Talia Lerner
@talialerner.bsky.social
4.3K followers 2.1K following 300 posts
Neuroscientist, Associate Professor, Lerner Lab. Dopamine and basal ganglia circuits controlling reinforcement learning and decision-making. Open/inclusive science. Happy working mom of 3. Yale ➡️ UCSF ➡️ Stanford ➡️ Northwestern lernerlab.org
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Reposted by Talia Lerner
nanopharmnc.bsky.social
October 9th is the deadline for poster submissions for #WCBR2026 please share! www.winterbrain.org
one more day left for poster submissions to Winter Brain 2026
talialerner.bsky.social
The program for the 2026 Basal Ganglia GRC is live! 🧠🧪
www.grc.org/basal-gangli...

We are already ~60% full, so apply now to join us! Submit an abstract by end of Oct to be considered for a short talk.

See you in Tuscany!
2026 Basal Ganglia Conference GRC
The 2026 Gordon Research Conference on Basal Ganglia will be held in Lucca (Barga), Lucca Italy. Apply today to reserve your spot.
www.grc.org
talialerner.bsky.social
Read this and do not pretend not to have known what was happening. My fellow scientist, even if you can still get your next grant, everything will not be fine.
jesspish.bsky.social
This raid is disgusting, abominable behavior, traumatizing children and families in their homes.
abc7chicago.com/post/ice-chi...
"They was terrified. The kids was crying. People was screaming. They looked very distraught. I was out there crying when I seen the little girl come around the corner, because they was bringing the kids down, too, had them zip tied to each other," Watson said. "That's all I kept asking. What is the morality? Where's the human? One of them literally laughed. He was standing right here. He said, 'f*** them kids.'"
talialerner.bsky.social
Exciting to see Professor emeritus Bob Graybeard at seminar today
Reposted by Talia Lerner
jasonwilliamsny.bsky.social
Please share with anyone who cares about NSF support for graduate students and take 30 seconds to sign and leave a comment.

The deadline for the 2025 Graduate Research Fellowship Program is about one month away and literally no one can apply. #NSFGRFP

jasonjwilliamsny.github.io/grfp2025/
An Open Letter to U.S. STEM Leadership on the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program
An Open Letter to U.S. STEM Leadership on the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program
jasonjwilliamsny.github.io
Reposted by Talia Lerner
martinowk.bsky.social
In the early years of my PhD I remember being asked if we'd ever treat or cure diseases like HIV or Huntington's. I remember saying maybe, but not knowing if I believed. Seeing research pay off as real impact on human lives is - incredible.

www.bbc.com/news/article...

www.bbc.com/news/article...
Huntington's disease successfully treated for first time
One of the most devastating diseases finally has a treatment that can slow its progression and transform lives, tearful doctors tell BBC.
www.bbc.com
Reposted by Talia Lerner
daylab.bsky.social
Excited to share this new work from the lab, in collaboration with @jtuscher.bsky.social & Rob Sorge! Here, we used single cell transcriptional profiling to define molecular adaptations induced by chronic pain and opioid experience, which often occur in conjunction.

www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
talialerner.bsky.social
That NYT essay was really strange... like their best attempt at a Dr. B puff piece but they couldn't quite muster enthusiasm
Reposted by Talia Lerner
noranewcombe.bsky.social
Contrary to a very odd (rambling and misinformed) op-ed in the NYT today, science is flourishing in the quest to address Alzheimer's. Now, if only there weren't NIH cutbacks and a war with universities.
news.harvard.edu/gazette/stor...
Making real gains in war on Alzheimer’s — Harvard Gazette
Researchers hope new technologies, approaches usher in era of effective treatment for incurable disease amid urgency of ‘silver tsunami’
news.harvard.edu
Reposted by Talia Lerner
malcolmgcampbell.bsky.social
🚨Our preprint is online!🚨

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

How do #dopamine neurons perform the key calculations in reinforcement #learning?

Read on to find out more! 🧵
Reposted by Talia Lerner
denisejcai.bsky.social
Had such a great time in Napa Valley at the @onemindorg.bsky.social Summit on the Future of Mental Health Research 🧠

As a past One Mind Rising Star Awardee, it was so inspiring to connect with other awardees and see the incredible research being done by this year’s winners ⭐️
Reposted by Talia Lerner
apeyrache.bsky.social
Following up: searching for the distribution of estrogen receptors in the brain, I realized the Allen Brain Atlas is male only. How is it possible that something this fundamental is still missing?
apeyrache.bsky.social
It's 2025, and there's apparently no female mouse atlas.
Please, tell me I'm wrong.
talialerner.bsky.social
Finally finally got the NoA for the 3rd year of my NIMH R01 (5 months late) hallelujah
Reposted by Talia Lerner
ampolter.bsky.social
One of my former students sent me an update letting me know she got into medical school and included a picture of her white coat ceremony. It made my day! Send your professors updates on what you're doing, it's a real highlight in this job.
Reposted by Talia Lerner
carlosbrody.bsky.social
This rule would have meant I couldn't do my Ph.D. in America.

I did do it in America. Became a professor. 12 thriving U.S. labs are now headed by trainees from my research lab. Like me, they are all working hard to enrich American knowledge and society.

With this self-harming rule, none of that.
crampell.bsky.social
Trump admin planning to change student visas from lasting for duration of academic program to fixed 4-yr term, and then much harder to renew
Could destroy US ability to attract global talent, particularly those seeking advanced degrees in STEM. The median time to complete a PhD is 5.7 yrs per NSF.
Trump Deals A New Immigration Blow To International Students
Trump officials have proposed a new rule limiting international students to fixed periods of entry, making a U.S. education more precarious.
www.forbes.com
talialerner.bsky.social
A week of connecting with Catecholamines nerds in Maine complete ♥️

Bye everyone and hope to see you at the Basal Ganglia GRC! 😌
Reposted by Talia Lerner
pamherd.bsky.social
Nearly all PhDs take 5 years--with finishing in 4 a rare outcome. This is deliberately designed to eliminate the international powerhouse that is US postgraduate training.
crampell.bsky.social
Trump admin planning to change student visas from lasting for duration of academic program to fixed 4-yr term, and then much harder to renew
Could destroy US ability to attract global talent, particularly those seeking advanced degrees in STEM. The median time to complete a PhD is 5.7 yrs per NSF.
Trump Deals A New Immigration Blow To International Students
Trump officials have proposed a new rule limiting international students to fixed periods of entry, making a U.S. education more precarious.
www.forbes.com
Reposted by Talia Lerner
bensaunders.bsky.social
Honored to be elected to serve as the next vice co-chair, along with the amazing @sciolinolab.bsky.social, for the Catecholamines Gordon Research Conference. I first came to this meeting in 2011 as a grad student and it was transformative for my career. Excited to help cultivate that for others.
Reposted by Talia Lerner
lbeutler.bsky.social
“It’s people who will get cancer in 10, 20 or 30 years who will really pay the price for these cuts”
jeremymberg.bsky.social
New York Times story with profiles of researchers whose grants were terminated.

[Gift Link]

www.nytimes.com/2025/08/24/o...
Opinion | America First? Not When It Comes to Your Health.
www.nytimes.com