@nikashakiba.bsky.social
Asst Professor, School of Biomedical Engineering, UBC; stem cell engineer and synthetic biologist with a passion for science outreach and communication. https://shakiba.bme.ubc.ca/
Please 🔁! #MASSIV will be held in Vancouver from January 19-22, 2026. 4-day meeting on #synbio x #tissueengineering.
Some trainee-focused events. >50 talks (10 from abstracts), posters, panel & publishing insights sessions.
www.massivconference.com
Abstract deadline: Nov 14
🚨THIS WEEK!!! 🔥Only a few tickets left here: bit.ly/sciencestanduptickets
@sbmeubc.bsky.social
@nikashakiba.bsky.social
@canacn.bsky.social
@scienceinvancouver.com
#Vancouver #scicomm
Join us for Science, Stand-Up, & Song on Oct 16th @sbmeubc.bsky.social !🙌 This one-of-a-kind variety show includes expert stem cell scientists, amazing comedians, and music throughout! 👩🔬🎤🎵 🎟 bit.ly/sciencestanduptickets
@nikashakiba.bsky.social
@scienceinvancouver.com
How competition propels scientific risk-taking Kevin Gross∗ Department of Statistics North Carolina State University Raleigh, NC USA Carl T. Bergstrom† Department of Biology University of Washington Seattle, WA USA (Dated: September 9, 2025) In science as elsewhere, attention is a limited resource and scientists compete with one another to produce the most exciting, novel and impactful results. We develop a game-theoretic model to explore how such competition influences the degree of risk that scientists are willing to embrace in their research endeavors. We find that competition for scarce resources—for example, publications in elite journals, prestigious prizes, and faculty jobs—motivates scientific risk-taking and may be important in counterbalancing other incentives that favor cautious, incremental science. Even small amounts of competition induce substantial risk-taking. Moreover, we find that in an “opt-in” contest, increasing the stakes induces increased participation—which crowds the contest and further impels entrants to pursue higher-risk, higher-return investigations. The model also illuminates a source of tension in academic training and collaboration. Researchers at different career stages differ in their need to amass accomplishments that distinguish them from their peers, and therefore may not agree on what degree of risk to accept.
1. What does a Cold War-era game theory problem known as the silent duel have to do with high-risk research strategies, publication in Cell/Nature/Science glamor journals, and the academic job market?
Kevin Gross and I tackle these questions in our latest arXiv preprint: arxiv.org/abs/2509.06718
🎉 @ubcmedicine.bsky.social scientists have been awarded >$1.8 million from the @stemcellnetwork.ca for projects advancing #StemCell and #RegenerativeMedicine.
Congratulations Drs. Timothy Kieffer, Fabio Rossi, Kelly McNagny, Megan Levings, Peter Zandstra, & @nikashakiba.bsky.social! bit.ly/3IiXjs1
Do you think about cellular heterogeneity? We can relate! Excited to share our latest review @cp-cellsystems.bsky.social on the topic, brought together by an amazing team that debated key definitions to bring this together. #wheeloffate 🧫 @sbmeubc.bsky.social
www.cell.com/cell-systems...
Sunset on UBC campus
Last call for a postdoc position in single cell analysis/perturb-seq with @nikashakiba.bsky.social at UBC in beautiful Vancouver Canada!
ubc.wd10.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/ubcfac...
Science, Stand-Up, & Song March 26th at Chill x Studio👩🔬
Dr. Nika Shakiba is working towards the development of new engineered cell therapies! 🙌
Tickets: sciencestandupandsong.eventbrite.ca
@nikashakiba.bsky.social @sbmeubc.bsky.social
Please share!😊
#Vancouver #scicomm #LiveMusic #comedy
Science, Stand-Up, & Song March 26th at Chill x Studio👩🔬
Meet one of the awesome scientists on the panel- Dr. Nika Shakiba! 🙌
Tickets: sciencestandupandsong.eventbrite.ca
@nikashakiba.bsky.social @sbmeubc.bsky.social
Please share!😊
#Vancouver #scicomm #LiveMusic #comedy
