Columbia University's Zuckerman Institute

Fluorescent labels reveal that a higher proportion of cells from 22q11.2 deletion syndrome patients (left) are stuck in an early phase of division (green), compared to cells from healthy individuals (right).

By growing brain-like balls of cells in lab dishes, our own Joseph Gogos and colleagues are revealing how a missing chunk of chromosome can lead to major problems in the human brain—and potential ways to treat them. Read more in @natcomms.nature.com
zuckermaninstitute.columbia.edu/3-d-brain-ce...

All 180 neurites in the brain of the roundworm P. pacificus, as revealed by electron microscopy

How do brains change over evolution? By comparing the brains of two worms in exquisite detail, research by Oliver Hobert, Steven Cook, et al. reveals evolutionary changes that might one day shed light on brain disorders. Read more in @science.org zuckermaninstitute.columbia.edu/tale-two-worms

This paper changed my life: Victoria Abraira on a tasty link between circuits and behavior The findings from Charles Zuker’s lab put the taste system on the map, revealing that some fundamental principles of behavior are hardwired.

Victoria Abraira reflects on a paper from Charles Zuker’s lab that made her wonder which aspects of somatosensory circuits are hardwired, which are plastic and how we can change them, in our latest “This paper changed my life.”

#neuroskyence

www.thetransmitter.org/this-paper-c...

Contributor: The human brain doesn't learn, think or recall like an AI. Embrace the difference Inaccurate metaphors about the mind can cause real harm, for instance leading educators to 'train' children like algorithms.

Framing human brains in terms borrowed from artificial intelligence is dangerous—writes Shohamy lab grad student @iddogefen.bsky.social in @latimes.com. He explores the harm of trying to “optimize” or “fine-tune” people—for education, health, law, art or science. tinyurl.com/2zjsv892

What was @zuckermanbrain.bsky.social up to in 2024?
See for yourself in our Yearly Recap: bit.ly/ZIyearlyrecap

Learn more: zuckermaninstitute.columbia.edu/restoring-br...

A New Study Targets Genetic Risk For Mental Illness New effort to address rare genetic conditions that dramatically raise the risk of serious mental health challenges, including schizophrenia.

Is it possible to fix the problems a missing bit of chromosome might cause in the brain? The work of our own Gogos lab, featured in @forbes.com, explores how DNA fragments might one day help reverse such memory and learning problems: www.forbes.com/sites/willia...

8 Columbia Alumni Books to Read for Pride Month These eight books celebrate the struggles and the strengths of the LGBTQ+ community.

🌈 📖 Explore memoirs, novels, essays, and more from Columbia authors that celebrate the unique stories and shared histories of the LGBTQ+ community.

Congrats to @columbiauniversity.bsky.social scientist @lintonvision.bsky.social, who received the David Marr Medal from the Applied Vision Association @theava-uk.bsky.social for "pioneering research on visual experience."

🏆 👁️ 🧠

YouTube video by Columbia University's Zuckerman Institute Breaking the Chain of Discovery?

Recent funding cuts have targeted the training of new scientists across the United States. What does this mean for the future of discovery and innovation? Reflect with us here on the dangers of losing today’s young scientists: youtu.be/AZCAs4N7alU?...

Brain scans like these helped scientists classify how study participants made decisions

How do you make a decision in a situation you’ve never encountered? Memories do much of the thinking long before you have to make the choice. Read more by Daphna Shohamy, @jonathannicholas.bsky.social and Nathaniel Daw in @natcomms.nature.com zuckermaninstitute.columbia.edu/memories-can...

Come explore the workings of the brain at Saturday Science on June 7, and help us celebrate #ManhattanvilleCommunityDay with an amazing lineup of food, fun, and activities for all! More info: www.eventbrite.com/e/saturday-s...

A mouse olfactory neuron, with solid condensates less than five days old (green) and more than five days old (magenta).

How do knots of DNA help create our sense of smell? Learn more from new research by Joan Pulupa, Natalie McArthur and Stavros Lomvardas in ‪‪‪@nature.com‬ Read: zuckermaninstitute.columbia.edu/how-knots-dn...

@columbiauniversity.bsky.social #neuroscience

Adding DNA pieces (green and yellow) to the brain’s memory center helped mice lacking a segment of DNA, mimicking a human condition linked to a missing chunk of chromosome 22.

This colorful brain image comes from a mouse with missing DNA. Its cells should be deformed and malfunctional. But scientists in the Gogos lab used DNA fragments (yellow and green) to reverse the damage. Could this help people with genetic disease? zuckermaninstitute.columbia.edu/restoring-br...

Creativity, neoteny and synaptic density may be what makes us human.

In our latest interview, SWC Seminar speaker @franckp.bsky.social (@zuckermanbrain.bsky.social) traces our cognitive uniqueness from cave art to cortical circuits.

Read the article:
www.sainsburywellcome.org/web/qa/what-...

An object detected at different distances (blue closest, pink farthest) by the electric fields of a weakly electric fish.

Why create an AI model of a fish? New research from our own Nate Sawtell & Larry Abbott, along with Denis Turcu, shows how real fish can use electricity to scan the world, findings that could help us understand our own senses, such as vision:

zuckermaninstitute.columbia.edu/how-ai-fish-...

Erica Rodriguez, PhD

What’s at stake when scientific research funds are cut? Our own @ericarodriguez.bsky.social talks about the grant canceled for her work on social behaviors (with autism and schizophrenia ties) and the impact on her career.
@gothamist.com
tinyurl.com/yc34c64b

Science is revealing DNA’s many shapes and their roles in health & disease, from the growth of a fetus to the decay of Alzheimer’s. Now Joan Pulupa, Natalie McArthur & Stavros Lomvardas discover how DNA forms loops fastened with molecular zip ties. Published in Nature: www.nature.com/articles/s41...

uncertainty, discouragement, and instability will cost the U.S. a generation of scientific talent.

In a @statnews.com opinion piece, our CEO and Director Daphna Shohamy reflects on recent funding cuts for scientists-in-training. She asks, “What am I supposed to say to this generation of young scientists?” Read more: www.statnews.com/2025/05/07/u...

For the first time, scientists Charles Zuker, Anthony Fitzpatrick, and team have mapped the tongue’s sweet sensor. This could lead to new ways to curb our insatiable attraction to sugar.
@columbiauniversity.bsky.social @cellpress.bsky.social

zuckermaninstitute.columbia.edu/scientists-m...

Steven A. Siegelbaum, PhD; Jon B. Freeman, PhD; Jennifer Merritt, PhD

Join us tomorrow for our SNF Brain Insight Lecture: how we perceive ourselves and others.

Featuring Steven A. Siegelbaum, PhD; Jon B. Freeman, PhD; moderated by Jennifer Merritt, PhD
Wednesday, May 7th, 6:30 pm (EST)

Learn more and register: zuckermaninstitute.columbia.edu/stavros-niar...

Steven A. Siegelbaum, PhD; Jon B. Freeman, PhD; Jennifer Merritt, PhD

Join us for our next Stavros Niarchos Foundation Brain Insight Lecture: how we perceive ourselves and others.

Featuring Steven Siegelbaum, PhD; Jon Freeman, PhD; moderated by Jennifer Merritt, PhD

Wednesday, May 7th, 6:30 pm. Learn more & register: zuckermaninstitute.columbia.edu/stavros-niar...

Congratulations to all our Columbia scientists recognized with NYAS 2025 Leon Levy Scholarships in Neuroscience: Matthew Eroglu, @yukihaba.bsky.social , @sreejan.bsky.social , Yuta Mabuchi and Keshav Suresh.
👏👏👏

Read more about the Scholars: bit.nyas.org/3Yoa6Pf

Today marks the first World Hormones Day!
🧠🫀 Hormones are the body’s messengers, guiding us through each phase of life with their subtle yet powerful influence 🙌🏼
@socendocrinology.bsky.social @women-in-endo.bsky.social @endocrinesociety.bsky.social
📸: Prof.Catteau Jonard at the ESE annual meeting

Achieving singularity in olfactory receptor gene expression: Come listen to our next keynote lecture by Stavros Lomvardas, Professor of Neuroscience at Columbia University! @zuckermanbrain.bsky.social

📍April 29th at 11am in NQ105 in Martinsried
Art by @somedonkey.bsky.social

A mouse neuron with the tips of branches called dendrites labeled in red.

How does the brain create mental maps of the world?
In a new @cp-neuron.bsky.social study, Justin OHare, @franckp.bsky.social & Attila Losonczy reveal how branches at the farthest tips of neurons can help us remember new places: zuckermaninstitute.columbia.edu/how-do-memor...
#neuroscience #memory

A @columbiauniversity.bsky.social researcher describes something amazing, like a memory forming. An improv group brings the science to life. This is The Lab, started in her spare time by Rajyashree Sen (with CUNO & Magnet Theater). Show 4/25! tinyurl.com/2mahut75 @researchamerica.bsky.social

Gary Struhl and Iva Greenwald

Congrats to @columbiauniversity.bsky.social scientists Gary Struhl & Iva Greenwald for winning the @gairdnerawards.bsky.social Award for their research yielding critical insights on how cells communicate with their neighbors during development. Read:
zuckermaninstitute.columbia.edu/columbia-gai...

Brain scans show areas that tend to activate when viewing art that is representational (left) vs abstract (right). (Credit: Piet Mondrian / Celia Durkin / Shohamy lab).

How does the brain respond to art? In a new @pnas.org study, by showing paintings to people while scanning their brains, Daphna Shohamy, Celia Durkin and colleagues provide a scientific test of a longstanding idea in art theory. Read:
zuckermaninstitute.columbia.edu/art-brain-be...
#neuroscience 🧠🎨

3/ Awardee @cmholab.bsky.social tackles the complex challenges of protein sequencing by leveraging microbial molecular machinery. Her work can revolutionize how we study protein function/structure & our understanding of biology🤯.
🥳Congrats Dr. Ho! @columbiauniversity.bsky.social
🙏#HFScout Ellen Yeh