Mara Duncan
@mcduncanlab.bsky.social
Associate Professor at the University of Michigan. I post photos of my cat and garden, and helpful tips for running a lab. Thoughts my own.
Do you need a cat in your timeline?
Happy to oblige.
Here is Molly, ready to murder someone because they put the white stuff outside.
Happy to oblige.
Here is Molly, ready to murder someone because they put the white stuff outside.
November 10, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Do you need a cat in your timeline?
Happy to oblige.
Here is Molly, ready to murder someone because they put the white stuff outside.
Happy to oblige.
Here is Molly, ready to murder someone because they put the white stuff outside.
Finally inoculated the mushrooms for Thanksgiving. I’m sure it’s too late, but maybe for Xmas.
Doing pink oysters for the first time.
Doing pink oysters for the first time.
November 9, 2025 at 3:36 PM
Finally inoculated the mushrooms for Thanksgiving. I’m sure it’s too late, but maybe for Xmas.
Doing pink oysters for the first time.
Doing pink oysters for the first time.
Molly says that its officially a snow day and we need to stay in bed all day.
Who am I to argue?
Who am I to argue?
November 9, 2025 at 2:11 PM
Molly says that its officially a snow day and we need to stay in bed all day.
Who am I to argue?
Who am I to argue?
Tough reading though, the authors could benefit from a nice science writing class.
November 9, 2025 at 12:47 PM
Tough reading though, the authors could benefit from a nice science writing class.
So apparently, I took notes last year about my team-taught course on big datasets for me and my co-instructor to look at as we prepped for this year. I totally forgot about it, but he remembered.
Wow, it was such a good idea. I totally recommend doing this.
Wow, it was such a good idea. I totally recommend doing this.
November 6, 2025 at 1:32 PM
So apparently, I took notes last year about my team-taught course on big datasets for me and my co-instructor to look at as we prepped for this year. I totally forgot about it, but he remembered.
Wow, it was such a good idea. I totally recommend doing this.
Wow, it was such a good idea. I totally recommend doing this.
Ok something weird with Adobe Illustrator. I've embedded an 8-bit image black on white and when I try to shrink it, it gets inverted white on black. Is this some weird AI thing?
November 4, 2025 at 9:16 PM
Ok something weird with Adobe Illustrator. I've embedded an 8-bit image black on white and when I try to shrink it, it gets inverted white on black. Is this some weird AI thing?
Molly, I really need to finish this grant. I know it's called a mouse, but you can't attack it time I try to work on a figure.
November 3, 2025 at 1:17 PM
Molly, I really need to finish this grant. I know it's called a mouse, but you can't attack it time I try to work on a figure.
🧪Ok reviewer types. What's your opinion on using the fire LUT for displaying intensity differences?
In the past, I've shown white on black.
I think the fire LUT is more informative, but I've never used them in a publication and grant, and I'm scared that people will hate them.
In the past, I've shown white on black.
I think the fire LUT is more informative, but I've never used them in a publication and grant, and I'm scared that people will hate them.
November 1, 2025 at 9:35 PM
🧪Ok reviewer types. What's your opinion on using the fire LUT for displaying intensity differences?
In the past, I've shown white on black.
I think the fire LUT is more informative, but I've never used them in a publication and grant, and I'm scared that people will hate them.
In the past, I've shown white on black.
I think the fire LUT is more informative, but I've never used them in a publication and grant, and I'm scared that people will hate them.
Even more excitingly, with the new data added, I am still 'substantially' under the 12 page limit.
That's like almost a brief paragraph worth of space.
I did go to Jimmy John's and get a souped up sammie to reward myself for this morning.
That's like almost a brief paragraph worth of space.
I did go to Jimmy John's and get a souped up sammie to reward myself for this morning.
November 1, 2025 at 8:42 PM
Even more excitingly, with the new data added, I am still 'substantially' under the 12 page limit.
That's like almost a brief paragraph worth of space.
I did go to Jimmy John's and get a souped up sammie to reward myself for this morning.
That's like almost a brief paragraph worth of space.
I did go to Jimmy John's and get a souped up sammie to reward myself for this morning.
Here's the final image with the d now able to be right next to the top of the canvas.
Happy grant writing!!
Happy grant writing!!
October 25, 2025 at 6:36 PM
Here's the final image with the d now able to be right next to the top of the canvas.
Happy grant writing!!
Happy grant writing!!
Then copy the picture into your drawing canvas and crop it down to just the text.
October 25, 2025 at 6:36 PM
Then copy the picture into your drawing canvas and crop it down to just the text.
Copy the text box you want to convert. Then holding outside of the drawing canvas, left click to pull up the paste menu and pick the paste picture.
October 25, 2025 at 6:36 PM
Copy the text box you want to convert. Then holding outside of the drawing canvas, left click to pull up the paste menu and pick the paste picture.
Here's the issue, text box is too far from the top edge.
October 25, 2025 at 6:36 PM
Here's the issue, text box is too far from the top edge.
I still don't get it. How are people unable to consistently load the same volume? How would concentration impact this? How are the protein samples non-homogeneous?
This is an honest question. We never have a problem with different loads-e.g., this recent blot shows 6 different cell lines.
This is an honest question. We never have a problem with different loads-e.g., this recent blot shows 6 different cell lines.
September 18, 2025 at 10:17 PM
I still don't get it. How are people unable to consistently load the same volume? How would concentration impact this? How are the protein samples non-homogeneous?
This is an honest question. We never have a problem with different loads-e.g., this recent blot shows 6 different cell lines.
This is an honest question. We never have a problem with different loads-e.g., this recent blot shows 6 different cell lines.
Mushroom mayhem continues.
Partial harvest of the shitakes so the others have room to grow.
Partial harvest of the shitakes so the others have room to grow.
September 18, 2025 at 2:20 PM
Mushroom mayhem continues.
Partial harvest of the shitakes so the others have room to grow.
Partial harvest of the shitakes so the others have room to grow.
def going to have mushrooms for dinner
September 14, 2025 at 4:33 PM
def going to have mushrooms for dinner
Another doom scroll break.
Garden produce!
Garden produce!
September 13, 2025 at 4:53 PM
Another doom scroll break.
Garden produce!
Garden produce!
Let me break your doom scrolling with and important message.
Fall mushroom season has officially started in my garden!!
Chestnuts on logs, shiitakes on wood bricks and logs, snow oyster on logs and buckets, and we might have more lions mane.
Fall mushroom season has officially started in my garden!!
Chestnuts on logs, shiitakes on wood bricks and logs, snow oyster on logs and buckets, and we might have more lions mane.
September 13, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Let me break your doom scrolling with and important message.
Fall mushroom season has officially started in my garden!!
Chestnuts on logs, shiitakes on wood bricks and logs, snow oyster on logs and buckets, and we might have more lions mane.
Fall mushroom season has officially started in my garden!!
Chestnuts on logs, shiitakes on wood bricks and logs, snow oyster on logs and buckets, and we might have more lions mane.
September 10, 2025 at 3:55 PM
Hubs rescued this lil turtle from the bike path last fall
September 5, 2025 at 11:51 PM
Hubs rescued this lil turtle from the bike path last fall
I worry about the reproducibility of any science that depends on above average 'hands'.
A useful concept drawn from medical education is that if a procedure takes more dexterity than writing cursive, its a bad technique.
Quoted from an NPR interview:
www.npr.org/2012/08/27/1...
A useful concept drawn from medical education is that if a procedure takes more dexterity than writing cursive, its a bad technique.
Quoted from an NPR interview:
www.npr.org/2012/08/27/1...
September 2, 2025 at 9:19 PM
I worry about the reproducibility of any science that depends on above average 'hands'.
A useful concept drawn from medical education is that if a procedure takes more dexterity than writing cursive, its a bad technique.
Quoted from an NPR interview:
www.npr.org/2012/08/27/1...
A useful concept drawn from medical education is that if a procedure takes more dexterity than writing cursive, its a bad technique.
Quoted from an NPR interview:
www.npr.org/2012/08/27/1...
Same same.
I should put the ipad down and take a nap
I should put the ipad down and take a nap
August 20, 2025 at 7:19 PM
Same same.
I should put the ipad down and take a nap
I should put the ipad down and take a nap
In summary, we propose that lumenogenesis in this system requires a massive and transient remodeling of the endo-lysosomal system. Rab35 plays a key role in directing excess apical proteins out of the endosomes and into the lysosome. Without this, the cell cannot form a mature apicosome. 13/
August 8, 2025 at 12:21 AM
In summary, we propose that lumenogenesis in this system requires a massive and transient remodeling of the endo-lysosomal system. Rab35 plays a key role in directing excess apical proteins out of the endosomes and into the lysosome. Without this, the cell cannot form a mature apicosome. 13/