Ilana Witten

Neuroscience lecture by Dr. Chris Zimmerman on Body-Brain interactions in learning

Excited to hear the latest science updates from @czimmerman.bsky.social on Monday, 1-2 pm CST. You can join us too—either on Zoom or in person! bit.ly/3VOJrcy

Two flagship papers from the International Brain Laboratory, now out in ‪@Nature.com‬:
🧠 Brain-wide map of neural activity during complex behaviour: doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-09235-0
🧠 Brain-wide representations of prior information in mouse decision-making: doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-09226-1 +

Wrote a eulogy for the yellow letters in my office window. www.thecrimson.com/article/2025...

Come work with us! @princetonneuro.bsky.social and the Department of Psychology at Princeton University are searching for a tenure-track Assistant Professor in the area of human cognitive neuroscience, to be hired jointly in Psychology and Neuroscience: puwebp.princeton.edu/AcadHire/app...

We're looking for a research assistant to work in our neuroscience lab at @princetonneuro.bsky.social @hhmi.org where we study learning and decision-making circuitry.

Apply here: research-princeton.icims.com/jobs/21001/r...

Pls share w/ anyone who might be interested!

Serotonin drives choice-independent reconfiguration of distributed neural activity Serotonin (5-HT) is a central neuromodulator which is implicated in, amongst other functions, cognitive flexibility. 5-HT is released from the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) throughout nearly the entire f...

🚨Pre-print alert🚨

We stimulated serotonin with optogenetics while doing large-scale Neuropixel recordings across the mouse brain. We found strong widespread modulation of neural activity, but no effect on the choices of the mouse 🐭

How is this possible? Strap in! (1/9) 👇🧵

doi.org/10.1101/2025...

University of Utah Health Campus in winter. Image courtesy of the University of Utah.

I’m very excited to share that I will join the University of Utah Department of Neurobiology as an Assistant Professor in Jan 2026!! 🎉🏔️🏜️

My lab will focus on body–brain interactions in learning & memory — how do signals from our internal organs remodel the brain & behavior?

Am I pregnant? Pregnancy tests have been around since ancient Egypt, but did you know the first reliable at home test was the result of publicly funded science? The first hCG sensitive test was first developed by scientists at the NIH.

Learn more here: publicusaresearchbenefits.com/examples/202...

we're crowd-sourcing a searchable repository of tangible benefits stemming from federally-funded research. Come enjoy the great stories; or send in an idea; or volunteer to join the team.

publicusaresearchbenefits.com

please re-post so we get more great stories in there!

America cannot long remain free, nor first among nations, if it becomes the kind of place where universities are dismantled because they don't align politically with the current head of the government.

How we’re battling Trump’s science cuts across small-town America Neuroscientist Jessica Cantlon is urging scientists to use the power of local newspapers in the fight against US research-funding cuts.

Scientists whose Science Homecoming op-eds are mentioned in this Nature story include @flagel-lab.bsky.social @keananjoyner.bsky.social @magpine.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/d41...

Opinion | Trump is killing one of our strongest exports The president wants to balance U.S. trade deficits? He can’t do it without this industry he hates.

Now there's a memorable stat!

"Colleges and universities are among America’s most competitive international exporters. In dollar terms, last year, the United States sold more educational services to the rest of the world than it sold in natural gas and coal combined."

wapo.st/3EvzMCI

My statement calling for the rightful return of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia

A neural mechanism for learning from delayed postingestive feedback - Nature Illness signals from the gut reactivate and strengthen flavour representations in the amygdala to support learning from delayed postingestive feedback.

How do we associate the flavors we experience during a meal 🍽️😋 with postingestive effects like food poisoning 🤢🤮 that arise much later?

Our answer in @nature.com this week: Illness signals from the gut reactivate and strengthen flavor representations in the amygdala.

📄: nature.com/articles/s41...

How the brain remembers what gave you food poisoning We've all been there: one bad oyster ruins seafood forever. Now, Princeton neuroscientists have pinpointed how the brain stores memories for these powerful food aversions in mice. The new results reve...

One bad oyster, lasting brain change 🧠 Princeton neuroscientist @czimmerman.bsky.social reveals how a bad meal creates a lasting foul food memory.

📰: pni.princeton.edu/news/2025/ho...

Light sheet microscopy image showing neural activation (blue) during food poisoning in the central amygdala of the mouse brain. Credit: Christopher Zimmerman

Ever sworn off a food after a bad experience? Your brain knows what made you sick, even many hours later.

@czimmerman.bsky.social, from @princetonneuro.bsky.social studies how the brain learns from delayed post-ingestive feedback.

Read more in our Q&A:

www.sainsburywellcome.org/web/qa/it-mu...

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...

Opinion | There Is a Way for Democrats to Stop Trump and Save America (Gift Article) The Democratic Party can’t stop America’s spiral into autocracy and oligarchy unless it casts off its stale talking points and reimagines what it stands for.

"If you don’t like what is happening to this country, you don’t need to wait for someone to come along and save it: You need each other."

www.nytimes.com/2025/03/21/o...

Scientists have just cured pancreatic cancer in some patients with personalized mRNA vaccines. Pancreatic cancer. And this Trump administration wants to throw it all away.

They’re throwing away a cure for cancer.

I'm having a hard time finding anything to disagree with in this succinct, insightful, research-based piece with practical advice.

Just say NO to Tom Kean Jr. budget cuts · Indivisible Lambertville New Hope Tom Kean, Jr. pretends he is a moderate Republican, but then hides from his constituents. During this March congressional recess, we will rally outside his offices in Bernardsville to send him a messa...

#CD7
Kean's Bernardsville Office
Thursday, March 20, 12:00-1:00 pm.
Sponsored by Indivisible Lambertville New Hope

My colleague and friend, Silvia Bunge, a developmental neuroscience professor at UC Berkeley, created these fantastic signs for Friday’s rally. Sharing them here in case they inspire others to make their own! @standupforscience.bsky.social‬
#standupforscience2025 #scienceforall #sciencenotsilence

Exclusive | The Trump NIH Pick Who Wants to Take On ‘Cancel Culture’ Colleges Jay Bhattacharya would consider academic freedom at universities and medical schools seeking NIH grants

Related: www.wsj.com/health/healt...

'He’s made it clear that in his role as head of NIH, he intends to deny NIH research funding to schools he judges to be too woke.'

Thanks for this. I also found this clarifying in explaining where things are heading bsky.app/profile/jane...

Opinion | I’ve Covered Authoritarians Abroad. Trump’s Actions Look Familiar. (Gift Article) Trump’s actions remind me of authoritarians I’ve covered for four decades around the globe.

Kristof gets it. www.nytimes.com/2025/02/15/o...

Welcome to the Bluesky account for Stand Up for Science 2025!

Keep an eye on this space for updates, event information, and ways to get involved. We can't wait to see everyone #standupforscience2025 on March 7th, both in DC and locations nationwide!

#scienceforall #sciencenotsilence

New to research? PNI welcomes first-time undergrad researchers for a 9-week dive into neuroscience. Enjoy coding workshops, professional development workshops, & faculty mentorship. Apps due Feb 3!

Learn more: https://buff.ly/407pYWr