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Vaishnavi Ananthanarayanan (She/Her)

@vaishananth.bsky.social
1.4K followers 1.2K following 86 posts

EMBLAustralia Group Leader @ UNSW Sydney| Ex Asst Prof IISc Bangalore | EMBO YI 2018 | MPI-CBG Dresden & BITS Pilani alumna | Co-founder @ biaswatchindia | Ally 🏳️‍🌈

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Vaishnavi Ananthanarayanan (She/Her) @vaishananth.bsky.social · 09/04/2025
This is the outcome of Leeba Chacko's PhD research - all credit to her (she also recently submitted her thesis - pictured below with her PhD hat). This work also included incredibly fruitful and fun collaborations with Hidenori (Tokushima U.), Richard (UNSW) and @wallaceucsf.bsky.social! (n/n)
First author Leeba with her PhD hat after she submitted her thesis (L) and Vaish Ananthanarayanan (R).
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Vaishnavi Ananthanarayanan (She/Her) @vaishananth.bsky.social · 09/04/2025
The prediction of this model was that cells that lacked mitochondrial activity would grow linearly, and indeed we saw that rho0 cells (without mtDNA) switched to linear growth! (5/n)
comparison of cell size over time of WT and rho0 cells showing a switch from exponential (WT) to linear (rho0) growth in the absence of mtDNA
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Vaishnavi Ananthanarayanan (She/Her) @vaishananth.bsky.social · 09/04/2025
Both the cell size and mitochondrial volume grew exponentially during the cell cycle, but given our previous data, we asked if mitochondrial activity drove the cell's exponential growth - using quantitative modeling we found this was the case. (4/n)
Plot of cell size over time, fit to an equation that links cell size to mitochondrial activity.
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Vaishnavi Ananthanarayanan (She/Her) @vaishananth.bsky.social · 09/04/2025
We compared pairs of daughter cells that divided symmetrically but partitioned mitochondria asymmetrically - cells with fewer mitochondria grew slower. Those with more mitochondria grew faster. Both daughter cells eventually divided according to the 'sizer' mechanism, but at different times. (3/n)
comparison of daughter cell pairs with similar cell sizes at birth but asymmetric mitochondrial partitioning, showing that the daughter cells with less mito grow slower and take longer to achieve the size for division.
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Vaishnavi Ananthanarayanan (She/Her) @vaishananth.bsky.social · 09/04/2025
At cell division, small newborn cells inherited fewer mitochondria from the mother, while larger received more. But by division, all cells ended up with the same mitochondrial volume! (2/n)
Plot of mitochondrial volume at division against cell length at birth, showing a linear scaling of mitochondrial volume with cell lengthPlot of mitochondrial volume at division against cell length at birth, showing all cells have roughly the same mitochondrial volume at division.
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Vaishnavi Ananthanarayanan (She/Her) @vaishananth.bsky.social · 09/04/2025
How is mitochondrial volume maintained across successive generations of dividing cells? In our new preprint, we show how fission yeast cells use mitochondrial activity to control division timing and maintain mitochondrial homeostasis! (1/n) 📖 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
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Vaishnavi Ananthanarayanan (She/Her) @vaishananth.bsky.social · 24/11/2024
Always a solution
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Vaishnavi Ananthanarayanan (She/Her) @vaishananth.bsky.social · 21/11/2024
Sunny Sydney Friday ☀️☀️
Photo of a Sydney beach with the CBD in the background
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Vaishnavi Ananthanarayanan (She/Her) @vaishananth.bsky.social · 13/11/2024
Super excited to see all this activity on BlueSky! 👋 I'm a cell biologist/biophysicist interested in how the cell interior is organised by stochastic interactions between the cytoskeleton, motor proteins and organelles. I also care deeply about equity and inclusion in academia. 1/2
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Vaishnavi Ananthanarayanan (She/Her) @vaishananth.bsky.social · 01/02/2024
#NewProfilePic
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Vaishnavi Ananthanarayanan (She/Her) @vaishananth.bsky.social · 29/01/2024
Back on Twitter (I refuse to call it the other name) after a long-ish hiatus, and a challenging 2023. Here's hoping for a happier, science-filled 2024! Cat tax:
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Vaishnavi Ananthanarayanan (She/Her) @vaishananth.bsky.social · 22/09/2023
First attempts at micropatterning in the lab - tubulin staining in HEK293 cells. Thanks to @ManuelTHERY for getting us started on this journey!
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Vaishnavi Ananthanarayanan (She/Her) @vaishananth.bsky.social · 22/09/2023
First attempts at micropatterning in the lab! Tubulin staining in HEK293 cells.
HEK293 cells grown on micropatterns with different shapes and immunostained for tubulin: clockwise from top left - circle, pacman, crossbow and triangle shapes.
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Vaishnavi Ananthanarayanan (She/Her) @vaishananth.bsky.social · 23/08/2023
Hello world👋! I'm a cell biologist/biophysicist and my lab investigates how stochastic motor-driven processes integrate to give rise to intracellular organisation. I love all things cytoskeleton and motor proteins. I care deeply about equity and inclusion in science.
Fluorescent image of microtubules and dynactin subunit p150
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Vaishnavi Ananthanarayanan (She/Her) @vaishananth.bsky.social · 15/05/2023
The @ictpnews Workshop on non-equilibrium fluctuations in life at beautiful Trieste kicks off with a talk from Jim Hudspeth @RockefellerUniv Full program : @edgarroldankb
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Vaishnavi Ananthanarayanan (She/Her) @vaishananth.bsky.social · 26/04/2023
Felicity @felicitydavis2 and I have had numerous conversions in DEI (or the lack of it) in academia. Happy to see this article (with @theeliaslab) that collates our convos and provides a framework for inclusion. (1/2)
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Vaishnavi Ananthanarayanan (She/Her) @vaishananth.bsky.social · 10/08/2022
For those who didn't know, @polybiotique and I had not met in person..until yesterday! We started brainstorming 2+ yrs ago on Twitter, and worked together completely remotely to make @biaswatchindia happen. Thanks for being the best partner in crime one could hope for!
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Vaishnavi Ananthanarayanan (She/Her) @vaishananth.bsky.social · 26/07/2022
The @EMBO Workshop on Birth and Fisson of Cellular Compartments kick-started yesterday at beautiful Bilbao, Spain. Excited to finally be here for a conf that was originally meant to be held in 2020! Pic below - the Guggenheim Museum, which is a stone's throw from the venue.
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Vaishnavi Ananthanarayanan (She/Her) @vaishananth.bsky.social · 10/06/2022
Reuniting with old friends at the @EMBO Microtubules meeting! Bliss! #EESMicrotubules
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Vaishnavi Ananthanarayanan (She/Her) @vaishananth.bsky.social · 04/06/2022
After an amazing whirlwind of a networking session #EMBOYIN2022 @EMBO_YIP, I'm excited for my upcoming visit and talk at @IGCiencia on 6 and 7 June. But until then, this will be my view as I work on manuscript revisions 🤩. Thanks @NordenLab and @IGCcentrioles for hosting me!
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Vaishnavi Ananthanarayanan (She/Her) @vaishananth.bsky.social · 17/05/2022
Really excited to participate in my first Australian conference @HunterDevCell #hunter2022 with the rest of the lab! It's been lovely getting to know more about the amazing cell bio research community. @ANZSCDB
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Vaishnavi Ananthanarayanan (She/Her) @vaishananth.bsky.social · 28/02/2022
Thanking my lucky stars for friends like @polybiotique and @vaccinatedvadam. Had this handmade gift waiting for me when I got back from SF - it was a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day. Thinking of them, and my Ukrainian friends. 🇺🇦💙
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Vaishnavi Ananthanarayanan (She/Her) @vaishananth.bsky.social · 25/02/2022
So glad for this serendipitous meeting with @CytoLabKoc hours before I head back to Sydney! Always a pleasure to talk to you about science and the scientific ecosystem 😊
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Vaishnavi Ananthanarayanan (She/Her) @vaishananth.bsky.social · 16/02/2022
Excited to travel to SFO to attend #BPS22 @BiophysicalSoc annual meeting in a couple of days! My talk is part of the 'Biological Fluorescence' subgroup on the 19th at 9am. If you plan to be there, do DM/email (vaish @ - it would be lovely to catch up.
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Vaishnavi Ananthanarayanan (She/Her) @vaishananth.bsky.social · 23/12/2021
V grateful for these amazing humans (@LeebaAnnChacko, #NidaUlFatima, #GregRedpath) who joined the lab @SingMolSci at diff times this year - they've kept us going through tough times with their empathy, creativity, and infectious enthusiasm for cool science. #appreciationpost
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Vaishnavi Ananthanarayanan (She/Her) @vaishananth.bsky.social · 26/09/2021
It was wonderful to catch up with some of the past and present members of the lab yesterday! The happy faces say it all ♥️ (Special thanks to folks in the US who woke up early/stayed up late so we could make this happen!)
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Vaishnavi Ananthanarayanan (She/Her) @vaishananth.bsky.social · 19/06/2021
The last few weeks have been rough. I was admitted to the hospital >a week ago now. It started with partial facial paralysis and numbness, which progressed to pins and needles in extremities, reduced lung function, and exhaustion to the pt of not being able to open my eyes. 1/4
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Vaishnavi Ananthanarayanan (She/Her) @vaishananth.bsky.social · 17/04/2021
Congratulations on successfully defending your excellent thesis, Dr. Nireekshit Addanki Tirumala @nireekshit! Definitely a special moment when the first PhD student from the lab graduates. Thanks @sidjhun for coordinating and @NitinRammohan for serving as examiner. #proudPI
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Vaishnavi Ananthanarayanan (She/Her) @vaishananth.bsky.social · 14/02/2021
How is mitochondrial dynamics, positioning and movement achieved in living cells via the cytoskeleton, you ask? Read our latest review co-authored by @mitaliakshah @LeebaAnnChacko and @joelpalpath to find out! #mitochondria #cytoskeleton
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Vaishnavi Ananthanarayanan (She/Her) @vaishananth.bsky.social · 14/02/2021
I'm elated to present Issue 1, Vol 101 of Journal of @IISc on Cytoskeletal Mechanics, for which I served as guest editor. The special issue features several excellent reviews in this theme, incl. wound healing, cell homeostasis, memb. repair and the immunological synapse. 1/3
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Vaishnavi Ananthanarayanan (She/Her) @vaishananth.bsky.social · 09/12/2020
Are you a Biologist/Mathematician/Physicist interested in problems at the interface of these fields? The 2nd edition of 'Thirsting for Theoretical Biology' is here! Registration: Deadline: Dec 31, 2020 @Vijay_K_Murthy
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Vaishnavi Ananthanarayanan (She/Her) @vaishananth.bsky.social · 26/04/2020
First (shared) cover art from the Cytomotors Lab @BiochemistryACS! Guess which one is ours? (Hint: Microtubules in "Green Fire Blue" LUT - this was one of the first images of microtubules I acquired @BSSE_IISc @iiscbangalore)
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Vaishnavi Ananthanarayanan (She/Her) @vaishananth.bsky.social · 03/02/2020
Wonderful opportunity to hear @IGCcentrioles (@IGCiencia) and #AnnaAkhmanova (@UtrechtUni) talk as a part of the @EMBO Global Lecture Series @iiscbangalore on 12 and 21 Feb 2020. Don't miss it! @IndiaBioscience @BSSE_IISc
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Vaishnavi Ananthanarayanan (She/Her) @vaishananth.bsky.social · 26/01/2020
Our summer research programme for Undergrads is now open for applications: Deadline: Feb 14, 2020. I'll be hosting a student in my lab as well! Please RT.
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Vaishnavi Ananthanarayanan (She/Her) @vaishananth.bsky.social · 13/11/2019
What a pleasant surprise! @LeebaAnnChacko @Kritika1794 @JCellBiol
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Vaishnavi Ananthanarayanan (She/Her) @vaishananth.bsky.social · 13/11/2019
Congratulations @Rachit_AgarwaI @dnarepairlab, @MayuriRege and @KaushikLab! Delighted to know so many of the awardees of IYBA 2019! @DBTIndia
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Vaishnavi Ananthanarayanan (She/Her) @vaishananth.bsky.social · 10/11/2019
Enjoyed giving a talk on the role of #microtubules in #mitochondrialDynamics at the 85th Annual Meeting of @IAScBng at U. of Hyd. A member of the audience caught me in a particularly animated portion of the talk. #85AM
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Vaishnavi Ananthanarayanan (She/Her) @vaishananth.bsky.social · 20/10/2019
The Cytomotors Lab at #M2T2. What a fantastic meeting this has been! Kudos to @MahakSharma23 and @GhoshRoyLab
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Vaishnavi Ananthanarayanan (She/Her) @vaishananth.bsky.social · 11/10/2019
Applications for the PhD programme (Jan 2020) at BSSE @iiscbangalore are now open! More details at apply online at Deadline: 31st October 2019.
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Vaishnavi Ananthanarayanan (She/Her) @vaishananth.bsky.social · 08/10/2019
It's been a good couple of weeks - Our perspective on dynactin's role in cytoplasmic dynein's localization and activation has just been accepted @BiochemistryACS! Congratulations, @AT_Nireekshit! Thanks for the opportunity, @AlannaSchepartz!
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Vaishnavi Ananthanarayanan (She/Her) @vaishananth.bsky.social · 25/06/2019
… Folks in Dresden, do drop by if you have some time later today to learn about what we do in the lab! Good to be back at the alma mater @mpicbg @csbdresden @BCUBE_TUDresden @tudresden_de #IIScTUDSymposium
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Vaishnavi Ananthanarayanan (She/Her) @vaishananth.bsky.social · 15/06/2019
Today, I complete 5 years @iiscbangalore (3.5 as a @IndiaDST INSPIRE Faculty Fellow and 1.5 as an Asst. Prof.). It's been one helluva ride, but indebted to wonderful colleagues, lab mates and mentors who made the journey amazing. Here's a pic from the celebratory lab outing! 1/3
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Vaishnavi Ananthanarayanan (She/Her) @vaishananth.bsky.social · 25/03/2019
Just received the @EMBO Encounters Newsletter introducing the newly inducted @EMBO_YIP YIs and @EMBO members. So happy to see several familiar faces on the right including Iva @Toliclab! Congratulations again, Iva! (And we are separated by one page in between!)
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Vaishnavi Ananthanarayanan (She/Her) @vaishananth.bsky.social · 20/01/2019
First preprint of the lab this year! Cortical tethering of mitochondria by the dynein anchor Mcp5 enables uniparental mitochondrial inheritance during fission yeast meiosis
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Vaishnavi Ananthanarayanan (She/Her) @vaishananth.bsky.social · 09/10/2018
Here's the latest version of our preprint on bioarxiv on inhibition of fission of microtubule-bound mitochondria: @biorxiv_cellbio @sidjhun
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