iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Reposted by Danielle Spitzer

Development @dev-journal.bsky.social · 20/08/2025

Issue 15 is complete! On the cover: When echinoid (ed) mutant clones (white) and wild-type twin clones (red) are generated in the developing Drosophila eye (right), the mutant tissue is eliminated. See Research Article by Spitzer et al. journals.biologists.com/dev/article/...

When echinoid (ed) mutant clones (white) and wild-type twin clones (red) are generated in the developing Drosophila eye (right), the mutant tissue is eliminated. However, if wild-type twin clones are removed so that most eye tissue is mutant (left), the ed mutant cells survive and the eyes overgrow. See Research Article by Spitzer et al.

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Reposted by Danielle Spitzer

Development @dev-journal.bsky.social · 11/08/2025

Don’t lose your Ed: adhesion molecules in growth and survival This Research Highlight showcases the work from Danielle Spitzer, William Sun, Anthony Rodríguez-Vargas, and Iswar Hariharan: journals.biologists.com/dev/article/...

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Reposted by Danielle Spitzer

Development @dev-journal.bsky.social · 08/08/2025

To find out more about their work, we spoke to first author Danielle Spitzer @dspitzer.bsky.social and corresponding author Iswar Hariharan, Professor at the University of California, Berkeley, USA: journals.biologists.com/dev/article/...

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Danielle Spitzer @dspitzer.bsky.social · 07/08/2025

My PhD work from @hariharanlab.bsky.social is finally out in @dev-journal.bsky.social! We investigated an interesting paradox: how can reduced function of the adhesion molecule Echinoid (Ed) cause seemingly opposite phenotypes—overgrowth and elimination—in different contexts? (1/8)

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Reposted by Danielle Spitzer

Development @dev-journal.bsky.social · 07/08/2025

The cell-adhesion molecule Echinoid promotes tissue survival and separately restricts tissue overgrowth. Read this #OA Research Article by Danielle Spitzer @dspitzer.bsky.social , William Sun, Anthony Rodríguez-Vargas, and Iswar Hariharan: journals.biologists.com/dev/article/...

Fig.3. echinoid clones are generated and then die, especially when more wild-type tissue is present. (A-F) Wing discs containing GFP-marked clones expressing either UAS-w-RNAi (A,C,E) or UAS-ed-RNAi (B,D,F). Heat shocks of 12 min (A,B), 15 min (C,D) and 30 min (E,F) generate clones at progressively higher density. Scale bar in H applies to H-K. Scale bar in A applies to A-F.

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Reposted by Danielle Spitzer

Marine Biological Laboratory @mblscience.bsky.social · 31/03/2025

It's Monday again, but try not to have a "bat" attitude 🦇 Instead, check out these views of a bat embryo showing developing cartilage and vasculature! The image was captured by previous #MBL Embryology student @dspitzer.bsky.social with a ZEISS Axio Zoom.V16 microscope and an Axiocam 702 camera.

Four black and white views of a developing bat embryo on a black background.

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Reposted by Danielle Spitzer

Anna Rogers @jollyette.bsky.social · 04/03/2025

I quit my job at the NIH last month, in large part because it seemed like I could no longer honestly write about topics like health equity. so I wrote about it for Slate instead 🧪 slate.com/technology/2...

slate.com

I Just Quit My Job at the NIH. Slashing DEI Is Going to Haunt the Future of Medicine.

We’d only started to correct a major gap in understanding.

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Danielle Spitzer @dspitzer.bsky.social · 13/02/2025

One perk of being a teaching prof is not needing to worry about the NIH grants…or so I thought. Took 10 mins at the start of class today to teach a crash course on biomedical research funding in the US. Many students said they were confused about what they've been hearing in the news. 1/4

Slide 1: Explanation of current events impacting scientific research at Pitt and elsewhere

Slide 2: Biomedical research is the foundation of scientific and medical knowledge. Just like understanding insurance is necessary in the education of medical doctors, understanding the basic economics of research is necessary in the education of scientists like YOU!

Slide 3: Before WWII, federally-funded research was done in small govt laboratories. Pic: 3 labs & US capitol building w/ thought bubble: "WAY more R&D would be good for the US…Is there an easier way to do this on a bigger scale?"

Slide 4: After WWII, US govt funded academic research at universities through grants. Scientists write grants to propose research projects. Researchers must explain what they plan to do, how they plan to do it, why it is worth doing, why it’s likely to succeed, etc. The gov’t funds projects that supports US research priorities (broadly speaking) but most of the work gets done at unis, not all in govt labs.

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Reposted by Danielle Spitzer

SABER @sabercommunity.bsky.social · 06/12/2024

Hello, Bluesky! 🌟 We're thrilled to join this community and share the latest in #BER and #DBER research, events, and more. Let’s connect!

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Danielle Spitzer @dspitzer.bsky.social · 10/04/2024

On my to-do list for today: "write exam question about how genetics can be weaponized for eugenics." How convenient that I check the socials and this is today's main topic. Ugh.

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Reposted by Danielle Spitzer

Maiko Kitaoka 北岡舞子, PhD @maikokitaoka.bsky.social · 12/02/2024

Please consider donating to Black Matters, a project w/ Science Communication Lab about being a Black scientist & much more (similar to Picture A Scientist). I know many of us don’t have spare cash. But I hope you’ll consider giving what you can! secure.givelively.org/donate/scico...

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Danielle Spitzer @dspitzer.bsky.social · 06/02/2024

Every semester in my lesson about the autonomic nervous system I pretend to give my physiology students a pop quiz. Instant activation of sympathetic physiological responses. It's mean but...they never mix up sympathetic vs parasympathetic after that 😈 muahahhaha

Powerpoint slide that says "POP QUIZ. Pre-class preparation is essential. You will now be assessed on your understanding of the pre-class reading. This will count toward 5 points on Exam II. Phones and laptops away."

Powerpoint slide that says: "JUST KIDDING :) That was mean. I am very sorry. You have my SYMPATHY. Take note of the changes to your body physiology that just occurred when I activated a broad sympathetic nervous response."

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Danielle Spitzer @dspitzer.bsky.social · 19/12/2023

Grades submitted! First semester teaching is in the books!! Time for a nice long nap 😴

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Danielle Spitzer @dspitzer.bsky.social · 08/12/2023

Today at work I realized I was wearing the same outfit as the bathroom

Danielle is wearing a cream colored sweater and light green pants. She is taking a mirror selfie in the bathroom. The floors are the same shade of green as her pants, and the stalls are the same shade of cream as her sweater.

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