Jason Shepherd
@jasonsynaptic.bsky.social
🇿🇦🇳🇿🇺🇸Neuroscientist/amateur virologist. Professor and Director of the Molecular Biology Graduate Program, University of Utah. Molecular mechanisms of memory, repurposed transposons, and virus-like intercellular signaling. Personal views.
www.shepherdlab.org
www.shepherdlab.org
Pinned
Retrotransposons unplugged: Rewiring the nervous system and wreaking havoc
In this perspective, Whiteley and Shepherd describe emerging studies showing a role
for long terminal repeat retrotransposons and endogenous retroviruses in brain function
and disease. Historically ig...
www.cell.com
Our Perspective article on the emerging role of retroelements in brain function and disease is now out in this week's edition of @cp-neuron.bsky.social!
@alexwhiteley.bsky.social
www.cell.com/neuron/fullt...
@alexwhiteley.bsky.social
www.cell.com/neuron/fullt...
Just got to Big Sky MT for the winter conference on brain research! Trying to ignore the world burning for the next few days.
January 25, 2026 at 1:25 AM
Just got to Big Sky MT for the winter conference on brain research! Trying to ignore the world burning for the next few days.
US Government tyranny is here. Where are all the 2nd amendment enthusiasts?! Will there be a spine in congress? It’s all just 🔥
January 24, 2026 at 6:36 PM
US Government tyranny is here. Where are all the 2nd amendment enthusiasts?! Will there be a spine in congress? It’s all just 🔥
Celebrating double grant success in the house!! Well..at least scores < 10%ile.
January 23, 2026 at 1:24 AM
Celebrating double grant success in the house!! Well..at least scores < 10%ile.
This week has been a roller coaster..but I’ll take the wins! 🙏🏼🙏🏼
Won’t entirely celebrate until I see a NoA as the A0 R01 score was 10% and it didn’t get funded.
Won’t entirely celebrate until I see a NoA as the A0 R01 score was 10% and it didn’t get funded.
January 21, 2026 at 7:33 PM
This week has been a roller coaster..but I’ll take the wins! 🙏🏼🙏🏼
Won’t entirely celebrate until I see a NoA as the A0 R01 score was 10% and it didn’t get funded.
Won’t entirely celebrate until I see a NoA as the A0 R01 score was 10% and it didn’t get funded.
Reposted by Jason Shepherd
NIH budget bill out today.
It’s the result of heavy negotiations in Congress over past month+. 🧪
Big pic: NIH budget now is abt more than funding. It’s abt restraining the technical ways NIH is being broken by Proj 2025. And the restraints in the bill are tepid 🤷♂️
Also: watch ICE/DHS budget.
🧵1/
It’s the result of heavy negotiations in Congress over past month+. 🧪
Big pic: NIH budget now is abt more than funding. It’s abt restraining the technical ways NIH is being broken by Proj 2025. And the restraints in the bill are tepid 🤷♂️
Also: watch ICE/DHS budget.
🧵1/
January 20, 2026 at 6:10 PM
NIH budget bill out today.
It’s the result of heavy negotiations in Congress over past month+. 🧪
Big pic: NIH budget now is abt more than funding. It’s abt restraining the technical ways NIH is being broken by Proj 2025. And the restraints in the bill are tepid 🤷♂️
Also: watch ICE/DHS budget.
🧵1/
It’s the result of heavy negotiations in Congress over past month+. 🧪
Big pic: NIH budget now is abt more than funding. It’s abt restraining the technical ways NIH is being broken by Proj 2025. And the restraints in the bill are tepid 🤷♂️
Also: watch ICE/DHS budget.
🧵1/
Good points by Mark here. We should all still be concerned about how the NIH will be run moving forward and how funding decisions will be made..even if the total budget is not cut in ‘26.
We should pay attention to how NIH is governed.
Because changes in how NIH is run internally — the president asserting unprecedented political control over all kinds of things at the agency previously run by civil servants, often trained scientists — is what is dismantling NIH.
/end
Because changes in how NIH is run internally — the president asserting unprecedented political control over all kinds of things at the agency previously run by civil servants, often trained scientists — is what is dismantling NIH.
/end
January 20, 2026 at 6:12 PM
Good points by Mark here. We should all still be concerned about how the NIH will be run moving forward and how funding decisions will be made..even if the total budget is not cut in ‘26.
Reposted by Jason Shepherd
The conference (agreement between House and Senate) appropriations bill that includes HHS and NIH was released this morning.
www.appropriations.senate.gov/news/majorit...
1/5
www.appropriations.senate.gov/news/majorit...
1/5
Committee Releases Conferenced Defense, Homeland Security, Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies, and Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Bi...
United States Senate Committee on Appropriations
www.appropriations.senate.gov
January 20, 2026 at 3:55 PM
The conference (agreement between House and Senate) appropriations bill that includes HHS and NIH was released this morning.
www.appropriations.senate.gov/news/majorit...
1/5
www.appropriations.senate.gov/news/majorit...
1/5
Everyday I say “you can’t make this shit up” with this presidency. This might be the cake though…going to war over Greenland because Norway refused to “give” Trump a Nobel Peace Prize 😱. Yes, this is apparently real folks. Just embarrassing. Irony is dead.
January 19, 2026 at 3:00 PM
Everyday I say “you can’t make this shit up” with this presidency. This might be the cake though…going to war over Greenland because Norway refused to “give” Trump a Nobel Peace Prize 😱. Yes, this is apparently real folks. Just embarrassing. Irony is dead.
First ODI series win in India for NZ! 🙌🏼😄 @roylab-ucsd.bsky.social @harmitmalik.bsky.social
January 19, 2026 at 2:43 AM
First ODI series win in India for NZ! 🙌🏼😄 @roylab-ucsd.bsky.social @harmitmalik.bsky.social
Yesterday my 7th PhD student, Mitali Tyagi, defended her thesis! A joy of being a PI is seeing students flourish into independent scientists. I was lucky to have Mitali in the lab! Her beautiful work on tau transmission will hopefully come out soon. She’s now off to do a postdoc with David Holtzman.
January 17, 2026 at 4:59 PM
Yesterday my 7th PhD student, Mitali Tyagi, defended her thesis! A joy of being a PI is seeing students flourish into independent scientists. I was lucky to have Mitali in the lab! Her beautiful work on tau transmission will hopefully come out soon. She’s now off to do a postdoc with David Holtzman.
Beautiful day on the slopes..with stimulating science convos on the lifts!
#alta
@jim-heys.bsky.social Andre Fenton
#alta
@jim-heys.bsky.social Andre Fenton
January 10, 2026 at 11:42 PM
Beautiful day on the slopes..with stimulating science convos on the lifts!
#alta
@jim-heys.bsky.social Andre Fenton
#alta
@jim-heys.bsky.social Andre Fenton
Study section done. Now can enjoy the PC learning and memory meeting! Looking forward to some stimulating science chats on the ski lift as well this weekend.
January 9, 2026 at 10:29 PM
Study section done. Now can enjoy the PC learning and memory meeting! Looking forward to some stimulating science chats on the ski lift as well this weekend.
Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Park City learning and memory meeting! Not many neuroscience meetings that are this old or have been ongoing continuously for so long.
Jim McGaugh starting this special session with how the meeting got its start.
Jim McGaugh starting this special session with how the meeting got its start.
January 9, 2026 at 3:08 AM
Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Park City learning and memory meeting! Not many neuroscience meetings that are this old or have been ongoing continuously for so long.
Jim McGaugh starting this special session with how the meeting got its start.
Jim McGaugh starting this special session with how the meeting got its start.
Our Perspective article on the emerging role of retroelements in brain function and disease is now out in this week's edition of @cp-neuron.bsky.social!
@alexwhiteley.bsky.social
www.cell.com/neuron/fullt...
@alexwhiteley.bsky.social
www.cell.com/neuron/fullt...
Retrotransposons unplugged: Rewiring the nervous system and wreaking havoc
In this perspective, Whiteley and Shepherd describe emerging studies showing a role
for long terminal repeat retrotransposons and endogenous retroviruses in brain function
and disease. Historically ig...
www.cell.com
January 7, 2026 at 6:23 PM
Our Perspective article on the emerging role of retroelements in brain function and disease is now out in this week's edition of @cp-neuron.bsky.social!
@alexwhiteley.bsky.social
www.cell.com/neuron/fullt...
@alexwhiteley.bsky.social
www.cell.com/neuron/fullt...
Ugh..the NIH sciencv software to update your bio sketch is so awful! 😑
January 6, 2026 at 6:51 PM
Ugh..the NIH sciencv software to update your bio sketch is so awful! 😑
My wife “Time to saddle up and ride with the Patriots!” 🤮
a little girl is making a funny face and saying `` how rude '' with her mouth open .
ALT: a little girl is making a funny face and saying `` how rude '' with her mouth open .
media.tenor.com
January 5, 2026 at 4:46 AM
My wife “Time to saddle up and ride with the Patriots!” 🤮
This game is killing me!
January 5, 2026 at 4:31 AM
This game is killing me!
Reposted by Jason Shepherd
Reposted by Jason Shepherd
Statement from the American Academy of Neurology: “This decision was made without consulting key neurology stakeholders, and there was no formal announcement nor a clear succession plan for NINDS leadership. NINDS plays a vital role in funding and directing research into the brain”
Statement on Sudden Departure of NINDS Director
www.aan.com
December 28, 2025 at 9:22 PM
Statement from the American Academy of Neurology: “This decision was made without consulting key neurology stakeholders, and there was no formal announcement nor a clear succession plan for NINDS leadership. NINDS plays a vital role in funding and directing research into the brain”
To state the obvious, there’s no good reason to deny renewal of Dr. Koroshetz, who’s done a rock solid job of leading the NINDS. This is sowing chaos on purpose and leaving the NIH rudderless.
More news (not good) from NIH
The renewal request from National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke Director Walter Koroshetz has been denied.
I guess the NIH_leadership™ needed another position to fill with their time-tested recruitment process.
The renewal request from National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke Director Walter Koroshetz has been denied.
I guess the NIH_leadership™ needed another position to fill with their time-tested recruitment process.
December 28, 2025 at 4:05 AM
To state the obvious, there’s no good reason to deny renewal of Dr. Koroshetz, who’s done a rock solid job of leading the NINDS. This is sowing chaos on purpose and leaving the NIH rudderless.
Had to break our Christmas streak of skiing Deer Valley..because no snow. Instead we went for a hike in our backyard!
December 25, 2025 at 10:16 PM
Had to break our Christmas streak of skiing Deer Valley..because no snow. Instead we went for a hike in our backyard!
Merry Christmas to me! Hope everyone has a relaxing day with their loved ones.
December 25, 2025 at 5:02 PM
Merry Christmas to me! Hope everyone has a relaxing day with their loved ones.
Reposted by Jason Shepherd
Neuro grad students! Applications for the 6th annual - Rising Stars in Neuroscience - due Jan 9!
Don’t miss this chance to present research, sharpen science communication skills and connect with peers & faculty. Plus you’ll get to experience stunning Utah!
medicine.utah.edu/neurobiology...
Don’t miss this chance to present research, sharpen science communication skills and connect with peers & faculty. Plus you’ll get to experience stunning Utah!
medicine.utah.edu/neurobiology...
December 9, 2025 at 6:52 PM
Neuro grad students! Applications for the 6th annual - Rising Stars in Neuroscience - due Jan 9!
Don’t miss this chance to present research, sharpen science communication skills and connect with peers & faculty. Plus you’ll get to experience stunning Utah!
medicine.utah.edu/neurobiology...
Don’t miss this chance to present research, sharpen science communication skills and connect with peers & faculty. Plus you’ll get to experience stunning Utah!
medicine.utah.edu/neurobiology...