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Krishna Mudumbi

@krishnamudumbi.bsky.social

3.5K followers 880 following 270 posts

• Assistant Professor at Vanderbilt and the Ingram Cancer Center • Studying membrane protein signaling using single-molecule microscopy • Mentorship and science advocacy in all its forms https://lab.vanderbilt.edu/mudumbi-lab/

lab.vanderbilt.edu

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Krishna Mudumbi @krishnamudumbi.bsky.social · Sep 19

I'm excited to announce that I've accepted a TT faculty position at Vanderbilt CDB and Ingram Cancer Center! Thrilled to join the Vanderbilt community!

The Mudumbi Lab opens Jan 2025. We will use single-molecule microscopy to study the kinetics of RTK signaling, with a focus on biased signaling!

Krishna Mudumbi @krishnamudumbi.bsky.social · 13d

Late post, but the lab has a new grad student, Isabella!

Not sure if we can sustain the tradition of new students peeling off the protective plastic on new lab equipment though!

A woman in a whire shirt and dark pants in a lab setting holding up a clear piece of plastic infant of her.

Krishna Mudumbi @krishnamudumbi.bsky.social · Sep 9

A nice highlight of what we hope to tackle in our lab!

Also, check out all the cool things the other faculty at Vandy are doing!

news.vanderbilt.edu/2025/09/08/n...

NEW FACULTY: Professors explain how their research could better the world

Hear from Vanderbilt's newest faculty on the positive impact their research could have on society.

news.vanderbilt.edu

Krishna Mudumbi @krishnamudumbi.bsky.social · Sep 4

Big #NewPI step today - had the lab submit abstracts for @ascbiology.bsky.social 2025!

ASCB was one of my first conferences as a trainee, and I've loved it since!

Krishna Mudumbi @krishnamudumbi.bsky.social · Aug 16

Replace this with HaloTag and I'd feel very attacked right now!

Dr. Brittany J. Carr @drbjcarr.bsky.social · Jul 10

One of my favorites.

A meme that says at the top "A brief history of molecular biology in the 90s" and then below images of Bilbo Baggins from lord of the rings says "After all, why not? Why shouldn't I fuse GFP to it?".

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Krishna Mudumbi @krishnamudumbi.bsky.social · Aug 16

a man in a suit and tie salutes a woman in a black dress while standing next to her .

Alt: a man in a suit and tie salutes a woman in a black dress while standing next to her .

media.tenor.com

Krishna Mudumbi @krishnamudumbi.bsky.social · Aug 13

The Department of Biochemistry @vanderbilt.edu is hiring for an Assistant Professor position! Apply and come be my colleague!

apply.interfolio.com/171767

Application information for an Assistant Professor position in the Department of Biochemistry at Vanderbilt University

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Krishna Mudumbi @krishnamudumbi.bsky.social · Aug 7

At least someone's saying it out loud

The Onion @theonion.com · Aug 7

Kennedy Curse Sure Taking Its Sweet Time With RFK Jr.

Krishna Mudumbi @krishnamudumbi.bsky.social · Jul 10

Could they be any more pathetically transparent that this is about revenge?

Krishna Mudumbi @krishnamudumbi.bsky.social · Jul 9

Thank you for the conversation @klangin.bsky.social and for bringing to light the challenges that we're all facing at every level of academic science!

Katie Langin @klangin.bsky.social · Jul 8

“Everywhere funding is short.”

For my latest story, I spoke with U.S. academics who are bracing for a major downsizing of the science workforce amid funding cuts. NSF's own numbers are stark. @science.org

www.science.org/content/arti...

‘It’s a nightmare.’ U.S. funding cuts threaten academic science jobs at all levels

“There is a lot of pressure to essentially leave the country or not pursue research,” one Ph.D. student says

www.science.org

Krishna Mudumbi @krishnamudumbi.bsky.social · Jul 8

Come what may, they've brought back some version of salted carmel mocha fraps at Starbucks, I can die happy again!

Picture of salted carmel frap from starbucks

Reposted by Krishna Mudumbi

Black In Biophysics @blackinbiophys.bsky.social · Jun 19

Congratulations to all the amazing scientists named 2025 Freeman Hrabowski Scholars by @hhmi.org! We’re proud to have to #BlackInBiophysics faculty members, @doctheagrif.bsky.social and @cobarnes27.bsky.social among this outstanding group. We wish you the best in this next stage of your careers! 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

The 2025 Freeman Hrabowski Scholars | HHMI

Freeman Hrabowski Scholars are outstanding early career faculty who have the potential to become leaders in their research fields.

www.hhmi.org

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Krishna Mudumbi @krishnamudumbi.bsky.social · Jun 28

It's probably because I'm astutely ignoring the outside world, but this week was a good week!

Science is scienceing, grants are being written, talks are coming up.

I will not doom scroll tonight, I will not doom scroll tonight, I will not....

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Reposted by Krishna Mudumbi

Derek Lowe @dereklowe.bsky.social · Jun 24

Journalists keep asking me, baffled, “What’s the Trump administration really trying to do to the science agencies?”

So I say “They are trying to destroy them. Cut off their funding, ruin their facilities, harass their staff into leaving.”

It’s not reform, and it never was. It’s destruction.

Dan Garisto @dangaristo.bsky.social · Jun 24

NEW: NSF will be kicked out of their building. Announcement will be made tomorrow by HUD Sec. and Governor of VA. HUD will take over the NSF building over the next two years.

NSF staffer: "There is no planning for NSF, no identified future location, appropriation for a new building or a move."

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Krishna Mudumbi @krishnamudumbi.bsky.social · Jun 12

Just misspelled my own name in an email...it's clearly one of those days/weeks

Reposted by Krishna Mudumbi

Tigist Tamir @phosphotig.bsky.social · May 28

Extra! Extra! Read all about it!Our study from the White Lab is online today! Thank you to all that made the story & my postdoc time phenomenal
Forest White
Roger Davis
Jess Spinelli
@mvhlab.bsky.social @alextoker.bsky.social
@mitkochinstitute.bsky.social
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

a man holding a piece of paper in front of a sign that says extra extra read all about it

Alt: a man holding a piece of paper in front of a sign that says extra extra read all about it

media.tenor.com

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Krishna Mudumbi @krishnamudumbi.bsky.social · Jun 6

On loop tonight

a man is standing in front of a bunch of palm trees with his hand out .

Alt: a man is standing in front of a bunch of palm trees with his hand out .

media.tenor.com

Krishna Mudumbi @krishnamudumbi.bsky.social · Jun 2

Late with the update, but we recently welcomed our first grad student, Brandon Goldstein! He got to celebrate by peeling off the plastic on the -80 display!

New graduate student pulling off the plastic protective film on a display for a -80 freezer.

Krishna Mudumbi @krishnamudumbi.bsky.social · May 28

Amazing! Congrats!

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Krishna Mudumbi @krishnamudumbi.bsky.social · May 18

We'll get there. I'll send you an updated picture in a year or so!

Krishna Mudumbi @krishnamudumbi.bsky.social · May 15

The scope is finally fully set up!

Time to image everything! Very excited #NewPI over here!

A brown door with a white board and a sign from Lord of the Rings which reads "One does not simply walk into the microscope room without knocking." There is a white light with red letters above the door that reads In Use.

An optical table with a microscope with two cameras on the right side and one spinning disk confocal on the left side. To the left of the optical table is a black screen monitor

An optical table with a microscope with two cameras on the right side and one spinning disk confocal on the left side

Krishna Mudumbi @krishnamudumbi.bsky.social · May 14

A feature, not a bug.

Who didn't see this coming?

David Malakoff @davidmalakoff.bsky.social · May 13

Another scoop from Jeff Mervis (@policyhound.bsky.social): NSF's ~1400 grant terminations have disproportionately affected PIs from groups underrepresented in science: women, racial & ethnic minorities, & those with disabilities. 1/3
www.science.org/content/arti...

Trump officials take steps toward a radically different NSF

Efforts to shrink staff, budget, and focus have alarmed members of Congress

www.science.org

Krishna Mudumbi @krishnamudumbi.bsky.social · May 8

I'm not sure this regime wants to buy scientific advancement - the very product that we're trying to sell.

I suppose we should all pivot to selling snake oil

Krishna Mudumbi @krishnamudumbi.bsky.social · May 3

Love to see societies that we support supporting us back!

Proud to be a member of @ascbiology.bsky.social!

American Society for Cell Biology @ascbiology.bsky.social · May 2

Unlawful grant terminations are harming young scientists and threatening innovation. ASCB joins leaders calling for immediate funding restoration.

www.ascb.org/society-news...

Leading Life Science Organizations: Unlawful Grant Terminations Pose Grave Threat to America’s Innovation Pipeline - ASCB

Amicus Brief Filed in Support of Suit Calling for Immediate Funding Restoration WASHINGTON, DC – Four leading life science organizations, including the ASCB, filed an amicus brief today asking the cou...

www.ascb.org

Krishna Mudumbi @krishnamudumbi.bsky.social · May 2

Some cool entries this year for CDB's annual retreat movie competition, check them out!

youtu.be/E2QokgMCk-M?...

CDB 2025 Movie Competition

YouTube video by Philip Stoecklein

youtu.be

Reposted by Krishna Mudumbi

Tigist Tamir @phosphotig.bsky.social · Apr 28

"The grant was created by the first Trump administration to foster a new generation of diverse scientists in biomedical research, then defunded in the second Trump administration's ongoing purge of diversity, equity, and inclusion programs."

www.wxxinews.org/2025-04-28/a...

As a diversity grant dies, young scientists fear it will haunt their careers

The Trump administration defunded the National Institute of Health's MOSAIC grant program, which launched the careers of scientists from diverse backgrounds.

www.wxxinews.org

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