Dan Starr
@danstarrucdavis.bsky.social
Cell Biologist, Nuclear Envelope, Allen Distinguished Investigator, co-Director of PREP. Associate Dean of Research. Views are my own.
@padilla.senate.gov @schiff.senate.gov do not vote to open the govern without obtaining an extension of the ACA subsidies. Protect working class. Protect access to healthcare. DO NOT CAVE.
November 10, 2025 at 1:35 AM
@padilla.senate.gov @schiff.senate.gov do not vote to open the govern without obtaining an extension of the ACA subsidies. Protect working class. Protect access to healthcare. DO NOT CAVE.
Warning. ⚠️ If you are writing an NSF GRFP, new this year, you need official transcripts to apply. Beware. They will not review applications without official transcripts. ‼️
November 4, 2025 at 8:50 PM
Warning. ⚠️ If you are writing an NSF GRFP, new this year, you need official transcripts to apply. Beware. They will not review applications without official transcripts. ‼️
Reposted by Dan Starr
@joann-trejo.bsky.social, @marymunson4.bsky.social and I have a commentary in @natcellbio.nature.com on recent attacks on DEI in biomedical research: "If scientific research, especially biomedical research, is meant to serve everyone, then it requires that everyone has an opportunity to participate"
Scaling back DEI programmes and the loss of scientific talent
Nature Cell Biology - Programmes that support diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in science are under attack in the USA. Data indicate that diversity in the scientific workforce increases...
www.nature.com
October 23, 2025 at 4:36 PM
@joann-trejo.bsky.social, @marymunson4.bsky.social and I have a commentary in @natcellbio.nature.com on recent attacks on DEI in biomedical research: "If scientific research, especially biomedical research, is meant to serve everyone, then it requires that everyone has an opportunity to participate"
Submitting an R01 to NIH today. We're super proud of the work, and feel its important, but where is it going now?
a blurry picture of a person wearing red sunglasses and a colorful shirt
ALT: a blurry picture of a person wearing red sunglasses and a colorful shirt
media.tenor.com
October 6, 2025 at 7:05 PM
Submitting an R01 to NIH today. We're super proud of the work, and feel its important, but where is it going now?
Reposted by Dan Starr
Just a reminder if you're getting a manuscript together (like we are) to thank your core facilities!
September 29, 2025 at 3:48 PM
Just a reminder if you're getting a manuscript together (like we are) to thank your core facilities!
Reposted by Dan Starr
🎉Check out our new preprint!! 🧬We found that lamin mutations in muscular dystrophy don’t just affect the nucleus — they disrupt a nucleolar–ribosomal axis that reorganizes the entire cytoplasm.
Very grateful to @danstarrucdavis.bsky.social, @gwgl.bsky.social and our lab for collaboration & support!
Very grateful to @danstarrucdavis.bsky.social, @gwgl.bsky.social and our lab for collaboration & support!
🧬 NEW Starr-Luxton Lab PREPRINT: Our 🌠grad student
@XiangyiDing
figured out why muscular dystrophy mutations cause such widespread cellular chaos. The answer wasn't what we expected - and it changes how we think about the disease. Thread🧵 (1/6). www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
@XiangyiDing
figured out why muscular dystrophy mutations cause such widespread cellular chaos. The answer wasn't what we expected - and it changes how we think about the disease. Thread🧵 (1/6). www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org
September 23, 2025 at 7:52 PM
🎉Check out our new preprint!! 🧬We found that lamin mutations in muscular dystrophy don’t just affect the nucleus — they disrupt a nucleolar–ribosomal axis that reorganizes the entire cytoplasm.
Very grateful to @danstarrucdavis.bsky.social, @gwgl.bsky.social and our lab for collaboration & support!
Very grateful to @danstarrucdavis.bsky.social, @gwgl.bsky.social and our lab for collaboration & support!
Reposted by Dan Starr
🧬 NEW Starr-Luxton Lab PREPRINT: Our 🌠grad student
@XiangyiDing
figured out why muscular dystrophy mutations cause such widespread cellular chaos. The answer wasn't what we expected - and it changes how we think about the disease. Thread🧵 (1/6). www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
@XiangyiDing
figured out why muscular dystrophy mutations cause such widespread cellular chaos. The answer wasn't what we expected - and it changes how we think about the disease. Thread🧵 (1/6). www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org
September 23, 2025 at 6:26 PM
🧬 NEW Starr-Luxton Lab PREPRINT: Our 🌠grad student
@XiangyiDing
figured out why muscular dystrophy mutations cause such widespread cellular chaos. The answer wasn't what we expected - and it changes how we think about the disease. Thread🧵 (1/6). www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
@XiangyiDing
figured out why muscular dystrophy mutations cause such widespread cellular chaos. The answer wasn't what we expected - and it changes how we think about the disease. Thread🧵 (1/6). www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Dan Starr
Worms Reveal Just How Cramped Cells Really Are
In a new study published in Science Advances on September 10, a team of UC Davis researchers tracked the movement of fluorescent particles inside the cells of microscopic worms, providing unprecedente...
biology.ucdavis.edu
September 10, 2025 at 7:20 PM
Reposted by Dan Starr
🧬Want the full story of our paper without the science jargon? Our @ucdavis.bsky.social department broke down our "cells are crowded AND constrained" findings in plain English! Perfect explanation of why worm cells are nothing like cultured cells 🪱🌠
September 10, 2025 at 7:20 PM
🧬Want the full story of our paper without the science jargon? Our @ucdavis.bsky.social department broke down our "cells are crowded AND constrained" findings in plain English! Perfect explanation of why worm cells are nothing like cultured cells 🪱🌠
Reposted by Dan Starr
🧬BREAKING!🪱Plot twist: Cells aren't meditation pools, they're overcrowded concerts with VIP ropes everywhere! Our
study reveals worm cells are insanely crowded AND compartmentalized. Ribosomes = packing peanuts, ANC-1 = the bouncer!
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
study reveals worm cells are insanely crowded AND compartmentalized. Ribosomes = packing peanuts, ANC-1 = the bouncer!
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Giant KASH proteins and ribosomes establish distinct cytoplasmic biophysical properties in vivo
Living tissues maintain unique intracellular biophysical properties under the control of cytoplasmic constraints and crowding.
www.science.org
September 10, 2025 at 7:18 PM
🧬BREAKING!🪱Plot twist: Cells aren't meditation pools, they're overcrowded concerts with VIP ropes everywhere! Our
study reveals worm cells are insanely crowded AND compartmentalized. Ribosomes = packing peanuts, ANC-1 = the bouncer!
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
study reveals worm cells are insanely crowded AND compartmentalized. Ribosomes = packing peanuts, ANC-1 = the bouncer!
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Dan Starr
Thrilled to share that a big piece of my thesis here in the Starr–Luxton is now out in Science Advances! We discovered that the cytoplasm of living animal tissues is extremely crowded and constrained, maintained by ribosomes and the giant KASH protein ANC-1.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Giant KASH proteins and ribosomes establish distinct cytoplasmic biophysical properties in vivo
Living tissues maintain unique intracellular biophysical properties under the control of cytoplasmic constraints and crowding.
www.science.org
September 10, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Thrilled to share that a big piece of my thesis here in the Starr–Luxton is now out in Science Advances! We discovered that the cytoplasm of living animal tissues is extremely crowded and constrained, maintained by ribosomes and the giant KASH protein ANC-1.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Dan Starr
🚨Our fabulous graduate student Selin's paper on how the KASH protein UNC-83 regulates the activity of kinesin-1 to control developmental stage-specific nuclear migration is out! Another great collaboration between the Starr-Luxton and MOM labs.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
The KASH protein UNC-83 differentially regulates kinesin-1 activity to control developmental stage-specific nuclear migration
Nuclear migration plays a fundamental role in development, requiring precise spatiotemporal control of bidirectional movement through dynein and kines…
www.sciencedirect.com
September 9, 2025 at 9:58 PM
🚨Our fabulous graduate student Selin's paper on how the KASH protein UNC-83 regulates the activity of kinesin-1 to control developmental stage-specific nuclear migration is out! Another great collaboration between the Starr-Luxton and MOM labs.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Reposted by Dan Starr
One of the best arguments I have read about DEI:
Gift article from The New York Times. You can read it for free without a subscription. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/05/o...
Gift article from The New York Times. You can read it for free without a subscription. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/05/o...
September 5, 2025 at 2:03 PM
One of the best arguments I have read about DEI:
Gift article from The New York Times. You can read it for free without a subscription. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/05/o...
Gift article from The New York Times. You can read it for free without a subscription. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/05/o...
Reposted by Dan Starr
Would recommend constitutional law professor Steve Vladeck’s take which is more optimistic! www.tiktok.com/@steve_vlade...
A quick video on Thursday’s #SCOTUS ruling re: NIH funding—a short-term win for Trump, but one that signals a big long-term loss. #supremecourt
TikTok video by Steve Vladeck
www.tiktok.com
August 21, 2025 at 9:22 PM
Would recommend constitutional law professor Steve Vladeck’s take which is more optimistic! www.tiktok.com/@steve_vlade...
Reposted by Dan Starr
Trump is withholding $300M in science funding from UCLA based on antisemitism & inviting UCLA to “resolve this matter,” presumably by giving Trump control of the university.
Having worked hard to stop antisemitism at UCLA & other UCs, I’ll say the following about this pretextual, fascist move:🧵
Having worked hard to stop antisemitism at UCLA & other UCs, I’ll say the following about this pretextual, fascist move:🧵
August 2, 2025 at 2:51 PM
Trump is withholding $300M in science funding from UCLA based on antisemitism & inviting UCLA to “resolve this matter,” presumably by giving Trump control of the university.
Having worked hard to stop antisemitism at UCLA & other UCs, I’ll say the following about this pretextual, fascist move:🧵
Having worked hard to stop antisemitism at UCLA & other UCs, I’ll say the following about this pretextual, fascist move:🧵
Reposted by Dan Starr
Happy to share the latest work from the lab, led by @mudgal17.bsky.social, in collaboration with the Weis lab @ethzurich.bsky.social.
How do nuclear membranes fuse during NPC assembly? We answer this question in our latest work, where we identify a new mechanism for membrane fusion… (1/13)
How do nuclear membranes fuse during NPC assembly? We answer this question in our latest work, where we identify a new mechanism for membrane fusion… (1/13)
July 23, 2025 at 11:40 AM
Happy to share the latest work from the lab, led by @mudgal17.bsky.social, in collaboration with the Weis lab @ethzurich.bsky.social.
How do nuclear membranes fuse during NPC assembly? We answer this question in our latest work, where we identify a new mechanism for membrane fusion… (1/13)
How do nuclear membranes fuse during NPC assembly? We answer this question in our latest work, where we identify a new mechanism for membrane fusion… (1/13)
Reposted by Dan Starr
Thanks to @isakoditomassi.bsky.social and the McClintock Letters Initiative who motivated me to submit this.
Fay: Cuts to research funding risk the collapse of U.S. science and technology
I started as an assistant professor of molecular biology at the University of Wyoming in 2001.
www.wyomingnews.com
July 19, 2025 at 1:16 PM
Thanks to @isakoditomassi.bsky.social and the McClintock Letters Initiative who motivated me to submit this.
Reposted by Dan Starr
While our whole field has been experiencing undeserved turmoil, a few of us have been fortunate enough to receive positive news on funding. This link describes positions that are now open in the Fay Lab. Perhaps some who’ve been displaced can find a home with us. 1/2
drive.google.com/file/d/1XuDO...
drive.google.com/file/d/1XuDO...
July 7, 2025 at 2:03 PM
While our whole field has been experiencing undeserved turmoil, a few of us have been fortunate enough to receive positive news on funding. This link describes positions that are now open in the Fay Lab. Perhaps some who’ve been displaced can find a home with us. 1/2
drive.google.com/file/d/1XuDO...
drive.google.com/file/d/1XuDO...
Reposted by Dan Starr
Fascinating piece from Paul Krugman with Jonathan Gruber with a powerful argument for public funding of science.
paulkrugman.substack.com/p/health-car...
1/n
paulkrugman.substack.com/p/health-car...
1/n
Health Care: Jonathan Gruber
A key founding father of Obamacare on what comes next
paulkrugman.substack.com
July 7, 2025 at 2:28 PM
Fascinating piece from Paul Krugman with Jonathan Gruber with a powerful argument for public funding of science.
paulkrugman.substack.com/p/health-car...
1/n
paulkrugman.substack.com/p/health-car...
1/n
Reposted by Dan Starr
I’m thinking about him today. I hope he’d be proud of me. I hope my sense of citizenship has lived up to his.
Happy Fourth.
/thread
Full essay here for easier sharing: charlotteclymer.substack.com/p/what-mr-ra...
Happy Fourth.
/thread
Full essay here for easier sharing: charlotteclymer.substack.com/p/what-mr-ra...
What Mr. Ramirez Taught Me
July Fourth means community.
charlotteclymer.substack.com
July 4, 2025 at 5:53 PM
I’m thinking about him today. I hope he’d be proud of me. I hope my sense of citizenship has lived up to his.
Happy Fourth.
/thread
Full essay here for easier sharing: charlotteclymer.substack.com/p/what-mr-ra...
Happy Fourth.
/thread
Full essay here for easier sharing: charlotteclymer.substack.com/p/what-mr-ra...
Reposted by Dan Starr
Incredible plenary presentation by Starr-Luxton Lab student @xiangyiding.bsky.social at the International Worm Meeting! Who knew C. elegans cytoplasm has the viscosity of strawberry jam? 🍓 So proud! #Worm2025 #frontierscience @danstarrucdavis.bsky.social
June 30, 2025 at 6:10 AM
Incredible plenary presentation by Starr-Luxton Lab student @xiangyiding.bsky.social at the International Worm Meeting! Who knew C. elegans cytoplasm has the viscosity of strawberry jam? 🍓 So proud! #Worm2025 #frontierscience @danstarrucdavis.bsky.social
Reposted by Dan Starr
Ellen Gregory, @gwgl.bsky.social, & @danstarrucdavis.bsky.social show how heterochromatin helps cell nuclei migrate through tight spaces in #Celegans! Learn more in #GENETICS about the process of heterochromatin anchoring to the nuclear periphery that supports nuclei squeezing: buff.ly/kZttVdX
June 25, 2025 at 6:03 PM
Ellen Gregory, @gwgl.bsky.social, & @danstarrucdavis.bsky.social show how heterochromatin helps cell nuclei migrate through tight spaces in #Celegans! Learn more in #GENETICS about the process of heterochromatin anchoring to the nuclear periphery that supports nuclei squeezing: buff.ly/kZttVdX
Reposted by Dan Starr
Thank you so much! It was such a joy to see Xiangyi's transformation through the MBL program. Looking forward to the blog post - and thanks for highlighting how these summer courses shape the next generation of scientists!
June 28, 2025 at 4:54 AM
Thank you so much! It was such a joy to see Xiangyi's transformation through the MBL program. Looking forward to the blog post - and thanks for highlighting how these summer courses shape the next generation of scientists!
Reposted by Dan Starr
Today I had the honor of speaking in front of nearly 3000 people today at the Woodland #NoKings rally. WE FEAR NO KING BECAUSE WE DONT HAVE ONE ✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾 let’s gooooooo
June 14, 2025 at 8:07 PM
Today I had the honor of speaking in front of nearly 3000 people today at the Woodland #NoKings rally. WE FEAR NO KING BECAUSE WE DONT HAVE ONE ✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾 let’s gooooooo
Reposted by Dan Starr
@doctheagrif.bsky.social on fire 🔥 in Woodland today
Today I had the honor of speaking in front of nearly 3000 people today at the Woodland #NoKings rally. WE FEAR NO KING BECAUSE WE DONT HAVE ONE ✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾 let’s gooooooo
June 14, 2025 at 8:13 PM
@doctheagrif.bsky.social on fire 🔥 in Woodland today