UC Davis Center for Neuroscience

Image by Chetan Nagaraja, Ph.D./Griffith Lab. Confocal microscopy image of sensory proprioceptive axons (red) targeting alpha motor neurons (green) in the mouse spinal cord.

Thank you to UCLA Professor @mayankmehta.bsky.social for kicking off the 𝗖𝗡𝗦 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗡𝗲𝘂𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱–𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗦𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 today with a fantastic talk!

We’re excited for another inspiring year of seminars exploring bold ideas and breakthroughs in neuroscience. 🧠✨

Have a look at how research @ucdavis.bsky.social continues to impact daily lives and shape our future.
#UCDavisDelivers #UCDD #ResearchImpact
bit.ly/4kJPNV0

UC Davis Researchers Look at How the Brain Prioritizes What We See How we focus our attention before we even see an object matters. For example, when we look for something moving in the sky, our expectation would be very different if the object is a bird flying past ...

@ucdavis.bsky.social scientists in a new study looked at how a person's brain interprets what the eyes see. Learn more.
@sfnjournals.bsky.social
@ucdlands.bsky.social
@ucdaviscns.bsky.social
@ucdavismind.bsky.social
www.ucdavis.edu/news/uc-davi...

Postdoc spotlight: Esteban Moreno investigates neural circuit function and dysfunction to better understand psychiatric and neurological disorders.

🌟 Happy #PDAW2025! 🌟 Meet Esteban Merino, Ph.D., a postdoc in the Fioravante Lab @ucdavis.bsky.social. Esteban investigates neural circuit function & dysfunction to better understand psychiatric & neurological disorders. Learn more about research in the Fioravante Lab: www.fioravantelab.ucdavis.edu

Postdoc spotlight: Dr. Catherine Carpenter research focus is memory and aging.

For #PDAW2025 we’re spotlighting Catherine Carpenter, Ph.D., postdoc in the Yonelinas Lab at CNS. Her research focuses on memory and healthy aging, with the goal of helping older adults maintain independence and memory longer. 🧠💡Learn more: yonelinas.faculty.ucdavis.edu
#BrainHealth

UC Davis Center for Neuroscience postdoc spotlight: Dr. Juan Flores research interests include synaptic plasticity, learning and molecular signaling.

This #NationalPostdocAppreciationWeek, we celebrate Dr. Juan Flores/Zito Lab at CNS! 🎉 Juan studies how neurons change during learning and memory, with the goal of identifying therapeutic targets for brain disorders. Learn more about research in the Zito Lab: zitolab.faculty.ucdavis.edu

Postdoc spotlight: Dr. Anabella Di Pietro studies the role of microglial cells in the development and progression of Alzheimer's disease.

Celebrating #PostdocAppreciationWeek2025 🎉 Meet Anabella DiPietro, Ph.D., postdoc in the 𝗚𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗽 at CNS. She studies microglial cells and their role in Alzheimer’s disease, aiming to identify new strategies to prevent or treat brain disorders. www.gliomics-lab.com #CuresCantWait

UC Davis Center for Neuroscience postdoc spotlight: Dr. Amanda Iglesias, studying neural circuits of motivation and reward-related psychopathologies.

Celebrating #PostdocAppreciationWeek2025 🎉Meet Amanda Iglesias, Ph.D., postdoc in the Fioravante Lab at CNS. She investigates the neural circuits underlying motivated behavior and reward-related psychopathologies. Learn more about research in the Fioravante Lab: www.fioravantelab.ucdavis.edu

UC Davis Center for Neuroscience postdoc spotlight: Dr. Alavie Mirfathollahi, studying neural oscillations and brain stimulation therapies for Parkinson’s disease.

Our next #NPAW2025 spotlight is 💫Alavie Mirfathollahi, Ph.D.,💫a postdoctoral scholar in @carinaoehrn.bsky.social's lab at the Center for Neuroscience @ucdavis.bsky.social. Learn more: oehrnlab.ucdavis.edu #PostdocAppreciationWeek2025 #LabsToLives #CuresCantWait

Very cool new results from @alexbarnett.bsky.social !

UC Davis Center for Neuroscience postdoc spotlight: Dr. Qianqian Wan, studying human perception, learning and memory.

Happy National Postdoc Appreciation Week! We're thrilled to spotlight 💫Dr. Qianqian Wan💫, a postdoctoral scholar in @charan-neuro.bsky.social's Dynamic Memory Lab and Dr. Joy Geng's Attention Lab @ucdavis.bsky.social. Learn more: dml.ucdavis.edu #PostdocAppreciationWeek2025 #NPAW2025 #LabsToLives

Graphic for National Postdoc Appreciation Week 2025 from the UC Davis Center for Neuroscience. It features a portrait of Dr. Felipe Méndez-Salcido wearing glasses and a blazer. Text highlights his role as a Postdoctoral Scholar in the Hanks Lab, affiliated with the UC Davis Center for Neuroscience and UC Davis Conte Center, and notes his research on molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying schizophrenia.

In honor of 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗱𝗼𝗰 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱, we're highlighting 11 incredible postdoctoral researchers who work in CNS labs @ucdavis.bsky.social! Learn more about Dr. Méndez-Salcido's research: neuroscience.ucdavis.edu/news/center-...

#PostdocAppreciationWeek2025 #LabsToLives #CuresCantWait

We are looking for our next colleague. Feel free to reach out to me if you have questions!

Center for Neuroscience Names Marie Burns New Director Vision neuroscientist Marie E. Burns has been appointed the sixth director of the Center for Neuroscience (CNS), effective July 1, 2025, after serving as interim director for the past year.A professor...

We’re thrilled to announce that Marie E. Burns, professor of Ophthalmology & Vision Science and Cell Biology & Human Anatomy at @ucdavishealth.bsky.social, has been appointed the director of the UC Davis Center for Neuroscience! bit.ly/45MsRic

New study examining predictive eye movements during naturalistic events. These effects can occur without awareness and show sleep-mediated consolidation effects. Cool stuff! (I only made a small contribution to the study but it was fun to be involved)

Psychedelics and Non-hallucinogenic Analogs Work Through the Same Receptor, Up to a Point Understanding exactly how psychedelics promote new connections in the brain is critical to developing targeted, non-hallucinogenic therapeutics that can treat neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric di...

Greg Watry of @ucdlands.bsky.social wrote a wonderful article about the #UCDavisIPN's @natureportfolio.nature.com most recent Neuroscience publication. Find out why our associate director, John A. Gray said, "Science is full of surprises."

Read the article here: www.ucdavis.edu/news/psyched...

The psychoplastogen tabernanthalog induces neuroplasticity without proximate immediate early gene activation - Nature Neuroscience Aarrestad et al. show that, in contrast to psychedelics, the nonhallucinogenic psychoplastogen tabernanthalog promotes neuroplasticity through 5-HT2AR activation without immediately increasing extrace...

The field of psychedelic science is finally closer to an answer on how non-hallucinogenic psychedelic analogues induce neuroplasticity.  Read the new publication from the #UCDavisIPN in @natureportfolio.nature.com Neuroscience about how the team uncovered this using TBG, lasers, and genetic tools.

Super cool to see this replayed! @nprfreshair.bsky.social

The keynote presentation of #TAMeG2025 10th Anniversary 🌟 was by Dr. Charan Ranganath on “Why (and how) we remember🧠 Thank you Dr. Ranganath for an *incredible* presentation on the organization of narrative recall @charan-neuro.bsky.social @brianlevine.bsky.social

🔑 takeaways below⬇️

Six young adults stand in a line outdoors, smiling in casual attire, with trees and sunlight in the background.

Congratulations to the 2025–2026 NIMH 𝗟𝗮𝗠𝗣 T32 trainees @ucdavis.bsky.social! 🎉

Nam Nguyen (Boorman Lab)
Stephanie Norris (Yonelinas Lab)
Teresina Berni (DeBello Lab)
Zachary Oakland (Trainor Lab)
Alessandra Miller (Gareau Lab)
Ruben Berumen (Hell Lab)

Excited to see the amazing science ahead! 🧠🔬

🧠✨Congratulations to the awesome undergraduates who work in CNS labs and showcased their research at the 𝟯𝟲𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗱𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵, 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗮𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲.

We are incredibly proud of their hard work and curiosity — the future of neuroscience is bright!! 🧬🔬

Modifying LSD to Minimize Hallucinogenic Properties Results in a Potential New Drug Candidate for Schizophrenia | Brain & Behavior Research Foundation Some psychedelic compounds have been shown to be powerful promoters of growth in atrophied cortical neurons, a fact that has intrigued researchers interested in addressing one of the hallmark patholog...

Check out this write-up on JRT, an LSD analogue created at the #UCDavisIPN published last week in @pnas.org. Thanks to BBRF for highlighting our research on how swapping just two atoms could change how schizophrenia is treated. Read more about our latest study here:

From Labs to Lives UC Davis researchers describe the impact of their work and the life-altering consequences if federal funding for medical research were reduced or eliminated.

www.ucdavis.edu/research/lab...
@ucdavis.bsky.social
@ucdavishealth.bsky.social
@ucdavisplants.bsky.social
@ucdaviscns.bsky.social
@ucdavispsych.bsky.social

Thank you, Greg Watry, for this write-up on JRT, our non-hallucinogenic LSD analog from the #UCDavisIPN. This compound has the potential to treat patients affected by schizophrenia! @ucdavismedschool.bsky.social @ucdlands.bsky.social @ucdaviscns.bsky.social

Dynamic Memory Lab_Jr Specialist_Ranganath University of California, Davis is hiring. Apply now!

I'm looking for a new full-time research assistant ("junior specialist"). It's not quite "lab manager" because I have someone who takes care of the administrative tasks, and here I'm looking for someone to help us get research done! Info is below, please pass on to any talented candidates, thanks!

The Oehrn Lab @carinaoehrn.bsky.social at CNS is hiring two postdocs in human intracranial neurophysiology and neuromodulation—studying cognitive and emotional processing in the cerebellum and basal ganglia. Learn more: oehrnlab.ucdavis.edu/open-positions

What’s at stake if federal #NIH research funding is cut? Here’s just one example of a life-changing breakthrough made possible by NIH grants. Tell Congress to #saveNIHresearch at ucal.us/saveNIHresearch

#ALS #stroke @ucdavis.bsky.social @ucdavishealth.bsky.social

Flyer for NeuroFest 10th Anniversary event hosted by the UC Davis Center for Neuroscience. The flyer features a digital brain design made of golden circuit lines against a dark background with molecular and neural network patterns. Event details: Saturday, March 8, 12:30 PM – 4:30 PM at UC Davis Conference Center, 550 Alumni Lane. Space is limited; registration deadline is February 28. Website: neuroscience.ucdavis.edu/neurofest.

Join us @ucdavis.bsky.social on March 8 for the 10th anniversary of NeuroFest, featuring talks by Drs. Alex Nord, Martine Therrien, Jochen Ditterich and Carina Oehrn;
interactive booths; NeuroArt Contest 2025; and NeuroPoster presentations by trainees! Learn more: neuroscience.ucdavis.edu/neurofest

Flyer for NeuroFest 10th Anniversary event hosted by the UC Davis Center for Neuroscience. The flyer features a digital brain design made of golden circuit lines against a dark background with molecular and neural network patterns. Event details: Saturday, March 8, 12:30 PM – 4:30 PM at UC Davis Conference Center, 550 Alumni Lane. Space is limited; registration deadline is February 28. Website: neuroscience.ucdavis.edu/neurofest.

Join us @ucdavis.bsky.social on March 8 for the 10th anniversary of NeuroFest, featuring talks by Drs. Alex Nord, Martine Therrien, Jochen Ditterich and Carina Oehrn;
interactive booths; NeuroArt Contest 2025; and NeuroPoster presentations by trainees! Learn more: neuroscience.ucdavis.edu/neurofest