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Reposted by Alex Kwan

Bryan Roth @zenbrainest.bsky.social · 1d

www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Finally out!!

Psychedelic compounds directly excite 5-HT2A layer V medial prefrontal cortex neurons through 5-HT2A Gq activation - Translational Psychiatry

Translational Psychiatry - Psychedelic compounds directly excite 5-HT2A layer V medial prefrontal cortex neurons through 5-HT2A Gq activation

www.nature.com

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Alex Kwan @alexkwan.bsky.social · 2d

This is a beautiful paper showing reliable gene editing in single targeted neurons in the brain. 🧬🧠

The results are striking. It’s been awhile since I’ve seen such an elegant study.

Georg Kosche @gek0s.bsky.social · 23d

Gene editing of single, targeted neurons in vivo is now feasible. We are proud to present our preprint for highly efficient single-cell electroporation using RNA. With @alex-fratzl.bsky.social, @munzlab.bsky.social, Botond Roska @iobswiss.bsky.social
#neuroskyence
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

In vivo single-cell gene editing using RNA electroporation reveals sequential adaptation of cortical neurons to excitatory-inhibitory imbalance

The balance between excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmission is fundamental for normal brain function, yet the adaptation of individual neurons to disrupted excitatory-inhibitory balance is not wel...

www.biorxiv.org

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Reposted by Alex Kwan

Ya'el Courtney, PhD @scienceyael.bsky.social · 7d

🚨 Psychedelics in pregnancy - can a single dose reach the embryo and matter? Yes. In mice they hit embryonic CSF within minutes, activate choroid plexus→CSF axis, & shift cortical development with adult behavioral signatures. @lehtinenlab.bsky.social Preprint:

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

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Gestational psychedelic exposure disrupts brain development and offspring behavior in mice

Despite increasing non-medical use and clinical investigation of psychedelics, the consequences of prenatal exposure remain unknown. In mice, maternal lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD; 0.3 mg/kg) cross...

www.biorxiv.org

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Reposted by Alex Kwan

The Transmitter @thetransmitter.bsky.social · 7d

@deffinger.bsky.social and @melissaherman.bsky.social argue that, though many human psychedelic clinical trials are underway, preclinical studies remain our best bet to answer fundamental questions about the neurobiology of psychedelics.

#neuroskyence

www.thetransmitter.org/psychedelics...

Why we need basic science to better understand the neurobiology of psychedelics

Despite the many psychedelics clinical trials underway, there is still much we don’t know about how these drugs work. Preclinical studies represent our best viable avenue to answer these lingering…

www.thetransmitter.org

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Reposted by Alex Kwan

Adam Glaser @adamkglaser.bsky.social · 9d

Latest imaging data from our completely re-designed ExA-SPIM system.

Expansion-assisted imaging (3X expansion, 0.3 NA) enables brain-wide imaging with high-contrast and <400 nm effective resolution.

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Reposted by Alex Kwan

Jeremy Berg @jeremymberg.bsky.social · 16d

Updated funding curve (with two weeks to go in the fiscal year)

(Posted on jeremymberg.github.io/jeremyberg.g... )

A graph showing NIH grant funding for fiscal years 2015-2024 and 2025 showing that fiscal year 2025 was lagging behind the pace from other years, but has been catching up in July and August.

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Reposted by Alex Kwan

Franck Polleux @franckp.bsky.social · 17d

Excited to highlight a new paper from my graduate student Sergio Bernal Garcia who, together withLuke Hammond, developed RESPAN, a new deep-learning pipeline automating the segmentation of neuronal morphology and dendritic spines from fluorescent microscopy images:
www.cell.com/cell-reports...

A deep learning pipeline for accurate and automated restoration, segmentation, and quantification of dendritic spines

Garcia et al. present RESPAN, a pipeline that enables automated dendritic spine analysis through seamless integration of deep learning image restoration and segmentation capabilities with comprehensiv...

www.cell.com

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Reposted by Alex Kwan

Kevin Bender @neurobender.bsky.social · 21d

SCN2A loss is strongly linked to neurodevelopmental delays and, at times, seizure. In an amazing collaboration with @nadavahituv.bsky.social, led by Serena Tamura, Andrew Nelson, and Perry Spratt, we leveraged CRISPR activator approaches to rescue this loss.

rdcu.be/eGU0W

CRISPR activation for SCN2A-related neurodevelopmental disorders

Nature - Using SCN2A haploinsufficiency as a proof-of-concept, upregulation of the existing functional gene copy through CRISPR activation was able to rescue neurological-associated phenotypes in...

rdcu.be

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Alex Kwan @alexkwan.bsky.social · 21d

It was fun to host Lucas Pinto at for our department seminar last week.

Lucas showed a new VR task combining evidence accumulation and delay-match-to-sample. Mice did the task using near-orthogonal coding scheme across cortical regions

👉 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

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Reposted by Alex Kwan

Steve W. C. Chang @stevewcchang.bsky.social · 26d

Excited to share this super comprehensive review of psychedelic research in NHPs! W/ Alex Kwan. This work was by our grad student Jamie who is passionate about psychedelics. Her in-depth knowledge is impressive as reflected here.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Psychedelic studies in nonhuman primates: Past and future

Molecular Psychiatry - Psychedelic studies in nonhuman primates: Past and future

www.nature.com

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Alex Kwan @alexkwan.bsky.social · 26d

Glad to have shared with high school students about opportunities at the intersection of neuroscience 🧠 and engineering 🖥️, as part of this @danafoundation.bsky.social seminar series.

The talk is now available on YouTube.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuRy...

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Reposted by Alex Kwan

NY-CURES @nycures.bsky.social · Sep 4

🚀 NY-CURES Launch — Championing State-Wide Investment in Science! 🚀

Our new coalition advocates for sustained public support of New York’s vibrant biomedical research ecosystem — creating cures, economic gains & strengthening communities.

Sign up. Stay informed. Join the movement: www.nycures.org/

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Reposted by Alex Kwan

International Brain Laboratory @intlbrainlab.bsky.social · Sep 3

Two flagship papers from the International Brain Laboratory, now out in ‪@Nature.com‬:
🧠 Brain-wide map of neural activity during complex behaviour: doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-09235-0
🧠 Brain-wide representations of prior information in mouse decision-making: doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-09226-1 +

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Alex Kwan @alexkwan.bsky.social · Sep 2

At Dave Putnam's legendary drug formulation and delivery class. @cornellengineering.bsky.social

A treat for me to be a student again this semester. 📚

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Reposted by Alex Kwan

Venki Murthy @neurovenki.bsky.social · Sep 1

We watched mice follow scent trails drawn on an “endless” treadmill. By manipulating trail geometry/statistics, perturbing mouse nose & brain, and modeling behavior with a Bayesian framework, we show that mice use predictive (rather than reactive) strategies.

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Alex Kwan @alexkwan.bsky.social · Aug 28

We get asked these questions often. Of course, there are no perfect answers that guarantee success, but we try to offer a balanced view of both the challenges and the opportunities ahead.

Link for free access to the article for 50 days: authors.elsevier.com/a/1lge4bg0ks...

authors.elsevier.com

Alex Kwan @alexkwan.bsky.social · Aug 28

What aspects of the biology can truly guide drug development?

Which preclinical assays are most useful for de-risking?

And when everyone claims to have the best molecule, what caveats lie behind the shiny data?

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Alex Kwan @alexkwan.bsky.social · Aug 28

If you know us, you know we do not pull punches. One reviewer said: ‘read a bit like a hit list of methodological issues.” 🌶️🌶️🌶️

But that is the point - one needs to know the pitfalls to push forward.

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Alex Kwan @alexkwan.bsky.social · Aug 28

This was a fun piece to write for @cp-trendspharma.bsky.social

“The ABCs of Psychedelics: A Preclinical Roadmap for Drug Discovery” with John McCorvy and @jmantsch.bsky.social

www.cell.com/trends/pharm...

New paper in TIPS: ABCs of psychedelics a preclinical roadmap for drug discovery.

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Reposted by Alex Kwan

NPP-Digital Psychiatry and Neuroscience @dpn-journal.bsky.social · Aug 20

Are hallucinogenic effects critical to the therapeutic benefits of psychedelics?

🆕 Primer by Dr. Albert Garcia-Romeu @jhpsychedelics.bsky.social breaks down what's known about the role of therapy & subjective effects in driving psychedelics' putative efficacy

www.nature.com/articles/s44...

Deconstructing the trip treatment: are hallucinogenic effects critical to the therapeutic benefits of psychedelics? - NPP—Digital Psychiatry and Neuroscience

NPP—Digital Psychiatry and Neuroscience - Deconstructing the trip treatment: are hallucinogenic effects critical to the therapeutic benefits of psychedelics?

www.nature.com

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Alex Kwan @alexkwan.bsky.social · Aug 18

Time off last week with the kids scavenging at the beach #Alaska

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Reposted by Alex Kwan

Jeremy Day @daylab.bsky.social · Aug 15

Fun #FluorescenceFriday image from Olivia Drake in the lab of a sagittal rat brain section.

Cyan = DAPI, a DNA marker
Yellow = Substance P, a protein product of the Tac1 gene

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Alex Kwan @alexkwan.bsky.social · Aug 8

Most definitely, I look forward to your images on Fridays!

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Alex Kwan @alexkwan.bsky.social · Aug 7

Thank you! We try hard to get it right.

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Alex Kwan @alexkwan.bsky.social · Aug 7

Thank you - this work definitely got us thinking more about drug action at the network scale.

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