@jiwasa.bsky.social
Molecular animator, cell biologist, biochemist, science communicator. Head of the Animation Lab, Director of the Stark Science Learning Center at the University of Utah, and writer of the RCSB PDB Molecule of the Month
Researchers found that treatment of intact HIV capsids with lenacapavir causes capsids to rupture, with ruptures occurring first in areas of the capsid with the highest level of curvature. #ASBMB2026 #ASBMB26
Watch in 3D at PDB-101: pdb101.rcsb.org/motm...
I am excited to share with you an amazing video on the NLRP3 inflammasome pathway generated by talented Ann Liu from the Janet Iwasa lab @jiwasa.bsky.social @ann-hl.bsky.social. It shows the real structures of the pathway from #NLRP3, #ASC, #caspase-1, #GSDMD, #IL-1b, to #NINJ1. Enjoy!
Interested in molecular animation and in SF for #BPS2026? Stick around for the evening Structural Biology workshop (Rm 204/205/206) and my talk at 8:45pm (New Tools for Visualizing Dynamic Molecular Models) to learn about ProteinBlender! animation-lab.github.io/ProteinBlend...
This was a really fun and interesting Molecule of the Month to do! Check out the article to see even more elaborate RNA-only structures.
Today, our animation synthesizing decades of research on actin-mediated endocytosis in budding yeast was published:
journals.biologists.com/jcs/article/...
The result of a fantastic Iwasa-Drubin lab collaboration.
@margotriggi.bsky.social @jiwasa.bsky.social
movie.biologists.com/video/10.124...
All #CellBio2025 attendees! Here’s our phenomenal lineup for our session on #SciArt & #SciComm: @ahnaskop.bsky.social, @jiwasa.bsky.social, @mag2art.bsky.social, @nat-prunet.bsky.social, and Julia Licholai. Please come by and spread the word! Huge thanks to @ascbiology.bsky.social and co-organizers!
Thanks, @kutv2news and @utahdhhs for the shout-out in your online story about learning your family's health history!
kutv.com/features/hea...
Check it out - our activities are FREE, easy and printable: learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/basi...
Meet the speakers of the very first inaugural WALII Symposium: Exploring Life Without Water, happening Tuesday, Nov 18! 💧
To Learn More about the symposium: walii.science/virtual-symp...
To Learn More about Dr. Amy Gladfelter: www.cellbio.duke.edu/amy-gladfelter
@gladfelterlab.bsky.social
I'm so honored to receive the 2025 Bruce Alberts Award for Excellence in Science Education. Thank you @ascbiology.bsky.social and I look forward to this year's annual ASCB meeting in Philly!
“In bone marrow alone ~500 million cells are born every min” says Bruce Stillman. Each must duplicate 2+ meters of DNA to avoid errors that can cause cancer & autism. See more from Stillman, @crick.ac.uk’s John Diffley & @uuhsresearch.bsky.social's @jiwasa.bsky.social
www.cshl.edu/licensed-to-...
The Animation Lab will be giving an animation workshop and table demos, and the GSLC will have a table all day with demos! Come join us!
Almost fifty U of U researchers are giving over 80 demos, lab tours, workshops and talks for the public this Saturday, July 12th! Science-curious? We have something for everyone! 10am-4pm @utah.edu. Schedule and directions here: gslc.utah.edu/summer-scien...
Zoom In. Geek Out. Take a Backstage Pass to the Secret Life of Cells! Take a tour of the HSC Cell Imaging Core at 12, 1 or 2pm during Summer Science Day this Sat July 12th!
Find the full Summer Science Day schedule here: gslc.utah.edu/summer-scien...
Yes - there are lots of IDRs in the MCMs. The animation focuses on their role in DNA binding (the close up) but they are thought to play other important roles as well. There's lots of discussion about IDRs in the review!
So grateful to be posting happy work-related news. First- I'm now tenured! Thank you @uofubiochem.bsky.social, @utah.edu, and Animation Lab collaborators! Also, 2 of GSLC's (@learngenetics.bsky.social) terminated science education grants were reinstated! AND Summer Science Day is next week!
One week until Summer Science Day! Everyone is welcome to visit @UofUHealth for lab tours, public-friendly talks, demos, and workshops! Saturday July 12th from 10am-4pm. Check out our action-packed schedule here: gslc.utah.edu/summer-scien...
Artists belong in science! Come to Summer Science Day & learn about:
+ How to draw dinosaurs!
+ Animating science w stop-motion animation!
+ Making a science comic!
+ Using 3D animation to bring science to life!
Sat 7/12, 10am-4pm. Free all-ages open house at the U. gslc.utah.edu/summer-scien...
Check out this new review (with animations, natch) of mechanisms of licensing origins of DNA replication - a wonderful (and continuing!) collaboration with Bruce Stillman @cshlnews.bsky.social and John Diffley @crick.ac.uk! www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Working with collaborators at the Crick Institute and the University of Utah, CSHL's President and CEO Bruce Stillman explores how pre-replicative complexes (pre-RCs)—even earlier than ORCs—assemble to initiate DNA replication in all plants, animals, and fungi.
You're trying to fill the summer days. What do we have that might be interesting for you and your kids? How about electron microscopes? Glowing fish?! Pig lungs??!! Come to Summer Science Day at the U on Saturday, July 12. Free and open to the public! gslc.utah.edu/summer-scien...
U of U Summer Science Day is less than two weeks away! Come to the U on Saturday July 12th between 10am-4pm for lab tours, science demos, talks, and fun for all ages! Free and open to the public. Schedule will be coming out in the next day or two! gslc.utah.edu/summer-scien...
Paper Published: A new chapter for Molecule of the Month
Read how @jiwasa.bsky.social has taken over as the series creator of stories about critically important biological macromolecules
pubs.aip.org/aca/sdy...
...and big thanks to @jiwasa.bsky.social for making this amazing video to illustrate the strand-sliding mechanism!
📣New FREE module drop!
In Genetic Tech Investigations, students explore what technologies like sequencing, mass spec, and others reveal about the process from genes to proteins.
➡️ teach.genetics.utah.edu/content/gent...
#ScienceTeachers #NGSS #Genetics #STEM
Thanks to Rachel and Laura for this great collaboration!
Outside the lab, Laura likes to hang out with her almost 2- and 5-year olds!
The Dassama group uses detailed understanding of factors that enable interactions between biological molecules to provide insights that allow functional control of those molecules. Applications include host-microbe interactions and targeted control of disease-relevant proteins.
Meet Dr. Laura Dassama, an Assistant Professor at Stanford University. This illustration by Rachel Torrez showcases how the Dassama Group uses tools of chemistry and physics to provide molecular insights into complex biological processes.
Thank you! I had a wonderful time at Augsburg. Getting to chat with students about their research was definitely a major highlight!
Had a great time chatting with Flora Lichtman and Tim Lee @nhmu.bsky.social a couple of weekends ago here in SLC, and excited that our Science Friday @scifri.bsky.social piece will be airing today! www.sciencefriday.com/segments/sci...