Jorge E. Contreras
@drcontrexin.bsky.social
Professor at @ucdavis.bsky.social. Here for science and 'connexting'. But, I'm still lurking on Twitter to monitor the chaos of the nasty world.
Human greed will corrupt whatever idealistic vision they promise. What they call a utopia is likely to become a dystopia for most people (Elysium is coming…)
Elon Musk predicts AI will lead to work being 'optional' and money 'irrelevant'
YouTube video by Associated Press
www.youtube.com
November 21, 2025 at 4:23 PM
Human greed will corrupt whatever idealistic vision they promise. What they call a utopia is likely to become a dystopia for most people (Elysium is coming…)
Vietnam blew me away… but the people? Absolutely THE BEST 🇻🇳❤️
If you sent me an email in the last few weeks, my bad. This is how it found me 😎 promise I’ll get back to you soon.
August 25, 2025 at 9:24 PM
Vietnam blew me away… but the people? Absolutely THE BEST 🇻🇳❤️
Reposted by Jorge E. Contreras
These supernumerary synapses are pruned in a proprioceptor-activity dependent manner.
A cool finding was that impaired proprioceptor activity fails to induce expression of proteins in the complement signaling cascade, which we hypothesized leads to persistent intersegmental synapses.
A cool finding was that impaired proprioceptor activity fails to induce expression of proteins in the complement signaling cascade, which we hypothesized leads to persistent intersegmental synapses.
August 25, 2025 at 5:24 PM
These supernumerary synapses are pruned in a proprioceptor-activity dependent manner.
A cool finding was that impaired proprioceptor activity fails to induce expression of proteins in the complement signaling cascade, which we hypothesized leads to persistent intersegmental synapses.
A cool finding was that impaired proprioceptor activity fails to induce expression of proteins in the complement signaling cascade, which we hypothesized leads to persistent intersegmental synapses.
Reposted by Jorge E. Contreras
Happy to share the my lab's latest preprint, where we investigated sensorimotor circuit formation in the developing spinal cord. We show that proprioceptive axons target motor neurons in neighboring spinal segments to give rise to intersegmental reflex responses.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Activity-driven proprioceptive synaptic refinement in the developing spinal cord by complement signaling mechanisms
Proprioceptive group Ia afferents detect muscle stretch to guide effortless and purposeful movement and make monosynaptic connections with spinal α–motor neurons to mediate reflexes, such as the stret...
www.biorxiv.org
August 25, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Happy to share the my lab's latest preprint, where we investigated sensorimotor circuit formation in the developing spinal cord. We show that proprioceptive axons target motor neurons in neighboring spinal segments to give rise to intersegmental reflex responses.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Jorge E. Contreras
On our way to the FASEB Ion Channel Regulation Meeting! Passed by a lovely exhibition at SFO. Surprised to see it still standing! ✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾 @drcontrexin.bsky.social
August 3, 2025 at 5:51 AM
On our way to the FASEB Ion Channel Regulation Meeting! Passed by a lovely exhibition at SFO. Surprised to see it still standing! ✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾 @drcontrexin.bsky.social
Large-pore channels: the Transformers of membrane proteins, versatile, dramatic, and never just selective or passive conduits.
Not just simple (typical) ion channels, they’re molecular multitaskers we’re beginning to comprehend.
Don’t miss the first-ever special issue dedicated to this!
Not just simple (typical) ion channels, they’re molecular multitaskers we’re beginning to comprehend.
Don’t miss the first-ever special issue dedicated to this!
Current advances in large‐pore channels: From structure–function to physiology and disease
Click on the article title to read more.
physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
July 29, 2025 at 6:45 PM
Large-pore channels: the Transformers of membrane proteins, versatile, dramatic, and never just selective or passive conduits.
Not just simple (typical) ion channels, they’re molecular multitaskers we’re beginning to comprehend.
Don’t miss the first-ever special issue dedicated to this!
Not just simple (typical) ion channels, they’re molecular multitaskers we’re beginning to comprehend.
Don’t miss the first-ever special issue dedicated to this!
Reposted by Jorge E. Contreras
Announcing the new SGP Rising Star Travel Awards for students and postdocs. The $500 awards can be used for meetings held up to 1 year from notification. Apply today! Deadline: 1 August 2025 sgpweb.org/awards/risingstar
July 2, 2025 at 8:12 PM
Announcing the new SGP Rising Star Travel Awards for students and postdocs. The $500 awards can be used for meetings held up to 1 year from notification. Apply today! Deadline: 1 August 2025 sgpweb.org/awards/risingstar
Reposted by Jorge E. Contreras
The real war is on free thought in the United States.
Scientists must fight alongside other academics.
Scientists must fight alongside other academics.
Columbia University’s agreement with the Trump administration is a disaster for academic freedom, freedom of speech, & the independence of American higher education. Never in the history of our nation has an educational institution so thoroughly bent to the will of an autocrat.
1/
1/
July 24, 2025 at 6:42 PM
The real war is on free thought in the United States.
Scientists must fight alongside other academics.
Scientists must fight alongside other academics.
Reposted by Jorge E. Contreras
Very cool study! I suspect we're only beginning to understand the importance of communication between myocytes and the vasculature. The more we understand the better we can intercept pathological remodeling processes.
Manning & Rivera et al. (www.jacc.org/doi/10.1016/...) show that pruning just a few capillaries in the SA node plunges the heart’s pacemaker into metabolic overdraft—slowing the rate and jacking up beat-to-beat variability. The physiological equivalent of running on fumes. @jaccjournals.bsky.social
Microvascular Rarefaction in the Sinoatrial Node: A Potential Mechanism for Pacemaker Dysfunction in Early HFpEF
www.jacc.org
July 23, 2025 at 6:35 PM
Very cool study! I suspect we're only beginning to understand the importance of communication between myocytes and the vasculature. The more we understand the better we can intercept pathological remodeling processes.
Reposted by Jorge E. Contreras
Manning & Rivera et al. (www.jacc.org/doi/10.1016/...) show that pruning just a few capillaries in the SA node plunges the heart’s pacemaker into metabolic overdraft—slowing the rate and jacking up beat-to-beat variability. The physiological equivalent of running on fumes. @jaccjournals.bsky.social
Microvascular Rarefaction in the Sinoatrial Node: A Potential Mechanism for Pacemaker Dysfunction in Early HFpEF
www.jacc.org
July 23, 2025 at 6:06 PM
Manning & Rivera et al. (www.jacc.org/doi/10.1016/...) show that pruning just a few capillaries in the SA node plunges the heart’s pacemaker into metabolic overdraft—slowing the rate and jacking up beat-to-beat variability. The physiological equivalent of running on fumes. @jaccjournals.bsky.social
Exciting news! The EPIC/SGP Symposium at UC Davis will be accompanied by a special issue in the Journal of General Physiology. Stay tuned for more details about this incredible event celebrating cutting-edge research on ion channels!
📣 #CallForPapers 📣 on the topic of the inaugural in-person Electrophysiology & Ion Channel (EpIC) meeting, “Emerging Research on Ion Channels in Health & Disease” – w/ Guest Editors Jelena Baranovic, Osama Harraz, Conor McClenaghan, & Lejla Zubcevic 👉 rupress.org/JGP/pages/ca...
July 23, 2025 at 2:05 AM
Exciting news! The EPIC/SGP Symposium at UC Davis will be accompanied by a special issue in the Journal of General Physiology. Stay tuned for more details about this incredible event celebrating cutting-edge research on ion channels!
Reposted by Jorge E. Contreras
1/2 Really interesting @washingtonpost.com story on end of "bracero" program. By Susan Svrluga/ Joanna Slater/ Terell Wright www.washingtonpost.com/history/2025...
Zelig dept: I was among high schoolers taking "opportunity" to do field work, newly opened to "real" Americans.
An eye-opener
Zelig dept: I was among high schoolers taking "opportunity" to do field work, newly opened to "real" Americans.
An eye-opener
In 1965, the government tried replacing migrant workers with high-schoolers. It was a disaster.
When the migrant-worker bracero program expired in 1965, the government recruited groups of high school male athletes to step into the fields. It was a disaster.
www.washingtonpost.com
July 21, 2025 at 7:17 PM
1/2 Really interesting @washingtonpost.com story on end of "bracero" program. By Susan Svrluga/ Joanna Slater/ Terell Wright www.washingtonpost.com/history/2025...
Zelig dept: I was among high schoolers taking "opportunity" to do field work, newly opened to "real" Americans.
An eye-opener
Zelig dept: I was among high schoolers taking "opportunity" to do field work, newly opened to "real" Americans.
An eye-opener
Well, it’s not like I ever felt safe with the Hillary faction reviewers either. But I’m sure academia’s love for Bernie Bros is now under peer review 😅
Exclusive: NIH to dismiss dozens of grant reviewers to align with Trump priorities
The move would undo years of work, leaving advisory councils understaffed, and without the full expertise needed for reviews.
www.nature.com
July 15, 2025 at 3:26 AM
Well, it’s not like I ever felt safe with the Hillary faction reviewers either. But I’m sure academia’s love for Bernie Bros is now under peer review 😅
Former Obama advisor, Ben Rhodes, is absolutely right!
You can't trust someone who’s an AIPAC puppet to lead with integrity on issues like healthcare or education. If they sell out on war and genocide, they'll sell out anywhere!
You can't trust someone who’s an AIPAC puppet to lead with integrity on issues like healthcare or education. If they sell out on war and genocide, they'll sell out anywhere!
July 11, 2025 at 3:55 PM
Former Obama advisor, Ben Rhodes, is absolutely right!
You can't trust someone who’s an AIPAC puppet to lead with integrity on issues like healthcare or education. If they sell out on war and genocide, they'll sell out anywhere!
You can't trust someone who’s an AIPAC puppet to lead with integrity on issues like healthcare or education. If they sell out on war and genocide, they'll sell out anywhere!
Grateful that Nature had the courage to publish on the mass death in Gaza. As scientists, we can’t stay silent while lives are erased. Our work means nothing if we ignore injustice.
First independent survey of deaths in Gaza reports more than 80,000 fatalities
The results align with other efforts to count the number of people killed amid the ongoing conflict.
https://go.nature.com/44nH0la
The results align with other efforts to count the number of people killed amid the ongoing conflict.
https://go.nature.com/44nH0la
First independent survey of deaths in Gaza reports more than 80,000 fatalities
Results align with other efforts to count the number of people killed amid the ongoing conflict.
go.nature.com
June 28, 2025 at 3:46 PM
Grateful that Nature had the courage to publish on the mass death in Gaza. As scientists, we can’t stay silent while lives are erased. Our work means nothing if we ignore injustice.
Been doing this since 2019 #AbolishICE
June 24, 2025 at 2:50 AM
Been doing this since 2019 #AbolishICE
They didn’t come to LA just to mock a U.S. senator, they came to save you from the terrifying threat of Latinos existing. Because clearly that’s the crisis. Not poverty, not war, not climate, just too many Josés. Truth is, they lost this battle before it even started.
June 21, 2025 at 8:11 PM
They didn’t come to LA just to mock a U.S. senator, they came to save you from the terrifying threat of Latinos existing. Because clearly that’s the crisis. Not poverty, not war, not climate, just too many Josés. Truth is, they lost this battle before it even started.
Reposted by Jorge E. Contreras
BREAKING: In a unanimous decision, a federal court of appeals has ruled that Louisiana's law requiring the Ten Commandments to be displayed in all public school classrooms is unconstitutional.
We’ll keep saying it: Public schools are not Sunday schools.
We’ll keep saying it: Public schools are not Sunday schools.
June 20, 2025 at 7:50 PM
BREAKING: In a unanimous decision, a federal court of appeals has ruled that Louisiana's law requiring the Ten Commandments to be displayed in all public school classrooms is unconstitutional.
We’ll keep saying it: Public schools are not Sunday schools.
We’ll keep saying it: Public schools are not Sunday schools.
Reposted by Jorge E. Contreras
I think it’s important to note that @elisazhang.bsky.social and I literally organized a whole @standupforscience.bsky.social rally in Sacramento while also preparing for perhaps one of the most important interview of our lives… so honored to call her my colleague and friend!!!
I’m thrilled to have been selected as an HHMI Freeman Hrabowski Scholar, along with my wonderful #PMB colleague @doctheagrif.bsky.social Excited for what’s to come - we’re just getting started! 🚀 @ucdavis.bsky.social
@ucd-physiology.bsky.social
health.ucdavis.edu/news/headlin...
@ucd-physiology.bsky.social
health.ucdavis.edu/news/headlin...
UC Davis researchers honored by McKnight and Howard Hughes Medical Institute
UC Davis faculty Sergey Stavisky, Theanne Griffith and Elisa Zhang receive prestigious early-career recognition from McKnight Endowment Fund and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.
health.ucdavis.edu
June 19, 2025 at 6:31 PM
I think it’s important to note that @elisazhang.bsky.social and I literally organized a whole @standupforscience.bsky.social rally in Sacramento while also preparing for perhaps one of the most important interview of our lives… so honored to call her my colleague and friend!!!
Reposted by Jorge E. Contreras
Congratulations to all the amazing scientists named 2025 Freeman Hrabowski Scholars by HHMI. We’re immensely honored to have two #PMB faculty members, @doctheagrif.bsky.social and @elisazhang.bsky.social , among this inspiring group. An incredible and well-deserved achievement! @ucdavis.bsky.social
The 2025 Freeman Hrabowski Scholars | HHMI
Freeman Hrabowski Scholars are outstanding early career faculty who have the potential to become leaders in their research fields.
www.hhmi.org
June 19, 2025 at 6:10 AM
Congratulations to all the amazing scientists named 2025 Freeman Hrabowski Scholars by HHMI. We’re immensely honored to have two #PMB faculty members, @doctheagrif.bsky.social and @elisazhang.bsky.social , among this inspiring group. An incredible and well-deserved achievement! @ucdavis.bsky.social
Very proud husband moment: my wife just pulled off a rare double, 2025 HHMI Freeman Hrabowski and McKnight Scholar! 🎉 Huge congrats as well to my colleagues Elisa and Sergey. A big moment for @ucd-physiology.bsky.social
While they prep the party, we’re heading off to celebrate in Barbados! 🎉🏖️🐬
While they prep the party, we’re heading off to celebrate in Barbados! 🎉🏖️🐬
I’m so honored to be selected as both a 2025 McKnight Scholar and 2025 HHMI Freeman Hrabowski Scholar. And I couldn’t be prouder to share these honors with awesome @ucdavis.bsky.social colleagues 💙💛💙💛
health.ucdavis.edu/news/headlin...
health.ucdavis.edu/news/headlin...
UC Davis researchers honored by McKnight and Howard Hughes Medical Institute
UC Davis faculty Sergey Stavisky, Theanne Griffith and Elisa Zhang receive prestigious early-career recognition from McKnight Endowment Fund and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.
health.ucdavis.edu
June 19, 2025 at 6:36 PM
Very proud husband moment: my wife just pulled off a rare double, 2025 HHMI Freeman Hrabowski and McKnight Scholar! 🎉 Huge congrats as well to my colleagues Elisa and Sergey. A big moment for @ucd-physiology.bsky.social
While they prep the party, we’re heading off to celebrate in Barbados! 🎉🏖️🐬
While they prep the party, we’re heading off to celebrate in Barbados! 🎉🏖️🐬
Reposted by Jorge E. Contreras
Happy Father’s Day to the best daddy out there 💙💙💙 @drcontrexin.bsky.social
June 15, 2025 at 9:30 PM
Happy Father’s Day to the best daddy out there 💙💙💙 @drcontrexin.bsky.social
Reposted by Jorge E. Contreras
Reposted by Jorge E. Contreras
My wife...
Today I had the honor of speaking in front of nearly 3000 people today at the Woodland #NoKings rally. WE FEAR NO KING BECAUSE WE DONT HAVE ONE ✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾 let’s gooooooo
June 15, 2025 at 2:21 AM
My wife...