Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Natalia Duque-Wilckens, DVM, PhD @nduquewilckens.bsky.social · Aug 24

❤️

Natalia Duque-Wilckens, DVM, PhD @nduquewilckens.bsky.social · Aug 21

Has anyone self-built an apparatus for the The 5-Choice Serial Reaction Time task, or know a company that would make it for less that $6K? TIA!

Natalia Duque-Wilckens, DVM, PhD @nduquewilckens.bsky.social · Aug 9

😂

Reposted by Natalia Duque-Wilckens, DVM, PhD

Ariaa® @ariaa.bsky.social · Aug 5

Life-saving idea! Pass it on!

58 4.6K 11K

Natalia Duque-Wilckens, DVM, PhD @nduquewilckens.bsky.social · Jul 25

😂👏

1

Reposted by Natalia Duque-Wilckens, DVM, PhD

Sam England @samjakeengland.bsky.social · Jul 24

Why do treehoppers look so weird?! Our latest paper, out this week in @pnas.org, suggests a perhaps unexpected reason - static electricity ⚡ We show that treehoppers can detect the electrostatic cues of predators and that their crazy shapes may boost their electrosensitivity! doi.org/10.1073/pnas...

Electroreception in treehoppers: How extreme morphologies can increase electrical sensitivity | PNAS

The link between form and function of an organism’s morphology is usually apparent or intuitive. However, some clades of organisms show remarkable ...

doi.org

13 170 410

Reposted by Natalia Duque-Wilckens, DVM, PhD

Jeremy Berg @jeremymberg.bsky.social · Jul 24

My quote of the day

Not everyone has been a bully or the victim of bullies, but everyone has seen bullying, and seeing it, has responded to it by joining in or objecting, by laughing or keeping silent, by feeling disgusted or feeling interested.

Octavia Butler

14 70

Natalia Duque-Wilckens, DVM, PhD @nduquewilckens.bsky.social · Jul 20

Omg that’s gorgeous

2

Reposted by Natalia Duque-Wilckens, DVM, PhD

Dana R. Fisher (aka the Apocalyptic Optimist) @fisherdanar.bsky.social · Jul 19

Waking up to learn that the EPA office of Research and Development, which supports environmental science and informs environmental policymaking has been eliminated.
#NoWords
www.washingtonpost.com/climate-envi...

EPA eliminates its scientific research arm

The move to dismantle the Office of Research and Development comes as Trump officials cut the agency’s total staff by 23 percent.

www.washingtonpost.com

11 120 150

Reposted by Natalia Duque-Wilckens, DVM, PhD

Ann Kennedy @antihebbiann.bsky.social · Jul 15

Proposal recommended for funding! Which means we have a fresh, 3-year-funded position available for a computational postdoc interested in studying dynamics of social interactions in rats, with simultaneous Neuropixels data to follow 🐀🐀🐀

Proper job ad pending, but email me if interested!

1 33 140

Reposted by Natalia Duque-Wilckens, DVM, PhD

Jeremy Berg @jeremymberg.bsky.social · Jul 15

A discussion of the use of animals in research.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSvk...

1/n

(Warning: Rant coming)

Director’s Desk: The Future of Animal Models in Research | NIH’s Dr. Nicole Kleinstreuer

YouTube video by National Institutes of Health (NIH)

www.youtube.com

6 52 84

Natalia Duque-Wilckens, DVM, PhD @nduquewilckens.bsky.social · Jul 11

Please share!! NIH funding for studies that are conducted using animal models - listen to the conversation at the 7/7 FDA meeting and COMMENT on the results of the meeting by July 14th www.fda.gov/news-events/... FDA-NIH Workshop: Reducing Animal Testing - 07/07/2025 | FDA

FDA-NIH Workshop: Reducing Animal Testing

The FDA is hosting a workshop on reducing animal testing. The workshop is open to current FDA and NIH employees.

www.fda.gov

Natalia Duque-Wilckens, DVM, PhD @nduquewilckens.bsky.social · Jul 9

Super cool! What do you mean with “increasingly observed” in this context? Has the behavior of the bird or the observer changed over time?

Natalia Duque-Wilckens, DVM, PhD @nduquewilckens.bsky.social · Jul 5

Thank you!

1

Natalia Duque-Wilckens, DVM, PhD @nduquewilckens.bsky.social · Jul 4

Lastly, Thank you to NCSU Center for Human Health and the Environment for being the first to support our baby lab with a pilot grant! ❤️

Natalia Duque-Wilckens, DVM, PhD @nduquewilckens.bsky.social · Jul 4

I also wanted to thank our collabs and support: Heather Patisaul (who was kind to share PBDE sol. in early 2023 so I could get started in a still empty lab), Heather Stapleton (a true flame retardant expert) and Leslie Sombers, who’s lab collected crucial FSCV data.

Natalia Duque-Wilckens, DVM, PhD @nduquewilckens.bsky.social · Jul 4

I also wanted to thank our collabs and support: Heather Patisaul (who was kind to share PBDE sol. in early 2023 so I could get started in a still empty lab), Heather Stapleton (a true flame retardant expert) and Leslie Sombers, who’s lab collected crucial FSCV data.

Natalia Duque-Wilckens, DVM, PhD @nduquewilckens.bsky.social · Jul 4

This has implications not only across tissues and systems-mast cells are widely distributed in our bodies, incl the brain, where they play important physiological pathological roles-but also all hematopoietic cell lines, potentially explaining many of the negative effects of developm PBDE exp 4/n

Natalia Duque-Wilckens, DVM, PhD @nduquewilckens.bsky.social · Jul 4

We found that, PBDE exposed adults M+F show blunted responses to allergy-like challenges, associated with a deficit in mast cells’ (MCs) capacity to sustain histamine release. These deficits are also present in MCs derived from adult bone marrow, suggesting reprogramming of hematopoietic precursors

Natalia Duque-Wilckens, DVM, PhD @nduquewilckens.bsky.social · Jul 4

This is especially concerning for developing individuals, as they can be exposed via placenta, milk, and are more exposed to contaminated dust as toddlers. 3/n

Natalia Duque-Wilckens, DVM, PhD @nduquewilckens.bsky.social · Jul 4

Thank you Mandy!

1

Natalia Duque-Wilckens, DVM, PhD @nduquewilckens.bsky.social · Jul 4

We found that, PBDE exposed adults M+F show blunted responses to allergy-like challenges, associated with a deficit in mast cells’ (MCs) capacity to sustain histamine release. These deficits are also present in MCs derived from adult bone marrow, suggesting reprogramming of hematopoietic precursors

Natalia Duque-Wilckens, DVM, PhD @nduquewilckens.bsky.social · Jul 4

This is especially concerning for developing individuals, as they can be exposed via placenta, milk, and are more exposed to contaminated dust as toddlers. 3/n

Natalia Duque-Wilckens, DVM, PhD @nduquewilckens.bsky.social · Jul 4

PBDEs are flame retardants once widely used in consumer products. Although phased out (2000’s) due to multiple reported negative effects (including neuro, metabolic and reproductive), widespread environmental contamination and human exposure is still a huge problem 2/n

1

Natalia Duque-Wilckens, DVM, PhD @nduquewilckens.bsky.social · Jul 4

This is especially concerning for developing individuals, as they can be exposed via placenta, milk, and are more exposed to contaminated dust as toddlers. 3/n

Natalia Duque-Wilckens, DVM, PhD @nduquewilckens.bsky.social · Jul 4

PBDEs are flame retardants once widely used in consumer products. Although phased out (2000’s) due to multiple reported negative effects (including neuro, metabolic and reproductive), widespread environmental contamination and human exposure is still a huge problem 2/n

Natalia Duque-Wilckens, DVM, PhD @nduquewilckens.bsky.social · Jul 4

The 1st manuscript from my lab is online! This study, led by 2nd y PhD student Jared Franges (w/ key contributions from grad and 4! UG students), shows that developmental exposure to PBDEs drives persistent impairment of histamine+serotonin release by mast cells www.biorxiv.org/cgi/content/... 1/n

1

Reposted by Natalia Duque-Wilckens, DVM, PhD

Natalia Duque-Wilckens, DVM, PhD @nduquewilckens.bsky.social · Jul 4

PBDEs are flame retardants once widely used in consumer products. Although phased out (2000’s) due to multiple reported negative effects (including neuro, metabolic and reproductive), widespread environmental contamination and human exposure is still a huge problem 2/n

Natalia Duque-Wilckens, DVM, PhD @nduquewilckens.bsky.social · Jul 4

The 1st manuscript from my lab is online! This study, led by 2nd y PhD student Jared Franges (w/ key contributions from grad and 4! UG students), shows that developmental exposure to PBDEs drives persistent impairment of histamine+serotonin release by mast cells www.biorxiv.org/cgi/content/... 1/n

Developmental PBDE exposure impairs histamine release dynamics in adult male and female mice via disrupted granule maturation and calcium mobilization

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are synthetic flame retardants once widely used in furniture, electronics, and other consumer products. Although phased out in the early 2000s, their chemical pe...

www.biorxiv.org

1 1

Natalia Duque-Wilckens, DVM, PhD @nduquewilckens.bsky.social · Jul 4

PBDEs are flame retardants once widely used in consumer products. Although phased out (2000’s) due to multiple reported negative effects (including neuro, metabolic and reproductive), widespread environmental contamination and human exposure is still a huge problem 2/n

Natalia Duque-Wilckens, DVM, PhD @nduquewilckens.bsky.social · Jul 4

The 1st manuscript from my lab is online! This study, led by 2nd y PhD student Jared Franges (w/ key contributions from grad and 4! UG students), shows that developmental exposure to PBDEs drives persistent impairment of histamine+serotonin release by mast cells www.biorxiv.org/cgi/content/... 1/n

Developmental PBDE exposure impairs histamine release dynamics in adult male and female mice via disrupted granule maturation and calcium mobilization

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are synthetic flame retardants once widely used in furniture, electronics, and other consumer products. Although phased out in the early 2000s, their chemical pe...

www.biorxiv.org

1 1

Natalia Duque-Wilckens, DVM, PhD @nduquewilckens.bsky.social · Jul 4

The 1st manuscript from my lab is online! This study, led by 2nd y PhD student Jared Franges (w/ key contributions from grad and 4! UG students), shows that developmental exposure to PBDEs drives persistent impairment of histamine+serotonin release by mast cells www.biorxiv.org/cgi/content/... 1/n

Developmental PBDE exposure impairs histamine release dynamics in adult male and female mice via disrupted granule maturation and calcium mobilization

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are synthetic flame retardants once widely used in furniture, electronics, and other consumer products. Although phased out in the early 2000s, their chemical pe...

www.biorxiv.org

3 4 9

Natalia Duque-Wilckens, DVM, PhD @nduquewilckens.bsky.social · Jul 1

Just wow. 👏

1

Natalia Duque-Wilckens, DVM, PhD @nduquewilckens.bsky.social · Jun 30

👏👏👏

1