Kirsty Wan
@micromotility.bsky.social
Cilia and cell motility enthusiast, basal cognition, weird organisms esp protists and larvae, how do living systems compute?
Professor of Cellular & Biophysical Dynamics, Living Systems Institute, Exeter (past: DAMTP, Cambridge)
www.micromotility.com
Professor of Cellular & Biophysical Dynamics, Living Systems Institute, Exeter (past: DAMTP, Cambridge)
www.micromotility.com
something strange about this list perhaps 🤨
October 18, 2025 at 4:46 PM
something strange about this list perhaps 🤨
Our findings highlight a remarkably modular and robust propulsion mechanism found in a marine larva, which relies on short-range physical interactions to achieve ciliary coordination.
Thanks to Rebecca for all the hard work and @jekely.biologists.social.ap.brid.gy for the collaboration!
Thanks to Rebecca for all the hard work and @jekely.biologists.social.ap.brid.gy for the collaboration!
October 15, 2025 at 8:53 PM
Our findings highlight a remarkably modular and robust propulsion mechanism found in a marine larva, which relies on short-range physical interactions to achieve ciliary coordination.
Thanks to Rebecca for all the hard work and @jekely.biologists.social.ap.brid.gy for the collaboration!
Thanks to Rebecca for all the hard work and @jekely.biologists.social.ap.brid.gy for the collaboration!
#platynereis is an excellent model for cilia dynamics and coordination, incl. how metachronal waves emerge - during a process known as ciliary closure. These events are neuronal controlled, allowing the larvae to finely control their position in the water column elifesciences.org/articles/26000
October 15, 2025 at 8:53 PM
#platynereis is an excellent model for cilia dynamics and coordination, incl. how metachronal waves emerge - during a process known as ciliary closure. These events are neuronal controlled, allowing the larvae to finely control their position in the water column elifesciences.org/articles/26000
in fact, you can just keep removing cilia, until all but a single wavelength of the ciliary band remains. The tiny patch keeps propagating a metachronal wave! [watch video till the end]
(see paper for other interesting details about these waves)
(see paper for other interesting details about these waves)
October 15, 2025 at 8:53 PM
in fact, you can just keep removing cilia, until all but a single wavelength of the ciliary band remains. The tiny patch keeps propagating a metachronal wave! [watch video till the end]
(see paper for other interesting details about these waves)
(see paper for other interesting details about these waves)
to test if spatial gaps could break wave transmission, we (Rebecca) started removing more and more cilia from this equatorial ring, finding that spatial continuity of the cilia within a single multiciliated cell is both necessary and sufficient for wave continuity
October 15, 2025 at 8:53 PM
to test if spatial gaps could break wave transmission, we (Rebecca) started removing more and more cilia from this equatorial ring, finding that spatial continuity of the cilia within a single multiciliated cell is both necessary and sufficient for wave continuity
look at the discontinuities in the following kymograph (space-time plot of beat phase), turns out these come from the natural gaps between neighbouring multiciliated cells (each with several hundred cilia!).
October 15, 2025 at 8:53 PM
look at the discontinuities in the following kymograph (space-time plot of beat phase), turns out these come from the natural gaps between neighbouring multiciliated cells (each with several hundred cilia!).
with a single equatorial band made up of many many cilia. These propagate so-called 'metachronal waves', always in the same direction! The wave may look continuous, but in fact it's not!
October 15, 2025 at 8:53 PM
with a single equatorial band made up of many many cilia. These propagate so-called 'metachronal waves', always in the same direction! The wave may look continuous, but in fact it's not!
What is a #Platynereis you might ask? I would never have encountered them were it not for @jekely.biologists.social.ap.brid.gy
The adult worm is extremely ugly, in contrast, the larvae, is adorned with many cilia, which naturally makes them beautiful. The 2-day old larva is approximately spherical
The adult worm is extremely ugly, in contrast, the larvae, is adorned with many cilia, which naturally makes them beautiful. The 2-day old larva is approximately spherical
October 15, 2025 at 8:53 PM
What is a #Platynereis you might ask? I would never have encountered them were it not for @jekely.biologists.social.ap.brid.gy
The adult worm is extremely ugly, in contrast, the larvae, is adorned with many cilia, which naturally makes them beautiful. The 2-day old larva is approximately spherical
The adult worm is extremely ugly, in contrast, the larvae, is adorned with many cilia, which naturally makes them beautiful. The 2-day old larva is approximately spherical
Final version of our paper on ciliary metachronal waves out now in Science Advances! doi.org/10.1126/scia...
This is the main thesis work of my PhD student Rebecca Poon, who caught many #platnereis larvae and tirelessly ablated them with a laser. THREAD
This is the main thesis work of my PhD student Rebecca Poon, who caught many #platnereis larvae and tirelessly ablated them with a laser. THREAD
October 15, 2025 at 8:53 PM
Final version of our paper on ciliary metachronal waves out now in Science Advances! doi.org/10.1126/scia...
This is the main thesis work of my PhD student Rebecca Poon, who caught many #platnereis larvae and tirelessly ablated them with a laser. THREAD
This is the main thesis work of my PhD student Rebecca Poon, who caught many #platnereis larvae and tirelessly ablated them with a laser. THREAD
Thank you @bastinlab.bsky.social and Sylvie Friant for organising this amazing #cilia meeting! 🙏 So many interesting discussions, and not enough time! Just look at this beautiful venue... 🤩
October 15, 2025 at 8:07 PM
Thank you @bastinlab.bsky.social and Sylvie Friant for organising this amazing #cilia meeting! 🙏 So many interesting discussions, and not enough time! Just look at this beautiful venue... 🤩
Very sad to hear that Sir John Gurdon, former Master of Magdalene College, has passed away at the age of 92. www.cam.ac.uk/research/new...
Here is a powerful reminder that you should never give up on your dreams.
Here is a powerful reminder that you should never give up on your dreams.
October 7, 2025 at 3:34 PM
Very sad to hear that Sir John Gurdon, former Master of Magdalene College, has passed away at the age of 92. www.cam.ac.uk/research/new...
Here is a powerful reminder that you should never give up on your dreams.
Here is a powerful reminder that you should never give up on your dreams.
Love #protists? Then you'd love this! Beautiful collection of hand-drawn critters represented here at the Oxford-Japan symposium on ethological dynamics in diorama environments sites.google.com/view/oxford-... #ciliates #testateamoeba #diatoms
September 24, 2025 at 3:14 PM
Love #protists? Then you'd love this! Beautiful collection of hand-drawn critters represented here at the Oxford-Japan symposium on ethological dynamics in diorama environments sites.google.com/view/oxford-... #ciliates #testateamoeba #diatoms
The final version of our review on biological filaments is out in Philtrans A (w/@jcammann.bsky.social Hannah Laeverenz-Schlogelhofer & Marco Mazza) - we have 417 references!
Enjoy :)
doi.org/10.1098/rsta...
(see also other articles in this special issue on biological fluid dynamics) #biophysics
Enjoy :)
doi.org/10.1098/rsta...
(see also other articles in this special issue on biological fluid dynamics) #biophysics
September 11, 2025 at 8:40 AM
The final version of our review on biological filaments is out in Philtrans A (w/@jcammann.bsky.social Hannah Laeverenz-Schlogelhofer & Marco Mazza) - we have 417 references!
Enjoy :)
doi.org/10.1098/rsta...
(see also other articles in this special issue on biological fluid dynamics) #biophysics
Enjoy :)
doi.org/10.1098/rsta...
(see also other articles in this special issue on biological fluid dynamics) #biophysics
Complex behaviour is not limited to animals! Here we map the entire spectrum of waveforms dynamics on a quadriflagellate single cell with 4x 70um (!) #cilia, to a low dimensional behavioural manifold with surprising structure! #protistsonsky
All revealed in our new preprint doi.org/10.1101/2025...
All revealed in our new preprint doi.org/10.1101/2025...
August 23, 2025 at 9:20 AM
Complex behaviour is not limited to animals! Here we map the entire spectrum of waveforms dynamics on a quadriflagellate single cell with 4x 70um (!) #cilia, to a low dimensional behavioural manifold with surprising structure! #protistsonsky
All revealed in our new preprint doi.org/10.1101/2025...
All revealed in our new preprint doi.org/10.1101/2025...
oh good, now we also need to know the unit of the measure, I just want to buy ONE objective pls, not a herd of cows or a barrel of beer
August 18, 2025 at 12:05 PM
oh good, now we also need to know the unit of the measure, I just want to buy ONE objective pls, not a herd of cows or a barrel of beer
Turns out, Chlamy can manipulate biflagellar dominance not only through beat waveform, phase, but also beat plane (!), in response to light stimuli.
This extra degree of freedom, not often appreciated, leads to a highly robust navigation strategy spanning several orders in effective diffusivity!
This extra degree of freedom, not often appreciated, leads to a highly robust navigation strategy spanning several orders in effective diffusivity!
August 12, 2025 at 8:56 PM
Turns out, Chlamy can manipulate biflagellar dominance not only through beat waveform, phase, but also beat plane (!), in response to light stimuli.
This extra degree of freedom, not often appreciated, leads to a highly robust navigation strategy spanning several orders in effective diffusivity!
This extra degree of freedom, not often appreciated, leads to a highly robust navigation strategy spanning several orders in effective diffusivity!
So you think you understand everything about #Chlamydomonas photoresponses? think again! #protists #behaviour #cilia
To explain how Chlamy switches handedness from swimming in CCW circles in low-light to CW in high-light... see our new preprint led by Alan Tsang (HKU) 👇
doi.org/10.1101/2025...
To explain how Chlamy switches handedness from swimming in CCW circles in low-light to CW in high-light... see our new preprint led by Alan Tsang (HKU) 👇
doi.org/10.1101/2025...
August 12, 2025 at 8:56 PM
So you think you understand everything about #Chlamydomonas photoresponses? think again! #protists #behaviour #cilia
To explain how Chlamy switches handedness from swimming in CCW circles in low-light to CW in high-light... see our new preprint led by Alan Tsang (HKU) 👇
doi.org/10.1101/2025...
To explain how Chlamy switches handedness from swimming in CCW circles in low-light to CW in high-light... see our new preprint led by Alan Tsang (HKU) 👇
doi.org/10.1101/2025...
We have a postdoc opening for a protistologist with biophysics inclinations to join our @hfspo.bsky.social project! (focus will be on characterising the morphology, ultrastructure and behaviour of excavates) #protistsonsky
Apply by Sept 17th (RTs appreciated!)
jobs.exeter.ac.uk/hrpr_webrecr...
Apply by Sept 17th (RTs appreciated!)
jobs.exeter.ac.uk/hrpr_webrecr...
August 6, 2025 at 7:19 PM
We have a postdoc opening for a protistologist with biophysics inclinations to join our @hfspo.bsky.social project! (focus will be on characterising the morphology, ultrastructure and behaviour of excavates) #protistsonsky
Apply by Sept 17th (RTs appreciated!)
jobs.exeter.ac.uk/hrpr_webrecr...
Apply by Sept 17th (RTs appreciated!)
jobs.exeter.ac.uk/hrpr_webrecr...
Together with fellow cilia enthusiasts @jekely.biologists.social.ap.brid.gy @cilialab.bsky.social @azimzadeh-lab.bsky.social Laurent Kodjabachian and Eric Keaveny, UNICIL will uncover core physical principles that underlie ciliary flows in whole organisms (protist, annelid, flatworm, frog & mouse)!
July 14, 2025 at 12:25 PM
Together with fellow cilia enthusiasts @jekely.biologists.social.ap.brid.gy @cilialab.bsky.social @azimzadeh-lab.bsky.social Laurent Kodjabachian and Eric Keaveny, UNICIL will uncover core physical principles that underlie ciliary flows in whole organisms (protist, annelid, flatworm, frog & mouse)!
Thanks for having us!! Very thought-provoking discussions and a feeling that we are building a new community??
Most surprising slide? Gotta be these ectosymbiotic bacteria pretending to be a carpet of cilia @nikobiota.bsky.social 😱
Most surprising slide? Gotta be these ectosymbiotic bacteria pretending to be a carpet of cilia @nikobiota.bsky.social 😱
July 10, 2025 at 8:42 PM
Thanks for having us!! Very thought-provoking discussions and a feeling that we are building a new community??
Most surprising slide? Gotta be these ectosymbiotic bacteria pretending to be a carpet of cilia @nikobiota.bsky.social 😱
Most surprising slide? Gotta be these ectosymbiotic bacteria pretending to be a carpet of cilia @nikobiota.bsky.social 😱
And here some synchronised flagella beating in action...
June 28, 2025 at 8:14 AM
And here some synchronised flagella beating in action...
First protistology meeting complete! Fantastic time discussing protist biophysics and behaviour - many thanks to @freejakoba.bsky.social and Núria Ros Rocher for convening this special ISOP symposium! #protistsonsky
June 28, 2025 at 8:14 AM
First protistology meeting complete! Fantastic time discussing protist biophysics and behaviour - many thanks to @freejakoba.bsky.social and Núria Ros Rocher for convening this special ISOP symposium! #protistsonsky
With some fabulous poster and talk prizes!
June 13, 2025 at 7:28 PM
With some fabulous poster and talk prizes!
I was the second talk of the meeting and wasn't even the first to mention #cilia! 😬
Why are pigs and lizards so weird... Okay quail is a cool system too...
Why are pigs and lizards so weird... Okay quail is a cool system too...
May 27, 2025 at 10:04 PM
I was the second talk of the meeting and wasn't even the first to mention #cilia! 😬
Why are pigs and lizards so weird... Okay quail is a cool system too...
Why are pigs and lizards so weird... Okay quail is a cool system too...
Wonderful time in Heidelberg w/ @jekely.biologists.social.ap.brid.gy + our HFSP team (Thomas Kiørboe & Alastair Simpson) discussing the origins of eukaryotes and their excitable behaviours! can you feel the ⚡⚡⚡in the room??
(funded by @uniheidelberg.bsky.social International Guest Professorship)
(funded by @uniheidelberg.bsky.social International Guest Professorship)
May 23, 2025 at 6:01 PM
Wonderful time in Heidelberg w/ @jekely.biologists.social.ap.brid.gy + our HFSP team (Thomas Kiørboe & Alastair Simpson) discussing the origins of eukaryotes and their excitable behaviours! can you feel the ⚡⚡⚡in the room??
(funded by @uniheidelberg.bsky.social International Guest Professorship)
(funded by @uniheidelberg.bsky.social International Guest Professorship)