Sophie Caron

dArc1 controls sugar reward valuation in Drosophila melanogaster The Arc genes — which include Drosophila Arc1 and Arc2 ( dArc ) — evolved from Ty3 retrotransposons and encode proteins that form virus-like capsids. These capsids enable a novel form of intercellular...

This paper with @thecaronlab.bsky.social now ACCEPTED at @currentbiology.bsky.social! Congrats Sven! (He’s on the job market now folks). Stay tuned for the final version. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1... dArc1 controls sugar reward valuation in Drosophila melanogaster | bioRxiv

I've had the privilege & luck of having NSF funding for >25 yrs. #WithoutNSF we would not have discovered new mechanisms of chemosensation, described how gut bacteria influence neuronal function, trained many who are now scientists & educators, & appreciated the joys & rewards of science outreach.

Evidence trumps ignorance — join us as we March for Science! 🧪🥼🔬👣

🧪 Stand Up for Science. Science is for everyone. 🫶

Join us as we #marchforscience — for truth, discovery, and a future where research is valued and people matter. Science uplifts everyone, empowers communities, and drives real change. Stand up, Utah!

📍 Utah State Capitol
📅 March 7th 2025 at noon

Diversity is core to science — Devineni Lab This was supposed to be a post about how we received our first grant of the year. It never arrived.

This was supposed to be a post about my lab's first funding of the year, a diversity supplement to fund our amazing research technician. The award never arrived.

Now it's a post about the value of diversity and trying to persevere in these dark times.

devinenilab.org/news/diversi...

5 Calls Spend 5 minutes. Make 5 calls. Make your voice heard.

Ok scientists & those who love science 🧪: here is another exhortation. Call Congress TODAY about the freeze on NIH Council Meetings and Study Sections. Emphasize that this means NO new grants are being funded & labs will soon start to shut down and fire employees. Phone numbers are at:
5calls.org

Scientists and lovers of 🧪: @sfn.org has a great tool to help you engage with your local representatives and make your voice heard on *questionable* decisions in DC. 🇺🇸✉️ It is quick, impactful (we hope), and customizable — edit the text, make it your own! #floodthemailbox www.sfn.org/Advocacy/Adv...

Federal restrictions & funding freezes threaten vital research and halts scientific progress that benefits all Americans.

Join fellow #NeuroAdvocates in urging Congress to protect congressionally approved funding & ensure uninterrupted support for the scientific workforce.

👇 #NeuroSky

Not convinced you should care about science? Science has always been a force that brings people together. It drives progress, improves lives, and fuels innovation that benefits everyone. Investing in research is not just about discovery — it is about building a better future for all of us. 🫶🌎

a man with glasses is surrounded by a glowing circle and the website pmitf.com is displayed below him ALT: a man with glasses is surrounded by a glowing circle and the website pmitf.com is displayed below him

Not convinced that federally funded institutions like the NSF and NIH are all that useful to you? This message reached you through the internet (thanks 🫡 DoD, salut DARPA), which you can like by tapping a touchscreen (thanks ❤️ NSF), triggering your brain’s dopamine reward system (thanks 🧠 NIH!).

NIH In Your State - United For Medical Research Select a state on the map to see the impact of NIH funding across America.

Not convinced that research spending might be such a good investment? Take a look at the far-reaching impact of the NIH — an institution dedicated to improving human lives through scientific discovery. www.unitedformedicalresearch.org/nih-in-your-...

Step 3 — Use this script, if you want to.

a young boy is talking on a telephone with his mouth open ALT: a young boy is talking on a telephone with his mouth open

Step 2 — Call them!

🧘‍♀️ Be direct, be calm, and be firm.
🗳️ Identify yourself as a constituent.
✨ Express your concern clearly.
🚨 Stay polite but emphasize urgency.

Step 1 — Find your representative. 🧑‍💼👨‍💼👩‍💼

🔗 Use this website: www.house.gov/representati...

a close up of a man 's face with a beard and long hair in the snow . ALT: a close up of a man 's face with a beard and long hair in the snow .

Every state relies on federal 💰 to sustain research operations, with each dollar in funding generating $2.50 in economic growth — now that is efficiency!🚀 Frustrated by the freeze? 🥶 Here is a guide on how to push back against policies that could stand between you and your groundbreaking research. 🧪

University of Utah on January 24th

NIH In Your State - United For Medical Research Select a state on the map to see the impact of NIH funding across America.

Want to see the numbers for how NIH funding impacts your state? Remind your Representatives, Senators, and fellow citizens how federally-funded biomedical research advances health, created jobs, and fosters innovation and economic growth.

www.unitedformedicalresearch.org/nih-in-your-...

Yes!! Best photo! I don’t know what this man was talking about..! 🤭

I had a blast💥visiting @unil.bsky.social! I loved sharing our work on species interactions and evolution of learning, and having lively discussions with everyone. Thank you @bentonlab.bsky.social and @nvastenhouw.bsky.social for the warm welcome — voir des amis qui cartonnent is always ❤️warming!😘

😱

Fruit fly or vinegar
By any name, they still roar —
It's #Drosophila day!!!
🥳🪰🧪w1118

Thank you @senguptalab.bsky.social for an awe-inspiring talk on how a single thermosensory neuron encodes experience through intricate molecular signaling — a much-needed reminder, today, that curiosity-driven science can unlock the secrets of the natural world and the 🧩🧩🧩 that is the 🧠. #Onward 🧪🪱

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They say drosophilists always speak last at #entsoc2024 — a rite of passage for those sort of entomologists… 🤷‍♀️ They also say save the best for last!! 🤭 Calling on all bug lovers: don’t miss InFormers: Computational Insights from the Insect Nervous System led by @tedpavlic.bsky.social TODAY in 126B!

We're 'Current' Biology, but we love studies of history through the lens of modern science.
Often such studies challenge the archaeological or historical narrative.
Like the story of the plaster casts of #Pompeii as told by #DNA 🌋🏚️🧬🧪👇👇👇👇
cell.com/current-biol...

Every year we invite a late-stage #PhD student working in circuit #neuroscience or neurogenetics to present their research at our lab meeting at Durham University (UK).

Are you interested? Then do get in touch! Dates are flexible between January-March 2024.

#neuroskyence

We did/are! Please email me and I will connect you to a student doing these experiments. sophie.caron@utah.edu

@jasonsynaptic.bsky.social is on the task of making them 🐭 mutants… but it’s not fair, because everything is just easier in flies! 😉😘

Indeed! 😃@barefeetsven.bsky.social found that he can “rescue” the learning phenotype when restoring arc expression in serotonergic neurons using fly genetic chicanery, but not when using a capsid mutant! But do please read… and tell us what you think. ☺️