Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Kaitlyn Hajdarovic, Ph.D @khajdarovic.bsky.social · 21h

Fresh out of the @aewebb.bsky.social ! Congrats @doudouyu.bsky.social

Doudou Yu @doudouyu.bsky.social · 21h

Sleep, diet, and stress regulation are key to healthy aging but often decline early.

We investigated how the hypothalamus, the brain's control center for these functions, changes during normal aging and in Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Checkout our HypoAD story 🧵:
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

HypoAD: volumetric and single-cell analysis reveals changes in the human hypothalamus in aging and Alzheimer's disease

Alterations in metabolism, stress response, sleep, circadian rhythms, and neuroendocrine processes are key features of aging and neurodegeneration. These fundamental processes are regulated by the hyp...

www.biorxiv.org

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Reposted by Kaitlyn Hajdarovic, Ph.D

Alt National Endowment for the Humanities @altnehgov.altgov.info · 23h

For any of our Fed family and friends, we see you and we are you. 🫶

If you receive a RIF notice, back up every file you think you may need before access is cut.

You did nothing wrong. You have held the line with incredible strength and we will continue to stand with you all the way. 🤍✊

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Reposted by Kaitlyn Hajdarovic, Ph.D

Mark Histed @markhisted.org · 1d

Russell Vought has announced that "mass firings [RIFs] have begun."

Lawless. The RIFs in the spring were illegal, as Judge Illston outlined. Yes, the conservative SCOTUS supermajority lawlessly signed off. But the Calvinball Court is not doing law.

Congress can stop this. A thread: 1/

'RIFs have begun.' Vought announces start of mass firings during government shutdown

The White House budget office said Friday that mass firings of federal workers have started in an attempt to exert more pressure on Democratic lawmakers as the government shutdown continues.

www.pbs.org

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Reposted by Kaitlyn Hajdarovic, Ph.D

Çağrı Çevrim @cagricevrim.bsky.social · 1d

I’m thrilled to share my postdoc work and the first paper from the McKinley Lab! 🎉
@karalmckinley.bsky.social
We built the first transgenic model of menstruation in mice.
We used it to uncover how the endometrium organizes and sheds during menstruation. 🧪
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
🧵

Induction of menstruation in mice reveals the regulation of menstrual shedding

During menstruation, an inner layer of the endometrium is selectively shed, while an outer, progenitor-containing layer is preserved to support repeated regeneration. Progress in understanding this co...

www.biorxiv.org

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Kaitlyn Hajdarovic, Ph.D @khajdarovic.bsky.social · 1d

Probably the best part of academia is watching people go from baby student caterpillars 🐛 into beautiful scientist butterflies 🦋

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Reposted by Kaitlyn Hajdarovic, Ph.D

Chris Murphy @chrismurphyct.bsky.social · 3d

This has nothing to do with crime. This is an attempt to crush political dissent.

Never before, in our entire 250 year history, has the military or immigration agents been used like this. It's dystopian, illegal, and it should stop.

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Reposted by Kaitlyn Hajdarovic, Ph.D

Carl Zimmer @carlzimmer.com · 2d

Today my @nytimes.com colleagues and I are launching a new series called Lost Science. We interview US scientists who can no longer discover something new about our world, thanks to this year‘s cuts. Here is my first interview with a scientist who studied bees and fires. Gift link: nyti.ms/3IWXbiE

nyti.ms

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Kaitlyn Hajdarovic, Ph.D @khajdarovic.bsky.social · 4d

This is horrific

Rosa Lafer-Sousa @rosalafersousa.bsky.social · 4d

Over the weekend ICE abducted an NIH contractor when he showed up to a courthouse for his green card hearing. He is documented. His wife is a citizen.

He is also member of the skeleton crew of animal care staff that works through a shutdown, to ensure the health and wellbeing of research animals.

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Kaitlyn Hajdarovic, Ph.D @khajdarovic.bsky.social · 6d

I have to think healthcare being tied to employment is a large part of it as well

Stephen Nuñez @socio-steve.bsky.social · 7d

Why doesn't the US have a general strike? Well you can point to culture or whatever but I think structure is of not immediate use here: does the US have organizations and institutions it can use to network, organize and mobilize a general strike? No.

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Reposted by Kaitlyn Hajdarovic, Ph.D

Jenna Norton @jenna-m-norton.bsky.social · 7d

Got a chance to speak to @andreahsu.bsky.social on @npr.org about how NIH has been largely shutdown since January.

www.npr.org/2025/10/03/n...

A federal worker explains why she's not afraid of Trump's layoff threat

Some federal workers closely following President Trump's threats of mass layoffs and funding cuts in the shutdown say it's nothing new. He's been doing those same things since January.

www.npr.org

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Kaitlyn Hajdarovic, Ph.D @khajdarovic.bsky.social · 7d

I’ve signed as a graduate of Brown University- consider signing!

Rosa Lafer-Sousa @rosalafersousa.bsky.social · 7d

🚨 Are you an alum from one of the 9 universities Trump is attempting to extort right now?

✍️ Sign this petition to defend your university, free speech, and democracy. I signed.

This is a time for courage, not capitulation.
#JustSayNo #Compact 🧪🧠🧬

(context in thread)

Trump attacks 9 universities: Sign the alumni petition to defend your school now

Are you an alum outraged by Trump's attacks on universities? Defend your school now by signing this alumni petition in support of these 9 universities as well as campus communities across America.

alumni.controlshift.app

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Reposted by Kaitlyn Hajdarovic, Ph.D

Science and Freedom Alliance - SAFA @safa-science.bsky.social · 9d

Federal workers are speaking out on how the Trump regime is harming Americans:

"We stand here today at a moment of the greatest assault of our lifetimes on our freedoms. The US Constitution is being shredded... We are here to call on Congress to stand up and stop it."

youtu.be/uw1KwIBgrCw?...

Mark Histed, NIH Scientist *speaking in personal capacity

YouTube video by Civil Servants Coalition

youtu.be

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Reposted by Kaitlyn Hajdarovic, Ph.D

Rosa Lafer-Sousa @rosalafersousa.bsky.social · 9d

🇺🇸 These dedicated public servants risked their careers to deliver an urgent message. 🚨

While the 1st amendment grants them the right to speak on matters of public concern, their protection is not guaranteed under an administration hostile to free speech.

Please take the time to listen and boost 🔥

Science and Freedom Alliance - SAFA @safa-science.bsky.social · 9d

Federal workers are speaking out on how the Trump regime is harming Americans:

"We stand here today at a moment of the greatest assault of our lifetimes on our freedoms. The US Constitution is being shredded... We are here to call on Congress to stand up and stop it."

youtu.be/uw1KwIBgrCw?...

Mark Histed, NIH Scientist *speaking in personal capacity

YouTube video by Civil Servants Coalition

youtu.be

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Reposted by Kaitlyn Hajdarovic, Ph.D

Science and Freedom Alliance - SAFA @safa-science.bsky.social · 12d

Fabulous call from fed unions:

“We are directly impacted when the gov't shuts down: our members would no longer be able to work, get paid, or fulfill their mission of serving the American public. But we believe the most important thing is fighting against the centralization of executive power..."

Federal workers unions call on Schumer, Jeffries to hold the line even if it means a shutdown

“Federal workers will willingly forego paychecks in the hopes of preserving the programs we have devoted our lives to administering,” the unions said.

www.politico.com

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Kaitlyn Hajdarovic, Ph.D @khajdarovic.bsky.social · 10d

Meme of a little kid taking a selfie in the mirror with the caption “does anyone know if we have government tomorrow”

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Reposted by Kaitlyn Hajdarovic, Ph.D

Marisa Kabas @marisakabas.bsky.social · 10d

BREAKING — Employees at multiple government agencies have received an email from their leadership with text clearly dictated by The White House regarding a potential government shutdown.

So far HHS, Interior, and Social Security have gotten this message, the text of which was shared with me:

Subject: Planning for Potential Lapse in Funding

President Trump opposes a government shutdown, and strongly supports the enactment of H.R. 5371, which is a clean Continuing Resolution to fund the government through November 21, and already passed the U.S. House of Representatives. Unfortunately, Democrats are blocking this Continuing Resolution in the U.S. Senate due to unrelated policy demands. If Congressional Democrats maintain their current posture and refuse to pass a clean Continuing Resolution to keep the government funded before midnight on September 30, 2025, federal appropriated funding will lapse.

A funding lapse will result in certain government activities ceasing due to a lack of appropriated funding. In addition, designated pre-notified employees of this agency would be temporarily furloughed. P.L. 116-1 would apply.

The agency has contingency plans in place for executing an orderly shutdown of activities that would be affected by any lapse in appropriations forced by Congressional Democrats. Further Information about those plans will be distributed should a lapse occur.

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Reposted by Kaitlyn Hajdarovic, Ph.D

Dominik Hrebik @dhrebik.bsky.social · 12d

This comic is becoming increasingly realistic.
m.xkcd.com/3056/

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Reposted by Kaitlyn Hajdarovic, Ph.D

Gillian Branstetter @gbbranstetter.bsky.social · 16d

CHOTINER: And when was that?
MY CAT: I mean at least 14 hours ago
CHOTINER: Well hold on. You're telling me you haven't been fed at all today but if I look in your bowl here I see a-
MY CAT: An untouched serving, I know, but if you'd let me finish-
CHOTINER: Yeah, of course.

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Kaitlyn Hajdarovic, Ph.D @khajdarovic.bsky.social · 17d

When the vyvanse and cold brew kick in at the same time and you start googling saxophone lessons

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Kaitlyn Hajdarovic, Ph.D @khajdarovic.bsky.social · 19d

Grief anniversaries are weird. You feel like you should be tearing your hair, smearing ashes on your skin, you feel like the world has ended, then you just … go to work and answer your little emails.

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Kaitlyn Hajdarovic, Ph.D @khajdarovic.bsky.social · 19d

I have a review forthcoming that discusses this very topic!

Andrew Steele @statto.bsky.social · 19d

The ITP, or Interventions Testing Program, is the most thorough and rigorous test of drugs that might extend lifespan in mice.

Cool that we have another three—but 5–10% are small-ish effect sizes, and it’s weird that so many ITP tests only work in male mice!

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Kaitlyn Hajdarovic, Ph.D @khajdarovic.bsky.social · 19d

It’s incredibly frustrating to read this hagiography about a guy who is actively preventing federal scientists from enacting their missions to serve the health of the American people

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Kaitlyn Hajdarovic, Ph.D @khajdarovic.bsky.social · 19d

I struggled to read this pile of credulous bullshit from Ari Schulman. Did he talk to a single bench researcher or clinician before writing this?

Gregg Gonsalves @gregggonsalves.bsky.social · 19d

What a truly terrible piece by Ari Schulman (The New Atlantis). The opening paragraph gets everything wrong and then goes downhill from there. I'll leave the full critique to others, but this is just contrarianism run amok. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/22/o...

Opinion | ‘The Power of Science to Solve Problems Is Almost Limitless’

www.nytimes.com

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Kaitlyn Hajdarovic, Ph.D @khajdarovic.bsky.social · 21d

Workers on H1b visas are often treated unfairly by employers and the state alike. These are people who have made their whole lives in the US, bringing needed expertise and knowledge. This EO is disruptive, unfair, and a targeted attack on immigrant communities who make our country great

Sumitra Badrinathan @sumitra.bsky.social · 21d

i don’t think people on bluesky understand the severity of this situation.

i woke up to literally hundreds of texts from friends and family thinking about either moving back home to india or applying to other countries for jobs. this includes me.

Gergely Orosz @gergely.pragmaticengineer.com · 21d

Those on an H1B cannot return to the US from tomorrow (Sunday) unless paying $100K. This is an out-of-the blue presidential action. We’ll see software engineers stranded abroad.

One easy to predict outcome: those on US visas will travel less… for work, for conferences etc.

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Reposted by Kaitlyn Hajdarovic, Ph.D

Sumitra Badrinathan @sumitra.bsky.social · 21d

i don’t think people on bluesky understand the severity of this situation.

i woke up to literally hundreds of texts from friends and family thinking about either moving back home to india or applying to other countries for jobs. this includes me.

Gergely Orosz @gergely.pragmaticengineer.com · 21d

Those on an H1B cannot return to the US from tomorrow (Sunday) unless paying $100K. This is an out-of-the blue presidential action. We’ll see software engineers stranded abroad.

One easy to predict outcome: those on US visas will travel less… for work, for conferences etc.

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