Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Gabby Budziszewski

Black In Biophysics @blackinbiophys.bsky.social · 7d

In our #BIBPSWeek 2025 #BIBPSSpotlight Q&A Webinar with Dr. Chrystal Starbird, we learned about her life, career, and STEM advocacy work. We also discussed the barriers that fellow #BlackInBiophysics scholars @jjalston.bsky.social & @stevenssostre.bsky.social faced when pursuing careers in science.👇🏾

Chrystal Starbird @drstarbird.bsky.social · 7d

We are in this odd climate where people are pretending no barriers exist to careers in science for some groups, but this conversation with 2 outstanding emerging scientists highlights that is just not true.
youtube.com/watch?v=u850...

BIBPSSpotlight - 2025 Black In Biophysics Week

YouTube video by Black In Biophys

youtube.com

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getacrystal @getacrystal.bsky.social · 14d

Not being able to crystallize your biomolecule of interest?

Now that's scary. 😱
Try our high-throughput screen!
October 2025 Soluble (taking reservations)

Reservation Deadline: Fri Oct 3rd
Package Acceptance & Plate Setup:
Tues Oct 7th – Thurs Oct 9th
Tues Oct 14th – Thurs Oct 16th

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Gabby Budziszewski @gabbygrowsxtals.bsky.social · Aug 5

interpreting electron density or foraging for mushrooms -- you decide.
#structuralbiology #crystallography #mycology

an electron density map rendered in coot that looks like a histidine sitting on top of a mushroom

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Reposted by Gabby Budziszewski

Ian Holmes @ianholmes.org · Aug 4

A thread of protein-themed card, board, and video games 🧵

RCSB Protein Data Bank @rcsbpdb.bsky.social · Aug 2

Play the PDB board game that explores the process of structure discovery and deposition. Then, move on to the next project...but keep an eye on the competition and try not to get scooped! #GenCon
pdb101.rcsb.org/lear...

PDB101: Learn: Other Resources: PDB50 the Game

A PDB “worker placement” board game that explores the process of structure discovery

pdb101.rcsb.org

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Gabby Budziszewski @gabbygrowsxtals.bsky.social · Aug 5

luckily he can read and is a very polite dog

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Ray L. Allen, PhD @rayallen.bsky.social · Aug 4

I'm excited to share that my story is featured in this week's edition of Science Magazine! Being able to do my research with my Tribe and in my homelands has been so impactful and meaningful personally and for my career. And it's important for other young Indigenous researches to know it's possible!

Science Magazine @science.org · Aug 4

"It’s because of my community and Land connections that my postdoctoral work is flourishing." #ScienceWorkingLife scim.ag/45l1RGx

An illustration of a man's head coming out of the water surrounded by fish and trees. The text says: Academic training took me away from my Indigenous homeland—but I found my way back.

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Gabby Budziszewski @gabbygrowsxtals.bsky.social · Jul 31

👀

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c0nc0rdance @c0nc0rdance.bsky.social · Jul 31

Take a minute to really absorb the scale of what you're seeing.

This is 'Cueva de los Cristales', the Cave of the Crystals, near the city of Naica in the Mexican state of Chihuahua.

The crystals are selenite, a type of gypsum.

They formed over the last 1 million years.

(📷: Javier Trueba, MSF)

A man stands in a cave filled with white crystals, many of them much taller and larger than he is. The scale is hard to even understand.

CREDIT: Javier Trueba

From the C&EN article I'm citing below:
"For millennia, conditions within the Cave of Crystals (290 m underground) were perfect for the growth of gypsum crystals, allowing them to grow to their massive size. Credit: Javier Trueba/MSF/Science Source"

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c0nc0rdance @c0nc0rdance.bsky.social · Jul 31

There's also a primary paper on dating of the crystals that goes into some of the chemical processes involved and how they can be modeled here:

Ultraslow growth rates of giant gypsum crystals | PNAS

Mineralogical processes taking place close to equilibrium, or with very slow kinetics, are difficult to quantify precisely. The determination of ul...

www.pnas.org

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Hank Green @hankgreen.bsky.social · Jul 28

I doubt that there is a single family in America that hasn’t benefitted directly from the NIH.

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IUCr2026 @iucr2026.bsky.social · Jul 20

Giddy up to Calgary! Stop by our #IUCr2026 booth at #ACA2025 to gear up for the 2026 Conference to get some Calgary Stampede merch, plan your trip, meet other attendees and more!

ACA2025 attendees wearing cowboy hats in front of a billboard that says "See you in Calgary!"

ACA2025 attendee wearing cowboy hat in front of a billboard that says "See you in Calgary!"

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Reposted by Gabby Budziszewski

IUCr2026 @iucr2026.bsky.social · Jul 19

Cal the Calgary Stampede horse is having a blast visiting the exhibitors at #ACA2025! Come visit the #IUCr2026 booth at #ACA2025 to find Cal and gear up for Calgary!

Cal the stampede horse inside a 3D printed model of the VIPP1 thylakoid membrane structural protein assembly

Cal the stampede horse next to a liquid handling robot and cocktail mixer

Cal the stampede horse next to some unipucks

Cal the stampede horse at the IUCr2026 booth along with some other great IUCr2026 merch

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Jon Agirre @glycojones.bsky.social · Jul 14

As the community gets ready for #ACA2025, we're proud to present this interview with @gabbygrowsxtals.bsky.social Vivian Stojanoff and @xtalmaker.bsky.social on how to prepare for successful protein crystallisation experiments! 🥳🥳 youtu.be/m34RI500OFU?...

Preparing for successful protein crystallization experiments

YouTube video by International Union of Crystallography

youtu.be

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Reposted by Gabby Budziszewski

lukelukeluke @lukelukeluke.bsky.social · Jul 8

Here are some nice mushrooms

A decayed stick is held up in a hand and covered with dozens of tiny collared parachute mushrooms. Their white caps rise up on wiry black stems in a green forest. All photo by me

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sarahejbowman @xtalmaker.bsky.social · Jul 3

Excited that our article made the cover of the July issue of @actacrystf.iucr.org!

Congrats to my coauthors @gabbygrowsxtals.bsky.social & Vivian Stojanoff!

Grateful for #NIH NIGMS R24 National Resource grant that enables workshops like the 2023 SAMPREP workshop @ @acastructuralsci.bsky.social

Structural Biology Communications @actacrystf.iucr.org · Jul 3

The July issue is out! tinyurl.com/y25fxe86

The cover shows a rainbow of protein crystals taken from a Topical Review on 'Preparing for successful protein crystallization experiments'. Take a look at doi.org/10.1107/S205...

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sarahejbowman @xtalmaker.bsky.social · Jun 30

Last week @gabbygrowsxtals.bsky.social and I had an amazing time running experiments at CXI at LCLS at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory on nanocrystal protein samples! Our protein nanocrystals looked like little stars 🌟 💎

CXI beamline at LCLS - the sample on an SOS chip is behind the window in the chamber

Our protein nanocrystals look like stars

Scientist showing the sheet on sheet chip after loading protein nanocrystals

$Nanocrystal diffraction at the CXI beamline!$

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Gabby Budziszewski @gabbygrowsxtals.bsky.social · Jun 27

having some fun with nanocrystals at LCLS CXI beamline! safe to say I’m a little excited for my first shift on an XFEL🎇

Scientist using a humidity-controlled box to set up experiments

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Reposted by Gabby Budziszewski

Billy Domineau 🇵🇸 @billydomineau.bsky.social · Jun 22

To be clear for folks outside the US - when you see us tweeting jokes in the aftermath of unprovoked acts of war, it’s because we’ve lost all control of our federal government and are desperate for mechanisms to address the horrors we as civilians are indirectly responsible for. We are so, so sorry.

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Kresten Lindorff-Larsen @lindorfflarsen.bsky.social · Jun 17

Does crossing the pond affect crystal quality?
No!

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Gabby Budziszewski @gabbygrowsxtals.bsky.social · Jun 12

I'm used to purifying colorless proteins, so it's a treat to have a metal-binding protein I can see IN my resin!
#metalloprotein #biochemistry

FPLC system with a size exclusion column showing a red band

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Reposted by Gabby Budziszewski

getacrystal @getacrystal.bsky.social · Jun 3

@getacrystal.bsky.social & SSRL are out in force teaching at the New Opportunities for Structural Biology Research Workshop in TN this week!

Thanks Jamaine Davis for making the workshop happen & the invite!

Nice work @gabbygrowsxtals.bsky.social, Tiffany, Darya & Crissy!

@ubuffalo.bsky.social

Scientist presenting about protein crystal growth

Two scientists with a presentation about structural biology

Scientist presenting about structural biology

Scientists before presenting at the structural biology workshop

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womensartbluesky.bsky.social @womensartbluesky.bsky.social · Jun 3

Colleen Parker, contemporary artist and illustrator #womensart

Painting of stylised pink poppies and seedheads on stems

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SmithLabUMBC @smithlabumbc.bsky.social · Jun 2

If you don't know @xtalmaker.bsky.social and their amazing facility at UBuffalo to help you achieve your crystallization goals, you should!

sarahejbowman @xtalmaker.bsky.social · Jun 2

Just in time for Pride month!

Celebrating our recent publication in @actacrystf.iucr.org by highlighting our rainbow of protein crystals! 🏳️‍🌈💎

Great to work with @gabbygrowsxtals.bsky.social & Vivian Stojanof on this paper!

doi.org/10.1107/S205...

#crystallization #crystals #structuralbiology

Picture of twelve wells of protein crystallization - arranged in a rainbow pattern. With scale bars.

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Reposted by Gabby Budziszewski

sarahejbowman @xtalmaker.bsky.social · Jun 2

Just in time for Pride month!

Celebrating our recent publication in @actacrystf.iucr.org by highlighting our rainbow of protein crystals! 🏳️‍🌈💎

Great to work with @gabbygrowsxtals.bsky.social & Vivian Stojanof on this paper!

doi.org/10.1107/S205...

#crystallization #crystals #structuralbiology

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Gabby Budziszewski @gabbygrowsxtals.bsky.social · Jun 2

Dr. Chrissy Tarver telling us about sample preparation for protein crystallization!

Scientist from Stanford Chrissy Tarver presenting on protein preparation