Ben Saunders
@bensaunders.bsky.social
3.4K followers 170 following 560 posts
Neuroscientist and gardener Lab site- saunderslab.com
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bensaunders.bsky.social
Very excited to share this major update to our paper delineating VTA GABA neuron encoding of valence and decision conflict. Studies led by the amazing @margestelzner.bsky.social. We leaned in here, taking the opportunity to add a lot of cool new data. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
bensaunders.bsky.social
Really excited to have this paper accepted for publication in J Neuro @sfnjournals.bsky.social. This was the last of our "first" projects in the lab, started before COVID. So glad we got to see it through. Stay tuned for the final version.
bensaunders.bsky.social
Excited to share this update to our paper investigating the role of superior colliculus inputs to the ventral midbrain in learning and movement. Studies led by the amazing Dr. @carlipoisson.bsky.social www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Ben Saunders
sbagen.bsky.social
I am really glad that @jeremymberg.bsky.social wrote this. Everybody who cares about science, and about knowledge generation and civil society generally, should read and share with their favorite administrator.

Deafening Quiet from the Scientific Establishment
open.substack.com/pub/donmoyni...
Deafening Quiet from the Scientific Establishment
Leaders are underestimating the risks of not fighting back
open.substack.com
bensaunders.bsky.social
Really cool, congrats y’all!
Reposted by Ben Saunders
Reposted by Ben Saunders
ishmailsaboor.bsky.social
I’m extremely honored to be a recipient of the NIH Director’s Pioneer Award!
zuckermanbrain.bsky.social
Congratulations to @ishmailsaboor.bsky.social on receiving the NIH Director’s Pioneer Award, celebrating “scientists with outstanding records of creativity.” His lab will explore how the sense of touch can help build relationships. 🫶🧠💡

See zuckermaninstitute.columbia.edu/zuckerman-in...
Ishmail Abdus-Saboor
bensaunders.bsky.social
Yessss been waiting for this
Reposted by Ben Saunders
bensaunders.bsky.social
Reposting this information for our neuroscience graduate program virtual open house events with a fixed QR code - you can also register directly at this link - forms.gle/zJDcZBteMtsD...
Minnesota neuroscience graduate program virtual open house events October 6th and 30th.
Reposted by Ben Saunders
ampolter.bsky.social
Government shutdowns hit the DC area very hard. Consider throwing some money at Capital Area Food Bank-they are already struggling to keep up in the face of rising demand and food costs and reduced support. They will be busy in the days and weeks to come. give.capitalareafoodbank.org
Capital Area Food Bank Monthly
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give.capitalareafoodbank.org
Reposted by Ben Saunders
kurtfraser.bsky.social
Happy to play a small part in this really impressive effort to assess the strength of evidence for almost every phenomenon in associative learning. Heroic effort by Dominik Bach
psyarxivbot.bsky.social
Benchmarks for Associative Learning Models: https://osf.io/qsgz8
Reposted by Ben Saunders
zachtpennington.bsky.social
Excited to share that I landed my dream job!🎉🎉🎉 The Pennington Lab will be opening at the University of British Columbia in January 2026!
@ubcpsych.bsky.social @dmcbrainhealth.bsky.social
Reposted by Ben Saunders
Reposted by Ben Saunders
katrinvogt.bsky.social
How is valence computed in the brain? Check out our new preprint about a single cell that integrates excitatory and inhibitory input across modalities according to valence and impacts behavioral decisions. An exciting collaboration across many labs. Enjoy reading!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
A multisensory, bidirectional, valence encoder guides behavioral decisions
A key function of the brain is to categorize sensory cues as repulsive or attractive and respond accordingly. While we have some understanding of how sensory information is processed in the sensory pe...
www.biorxiv.org
Reposted by Ben Saunders
lizmillermacroevo.bsky.social
2nd year grad students are no longer eligible to apply. Currently enrolled grad students must be in their first year, whether in a MS, BS-MS, or Ph.D.
Reposted by Ben Saunders
flscitriguy.bsky.social
Reminder starting in October NIH NOFOs won’t be posted in the Guide for grants and contracts.

Tips on how to search for opportunities & set up a subscription for custom searches here: grants.nih.gov/news-events/...
New Tool to Explore NIH Grant Opportunities | Grants & Funding
grants.nih.gov
bensaunders.bsky.social
Okay I think I've landed on my subway take - gravy should be a standard condiment at fast food restaurants
Reposted by Ben Saunders
jeremymberg.bsky.social
This paper does a great job with a "It's a Wonderful Life" scenario about NIH, supposing the consequences of the bottom 40% of the funding NIH grants never existed.

www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

tl:dr The world would lose a lot, but directly and indirectly
What if NIH had been 40% smaller?
Replaying history with less NIH funding shows widespread impacts on drug-linked research
www.science.org
Reposted by Ben Saunders
martinowk.bsky.social
We have several positions open at various levels (Research Assistant, Research Associate, Postdoctoral Fellow) across our highly interactive teams in the Division of Translational Neuroscience 🧠🔬🧪 @lieberinstitute.bsky.social

www.libd.org/careers/

Links to individual positions in the thread below.
Careers at LIBD | Medical Research Jobs | Lieber Institute
View our career opportunities with Lieber Institute for Brain Development including investigators, medical research jobs, scientists, & lab techs
www.libd.org
Reposted by Ben Saunders
jasonwilliamsny.bsky.social
Please share with anyone who cares about NSF support for graduate students and take 30 seconds to sign and leave a comment.

The deadline for the 2025 Graduate Research Fellowship Program is about one month away and literally no one can apply. #NSFGRFP

jasonjwilliamsny.github.io/grfp2025/
An Open Letter to U.S. STEM Leadership on the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program
An Open Letter to U.S. STEM Leadership on the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program
jasonjwilliamsny.github.io
Reposted by Ben Saunders
blakeprof.bsky.social
UCLA’s funds reinstated after yesterday’s court order! Thanks to the brave researchers and their amazing counsel, including Dean Chemerinsky, who brought suit. This is just another turn in the ongoing fight, but a great result for now.