Mikaela Stiver, PhD
LightNews LightNews
banner
mikaelastiver.bsky.social
Mikaela Stiver, PhD
@mikaelastiver.bsky.social
470 followers 420 following 87 posts
Anatomist 💀 | Assistant Professor of Teaching at UBC 🤓 | Puppy Lover 🐶 | Gamified Learning Geek 🎲 | Overthinker 🧠 | Anatomy Doodler 🎨 | Views are mine (she/her)
Posts Replies Media Videos
mikaelastiver.bsky.social
I come on Bluesky these days less frequently that most first-year university students wash their bed sheets, but I’m popping on today to assure everyone that my dog is still adorable AND she recently made a tiny friend 🐶🌲❤️
Two dogs atop a tree stump in the forest looking toward the right side of the image. The dog (a Yorkshire terrier) on the left is standing and the dog on the right (a very small cavapoo) is lying down.
September 14, 2025 at 5:05 PM
mikaelastiver.bsky.social
Obligatory first day of work selfie from Wednesday afternoon! 📸✌🏼

It has been a whirlwind of a short week in my new position at UBC and my emotions are an overwhelming mix of excitement + ‘fish out of water’ / imposter syndrome, but I’m going to just keep swimming until it feels like home! 🐟💙
Selfie of a girl with long, light brown hair smiling and wearing a paisley print dress with a white cardigan
July 5, 2025 at 3:49 AM
mikaelastiver.bsky.social
Last day of work at McGill University was an absolute rollercoaster of emotions 💙

Excited to be starting my next chapter as an Assistant Professor of Teaching at UBC (@ubccps.bsky.social) on July 1st … but first, I have a lot of packing to finish and an overflowing email inbox to attend to 😂🎉
Selfie of a women with brown hair in a pony tail and wearing navy blue scrubs
May 30, 2025 at 11:29 PM
mikaelastiver.bsky.social
Ciao from my little home away from home in Italia! 💚🤍❤️

Looking forward to finally meeting the first year Harvey Med students in person in ~1 week… ma prima, le vacanze!! ✌🏼
April 14, 2025 at 12:24 AM
mikaelastiver.bsky.social
Teeny tiny London wishes everyone on Bluesky a Happy Monday!! ✌🏼🎉🐶
Teeny tiny beige cavapoo lying on a wooden deck looking off in the distance with a pile of snow and metal plant trellis in the background
March 10, 2025 at 9:58 PM
mikaelastiver.bsky.social
Just like that, I have wrapped up the final course I get to coordinate at McGill University! 💔😭

Anatomy for Surgeons (a.k.a., Anatomy for Med-4s Who Love Anatomy) is my FAVOURITE course & it's bittersweet to say goodbye... so obviously I seized one final chance to make silly student certificates 🫀✌🏼
March 8, 2025 at 3:15 AM
mikaelastiver.bsky.social
Here are just a few of my favourites 💜
1) Retina
2) Uterine tube
3) Pancreas
4) Seminiferous tubule

Please download, colour, and share 🙏🏼
February 25, 2025 at 4:48 AM
mikaelastiver.bsky.social
Every time I open the news I want to start sobbing and/or punching pillows, so instead I’m crocheting Woobles cacti and succulent kits, & I hope they will cheer everyone else up a bit too 🌵🪴💚
Three crocheted cacti and a crocheted succulent sitting on a black box in front of an exposed brick wall
January 31, 2025 at 1:29 AM
mikaelastiver.bsky.social
Even pulling super late nights to finish recommendation letters, manuscript reviews, and lecture slides is tolerable with my best friend helping me out 🐶💜
January 17, 2025 at 3:15 AM
mikaelastiver.bsky.social
Yeah that tracks ❤️‍🩹
If at first you don’t succeed… ✌🏼
January 1, 2025 at 4:30 PM
mikaelastiver.bsky.social
Merry Christmas Eve Eve 😉🎄

London and I are spending some quality time in our matching Christmas PJs while watching Richard Osman’s House of Games reruns on YouTube ✌🏼
Brunette woman smiling and holding a small beige dog (specifically a cavapoo) and standing in front of a Christmas tree. They are wearing matching dark green pyjamas with a gingerbread men and candy cane pattern.
December 24, 2024 at 2:14 AM
mikaelastiver.bsky.social
Last day of undergraduate classes today (AND my last time teaching the Clinical Neuroanatomy course I love so much 💔🧠), so I went all out with mini pre-exam care packages for my students — complete with encourage-mints, positivi-tea, stickers, and a little hand written note (among other goodies) 🍬
Hand holding three small plastic bags with chocolates, hard fruit candies, mint lifesaver candies, tea, dog stickers, and colourful note paper inside. The background is a slightly out of focus empty dry lab space.
December 4, 2024 at 9:13 PM
mikaelastiver.bsky.social
I have a new hobby… 3D cryptic crossword puzzles!! 🤓🧩

Why? Because I’m still pretty terrible at cryptic crosswords, but something about doing them in 3D just hurts my brain in the most satisfying way 🧠

Join me in my weird midlife crisis: 3dcalendarpuzzles.co.uk/puzzles/puzz...
Picture of the February 2024 3D cryptic crossword from “3D Calendar Puzzles” featuring a 6-tier crossword grid on the left and a photo of something strange and electrical in the background… sorry, I don’t know what it is yet because that’s part of the puzzle 😂
December 3, 2024 at 1:47 AM
mikaelastiver.bsky.social
Here is a map showing our global reach since we launched the GNN in November 2023 (just over a year ago!)

Dark blue = countries represented by original Innovation Team members who created the GNN

Light blue = additional countries with members who have joined the GNN since the site was launched!
World map showing Global Neuroanatomy Network membership as of November 20, 2024. Countries coloured in dark blue indicate those represented by Innovation Team members who created the GNN and countries coloured in light blue indicate countries with at least 1 members since the site was launched in November 2023
November 24, 2024 at 12:57 AM
mikaelastiver.bsky.social
The vestibulocochlear nerve always struck me as the neuroanatomical version of a BOGO sale ✌🏼

Enjoy this neuroanatomy Pokémon-inspired cranial nerve card for the "inner ear dream team" — a.k.a. CN VIII

Print-on-demand copies available from The Game Crafter: www.thegamecrafter.com/games/crania...
Image of the Pokémon-inspired vestibulocochlear nerve card with yellow borders and teal background. Vestibulocochlear Cranial Nerve Card (HP 120; Type: Sensory) Line drawing of vestibulocochlear nerves highlighted in teal on ventral aspect of brainstem Special Sensory Nerve. Exit from Skull: Internal Acoustic Meatus Rapid Spin: Get that endolymph flowing in your semicircular ducts (+10 for each oculomotor, abducens, or trochlear in play) Melodious Sound: Convert mechanical vibrations to electrical signals and let the music move you Strength: ⚖️ = sensing balance and equilibrium 🎵 = hearing melodious music Weakness: 💎 = displacement of the calcium carbonate crystals (statoconia), such as in benign paroxysmal positional vertigo 📣 = loud sounds → transient or permanent damage to hair cells "Central processes of bipolar neurons with peripheral process extending to the vesibulocochlear organ" a.k.a. inner ear dream team; CN VIII
November 21, 2024 at 4:57 PM
mikaelastiver.bsky.social
*POKE* 🫵🏼 Which cranial nerves are involved in the corneal blink reflex? Check out these next two cards in my Pokémon-inspired cranial nerve #neuroanatomy series!

Alt text has decoded emoji strengths & weaknesses.

Hard copies: www.thegamecrafter.com/games/crania...
DM or email for digital copies!
Image of the Pokémon-inspired trigeminal nerve card with yellow borders and yellow background. Trigeminal Cranial Nerve Card (HP 300; Type: Both) Line drawing of trigeminal nerves highlighted in yellow on lateral aspect of the pons Mixed Nerve. Exit from Skull: Superior Orbital Fissure, Foramen Rotundum, & Foramen Ovale Triple Threat: Ophthalmic and maxillary and mandibular, oh my! A triad destined for cephalic sensory domination Bite: Engages a tetrad of masticatory muscles to unleash colossal jaw clenching capabilities! Strength: 👄 = chewing → muscles of mastication 😱 = carrying somatic sensation from the face → I CAN feel my face because of you! Weakness: ⁉️ = idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia 🪨 = head trauma or acoustic neuroma… your choice! "Prominent protrusions from the pons relaying a complex network of afferent and efferent fibers throughout the head" a.k.a. the trifecta; CN V Image of the Pokémon-inspired facial nerve card with yellow borders and purple background. Facial Cranial Nerve Card (HP 150; Type: Both) Line drawing of facial nerves highlighted in purple on lateral aspects of pontomedullary junction from Mixed Nerve. Exit from Skull: Internal Acoustic Meatus Scary Face: Seemingly endless combinations of terrifying faces to pull at your discretion... To Zanzibar By Motor Car! Puppet Master: Show those preganglionic parasympathetics some respect! (+30 if trigeminal is in play for postganglionic pathways) Strength: 🥴 = making silly faces → muscles of facial expression 👅 = carrying taste sensation from the anterior 2/3 of the tongue Weakness: 🦠 = viral infection affecting CN VII leading to facial paralysis 🔪 = damage during surgery → at risk during some common cosmetic and otolaryngologic procedures "Motor and sensory roots with a lengthy intraosseous path punctuated by a geniculum in the temporal bone" a.k.a. empress of expression; CN VII
November 19, 2024 at 12:56 AM
mikaelastiver.bsky.social
Sundays, amirite? 💤
Teeny tiny London is ready for another nap, and so am I!
Small beige cavapoo lying on a light pink and beige blanket in front of an exposed brick wall out of focus in the background. She is looking absolutely adorable and rather sleepy at the same time!
November 17, 2024 at 8:34 PM
mikaelastiver.bsky.social
Next up in the cranial nerve #neuroanatomy Pokémon card series, here are CN III, IV, & VI — everyone's favourite extraocular muscle threesome!

Alt text includes decoded emoji strengths & weaknesses... I'm particularly proud of CN III 🍓

Grab a physical copy: www.thegamecrafter.com/games/crania...
Image of the Pokémon-inspired oculomotor nerve card with yellow borders and orange background. Oculomotor Cranial Nerve Card (HP 80; Type: Motor) Line drawing of oculomotor nerves highlighted in orange on the ventral surface of the brainstem Motor Nerve. Exit from Skull: Superior Orbital Fissure Sunny Day*: Sun in your eyes? Pupillary reflex to the rescue! *Must be played with optic for the afferent reflex limb Hypnosis: Spin your eyeballs round and round... don't get dizzy (+20 if both trochlear & abducens are also in play) Strength: 🙄 = rolling the eyes → innervating 5 out of 7 extraocular muscles 😳 = opening the eyes wide thanks to levator palpebrae superioris (+ imagine pupil constriction & ciliary muscle activity) Weakness: 🤕 = trauma (usually involving moderate to severe head injuries) 🍓 = susceptibility to compression by saccular (a.k.a., berry) aneurysms "Efferent nerve arising from the interpeduncular fossa, traversing the cavernous sinus on its way to the orbit" a.k.a. king of eyeball action; CN III Image of the Pokémon-inspired trochlear nerve card with yellow borders and pink background. Trochlear Cranial Nerve Card (HP 15; Type: Motor) Line drawing of trochlear nerves highlighted in pink Motor Nerve. Exit from Skull: Superior Orbital Fissure Ego Boost: You may be small, but you are mighty!! Go get 'em tiger! (just roll with it... trochlear has a serious inferiority complex) Assist: There is no "eye" in team! +5 for every other cranial nerve in play that innervates extraocular muscles Strength: 🔄 = primary action of SO → intorsion ⬇️ = secondary action of SO → depression Weakness: 🧬 = mutations leading to a neoplasm 🔨 = head trauma (in fairness, I don’t think any nerves would fare well against a hammer!) "Smallest cranial nerve, emerging from the dorsal midbrain to carry somatic motor innervation to the superior oblique" a.k.a. the wee one; CN IV Image of the Pokémon-inspired abducens nerve card with yellow borders and green background. Abducens Cranial Nerve Card (HP 15; Type: Motor) Line drawing of abducens nerves highlighted in green on ventral aspect of brainstem Motor Nerve. Exit from Skull: Superior Orbital Fissure Scathing Side-eye*: The soul-crushing power of passive-aggressive disapproval *Must be played with oculomotor due to yolked movement Assist: There is no "eye" in team! +5 for every other cranial nerve in play that innervates extraocular muscles Strength: ⬅️ 🙂 ➡️ = abduction (+ important role of the CN VI nuclei in horizontal gaze coordination) Weakness: 🤯 = susceptibility to elevated intracranial pressure due to its lengthy intracranial path 🌡️ = inflammatory conditions or lesions "Somatic motor fibers travelling from the pontomedullary junction to the orbit & boasting the longest intracranial course" a.k.a. lover's nerve; CN VI
November 17, 2024 at 2:54 AM
mikaelastiver.bsky.social
New platform, new opportunity to show off my Pokémon-inspired cranial nerve cards 🧠🤓

Each card includes cryptic "strengths" & weaknesses" (perhaps better described as “stuff they help us do” & “stuff that might hurt / damage them in some manner”) as emojis... can you decode them? #neuro #anatomy
Image of the Pokémon-inspired olfactory nerve card with yellow borders and purple background. Olfactory Cranial Nerve Card (HP 60; Type: Sensory) Line drawing of olfactory tracts & bulbs highlighted in purple on the ventral surface of the brain Special Sensory Nerve. Exit from Skull: Foramina of the Cribriform Plate Odour Sleuth: Inhale through nose & let the action (potentials) unfold! Memory Boost: Unlock latent memories using associated olfactory cues (along with activation of the olfactory cortices, amygdala, & hippocampus) Strength: 🌼 = smelling beautiful flowers 🍿 = smelling delicious food Weakness: 💩 = smelling not so lovely smells 🥊 = head / face trauma → shearing of olfactory nerves passing through the foramina of the cribriform plate "Bundles of bipolar neurons in the nasal mucosa stimulated by olfactory stimuli & synapsing in the olfactory bulb" a.k.a. nose cave stink sensor; CN I Image of the Pokémon-inspired optic nerve card with yellow borders and light blue background. Optic Cranial Nerve Card (HP 120; Type: Sensory) Line drawing of optic nerves (cut), chiasm, and tracts highlighted in dark blue on the ventral surface of the brain Special Sensory Nerve. Exit from Skull: Optic Canal Foresight: Sight in the forward direction... and a little to the side Binocular Vision*: Double the input, double the fun; wider visual field, depth perception, and more! *Two optic cards must be played together Strength: 🌈 = seeing all the lovely colours of the visible spectrum 🔍 = carrying information regarding spatial and temporal resolution Weakness: ☀️ = bright light → burning retinas 🤒 = optic neuritis → sometimes linked to infections like Lyme disease "Convergence of retinal ganglion cells travelling to the lateral geniculate nuclei with a chiasm en route" a.k.a. eyeball information highway; CN II
November 13, 2024 at 5:35 PM
mikaelastiver.bsky.social
Genuinely questioning how I ever ended up with >7K followers on the bird app since I mostly just share anatomy doodles & nerdy musings…

Anyhow, here’s a picture of teeny tiny London in her skeleton Halloween costume! 🥹💀

Also, are hashtags a thing here?
Small beige dog dressed in a skeleton onesie (black with white bones) standing on a carpet with her favourite rope toy in front of her
November 11, 2024 at 2:08 AM
mikaelastiver.bsky.social
In an effort to slowly rebuild my network & community over here, I’m hoping this recent project with which I was involved will help me find my people 🥰

Do you like histology?🔬
Do you also enjoy colouring?🖍️

Then you’re going to LOVE the Histology Colouring Book! 📖❤️ histologycoloringbook.com
November 9, 2024 at 8:38 PM
mikaelastiver.bsky.social
Had a tough day, but at least no one dressed me up in a dinosaur costume against my will… right, London?? 😉🦖🐶
November 8, 2023 at 1:47 AM
mikaelastiver.bsky.social
Wishing you all a wonderful World Anatomy Day! 🌎💀

Today marks the anniversary of Andreas Vesalius's death in 1564 — a man who made tremendous contributions to the discipline of anatomy in his day & is highly regarded for his detailed dissections that transformed our understanding of the field!
October 15, 2023 at 3:47 PM
mikaelastiver.bsky.social
Probably time to introduce myself, eh?

I’m Mikaela! An Assistant Professor at McGill University teaching anatomy with a focus on neuroanatomy 🫀🧠

I am a passionate educator with a love for game-based learning! Check out my Pokémon-inspired cranial nerve cards: www.thegamecrafter.com/games/crania...
October 14, 2023 at 1:23 AM