Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Katie Murphy, PhD @kmurphyphd.bsky.social · 10d

Don't want to set up your own chamber? We offer Raspberry Pi imaging in our Phenotyping Core Facility as a service for academic and industry researchers!

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Katie Murphy, PhD @kmurphyphd.bsky.social · 10d

New paper - build a Raspberry Pi phenotyping chamber for imaging and temperature sensing! Thanks to Malia Gehan and her team for leading this work. bsapubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

Raspberry Pi–powered temperature monitoring of growth chamber microclimates

Premise While controlled environments are desirable for growing and measuring plants, growth chambers and greenhouses typically have microclimates that impact plant growth, development, and stress r.....

bsapubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com

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Katie Murphy, PhD @kmurphyphd.bsky.social · Sep 3

Applications open now for our Pivot 2 Plants program! Please share widely, 1 year paid opportunity to transition to careers in plant and data science. www.danforthcenter.org/our-work/edu...

Pivot to Plants: Training Program for Plant and Data Science | Danforth Plant Science Center

The Pivot2Plants Fellows Program is a 1-year training program for people interested in pivoting to a career in plant science or data science but have limited research experience.

www.danforthcenter.org

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Reposted by Katie Murphy, PhD

Donald Danforth Plant Science Center @danforthcenter.bsky.social · Jul 3

Congratulations to Danforth Center Associate Member Tessa Burch-Smith! 🎉 She will become President of American Society of Plant Biologists in October of this year.

American Society of Plant Biologists @aspbofficial.bsky.social · Jun 27

📣Congratulations to our incoming President-elect, Tessa Burch-Smith, and Elected Member of the Board of Directors, Patricia León! Tessa and Patricia will begin their next cycles of service to ASPB on October 1, 2025.

#PlantScience #WeAreASPB

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Reposted by Katie Murphy, PhD

Donald Danforth Plant Science Center @danforthcenter.bsky.social · Jun 9

💐 Stop and smell the science! Our #BioanalyticalChemistryFacility is featured in the new #SmellingtheBouquet: Plants and Scents in the Garden exhibition at @mobotmuseum.bsky.social! Follow your nose to @mobotgarden.bsky.social to discover how plants’ scents influence insects, ecosystems, & people!

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Katie Murphy, PhD @kmurphyphd.bsky.social · Apr 24

Congratulations, Dior! Very well deserved!

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Katie Murphy, PhD @kmurphyphd.bsky.social · Apr 24

I am excited to emcee this event - join us, it's FREE and the science is great!

Donald Danforth Plant Science Center @danforthcenter.bsky.social · Apr 24

🧠🌍 May 15: Join @DanforthCenter for Conversations: BIG IDEAS—where scientists pitch solutions to real-world challenges & YOU vote! Free & open to the public.

🕔 5:15 PM Reception | 🕕 6 PM Program

Register: www.danforthcenter.org/event/conver...

#BigIdeas

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Katie Murphy, PhD @kmurphyphd.bsky.social · Apr 14

We are lucky to have Russell as a colleague! The Bioanalytical Chemistry Facility works with both internal and external users - get your metabolite and proteomics analyses done here.

Donald Danforth Plant Science Center @danforthcenter.bsky.social · Apr 14

An undergrad research project analyzing alkaloids in native prairie plants sparked a permanent plant chemistry fascination in Russell Williams, PhD. Now director of our Bioanalytical Chemistry Facility, he delivers crucial data to scientists at the Danforth Center & beyond. loom.ly/nPv8cmU

Russell Williams, PhD: Exploring the Chemistry Behind Plants’ Untapped Potential - Danforth Plant Science Center

As a kid growing up in rural Oklahoma, Russell Williams, PhD, spent countless hours outdoors. He developed an early fascination with the natural world thanks to time spent hunting, fishing, and garden...

loom.ly

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Katie Murphy, PhD @kmurphyphd.bsky.social · Apr 9

Tess has been an awesome addition to our team, I am proud to be a co-PI on this great training program!

Donald Danforth Plant Science Center @danforthcenter.bsky.social · Apr 9

Introducing the 2025 Pivot to Plants cohort! The Pivot to Plants fellowship program provides hands-on research experience for professionals who are eager to transition to the plant, data, and life sciences.
Meet the fellows: loom.ly/TFCXdyg

A New Path to Plant Science: Introducing the First Pivoting to Plants Fellows - Danforth Plant Science Center

Making a career change isn’t easy, and professions that require research experience can make it especially daunting to take that step. That’s where the Pivoting to Plants fellowship program comes in, ...

loom.ly

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Reposted by Katie Murphy, PhD

Maxim Greenberg @maxvcg.bsky.social · Apr 4

This is a devastating and essential read. Here is a gift link for those without subs. The part about outside perceptions of scientists compared with almost a blue-collar reality is spot on (without even mentioning meager salaries). www.nytimes.com/2025/04/03/o...

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Reposted by Katie Murphy, PhD

plantcv.bsky.social @plantcv.bsky.social · Apr 2

Our newest PlantCV Quarterly Newsletter is here, with great updates and highlights! Check it out, and subscribe to get it in your inbox: preview.mailerlite.io/emails/webvi...

PlantCV April Newsletter

preview.mailerlite.io

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Reposted by Katie Murphy, PhD

Donald Danforth Plant Science Center @danforthcenter.bsky.social · Apr 1

The PlantTech Jam is a FREE hands-on science, tinkering, and robotics fun for the whole family.

This is an interactive event with a tour of Danforth Center scientific facilities & prairie.
#PlantTechJam

loom.ly/bSnbPtY

PlantTech Jam 2025 - Danforth Plant Science Center

The PlantTech Jam is hands-on science, tinkering, and robotics fun for the whole family. This interactive event features science innovation and technology related activities for all ages. Learn more a...

loom.ly

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Katie Murphy, PhD @kmurphyphd.bsky.social · Mar 29

New paper from my team! Set up your own cost-effective photo studio to easily capture, label, and transfer images, then analyze those images in @plantcv.bsky.social ! Video protocol coming soon. app.jove.com/t/67619/imag...

Imaging and Analysis for Quantifying Maize (Zea mays) Abiotic Stress Phenotypes

Read this JoVE article on Imaging and Analysis for Quantifying Maize (Zea mays) Abiotic Stress Phenotypes

app.jove.com

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Katie Murphy, PhD @kmurphyphd.bsky.social · Mar 17

We also share new tutorials for analysis of thermal (FLIR) images and microscopy images of stomata in @plantcv.bsky.social . Thank to my amazing postdoc advisors, Malia Gehan and Doug Allen, and all the authors who contributed to this work!

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Katie Murphy, PhD @kmurphyphd.bsky.social · Mar 17

New paper alert! We found huge oil droplets in the guard cells of a high oil tobacco variety. The stomata of these tobacco plants have a smaller aperture, which increases leaf temperature and decreases transpiration. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

Excessive leaf oil modulates the plant abiotic stress response via reduced stomatal aperture in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum)

Understanding the response of future crops to adverse conditions, including high temperatures, is crucial. We describe the impact of high temperature stress on a high lipid producing biofuel tobacco ...

onlinelibrary.wiley.com

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Reposted by Katie Murphy, PhD

Frank Hochholdinger @hochholdingerf.bsky.social · Mar 9

The 2025 maize genetics meeting is over. Looking forward to having the 2026 maize meeting from Feb 26 to March 1 in Cologne (Köln), Germany 🇩🇪. Please already mark your calendars. #MGM2025 > #MGM2026.

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Katie Murphy, PhD @kmurphyphd.bsky.social · Mar 11

I'm honored #STLMade profiled me and our Phenotyping Facility! I'm proud to work and live in St. Louis, and represent the great work our team is doing at the Danforth Center.

Donald Danforth Plant Science Center @danforthcenter.bsky.social · Mar 11

Meet @kmurphyphd.bsky.social, our Director of Phenotyping, 2025 #NAPPN Early Career Award winner, mentor to the next generation of plant scientists, & proud advocate for the #STL innovation community 🌱
Get to know her in this new video via #STLMade: thestl.com/work/seeding...

Seeding Solutions

As part of the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, plant biologist Katie Murphy addresses global challenges through the meticulous study of plants and shares her life and work as a scientist via soc...

thestl.com

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Katie Murphy, PhD @kmurphyphd.bsky.social · Mar 10

A huge congrats to Erin for winning the Maize Genetics Early Career Award! We are lucky to have the Erin joining @danforthcenter.bsky.social this summer as a joint faculty member.

Erin Sparks on stage accepting an award with a slide of her photo in the background.

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Reposted by Katie Murphy, PhD

Kevin Cox Jr @kcox-bioguy.bsky.social · Mar 7

Some of my postdoc work has been "exposed" today in @theplantjournal.bsky.social! 😁🎉🔬 We developed ExPOSE - a method to perform expansion microscopy in plant protoplast systems. Here's a quick🧵of the details: @meter76.bsky.social @lily-oconnor.bsky.social
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

ExPOSE: a comprehensive toolkit to perform expansion microscopy in plant protoplast systems

This method provides a robust approach for performing expansion microscopy in plant protoplasts for imaging single-cell and subcellular compartments at greatly enhanced resolution.

onlinelibrary.wiley.com

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Katie Murphy, PhD @kmurphyphd.bsky.social · Mar 9

Congrats @kcox-bioguy.bsky.social , his expansion microscopy method is a big deal folks!

meter @meter76.bsky.social · Mar 7

Big paper out from @kcox-bioguy.bsky.social! source.washu.edu/2025/03/brin...

Bringing expansion microscopy to plants

Biologist Kevin Cox, in Arts & Sciences, has discovered a low-cost way to more easily study the detailed makeup of plant cells. The ultimate goal is to help grow better crops, improving food security.

source.washu.edu

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Reposted by Katie Murphy, PhD

EMBO @embo.org · Mar 8

On #InternationalWomensDay, nominate a female scientist for the next FEBS | EMBO Women in Science Award. Deadline is 15 May 2025:
www.embo.org/the-embo-com...

#WomeninScience #ForAllWomenAndGirls 🧪

The EMBO communities – FEBS|EMBO Women in Science Awardees – EMBO

Outstanding female life scientists and role models.

www.embo.org

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Reposted by Katie Murphy, PhD

Magdalena Skipper @magdalenaskipper.bsky.social · Mar 8

Women in research need the credit & recognition they deserve for the amazing contributions they make.
Nature Awards for Inspiring Women in Science are open for applications - take a look 👇🏻 & help spread the word
#WomeninSTEM #AcademicSky 🧪
@natureportfolio.nature.com
www.nature.com/immersive/in...

Nature Awards Inspiring Women in Science

Celebrating and supporting the achievements of women in science, and all those who work to encourage girls and young women to engage with STEM subjects and stay in STEM careers around the world.

www.nature.com

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Katie Murphy, PhD @kmurphyphd.bsky.social · Mar 8

Thank you to the Maize Genetics Meeting - yesterday we had an advocacy session, followed by Stand Up for Science walk-out. We are missing our USDA colleagues, who were not allowed to attend the meeting!

Crowd of people standing outside the Union Station Hotel in St. Louis, Missouri in a Stand Up for Science Walkout.

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Katie Murphy, PhD @kmurphyphd.bsky.social · Mar 8

Can't wait for our field trip to the Sachs Museum tomorrow for the Maize Genetics Meeting!

Sachs Museum at Missouri Botanical Garden @mobotmuseum.bsky.social · Mar 7

#KernelsOfCulture #MaizeAroundTheWorld
🌽🖼️: Andi Kur
Welcome to the Maize Genetics Meeting attendees in St. Louis right now! Thanks to scientists Dr. Sherry Flint-Garcia and @kmurphyphd.bsky.social for their generous contributions to the exhibition @mobotmuseum.bsky.social @mobotgarden.bsky.social

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Katie Murphy, PhD @kmurphyphd.bsky.social · Feb 28

Thank you to the speakers, moderators, and attendees (in-person and virtual) of NAPPN Annual Meeting 2025! I've been inspired by great new technologies, applications, and stellar trainee presentations this week. 🌱

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