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🥳 Thrilled to share that my postdoc work has finally hit the press!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...

When we started, we didn’t really know what PVH-MC4R neurons do in obesity.
Are they still signaling or “dead”? (e.g., does the chronically high leptin alter α-MSH–MC4R signaling?)
🧵👇

Our new preprint: 𝐅𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞-𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐮𝐦 𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐬 𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.

We describe how the LS guides defensive responses by forming critical computations built from functionally and molecularly distinct cells and their afferent inputs.

www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-6...

Amazing work by the Andermann Lab showcasing a perfect use-case for FLIM imaging of dopamine sensors - looking at tonic [DA] changes and adaptations over days! Honored to be part of this effort.

Featuring 2p FLIM to track DA levels over days, and a demonstration that a neurons molecular identity is pretty labile @stephen-zhang.bsky.social @markandermann.bsky.social

P.S: Praneel will be applying to MD PhD and is an absolute beast. Systems neuro labs don’t miss out!!

Wild!

Stephen, Praneel and their team use fluorescence lifetime imaging and various manipulations to show that, in male mice, both mating drive and hypothalamic tonic dopamine release drop after a successful mating and gradually recover over the next week, paralleling the recovery in sperm count.

Praneel's study shows that two temporally complementary mechanisms, neuronal excitability and neurotransmitter composition, jointly control dopamine release and mating drive over days. Praneel is a dedicated, mature, and wholesome student on his way to becoming a physician scientist.

I am excited to share our preprint on how hypothalamic dopamine neurons govern slow changes in motivation over days! Below are our findings:

www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

We've had advances in green genetically encoded Ca2+ indicators (GECIs), but what about red-shifted GECIs? @piatkevich.bsky.social &co present SomaFRCaMPi, a new soma-localized red #GECI that exhibits improved accuracy & sensitivity for in vivo neuronal imaging @plosbiology.org 🧪 plos.io/3YnCqRW

Our latest findings on social behavior circuits is out: how does the brain responds to social isolation? Terrific work by @dingliu.bsky.social et al. uncovering a circuit with similar neural architecture as physiological needs (hunger, thirst, sleep..). Detailed thread soon.
rdcu.be/ebo63

Petition to Reverse the NIH Indirect Cost Cap initiated by Tom Maniatis. Please amplify
Sign the Petition: chng.it/kK2HMP5pGk
"Share with Leadership & Faculty. Reach out to professional societies, biotech and pharma leaders, and philanthropic organizations to raise awareness and mobilize support."

A Sensitive Soma-localized Red Fluorescent Calcium Indicator for Multi-Modality Imaging of Neuronal Populations In Vivo. It works well with wide-field imaging, two-photon microscopy, and fiber photometry biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Very good, concise summary of the gut-brain axis of communication and interoception
www.cell.com/current-biol... open-access

🌟 Cai Lab Nature (@natureportfolio.bsky.social) paper alert! In work led by Joe Zaki, we find that rest periods after learning not only stabilize new memories BUT ALSO integrate new memories with older ones from days past! (1/10)

Read it here: www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Stephen Zhang and the team found that in vivo peptide release and signaling gradually enhances responses of satiety-promoting hypothalamic neurons to each bite of food. These consequences of each bite take minutes to manifest, and could help explain why slow eating enhances satiety. rdcu.be/dZlI3

We wrote a review on analysis methods for large-scale neural recordings www.science.org/stoken/autho... @marius10p.bsky.social #neuroscience 🧪🧠

Anything we missed? Reply w/ your fav method!