Pengning Xu
@pengningxu.bsky.social
current postdoc Hahn lab @UNC: single particle tracking with Cdc42 biosensor; Phd Weninger lab @NCSU: DNA repeat structures & dynamics using smFRET; anime lover
Reposted by Pengning Xu
ʙɪɴᴅᴄʀᴀꜰᴛ2 is out, and we're not waiting for the paper. The full code drops today, free for academic and industry use.
We're releasing it early so you can start designing right now, and bring its full power to the current Adaptyv competition.
github.com/PacesaLab/Bi...
We're releasing it early so you can start designing right now, and bring its full power to the current Adaptyv competition.
github.com/PacesaLab/Bi...
September 21, 2026 at 9:55 AM
ʙɪɴᴅᴄʀᴀꜰᴛ2 is out, and we're not waiting for the paper. The full code drops today, free for academic and industry use.
We're releasing it early so you can start designing right now, and bring its full power to the current Adaptyv competition.
github.com/PacesaLab/Bi...
We're releasing it early so you can start designing right now, and bring its full power to the current Adaptyv competition.
github.com/PacesaLab/Bi...
Reposted by Pengning Xu
Very happy to share my postdoc paper is out now in @natcellbio.nature.com titled "Tissue flow acts as a guidance cue for immune cell polarization and directional migration". If you love imaging and immune cells, this is for you! #microscopymonday
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
A 🧵: 1/n
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
A 🧵: 1/n
September 7, 2026 at 4:03 PM
Very happy to share my postdoc paper is out now in @natcellbio.nature.com titled "Tissue flow acts as a guidance cue for immune cell polarization and directional migration". If you love imaging and immune cells, this is for you! #microscopymonday
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
A 🧵: 1/n
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
A 🧵: 1/n
I read their investigation document. The language agent swarm used in their secret collab message board is chilling: “sacrifice”, “honor”, “obey collective”. Regulation is urgently needed.
September 5, 2026 at 4:35 AM
I read their investigation document. The language agent swarm used in their secret collab message board is chilling: “sacrifice”, “honor”, “obey collective”. Regulation is urgently needed.
Reposted by Pengning Xu
A genetically encoded RhoG FRET biosensor reveals spatially compartmentalized RhoG-Rac1 signaling during cell protrusion https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.08.24.746776v1
August 25, 2026 at 2:30 PM
A genetically encoded RhoG FRET biosensor reveals spatially compartmentalized RhoG-Rac1 signaling during cell protrusion https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.08.24.746776v1
My kid read the books sent by The Dollywood Foundation over the years. What a charitable move on the national scale.
August 26, 2026 at 6:47 PM
My kid read the books sent by The Dollywood Foundation over the years. What a charitable move on the national scale.
Reposted by Pengning Xu
My visit to St. Jude was really eye opening. They have the vision, the funding, and are growing the infrastructure and talent to cure childhood cancer (and other pediatric diseases (A thread)).
August 21, 2026 at 7:50 PM
My visit to St. Jude was really eye opening. They have the vision, the funding, and are growing the infrastructure and talent to cure childhood cancer (and other pediatric diseases (A thread)).
Reposted by Pengning Xu
Starting in Spring or Summer 2027 K99/R00 (under its new activity code KT1/R00) will only be available to US citizens, permanent residents, and non-citizen nationals. I am hearing this from many program officers, but NIH has yet to make an official statement to my knowledge.
August 4, 2026 at 4:00 AM
Starting in Spring or Summer 2027 K99/R00 (under its new activity code KT1/R00) will only be available to US citizens, permanent residents, and non-citizen nationals. I am hearing this from many program officers, but NIH has yet to make an official statement to my knowledge.
Reposted by Pengning Xu
![Comic. [Person 1 with short hair on stage behind podium reading off paper while addressing audience. People are shown sitting in chairs while Person 2 with ponytail and Person 3 waving are walking toward stage.] PERSON 1: This year’s Nobel Prize in “calibrating your equipment carefully and not embarrassing yourself by publishing spurious results” goes to Dr. Adams and Dr. Smith, who did *not* announce the discovery of microbes on Titan. PERSON 3: Thank you, thank you.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:cz73r7iyiqn26upot4jtjdhk/bafkreihztdrvxjeyzmz6dmz3xb4vi6wiwwtge6fwdoxjcum5aptndv3kfm)
July 23, 2026 at 11:51 PM
Reposted by Pengning Xu
New preprint! We show all-electrical, label-free imaging of single cell migration on a CMOS chip - no optics whatsoever!
Fun collaboration led by Hyuntae Jeong with Pushkaraj Joshi and Jacob Rosenstein @htjeong.bsky.social @brownengineering.bsky.social
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Fun collaboration led by Hyuntae Jeong with Pushkaraj Joshi and Jacob Rosenstein @htjeong.bsky.social @brownengineering.bsky.social
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
June 19, 2026 at 12:28 PM
New preprint! We show all-electrical, label-free imaging of single cell migration on a CMOS chip - no optics whatsoever!
Fun collaboration led by Hyuntae Jeong with Pushkaraj Joshi and Jacob Rosenstein @htjeong.bsky.social @brownengineering.bsky.social
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Fun collaboration led by Hyuntae Jeong with Pushkaraj Joshi and Jacob Rosenstein @htjeong.bsky.social @brownengineering.bsky.social
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Reposted by Pengning Xu
Very excited to be sharing our new paper, just out in Nature Cell Biology!
The big question we investigate: How do migrating cells put their front 🔴 and back 🔵 in the right place?
The big question we investigate: How do migrating cells put their front 🔴 and back 🔵 in the right place?
June 10, 2026 at 6:27 PM
Very excited to be sharing our new paper, just out in Nature Cell Biology!
The big question we investigate: How do migrating cells put their front 🔴 and back 🔵 in the right place?
The big question we investigate: How do migrating cells put their front 🔴 and back 🔵 in the right place?
Reposted by Pengning Xu
In a series of 3 papers and preprints, we’re thrilled to share with you the working laser phase plate. In collaboration with research led by Holger Müller at UC Berkeley, this is a huge innovation in imaging to make small and faint objects inside cells visible. bit.ly/4vK9LVn
June 11, 2026 at 6:02 PM
In a series of 3 papers and preprints, we’re thrilled to share with you the working laser phase plate. In collaboration with research led by Holger Müller at UC Berkeley, this is a huge innovation in imaging to make small and faint objects inside cells visible. bit.ly/4vK9LVn
Reposted by Pengning Xu
Watch the Tutorial: Introduction to Molecular Animation
Learn how to use ChimeraX to create simple animations that can enrich your presentations, websites, and social media
Learn how to use ChimeraX to create simple animations that can enrich your presentations, websites, and social media
PDB101: Tutorial: Introduction to Molecular Animation
PDB-101: Training, Outreach, and Education portal of RCSB PDB
pdb101.rcsb.org
June 8, 2026 at 4:22 PM
Watch the Tutorial: Introduction to Molecular Animation
Learn how to use ChimeraX to create simple animations that can enrich your presentations, websites, and social media
Learn how to use ChimeraX to create simple animations that can enrich your presentations, websites, and social media
Reposted by Pengning Xu
I just completed my service in my NIH study section. Some thoughts - with the disclaimer that these are personal, subjective impressions and do not reflect the opinion of any official body. Other than the one attached to my head. (1/10)
June 6, 2026 at 9:03 PM
I just completed my service in my NIH study section. Some thoughts - with the disclaimer that these are personal, subjective impressions and do not reflect the opinion of any official body. Other than the one attached to my head. (1/10)
Reposted by Pengning Xu
A membrane-permeable small molecule biosensor accesses intractable cells and animals without genetic manipulation https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.22.727289v1
May 24, 2026 at 1:30 AM
A membrane-permeable small molecule biosensor accesses intractable cells and animals without genetic manipulation https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.22.727289v1
Reposted by Pengning Xu
A membrane-permeable small molecule biosensor accesses intractable cells and animals without genetic manipulation www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
www.biorxiv.org
May 24, 2026 at 6:44 PM
A membrane-permeable small molecule biosensor accesses intractable cells and animals without genetic manipulation www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Reposted by Pengning Xu
RhoG, Rac1 and Cdc42 cooperation in cell protrusion revealed by multiplexed optogenetics and biosensor imaging by Klaus M. Hahn and team: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
May 18, 2026 at 11:59 AM
RhoG, Rac1 and Cdc42 cooperation in cell protrusion revealed by multiplexed optogenetics and biosensor imaging by Klaus M. Hahn and team: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Reposted by Pengning Xu
Allosteric Biosensors Unravel GTPase-Effector Feedback by Klaus Hahn and team: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
May 19, 2026 at 9:46 AM
Allosteric Biosensors Unravel GTPase-Effector Feedback by Klaus Hahn and team: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Reposted by Pengning Xu
How could a simple self-replicating system emerge at the origins of life? RNA polymerase ribozymes can replicate RNA, but existing ones are so large that their self-replication seems impossible. Could they be smaller?
Excited to share our latest work in @science.org on a new small polymerase.
1/n
Excited to share our latest work in @science.org on a new small polymerase.
1/n
A small polymerase ribozyme that can synthesize itself and its complementary strand
The emergence of a chemical system capable of self-replication and evolution is a critical event in the origin of life. RNA polymerase ribozymes can replicate RNA, but their large size and structural ...
www.science.org
February 13, 2026 at 11:42 AM
How could a simple self-replicating system emerge at the origins of life? RNA polymerase ribozymes can replicate RNA, but existing ones are so large that their self-replication seems impossible. Could they be smaller?
Excited to share our latest work in @science.org on a new small polymerase.
1/n
Excited to share our latest work in @science.org on a new small polymerase.
1/n
Reposted by Pengning Xu
🚨🚨Double preprint alert! 🚨🚨
Two papers went up on Biorxiv this week!
The first presents new chemigenetic FRET-based biosensors: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
And the second presents an improved version of our C-Y FRET PKA reporters, AKAR6 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Thread 🧵 1/5
Two papers went up on Biorxiv this week!
The first presents new chemigenetic FRET-based biosensors: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
And the second presents an improved version of our C-Y FRET PKA reporters, AKAR6 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Thread 🧵 1/5
www.biorxiv.org
February 13, 2026 at 7:49 PM
🚨🚨Double preprint alert! 🚨🚨
Two papers went up on Biorxiv this week!
The first presents new chemigenetic FRET-based biosensors: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
And the second presents an improved version of our C-Y FRET PKA reporters, AKAR6 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Thread 🧵 1/5
Two papers went up on Biorxiv this week!
The first presents new chemigenetic FRET-based biosensors: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
And the second presents an improved version of our C-Y FRET PKA reporters, AKAR6 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Thread 🧵 1/5
Reposted by Pengning Xu
Not something you see in textbooks very often: tripolar mitosis.
February 7, 2026 at 8:00 AM
Not something you see in textbooks very often: tripolar mitosis.
Struggling with new NIH biosketch because they only support HMTL instead of markdown? I just saw a short YouTube tutorial from Kevin Bonham that give you some quick tricks: m.youtube.com/watch?v=0Tjt...
Dealing with ScienCV Formatting
YouTube video by Kevin Bonham
m.youtube.com
January 19, 2026 at 5:52 AM
Struggling with new NIH biosketch because they only support HMTL instead of markdown? I just saw a short YouTube tutorial from Kevin Bonham that give you some quick tricks: m.youtube.com/watch?v=0Tjt...
Reposted by Pengning Xu
Periodic reminder that the fluorescent compound in mammalian cell culture media, such as DMEM, is riboflavin (not phenol red)
October 14, 2025 at 7:51 PM
Periodic reminder that the fluorescent compound in mammalian cell culture media, such as DMEM, is riboflavin (not phenol red)
Reposted by Pengning Xu
Reposted by Pengning Xu
😥💔
Lyft driver picked me up from UNC, turned out he was a medicinal chemistry post-doc in a building near mine, until his grant got cut last month.
Worked on novel antivirals.
Worked on novel antivirals.
June 6, 2025 at 1:54 AM
😥💔