The entorhinal cortex—key for memory, navigation, and the brain’s mapping system—is one of the first regions hit by Alzheimer’s. With new support from the Commonwealth, @virginiatech.bsky.social scientists Sharon Swanger and @shannonfarris.bsky.social are studying why. news.vt.edu/articles/202...

Thank you @fralinbiomed.bsky.social for the seminar invitation!

How do people learn to prefer certain flavors? 🍩 Researchers at @virginiatech.bsky.social's Fralin Biomedical Research Institute recently studied something called flavor-nutrient learning. Our very own @difeliceantonio.bsky.social led the research. Full story ⤵️ news.vt.edu/articles/202...

One of the first brain regions affected by Alzheimer’s is the entorhinal cortex, which is critical for memory and navigation. 🧠 With new state support, @fralinbiomed.bsky.social researchers are investigating why it’s especially vulnerable.

What happens when you apply behavioral game theory, machine learning, and electrochemical sensing to the human brain during surgery? 🧠 @virginiatech.bsky.social scientists reveal new insights in a recent study published in Nature Communications (@nature.com) ⤵️ news.vt.edu/articles/202...

From catching bugs in Tokyo to decoding the brain’s dopamine system, @virginiatech.bsky.social neuroscientist Ryunosuke Amo is uncovering how motivation, movement, and even addiction take shape in the mind. 🧠 Learn more ⤵️ news.vt.edu/articles/202...

“Serving as associate editor of this @natureportfolio.nature.com journal allows me to amplify the mission we’ve embraced — advancing research that places #exercise at the forefront of disease prevention and treatment.” - Zhen Yan | @virginiatech.bsky.social Learn more ⤵️ news.vt.edu/articles/202...

Arden Grim was told she’d never walk or talk. 15 years later, she’s dancing, playing piano & studying to be a neurologist. This summer she returned to @virginiatech.bsky.social's Neuromotor Research Clinic to research alongside her childhood therapists. news.vt.edu/articles/202...

In a new study published in Science Advances (@aaas.org), @virginiatech.bsky.social scientists at our Cancer Research Center in Washington, D.C. found that immunotherapy may help the immune system better target acute myeloid leukemia, a hard-to-treat blood cancer. 📰 ⤵️

In a powerful new approach, @virginiatech.bsky.social scientist Kathleen Mulvaney and her lab use advanced gene editing to study potential dual therapy for lung, brain, and pancreatic cancers. Learn more in the comments👇

🫀 How can low sodium levels disrupt your heartbeat? New research from Steve Poelzing's lab reveals the hidden risks of low blood sodium in patients taking sodium channel blockers for arrhythmias. news.vt.edu/articles/202... @virginiatech.bsky.social

Creatine as a neurotransmitter?! 🧠 Fred Wu is working on a technique that uses focused ultrasound to deliver creatine directly to the brain by temporarily opening the blood-brain barrier. 🤝 @virginiatech.bsky.social | @childrensnational.bsky.social | @fusfoundation.bsky.social

Proud moment for our CardioSURF fellows! 💫 Caroline, Renée, Syed, Christopher & Azhaan presented their research at the @americanheart.bsky.social's BCVS conference in Baltimore alongside undergrads from across the U.S. 👏 They’ll also present this Friday at our Summer Undergrad Research Symposium!

A podcast about my work, my life, and balance… the things I think about a lot: @fralinbiomed.bsky.social news.vt.edu/articles/202...

This brain region could hold the secrets to movement disorders! 🧠 Discover why @virginiatech.bsky.social neurobiologist @meikeesther.bsky.social is fascinated by the cerebellum — and why child development might be the missing link. Listen to Big Science Small Pod now 🎧 news.vt.edu/articles/202...

What if scientists could lower the cost of biomedical experiments and make them more translatable to human health? @virginiatech.bsky.social and University of Virginia researchers are teaming up to bioengineer models that could make it possible. Learn more 📰 ⤵️ news.vt.edu/articles/202...

Every step forward in cancer research means hope for a waiting family. That urgency drove our Cancer Research Symposium in Roanoke — uniting researchers, Carilion Clinic clinicians, and students to push cancer science further. 📰 news.vt.edu/articles/202...

With a grant from #precisionmedicine company Actio Biosciences, the Weston lab is researching whether an Actio KCNT1 inhibitor can reduce seizures caused by a rare genetic mutation. Read more: news.vt.edu/articles/202...

With support from the Children's Cancer Foundation, our scientists are focusing on more precise drug delivery for cancer therapeutics. Read more about the aims of the new study: news.vt.edu/articles/202...

The Ye Lab @fralinbiomed.bsky.social in DC seeks a #postdoc to conduct work focused on understanding how glioma hijacks the tumor microenvironment to drive malignant progression. Virginia Tech provides excellent employment benefits. Apply by 7/21! careers.pageuppeople.com/968/cw/en-us...

📈 New research from the Poelzing lab suggests structural changes in the aging heart may reduce the risk of arrhythmias, challenging the idea that all age-related changes in the heart are harmful. Full story here: news.vt.edu/articles/202...

Born with cerebral palsy and severe global motor delays, JD Lofton faced challenges that his parents thought would last a lifetime. But everything changed when they discovered @virginiatech.bsky.social's Neuromotor Research Clinic. Learn more ⤵️ fralinbiomed.info/nrc

We were honored to host the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation board today! We kicked off their visit with a tour of our research facilities, followed by a presentation from Dr. Friedlander on our key research areas and regional economic impact. 📈

There’s something powerful about being in a room full of brilliant scientists who care deeply about making a difference. From big-picture strategy to small-group collaboration, this year’s faculty retreat is reminding us why we do what we do. 🚀

The connexin 43 protein (green) interacts with microtubules (magenta), helping drive tumor growth in treatment-resistant glioblastoma stem cells. 💡 But the peptide JM2 disrupts that interaction, potentially slowing disease progression. Read more: news.vt.edu/articles/202...

It was great to see new and familiar faces last week as we welcomed the latest cohort of Integrated Health Sciences and Research students to the institute!

💡 Emerging evidence suggests an AI-enhanced saliva test could help inform which cancer patients will experience serious side effects from 5-fluorouracil, a common chemotherapy drug. Read the full story: news.vt.edu/articles/202...

Researchers at @virginiatech.bsky.social say lower-intensity pulses don’t kill all cancer cells outright. Instead, they alter the tumor microenvironment, increasing blood vessel density and boosting lymphatic vessel growth. 🗞️ Read more about the new findings: news.vt.edu/articles/202...

Join us! 🧬 Renowned geneticist Huda Zoghbi will discuss MECP2 mutations and their role in Rett syndrome — a landmark discovery that opened a window into understanding other disorders including autism. 🗓️ May 1 🕔 5 p.m. 📍 2 Riverside Circle Read more: news.vt.edu/articles/202...

Great conversation, great company 🤝 After his lecture on trust in science, @science.org Editor-in-Chief @holdenthorp.bsky.social sat down with @virginiatech.bsky.social scientists for a candid chat on integrity and the future of research.

💡 Using a refined freeze-drying process to keep milk-derived exosomes stable for up to a year at room temperature, scientists have unlocked a technique that could vastly expand their use in drug delivery. Read about the innovative process: news.vt.edu/articles/202...

Obesity drugs like GLP-1 agonists target reward areas in the brain. With a $2.75 million grant, scientists will explore the neurochemistry behind reward systems that govern our decisions about food. Read more: news.vt.edu/articles/202...

A new study indicates sex differences in how mice — and possibly people — deal with stressful situations. The research findings offer clues about how sex and emotional context shape social behavior. Read more: news.vt.edu/articles/202...

📢 Call for Papers! The Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior invites submissions for a special issue in memory of Warren K. Bickel's influential work in #addictionresearch #addictionsci, guest edited by FBRI's Roberta Freitas-Lemos. 🗓️ Deadline: July 1, 2025 More info: ow.ly/grQS50VjTzo

Blakely Lockhart was selected by @sfn.org as a 2025 Early Career Policy Ambassador. Her research on the human milk microbiome's influence on brain development will inform her policy advocacy. Read more!⤵️ news.vt.edu/articles/202...

Cancer and heart disease raise some of the most pressing questions in human health. The Postdoctoral Excellence Award supports our researchers' efforts to answer those questions. ▶️ Meet Ignacio Aiello, Xiaobo Wu, and Mark Renton, the latest awardees. www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnVU...

With support from @americanheart.bsky.social, postdoctoral associate Mark Renton will explore how obesity impacts pannexin-1's regulation of blood flow in coronary microvascular disease. Read about his research project ⤵️ news.vt.edu/articles/202...

Amazing opportunity for a researcher looking to work on studying the neural basis of learning & decision-making at the circuit level @fralinbiomed.bsky.social. Virginia Tech offers an excellent training environment & great employee benefits for #postdocs. careers.pageuppeople.com/968/cw/en-us...

💭 A new study found that practicing episodic future thinking enhanced connectivity in key brain regions. The findings could have implications for impulse control, decision-making, and alcohol use. Read more ⤵ news.vt.edu/articles/202...

🧬 An intensive therapy regimen can lead to more receptive communication and improved fine-motor skills in children with CASK mutations. Read about the latest research: news.vt.edu/articles/202...

Join us at Brain School for hands-on activities, expert talks, and mind-blowing discoveries! Perfect for all ages and curious learners 🤯 🆓 Free and open to the public 📅 March 10th @ 5pm 📍 Roanoke, VA fbri.vtc.vt.edu/events/annua...

🔊 From imaging to sonar, sound has long been a powerful tool. Now, scientists are using ultrasound to tackle #pain, #addiction, and even #cancer. Wynn Legon shares why the world is finally paying attention. Follow Pocket Science today 🚀 ⤵️ fralinbiomed.info/ps-legon-blu...

Your body is 60% water, and a lot of that water is interstitial fluid – flowing in the spaces between cells 🌊 Jenny Munson, an expert in fluid flow, explains how flows change if you have cancer or Alzheimer's. Follow Pocket Science today 🚀 ⤵️ fralinbiomed.info/ps-munson-bl...

🚀 Investment fuels innovation! Thanks to Bill & Carol Seale’s generosity, six FBRI researchers are launching five bold projects—advancing neuroscience, metabolism, & human health research. 🔬Learn how philanthropy drives discovery: news.vt.edu/articles/202...

Dr. Shenglin Mei's lab at @fralinbiomed.bsky.social Cancer Research Center in Washington, DC, is seeking highly motivated computational biology postdoctoral associate to join their team. Excellent pay, benefits, and training environment. Apply by March 10th! careers.pageuppeople.com/968/cw/en-us...

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With less than two hours left of #VTGivingDay, you still have time to support our life-changing research! Give today: give.vt.edu/supportfralin