Kacey O'Harra

NIH cuts quash $323 million for neuroscience research and training “I am frightened for the state of the future of our field if this isn't reversed rapidly,” says Joshua Gordon, professor of psychiatry at Columbia University and former director of the National…

Neuroscience research and training has taken a $323 million hit in the form of grants rescinded by the U.S. NIH, according to an analysis by @thetransmitter.bsky.social.

By @claudia-lopez.bsky.social

#neuroskyence

www.thetransmitter.org/funding/nih-...

Found an absolutely magical patch of bluebells off the beaten path and took the most amazing photos I've ever taken

Color portrait (artist’s impression) of a young Caroline Herschel. In this painting, which is primitive in style, Herschel wears a yellow dress and has her hair in curls that hang to shoulder length.

Astronomer Caroline Herschel was born #OTD in 1750. She discovered and catalogued a wealth of comets, stars, and nebulae. Along with Mary Somerville, she was the first woman elected to the Royal Astronomical Society. 🧪🔭👩‍🔬

Image: Artist's impression of a young Caroline Herschel. Lisa Rosowsky / CfA

Nasal anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody ameliorates traumatic brain injury, enhances microglial phagocytosis and reduces neuroinflammation via IL-10-dependent Treg–microglia crosstalk | Nature Neuroscience Neuroinflammation plays a crucial role in traumatic brain injury (TBI), contributing to both damage and recovery, yet no effective therapy exists to mitigate central nervous system (CNS) injury and promote recovery after TBI. In the present study, we found that nasal administration of an anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody ameliorated CNS damage and behavioral deficits in a mouse model of contusional TBI. Nasal anti-CD3 induced a population of interleukin (IL)-10-producing regulatory T cells (Treg cells) that migrated to the brain and closely contacted microglia. Treg cells directly reduced chronic microglia inflammation and regulated their phagocytic function in an IL-10-dependent manner. Blocking the IL-10 receptor globally or specifically on microglia in vivo abrogated the beneficial effects of nasal anti-CD3. However, the adoptive transfer of IL-10-producing Treg cells to TBI-injured mice restored these beneficial effects by enhancing microglial phagocytic capacity and reducing microglia-

Nasal anti-CD3 mAb improves mouse TBI outcomes, boosting IL-10 Tregs & microglial phagocytosis, cutting neuroinflammation via Treg-microglia IL-10 talk. #BrainHealth PMID:40016353, Nat Neurosci 2025, @NatureNeuro https://doi.org/10.1038/s41593-025-01877-7 #Medsky #Pharmsky #RNA 🧪

Seabirds in crisis: Plastic ingestion induces proteomic signatures of multiorgan failure and neurodegeneration Plastic consumption in seabirds causes blood signatures of widespread organ damage including brain, stomach, kidney, and liver.

🧪 Seabirds and Plastic

New research shows seabird chicks that ingest plastic suffer multiorgan failure and neurodegeneration - even if they look healthy.

Plastic pollution is more than an eyesore - it is a biological threat.

🔗 www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

#SciComm #Seabirds #Plastic

The curse of neuroanatomy education, Part 2: On the left is my soapdish. On the right is a CT scan of the lateral ventricles of the brain. As Dr. Jeffrey Browndyke points out, this affliction is technically known as pareidolia. 😀 #neuroskyence

A tour de force review of the connections between between the nervous and immune systems
www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Uncertainty has arrived in a system that requires stability and predictability to function. Biomedical research is inherently a public-private partnership that cannot function if one party drops out. Other countries are taking notice and eager to fill the void.

#neuroskyence #science #research #NIH

Asteroid fragments upend theory of how life on Earth bloomed Samples from Bennu contain the chemical building blocks of life — but with a twist.

Asteroid fragments upend theory of how life on Earth bloomed

Samples from Bennu contain the chemical building blocks of life — but with a twist.

www.nature.com/articles/d41...

Frontiers | Electromyographic correlates of effortful listening in the vestigial auriculomotor system

👂🎧 Your ears react to listening effort

Tiny ear muscles activate when focusing on a hard-to-hear voice. This hidden response, linked to an ancient reflex, suggests our ears still try to 'tune in' like they once did in our ancestors.

🔗 www.frontiersin.org/journals/neu...

#SciComm 🧪

High-speed video showing glutamate lighting up as it’s released in synapses, visualizing the neurotransmitters of the brain with the fluorescent indicator protein iGluSnFR3.

Credit: Allen Institute, Aggarwal et al.

How scientists with disabilities are making research labs and fieldwork more accessible Disabled scientists are trying to make research labs and fieldwork more accessible. They say labs and field sites aren’t designed to serve them.

“Just because you can’t do it like someone else doesn’t mean you can’t do it"

Senior Lecturer of Geological Sciences Anita Marshall @bakingsodavolc.bsky.social is leading the way in the efforts to make science more accessible to those with disabilities. Find out more about her work here:
🧪🔭⚒️

Using 2017-2018 data, the EHT revealed turbulence in M87*’s accretion flow, reshaping the ring’s brightest region. This shows the power of multi-epoch observations to uncover black hole accretion and spacetime properties—a leap in black hole studies!

Two images, each showing barred spiral galaxy NGC 1365. The galaxy’s core is slightly above center and covers about an eighth of the total area. This central region looks like an angled, smashed oval. In Webb’s image at top, the core has a bright white point at the center, which has diffraction spikes that extend into the galaxy. The galaxy’s outer core and bar are filled with a blue haze of stars. Filamentary orange dust lanes form a backward S shape. Spiral arms begin at the very edge of the frame and appear to continue in bright red at all four edges. In Hubble’s image, the central region has a bright white point at the center surrounded by dark areas of dust. The spiral arms begin at the edges of the frame and appear to continue in dark brown at top left and bottom right. Scattered above the top left brown dust lane and toward the top are a cluster of blue stars. The image is rotated to match Webb’s image, so there are areas on the corners are black and do not contain data.

One galaxy, two images, two great observatories.

#NASAWebb’s, at left, shows near- and mid-infrared light, and Hubble’s, at right, combines visible and ultraviolet light.

Read the full rundown: webbtelescope.pub/4gvgFpL 🔭 🧪

sign in produce section reads “FRESH BANA”

now with half the sodium

Trans-ancestry genome-wide study of depression identifies 697 associations implicating cell types and pharmacotherapies In a genome-wide association study (GWAS) meta-analysis of 688,808 individuals with major depression (MD) and 4,364,225 controls from 29 countries across diverse and admixed ancestries, we identify 697 associations at 635 loci, 293 of which are novel. Using fine-mapping and functional tools, we find 308 high-confidence gene associations and enrichment of postsynaptic density and receptor clustering. A neural cell-type enrichment analysis utilizing single-cell data implicates excitatory, inhibitory, and medium spiny neurons and the involvement of amygdala neurons in both mouse and human single-cell analyses. The associations are enriched for antidepressant targets and provide potential repurposing opportunities. Polygenic scores trained using European or multi-ancestry data predicted MD status across all ancestries, explaining up to 5.8% of MD liability variance in Europeans. These findings advance our global understanding of MD and reveal biological targets that may be used to target and develop pharmacotherapies addressing the unmet need for effective treatment.

🧪 🧬💻 🧠 Direct link to the study: https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(24)01415-6

Digitization of ‘breathtaking’ neuroanatomy slide collection offers untapped research gold mine Thousands of histological sections of vertebrate brains—including from spiny dogfish, turtles and more—are newly available online.

Slides containing thousands of neuroanatomical and embryological sections of species ranging from jawless fish to marsupials are now freely available online.

By @shaena.bsky.social

#neuroskyence

www.thetransmitter.org/evolution/di...

The Cognitive Disorder Atlas #4K

Source: imgur.com/vmnMjhU

This NIRCam image captures a breathtaking view of the outer regions of NGC 2070, a vast nebula teeming with stars. The image showcases a mesmerizing interplay of colors and textures, with swirling clouds of gas and dust illuminated by bright, young stars. The vibrant hues, ranging from deep reds and oranges to subtle blues and purples, reveal the intricate details of this celestial phenomenon. The image highlights the power of the James Webb Space Telescope to peer into the depths of space and unveil the wonders of the cosmos.

Outer parts of NGC 2070.
Processed by @thocarp.bsky.social
www.flickr.com/photos/19746...
🔭 🧪

Imaging technique shows new details of peptide structures Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis outline how they used a chemical probe to light up interlocking peptides. Their technique will help scientists differentiate synthetic peptides...

Shout-out to @lewlab.com which creates the tools to allow scientists to look at the mysterious blobs in action. #microscopy 🧪🔬
engineering.washu.edu/news/2024/Im...

Beyond XX and XY: The Extraordinary Complexity of Sex Determination A host of factors figure into whether someone is female, male or somewhere in between

If anyone happens to need it this week for...reasons...this is the best graphic on the complexity of human sex determination I've ever seen. I use it in an undergrad course on gene regulatory mechanisms. Shoutout to @unamandita.bsky.social!

www.scientificamerican.com/article/beyo...

Harnessing plant biosynthesis for the development of next-generation therapeutics Genomics-based predictions indicate that plants harbor the ability to make a vast array of as yet undiscovered chemistry. This Perspective argues that recent advances open up the potential to harness ...

Harnessing plant biosynthesis for the development of next-generation therapeutics

journals.plos.org/plosbiology/...
#science

High fertiliser use halves numbers of pollinators, world’s longest study finds Even average use of nitrogen fertilisers cut flower numbers fivefold and halved pollinating insects

High fertiliser use halves numbers of pollinators, world’s longest study finds

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

#GreenSky

We love a great infograph.

Gardenia plants may hold chemical key to regenerating diseased human nerves Gardenias are known for their rich, earthy fragrance, waxy petals and brilliant white color that contrasts with the deep emerald green of their leaves. The plant has long been prized by herbalists, se...

Gardenias are known for their rich, earthy fragrance, waxy petals & brilliant white color that contrasts w/ the emerald green of their leaves. Now, scientists have found that a compound in gardenia plants can prompt regeneration of damaged nerves. By Delthia Ricks medicalxpress.com/news/2025-01...

Lots of great info gathered here that applies outside the UK.

A universe in motion seen from the International Space Station during a night pass over Earth (view fullscreen).

Oldest Human Genomes Reveal How a Small Group Burst Out of Africa (Gift Article) DNA from European fossils dating back 45,000 years offers new clues to how our species spread across the world.

Fascinating story

"If the ancestors of today’s non-Africans didn’t sweep across other continents until 47,000 years ago, then...older sites must have been occupied by earlier waves of humans who died off without passing down their DNA to the people now living in places like China and Australia." 🧪

Is the stomach bug norovirus immune to hand sanitizer? Yes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds to help kill the bug.

Hand sanitizer alone is not enough to fully guard against norovirus, which appears to be immune to alcohol-based products. The CDC recommends thorough handwashing with soap & water coloradosun.com/2024/12/23/i...