Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Jorge E. Contreras @drcontrexin.bsky.social · Aug 25

Vietnam blew me away… but the people? Absolutely THE BEST 🇻🇳❤️

Theanne Griffith, PhD 🇧🇧👩🏽‍🔬🇭🇷 @doctheagrif.bsky.social · Aug 23

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.

1

Reposted by Jorge E. Contreras

Theanne Griffith, PhD 🇧🇧👩🏽‍🔬🇭🇷 @doctheagrif.bsky.social · Aug 25

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.

3 8

Reposted by Jorge E. Contreras

Theanne Griffith, PhD 🇧🇧👩🏽‍🔬🇭🇷 @doctheagrif.bsky.social · Aug 25

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...

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

3 8 37

Reposted by Jorge E. Contreras

Theanne Griffith, PhD 🇧🇧👩🏽‍🔬🇭🇷 @doctheagrif.bsky.social · Aug 3

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

4 10

Jorge E. Contreras @drcontrexin.bsky.social · Jul 30

Please tell me he’s not going back to UCSF…

Jorge E. Contreras @drcontrexin.bsky.social · Jul 29

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!

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

6 9

Reposted by Jorge E. Contreras

Society of General Physiologists @sgpweb.bsky.social · Jul 2

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

2 1

Reposted by Jorge E. Contreras

Alt NIH Bluesky 🧪 @altnih4science.bsky.social · Jul 24

The real war is on free thought in the United States.

Scientists must fight alongside other academics.

AAUP @aaup.org · Jul 24

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/

6 32

Reposted by Jorge E. Contreras

Nanocardiology Lab @nanocardiology.bsky.social · Jul 23

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.

Fernando Santana @lfsantana68.bsky.social · Jul 23

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

1 2 5

Reposted by Jorge E. Contreras

Fernando Santana @lfsantana68.bsky.social · Jul 23

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

1 7 13

Jorge E. Contreras @drcontrexin.bsky.social · Jul 23

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!

Journal of General Physiology @jgp.org · Jul 22

📣 #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...

8 12

Reposted by Jorge E. Contreras

James Fallows @jfallows.bsky.social · Jul 21

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

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

13 50 170

Jorge E. Contreras @drcontrexin.bsky.social · Jul 15

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

Jorge E. Contreras @drcontrexin.bsky.social · Jul 11

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!

Jorge E. Contreras @drcontrexin.bsky.social · Jun 28

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.

Nature @nature.com · Jun 27

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

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

1 2

Jorge E. Contreras @drcontrexin.bsky.social · Jun 24

Been doing this since 2019 #AbolishICE

5

Jorge E. Contreras @drcontrexin.bsky.social · Jun 21

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.

Governor Gavin Newsom @governor.ca.gov · Jun 20

Reposted by Jorge E. Contreras

ACLU @aclu.org · Jun 20

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.

1.1K 12K 50K

Reposted by Jorge E. Contreras

Theanne Griffith, PhD 🇧🇧👩🏽‍🔬🇭🇷 @doctheagrif.bsky.social · Jun 19

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!!!

Elisa Zhang, Ph.D. @elisazhang.bsky.social · Jun 19

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...

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

3 5 47

Reposted by Jorge E. Contreras

UC Davis Physiology @ucd-physiology.bsky.social · Jun 19

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

1 7 27

Jorge E. Contreras @drcontrexin.bsky.social · Jun 19

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! 🎉🏖️🐬

Theanne Griffith, PhD 🇧🇧👩🏽‍🔬🇭🇷 @doctheagrif.bsky.social · Jun 19

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...