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Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain (SIDB) @sidb-edinburgh.bsky.social · 1d

Thanks to everyone who joined the 9th Annual SIDB Retreat!
Two incredible days of inspiring science, great discussions, and vibrant collaboration.
Hope you enjoyed it as much as we did! Find out more on sidb.org or via linktree in our bio

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Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain (SIDB) @sidb-edinburgh.bsky.social · 7d

SIDB recently featured in STV News. Using a GRIN2B rat model, Alfredo Gonzalez-Sulser and Katerina Hristova showed an epilepsy drug can reduce seizures.

Check it out ⬇️
edin.ac/3Kz2Mw1

@edinburghmedschool.bsky.social @patrickwildcentre.bsky.social
@edinburghuni.bsky.social

Epilepsy medication could control seizures in children with rare brain disorder

Scientists have been studying GRIN2B-Related Disorder, a rare condition that affects the nervous system of young kids.

edin.ac

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Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain (SIDB) @sidb-edinburgh.bsky.social · 16d

Congratulations Danai!

CMVM Postdocs and Early Career Researchers @cmvm-res.bsky.social · 19d

Well done to Danai for winning Contributions to Citizenship! Such an important part of working in academia - great work! @edinunineuro.bsky.social

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Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain (SIDB) @sidb-edinburgh.bsky.social · Aug 14

We are incredibly honored to receive continued support from the Simons Foundation in our mission to uncover the biological mechanisms underlying neurodevelopmental disorders

Simons Foundation @simonsfoundation.org · Aug 13

Meet the Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain: a center devoted to deconstructing the secrets of neurodevelopmental disorders and the developing brain. Read more: annualreports.simonsfoundation.org/2024/scottis... #science #neuroscience

Scottish Neuroscience Initiative Takes Basic Science From Lab to Clinic

The Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain aims to discover biological mechanisms underlying autism and related neurodevelopmental disorders and to use that information to deliver therapeutic…

annualreports.simonsfoundation.org

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Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain (SIDB) @sidb-edinburgh.bsky.social · Jul 29

Thrilled to share that SIDB has received renewed support from the Simons Foundation! We remain committed to advancing the basic science of autism and NDDs through collaboration and open science.

College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, Edinburgh Uni @cmvm-edinburghuni.bsky.social · Jul 24

Big boost for autism research: The Simons Foundation has pledged up to £40m to study brain development and neurodevelopmental disorders with the aim of finding new treatments for conditions such as Fragile X syndrome and SYNGAP1-related disorders.

edin.ac/454Gqt4

@sidb-edinburgh.bsky.social

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Reposted by Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain (SIDB)

College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, Edinburgh Uni @cmvm-edinburghuni.bsky.social · Jul 24

Big boost for autism research: The Simons Foundation has pledged up to £40m to study brain development and neurodevelopmental disorders with the aim of finding new treatments for conditions such as Fragile X syndrome and SYNGAP1-related disorders.

edin.ac/454Gqt4

@sidb-edinburgh.bsky.social

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Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain (SIDB) @sidb-edinburgh.bsky.social · Jul 15

🎉 Congrats to @cristina-mtz-glz.bsky.social for winning 1st prize in the BNA Photo Competition!

Her image of a whole mouse brain labelled for tyrosine hydroxylase, captured with light-sheet microscopy, will feature in the BNA 2025/26 calendar

@britishneuro.bsky.social
@edinunineuro.bsky.social

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Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain (SIDB) @sidb-edinburgh.bsky.social · Jun 25

This week we welcomed Vicki Johnstone — the new Fragile X Society Family Support Worker for Scotland! 💙 She got a behind-the-scenes look at our work, from neurons to behaviours, plus a peek into our clinical research. We hope she enjoyed it!
@edinunineuro.bsky.social @patrickwildcentre.bsky.social

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Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain (SIDB) @sidb-edinburgh.bsky.social · Jun 21

Today on #SYNGAP1AwarenessDay, we at SIDB celebrate scientific progress and honour the people driving change.
From molecule to behaviour, we’re committed to understanding and supporting SYNGAP1-ID.

Find out more 👇
edin.ac/4nv3ny7

@patrickwildcentre.bsky.social
@edinburghuni.bsky.social

Image of a neuron with purple stains and green words in front says 'together for SYNGAP1 awareness day'

Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain (SIDB) @sidb-edinburgh.bsky.social · Jun 17

Today is International CDKL5 Day! 💚
At SIDB, exciting research is underway to help deepen our understanding of CDKL5 Deficiency Disorder and how it affects the brain.

🔬 Learn more about our work by following the link in our bio!

@edinburghuni.bsky.social
@patrickwildcentre.bsky.social

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Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain (SIDB) @sidb-edinburgh.bsky.social · May 28

On the 15th of May, many SIDB members joined the first CDBS Family & Friends Day. Thanks to the organisers and volunteers, we all enjoyed a great day of sceince, games and sunshine.

More in our bio

@patrickwildcentre.bsky.social
@edinunineuro.bsky.social
@cmvm-edinburghuni.bsky.social

Celebrating the 1st CDBS Family & Friends Day - The Patrick Wild Centre

On May 16th, CDBS welcomed over 50 families and friends to join us for a day of science and connections.

patrickwildcentre.com

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Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain (SIDB) @sidb-edinburgh.bsky.social · May 22

In April, SIDB researchers had a great time presenting at BNA 2025 - Festival of Neuroscience in Liverpool, UK.

Find out more in our bio!

@edinunineuro.bsky.social
@edinburghuni.bsky.social
@britishneuro.bsky.social
@patrickwildcentre.bsky.social

Prof. Adrian Bird delivering a plenary talk (top left); Dr Cristina Martinez Gonzalez introducing RatDISCO (top right); Technician Kirsty Craigie presenting a poster with Dr Matinez Gonzalez (bottom left); PhD strudent Natalie Ling Sum Hung presenting a poster; Post-doc Raven Hickson and PhD student Tess Atkinson exploreing Liverpool after the conference

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Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain (SIDB) @sidb-edinburgh.bsky.social · Apr 4

Deadline of this PhD application has been extended to 10 APRIL! Find out more and apply here

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Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain (SIDB) @sidb-edinburgh.bsky.social · Mar 28

The Pagan lab is advertising for a 3.5 year fully funded PhD studentship to start in 2025 within SIDB at Edinburgh University, investigating the neural mechanism underlying flexible decision-making.

🗓️Deadline: 4 April 2024
👇Find out more and apply now:
sidb.org.uk/phds/study-o...

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Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain (SIDB) @sidb-edinburgh.bsky.social · Mar 26

Prof. Adrian Bird will be deliverying a plenary session on Rett Syndrome at #BNA2025.
Check out the full programme here: lnkd.in/esa9hs4x
Registration at standard rates held until 7th April lnkd.in/eQGnDp8t

@edinburghuni.bsky.social
@patrickwildcentre.bsky.social
@britishneuro.bsky.social

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Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain (SIDB) @sidb-edinburgh.bsky.social · Mar 13

Read the full paper from V Ramesh, ETsoukala, I Kougianou, Z Kozic, K Burr, B Viswanath, D Hampton, D Story, B Kumar Reddy, R Pal, @owendando.bsky.social, P Kind, S Chattarji, B Selvaraj, S Chandran & @lidazoupi.bsky.social in Glia

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....

The Fragile X Messenger Ribonucleoprotein 1 Regulates the Morphology and Maturation of Human and Rat Oligodendrocytes

Loss of FMRP impairs human and rat oligodendrocyte (OL) morphology in vitro. FMRP-deficient OLs show impaired maturation when engrafted in hypomyelinated mice. Rat Fmr1 knockout OLs show a delay in m...

onlinelibrary.wiley.com

Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain (SIDB) @sidb-edinburgh.bsky.social · Mar 13

SIDB and @ukdri.ac.uk researchers at The University of Edinburgh and @ncbsbangalore.bsky.social have found that FMRP maintains the form and function of neuron-maintenance cells, essential for rapid and efficient neuron communication.

Read more: www.sidb.org.uk/news-events/...

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Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain (SIDB) @sidb-edinburgh.bsky.social · Feb 21

We had a fantastic day welcoming family members affected by GRI-disorders. We had the opportunity to share our research & learn about their experience and the work carried out by the GRI-UK charity.

Read more: sidb.org.uk/news-events/...

@edinunineuro.bsky.social @edinburghmedschool.bsky.social

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Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain (SIDB) @sidb-edinburgh.bsky.social · Feb 18

SIDB (University of Edinburgh) and Princeton University researchers have discovered that individuals use different neural strategies when making decisions.

Read more: sidb.org.uk/news-events/...

@marinopagan.bsky.social @jpillowtime.bsky.social @sussillodavid.bsky.social @edinunineuro.bsky.social

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Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain (SIDB) @sidb-edinburgh.bsky.social · Feb 13

Congratulations to everyone involved!

Lida Zoupi @lidazoupi.bsky.social · Feb 11

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
Hot off the press! We find changes in oligodendrocytes that lack FMRP! An excellent collaboration supported by @sidb-edinburgh.bsky.social .

The Fragile X Messenger Ribonucleoprotein 1 Regulates the Morphology and Maturation of Human and Rat Oligodendrocytes

Loss of FMRP impairs human and rat oligodendrocyte (OL) morphology in vitro. FMRP-deficient OLs show impaired maturation when engrafted in hypomyelinated mice. Rat Fmr1 knockout OLs show a delay in m...

onlinelibrary.wiley.com

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Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain (SIDB) @sidb-edinburgh.bsky.social · Feb 11

Dr. Leena Eve Williams, Prof Anthony Holtmaat & colleagues’ have found that whisker stimulation, at the rates for which rodents actively sense their natural environment, enhances brain plasticity and neuronal connections.

>> sidb.org.uk/news-events/...

@edinunineuro.bsky.social @ndlab.bsky.social

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Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain (SIDB) @sidb-edinburgh.bsky.social · Feb 6

The Donlin-Asp Lab ( @pdaphd.bsky.social ) is hiring a postdoc to conduct primary research into how neurons transport mRNA to distal sites and use these mRNAs as substrates for local protein synthesis during synaptic plasticity.
elxw.fa.em3.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/Candid...

@edinunineuro.bsky.social

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Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain (SIDB) @sidb-edinburgh.bsky.social · Jan 30

Join us at the BNA Festival of Neuroscience! Researchers Rebecca Jordan, Danai Katsanevaki, Matt Jones & Oliver Hardt will share their latest work, with a focus on how genetic changes in neurodevelopmental conditions affect brain function, behaviour & cognition.
@beckyjordan.bsky.social

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Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain (SIDB) @sidb-edinburgh.bsky.social · Jan 27

SIDB Deputy Director Prof Adrian Bird is presenting at this year's BNA Festival. Prof Bird is a leading expert on DNA methylation and epigenetics. In 2007, his lab reversed Rett syndrome symptoms in mice, sparking hope for therapies.
@edinburghmedschool.bsky.social
Register at the link below!

British Neuroscience Association @britishneuro.bsky.social · Jan 15

Highly decorated British #geneticist Professor Adrian Bird will open #BNA2025 with his plenary lecture on #RettSyndrome. This session is convened and supported by @sidb-edinburgh.bsky.social.

Early bird discounted registration closing this month -⌛https://meetings.bna.org.uk/bna2025/

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Reposted by Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain (SIDB)

lyons-lab.bsky.social @lyons-lab.bsky.social · Jan 16

Couple of opportunities up to join the group!
One at postdoc level, but open to senior support path.
One research assistant role.
Please share, or drop a line if you want to learn more!
Or just apply!
Thanks!

elxw.fa.em3.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/Candid...

elxw.fa.em3.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/Candid...

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