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Reposted by Misha Ahrens

Stowers Institute @stowersinstitute.bsky.social · 8d

(Part 1) Hear from @hhmi_news Investigator David Stern about his research program and what he's uncovering in the lab.

Stern will join the Institute in February 2026, bringing his lab and HHMI appointment to Kansas City. @hhmi.org

Read more: bit.ly/4np96Fb

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Reposted by Misha Ahrens

Science Vs @sciencevs.bsky.social · 7d

This moment from our latest episode with science writer @edyong209.bsky.social is 🔥

We asked Ed — how do we talk up the benefits of science in the face of government cuts? He told us that's the wrong approach. 🧪

Listen wherever, or watch on Spotify 👇

open.spotify.com/episode/7Evh...

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Reposted by Misha Ahrens

David L. Stern @gallseeker.bsky.social · 8d

It's official! We are moving to Stowers!
Very exciting opportunity to expand our studies of insect-plant interactions. We have many opportunities available in biochemistry, development, behavior, genetics, evolution, genomics, AI, and even pest control. Interested in any of these things? Reach out!

Stowers Institute @stowersinstitute.bsky.social · 8d

NEWS🎉 We’re excited to announce @hhmijanelia.bsky.social Investigator David Stern will join the Institute from Janelia Research Campus. His lab studies how aphids transform plants at the genetic level, uncovering secrets of #evolution & new strategies for pest control. @hhmi.org bit.ly/4np96Fb

Stowers Institute recruits renowned developmental and evolutionary…

David Stern, Ph.D., brings groundbreaking research on insect–plant interactions for next-generation pest control to the Institute.

bit.ly

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Misha Ahrens @mishaahrens.bsky.social · 22d

New very cool work from the Yaksi lab:

Hierarchical processing of sensory information across topographically organized thalamocortical-like circuits in the zebrafish brain

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

Hierarchical processing of sensory information across topographically organized thalamocortical-like circuits in the zebrafish brain

Thalamocortical projections contribute to the spatial organization and functional hierarchies of the mammalian cortex. Primary sensory cortices receive topographically segregated information from firs...

www.biorxiv.org

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Reposted by Misha Ahrens

Philip Hubbard @philiphubbard.bsky.social · 22d

Come to #HHMIJanelia to work on the frontiers of AI and biology. Apply now for an AI Engineer position working on protein biosensors:

hhmi.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/Extern...

More openings coming soon. Interesting AI is widespread at Janelia, like this diffusion model from Larissa Heinrich.

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Mark Histed @markhisted.org · 24d

Amazing. Hopefully they replicate NIH/NSF’s peer review process, which is the core magic of what makes US science work so well.

While I’m at it, the abundance people are wrong about NIH not being high-risk. So is Joe Lonsdale: he’s naive, at best, about US science.

Kai Kupferschmidt @kakape.bsky.social · 25d

“Supporters of the proposal said it would effectively create a state version of the National Institutes of Health or the National Science Foundation, two of the nation’s largest institutional funders of scientific and public health research.”
🧪 #giftarticle

California’s $23 Billion Plan to Restore Federal Cuts to Scientific Research

www.nytimes.com

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Reposted by Misha Ahrens

Dr. Lucky Tran @luckytran.com · 25d

California is devising a plan to create their own National Institutes of Health to counter federal cuts to science research.

California’s $23 Billion Plan to Restore Federal Cuts to Scientific Research

www.nytimes.com

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Misha Ahrens @mishaahrens.bsky.social · Sep 8

Preprint -
Excited to present WHOLISTIC, which extends the concept of whole-brain functional imaging to the entire body. Pioneering work by incredibly talented Virginia Ruetten @vmsruetten.bsky.social, this platform reveals whole-organism cellular dynamics in vivo.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

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Reposted by Misha Ahrens

Janelia Research Campus @hhmijanelia.bsky.social · 29d

Become a Theory Fellow at Janelia.

🔍 Use computation & theory to tackle biological problems.
🖥️ Leverage state-of-the-art computational infrastructure
🤝 Collaborate across scientific disciplines

Apply by Nov. 3 @ https://janelia.link/theoryfellowprogram

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Reposted by Misha Ahrens

mchurchland.bsky.social @mchurchland.bsky.social · Sep 8

Of potential interest to those keen on motor control and/or multi-task networks. Congrats to Elom and Eric.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Motor cortex flexibly deploys a high-dimensional repertoire of subskills

Skilled movement often requires flexibly combining multiple subskills, each requiring dedicated control strategies and underlying computations. How the motor system achieves such versatility remains u...

www.biorxiv.org

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Virginia M. S. Ruetten @vmsruetten.bsky.social · Sep 8

Made possible only by the unique environment and amazing community at Janelia and the Gatsby. @hhmijanelia.bsky.social @gatsbyucl.bsky.social

Feedback, ideas, or requests for transgenic lines, protocols, and code are warmly welcome!

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Virginia M. S. Ruetten @vmsruetten.bsky.social · Sep 8

Thanks Misha for the shout-out!
It has been a truly mind-opening journey. WHOLISTIC is one step towards whole-organism neuroscience and a true physiological observatory - with extensions on the way! I am continually amazed by what the data reveals - so much remains to be discovered and mined.

Misha Ahrens @mishaahrens.bsky.social · Sep 8

Preprint -
Excited to present WHOLISTIC, which extends the concept of whole-brain functional imaging to the entire body. Pioneering work by incredibly talented Virginia Ruetten @vmsruetten.bsky.social, this platform reveals whole-organism cellular dynamics in vivo.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

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Misha Ahrens @mishaahrens.bsky.social · Sep 8

Finally, Virginia @vmsruetten.bsky.social is now on the job market, ready to expand WHOLISTIC into a larger research program. Any institute will be lucky to hire her.

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Misha Ahrens @mishaahrens.bsky.social · Sep 8

Thanks to all authors, including Wei Zheng and Guoqiang Yu, Amy Hu, and the Janelia @hhmijanelia.bsky.social and 4DCP communities, Maneesh Sahani, and others.

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Misha Ahrens @mishaahrens.bsky.social · Sep 8

WHOLISTIC bridges cellular biology with whole organism physiology and behavior, and we believe will open up new avenues for studying vertebrate brain-body coordination, discovering new modes of long-range communication, and more.

Check out the website for more details: wholistic.janelia.org

Home

wholistic.janelia.org

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Misha Ahrens @mishaahrens.bsky.social · Sep 8

and with Igor Siwanowicz are working towards whole-body atlases.

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Misha Ahrens @mishaahrens.bsky.social · Sep 8

Together with Paul Tillberg, we advanced Whole Body Expansion Microscopy to access the subcellular scales of the organism and match cellular dynamics to their molecular substrate,

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Misha Ahrens @mishaahrens.bsky.social · Sep 8

Combining WHOLISTIC with optogenetics, correlative brain–body dynamics can be tested causally, yielding a topological mapping between brain and body.

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Misha Ahrens @mishaahrens.bsky.social · Sep 8

and coupled activation of motor circuits and muscle groups, as well as responses in other tissues, including the skin.

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Misha Ahrens @mishaahrens.bsky.social · Sep 8

visualizes gut peristalsis together with enteric nervous system activity,

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Misha Ahrens @mishaahrens.bsky.social · Sep 8

skin epithelium (video 100x sped up),

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Misha Ahrens @mishaahrens.bsky.social · Sep 8

WHOLISTIC reveals many phenomena, including traveling waves along the kidney,

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Misha Ahrens @mishaahrens.bsky.social · Sep 8

Using pan-cellular calcium sensors, WHOLISTIC simultaneously records activity across all organs of the larval zebrafish - brain, liver, muscle, pancreas, kidney, skin, and more.

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Misha Ahrens @mishaahrens.bsky.social · Sep 8

Preprint -
Excited to present WHOLISTIC, which extends the concept of whole-brain functional imaging to the entire body. Pioneering work by incredibly talented Virginia Ruetten @vmsruetten.bsky.social, this platform reveals whole-organism cellular dynamics in vivo.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

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Reposted by Misha Ahrens

Janelia Research Campus @hhmijanelia.bsky.social · Aug 5

✨ We’re #hiring Theory Fellows!✨

Janelia is recruiting early-career scientists to join our collaborative research environment and use #computation & #theory to tackle bold questions in #biology.

🔗 Apply by Nov. 3 👉 janelia.link/theoryfellow...
@hhmi.org

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