B. Duygu Özpolat (she/her)
@biyolokum.bsky.social
Assistant Professor, Biology, Washington University in Saint Louis
Regeneration, germ cells, segmented worms
I also make Science Art (mostly pottery)
#SciArt #WormWednesday #Annelida
www.ozpolatlab.org
Regeneration, germ cells, segmented worms
I also make Science Art (mostly pottery)
#SciArt #WormWednesday #Annelida
www.ozpolatlab.org
Pinned
It's a worm's world: regeneration and regrowth in the Özpolat Lab
Inside a corner lab in the basement of Busch, thousands of worms lay in wait. The windowless room stays at a cool 18 degrees Celsius. Small plastic containers (think the ones you might have put some c...
biology.wustl.edu
"It's a worm's world" a lovely article by Maddy Frank about our lab's work!
biology.wustl.edu/news/its-wor...
biology.wustl.edu/news/its-wor...
Reposted by B. Duygu Özpolat (she/her)
"Having this experience … allowed me to explore my interests, goals, & work towards what I want to do in the future.” — Ariana Rodriguez, Summer Undergraduate Research Program alum 🧪
Rising junior or senior? Apply by Dec. 22 — no lab experience required! bit.ly/CechFellows
Rising junior or senior? Apply by Dec. 22 — no lab experience required! bit.ly/CechFellows
December 9, 2025 at 6:17 PM
"Having this experience … allowed me to explore my interests, goals, & work towards what I want to do in the future.” — Ariana Rodriguez, Summer Undergraduate Research Program alum 🧪
Rising junior or senior? Apply by Dec. 22 — no lab experience required! bit.ly/CechFellows
Rising junior or senior? Apply by Dec. 22 — no lab experience required! bit.ly/CechFellows
Reposted by B. Duygu Özpolat (she/her)
#Cellbio2025, #hemesky, #medsky, #ASH2025, #academicsky:
Add the SciArt Feed 🐡 to your skyline, and you’ll see:
🎨 Hundreds of artists
🧪 Science-focused
🥳 No NFTs or gen AI
✨ Inspiration every day
🧡 Pin & Like here:
Add the SciArt Feed 🐡 to your skyline, and you’ll see:
🎨 Hundreds of artists
🧪 Science-focused
🥳 No NFTs or gen AI
✨ Inspiration every day
🧡 Pin & Like here:
December 6, 2025 at 12:41 PM
#Cellbio2025, #hemesky, #medsky, #ASH2025, #academicsky:
Add the SciArt Feed 🐡 to your skyline, and you’ll see:
🎨 Hundreds of artists
🧪 Science-focused
🥳 No NFTs or gen AI
✨ Inspiration every day
🧡 Pin & Like here:
Add the SciArt Feed 🐡 to your skyline, and you’ll see:
🎨 Hundreds of artists
🧪 Science-focused
🥳 No NFTs or gen AI
✨ Inspiration every day
🧡 Pin & Like here:
Reposted by B. Duygu Özpolat (she/her)
***Important***
BIO will host a Virtual Office Hour (VOH) on Thurs, Dec 18th, 2025, 1 - 2 pm ET.
In this VOH, we’ll be joined by leadership to outline updates to NSF’s review process & share news relevant to all areas of research funded by BIO.
Register here: nsf.zoomgov.com/webinar/regi...
BIO will host a Virtual Office Hour (VOH) on Thurs, Dec 18th, 2025, 1 - 2 pm ET.
In this VOH, we’ll be joined by leadership to outline updates to NSF’s review process & share news relevant to all areas of research funded by BIO.
Register here: nsf.zoomgov.com/webinar/regi...
Webinar Registration - Zoom
nsf.zoomgov.com
December 4, 2025 at 3:05 PM
***Important***
BIO will host a Virtual Office Hour (VOH) on Thurs, Dec 18th, 2025, 1 - 2 pm ET.
In this VOH, we’ll be joined by leadership to outline updates to NSF’s review process & share news relevant to all areas of research funded by BIO.
Register here: nsf.zoomgov.com/webinar/regi...
BIO will host a Virtual Office Hour (VOH) on Thurs, Dec 18th, 2025, 1 - 2 pm ET.
In this VOH, we’ll be joined by leadership to outline updates to NSF’s review process & share news relevant to all areas of research funded by BIO.
Register here: nsf.zoomgov.com/webinar/regi...
Reposted by B. Duygu Özpolat (she/her)
Drosophila colleagues--Please submit nominations for the Larry Sandler Award. which recognizes excellent recent graduates who have completed a PhD in Drosophila research. Details are below and at this link:
genetics-gsa.org/drosophila-2...
genetics-gsa.org/drosophila-2...
December 4, 2025 at 4:41 PM
Drosophila colleagues--Please submit nominations for the Larry Sandler Award. which recognizes excellent recent graduates who have completed a PhD in Drosophila research. Details are below and at this link:
genetics-gsa.org/drosophila-2...
genetics-gsa.org/drosophila-2...
Reposted by B. Duygu Özpolat (she/her)
2025? Pretty bad for US science.
That just motivated us more.
In 2025 we reached people on the street, at the bar, in the classroom, at the rec center, in the park, & more
How much we accomplish next year is only limited by how much we can afford.
Support our org at givebutter.com/SupportSAS25
That just motivated us more.
In 2025 we reached people on the street, at the bar, in the classroom, at the rec center, in the park, & more
How much we accomplish next year is only limited by how much we can afford.
Support our org at givebutter.com/SupportSAS25
December 2, 2025 at 4:26 PM
2025? Pretty bad for US science.
That just motivated us more.
In 2025 we reached people on the street, at the bar, in the classroom, at the rec center, in the park, & more
How much we accomplish next year is only limited by how much we can afford.
Support our org at givebutter.com/SupportSAS25
That just motivated us more.
In 2025 we reached people on the street, at the bar, in the classroom, at the rec center, in the park, & more
How much we accomplish next year is only limited by how much we can afford.
Support our org at givebutter.com/SupportSAS25
Reposted by B. Duygu Özpolat (she/her)
Looking for another 25-35 responses from PCOS patients to give this student at least 50 to analyze in their honors research. We've had no luck with physician/provider responses, it may be too tough out there in 2025, but the patient responses are interesting. #MedSky
Help out an undergraduate student researcher with their survey project on patients' and providers' perspectives on treatments for PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome). Further description and contact info in opening page at the survey URL or QR code. Thank you!
December 2, 2025 at 3:32 AM
Looking for another 25-35 responses from PCOS patients to give this student at least 50 to analyze in their honors research. We've had no luck with physician/provider responses, it may be too tough out there in 2025, but the patient responses are interesting. #MedSky
Reposted by B. Duygu Özpolat (she/her)
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!
December 1, 2025 at 5:11 PM
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!
Reposted by B. Duygu Özpolat (she/her)
ARTISTS!
I need your help!
In collab. w/the Society for Integrative & Comparative Biology, I'm organizing a group of artists to come to our Jan. meeting! We're looking for artists to create based on what they learn at the conference. $1000 stipend.
Application is V short! forms.gle/ah1i8KwNJinZ...
I need your help!
In collab. w/the Society for Integrative & Comparative Biology, I'm organizing a group of artists to come to our Jan. meeting! We're looking for artists to create based on what they learn at the conference. $1000 stipend.
Application is V short! forms.gle/ah1i8KwNJinZ...
November 22, 2025 at 3:51 PM
ARTISTS!
I need your help!
In collab. w/the Society for Integrative & Comparative Biology, I'm organizing a group of artists to come to our Jan. meeting! We're looking for artists to create based on what they learn at the conference. $1000 stipend.
Application is V short! forms.gle/ah1i8KwNJinZ...
I need your help!
In collab. w/the Society for Integrative & Comparative Biology, I'm organizing a group of artists to come to our Jan. meeting! We're looking for artists to create based on what they learn at the conference. $1000 stipend.
Application is V short! forms.gle/ah1i8KwNJinZ...
Oooooh perhaps my next pottery project?!
This is the Sunburst Candy Spider from Thailand. Not AI (sucks to have to declare this). Very real and had been on my wish list for a long time.
The taxonomic placement is unclear, so we are leaving it at Cyrtarachninae.
The taxonomic placement is unclear, so we are leaving it at Cyrtarachninae.
November 29, 2025 at 5:33 PM
Oooooh perhaps my next pottery project?!
New platter with all kinds of inverts! #sciart #ceramics #handbuilding #pottery #larvae #annelids #seaurchin #octopus #embryo #cnidarians #nematostella #veliger #snail #ascidians #nudibranchs
November 29, 2025 at 2:01 PM
New platter with all kinds of inverts! #sciart #ceramics #handbuilding #pottery #larvae #annelids #seaurchin #octopus #embryo #cnidarians #nematostella #veliger #snail #ascidians #nudibranchs
Reposted by B. Duygu Özpolat (she/her)
Your periodic reminder that science is not done by a few selected "stars scientists". Science is done by hundred of thousands. Siloed money mean a few flashy discoveries and a lot of waste. Want to change things? Make funding accessible and stop funding calls with less than 2% success rate.
· #AcademicSky ·
The European Research Council is launching €7m Plus Grants for ambitious, long‑term research — open to researchers at any career stage but limited to about 30 awards; current ERC grantees and applicants are ineligible, reports @clanicholson.bsky.social.
The European Research Council is launching €7m Plus Grants for ambitious, long‑term research — open to researchers at any career stage but limited to about 30 awards; current ERC grantees and applicants are ineligible, reports @clanicholson.bsky.social.
ERC’s new €7m Plus Grants open to researchers at any career stage - Research Professional News
European Research Council president describes scheme as part attempt to lure US talent
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
November 29, 2025 at 10:53 AM
Your periodic reminder that science is not done by a few selected "stars scientists". Science is done by hundred of thousands. Siloed money mean a few flashy discoveries and a lot of waste. Want to change things? Make funding accessible and stop funding calls with less than 2% success rate.
This is also me when I see AI generated images in talks. I can't help it.
Even when there are no obvious artifacts, the generated images often have a weird uncanny sheen to them that I personally find vaguely revolting. I can’t really turn that reaction off.
November 28, 2025 at 4:59 PM
This is also me when I see AI generated images in talks. I can't help it.
Reposted by B. Duygu Özpolat (she/her)
I don’t know if anyone else notices or cares, but when I see a presentation in which the speaker uses obviously generated-AI images to illustrate their slides, it makes me immediately less confident in whatever other content they’re presenting.
November 28, 2025 at 3:07 PM
I don’t know if anyone else notices or cares, but when I see a presentation in which the speaker uses obviously generated-AI images to illustrate their slides, it makes me immediately less confident in whatever other content they’re presenting.
Support artists, buy your holiday gifts from people who bring so much joy to our lives.
November 28, 2025 at 4:56 PM
Support artists, buy your holiday gifts from people who bring so much joy to our lives.
I am grateful for an important ability I am still developing with so much support from wise and experienced people over the years: Having tough conversations, such as giving an employee tough feedback, or getting into a difficult topic with a supervisor, or letting somebody know they were hurtful.
November 26, 2025 at 2:59 PM
I am grateful for an important ability I am still developing with so much support from wise and experienced people over the years: Having tough conversations, such as giving an employee tough feedback, or getting into a difficult topic with a supervisor, or letting somebody know they were hurtful.
Reposted by B. Duygu Özpolat (she/her)
🚨Deadline approaching!!🚨 Don't miss your chance to apply for #StowersGrad #PhD program by 12/1⬇️
⏰ Final call! Applications for our #PhD program close December 1. Don’t miss your chance to train with world-class scientists in an independently fully funded program. #GradSchool
Apply today → bit.ly/44VM6DI
Apply today → bit.ly/44VM6DI
November 26, 2025 at 2:16 PM
🚨Deadline approaching!!🚨 Don't miss your chance to apply for #StowersGrad #PhD program by 12/1⬇️
Reposted by B. Duygu Özpolat (she/her)
🧪🎨
Hoping if any journalists are doing end-of-year Top 10 Lists of Bluesky Feeds, they’ll consider the SciArt Feed 🐡.
One of the oldest Feeds on Bluesky: a curated list of contributors to keep AI out; and the 4th most popular Feed in both Science and Art.
One of the oldest Feeds on Bluesky: a curated list of contributors to keep AI out; and the 4th most popular Feed in both Science and Art.
November 26, 2025 at 2:16 PM
🧪🎨
Reposted by B. Duygu Özpolat (she/her)
Emails that don't pass my fool proof (enough) sanity test don't get an answer. It's nearly always exactly the AI written ones
bsky.app/profile/maxf...
bsky.app/profile/maxf...
Moving on from talking about X; it's PhD enquiry email season. I've been getting so many obvious mass-sent mails that I took (drastic?) measures & added a filter to see if people even bothered checking out my website.
www.fuerstlab.com/post/filteri...
Anyone else dealing w/ this and other solutions?
www.fuerstlab.com/post/filteri...
Anyone else dealing w/ this and other solutions?
November 25, 2025 at 7:38 PM
Emails that don't pass my fool proof (enough) sanity test don't get an answer. It's nearly always exactly the AI written ones
bsky.app/profile/maxf...
bsky.app/profile/maxf...
Reposted by B. Duygu Özpolat (she/her)
This post also has really good advice: contemplativemammoth.com/2013/04/08/s...
So, you want to go to grad school? Nail the inquiry email
Maybe you’ve always know you’ve wanted to be a research professor in wildlife ecology. Perhaps you’ve just taken a course on fungi and stumbled into a whole new world of career po…
contemplativemammoth.com
November 25, 2025 at 6:40 PM
This post also has really good advice: contemplativemammoth.com/2013/04/08/s...
Reposted by B. Duygu Özpolat (she/her)
A thread 🧵 of suggestions:
1. Show you've done your homework. Too many people will send emails about how they are super excited about protein synthesis in yeast to me, a crustacean researcher.
I don't do yeast. I can't help you. 1/
1. Show you've done your homework. Too many people will send emails about how they are super excited about protein synthesis in yeast to me, a crustacean researcher.
I don't do yeast. I can't help you. 1/
November 25, 2025 at 6:28 PM
A thread 🧵 of suggestions:
1. Show you've done your homework. Too many people will send emails about how they are super excited about protein synthesis in yeast to me, a crustacean researcher.
I don't do yeast. I can't help you. 1/
1. Show you've done your homework. Too many people will send emails about how they are super excited about protein synthesis in yeast to me, a crustacean researcher.
I don't do yeast. I can't help you. 1/
So much this! 😂 My research "truly resonates" with like, I don't know, 5-10 people on the world. There is no way an undergrad gets any of what we do specifically. It makes me laugh every time I receive this kind of email.
If one my technical papers on RNAseq or natural selection "resonates" or "aligns" with your perspectives as a 20-something year old undergraduate, I suspect its AI generated word salad.
Better to simply write "I'm really interested in natural selection. Do you have students working on it now?"
Better to simply write "I'm really interested in natural selection. Do you have students working on it now?"
November 25, 2025 at 6:55 PM
So much this! 😂 My research "truly resonates" with like, I don't know, 5-10 people on the world. There is no way an undergrad gets any of what we do specifically. It makes me laugh every time I receive this kind of email.
Reposted by B. Duygu Özpolat (she/her)
I would prefer brief, sincere, and open-ended to word salad b.s. So, "Your research on X is really interesting to me. How can I learn more? What could a student do next?" is 10,000x better than word salad.
November 25, 2025 at 6:21 PM
I would prefer brief, sincere, and open-ended to word salad b.s. So, "Your research on X is really interesting to me. How can I learn more? What could a student do next?" is 10,000x better than word salad.
Reposted by B. Duygu Özpolat (she/her)
Be authentic.
1/Articulated, coherent explanation of why you're interested in that lab's particular focus: extra points. This is rare.
2/Statement that you're just interested in the general area: no extra points but plenty get hired with just this.
3/Word salad that looks like BS: negative points
1/Articulated, coherent explanation of why you're interested in that lab's particular focus: extra points. This is rare.
2/Statement that you're just interested in the general area: no extra points but plenty get hired with just this.
3/Word salad that looks like BS: negative points
November 25, 2025 at 5:36 PM
Be authentic.
1/Articulated, coherent explanation of why you're interested in that lab's particular focus: extra points. This is rare.
2/Statement that you're just interested in the general area: no extra points but plenty get hired with just this.
3/Word salad that looks like BS: negative points
1/Articulated, coherent explanation of why you're interested in that lab's particular focus: extra points. This is rare.
2/Statement that you're just interested in the general area: no extra points but plenty get hired with just this.
3/Word salad that looks like BS: negative points
Reposted by B. Duygu Özpolat (she/her)
Before LLMs we still got many copy-paste materials! My favorite was a CV that started "My squid-like head is a masterful problem solver and I hope that I can bring world domination to your organization." If you google the first phrase you can find dozens! They unwittingly copied a joke C'thulhu CV.
November 24, 2025 at 3:52 PM
Before LLMs we still got many copy-paste materials! My favorite was a CV that started "My squid-like head is a masterful problem solver and I hope that I can bring world domination to your organization." If you google the first phrase you can find dozens! They unwittingly copied a joke C'thulhu CV.
Students applying for grad school, or reaching out to professors. I have an important piece of advice for you: STOP DOING THIS 👇 (a thread) #STEM #PhD #gradschool #academictips
November 21, 2025 at 9:53 PM
Students applying for grad school, or reaching out to professors. I have an important piece of advice for you: STOP DOING THIS 👇 (a thread) #STEM #PhD #gradschool #academictips