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Kavya Devarakonda, PhD

@kdevarakonda.bsky.social

1.6K followers 830 following 100 posts

Scientific writer/editor | Neuroscientist | 👩🏽‍🌾 🧶 🦅 | Work with me: www.kavyadevarakonda.com

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Kavya Devarakonda, PhD @kdevarakonda.bsky.social · Nov 11

I see other people doing re-intros and realized I never did a proper intro here 🙈

Hi! I’m Kavya and I help scientists communicate their science. These days that mostly looks like writing and editing NIH grants but I also work on papers and other grants. For more: kavyadevarakonda.com

Kavya Devarakonda | Scientific Writing and Editing

A neuroscientist with expertise in writing and editing. As a freelancer, I work with biomedical researchers in academia and biotech to write and edit grants, manuscripts, conference posters, and other...

kavyadevarakonda.com

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Kavya Devarakonda, PhD @kdevarakonda.bsky.social · 18h

Ooh I'm just seeing this now! Congrats Zach!!

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Reposted by Kavya Devarakonda, PhD

Zoé Christenson Wick @zoechristensonwick.bsky.social · 27d

🚨New preprint alert🚨
We used closed-loop optogenetics to causally test the importance of inhibitory spike timing in network function and found that manipulating PV+ cell theta phase locking in the dentate gyrus can shift seizure susceptibility (both ways!)

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Kavya Devarakonda, PhD @kdevarakonda.bsky.social · 26d

Excited to share that my PhD work has been published! www.nature.com/articles/s41... 🧠🧪

Amygdala–liver signalling orchestrates glycaemic responses to stress

Nature - Studies in mice show that acute stress activates hyperglycaemia via activation of a medial amygdala–ventral hypothalamic circuit that controls glucose metabolic responses in the...

www.nature.com

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Reposted by Kavya Devarakonda, PhD

Jason Moore @moorejh.bsky.social · Jul 22

Another piece on the NIH responding to the deluge of AI-written grants www.404media.co/nih-capping-... #nih #artificialintelligence

The NIH Is Capping Research Proposals Because It's Overwhelmed by AI Submissions

The NIH wrote that it has recently “observed instances of Principal Investigators submitting large numbers of applications, some of which may have been generated with AI tools."

www.404media.co

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Reposted by Kavya Devarakonda, PhD

Jeremy Berg @jeremymberg.bsky.social · Mar 2

I am not going to call this a Bluetorial, because I do not want to sully that term (which, at least I, find joyful).

Let’s call it a Orwellial.

a cartoon of homer simpson holding a card

ALT: a cartoon of homer simpson holding a card

media.tenor.com

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Kavya Devarakonda, PhD @kdevarakonda.bsky.social · Feb 20

Ffs

Jeremy Berg @jeremymberg.bsky.social · Feb 20

From NIH Office of Research on Women's Health webpage

Sex as a Biological Variable tab

"Historic document published prior to January 20, 2025"

It looks like we are headed back to the good old days when women were consider to be small men for the purposes of research...

Reposted by Kavya Devarakonda, PhD

Dr. Becca @docbecca.bsky.social · Feb 19

If the block on the Federal Register isn’t removed in the next few months, I fear a majority of labs will close within a year. This small procedural wrench has the power to kill US science indefinitely, losing an entire generation of discovery and innovation.

Brian Stevenson Ph.D. spirochete lab @bstevensonlab.bsky.social · Feb 19

I had two grant proposals up for review in the NIH Bacterial Virulence (BV) study section. It was canceled without notice this morning.
Without those grants, my lab must close within a year.
And so the purge of scientific research in the US continues
🤬
#MicroSky 🦠🧫🧪🧬🔬

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Reposted by Kavya Devarakonda, PhD

Amelia Eisch 🧪🧠👩‍🔬 🐁 @eisch.bsky.social · Feb 16

@nature.com “Are the Trump team’s actions affecting your research? Tell Nature” www.nature.com/articles/d41... via Signal:
Max Kozlov: mkozlov.01;
Dan Garisto: dgaristo.72;
Heidi Ledford: hledford.01;
Jeff Tollefson: jtollefson.11;
Alexandra Witze: alexwitze.01;
General Nature: naturenews.61 🧪

Are the Trump team’s actions affecting your research? How to contact Nature

Use this form to share information with Nature’s news team, or to make suggestions for future coverage.

www.nature.com

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Reposted by Kavya Devarakonda, PhD

Jeremy Berg @jeremymberg.bsky.social · Feb 15

ATTENTION (PARTICULARLY NIHers)

If anyone has information about the numbers and types of folks in your institute, center, office, or whatever who were were terminated, please share them with me by DM or on Signal (jeremymberg.78).

I am putting together an inventory.

a man wearing a white shirt is standing in front of blue stairs

ALT: a man wearing a white shirt is standing in front of blue stairs

media.tenor.com

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Reposted by Kavya Devarakonda, PhD

Jonathan Peelle @jpeelle.bsky.social · Feb 12

I thought it would be cathartic to start a list of bad advice for writing grants. I'll start.

Make sure to cram as much information in your grant as possible. The more you can say, the better your score.

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Reposted by Kavya Devarakonda, PhD

Alt NIH Bluesky 🧪 @altnih4science.bsky.social · Feb 12

A lot is happening in US science.

Bluesky is the best place to stay up the rolling political crisis in America that is crushing US science. It's also a good place to learn what we all can do.

We have a starter pack for this. Please send your colleagues here too. 🧪
go.bsky.app/2K6jTi5

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Reposted by Kavya Devarakonda, PhD

Needhi Bhalla 💅🏽 @needhibhalla.bsky.social · Feb 12

also this same org has this super useful infographic, breaking down the difference between direct and indirect (also called Facilities and Administration) costs and what F&A costs can and cannot be used for at a research university or institute

Infographic showing what the difference between direct and indirect (also called Facilities and Administration) costs are and what F&A costs can and cannot be used for at a university or research institution

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Kavya Devarakonda, PhD @kdevarakonda.bsky.social · Feb 12

It's bleak out there. But it's my birthday week and I'm treating myself to Eagles Super Bowl content (still!) and the 2nd House in the Cerulean Sea book (delightful!) if anyone needs self-care ideas

Kavya Devarakonda, PhD @kdevarakonda.bsky.social · Feb 10

🦅🦅🦅

Reposted by Kavya Devarakonda, PhD

EJ Snyder @footballej.bsky.social · Feb 10

The. Most. Philly. Thing. Ever. Everybody in the world thinks they are going to grind clock… and PHI goes deep for the TD. Grease the light poles. 🎉

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Kavya Devarakonda, PhD @kdevarakonda.bsky.social · Feb 10

BABY COOPER!!!!!

Kavya Devarakonda, PhD @kdevarakonda.bsky.social · Feb 10

Le sigh

Kavya Devarakonda, PhD @kdevarakonda.bsky.social · Feb 9

Wow, first OPI the NFL has called all season and it’s to stop the Eagles from converting on a fourth down.

Reposted by Kavya Devarakonda, PhD

Jeremy Berg @jeremymberg.bsky.social · Feb 7

I have learned from several sources that NIH staff tried to find out how to transfer F31-diversity applications to other program announcements for funding but were not able to do this. I don't know whether this was technical (regulations) or ideological.

1/n

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Reposted by Kavya Devarakonda, PhD

Drug Monkey @drugmonkey.bsky.social · Feb 6

On this ridiculous shit show of a week, congratulations to everyone who managed to get their NIH grant proposal submitted on deadline!

Well done.

Make it rain.

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Reposted by Kavya Devarakonda, PhD

Stellate Communications @stellatecomms.bsky.social · Feb 6

PLEASE SHARE 💜 With uncertainty in federal research funding & hiring, we are offering *FREE* resume/CV reviews for early-career scientists in the US who have rescinded job offers or who risk layoffs.

If you feel this support would benefit you, submit resume/CV here: forms.gle/CCbbu2X5GJwH...

forms.gle

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Reposted by Kavya Devarakonda, PhD

Needhi Bhalla 💅🏽 @needhibhalla.bsky.social · Feb 6

Hi all, I am in contact with a reporter at Science magazine who would like to talk with a trainee or mentor who successfully applied for an equity/DEI-related NIH training grant or a training supplement but have not received the Notice of Award and probably won't get the grant.

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Reposted by Kavya Devarakonda, PhD

AZ Faust @azfaust.bsky.social · Feb 4

This a funding myth.

There are no untapped wells of charity money that can support the kind of research biomedical scientists need to perform today. Most foundation grants are in 25 to 75K/year range, many are on the order of 1-3 years, and in spite of this, are highly competitive.

Drug Monkey @drugmonkey.bsky.social · Feb 4

Institutions “encouraging their PIs to seek alternate funding” do not seem to understand we’ve been doing that for two bloody decades. It’s not like we’ve been leaving stones unturned and can now find a ton of undisturbed grubs just waiting to feed us!

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Reposted by Kavya Devarakonda, PhD

The thread o’ tweets @threadotweets.bsky.social · Dec 2

Susan Orlean
@susanorlean
In my humble opinion, the weekend
has begun

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Kavya Devarakonda, PhD @kdevarakonda.bsky.social · Jan 31

I also noticed that a grant (written by a client residing in Australia) was set to a paper size that wasn't 8.5" x 11", so if you're using a non-U.S. software you might want to check that too!