iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Becca Pfeiffer @beccapfeiffer.bsky.social · 08/04/2026

Pretty much sums up my current commute.

Two construction signs next to each other. First reads “End road work” second reads “Road work ahead”

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Becca Pfeiffer @beccapfeiffer.bsky.social · 01/08/2025

First day at University of Pittsburgh and I have a window!

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Becca Pfeiffer @beccapfeiffer.bsky.social · 14/07/2025

From 10 years ago as a grad student with @robertmarc.bsky.social to my last day at the U of Utah today. It’s surreal to look out over the valley one last time. On to the next adventure!

Black and white photo of myself and my graduate advisor Robert Marc standing on an elevated walkway. Photo taken in 2015 by @BWJones

View from the 5th floor walkway of the Moran looking west toward downtown Salt Lake City.

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Becca Pfeiffer @beccapfeiffer.bsky.social · 04/12/2024

Its not particularly cold in SLC today, but somehow I think this is a bit off... That or this will be my last post.

Weather icon from desktop showing 27442 degrees Fahrenheit and hazy

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Becca Pfeiffer @beccapfeiffer.bsky.social · 25/11/2024

This used to work in the old place. Does anyone have a PDF of this perspective they'd be willing to share? #ICanHazPDF?

Screenshot of Pubmed page for requested paper:
Title: The Astrocyte: Metabolic Hub of the Brain
Authors: L. Felipe Barros, Stefanie Schirmeier, Bruno Weber
PMID: 38438188
PMCID: PMC11368191
Review published in Cold Spring Harbor Perspective Biology (2024. Sept3;16(9):a041355

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Becca Pfeiffer @beccapfeiffer.bsky.social · 18/11/2024

Not sure about the second yet, but this is definitely from the same sample:

red boxes overlayed on screen shot of original image indicating overlap

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Becca Pfeiffer @beccapfeiffer.bsky.social · 15/11/2024

I've outlined the structures here. They seem like they sort of extend within the cell during movements.

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Becca Pfeiffer @beccapfeiffer.bsky.social · 15/11/2024

It's rare that I do much fluorescence, but I actually have something for #FluorescenceFriday this week! Rabbit retina stained for rod bipolar cells and a type of gap junction.

Rabbit retina fluorescence image. blue is dapi, red is a gap junction marker, and green is a rod bipolar cell marker

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Becca Pfeiffer @beccapfeiffer.bsky.social · 13/09/2024

Playing with new imaging modalities is super exciting and fun

3D reconstruction image obtained by a nanoCT of an eyecup biopsy punch

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Becca Pfeiffer @beccapfeiffer.bsky.social · 30/08/2024

Related. And still one of my favorite xkcd comics: www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.p...

Comic illustrating stick figure person running with a sword towards stick figures behind a table. Attacking stick figure states: "In conclusion, AAAAAA!!!!". Text under image reads: " The best thesis defense is a good thesis offense"

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Becca Pfeiffer @beccapfeiffer.bsky.social · 27/05/2024

Apparently Costco is taking delivery a bit higher.

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Becca Pfeiffer @beccapfeiffer.bsky.social · 12/01/2024

Finn got a new bone he’s really excited about. I’m glad there’s something he’s more excited about than my slippers.

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Becca Pfeiffer @beccapfeiffer.bsky.social · 10/01/2024

I love the bluntness of papers in the 60's and 70's.

Text: "Thus it was at best useless, and at worst gave incorrect results, in the hands of the untrained."

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Becca Pfeiffer @beccapfeiffer.bsky.social · 20/12/2023

We've seen structures in TEM that we've inferred to be clathrin-coated pits (they do generally fall between 100-200nm in diameter and have a density consistent with a clathrin coat), but we often see a small invagination of the neighboring cell as well. Do you find that using PREM?

TEM image of potential CCP with neighboring cell.

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Becca Pfeiffer @beccapfeiffer.bsky.social · 06/12/2023

Without downloading any new pics, where are you mentally?

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Becca Pfeiffer @beccapfeiffer.bsky.social · 10/11/2023

Welp. Guess I live on the couch now.

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Becca Pfeiffer @beccapfeiffer.bsky.social · 03/11/2023

Talking with a grad student and technician today reminded me about some macro photography I did years ago. I should do this again.

Macro photo of a spiky flower with pollen attached.

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Becca Pfeiffer @beccapfeiffer.bsky.social · 16/10/2023

Halloween cookie prep with the toddler is well underway.

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Becca Pfeiffer @beccapfeiffer.bsky.social · 09/10/2023

Every now and again, I see my exact mood in my dog.

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Becca Pfeiffer @beccapfeiffer.bsky.social · 22/09/2023

Me explaining what is wrong with the TEMs to my PI....

Charlie from It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia conspiracy meme

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Becca Pfeiffer @beccapfeiffer.bsky.social · 18/09/2023

I have a golden pup now too. I also have no idea how you (and your house) survived 2 puppies at once! Happy birthday.

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Becca Pfeiffer @beccapfeiffer.bsky.social · 15/09/2023

I was giving a lecture via zoom (2020) and when I asked if there were any questions, one student raised his hand to ask if that was a pit bull in a sweater in the room. As far as I could tell the dog was the only one sleeping though so I’ll call it a win.

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Becca Pfeiffer @beccapfeiffer.bsky.social · 01/09/2023

This is another favorite image for today's (not actually) #FluorescenceFriday.

Segment from a human eyecup with retinitis pigmentosa. Density scaled Red: Taurine, Green: Glutathione, Blue Glutamate. Shows a group of processes out in sclera and choroid, Resembles heart shape in fibrous elements

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Becca Pfeiffer @beccapfeiffer.bsky.social · 30/08/2023

Tell me where you're from with a food picture.

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Becca Pfeiffer @beccapfeiffer.bsky.social · 31/07/2023

That was a major fear of mine during my dissertation. 6 years later the note is still heeded.

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Becca Pfeiffer @beccapfeiffer.bsky.social · 28/07/2023

I generally do brightfield microscopy, but inverted it resembles fluorescence so hopefully its within scope of #FluorescenceFriday. This is one of my absolute favorite images I've ever created from a human sample of advanced RP. Red- CRALBP, Green-GFAP, Blue-Glutamate. 🧪🐡

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