Christopher A. Baker
@bakermind.bsky.social
Firstgen Scientist in Yale Center for Infection and Immunity using imaging and transcriptomic technologies to alleviate pain in long COVID and similar syndromes.
Pinned
The sensors transmitting information that we interpret as pain are throughout our body and reach into the outermost layers of the skin (visualized here in magenta in a transgenic mouse's toe under a two-photon microscope). Pain is a major symptom of long COVID and other chronic syndromes
This essential truth applies to vaccine debates, political issues, and public trust of scientists: facts only helps humans justify the choice they are already making. To persuade anyone you must appeal to personal safety and identity first.
youtu.be/dtxjpLCVTMQ?...
youtu.be/dtxjpLCVTMQ?...
Facts Don't Win Buy-In (Learn What Actually Does)
YouTube video by Dr. Grace Lee
youtu.be
November 16, 2025 at 3:54 PM
This essential truth applies to vaccine debates, political issues, and public trust of scientists: facts only helps humans justify the choice they are already making. To persuade anyone you must appeal to personal safety and identity first.
youtu.be/dtxjpLCVTMQ?...
youtu.be/dtxjpLCVTMQ?...
Which Renaissance painting is this
November 6, 2025 at 10:34 PM
Which Renaissance painting is this
The first paper for this year's medicine Nobel was NOT published in Science, Nature, or Cell. www.nobelprize.org/prizes/medic...
Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2025
The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2025 was awarded to Mary E. Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell and Shimon Sakaguchi “for their discoveries concerning peripheral immune tolerance.”
www.nobelprize.org
October 6, 2025 at 3:00 PM
The first paper for this year's medicine Nobel was NOT published in Science, Nature, or Cell. www.nobelprize.org/prizes/medic...
So glad I've spent the last couple of days in the woods immersed in science and teamwork with @virusesimmunity.bsky.social, @yalecii.bsky.social, and colleagues, unplugged from media for the most part
September 13, 2025 at 1:02 PM
So glad I've spent the last couple of days in the woods immersed in science and teamwork with @virusesimmunity.bsky.social, @yalecii.bsky.social, and colleagues, unplugged from media for the most part
A farewell to the summer with a suggestion from @anderseriksson.bsky.social : it's not Mountain Dew; it's a chartreuse swizzle (Chartreuse, pineapple juice, lime juice and falernum), which is orders of magnitude more expensive (glass from Cognitive Surplus)
September 5, 2025 at 11:29 PM
A farewell to the summer with a suggestion from @anderseriksson.bsky.social : it's not Mountain Dew; it's a chartreuse swizzle (Chartreuse, pineapple juice, lime juice and falernum), which is orders of magnitude more expensive (glass from Cognitive Surplus)
intersection of SARS-CoV-2 and beta amyloid gets at concepts that have bugged me for years: 1) that amyloid deposition is an antecedent of infection or host defense, and 2) that spike protein itself may have amyloidogenic properties. science.org/doi/epdf/10....
SARS-CoV-2 induces Alzheimer’s disease–related amyloid-β pathology in ex vivo human retinal explants and retinal organoids
You have to enable JavaScript in your browser's settings in order to use the eReader.
science.org
July 9, 2025 at 2:54 PM
intersection of SARS-CoV-2 and beta amyloid gets at concepts that have bugged me for years: 1) that amyloid deposition is an antecedent of infection or host defense, and 2) that spike protein itself may have amyloidogenic properties. science.org/doi/epdf/10....
I made a post earlier about Fluorescence Friday, but some people say it's Fascist Friday because of the ouster of UVA president... to which I say I'm still going to do science for the public interest for as long as I can
June 27, 2025 at 6:35 PM
I made a post earlier about Fluorescence Friday, but some people say it's Fascist Friday because of the ouster of UVA president... to which I say I'm still going to do science for the public interest for as long as I can
People consider the pineal gland to be a Third Eye. Maybe they should have focused on the Subfornical Organ instead - also in the middle of the brain, but with a newly acknowledged pathway for T cell traffic between the gut and the brain that affects behavior #FluorescenceFriday
June 27, 2025 at 6:28 PM
People consider the pineal gland to be a Third Eye. Maybe they should have focused on the Subfornical Organ instead - also in the middle of the brain, but with a newly acknowledged pathway for T cell traffic between the gut and the brain that affects behavior #FluorescenceFriday
This seems like a general principle in nature and not mysterious: early rate of return leads to a large inequity over time. That applies to success, wealth, and viral replication
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Early grant success attracts more funding: study of 100,000 applicants hints at why
Largest study of its kind explores the ‘Matthew effect’ in research.
www.nature.com
June 25, 2025 at 11:54 AM
This seems like a general principle in nature and not mysterious: early rate of return leads to a large inequity over time. That applies to success, wealth, and viral replication
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
What I think of every time I hear Trump say "two weeks"
a woman with red hair and a scarf around her neck is wearing a yellow sweater and a scarf .
ALT: a woman with red hair and a scarf around her neck is wearing a yellow sweater and a scarf .
media.tenor.com
June 20, 2025 at 12:21 PM
What I think of every time I hear Trump say "two weeks"
Which Renaissance painter is this
#accidentalrenaissance
#accidentalrenaissance
June 18, 2025 at 12:07 AM
Which Renaissance painter is this
#accidentalrenaissance
#accidentalrenaissance
For this #fluorescencefriday I've got my go-to image of small pain sensing nerve fibers and collagen in the toe, now selected as one of many examples of the "Beauty of Science" for the current exhibit at @yaleschoolofmed.bsky.social
May 16, 2025 at 5:29 PM
For this #fluorescencefriday I've got my go-to image of small pain sensing nerve fibers and collagen in the toe, now selected as one of many examples of the "Beauty of Science" for the current exhibit at @yaleschoolofmed.bsky.social
A Bouvaldier, because it's been that kind of week
May 9, 2025 at 10:12 PM
A Bouvaldier, because it's been that kind of week
I just want to thank @profgalloway.com for this uplifting commentary on American universities as engines of innovation, as well as his recognition of PhDs as incredible contributors to society and human knowledge. Have a nice weekend youtu.be/r4N7BKtgJHo?...
How Trump Plans to Incentivize a Baby Boom | Pivot
YouTube video by Pivot with Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway
youtu.be
April 25, 2025 at 5:13 PM
I just want to thank @profgalloway.com for this uplifting commentary on American universities as engines of innovation, as well as his recognition of PhDs as incredible contributors to society and human knowledge. Have a nice weekend youtu.be/r4N7BKtgJHo?...
Today's activity: not exactly Maiden or Master of Puppets
April 25, 2025 at 1:02 PM
Today's activity: not exactly Maiden or Master of Puppets
"COVID-19 has killed more Americans than all the wars in the 20th century combined" ~ Shane Crotty, La Jolla Institute for Immunology
April 16, 2025 at 8:06 PM
"COVID-19 has killed more Americans than all the wars in the 20th century combined" ~ Shane Crotty, La Jolla Institute for Immunology
Has importing python packages been a major problem to making your code great? Now you can impose TARIFFS on whenever you import a package github.com/hxu296/tariff
GitHub - hxu296/tariff: The official repository for tariff
The official repository for tariff. Contribute to hxu296/tariff development by creating an account on GitHub.
github.com
April 16, 2025 at 2:33 PM
Has importing python packages been a major problem to making your code great? Now you can impose TARIFFS on whenever you import a package github.com/hxu296/tariff
Nominations open for a prize in nanometer-scale connectomics, in honor of my friend Jennifer N. Bourne www.sfn.org/careers/awar...
Jennifer N. Bourne Prize in Neuronal and Synaptic Structure and Function
www.sfn.org
April 14, 2025 at 5:47 PM
Nominations open for a prize in nanometer-scale connectomics, in honor of my friend Jennifer N. Bourne www.sfn.org/careers/awar...
If New Haven is Avelo Air's most important market, they might have shot themselves in the foot by signing up to conduct ICE deportation flights (and then blaming New Haven for their problems) www.nhregister.com/news/article...
Avelo's defense of ICE deportation flights targets Tweed, shows tension between airline and airport
Avelo's CEO says the airline needs to fly ICE deportation charters to shore up its bottom line because of Tweed Airport issues
www.nhregister.com
April 14, 2025 at 11:02 AM
If New Haven is Avelo Air's most important market, they might have shot themselves in the foot by signing up to conduct ICE deportation flights (and then blaming New Haven for their problems) www.nhregister.com/news/article...
Songs of hope wtop.com/montgomery-c...
Employees returning to work at NIH in Bethesda are met with songs of support - WTOP News
As federal workers on Monday returned to the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, they were met by supporters holding signs and offering thanks.
wtop.com
March 31, 2025 at 6:49 PM
Songs of hope wtop.com/montgomery-c...
Reposted by Christopher A. Baker
Whooping cough cases continue to surge in Seattle, and across Washington mynorthwest.com/local/whoopi...
Whooping cough surging in Washington and Seattle
Whooping cough cases continue to surge in Seattle and across Washington state.
mynorthwest.com
March 27, 2025 at 3:00 AM
Whooping cough cases continue to surge in Seattle, and across Washington mynorthwest.com/local/whoopi...
Reposted by Christopher A. Baker
We polled Nature readers to ask if they were thinking of leaving the US for jobs abroad. Three-quarters of them (who said they were US-based scientists) said yes. 🧪
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
75% of US scientists who answered Nature poll consider leaving
More than 1,600 readers answered our poll; many said they were looking for jobs in Europe and Canada.
www.nature.com
March 27, 2025 at 2:19 PM
We polled Nature readers to ask if they were thinking of leaving the US for jobs abroad. Three-quarters of them (who said they were US-based scientists) said yes. 🧪
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Reposted by Christopher A. Baker
The elimination of: grants to study #LongCovid, the Office of LC, & Advisory Committee on LC — have sent a chilling signal. We encourage folks to take the following action led by our partners:
1. Call your reps: win.newmode.net/longcovidcam...
2. Email your reps: actionnetwork.org/letters/long...
1. Call your reps: win.newmode.net/longcovidcam...
2. Email your reps: actionnetwork.org/letters/long...
March 27, 2025 at 9:37 PM
The elimination of: grants to study #LongCovid, the Office of LC, & Advisory Committee on LC — have sent a chilling signal. We encourage folks to take the following action led by our partners:
1. Call your reps: win.newmode.net/longcovidcam...
2. Email your reps: actionnetwork.org/letters/long...
1. Call your reps: win.newmode.net/longcovidcam...
2. Email your reps: actionnetwork.org/letters/long...
Reposted by Christopher A. Baker
“I am going through hell”: The Trump administration’s mass firings are harming federal workers’ mental health, with major consequences for their lives, families, and communities.
📝: @rachanadpradhan.bsky.social + @aneripattani.bsky.social bit.ly/4c7KoUL
📝: @rachanadpradhan.bsky.social + @aneripattani.bsky.social bit.ly/4c7KoUL
‘I Am Going Through Hell’: Job Loss, Mental Health, and the Fate of Federal Workers - KFF Health News
Since the Trump administration began firing federal workers, they say they feel overwhelmed, have obtained or considered seeking psychiatric care and medication, and are anxious about paying their bil...
kffhealthnews.org
March 26, 2025 at 2:54 PM
“I am going through hell”: The Trump administration’s mass firings are harming federal workers’ mental health, with major consequences for their lives, families, and communities.
📝: @rachanadpradhan.bsky.social + @aneripattani.bsky.social bit.ly/4c7KoUL
📝: @rachanadpradhan.bsky.social + @aneripattani.bsky.social bit.ly/4c7KoUL