NSF GRFP solicitation is finally up. Life Sci deadline extended to Nov 10 but 2nd year grad students no longer eligible www.nsf.gov/funding/oppo...

A new large study of alcohol intake using genetics (Mendelian randomization) finds a dose-response relationship for risk of dementia with no protective effect at low levels of intake ebm.bmj.com/content/earl...

I’ve tried three NJ pharmacies and none of them have the Novavax COVID vaccine. Is availability very limited? The mRNA vaccines take me out for 48-72 hours every single time, and Novavax doesn’t. I don’t have time to sleep for 3 days! 💉

While full solicitation isn’t up, looks like we have 2025 proposal deadlines for the GRFP: www.nsf.gov/funding/oppo...

Please help me to celebrate Mei Zhen, an innovator and tremendous collaborator, named to the Royal Society of Canada Academy of Science on September 4, 2025

These 10 rules for teachers and students really good! Adopted all but one (because of course we all get to make the rules)

We are looking forward to the 2026 #Alcohol GRC in Ventura, CA! The main meeting starts Feb 22, 2026 (GRS Feb 21-22). For both, we will be selecting additional invited talks from the submitted abstracts. For consideration, submit your abstract by Oct 10! #alcoholGRC2026 #alcoholGRS2026

Still no NSF GRFP announcement for this year. Another week or two and the program is going to be effectively cancelled, because students will not have time to prepare. Any chatter out there about whats going on???? www.nsf.gov/funding/oppo...

Tenure-track assistant professor position in neuroscience or physiology at University of Michigan LSA Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology (MCDB): lsa.umich.edu/mcdb/news-ev...

Class starts on Monday and I'm trying to write GRFP draft deadlines into the syllabus... Is this even happening?

Still nothing about this year's NSF GRFP. Will there even be any?

As a young man I used to think it would be a shame if humanity didn’t get off Earth and spread across the galaxy. Now I understand that (a) we definitely won’t and (b) that’s a very good thing. No other sentient species should have to deal with us

Any whispers about when the NSF GRFP due dates and program information will be posted? Last year it was mid-July....

🧬 @jgi.doe.gov is hiring! We're seeking an Advanced Analysis Manager to lead data infrastructure and software engineering supporting the generation, analysis, and dissemination of genomics data Hybrid | SF Bay Area | Apply by Aug 7 jobs.lbl.gov/jobs/advance... @biosci.lbl.gov @berkeleylab.lbl.gov

An outstanding opportunity for a senior leadership role here at UC Merced. The Dean of the School of Natural Sciences has the chance to work with an amazing team of staff and faculty. If folks have specific questions please don't hesitate to reach out. Apply here: aprecruit.ucmerced.edu/JPF02013

Spoken like a true Drosophilist

A single NPFR neuropeptide F receptor neuron that regulates thirst behaviors in Drosophila https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.07.03.662850v1

Just a reminder that the abstract deadline for a short talks at the West Coast SDB meeting is coming up next week! Links to abstract submission, registration, and the preliminary program can be found here: www.sdbonline.org/wcsdb2025 #wcsdb2025

Excellent cake!

🚨NSF GRFP🚨So incredibly proud of these students - the winners and the honorable mentions! A huge thanks to their mentors for supporting them! We do world-class science and produce world-class researchers! @ucmerced.bsky.social news.ucmerced.edu/news/2025/st...

It is not the job of higher education to pay for national priorities such as biomedical, scientific, and engineering research. That is a goal of the nation as a whole. If you want a strong nation, you have to pay for a strong nation. It can't be outsourced.

What if we took money from rich people and invested it back into research and infrastructure and our companies to compete with China instead of slashing taxes and cutting funding. That would be crazy right

New review from Kasey Brida on transcriptional & molecular mechanisms in drug-induced plasticity. Here we focused on mechanisms that determine which neurons are activated by drugs, and dynamic transcriptional cascades that facilitate plasticity in these cells. www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

I even prefer natural human dumbness to artificial intelligence

Keeping an eye on the Wolf Lab goings on

On a beautiful spring day here in NYC I visited the registration hall of Ellis Island, where my grandparents arrived from Italy 125 years ago. The Statue of Liberty is visible through the door window, the symbol of why they were coming to the US.

Connectome-driven neural inventory of a complete visual system Looking forward to reading this! @michaelreiser.bsky.social www.nature.com/articles/s41...

I always tell students not to do a PhD if you see it as a means to an end. Only do it if you truly love the idea of spending 5-7 years doing experiments & thinking deeply about a question. That still applies now. Career choices can come later, and a PhD will prepare you for many different paths

feeling better already

...That's IF things normalize now, otherwise >>6 months.

❤️❤️❤️ So excited for @sergiohidalgo.bsky.social and Yao Cai that they got to interview Charlotte!! She is awesomeness! So proud of the both of you! 🥹🥰

Finally, the ability to genetically target just the glia in contact with your favorite neuron. Will open inquiry into the function of individual glia! www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Congratulations @ucmerced.bsky.social! And a really big thank you to all of our students, alumni, and faculty for believing in the research mission of our young campus.

Wow. UC Merced goes R1. The campus opened just 20 years ago. Kudos go to many, but I highlight the QSB graduate program @qsb-uc-merced.bsky.social that trains and graduates so many graduate students. @ucmerced.bsky.social

Guess we are about to find out how many honest people trained in contract law. grants.nih.gov/grants/guide...

(yet!) Another parallel between flies and humans: ever had trouble sleeping after a night at the bar? Tight links to alcohol use disorder in humans. Great new work from Maggie Chvilicek and Adrian Rothenfluh. www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Gonna try this out! Plus wouldn't a lab cat just make everything better?

First ethanol experience memory-like states look like classical memories genetically and behaviorally, but use new circuits. Also distinct from spaced training ethanol reward circuits. Great work of former grad Cal Larnerd @qsb-uc-merced.bsky.social @ucmerced.bsky.social doi.org/10.1371/jour...

Omar Abubaker, Eric Nestler and I spoke about how science brings hope for those suffering from alcohol and substance use disorders at an Advocacy forum @sfn.org #SfN24. Our message is that as scientists we need to be better at communicating this. @ericjnestler.bsky.social

....manuscript accepted dance happening now.....

This has been such a benefit to our still young campus! @ucmerced.bsky.social

The Biochemical Basis of Neuropharmacology (coauthored by Floyd Bloom, Jack Cooper, & Robert Roth) remains remarkably valuable - it helped me and many of my lab members think about neuroscience at the molecular level.

Whoa!

Today in "Things That Make C. elegans Disqualifying Weird But Also Somehow Make the Human Brain 'Special'" www.sciencealert.com/a-first-of-i...

Former QSB graduate student Dr. Yuriana Aguilar-Sánchez will deliver the keynote for our Graduate Division commencement this Fall! We are so proud of you, Dr. Aguilar-Sánchez!! rushu.rush.edu/faculty/yuri... @ucmerced.bsky.social

Excited to see the second edition of this book on Transcriptional Regulation by Neuronal Activity (edited by Ramendra Saha and @serenadudette.bsky.social) officially published! Lots of great content here, may be useful for people new to this field. link.springer.com/book/10.1007...

🙋‍♀️ We have an NSF award for a new mass spec ❤️ but the funds can’t be delivered until FY25… which is contingent on congress passing a spending bill. Anyone else gone through this? Did you get help from your institution to start the project? Or did you just have to wait for the funds? #academicsky

You can also ask me any questions!

Next, one position in Physiology - any specialty. Application deadline for both positions is November 15. jobs.sjsu.edu/en-us/job/54...

Hi, all - SJSU Biology will be hiring two to three assistant professors this year. First, one to two positions in Genetics or Cell Biology. We can hire one or the other, for sure, and budget and depth of pool allowing, one of each. Hit me up for info, and share widely: jobs.sjsu.edu/en-us/job/54...