ARVO2026 - Denver

Pretty much sums up my current commute.

Most assume implants fail slowly over months. The moment an electrode enters the brain, microglia rush toward it within seconds, like fingers reaching for a splinter. Blood vessels leak. The BBB breaks. Inflammation starts instantly. #BCI #NeuralEngineering #Neurotech

From photoreceptors to visual processing — #Webvision is your open-access deep dive into how we see. Now hosted at our Department, continuing its mission to make vision science accessible to all. Start exploring → www.webvision.pitt.edu#Webvision #Ophthalmology #Neuroscience

I wrote something... about writing. #ScientificWriting to be exact, but I think it applies to all kinds of #writing.

Webvision is currently in migration. If you are going to the old site, you will see a 404. Check out our new home at webvision.pitt.edu

First day at University of Pittsburgh and I have a window!

From 10 years ago as a grad student with @robertmarc.bsky.social to my last day at the U of Utah today. It’s surreal to look out over the valley one last time. On to the next adventure!

Hey #ARVO2025, interested in transcriptional regulation affecting amacrine cell maintenance and fate? Come hear @emilyrnett.bsky.social’s talk, 4:15PM today (Sunday) in Ballroom B

The Roads Both Taken xkcd.com/3076

It would probably be a more effective exercise if my institution didn't have the sender of all fake phishing attempts named "scammander phisher"

To compound stress from *gestures at everything* the pipes in my building now intermittently sound like a hammerdrill that can only be stopped by fiddling with hot water faucets (I know this from wandering the floor messing with faucets).

Bluetorial: Potential impact of “NIH” “plan” regarding indirect costs on institutions

Elon Musk is a terrible president.

Some people have a true talent for pissing off everyone they meet.

Finn likes snow.

I'm becoming increasingly convinced that the point of Universities implementing Concur is to annoy people into never actually traveling or using a PCard.

Vision Science Peeps--nominate a colleague for an @arvoinfo.bsky.social achievement awards! www.arvo.org/awards-grant...

Does anyone have a stargazing app they are particularly fond of for iPhone?

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!

Nothing like grading exams to highlight what you clearly explained poorly.

Me, submitting an invited manuscript with a hard deadline.

Its not particularly cold in SLC today, but somehow I think this is a bit off... That or this will be my last post.

This used to work in the old place. Does anyone have a PDF of this perspective they'd be willing to share? #ICanHazPDF?

It's rare that I do much fluorescence, but I actually have something for #FluorescenceFriday this week! Rabbit retina stained for rod bipolar cells and a type of gap junction.

New manuscript out of the lab! Retinal Connectomics: A Review by @csigulinsky.bsky.social @beccapfeiffer.bsky.social and myself. This should be a complete and inclusive summary of the state of retinal connectomics in the literature. prometheus.med.utah.edu/~bwjones/202...

Playing with new imaging modalities is super exciting and fun

Congrats Bryan!!

I'm excited to share that I was selected by RPB for a 4-year Career Development Award! I am looking forward to the research that this grant will enable! bit.ly/RPBgrant

Apparently Costco is taking delivery a bit higher.

What I think I do as a scientist: Attempt to uncover the mechanisms of network malfunction in neurodegeneration. What I end up doing: Be called in as the expert to tell my 4-year-old niece not to listen to her best friend's mom who is apparently telling children to stare at the sun everyday.

New paper from the lab just dropped on BioRxiv. In this study, we extend our understanding of the rewiring effects of early rod degeneration in the inner retina by further evaluating our Retinal Pathoconnectome 1 (RPC1) volume. The focus of this paper is on the Aii glycinergic amacrine cell.

Storm coming

Webvision is currently unavailable outside the UofU VPN firewall. webvision.med.utah.edu We are working on it. Our apologies.

I love the bluntness of papers in the 60's and 70's.

There must be a better system for inviting me to a recurring zoom meeting than 16 individual emails.....

I think I would have happier holidays if every vendor, journal, and scientific journal I've interacted with in the last 10 years would stop spamming my email to wish me happy holidays.

Without downloading any new pics, where are you mentally?

“…researchers have tended to ignore the electricity that flows through the body and brain.” Electrophysiologists: “excuse the fuck you?” 😤

Shiny!

Hi all! Tomorrow morning UWiN will be hosting a Bagels and Coffee Chat with Dr. Melanie Boly, M.D. Ph.D. tomorrow, Tuesday, November 21st, at 9:15 am in BPRB 501.   Come hear Dr. Boly’s personal path to science before her seminar at 2 pm. It is always a fun, inspiring, and 100% unique story.

Welp. Guess I live on the couch now.

Talking with a grad student and technician today reminded me about some macro photography I did years ago. I should do this again.

Oh Monday….

Halloween cookie prep with the toddler is well underway.

Every now and again, I see my exact mood in my dog.

One of the harder aspects of being on the tenure-track job market for a 2nd year is seeing postings you applied for and never heard anything from reappear. Do I apply again, or do I figure if my packet was triaged last year that my research isn't what they're looking for?

Just realizing that I have not introduced myself to the science community here: I'm Masa (yes, pronounced just like the Mexican corn dough), and I'm a neuroscientist interested in how nanoscale structures of brain cells underlie their functions (like learning) and how they change during aging.

Lab power outage over the weekend spoiled the milk in my desk fridge for my coffee. Rough start to a Monday.