Joy Franco, PhD's Avatar

Joy Franco, PhD

@engineeringjoy

Sensory neuroscientist and biomeasurements engineer obsessing over calcium regulation in neurons and therapies for sensorineural hearing loss. NIH DSPAN fellow. NIA K00 Awardee. Bike racer. About me -> Neurojoy.net

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21.08.2023
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Latest posts by Joy Franco, PhD @engineeringjoy

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Even I can’t believe how tired I look after a very hard week in postdoc life, but I’m still smiling because I have amazing mentors who make me feel at home. Very proud to be a part of this interdisciplinary group.

#NewLabSwagDay

06.03.2026 16:09 👍 4 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

Mine: This is your chance to pitch your project. Help the audience understand why this work is so important and why you think your proposed method is ideally suited … but always keep an open mind & invite contributions!

05.03.2026 02:44 👍 3 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

Fill in the blank: If I could go back and tell my younger scientist self one thing about how to give lab meeting it would be _______

05.03.2026 02:44 👍 3 🔁 1 💬 4 📌 0

Just a random thought this morning inspired by a recent conversation on the power of names, remembering names, and being able to use them — especially when you move in a world with daunting power structures, like academia.

🫶

03.03.2026 12:26 👍 6 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

I was one such student. I felt very isolated in my PhD and at one point felt completely disconnected from any program or department. Then I was walking in a hall and a prof who I admired said “Hi Joy.” Such a small act made me feel so welcome & connected. It was exactly what I needed…

03.03.2026 12:26 👍 11 🔁 1 💬 1 📌 0
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Compassion challenge for professors today: see how many students you can say hello to by name as you’re passing them in the halls or wherever on campus. Not every student will care, but I think you’ll have a good chance of pulling on at least one heart string…

03.03.2026 12:26 👍 6 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0

What if academia had an index to reflect the number of times someone had been thanked in a publication for sharing reagents?

02.03.2026 23:50 👍 2 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0
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a woman is sitting at a table with her hands folded in front of her . ALT: a woman is sitting at a table with her hands folded in front of her .

The PAUL crank with Wolf Tooth chainring

01.03.2026 00:42 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0

It’s ok. Nobody’s perfect 😉
{in all seriousness I DO genuinely understand why some prefer both}

28.02.2026 20:37 👍 3 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0
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a man in a black hoodie looks out of a window ALT: a man in a black hoodie looks out of a window

Me when someone starts talking about 1x drivetrains

28.02.2026 17:40 👍 7 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 1

You’re damn right I do 😉 {I know your comment wasn’t about me but man do I love tubeless 1x life}

28.02.2026 17:29 👍 7 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0
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Just something pretty for your timeline. Nothing can ever really replace Furiosa, but new commuter also means new vibe. Introducing: Maitreya — the one who will help bring compassion, kindness, patience, and understanding to the streets.

28.02.2026 01:58 👍 5 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

If I told you the equipment manual is basically a protocol would you be any more likely to read it? Or even think to look at it?

25.02.2026 23:53 👍 2 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

My husband, who works from home, had to drop me off at work this morning in rush hour Longwood Ave traffic. I kind of feel badly for him, but am also secretly happy he had to experience what I deal with every day. Although, the comfort of a vehicle doesn’t quite do my usual bike commute justice.

25.02.2026 13:35 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
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The molecular evolution of vertebrate organs Nature Ecology & Evolution - This Review discusses recent advances in the molecular evolution of vertebrate organs, including rates of evolution of organs and cell types, molecular mechanisms...

Our internal organs are evolutionary marvels. New technologies are transforming our understanding of the evolution of vertebrate organs. You can find more by reading here:
rdcu.be/e5EgU
#EvoBio #EvoDevo 🐟🦎🐢🦇🐊🦜

25.02.2026 12:29 👍 140 🔁 52 💬 2 📌 5
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Boston postdoc life really living up to the hype 😉

Isn’t it funny that I genuinely do still love it here?!

As always, cannot express enough gratitude for the people working hard to keep the roads and sidewalks cleared. YOU are the reason my precious experiment didn’t go to waste this week 🥹 🙏

25.02.2026 01:54 👍 3 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

Lolz to when you don’t even realize it’s a federal holiday because you’re a postdoc.

16.02.2026 14:08 👍 5 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0
45NRTH Gravdal Studded Tire

I loved them so much I bought another pair since the first ones were stolen. I might not even need them again next year but man are they awesome to have. They get mixed reviews but I’m a huge fan share.google/DrnsboeHeva6...

15.02.2026 18:36 👍 2 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

A favorite Buddhist expression is if a single tree is sick, take care of it but don’t forget about all of the other healthy trees. Thus, in spite of bike sadness, I’m celebrating the completion of my very 1st single cell mito seq prep 🥹! So grateful to DFCI’s Claudia Barr program for their support!

06.02.2026 22:10 👍 5 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0

Thank you! I’m grateful that at least HUPD has been very helpful so far and are working on getting camera footage

06.02.2026 18:08 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

Truly thank you for supporting this. One of the hardest feelings right now is receiving the judgement from some that I shouldn’t have been commuting on her. That bike absolutely made it easier to dodge Boston traffic, potholes, and snow/ice piles.

06.02.2026 12:42 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

Sorry I should have been more clear. A**Savers are mostly for hard to fender bikes. I was using it because I didn’t want to add fenders to mine 😂 (I was very close to it but spent the money on studded tires instead)

06.02.2026 11:10 👍 2 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
Clip-on mudguards & fenders [Official Brand Store] Ass Savers provides a wide range of instant clip-on mudguards and fenders for road bikes, mountain bikes and gravel bikes. Lightweight, simple and affordable with many designs to choose from. Made in ...

It’s called an a**Saver. It’s a mini fender for bikes that can’t really take them. It helps a little with street spray ass-savers.com

06.02.2026 02:08 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0

🙏💓💓💓

06.02.2026 02:07 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
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Part of why I was commuting on Furiosa was because I had retired her from racing but still loved the way she rode. She’s one of the funnest bikes I’ve ever owned and as weird as it sounds, I felt happy every single time I started my commute b/c of her. Would 100% take her back no questions asked.

06.02.2026 00:53 👍 8 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0

Thank you for the optimism! Honestly I would 100% take it back from the person who stole it, no questions asked. I just want her back. 😞

06.02.2026 00:49 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

The lock 😩 it was an Abus folding lock

06.02.2026 00:41 👍 2 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0
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Boston - pls be on the lookout for my bike that was stolen from this exact rack on Longwood Ave today. 2021 Specialized Diverge Expert Carbon, size 52 cm, raspberry and blk with studded tires.
Yes I know it’s too nice for commuting but ya know, we ride what we got and I spend a lot of time commuting

06.02.2026 00:00 👍 85 🔁 43 💬 19 📌 4

Any recommendations for a hematologist in the oncology department at Stanford who excels in bed side manner? Need a very sensitive MD or at least someone who won’t express surprise or disbelief when their patient is crying.

02.02.2026 13:22 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0
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I don’t regret doing a postdoc in Boston but a little foresight into the weather when experiment planning MAY have saved me some trouble 🥶

Celebrating a successful day in lab thanks to my amazing labmates @cynthiamoncadareid.bsky.social @yichiahuang.bsky.social 🫶

#SequencingScienceSisters

27.01.2026 21:39 👍 4 🔁 1 💬 1 📌 0