Visiting University of Queensland

This September, we embarked on a 10-day trip, crossing oceans and continents to visit University of Queensland and work with our collaborators, a team led by Prof. Warwick Bowen. Together we measured intracellular activities with a new label-free optical microscopy. We also enjoyed the first-grade hospitality during our visit!

We gained a lot of insights by working side-by-side with our collaborators.

We also visited other groups at UQ who helped us tremendously with the access to cell culture.

It was a fruitful trip. We learned a lot and we had fun!

A big shout-out to Dr. Nicolas Mauranyapin who is so patient and so knowledgeable. Nico coordinated with us  planning our visit and made our visit so special.

 

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | Comments Off on Visiting University of Queensland

End of Summer 2023

As the Fall semester starts next week, we celebrated a busy and productive summer this year. We are fortunate to host many outstanding visiting students all over the world, Alejandro, Ivy, Amman, Nishith and Jeremy. Thank you for contributing to our research and for doing an excellent job!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | Comments Off on End of Summer 2023

Daniel Passes Doctoral Qualifier Exam

Our brave Daniel passed the DQE exam with flying colors today, also his birthday. His exam was scheduled  3 months earlier than the regular exam set by the department. This sets the record in his class and in our lab. Congratulations and HAPPY BIRTHDAY Daniel! Now go print a cake!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | Comments Off on Daniel Passes Doctoral Qualifier Exam

Junjie’s presentation at Center for Cell Dynamics

We marked the end of Spring 2023 semester by attending Junjie’s talk given at Center for Cell Dynamics (CCD), entitled “Quantum Actuation in Cells with Recombinant Magneto-sensitive Protein”.  We are very excited about this work and its applicational potential in precise control of specific biochemical reactions by shaping the local electromagnetic energy landscape and modulating proton and electron spins of enzymes. More cool examples about the emerging field of quantum biology can be found in the recently concluded Gordon Research Conference “Emerging Methodologies to Investigate Quantum Effects in Biology“.

We celebrated Junjie’s and his team’s (Samantha, Ryan, Rebecca and Yang) hard work by having loads of crabs. What a memorable Friday in an unusually chilled April! We look forward to more exciting results to come soon.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | Comments Off on Junjie’s presentation at Center for Cell Dynamics

Photoshoot 2022 “A Day in MEOW Lab”

We thank Junjie for organizing and directing the photoshoot. Please see what we are up to at the page.

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Photoshoot 2022 “A Day in MEOW Lab”

Matt’s paper on viscosity, membrane tension and intracellular temperature measurement is published

We are very happy to announce that Matt’s review paper “How sticky? How Tight? How Hot? Imaging probes for fluid viscosity, membrane tension and temperature measurements at the cellular level” is published in The International Journal of Biochemistry & Cell Biology. In the paper we review the progress made in imaging probes for three important physical parameters: viscosity, membrane tension, and temperature, all of which play important roles in many cellular processes. We discuss the techniques implementing imaging-based probes to measure viscosity, membrane tension, and temperature at subcellular resolution dynamically. The merits and shortcomings of each technique are examined, and the future applications of the recently developed techniques are also explored. We thank Dr. Tony Kanchanawong’s invitation for this opportunity to write a review paper on this underexplored topic. Congratulations to Matt, the leading author and our wonderful second author/illustrator at large Abdulla!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | Comments Off on Matt’s paper on viscosity, membrane tension and intracellular temperature measurement is published

Halloween group meeting 2022

The theme of this year’s Halloween costume meeting was pirates. Nobody could see very well during the photoshoot because the eyepatch really blocked  the view of one of the eyes. No wonder we never meet any former pirate who later became a microscopist, who would need good eyesight to study cells. Not being able to see well really restricts the career transition choices for pirates, especially in the field of cell biology. We are grateful that we only occasionally play pirates, but are given the privilege to toil over the microscope instead of the ship. We don’t have to say aye, aye Captain to a murderous man. Rather, when we see a good image to be acquired, we say aye, aye, CAPTURE!

 

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | Comments Off on Halloween group meeting 2022

Junjie wins Bioluminsecence Diversity Travel Scholarship

We learned the good news that Junjie is selected to receive one of the three  Bioluminsecence Diversity Travel Scholarships to attend the Laboratory of Fluorescence Dynamics  (LFD) workshop 2022 in Irvine, California. Funded by the Paul G. Allen Frontiers Group, the scholarship awards researchers not only with outstanding scientific accomplishment but also strong commitment to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Junjie is a dedicated advocate for DEI values. We are very proud that his belief and his actions are recognized with this honor. Congratulations!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | Comments Off on Junjie wins Bioluminsecence Diversity Travel Scholarship

Team building (by dining) with collaborators

At MEOW lab we are hungry for scientific discoveries but hungrier for good food. Thanks to Jen’s organization we were very lucky to satiate our appetites for both by having dinner with our collaborators whom we usually see via Zoom only.  We had a great time dining with Drs. Malcom Brock, Franck Housseau and  Denis Wirtz and their group members.

Food (Italian) was delicious, and the conversations were enlightening.  Thank you everyone for making it a unforgettable night!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | Comments Off on Team building (by dining) with collaborators

Daniel wins the Dean Robert H. Roy Fellowship

We are very happy to learn that Daniel is selected for the Dean Robert H. Roy Fellowship for the 2022-2023 academic year  by the Dean’s office of Whiting School of Engineering. Starting his PhD training only weeks ago, Daniel has already been recognized as an exceptional  scholar above his peers, thus nominated by the Department of Mechanical Engineering to receive this prestigious award. We can only imagine the honors, the extraordinary scientific discoveries, the high-impact papers and the grants that will follow soon after. Way to go Daniel!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | Comments Off on Daniel wins the Dean Robert H. Roy Fellowship