Daniel Asarnow
@dabiophysicist.bsky.social
Postdoctoral scholar in Veesler Lab @ UWa.
Former UCSF Biophysics & SFSU & UCSC Biochemistry student & Exploratorium Explainer. He/him.
I take tiny pictures, in 2 & 3 dimensions.
https://github.com/asarnow
Former UCSF Biophysics & SFSU & UCSC Biochemistry student & Exploratorium Explainer. He/him.
I take tiny pictures, in 2 & 3 dimensions.
https://github.com/asarnow
Pinned
Sad to hear...his F'05 Physics 5A (kinematics) was one of my first classes at UCSC. The cold dark matter co-discoverer was an engaged & engaging lecturer & his course was a warm welcome before the difficulty ramped up later in the series (David Dorfan taught 5B that year)
Joel Primack was an extraordinary human being along so many axes. I treasured our interactions on so many topics, and can’t believe he’s gone. My thoughts are with Nancy, Samara, and their family. May his memory be a blessing. 🔭
November 14, 2025 at 8:09 PM
Sad to hear...his F'05 Physics 5A (kinematics) was one of my first classes at UCSC. The cold dark matter co-discoverer was an engaged & engaging lecturer & his course was a warm welcome before the difficulty ramped up later in the series (David Dorfan taught 5B that year)
Makes a quiet thunderclap in my brain
Here is the X5.1 flare in straight EUV light. We are looking at the 193 Å "gold" filter here. The flare is the bright flash, and immediately, you can see a giant blast wave racing through the Sun's corona, lifting tons of plasma into space as an Earth-directed CME.
November 11, 2025 at 8:20 PM
Makes a quiet thunderclap in my brain
King County ballot tracker
November 11, 2025 at 1:17 AM
King County ballot tracker
Reposted by Daniel Asarnow
I am seeing a lot of posts about Rosalind Franklin that themselves ignore her publication record on DNA!
In fact Franklin and Gosling's paper, including the famous Photograph #51, was published, along with Wilkins's paper, back-to-back with the Watson and Crick paper in Nature in 1953.
In fact Franklin and Gosling's paper, including the famous Photograph #51, was published, along with Wilkins's paper, back-to-back with the Watson and Crick paper in Nature in 1953.
November 9, 2025 at 6:43 PM
I am seeing a lot of posts about Rosalind Franklin that themselves ignore her publication record on DNA!
In fact Franklin and Gosling's paper, including the famous Photograph #51, was published, along with Wilkins's paper, back-to-back with the Watson and Crick paper in Nature in 1953.
In fact Franklin and Gosling's paper, including the famous Photograph #51, was published, along with Wilkins's paper, back-to-back with the Watson and Crick paper in Nature in 1953.
An obituary any scientist would be proud of imo
![An obituary for Rosalind Franklin, written by J.D. Bernal.
Excerpt:
Dr. Rosalind E. Franklin
THE news of the death of Rosalind Franklin on April 16 [1958] came as a shock to many workers in the field of biochemistry and virus studies. It is a special tragedy when a brilliant research worker is cut off at the height of her powers and when exciting new discoveries are expected from her.
...
As a scientist Miss Franklin was distinguished by extreme clarity and perfection in everything she undertook. Her photographs are among the most beautiful X-ray photographs of any substance ever taken. Their excellence was the fruit of extreme care in preparation and mounting of the specimens as well as in the taking of the photographs. She did nearly all this work with her own hands. At the same time, she proved to be an admirable director of a research team and inspired those who worked with her to reach the same high standard. Her devotion to research showed itself at its finest in the last months of her life. Although stricken with an illness which she knew would be fatal, she continued to work right up to the end. Her early death is a great loss to science.
J. D. BERNAL](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:lw3xw6b4qbkfbfw6as65kgbb/bafkreibs5lr7ot7qqbkz2bs6pim4drl3eic5hz35lq4c5otmnimxd2hy4u@jpeg)
November 9, 2025 at 3:27 AM
An obituary any scientist would be proud of imo
The Seattle Times paywalling their editorial argument against the measure that hikes their own taxes is very funny. The art of persuasion indeed
@theneedling.com
@theneedling.com
November 4, 2025 at 8:17 AM
The Seattle Times paywalling their editorial argument against the measure that hikes their own taxes is very funny. The art of persuasion indeed
@theneedling.com
@theneedling.com
People are confused about the title. It's only the first entry of a 10-part, 36-hour immortalization of Frank's journey
October 31, 2025 at 5:58 AM
People are confused about the title. It's only the first entry of a 10-part, 36-hour immortalization of Frank's journey
Reposted by Daniel Asarnow
To any editor having trouble finding reviewers - try asking postdocs! We are available, we take it seriously, we know exactly what we're asking from the authors
October 28, 2025 at 7:43 PM
To any editor having trouble finding reviewers - try asking postdocs! We are available, we take it seriously, we know exactly what we're asking from the authors
Javanese anaerobic via Sweet Maria's. Lighter than expected; it's cold this afternoon
October 26, 2025 at 9:36 PM
Javanese anaerobic via Sweet Maria's. Lighter than expected; it's cold this afternoon
Another undergraduate paper discussion today! This time we are doing Ron Vale's 1985 kinesin trifecta. Focusing on [1] & [3]. 🧪🔬
[1] www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
[2] www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
[3] www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
[4] www.ibiology.org/cell-biology...
[1] www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
[2] www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
[3] www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
[4] www.ibiology.org/cell-biology...
Identification of a novel force-generating protein, kinesin, involved in microtubule-based motility
Axoplasm from the squid giant axon contains a soluble protein translocator that induces movement of microtubules on glass, latex beads on microtubules…
www.sciencedirect.com
October 24, 2025 at 7:41 PM
Another undergraduate paper discussion today! This time we are doing Ron Vale's 1985 kinesin trifecta. Focusing on [1] & [3]. 🧪🔬
[1] www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
[2] www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
[3] www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
[4] www.ibiology.org/cell-biology...
[1] www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
[2] www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
[3] www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
[4] www.ibiology.org/cell-biology...
Honestly pretty GD sick of Google's search chatbot telling me specific, and very real, terms don't exist or "likely derive from lorem ipsum" 🤬
October 22, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Honestly pretty GD sick of Google's search chatbot telling me specific, and very real, terms don't exist or "likely derive from lorem ipsum" 🤬
Reposted by Daniel Asarnow
The real harm to #LongCovid patients isn’t coming from most doctors or scientists; it’s coming from activists spreading false claims about COVID-19, twisting science, and vilifying experts. Misrepresentation doesn’t help patients; it isolates them from real care.
1/10
1/10
October 20, 2025 at 4:44 PM
The real harm to #LongCovid patients isn’t coming from most doctors or scientists; it’s coming from activists spreading false claims about COVID-19, twisting science, and vilifying experts. Misrepresentation doesn’t help patients; it isolates them from real care.
1/10
1/10
Difference in kind when nothing distinguishes the marginal funded proposal, or when funding is so risk averse that many safe projects are passed over too
Competition for excellence, and competition because there isn't enough to go around, are entirely different things!
October 18, 2025 at 11:30 PM
Difference in kind when nothing distinguishes the marginal funded proposal, or when funding is so risk averse that many safe projects are passed over too
Discussed this classic paper with my undergrad reading group today. Still great 😎 🧪🔬
Direct observation of the rotation of F1-ATPase - Nature
Nature - Direct observation of the rotation of F1-ATPase
www.nature.com
October 11, 2025 at 2:42 AM
Discussed this classic paper with my undergrad reading group today. Still great 😎 🧪🔬
What’s the word where you’re from that, when pronounced exactly as it looks, identifies a tourist immediately?
October 9, 2025 at 4:34 AM
I'm only surprised Kan selection was classified as "gain of function" before pseudotyping
Important piece from Sarah Stanley at Berkeley on new NIH definitions that can be construed to arbitrarily halt research that is both safe and important to public health and future cures www.statnews.com/2025/10/06/g... via @statnews.com
The NIH ordered me to stop my ‘dangerous’ gain-of-function research. It isn’t dangerous at all
Safe gain-of-function research is necessary to identify new treatments for diseases like for tuberculosis — but the NIH has imposed unfounded stops.
www.statnews.com
October 7, 2025 at 2:01 AM
I'm only surprised Kan selection was classified as "gain of function" before pseudotyping
Is it normal for SimpleFold to leave a bunch of stuff tangled in a knot right on top of the packed core of the rest of the structure (clashing terribly)? Alpha would loop it around the outside, maybe feed the active site its own tail...definitely less jarring #alphafold
October 3, 2025 at 5:27 AM
Is it normal for SimpleFold to leave a bunch of stuff tangled in a knot right on top of the packed core of the rest of the structure (clashing terribly)? Alpha would loop it around the outside, maybe feed the active site its own tail...definitely less jarring #alphafold
What is this step 😂
September 25, 2025 at 6:11 AM
What is this step 😂
They Let Me Put Coffee In A CT Scanner!
YouTube video by James Hoffmann
www.youtube.com
September 23, 2025 at 9:55 PM
Reposted by Daniel Asarnow
So excited to see the first part of my thesis work with @harmitmalik.bsky.social and @melodygcampbell.bsky.social in print! www.science.org/doi/10.1126/... We have a bit of evolution and a whole lotta structure to figure out how new protein domains work
Molecular exaptation by the integrin αI domain
An ancient protein domain insertion seamlessly preserved conformational signaling while providing a novel surface for adaptation.
www.science.org
September 10, 2025 at 7:34 PM
So excited to see the first part of my thesis work with @harmitmalik.bsky.social and @melodygcampbell.bsky.social in print! www.science.org/doi/10.1126/... We have a bit of evolution and a whole lotta structure to figure out how new protein domains work
Henriette taught me how to work efficiently and have fun doing it... and so, so much about membrane protein biochemistry. Truly incomparable mentor to have for a whole PhD! 🧪🎓
I bet the commute would be nice too 🚲🚲
I bet the commute would be nice too 🚲🚲
🚨 One week left to apply!
I am hiring a fully funded PhD fellow and a postdoc to work on membrane protein structural biology and pharmacology at Univ Copenhagen
Come work with a great team and exciting projects in a collaborative environment!
🔗 Links to the ads in comments
#CryoEM #AcademicJobs
I am hiring a fully funded PhD fellow and a postdoc to work on membrane protein structural biology and pharmacology at Univ Copenhagen
Come work with a great team and exciting projects in a collaborative environment!
🔗 Links to the ads in comments
#CryoEM #AcademicJobs
August 30, 2025 at 5:46 PM
Henriette taught me how to work efficiently and have fun doing it... and so, so much about membrane protein biochemistry. Truly incomparable mentor to have for a whole PhD! 🧪🎓
I bet the commute would be nice too 🚲🚲
I bet the commute would be nice too 🚲🚲
Trespassing in the temple
August 28, 2025 at 5:14 AM
Trespassing in the temple