Shelly Flagel

Call for papers for a Special Issue on Big Data, AI and Machine Learning in Addiction research, guest edited by @flagel-lab.bsky.social and @gavanm.bsky.social in @psychopharmacology.bsky.social link.springer.com/collections/...

That is what I usually do too, but it wasn't a good strategy while pipetting. 😏

I was excited to get into the lab today to help out with an experiment...until I realized I now need readers to make out the labels on eppendorfs and pipettes. #oldPIproblems 🔬🧪🔎

In this case, I think the difference is our treatment paradigm. We are using a chronic GLP-1 receptor agonist treatment regimen (similar to that humans experience), whereas most of what we know from the preclinical literature to-date is based on acute treatment.

Yes, there is a lot of literature to support a dampening of motivation for food- and drug-rewards, but the big difference here is that we used a chronic treatment regimen (similar to that humans experience); whereas most preclinical studies I am familiar with use acute treatment regimens.

Grateful for the outstanding efforts of THE TEAM, led by Steve Chang, and generous support from the University of Michigan Research Scouts Program (OORRS033123) and NIH (T32DA060142: Christopher Turner, T32DA007281: Daniela Pereira, R25GM086262: Natalia Morales Pagán).

This marks an important first step toward understanding the psychological and neurobiological impacts of chronic GLP-1 receptor agonist treatment. We have a lot more work to do! 4/

a cartoon of garfield with the words how i feel right now above him ALT: a cartoon of garfield with the words how i feel right now above him

While these findings may at first seem counterintuitive compared to reports from human subjects, they suggest that these drugs amplify the reinforcing effects of small rewards and associated cues, leading to quicker satiety. 3/

a cartoon of homer simpson eating a hamburger with the words trendizisst at the bottom ALT: a cartoon of homer simpson eating a hamburger with the words trendizisst at the bottom

We set out to explore how GLP-1 receptor agonists influence incentive motivational processes. Surprisingly, chronic semaglutide treatment increased motivation for food and associated cues under restricted access, but decreased overall consumption when food was freely available. 2/

Chronic semaglutide treatment enhances the incentive motivational value of a small food reward and associated cue in male and female rats Rationale: Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists, such as semaglutide, are increasingly utilized in clinical practice due to their efficacy in promoting sustained weight loss following chr...

Excited to share our new GLP-1 receptor agonist study! Chronic semaglutide potentiates motivation for small food rewards and associated cues, but reduces intake when food is freely available—surprising twist! #GLP-1, #behavior #neuroscience #pharmacology 1/
🔗 www.biorxiv.org/cgi/content/...

A hand holding a Black In Neuro 5 year pin with a pile of them on a table in the background. The pin is a gorgeous gold laurel wreath with the original Black In Neuro logo on top and the big gold glittery 5 on the bottom

A hand holding a Black In Neuro 5 year pin against a white linen background. The pin is a gorgeous gold laurel wreath with the original Black In Neuro logo on top and the big gold glittery 5 on the bottom

If you didn’t get a chance to purchase the exclusive 5-year #BlackInNeuro pin last night, I have more with me today! ✨

We’re asking for $15 donations to support BIN programming ❤️ blackinneuro.com/donate

Allies are welcome to purchase pins as well 🙌🏾 #SfN25

We ate well last night (in a tent, indoors, with s'mores for dessert), and are energized to talk science today at #SfN2025. Come visit our posters:
AA14 this morning
Y11, GG13, HH11 this afternoon

Go support all the amazing early career scientists who will be presenting their posters tonight from 6:45 - 8:45 at #SfN2025. This includes Flagel Lab graduate student, Princess Felix, who received a SfN Trainee Professional Development Award. 👏👏👏

We're looking forward to telling you what we've been up to at #sfn25. Flagel Lab posters are all on Monday. Come say hi and speak to these amazing trainees about their research!

Our last virtual open house for the season for our University of Michigan #neuroscience #graduateprogram is Wednesday October 29th, from 7-8:30 PM EST. If you would like to join us, please register by 9 AM Wednesday by scanning the QR code below. 👇

Our first virtual open house for the University of Michigan #neuroscience #graduateprogram is tomorrow, October 15th, from 7-8:30 PM EST. If you would like to join us, please register by 9 AM tomorrow using this link: forms.gle/N6LjUrfrr6qL... or scan the QR code below. 👇

It was a great day @westernu.ca, and such an honor to be selected by students for the Treva Glazebrook Lecture. Thank you, Kendra Loedige, for being a wonderful host. Great to see you and catch up, @drjkhokhar.bsky.social - thanks for teaching me about academia in Canada. 🤩🇨🇦

Interested in #graduateprograms in #neuroscience? Come learn about our Neuroscience Graduate Program at the University of Michigan. We are offering virtual and in person opportunities to do so in October and November. #SfN2025 #SACNAS #ABRCMS

See flyer below and #GoBlue! 👇

A Combined Neuroanatomy, Ex Vivo Imaging, and Immunohistochemistry Defined MRI Mask for the Human Paraventricular Nucleus of the Thalamus Existing definitions of the human paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT) differ between histological and MRI atlases; this study addresses this conflict by leveraging MRI and histology in the ...

Published! to NAIL human paraventricular thalamus, we imaged & aligned postmortem human thalamus labeled c calretinin. Finally a gold standard allowing mouse, rat human comparisons onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/... @ted-satterthwaite.bsky.social @flagel-lab.bsky.social @mikeyassa.bsky.social l

Prof. Shelly Flagel and Prof. Jacinta Beehner of the University of Michigan on goal/sign tracking Podcast Episode · Scientific Sense ® · 09/21/2025 · 57m

Always fun to chat with Gill Eapen @ Scientific Sense, and made even more fun with @jbeehner.bsky.social. Learn a bit more about our investigations of sign-/goal-tracking in wild white-faced capuchins, and other related topics. 👇
Audio: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/p...
Video: youtu.be/NUPI0xNj5U8

It's been fun. Thanks for hosting us, beautiful Almería, and thanks to everyone at #EBPS2025 for making it a fantastic meeting. Hoping everyone has safe and easy travels. 🤞 See you at #EBPS2027 in Cork!

A brilliant keynote today by @jfcryan.bsky.social at the EBPS meeting on how the gut shapes behavior, including striking causal evidence for microbiome’s role in social behaviors. A masterclass of body-brain complexity! & with an impressive depth of data and the right dose of humor!

Presidents dinner at #EBPS2025. So great to connect with EC members featuring 5 EBPS presidents

Registration booth is open! Get there early to avoid lines and get your awesome swag! ##EBPS2025 @eurbehavpharm.bsky.social

#EBPS2025 we'll be ready for you tomorrow!

Anyone else EXCITED about #EBPS2025? 🎉
Safe travels to everyone coming from around the globe to gather with us in Almeria! 🌎✈️
We still have work to do, but I am proud of our geographic representation at this small meeting.
Thank you @connorhaggarty.bsky.social and Margarita Moreno for the image!

NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP)

The GRFP lives!! (due end of October)
www.nsf.gov/funding/oppo...

Did my best to stay positive for our "2025–2026 State of the Lab" address. Here’s to keeping the science (and this awesome crew) afloat.

#FluoresenceFriday capturing the beauty and complexity of midline thalamic nuclei - projections to/from & c-fos (teal). Maybe there is more to the midline thalamus than the PVT? 😉 Thanks to postdoc, Stephanie Desrochers, and undergraduate student, Lea Hsu, for capturing! 🤩

#ThisWeekInNPP

Drs. Beehner (@jbeehner.bsky.social) & Flagel (@flagel-lab.bsky.social) of UMichigan call for more experimental & mechanistic field research to provide causal insights & complement lab studies, thereby ⬆️ the translational value of behavioral neuroscience research 🐭🐵🧒