Sign in

Chrystal Starbird

@drstarbird.bsky.social
7.3K followers 634 following 1.3K posts

Scientist, mother, perpetual learner. Assistant Professor, Structural Biologist, Advocate, and Speaker. Views my own. signal @starbic.01 www.starbirdlab.com

PostsRepliesMedia
Reposted by Chrystal Starbird
Leslie B Vosshall PhD @leslievosshall.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Transformative opportunity for early career faculty @hhmi-science.bsky.social #FreemanHrabowski Scholars competition opens 11/3/2026 but you can get started NOW: view application components, establish eligibility, and unlock example applications and other resources www.hhmi.org/programs/fre...
hhmi.org
Early Career Faculty Program | Freeman Hrabowski Scholars | HHMI
The Freeman Hrabowski Scholars Program offers comprehensive support to outstanding early career faculty committed to scientific excellence in their own research, and to fostering labs that expand the ...
04841
Reposted by Chrystal Starbird
Parkinson's Foundation Research @pfresearchteam.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
📢 Congratulations to 2026 Impact Awardee, Danielle Schmitt at the University of California, Los Angeles, whose project focuses on functional imaging of PINK1 activity dynamics. @parkinsondotorg.bsky.social
022
Chrystal Starbird @drstarbird.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
Double THIS 👇🏾
0123
Reposted by Chrystal Starbird
I Travel Like Sound Dog @chadstanton.blacksky.app · 02/09/2026
“I think it’s safe to say that most, if not all, the students in the room felt like our lives were threatened. We did not feel like we were going to make it out of that room alive,” Samuel Scarborough, senior adviser for the Black Student Movement, said.”
dailytarheel.com
Black student organizations targeted in racially motivated attack at campus watch party
The individual, detained by UNC Police, entered a Greenlaw Hall classroom Monday night with an aerosol can and lighter. He communicated racially charged threats and threw items at students before flee...
711872
Chrystal Starbird @drstarbird.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Two surgeries, two with colds (including me), a busy time at work/school, and a college drop off in Boston 😭 Just another Starbird fam week! Grateful for friends who helped us manage it all 😍🫶🏾
010
Chrystal Starbird @drstarbird.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
This timeline has GOT to be kidding. Dolly and then Tim Curry in the same week!
010
Chrystal Starbird @drstarbird.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
When the committee picks the one poll time to meet you are not available 😂
static.klipy.com
Kevin Durant Salty Reaction
ALT: Kevin Durant Salty Reaction
030
Chrystal Starbird @drstarbird.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
Apparently I should go on vacation more often. Congratulations @biophysgal.bsky.social on your well-deserved F31 NOA!!! 🎉🎉🎉 Super proud!!!!
5472
Chrystal Starbird @drstarbird.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
Great times in ATL!
020
Chrystal Starbird @drstarbird.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
Another wonderful new PI retreat in the books in beautiful Asheville, NC! Thankful to have such great colleagues in the NC/TN area.
0142
Reposted by Chrystal Starbird
Needhi Bhalla 💅🏽 @needhibhalla.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
The last 2 years have been disturbingly clarifying, scientifically, politically and organizationally. I have had to focus on what I have control over: organizing at my uni, ensuring the success of trainees in my lab and acknowledging that my approach to research may not align with future funding
512329
Chrystal Starbird @drstarbird.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
Me when I walk out of work today…
static.klipy.com
Eddie Murphy in Vacation Mode
ALT: Eddie Murphy in Vacation Mode
070
Reposted by Chrystal Starbird
American Society for Cell Biology @ascbiology.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
Congratulations to the 2026 ASCB Honorific Award Winners! ASCB is proud to recognize scientists whose research, mentorship, education & leadership are helping shape the future of cell biology. See all the awardees: www.ascb.org/society-news/ascb-anno…
0177
Reposted by Chrystal Starbird
Daniel Hurdiss @danielhurdiss.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
One month left to apply (deadline August 31st)! 👇 #Virology #AcademicJobs #FacultyJobs #FacultyPosition #TenureTrack #GroupLeader
01413
Reposted by Chrystal Starbird
Needhi Bhalla 💅🏽 @needhibhalla.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
From the abstract: “promoting a woman to Associate Professor increases female faculty by 1.5 members after 15 years, leads to six additional female PhD graduates over the following decade, and raises the number who subsequently remain in academia and reach tenured positions”
119888
Chrystal Starbird @drstarbird.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
Late post, but we are super proud of our summer student, Zoria! She was mentored by @biophysgal.bsky.social and Johnna Bingham, and made excellent progress on her project with their guidance. She’ll be at ABRCMS in the Fall and interested in future research opportunities, so be sure to say hi!
050
Chrystal Starbird @drstarbird.bsky.social · 26/07/2026
It’s been a while since I left the lab this late because I was doing an experiment. I forgot how nice it can be to focus on only one thing for a while #inthezone
150
Chrystal Starbird @drstarbird.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
Thanks to the woman hyping me up this morning at the cafe. Complimented my hair and earrings, and when I told her my age said “Ain’t no way!” 😂😍 I love it when we’re like this. You made my day!
0101
Chrystal Starbird @drstarbird.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
When you hit submit on your grant and now you get to: Answer emails Submit receipts from trip Work on those papers Edit trainee grants Finish data analysis Stare blankly at the wall
1110
Chrystal Starbird @drstarbird.bsky.social · 18/07/2026
Had a great time giving a talk @faseborg.bsky.social Protein Phosphorylation conference in KY! Great science, awesome co-chairs, and the Trimeric Signaling Crew enjoyed an underground hike!
0122
Reposted by Chrystal Starbird
Jacquelyn Gill @jacquelyngill.bsky.social · 03/07/2026
This is such an important thread as we face a growing crisis in higher education. So many public universities are being taken over by people who treat them as a business and not a public good, and those are fundamentally different philosophies. And it’s destroying the road to upward mobility.
18632
Chrystal Starbird @drstarbird.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
Lab outing at Frankie’s Fun Park!
030
Reposted by Chrystal Starbird
Black In Neuro @blackinneuro.bsky.social · 03/06/2026
🎉Save the date! Black In Neuro Week 2026 is July 27–Aug 2. We're celebrating our 6th annual BIN Week with returning favorites like #NeuroRacism, #NeuroAcrossTheDiaspora, and #BINRollCall plus a brand new theme: #BlackInTime. ✨ 🧠 #BINW26 #AReimaginedFuture
Promotional graphic for Black In Neuro Week 2026. The design features a retro-inspired sunburst background in shades of orange, gold, cream, blue, and green. At the center is an arch-shaped panel with the text “A Reimagined Future” curved across the top, followed by “Black In Neuro Week 2026.” The Black In Neuro logo, featuring a profile illustration with a brain motif, appears in the center. At the bottom, the dates July 27–August 2 and the hashtag #BINW26 are displayed. Decorative star accents frame the design.
05749
Chrystal Starbird @drstarbird.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
The power has been shutting on and off all day in my lab (and surrounding labs). Everything is alarming every few minutes 🤦🏾‍♀️
static.klipy.com
Sleepy Dog's Nope Pass
ALT: Sleepy Dog's Nope Pass
000
Reposted by Chrystal Starbird
Hypothesis Fund @hypothesisfund.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
🔬 Announcing our newest awardees! 🌟 These brilliant minds are pushing boundaries across microbiology, immunology, infectious disease, earth systems, and neuroscience. Celebrate with us as we highlight their projects today👇 in our 🧵: 1/ bit.ly/HFAwardees
3339
Reposted by Chrystal Starbird
Hypothesis Fund @hypothesisfund.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
4/ What if the key to understanding bacterial stress response is in their electrons⚡? Awardee @copperbae.bsky.social is tracking electron balance as a novel way to predict how well a bacteria's defenses are holding up. 🍾 Congrats Dr. Johnson! @uarizona.bsky.social 🙏 #HFScout @drkhaynes.bsky.social
1216
Reposted by Chrystal Starbird
Kay O. @k1970.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
17577291
Reposted by Chrystal Starbird
Julie Pfeiffer @jkpfeiff.bsky.social · 26/06/2026
Faculty search announcement 2026: Tenure-Track Assistant Professor in Microbiology at UT Southwestern in Dallas. We seek candidates working in microbial pathogenesis (broadly defined). Come join our community! (1/5) www.utsouthwestern.edu/departments/...
Department members sit at a very long table in the hallway eating a pre-Thanksgiving potluck feast.
34553
Chrystal Starbird @drstarbird.bsky.social · 26/06/2026
9500 emails in my deleted folder and 4010 in my inbox at work. And I cleaned this all out 4 months ago 😩😩😩
010
Reposted by Chrystal Starbird
Science Magazine @science.org · 25/06/2026
Are you a recent Ph.D. graduate? Apply for the Science & SciLifeLab Prize for Young Scientists. The $30,000 grand prize will be awarded for outstanding research in cell and molecular biology, genomics, ecology, or molecular medicine. Apply by 15 July: scim.ag/4lUpKMN
scim.ag
Science & SciLifeLab Prize for Young Scientists
This Prize was created to recognize that global economic health is dependent upon a vibrant research community and we need to encourage our best and brightest to continue in their chosen fields of res...
24133
Reposted by Chrystal Starbird
Joshua Weitz @joshuasweitz.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
In the face of ongoing pressures and critique (including here by many), the public reaffirmation of the core mission of the National Academy of Sciences is a much-needed signal from incoming NAS President Neil Shubin. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
science.org
The enduring pursuit of science in America
Imagine an American organization that convenes scientific experts not to advance any ideology or interest but to provide the nation with a clear understanding of complex problems. Imagine this body wo...
37341
Chrystal Starbird @drstarbird.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
Apparently the Starbird kids are really trying to be entrepreneurs 😁 If you’re in the Triangle area and interested in supporting a young photographer (middle school), please give my youngest a follow: www.instagram.com/p/DZ8fdTRqj5...
instagram.com
Liam S on Instagram: "📸Recent photo I’ve taken📸 #photographer #ncphotographer #photo Shot on #canon EOS Rebel T7"
5 likes, 1 comments - tristarshoots on June 23, 2026: "📸Recent photo I’ve taken📸 #photographer #ncphotographer #photo Shot on #canon EOS Rebel T7".
110
Reposted by Chrystal Starbird
Thomas Arnesen @natmachinery.bsky.social · 23/06/2026
Structural and mechanistic insights into the UBR4-KCMF1-Calmodulin complex @ispt-proteinterm.bsky.social academic.oup.com/proteincell/...
academic.oup.com
Structural and mechanistic insights into the UBR4-KCMF1-Calmodulin complex
Dear Editor,
0117
Reposted by Chrystal Starbird
Eugene Valkov @eugenevalkov.bsky.social · 23/06/2026
#cryoem folks- we keep seeing this popping up in 2d classes. Sample is a recombinant complex from insect cells
286
Chrystal Starbird @drstarbird.bsky.social · 22/06/2026
I don’t know what weird virus is going around, but within the past week two members of my household spiked a fever over 100, were suddenly very lethargic and nauseous, and then completely fine a few hours later 🤷🏾‍♀️
100
Reposted by Chrystal Starbird
United Farm Workers @ufw.bsky.social · 19/06/2026
Happy #Juneteenth! On this day we celebrate freedom and our commitment to the fight against racism. Our struggles were born from the same roots. Our struggles are one. Su lucha es mi lucha. Together we are more powerful.
Colorful Juneteenth celebration design with sunburst rays, a red sun, ane a UFW huelga black eagle logo. Text reads 'Happy Juneteenth' in bold letters."
242262711
Chrystal Starbird @drstarbird.bsky.social · 18/06/2026
Starting a new lab? My middle child is a rising junior at MassArt in animation/graphic design and is starting a logo design business. They designed our lab logo as well, so please contact if interested!
132
Chrystal Starbird @drstarbird.bsky.social · 18/06/2026
I’ve seen recent comments about private donors saving science. Usually, donations go to universities and it’s not always to the direct benefit of existing labs. As such, several PIs have created direct routes to support their research. You can donate to the Starbird Lab here: starbirdlab.com/donate/
starbirdlab.com
Donate – The Starbird Lab
121
Reposted by Chrystal Starbird
Joshua Weitz @joshuasweitz.bsky.social · 18/06/2026
Short-form video (~8 mins) on threats to science from @evidentmedia.org, an Emmy-winning nonprofit newsroom, featuring takes from @cdelawalla.bsky.social, @drstarbird.bsky.social & me. Ongoing efforts by OMB are another indication of the ongoing existential threats to American leadership in science.
evidentmedia.substack.com
Inside the Collapse of U.S. Science Funding
The Trump administration cut or froze more than $3 billion in approved research grants from the National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation in 2025.
57440
Reposted by Chrystal Starbird
Kate Clancy @kateclancy.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
It turns out that if I ignore my email it really piles up. But also if I don't ignore my email, I don't get anything done? Been doing a lot of organizing this week, and my colleagues are so tired of the ever-increasing, compliance-focused bureaucratic workload. 1/7
3315
Reposted by Chrystal Starbird
Brianna George, PhD @briannaegeorge.bsky.social · 16/06/2026
Thrilled and honored to receive a 2026 PDEP award! I'm beyond grateful for the support and excited to join this incredible group of scholars!! 🎉🎉
6213
Reposted by Chrystal Starbird
Alfred M. Mays @amays-bwfund.bsky.social · 15/06/2026
Congrats BWFUND/Revson PDEP! www.bwfund.org/news/2026-po...
bwfund.org
2026 Postdoctoral Enrichment Program Recipients Announced - Burroughs Wellcome Fund
DURHAM, N.C. — The Burroughs Wellcome Fund and The Charles H. Revson Foundation are pleased to announce the recipients of the 2026 Postdoctoral Enrichment Program (PDEP) awards, providing career-devel...
0103
Chrystal Starbird @drstarbird.bsky.social · 15/06/2026
Congratulations to the newest official PhD Candidate in the Starbird lab, Johnna Bingham!!! 🍾🎉
3474
Reposted by Chrystal Starbird
Leading Edge Fellows Program @leadingedgeprogram.bsky.social · 09/06/2026
We are thrilled to announce the 2026 Zara Weinberg Leading Edge Fellows! 40 remarkable postdocs pursuing transformative research in biological/biomedical sciences. This is the 7th Leading Edge cohort and we are so excited to welcome them! www.leadingedgesymposium.org/fellows/
Congratulations to the 2026 Zara Weinberg Leading Edge Fellows! 
Airi Yoshimoto, Yijun Yang, Alexandra Wells, Simran Virdi, Archana Venkataraman, Emery Usher, Marianna Tannus Ruckert, Wenzhi Song, Kathryn Shelley, Selin Schamiloglu, Julia Peloggia de Castro, Ines Patop, Ruhi Patel, Suranjana Pal, Bernie Simone Owusu Yaw, LaShae Nicholson, Sivapratha Nagappan Chettiar, Dallas Mould, Jessica Moore, Deka Mohamed, Sierra Marable, Annie Ly, Xi (Lucy) Lu, Deirdre Logsdon, Anna Lipkin, Ellen Lesser, Mia Konjikusic, Veronika Kondev, Cayla Jewett, Lucia Ichino, Erin Huiting, Maggie Horst, Isabella Gaeta, Martha Echevarria-Andino, Natasha Claxton, Sarah Cherkaoui, Nikita Bhalerao, Merci Best, Meenakshi Asokan, Alicer Andrew
011855
Reposted by Chrystal Starbird
Needhi Bhalla 💅🏽 @needhibhalla.bsky.social · 13/06/2026
"the 10-year probability of the dismal outcome 'retention without promotion' for assistant professors was 41%." 👀 with alt text
Consistent with the concerns raised by Nonnemaker and Griner (2001), the proportion of medical school faculty members on tenure-eligible tracks has declined substantially, driven principally by an accelerating erosion of tenure track appointments among new hires dependent on “soft money” (Bunton and Mallon, 2007, Bunton and Sloane, 2015, Liu and Mallon, 2004). The ranks of academic medicine faculties now include burgeoning populations of new hires who are stuck in place, in part because at many institutions promotion to the rank of untenured associate professor requires at least one if not two R01 research project grants.4 In one national analysis, Jeffe et al. (2019) found that the 10-year probability of the dismal outcome “retention without promotion” for assistant professors was 41%.
1112
Chrystal Starbird @drstarbird.bsky.social · 13/06/2026
Ninety+ degree weather can’t stop #pride
0100
Reposted by Chrystal Starbird
Valerie Ettenhofer @aandeandval.bsky.social · 13/06/2026
Huge turnout against racism in Glasgow today - can't even see the end of the crowd. Chants so far include "Nazi scum off our streets" and "Refugees are welcome here."
5860223
Chrystal Starbird @drstarbird.bsky.social · 13/06/2026
People who’ve been complacent suddenly being alarmed with the newest NIH suggested changes feels a lot like a “then they came for me” situation
4335
Reposted by Chrystal Starbird
Stylianos Lefkopoulos (he/him) @slefkopoulos.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
🌈 At a time when progress can't be taken for granted, I 'm especially proud to share this @natcellbio.nature.com Q&A piece. I had the pleasure to discuss with @gunawanlab.bsky.social about his inspiring journey as an LGBTQIA+ immigrant. #PrideInSTEM 👉 rdcu.be/fnXQ6 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
nature.com
A scientist can come from anywhere - Nature Cell Biology
This June, we celebrate Pride by discussing with Felix Gunawan, assistant professor at the University of Toronto and co-affiliate group leader at the University of Münster, about his personal and acad...
06421
Reposted by Chrystal Starbird
Crystal Rogers, PhD @rogerslabucd.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
Lab picture day! I’m so proud of all of the amazing students in my lab. We have 6 graduating seniors, several returning undergrads, many summer students, and 7 amazing grad students who are all doing such cool science. Even with the hardships of academia- I love this job and our little community!
A group of amazing scientists at UC Davis taking a picture in the stairwell A group of amazing scientists at UC Davis taking a picture outside
2284