Wert Laboratory (PI: Katherine Wert)

“It’s Rare Disease Day!” with the Rare Disease Day hand logo and the website” The background is a blue and purple gradient.

🌍 It’s #RareDiseaseDay 2026! 💜

Today we stand with the 300 million people living with a rare disease. Together, we’re showing our colours, raising awareness, and inspiring change by talking about what equity means to us.

👉 Read more: https://go.rarediseaseday.org/NEWS

A cell fate specification and transition mechanism for human foveolar cone subtype patterning | PNAS In the central region of the human retina, the high-acuity foveola is notable for its dense packing of green (M) and red (L) cones and absence of b...

I'm excited to share our PNAS paper from 1st author Kasia Hussey. We study how the foveola, the high acuity region of the retina, is patterned by RA and TH. We were surprised to find that cone subtypes appear to convert fates. Our studies are important for AMD sufferers. www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...

The effects of a second pregnancy on women’s brain structure and function - Nature Communications Extending their previous findings of brain changes in a first pregnancy, the authors show that a second pregnancy uniquely alters women’s brains, involving both a further fine-tuning of first-pregnancy effects and distinct changes in other networks.

Extending previous findings of brain changes in a first pregnancy, a study in Nature Communications shows that a second pregnancy uniquely alters women’s brains, involving both a further fine-tuning of first-pregnancy effects and distinct changes in other networks. #Neuroskyence #medsky 🧪

Beautiful Torino evening during #SNS2026

Some lunch on the autopsy tables during the #SNS2026 conference

At a conference, and I’ve been wondering why I haven’t had many work emails come through today….yeah, it’s 9:30pm here and I finally realized it’s a Saturday 😂

Thanks for the shout out, AWS at UTSW! www.instagram.com/p/DUkEqKfDH1...

The #SNS2026 conference is excellent so far!

Winter in Texas

Beautiful sunset from the lab windows tonight

Alliance of Women Scientists on Instagram: "Here is a short recap from our symposium about the imposter syndrome! Thank you so much to our speakers: Dr. Katherine Wert, Dr. Ondine Cleaver and Weronika... 20 likes, 0 comments - aws.utsw on February 4, 2026: "Here is a short recap from our symposium about the imposter syndrome! Thank you so much to our speakers: Dr. Katherine Wert, Dr. Ondine Cleaver an...

I am grateful for UTSW providing an environment to discuss such important topics like imposter syndrome. What a great panel discussion with AWS! www.instagram.com/p/DUVs0YcEct...

SEAHAWKS SUPERBOWL BOUND!! (Throwback pic to a Seahawks v. Patriots game where Seahawks won!)

I have a postdoc that started mid-November, and she just won best poster presentation on her project for the Brain Institute Gene Therapy Symposium (with a mug award). Way to go, Siqi!

Today I made a small but momentous start to work in 2026 by changing a single number.

I renamed the file “Papers to write and submit in 2025” to “Papers to write and submit in 2026”.

Stay tuned for more file updates on 1st January 2027.

Diamonds? Something precious? Intriguing…bring it on, 2026!

Having a great and supportive past postdoc mentor helps a lot, I learned so much to launch my independent career

mahajanlab.stanford.edu/news/mahajan...

A bifunctional optical reporter for tracking estrogen response dynamics in neurons https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2025.12.14.694224v1

Hey @icanhasmiranda.bsky.social, have you worn your matching sweatshirt yet?

Happy Holidays from the Wert Lab!

Southwestern Vision Science Summit (SVSS)

Want to hear about amazing research in ophthalmology? Register for the first inaugural Southwestern Vision Science Summit coming March 28, 2026! events.utsouthwestern.edu/event/southw...

Hmmm…Frosty seems in need of a good ophthalmologist

You gave such an amazing talk and I keep hearing lab members and faculty talk about ideas it sparked for them! So glad you were able to visit

Another good photo captured by @suprajagv.bsky.social for @bwjones.bsky.social’s talk

Excellent lecture by @bwjones.bsky.social for the UTSW Vision Science Seminar series

An Apple CarPlay screen showing directions to stay in the left six lanes.

Dallas driving with @wertlaboratory.bsky.social.

“Stay in the left six lanes”, yo.

The best is when you merge onto this highway from another on the left side, and the gps tells you to take the next exit in a few feet and you have to cut over six lanes 😂 so happy you’re here, can’t wait for your talk today!

Nola wishes everyone a happy Thanksgiving Holiday weekend!