Shweta Nandakumar
@bucklingmt.bsky.social
She/her, PhD Student @schaedellab.bsky.social | Microtubules 🧑🔬 | Motors ⚡| Bibliophile
Pinned
Shweta Nandakumar
@bucklingmt.bsky.social
· Sep 14
Despite their high rigidity, microtubules (MTs) dynamically bend and buckle in cells. MT-self repair is inherent to their metastable nature, but it remains unclear whether just inherent repair mechanisms are sufficient to maintain MT integrity🧵 (1/9)
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
😍😍😍😍
Using micropatterning & thousands of hours on the microscope
@manuelthery.bsky.social and the #CytoMorphoLab reimagined the Musée D’Orsay. Accompanied by an orchestra and poet, their images transported us into the cellular universe. I remembered why I am a cell biologist. All of this is in us. Wow!
@manuelthery.bsky.social and the #CytoMorphoLab reimagined the Musée D’Orsay. Accompanied by an orchestra and poet, their images transported us into the cellular universe. I remembered why I am a cell biologist. All of this is in us. Wow!
January 25, 2026 at 11:24 AM
😍😍😍😍
Exciting new preprint from @schaedellab.bsky.social 🔬🧫
Vimentin network architecture and mechanics is mediated by cytosolic regulation.
I can't help but marvel at the beautiful vimentin network images😍😍
I am so happy it's finally out😍😍❤️ Congratulations @dyuthisreekumar.bsky.social 👏🎉
Vimentin network architecture and mechanics is mediated by cytosolic regulation.
I can't help but marvel at the beautiful vimentin network images😍😍
I am so happy it's finally out😍😍❤️ Congratulations @dyuthisreekumar.bsky.social 👏🎉
Cytosolic factors govern vimentin network architecture and mechanics https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.08.697713v1
January 10, 2026 at 10:47 AM
Exciting new preprint from @schaedellab.bsky.social 🔬🧫
Vimentin network architecture and mechanics is mediated by cytosolic regulation.
I can't help but marvel at the beautiful vimentin network images😍😍
I am so happy it's finally out😍😍❤️ Congratulations @dyuthisreekumar.bsky.social 👏🎉
Vimentin network architecture and mechanics is mediated by cytosolic regulation.
I can't help but marvel at the beautiful vimentin network images😍😍
I am so happy it's finally out😍😍❤️ Congratulations @dyuthisreekumar.bsky.social 👏🎉
Reposted by Shweta Nandakumar
Paclitaxel induces NM2-dependent cellular contraction independent of microtubule acetylation in live cells
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
December 30, 2025 at 12:01 PM
Paclitaxel induces NM2-dependent cellular contraction independent of microtubule acetylation in live cells
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Reposted by Shweta Nandakumar
Bored over the holidays? Give our new preprint on how #microtubule lattice alteration by taxols can regulate #RhoA #signalling via GEF-H1 a read!
Perhaps a new mechanism of action for taxol #chemotherapeutics during interphase.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Happy holidays ✨🎄
Perhaps a new mechanism of action for taxol #chemotherapeutics during interphase.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Happy holidays ✨🎄
December 24, 2025 at 7:18 AM
Bored over the holidays? Give our new preprint on how #microtubule lattice alteration by taxols can regulate #RhoA #signalling via GEF-H1 a read!
Perhaps a new mechanism of action for taxol #chemotherapeutics during interphase.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Happy holidays ✨🎄
Perhaps a new mechanism of action for taxol #chemotherapeutics during interphase.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Happy holidays ✨🎄
Reposted by Shweta Nandakumar
Now online! Structural basis of microtubule-mediated signal transduction
Structural basis of microtubule-mediated signal transduction
This study presents a structural basis for understanding how microtubules can act as spatiotemporal signal sensors to control cellular responses.
dlvr.it
December 8, 2025 at 3:59 PM
Now online! Structural basis of microtubule-mediated signal transduction
Reposted by Shweta Nandakumar
PhD Position in Biophysics #ScienceJobs #AcademicSky
PhD Position in Biophysics
Post a job in 3min, or find thousands of job offers like this one at jobRxiv!
jobrxiv.org
December 8, 2025 at 3:15 PM
PhD Position in Biophysics #ScienceJobs #AcademicSky
Reposted by Shweta Nandakumar
📢Internships on cellular nematics!
🔬Come for the pretty images, stay for the cool physics: each project combines in vitro experiments with advanced microscopy and image analysis.
📧Feel free to DM or email me with any questions.
🔬Come for the pretty images, stay for the cool physics: each project combines in vitro experiments with advanced microscopy and image analysis.
📧Feel free to DM or email me with any questions.
December 2, 2025 at 3:15 PM
📢Internships on cellular nematics!
🔬Come for the pretty images, stay for the cool physics: each project combines in vitro experiments with advanced microscopy and image analysis.
📧Feel free to DM or email me with any questions.
🔬Come for the pretty images, stay for the cool physics: each project combines in vitro experiments with advanced microscopy and image analysis.
📧Feel free to DM or email me with any questions.
Reposted by Shweta Nandakumar
I like this movie, but a friend of mine likes to complain about the obvious stitching artifacts. I'll try harder next time, Michael. Vimentin (orange) and ER (blue) in an overnight acquisition.
November 25, 2025 at 6:06 AM
I like this movie, but a friend of mine likes to complain about the obvious stitching artifacts. I'll try harder next time, Michael. Vimentin (orange) and ER (blue) in an overnight acquisition.
😍😍😍
Attempt number seven at uploading this video of intermediate filaments in an enormous COS7 cell. I have a feeling the BlueSky compression will not do it any favors.
November 21, 2025 at 11:46 PM
😍😍😍
Reposted by Shweta Nandakumar
iPS cell-derived cardiac myocytes (heart muscle cells) typically beat about once per second, so I usually speed up the movies I post; otherwise, scrollers might miss the action. But every now and then, a cell looks like this in real time. #CellBiology
November 10, 2025 at 1:56 AM
iPS cell-derived cardiac myocytes (heart muscle cells) typically beat about once per second, so I usually speed up the movies I post; otherwise, scrollers might miss the action. But every now and then, a cell looks like this in real time. #CellBiology
Reposted by Shweta Nandakumar
Go right or left? A question that we encounter very often in our daily lives, and while our decision may sometimes be hindered by the fear of making a mistake, cells DO NOT HESITATE!!! They swirl with the confidence of someone who’s always RIGHT… or LEFT!!!
November 18, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Go right or left? A question that we encounter very often in our daily lives, and while our decision may sometimes be hindered by the fear of making a mistake, cells DO NOT HESITATE!!! They swirl with the confidence of someone who’s always RIGHT… or LEFT!!!
Reposted by Shweta Nandakumar
Vimentin promotes actin assembly by stabilizing ATP-actin subunits at the barbed end https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.17.688760v1
November 17, 2025 at 8:48 PM
Vimentin promotes actin assembly by stabilizing ATP-actin subunits at the barbed end https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.17.688760v1
Reposted by Shweta Nandakumar
Thrilled to share "in situ APEX activation" (iAPEX), a proximity labeling technology for subcellular #proteomics applied to primary #cilia. iAPEX uses an enzymatic cascade, in which a D-amino acid oxidase locally produces H2O2 to activate ascorbate peroxidase.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
An enzymatic cascade enables sensitive and specific proximity labeling proteomics in challenging biological systems - Nature Communications
Proximity labeling allows proteomic mapping of subcellular structures. Here, Sroka et al. develop in situ APEX activation (iAPEX) to overcome limitations of labeling specificity and H2O2 toxicity, app...
www.nature.com
November 14, 2025 at 8:07 PM
Thrilled to share "in situ APEX activation" (iAPEX), a proximity labeling technology for subcellular #proteomics applied to primary #cilia. iAPEX uses an enzymatic cascade, in which a D-amino acid oxidase locally produces H2O2 to activate ascorbate peroxidase.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Shweta Nandakumar
Dick is one of the most thoughtful folks in cell biology--this is a must read for anyone interested in microtubules!
Perspective from Richard McIntosh describing the history of research on #microtubule polymerization in terms of the ideas, technologies, and observations that have emerged as countless researchers have studied the dynamics of these essential cytoskeletal polymers. rupress.org/jcb/article/...
October 15, 2025 at 6:23 PM
Dick is one of the most thoughtful folks in cell biology--this is a must read for anyone interested in microtubules!
Playing around with @kwolbachia.bsky.social 's LUT manager plugin. Absolutely love the campfire LUT🔥 😍#microtubulemonday
October 6, 2025 at 9:30 AM
Playing around with @kwolbachia.bsky.social 's LUT manager plugin. Absolutely love the campfire LUT🔥 😍#microtubulemonday
Reposted by Shweta Nandakumar
Expression of vimentin intermediate filaments in epithelial cells promotes cell migration and cell matrix interaction in 3D https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.18.677142v1
September 19, 2025 at 11:48 AM
Expression of vimentin intermediate filaments in epithelial cells promotes cell migration and cell matrix interaction in 3D https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.18.677142v1
Reposted by Shweta Nandakumar
Have you ever wondered how microtubules withstand and respond to mechanical stress in cells?
Here we show by in vitro reconstitution assays that MAP65-1 and PRC1 promote microtubule nucleation on existing lattices, especially on those with structural irregularities linked to mechanical stress.
Here we show by in vitro reconstitution assays that MAP65-1 and PRC1 promote microtubule nucleation on existing lattices, especially on those with structural irregularities linked to mechanical stress.
September 16, 2025 at 6:43 AM
Have you ever wondered how microtubules withstand and respond to mechanical stress in cells?
Here we show by in vitro reconstitution assays that MAP65-1 and PRC1 promote microtubule nucleation on existing lattices, especially on those with structural irregularities linked to mechanical stress.
Here we show by in vitro reconstitution assays that MAP65-1 and PRC1 promote microtubule nucleation on existing lattices, especially on those with structural irregularities linked to mechanical stress.
Here's some more exciting new news from the microtubule world ✨Great work from @marianattom.bsky.social the @schaedellab.bsky.social showing how MAP65-1/PRC-1 reinforce microtubules under mechanical stress.
Look at them microtubule arrays in plant cells 😍 ( To quote Verstappen, "Simply lovely")
Look at them microtubule arrays in plant cells 😍 ( To quote Verstappen, "Simply lovely")
MAP65-1/PRC1 reinforces microtubules through nucleation https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.14.676082v1
September 16, 2025 at 6:44 AM
Here's some more exciting new news from the microtubule world ✨Great work from @marianattom.bsky.social the @schaedellab.bsky.social showing how MAP65-1/PRC-1 reinforce microtubules under mechanical stress.
Look at them microtubule arrays in plant cells 😍 ( To quote Verstappen, "Simply lovely")
Look at them microtubule arrays in plant cells 😍 ( To quote Verstappen, "Simply lovely")
Despite their high rigidity, microtubules (MTs) dynamically bend and buckle in cells. MT-self repair is inherent to their metastable nature, but it remains unclear whether just inherent repair mechanisms are sufficient to maintain MT integrity🧵 (1/9)
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
September 14, 2025 at 9:53 AM
Despite their high rigidity, microtubules (MTs) dynamically bend and buckle in cells. MT-self repair is inherent to their metastable nature, but it remains unclear whether just inherent repair mechanisms are sufficient to maintain MT integrity🧵 (1/9)
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Congratulations, Subham 🎉🎉🎉 Great study and uber cool microtubule self-repair images that I can stare at for hours 😍😍😍
Excited to share that my paper on Tau–Microtubule interactions is now published in Nature Physics!🎉
Our work shows that tau goes beyond stabilizing microtubules—it also promotes the removal of defects in the microtubule lattice.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Our work shows that tau goes beyond stabilizing microtubules—it also promotes the removal of defects in the microtubule lattice.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Tau accelerates tubulin exchange in the microtubule lattice - Nature Physics
Beyond its known role in stabilizing microtubules, it is now shown that tau protein actively promotes lattice defect repair by enhancing tubulin turnover at topological defects.
www.nature.com
September 10, 2025 at 6:49 PM
Congratulations, Subham 🎉🎉🎉 Great study and uber cool microtubule self-repair images that I can stare at for hours 😍😍😍
Reposted by Shweta Nandakumar
Upcoming interdisciplinary meeting: Cell Physics 2025
When? October 7-9, 2025
Where? Saarbruecken, Germany
Relevant dates? Early-bird deadline: June 30, regular registration by August 31
Several opportunities for short-talks selected from abstracts
More info at: cell-physics.uni-saarland.de
When? October 7-9, 2025
Where? Saarbruecken, Germany
Relevant dates? Early-bird deadline: June 30, regular registration by August 31
Several opportunities for short-talks selected from abstracts
More info at: cell-physics.uni-saarland.de
June 21, 2025 at 7:25 PM
Upcoming interdisciplinary meeting: Cell Physics 2025
When? October 7-9, 2025
Where? Saarbruecken, Germany
Relevant dates? Early-bird deadline: June 30, regular registration by August 31
Several opportunities for short-talks selected from abstracts
More info at: cell-physics.uni-saarland.de
When? October 7-9, 2025
Where? Saarbruecken, Germany
Relevant dates? Early-bird deadline: June 30, regular registration by August 31
Several opportunities for short-talks selected from abstracts
More info at: cell-physics.uni-saarland.de