Ben Sajdak 🐿️

It’s a vision party here in Iowa City! Looking forward to great talks and posters today. I heard they saved the best session for last with @shyamraji.bsky.social, me, @cubical.bsky.social and @clark-lab-retina.bsky.social, and keynote by @sabanlab.bsky.social.

A major NIH grant to study ways to restore hearing was terminated by the Trump administration bc it was awarded through a DEI initiative—to a researcher who qualified bc of his own hearing loss www.cnn.com/2025/07/29/h... @manorlaboratory.bsky.social

Nobel laureate on how Trump's cuts are hurting science Neuroscientist, biologist and 2021 Nobel Prize winner Ardem Patapoutian joined Midday Edition to talk about how the Trump administration's effort to cut back on science spending is impacting researche...

I spoke with Jade Hindmon, host of @kpbssandiego.bsky.social Midday Edition, about the consequences of the current administration’s cuts to science funding. Please share to help spread the word and raise awareness.
www.kpbs.org/podcasts/kpb...

The NIH is getting most of the attention but this administration gutting funding across ALL areas of scientific research and investment, in EVERY FIELD. Say goodbye to America being a scientific and innovating leader in biology, physics, chemistry, math, etc. we’re talking 50-90% cuts to funding.

NIH details how Trump budget would cut support for grants, training, and research centers President Trump's 2026 budget proposes cutting NIH grants to universities, academic medical centers, and other institutions by 43%

~40% cuts to NIH research awards.
~35% cuts to training programs.
~27% cut to internal research.
~30% fewer grants awarded overall.
The Common Fund will be cut in half.
American science has never faced a threat like this.
www.statnews.com/2025/06/06/n... via @statnews.com

Moment of superior professionalism: I sat and snickered to myself after seeing the typo "NPH" instead of "NHP", while trying to picture what a non-primate human might look like. I was unable to get any other major takeaways from the presentation.

Intimidation decoration

Had a wonderful time catching up with vision colleagues at #arvo2025 in SLC!

Are we all destined to be content creators? I don’t wanna!

Update: Actually it’s just been really nice to see everyone. Sure conversation often steers towards the bummers and uncertainties of our current administration’s attack on research. But, as others have said, “we’re trauma bonding!” and “it’ll get better, I just don’t know when.”

Antipicated small talk at the upcoming vision conference:

Hey there! How are you doing?
Not great. How about you?
Also not good. It’s a shame about those Bucks too huh?
Yes. Quite a shame.
…
Well! Take care—it was nice to see you!

Squirrels could be the key to getting us into deep space Plus, Tuberculosis helped shape the world as we know it.

Squirrels could be the key to getting us into deep space www.popsci.com/science/squi...

I think NASA might be next up for the DOGE “burn it down and see what happens” strategy… but we have a pretty exciting grant being reviewed for Phase 2 to help move this stuff forward.

This is great news! It’s the main thing I want to accomplish this weekend..

SQUIRREL APPRECIATION DAY - January 21 SQUIRREL APPRECIATION DAY On January 21st, Squirrel Appreciation Day recognizes a critter some consider a pest and others see as just fascinating. The creator,

Happy #squirrelappreciationday to those who celebrate! 🐿️
www.nationaldaycalendar.com/national-day...

Co-hosting a webinar tomorrow on leveraging novel animal models for translational research at 11am EST. APS usually uploads their webinars to YouTube a few days after if you want to check it out later. www.physiology.org/detail/event...

Flyer for a visual neuroscience course with colorful images of scientific data and model species.

I am thrilled to announce that Rich Kramer and I are co-directing a BRAND NEW hands-on visual neuroscience course at the MBL. August 1-16, 2025. Details in this flyer. Trainees please apply. And everyone, please spread the word!

Stroke-induced neuroplasticity in spiny mice in the absence of tissue regeneration - npj Regenerative Medicine npj Regenerative Medicine - Stroke-induced neuroplasticity in spiny mice in the absence of tissue regeneration

Great paper describing spiny mouse adaptations after stroke. Also convincingly showing they do not regenerate brain tissue the same way they do other organ systems.

Sweet now I can get a ‘’Zelda is my therapy’ bumper sticker and know it’s backed by science.

If you are a postdoc or junior faculty doing translational research in a unique model organism, and want to attend APS 2025 - you should apply for this travel award we made just for you! Deadline Jan 6th.
www.physiology.org/professional...

Out today in IOVS @arvoinfo.bsky.social
Neuroscience student Fei Shang's first publication

density and distribution of vessels in the healthy retinal circulation
doi.org/10.1167/iovs.65.14.3

@cvsuor.bsky.social
@urneuroscience.bsky.social @flaumeye.bsky.social

Not sure if there are sports here. But holy moly what a bunch of crazy NFL games today 🤯

How 😎 is this? My lab members bought me a puzzle for my birthday...and it's an #adaptiveoptics #AOSLO image of my retina! We all worked on it today, but I got to work on the foveolar cones.

Report: Every dollar of NIH research funding doubles in economic returns Research funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) generated $2.46 in economic activity for every $1 of funding in 2023, a total of $92.9 billion, according to an

Terrific piece summarizing a recent report: Every dollar of NIH research funding doubles in economic returns

www.fiercebiotech.com/research/rep...

This has quickly risen to the top of my short list of gift ideas for the lab.

I second that, absolutely foundational to my career. I was lucky enough to go in 2015, and my "certificate of survival" is one of my favorite office decorations. You'll learn a lot of great stuff, but connections made will last a lifetime! The instructors and speakers for 2025 are amazing. Do it!

I'm starting to lose a sense of how to use social media. But it is interesting to get all these followers within a few weeks just by association to the scientific community. Excited to check this periodically now that all these great people are here!

Does she... do rodent taxidermy? This is pretty incredible

We're hiring several positions at Fauna Bio! If you're interested in a job to help translate disease resistance adaptations to human therapeutics, reach out! Tell your friends! www.faunabio.com/careers