Andrew Leifer

Big picture: community structure of C. elegans connectome and an "effectome" derived from insane stimulation experiments (see shorturl.at/vYEDZ) are poorly aligned (except for pharynx, oddly).

Wires ≠ propagation paths.

A truly interesting wrinkle in the tapestry of structure-function papers.

2/3

So stoked to see this in press!

Diverging network architecture of the C. elegans connectome and signaling network

journal: journals.aps.org/prxlife/acce...
preprint: arxiv.org/abs/2412.14498

1/3

Join me tomorrow June 11 2-3 ET for an @apsphysics.bsky.social‬ webinar with co-authors Andrea Liu and Sidney Nagel about how scientists can speak up for the rights of scientists, the independence of our institutions and the rule of law. Register here: apsphysics.zoom.us/meeting/regi...

Panelists: Andrew Leifer (@andrewleifer.bsky.social‬), Andrea Liu, and Sid Nagel.

Moderator: Chris Lynn (@chriswlynn.bsky.social‬).

Science is built on public trust, federal funding, and academic freedom. All of these are currently being eroded, but what can we do?

Join us for an online panel on "Being a Voice for Science" (June 11, 2-3pm ET).

Info and registration: engage.aps.org/dbio/resourc...

US researchers must stand up to protect freedoms, not just funding Curtailment of freedoms and disregard for the rule of law in the United States is destroying the ability of science to serve the nation’s, and the world’s, interests. Researchers can take action.

New op-ed in @nature.com: The Trump administration's assault on freedoms and the rule of law is an existential threat to US science. We urge scientists to speak out in defense of freedoms, not just funding. With Andrea Liu @upenn.edu and Sidney Nagel of UChicago! www.nature.com/articles/d41...

Those trying to understand the tariffs as economic policy are dangerously naive.

No, the tariffs are a tool to collapse our democracy. A means to compel loyalty from every business that will need to petition Trump for relief.

1/ A 🧵 to explain his plan and how we fight back.

I know it's crazy timing, nuts but Michigan Biophysics is hiring on the tenure track! App deadline is May 15. Join our interdisciplinary community. careers.umich.edu/job_detail/2...

Professional societies can speak out against encroaching authoritarianism A first post and a first step.

Professional societies have an important role to play in pushing back against encroaching authoritarianism. My colleagues and I are lobbying for tougher stances from our professional societies and you can too. andrewleifer.substack.com/p/profession...

To stop intimidation, Eisgruber needs your help When targeting one institution is a bald attempt to divide and conquer, as is the case with Columbia, it is essential for a coalition or group of institutions and individuals to stand up together.&nbs...

"We are passionate about science and its benefits to society, but we fear more what will happen if we do not help defend everyone’s fundamental rights." Op-ed I co-wrote w/ @samwang.bsky.social @jpillowtime.bsky.social @ilanawitten.bsky.social & David Tank www.dailyprincetonian.com/article/2025...

Differentially modulated olfactory learning in C. elegans. Top left: Protocol for butanone associative training in worms. Top right: After exposure to different training regimens, worms’ olfactory navigation is measured in a controlled odor environment. Bottom: Example trajectory after three different training conditions.

How do worms navigate based on learned experience? @andrewleifer.bsky.social @jpillowtime.bsky.social &co reveal flexible behavioral strategies & distributed neural computations underlying learning-dependent odor #navigation in #Celegans @plosbiology.org 🧪 plos.io/4bYZs7c

Wow! Check out this thoughtful and mindbending preprint from Jacob Bien and colleagues describing their experience teaching non-technical MBA students data science via Github Copilot: "Generative AI for Data Science 101: Coding Without Learning To Code" arxiv.org/abs/2401.17647

Plugging invisible gaps in the synaptic connectome Two new maps of the roundworm nervous system detail how neurons communicate with short proteins called neuropeptides outside synapses.

Plugging invisible gaps in the synaptic connectome

By @elissawelle.bsky.social

www.thetransmitter.org/connectome/p...

Full-disclosure: there are also two supplementary figures in addition to the single maintext figure.

Fig 1 E Gauthey et al., Curr Bio 2024

Congrats to authors Wayan Gauthey, Francesco Randi, Anuj Sharma and Sandeep Kumar!

Supp Fig 1 from Gauthey et al., Curr Bio 2024

Immobilized worms exhibit stereotyped neural oscillations often called manifolds. We wondered: are they internally generated? Gauthey shows that bright light commonly used for imaging is sufficient to evoke the oscillations and that a known light-sensitive pathway contributes.

Fig 1 form Gauthey et al., Current Bio 2024

New single-figure paper out in Current Biology: Light evokes stereotyped global brain dynamics in C. elegans by first author Wayan Gauthey. doi.org/10.1016/j.cu...

One more week to apply for our joint faculty position in Princeton Neuroscience Institute and Computer Science Dept, in neuroAI and intelligent systems, broadly construed. Do you fit? Yes. But feel free to contact me with q's. puwebp.princeton.edu/AcadHire/app...