Arif Ashraf
@aribidopsis.bsky.social
Assistant professor of Botany at the University of British Columbia. My lab works on cell division and beyond.
Lab website: https://www.ashraflab.com/
Lab website: https://www.ashraflab.com/
Half of my folks in the lab are Americans. So, we get the chance to celebrate American Thanksgiving in Canada.
We had enough pie, we call it pie-per-person 🥧
We had enough pie, we call it pie-per-person 🥧
November 28, 2025 at 4:19 AM
Half of my folks in the lab are Americans. So, we get the chance to celebrate American Thanksgiving in Canada.
We had enough pie, we call it pie-per-person 🥧
We had enough pie, we call it pie-per-person 🥧
It's good to be back with a new season of #No_Time_To_Read_podcast! 🍀
This podcast, which I started as a postdoc, is growing with me. Thanks for your support over the years.
We have great a line up of awesome plant scientists appearing in Season 4! 🎙️
open.spotify.com/episode/4xHh...
This podcast, which I started as a postdoc, is growing with me. Thanks for your support over the years.
We have great a line up of awesome plant scientists appearing in Season 4! 🎙️
open.spotify.com/episode/4xHh...
November 22, 2025 at 10:33 PM
It's good to be back with a new season of #No_Time_To_Read_podcast! 🍀
This podcast, which I started as a postdoc, is growing with me. Thanks for your support over the years.
We have great a line up of awesome plant scientists appearing in Season 4! 🎙️
open.spotify.com/episode/4xHh...
This podcast, which I started as a postdoc, is growing with me. Thanks for your support over the years.
We have great a line up of awesome plant scientists appearing in Season 4! 🎙️
open.spotify.com/episode/4xHh...
🔬🍀
Joh & Jessica shared some pictures with me from EMBL Heidelberg
Joh & Jessica shared some pictures with me from EMBL Heidelberg
November 21, 2025 at 4:29 PM
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Joh & Jessica shared some pictures with me from EMBL Heidelberg
Joh & Jessica shared some pictures with me from EMBL Heidelberg
I was fortunate to listen a great talk by Sherry Flint-Garcia this morning in the Zeavolution seminar series.
The pigmentation imaging of maize kernel at cellular level is gorgeous! 🌽🔬
The pigmentation imaging of maize kernel at cellular level is gorgeous! 🌽🔬
November 19, 2025 at 4:48 PM
I was fortunate to listen a great talk by Sherry Flint-Garcia this morning in the Zeavolution seminar series.
The pigmentation imaging of maize kernel at cellular level is gorgeous! 🌽🔬
The pigmentation imaging of maize kernel at cellular level is gorgeous! 🌽🔬
🔬🍀
My students, @jessicaa-orr.bsky.social & Joh, are currently attending the EMBL Symposium on Cell Biology of the Nucleus.
Movie highlights the dynamic change in nuclear shape.
Find Jessica and Joh in the poster session to know more about our work.
www.ashraflab.com
My students, @jessicaa-orr.bsky.social & Joh, are currently attending the EMBL Symposium on Cell Biology of the Nucleus.
Movie highlights the dynamic change in nuclear shape.
Find Jessica and Joh in the poster session to know more about our work.
www.ashraflab.com
November 18, 2025 at 4:57 PM
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My students, @jessicaa-orr.bsky.social & Joh, are currently attending the EMBL Symposium on Cell Biology of the Nucleus.
Movie highlights the dynamic change in nuclear shape.
Find Jessica and Joh in the poster session to know more about our work.
www.ashraflab.com
My students, @jessicaa-orr.bsky.social & Joh, are currently attending the EMBL Symposium on Cell Biology of the Nucleus.
Movie highlights the dynamic change in nuclear shape.
Find Jessica and Joh in the poster session to know more about our work.
www.ashraflab.com
🔬🍀
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
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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.
🔬🍀
Rab5 GTPases mediate the targeting of ROP signalling to establish polarity for pollen germination @natplants.nature.com
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Rab5 GTPases mediate the targeting of ROP signalling to establish polarity for pollen germination @natplants.nature.com
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
October 30, 2025 at 5:14 PM
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Rab5 GTPases mediate the targeting of ROP signalling to establish polarity for pollen germination @natplants.nature.com
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Rab5 GTPases mediate the targeting of ROP signalling to establish polarity for pollen germination @natplants.nature.com
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
It was really wonderful for us to host @penlindsay.bsky.social Penelope today. One of the BEST Fridays from the lab to remember for a long time.
Thanks for making your time to visit us 🌽🔬😊
Thanks for making your time to visit us 🌽🔬😊
October 25, 2025 at 2:07 AM
It was really wonderful for us to host @penlindsay.bsky.social Penelope today. One of the BEST Fridays from the lab to remember for a long time.
Thanks for making your time to visit us 🌽🔬😊
Thanks for making your time to visit us 🌽🔬😊
We are excited to welcome Isabella Byrne, an @science.ubc.ca undergrad, in the lab this week!
She will contribute and combine force on our current project of finding new cell division plane determinant factors 🍀🌽🔬
www.ashraflab.com/team.html
She will contribute and combine force on our current project of finding new cell division plane determinant factors 🍀🌽🔬
www.ashraflab.com/team.html
October 24, 2025 at 6:17 PM
We are excited to welcome Isabella Byrne, an @science.ubc.ca undergrad, in the lab this week!
She will contribute and combine force on our current project of finding new cell division plane determinant factors 🍀🌽🔬
www.ashraflab.com/team.html
She will contribute and combine force on our current project of finding new cell division plane determinant factors 🍀🌽🔬
www.ashraflab.com/team.html
(5/5) Joh made their very first poster and almost ready to send out to print.
Here is a freaky cobra-like-root image from their recent screening.
Here is a freaky cobra-like-root image from their recent screening.
October 17, 2025 at 7:05 PM
(5/5) Joh made their very first poster and almost ready to send out to print.
Here is a freaky cobra-like-root image from their recent screening.
Here is a freaky cobra-like-root image from their recent screening.
(4/5) We printed @jessicaa-orr.bsky.social Jessica's root hair image with the magnificent nucleus!
October 17, 2025 at 7:02 PM
(4/5) We printed @jessicaa-orr.bsky.social Jessica's root hair image with the magnificent nucleus!
(3/5) @juliazheku.bsky.social Julia's this image is also currently highlighted in the UBC Bioimaging facility website.
www.bioimaging.ubc.ca
www.bioimaging.ubc.ca
October 17, 2025 at 7:00 PM
(3/5) @juliazheku.bsky.social Julia's this image is also currently highlighted in the UBC Bioimaging facility website.
www.bioimaging.ubc.ca
www.bioimaging.ubc.ca
(2/5) Julia @juliazheku.bsky.social is in action to put the print of her recent favorite image at the outside of the office space.
October 17, 2025 at 6:58 PM
(2/5) Julia @juliazheku.bsky.social is in action to put the print of her recent favorite image at the outside of the office space.
(1/5) What's happening in the lab?
We have a major addition this week. We printed an image/illustration from each folks to put outside of the lab.
Here is @ohazel.bsky.social Olivia with her Figure 1 printed from Current Opinion of Plant Biology article.
We have a major addition this week. We printed an image/illustration from each folks to put outside of the lab.
Here is @ohazel.bsky.social Olivia with her Figure 1 printed from Current Opinion of Plant Biology article.
October 17, 2025 at 6:56 PM
(1/5) What's happening in the lab?
We have a major addition this week. We printed an image/illustration from each folks to put outside of the lab.
Here is @ohazel.bsky.social Olivia with her Figure 1 printed from Current Opinion of Plant Biology article.
We have a major addition this week. We printed an image/illustration from each folks to put outside of the lab.
Here is @ohazel.bsky.social Olivia with her Figure 1 printed from Current Opinion of Plant Biology article.
🔬🍀
Mind blowing live cell imaging by Vivek
Look at these beautifully radiating Hechtian Strands, visualized using GFP: RabA2b.
Novel insights into RabA2b intracellular localization suggest a role in plasmodesmatal function @frontiersin.bsky.social
www.frontiersin.org/journals/pla...
Mind blowing live cell imaging by Vivek
Look at these beautifully radiating Hechtian Strands, visualized using GFP: RabA2b.
Novel insights into RabA2b intracellular localization suggest a role in plasmodesmatal function @frontiersin.bsky.social
www.frontiersin.org/journals/pla...
October 14, 2025 at 3:33 PM
🔬🍀
Mind blowing live cell imaging by Vivek
Look at these beautifully radiating Hechtian Strands, visualized using GFP: RabA2b.
Novel insights into RabA2b intracellular localization suggest a role in plasmodesmatal function @frontiersin.bsky.social
www.frontiersin.org/journals/pla...
Mind blowing live cell imaging by Vivek
Look at these beautifully radiating Hechtian Strands, visualized using GFP: RabA2b.
Novel insights into RabA2b intracellular localization suggest a role in plasmodesmatal function @frontiersin.bsky.social
www.frontiersin.org/journals/pla...
It's Thanksgiving in Canada today!
Every year, I ask myself same question, what I am thankful for?
I am thankful for having a bench in the lab and doing some experiments everyday. Here are positive plants (attached picture) from my screening.
Every year, I ask myself same question, what I am thankful for?
I am thankful for having a bench in the lab and doing some experiments everyday. Here are positive plants (attached picture) from my screening.
October 14, 2025 at 12:15 AM
It's Thanksgiving in Canada today!
Every year, I ask myself same question, what I am thankful for?
I am thankful for having a bench in the lab and doing some experiments everyday. Here are positive plants (attached picture) from my screening.
Every year, I ask myself same question, what I am thankful for?
I am thankful for having a bench in the lab and doing some experiments everyday. Here are positive plants (attached picture) from my screening.
🍀🔬
E69K mutation in β-tubulin 2 blocks cell wall integrity signaling during plant cell elongation @emboreports.org
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
E69K mutation in β-tubulin 2 blocks cell wall integrity signaling during plant cell elongation @emboreports.org
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
October 13, 2025 at 4:56 PM
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E69K mutation in β-tubulin 2 blocks cell wall integrity signaling during plant cell elongation @emboreports.org
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
E69K mutation in β-tubulin 2 blocks cell wall integrity signaling during plant cell elongation @emboreports.org
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
Massive news for the lab 🎉🎉🎉
We received Canada Foundation for Innovation - CFI's JELF (John R. Evans Leaders Fund) grant!
Thanks to the team, office of research @science.ubc.ca, and colleagues @ubcbotany.bsky.social for the generous help and support.
www.innovation.ca/news/jelf-cf...
We received Canada Foundation for Innovation - CFI's JELF (John R. Evans Leaders Fund) grant!
Thanks to the team, office of research @science.ubc.ca, and colleagues @ubcbotany.bsky.social for the generous help and support.
www.innovation.ca/news/jelf-cf...
October 10, 2025 at 4:06 PM
Massive news for the lab 🎉🎉🎉
We received Canada Foundation for Innovation - CFI's JELF (John R. Evans Leaders Fund) grant!
Thanks to the team, office of research @science.ubc.ca, and colleagues @ubcbotany.bsky.social for the generous help and support.
www.innovation.ca/news/jelf-cf...
We received Canada Foundation for Innovation - CFI's JELF (John R. Evans Leaders Fund) grant!
Thanks to the team, office of research @science.ubc.ca, and colleagues @ubcbotany.bsky.social for the generous help and support.
www.innovation.ca/news/jelf-cf...
🔬🍀
Gorgeous imaging by Takashi Ueda sensei's lab!
Retrieval from vacuolar and endosomal compartments underpinning the neofunctionalization of SNARE in plants @natplants.nature.com
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Protocol for Super-resolution Confocal Imaging: bio-protocol.org/epdf/3732
Gorgeous imaging by Takashi Ueda sensei's lab!
Retrieval from vacuolar and endosomal compartments underpinning the neofunctionalization of SNARE in plants @natplants.nature.com
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Protocol for Super-resolution Confocal Imaging: bio-protocol.org/epdf/3732
October 6, 2025 at 4:15 PM
🔬🍀
Gorgeous imaging by Takashi Ueda sensei's lab!
Retrieval from vacuolar and endosomal compartments underpinning the neofunctionalization of SNARE in plants @natplants.nature.com
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Protocol for Super-resolution Confocal Imaging: bio-protocol.org/epdf/3732
Gorgeous imaging by Takashi Ueda sensei's lab!
Retrieval from vacuolar and endosomal compartments underpinning the neofunctionalization of SNARE in plants @natplants.nature.com
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Protocol for Super-resolution Confocal Imaging: bio-protocol.org/epdf/3732
(3/3) Shimon Sakaguchi published his foundational work in 1995 in the Journal of Immunology, a society's journal with ~3.4 impact factor (current year).
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7636184/
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7636184/
October 6, 2025 at 12:19 PM
(3/3) Shimon Sakaguchi published his foundational work in 1995 in the Journal of Immunology, a society's journal with ~3.4 impact factor (current year).
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7636184/
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7636184/
(2/3) The core of Shimon Sakaguchi's experiment was simple, elegant, and driven by a fundamental biology question.
nobelprize.org/prizes/medic...
nobelprize.org/prizes/medic...
October 6, 2025 at 12:18 PM
(2/3) The core of Shimon Sakaguchi's experiment was simple, elegant, and driven by a fundamental biology question.
nobelprize.org/prizes/medic...
nobelprize.org/prizes/medic...
(1/3) Congratulations to Mary E. Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell and Shimon Sakaguchi! 🎉🎉🎉
nobelprize.org/prizes/medic...
Two important facts about Shimon Sakaguchi's discovery highlighted in this thread.
nobelprize.org/prizes/medic...
Two important facts about Shimon Sakaguchi's discovery highlighted in this thread.
October 6, 2025 at 12:18 PM
(1/3) Congratulations to Mary E. Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell and Shimon Sakaguchi! 🎉🎉🎉
nobelprize.org/prizes/medic...
Two important facts about Shimon Sakaguchi's discovery highlighted in this thread.
nobelprize.org/prizes/medic...
Two important facts about Shimon Sakaguchi's discovery highlighted in this thread.
Lab is expanding to a new horizon of imaging!
I am extremely proud of my grad student @juliazheku.bsky.social Julia to take a lead on our new Vibratome and create this GORGEOUS 3D image of the radial section of wheat root.
I am extremely proud of my grad student @juliazheku.bsky.social Julia to take a lead on our new Vibratome and create this GORGEOUS 3D image of the radial section of wheat root.
October 3, 2025 at 4:16 PM
Lab is expanding to a new horizon of imaging!
I am extremely proud of my grad student @juliazheku.bsky.social Julia to take a lead on our new Vibratome and create this GORGEOUS 3D image of the radial section of wheat root.
I am extremely proud of my grad student @juliazheku.bsky.social Julia to take a lead on our new Vibratome and create this GORGEOUS 3D image of the radial section of wheat root.
🍀🔬
Actin filaments drive spindle positioning in Arabidopsis meiosis II @newphyt.bsky.social
nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Actin filaments drive spindle positioning in Arabidopsis meiosis II @newphyt.bsky.social
nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
October 2, 2025 at 4:35 PM
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Actin filaments drive spindle positioning in Arabidopsis meiosis II @newphyt.bsky.social
nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Actin filaments drive spindle positioning in Arabidopsis meiosis II @newphyt.bsky.social
nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
🍀🔬
MSL10 is a high-sensitivity mechanosensor in the tactile sense of the Venus flytrap @natcomms.nature.com from Toyota lab.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
MSL10 is a high-sensitivity mechanosensor in the tactile sense of the Venus flytrap @natcomms.nature.com from Toyota lab.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
October 1, 2025 at 2:57 PM
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MSL10 is a high-sensitivity mechanosensor in the tactile sense of the Venus flytrap @natcomms.nature.com from Toyota lab.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
MSL10 is a high-sensitivity mechanosensor in the tactile sense of the Venus flytrap @natcomms.nature.com from Toyota lab.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...