Wyn Firth

We are recruiting a postdoc to join a Wellcome Trust-funded project at LSI-Exeter, investigating the role of neural-pancreas dynamics in maintaining glucose homeostasis. 🐟🔬🧠
@lsiexeter.bsky.social #zebrafish #islet #postdocjobs

jobs.exeter.ac.uk/hrpr_webrecr...

Please repost 🙏

A Common Iba1 Antibody Labels Vasopressin Neurons in Mice There are a wide variety of commercially available antibodies for labeling microglial cells based on different protein targets, as well as antibodies for the same protein target made in different spec...

PSA for all #microglia lovers: certain Iba1 antibodies (see our new paper below for details) label not only microglia, but also vasopressin neurons, at least in mice. Brain region and species matter. A friendly reminder to always validate your antibodies! 🔬

www.eneuro.org/content/13/2...

PhD: Novel neuroimmune iPSC-organoid models Four year PhD in Edinburgh to develop an iPSC organoid model with integrated glial cells supervised by Bowles, McColl and Williams exploring neuronal health.

Four year PhD in Edinburgh to develop an iPSC organoid model with integrated glial cells supervised by Bowles, McColl and Williams exploring neuronal health. Closing date: 15th December

www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/job/phd-nove...

The Energetic Collapse of the Alzheimer's Brain: Metabolic Inflexibility Across Cells and Networks Metabolic inflexibility in Alzheimer's disease. Schematic illustrating the biphasic trajectory of metabolic activity relative to canonical Alzheimer's disease (AD) biomarkers. In the presymptomatic p...

Our new review is out today!

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗽𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗹𝘇𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗿’𝘀 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻: 𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗔𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝗖𝗲𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀

We argue that Alzheimer’s disease is not just a problem of brain hypometabolism, but a disorder of metabolic inflexibility.

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

My SWBio PhD DTP project with Lukasz Chrobok (@chroboklab.bsky.social) and Kate Elliott (@neuroendo.bsky.social) is now advertised:

Run, sleep, repeat: Regular exercise for good health and longevity.

bpb-eu-w2.wpmucdn.com/blogs.bristo...

Small things matter: Lack of extraislet β cells in type 1 diabetes Early loss of small extraislet β cells in children with type 1 diabetes could explain age-related differences in disease.

Congratulations to @sarahibex.bsky.social and Team at the University of Exeter Medical school (@hls.exeter.ac.uk) on the breakthrough study on #diabetes pathology

www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

We're seeking a motivated postdoc to help us and NovoNordisk generate cutting-edge human cellular models of metabolic disease. For details & to apply (by 6th Oct), see: cam.ac.uk/jobs/researc.... If you think someone in your network might be interested, please share. Thank you!

Insulin evokes release of endozepines from astrocytes of the NTS to modulate glucose metabolism in male rats The central nervous system (CNS) plays a key role in regulating metabolic functions, but conditions like obesity and diabetes can disrupt this balance…

Studies in rats reveals that insulin–dependent release of endozepines from NTS-astrocytes is fundamental to control blood glucose levels www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Mechanism and cellular actions of the potent AMPK inhibitor BAY-3827 The mechanism and unique molecular/cellular features of the potent and selective AMPK inhibitor BAY-3827 are unraveled.

Latest publication from the lab spearheaded by @shoreseashell.bsky.social & in collaboration with @zeqiraj.bsky.social is out. Using structural, biochemical & computational tools, this work sheds light on the mechanism of action of BAY-3827 in inhibiting #AMPK 1/3
www.science.org/doi/full/10....

Immunofluorescence image of iPSC-derived astrocytes. Green: GFAP, magenta: S100b, blue: nuclei (DAPI)

A bit late to the #MicroscopyMonday and #FluorescenceFriday parties - on the microscope at the time!
Fruits of a (very hard) side project: #iPSC derived #astrocytes

Looking forward to some functional testing next!

Green: GFAP, magenta: S100b, blue: DAPI

#neuroskyence #glia #astrocytes
🔬🧫✨🧪

PhD:GW4 BioMed2 MRC DTP Studentship | University of Exeter   The GW4 BioMed2 MRC DTP is offering up to 17 funded studentships across a range of biomedical disciplines, with a start date of October 2026.

www.exeter.ac.uk/study/fundin...

Congratulations @neuroendo.bsky.social!!🎉

Astrocyte networks span large swaths of brain The networks are plastic, connect brain regions that aren’t connected by neurons and may enable long-distance communication between astrocytes, a new preprint shows.

www.thetransmitter.org/astrocytes/a...

Astrocyte networks are much larger than previously thought, which “flips the way we think about astrocytes and what their networks may mean,” says @liddelowsa.bsky.social.

By @callimcflurry.bsky.social

#neuroskyence

www.thetransmitter.org/astrocytes/a...

Now on bioRxiv! Astrocytes in one brain region (cyan) communicate in expansive networks (magenta). Through tool development, tissue clearing, and many hours on our @zeiss-microscopy.bsky.social Z1, we now know these networks are repeatable across mice, plastic, and specific.
doi.org/10.1101/2025...

Converting percepts into actions in the visual cortex and superior colliculus. at University of Glasgow on FindAPhD.com PhD Project - Converting percepts into actions in the visual cortex and superior colliculus. at University of Glasgow, listed on FindAPhD.com

🚨Funded PhD studentship co-supervised by me and @matthewwself.bsky.social. Using neuropixels, behaviour, viral tracing and optogenetics you’ll study how visual areas enhance target representations vs background to support goal-oriented actions.

eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com?url=https%3A...

Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali - Blog – Does the research funding process need reforming? Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali questions the fairness of funding processes and explores alternatives that could better support innovation and equity in research.

The research funding process in #academia is highly subjective, decisions are vulnerable to bias, and the process may be actively encouraging bad practice.

In this @dementiaresearcher.bsky.social blog, I explain why it needs reforming. ⬇️

www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-does-th...

And a pleasant #fluoresencefriday surprise too. Makes all those hours on the confocal worthwhile!

Huge thanks to the funders @fightforsight.bsky.social for organising an amazing day for #ECR #networking!

Image of human stem cell derived retinal ganglion cells in culture. Green = beta-3-tubulin, neural marker Magenta = gamma synuclein Blue = nuclei

Beyond chuffed to have received “Best Image” at #F4SECR2025 today, for this image. This is one of our batches of patient-derived retinal ganglion cells. A great #ECR #neuroscience day, with amazing advice for #PPI to broaden the horizons of our research - and apply it to the people it benefits! 🔬🧫👨‍🔬

Science minister outlines plans for 10-year R&D funding - Research Professional News Long-term budgets will “provide certainty” and “unlock vital business investment”, says Patrick Vallance

🚨BREAKING🚨

Science minister outlines plans for 10-year R&D funding.

Long-term budgets will “provide certainty” and “unlock vital business investment”, says Patrick Vallance.

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...

Interested in understanding how neural-pancreas interplay contributes to blood sugar control? We have an exciting PhD project to study galanin regulation of pancreatic #islet hormone secretion in live #zebrafish

www.exeter.ac.uk/research/ins...

Want to know more about how American Football impacts your brain health? I've got a study going and looking to recruit participants!

4 hours of your time and a little bit of blood, ideally in Exeter, but could also do Bristol, UK

Any questions? Please contact me by DM or email

#BrainHealth #TBI

Are you a postdoc or student working on a neuroendocrine research project?

Get up to £8,000 support for consumables/other research costs to enable you to carry out the best possible neuroendocrine research project.

Deadline 2 June 2025

Apply: www.neuroendo.org.uk...

A representative spatial plot of endocrine objects in the pancreas, with the colour change reflecting the size of the endocrine objects

Small things really do matter in type 1 diabetes. Exciting work from the Exeter SMF Grand Challenge team provides important insights into why #T1D in children may differ from T1D in adults. Important implications for screening strategies and future treatments. Check out our new bioRxiv paper 👇

Varicose-projection astrocytes: a reactive phenotype associated with neuropathology Glial cells are fundamental for the pathophysiology of all neurological disorders. Astrocytes, the primary homeostatic cells of the central nervous system (CNS), exhibit species-specific characteristi...

🚨The first #preprint of the #FalconeLab is OUT!🥹🚨

We found that varicose-projection astrocytes are not a physiological type of #astrocytes but they are rather associated with neuropathology.

Read more here, feedback is welcome!!

More details👇👇
1/
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Seeing the world through the eyes of cultured cells The metabolic environment experienced by cultured cells often differs from physiological conditions. Here, we highlight the effects that the microenvironment can have on cultured cell behavior and advocate for researchers to re-evaluate culture practices…

Online now: Seeing the world through the eyes of cultured cells

Anyone interested in working with me at Institute of Metabolic Science - Metabolic Research Laboratories, University of Cambridge, on how AMGEN's new obesity drug MariTide works? I have a 3 year postdoc position available! Deadline March 31st! please share www.jobs.cam.ac.uk/job/50529/