala
@akpuppala.bsky.social
Biochemist studying protein-nucleic acid complexes.
She/her
She/her
Reposted by Anu Puppala
I have been traveling and today I present to you...the thing I saw in the Frankfurt airport.
Is it efficient? Undeniably. Does it probably work better than the normal way? Oh certainly. Produce less of a mess? Probably?
But the existence of Condiment Udders gives me a deep, aghast disquiet.
Is it efficient? Undeniably. Does it probably work better than the normal way? Oh certainly. Produce less of a mess? Probably?
But the existence of Condiment Udders gives me a deep, aghast disquiet.
October 22, 2025 at 2:26 PM
I have been traveling and today I present to you...the thing I saw in the Frankfurt airport.
Is it efficient? Undeniably. Does it probably work better than the normal way? Oh certainly. Produce less of a mess? Probably?
But the existence of Condiment Udders gives me a deep, aghast disquiet.
Is it efficient? Undeniably. Does it probably work better than the normal way? Oh certainly. Produce less of a mess? Probably?
But the existence of Condiment Udders gives me a deep, aghast disquiet.
Reposted by Anu Puppala
Reporting live from Chicago, there’s no “hellscape” I’d rather be in.
October 10, 2025 at 4:19 AM
Reporting live from Chicago, there’s no “hellscape” I’d rather be in.
Reposted by Anu Puppala
Some schools will be starved of resources. Other schools will be offered bribes. The end goal is the same. To make the universities an extension of the Trump administration. Shame on any of these institutions willing to take the bribes.
October 2, 2025 at 1:37 AM
Some schools will be starved of resources. Other schools will be offered bribes. The end goal is the same. To make the universities an extension of the Trump administration. Shame on any of these institutions willing to take the bribes.
Reposted by Anu Puppala
Huntington’s disease treated successfully for first time in gene therapy trial
Huntington’s disease treated successfully for first time in gene therapy trial
UCL trialled hours-long surgical procedure to treat disease which causes dementia and paralysis
Huntington’s disease, a devastating degenerative illness that runs in families, has been treated successfully for the first time in a breakthrough gene therapy trial.
The disease, caused by a single gene defect, steadily kills brain cells leading to dementia, paralysis and ultimately death. Those with a parent with Huntington’s have a 50% chance of developing the disease, which until now has been incurable. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
September 24, 2025 at 2:05 PM
Huntington’s disease treated successfully for first time in gene therapy trial
Reposted by Anu Puppala
Good to see @bsky.app has emerged as the social media platform of choice for science stuff
arstechnica.com/science/2025...
arstechnica.com/science/2025...
Bluesky now platform of choice for science community
It’s not just you. Survey says: “Twitter sucks now and all the cool kids are moving to Bluesky”…
arstechnica.com
August 27, 2025 at 5:33 PM
Good to see @bsky.app has emerged as the social media platform of choice for science stuff
arstechnica.com/science/2025...
arstechnica.com/science/2025...
Reposted by Anu Puppala
And the second part…
August 28, 2025 at 12:36 AM
And the second part…
Reposted by Anu Puppala
Reposted by Anu Puppala
Researchers’ chances of winning a grant from the National Institutes of Health have dropped under a new policy. scim.ag/4f7uew2
Odds of winning NIH grants plummet as new funding policy and spending delays bite
Funding multiyear grants up front will sharply cut number of investigators receiving awards
scim.ag
July 28, 2025 at 10:10 PM
Researchers’ chances of winning a grant from the National Institutes of Health have dropped under a new policy. scim.ag/4f7uew2
Reposted by Anu Puppala
After 15 years of controversy, @science.org retracts ‘arsenic life’ paper
After 15 years of controversy, Science retracts ‘arsenic life’ paper
Science has retracted a 2010 paper describing a strain of bacteria that purportedly substituted arsenic for phosphorus, an element present in all known life. Science/AAAS Fifteen years after publis…
retractionwatch.com
July 24, 2025 at 6:16 PM
After 15 years of controversy, @science.org retracts ‘arsenic life’ paper
Reposted by Anu Puppala
In today’s publication in Science we introduce Zincore: a novel protein of QRICH1 and SEPHS1 and functions as a transcriptional coregulator dedicated to zinc finger transcription factors. Here’s how we found it: 🧵 www.science.org/doi/10.1126/... 1/11
Zincore, an atypical coregulator, binds zinc finger transcription factors to control gene expression
Zinc finger proteins (ZNFs) are the largest family of transcription factors, yet how they activate gene expression remains unclear. In this study, we identified Zincore, a protein complex consisting o...
www.science.org
July 4, 2025 at 11:00 AM
In today’s publication in Science we introduce Zincore: a novel protein of QRICH1 and SEPHS1 and functions as a transcriptional coregulator dedicated to zinc finger transcription factors. Here’s how we found it: 🧵 www.science.org/doi/10.1126/... 1/11
Reposted by Anu Puppala
Exclusive: National Science Foundation staff were told today that the agency’s 37 divisions—across all eight directorates—are being abolished and the number of programs within those divisions will be drastically reduced.
Exclusive: NSF faces radical shake-up as officials abolish its 37 divisions
Changes seen as a response to presidential directives on what research to fund
scim.ag
May 8, 2025 at 11:35 PM
Exclusive: National Science Foundation staff were told today that the agency’s 37 divisions—across all eight directorates—are being abolished and the number of programs within those divisions will be drastically reduced.
Reposted by Anu Puppala
from www.instagram.com/yeweijun98
Slime molds eat the microbes on decaying plants but not the microbes on decaying animals. Badhamia (Physarum) polycephala is an unusually adventurous eater who also enjoys mushrooms, oats, and probably a number of other things!
I wonder what's up with the peanut
Slime molds eat the microbes on decaying plants but not the microbes on decaying animals. Badhamia (Physarum) polycephala is an unusually adventurous eater who also enjoys mushrooms, oats, and probably a number of other things!
I wonder what's up with the peanut
July 5, 2025 at 4:40 PM
from www.instagram.com/yeweijun98
Slime molds eat the microbes on decaying plants but not the microbes on decaying animals. Badhamia (Physarum) polycephala is an unusually adventurous eater who also enjoys mushrooms, oats, and probably a number of other things!
I wonder what's up with the peanut
Slime molds eat the microbes on decaying plants but not the microbes on decaying animals. Badhamia (Physarum) polycephala is an unusually adventurous eater who also enjoys mushrooms, oats, and probably a number of other things!
I wonder what's up with the peanut
Reposted by Anu Puppala
Summary Table of the massive defunding of biomedical research in the United States
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
July 6, 2025 at 3:13 PM
Summary Table of the massive defunding of biomedical research in the United States
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Reposted by Anu Puppala
“We find that jargon increases satisfaction because laypeople assume the jargon fills gaps in explanations that are otherwise incomplete.”
Some required reading here as a science journalist 🧪
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Some required reading here as a science journalist 🧪
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
How laypeople evaluate scientific explanations containing jargon - Nature Human Behaviour
Cruz and Lombrozo examine how laypeople make sense of scientific explanations and find that although jargon reduces understanding, for short explanations, jargon makes the explanation more satisfying.
www.nature.com
June 12, 2025 at 1:08 PM
“We find that jargon increases satisfaction because laypeople assume the jargon fills gaps in explanations that are otherwise incomplete.”
Some required reading here as a science journalist 🧪
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Some required reading here as a science journalist 🧪
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Anu Puppala
He's right. "Nothing short of devastating"
By @holdenthorp.bsky.social @science.org
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
By @holdenthorp.bsky.social @science.org
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
June 5, 2025 at 8:41 PM
He's right. "Nothing short of devastating"
By @holdenthorp.bsky.social @science.org
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
By @holdenthorp.bsky.social @science.org
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Anu Puppala
Victoria Gray, the first individual to be cured of sickle cell disease with a CRISPR-based treatment, and Jennifer Doudna, #CRISPR pioneer, at the Liberty Science Center Genius Gala! 👑👑
May 23, 2025 at 9:51 PM
Victoria Gray, the first individual to be cured of sickle cell disease with a CRISPR-based treatment, and Jennifer Doudna, #CRISPR pioneer, at the Liberty Science Center Genius Gala! 👑👑
Reposted by Anu Puppala
Now *that’s* a cover letter ⬇️
(But perhaps not the best idea to test the editor’s mood quite this way in current times…😄)
(But perhaps not the best idea to test the editor’s mood quite this way in current times…😄)
May 22, 2025 at 7:29 PM
Now *that’s* a cover letter ⬇️
(But perhaps not the best idea to test the editor’s mood quite this way in current times…😄)
(But perhaps not the best idea to test the editor’s mood quite this way in current times…😄)
Reposted by Anu Puppala
Excited to announce our paper on ancient Borrelia genomes is finally out! 🦠💀We document the evolutionary history of louse-borne relapsing fever, published today in @science.org with @lucyvandorp.bsky.social and @pontus-skoglund.bsky.social #aDNA 🏺🧪🧬
Main findings and paper below: 🧵⬇️
Main findings and paper below: 🧵⬇️
May 22, 2025 at 6:21 PM
Excited to announce our paper on ancient Borrelia genomes is finally out! 🦠💀We document the evolutionary history of louse-borne relapsing fever, published today in @science.org with @lucyvandorp.bsky.social and @pontus-skoglund.bsky.social #aDNA 🏺🧪🧬
Main findings and paper below: 🧵⬇️
Main findings and paper below: 🧵⬇️
Reposted by Anu Puppala
The authors of a Comment article in Nature “urge STEMM scientists in the United States to avoid the mistakes of the past and instead stand together and fight for both personal and academic freedom.” #Academicsky 🧪
US researchers must stand up to protect freedoms, not just funding
Curtailment of freedoms and disregard for the rule of law in the United States is destroying the ability of science to serve the nation’s, and the world’s, interests. Researchers can take action.
go.nature.com
May 23, 2025 at 1:23 AM
The authors of a Comment article in Nature “urge STEMM scientists in the United States to avoid the mistakes of the past and instead stand together and fight for both personal and academic freedom.” #Academicsky 🧪
Reposted by Anu Puppala
I'm a current Harvard graduate student and I found out today that I had my NSF GRFP terminated without notification. I was awarded this individual research fellowship before even choosing Harvard as my graduate school
May 22, 2025 at 9:38 PM
I'm a current Harvard graduate student and I found out today that I had my NSF GRFP terminated without notification. I was awarded this individual research fellowship before even choosing Harvard as my graduate school
Reposted by Anu Puppala
"You can't have science without scientists.”
May 22, 2025 at 6:47 PM
"You can't have science without scientists.”
Reposted by Anu Puppala
Northwestern has not received any NIH funds since March. No written communication about why or what can be done. Thank you Ben Singer for raising awareness at #ATS2025
May 18, 2025 at 10:44 PM
Northwestern has not received any NIH funds since March. No written communication about why or what can be done. Thank you Ben Singer for raising awareness at #ATS2025
Reposted by Anu Puppala
I’m generally a cynic. Glass half empty kind of guy. But then I see something like this and think…there are good people out there. be positive and have hope. There is light in darkness. Early career scientists are being prioritized. Take a look! 🧪
www.spencer.org/grant_types/...
www.spencer.org/grant_types/...
Rapid Response Bridge Funding Program
In the face of recent abrupt shifts in federal funding for education research, including large-scale terminations of National Science Foundation (NSF) research grant awards, we have developed a rap...
www.spencer.org
May 3, 2025 at 1:42 AM
I’m generally a cynic. Glass half empty kind of guy. But then I see something like this and think…there are good people out there. be positive and have hope. There is light in darkness. Early career scientists are being prioritized. Take a look! 🧪
www.spencer.org/grant_types/...
www.spencer.org/grant_types/...
Reposted by Anu Puppala
The do’s and don’ts of scientific image editing
Acceptable image-editing practices are partly a matter of common sense. But researchers say journals and funders could help scientists by standardizing policies.
@sarareardon.bsky.social reports
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Acceptable image-editing practices are partly a matter of common sense. But researchers say journals and funders could help scientists by standardizing policies.
@sarareardon.bsky.social reports
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
The do’s and don’ts of scientific image editing
Acceptable image-editing practices are partly a matter of common sense. But researchers say journals and funders could help scientists by standardizing policies.
www.nature.com
April 30, 2025 at 6:54 AM
The do’s and don’ts of scientific image editing
Acceptable image-editing practices are partly a matter of common sense. But researchers say journals and funders could help scientists by standardizing policies.
@sarareardon.bsky.social reports
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Acceptable image-editing practices are partly a matter of common sense. But researchers say journals and funders could help scientists by standardizing policies.
@sarareardon.bsky.social reports
www.nature.com/articles/d41...