๐จ๐จ New Wassum Lab Paper Alert ๐จ๐จ
How does the brain enable the learning we need to make adaptive decisions?
Is dopamine involved?
Dr. Ana Sias & team discovered answers. Read on to find out. ๐งต๐๐ป
Published today in
@NatureNeuro
Iโm thinking about doing a โI was never taught how to do thisโ summer series for my lab meeting. Starting with citation best practices.
Ideas for other topics?
Big move by our department today to remove one unnecessary stressor from our students:
Grad students are now disallowed from providing food/drinks for committee meetings. The department will provide the beverages.
***New paper out from our lab***
@MelissaMalvaez
discovered a critical brain circuit that regulates reward learning & decision making
Here is what she found. Thread ๐
Free full text:
For whoever needs to hear this:
I am ๐ฏ here to celebrate your accomplishments. I want to hear about your grants, papers, awards, advancements, sourdough... whatever youโre excited about, Iโm excited for you.
We are a community, we both celebrate and commiserate together.
Having a hard time getting back to real life following study section, Iโm rating all my husbandโs jokes on NIH scale...
so far he is not getting funded.
Today is โwear your favorite superhero shirtโ day at my daughterโs school.
๐ This is what she and her dad picked out and I canโt even
@WomeninLearning
Before submitting your review, take a few min to re-read each statement and ask yourself:
1. Is this necessary?
2. How would I feel reading this?
3. Can I word this is a more constructive way?
4. Am I the asshole?
Graduate school interviews are happening soon!!
Hereโs my advice on how to navigate them successfully. ๐งต ๐
Disclaimer: this is my personal opinion based on my experience interviewing prospective students for mostly neuro & psych programs.
Tweeps, I need your help!
Iโm teaching a grant writing course for grad students. Please send your ๐ฅ grant-writing tips, dos/donโts, & resources.
I will compile & reshare.
***New paper out from our lab***
Ana Sias &
@ashkatemorse
discovered a critical brain circuit that helps us learn to predict rewarding events so we can make good decisions about their pursuit.
Here is what they found. ๐งต๐
Published today in
@eLife
Congratulations to
@TheErinCalipari
for winning this yearโs
@NPP_Journal
Neuropsychopharmacology Editor's Early Career Award (NEECA)!!!
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐
โJust because we can elicit a behavior with optogenetics, doesnโt mean the stimulated cells actually regulate that behaviorโ ๐๐๐
@fergilmills
#GRCamygdala
Weโre recruiting a postdoc & potentially also a tech!!
Weโre an inclusive team of behavioral neuroscientists trying to discover the brain circuits that help us learn about rewarding events and use that info to make good decisions. More info๐
Sneak peak of this Thursdayโs pre-orders! These new prints are ๐ฅ๐ฅ
Orders open Thursday 9/9 at 8am PT here: (they usually go pretty fast FYI)
All proceeds are going to the
@DrNadiaChaudhri
Wingspan Award!
๐จ New paper out from our lab ๐จ
@ntlichten
& team discovered a critical brain circuit that enables the reward expectation critical for adaptive decision making
Here is what they found ๐งต๐
Published in the latest issue of J. Neuroscience
@SfNJournals
In this scenario, the cost of publication is covered by an Article Processing Charge (APC) paid at the time of publication. The APC for Nature Neuroscience in 2022 is โฌ9,500/US $11,390/ยฃ8,290.
New paper out from our lab:
I asked
@MelissaMalvaez
to come up with a simple side projectโฆ
...she ended up discovering a molecular director of habit.
Hereโs what she found. Thread๐
Free for 50 days:
What 5 y/oโs think a scientist is.
Some accuracy here (see โeating chocolateโ), but Iโm a bit concerned my daughter thinks we mostly take pictures of each other ๐
Weโre recruiting 1-2 postdoctoral fellows and 1 technician!!
Weโre an inclusive team of behavioral neuroscientists trying to discover the brain circuits that help us learn about rewarding events and use that info to make good decisions. More info๐
๐๐จ New review from our lab ๐จ๐
Just published in
@eLife
In this review, I discuss the cortical-amygdala circuitry through which we learn about rewarding events and use those memories to make adaptive decisions.
Short ๐งต๐๐ป
Incredibly honored to have been elected and excited for the opportunity to serve our community.
I am all ๐ to anyoneโs ideas about how to continue to make this meeting inspirational, productive, and inclusive.
#GRCamygdala
#AmygdalaGRC
Many academics are taking this time to write a review paper.
Mine will be on the topic Iโve spent the most time on lately:
the imagery and thematic metaphor of Frozen 2
My 3 y/o has agreed to be a co-author.
#Covid_19
#AcademicMama
Oh you want to network and present your data at a major meeting, thatโll be $1,000... which we might reimburse in 3 months.
This is a major issue, itโs gate keeping, and pushing people out of science/academia.
I welcome any advice on how to solve it.
People snidely gave me crap about mentioning the financial burden of hotel reimbursements for conferences....as a small issue. But it is the accumulation of these expenditures that pose a financial burden of students and PDs that do not have a financial safety net. ๐๐ผ
Is it really harder to be a woman in science?
Yes, of course. But...
1. this isnโt restricted to science, so might as well do what you love
2. itโs slowly getting better
3. you can make it change faster
Senior scientists: What pearl of wisdom would you tell your younger self about the academic pursuit? Younger scientists: What would you want to know about the pursuit? Love to hear your thoughts!
Can I please just upload a letter of rec without having to answer a bunch of stupid questions?
What does it even mean to be in the โUpper 1-2%โ of emotional maturity anyways? ๐ ๐
Midbrain dopamine projections to the basal amygdala contribute to the formation of fear memories
๐ฅ new paper out today in โฆโฆโฆ
@JNeuroscience
โฉ
.
@TheErinCalipari
begins her talks by promoting the work of women that informed her studies.
An excellent example of using your platform to combat bias- in this case the under citation of women.
#AddictionGRC
Thrilled to share
@prerana123
's latest work, published today
@nature
. Using cell type-specific protein synthesis inhibition, we show that de novo translation in distinct types of amygdala inhibitory neurons is required for memory of threat and safety cues.
Of all her many books, my 3 y/o picked this one for me to read to her before bed. Before tonight we had not read it in months.
She must have known I needed a bedtime story too.
Today we are pleased to announce a new policy that provides a fair and unobtrusive way for authors, editors and reviewers to retroactively change their name in papers published in eLife
Name a bench skill set that you had as a PhD student or postdoc that is now so utterly useless that most people donโt even know wtf it is:
I used to be able to find my insert by visually recognizing Xba1, Kpn1 and BamH1 sites in Sanger seq autorads.
@themetzgerm
First 2 speakers at the
#GRCamygdala
are women who have been studying the amygdala for many years... but have never been invited to the meeting.
Kudos to
@kaymtye
&
@superkash
for expanding the reach of the meeting and correcting the oversights of the past.
Today I spelled fluorescence correctly on the first try without using spell checker. I donโt think I need to tell you how big of an accomplishment this is.
Me: โMy 2020 resolution is to drink less, eat healthier, and lose weight!โ
Also me: *opens wine at 2PM, makes ice cream, orders BBQ and Mac & cheese for dinner*
***POSTDOC OPPORTUNITY***
The Wassum Lab is recruiting a postdoc to work with us studying the neural circuits of motivation & decision making in health & disease.
Topics & tools are broad. Start date flexible. Lab mates stellar. NIH-funded. Email if interested.
Come work with us in sunny SoCal: Weโre recruiting a postdoc!!!
Weโre an inclusive team of behavioral neuroscientists trying to discover the brain circuits that help us learn about rewarding events and use that info to make good decisions. More info๐
My 3 y/o has been getting frustrated and giving up on things (doing a headstand, coloring in the lines, reading) lately.
Iโm trying to teach her about persistence...
...so today I explained the process to get an NIH grant ๐
#AcademicMama
The Pandemic Professionalism rules are out!
Everyone alert your butlers & nannies to tidy your dedicated private office before all meetings, keep the children quiet and out of sight, and save all meals until after your Zoom marathon is over.
๐ ๐ ๐
This is a MUST read for everyone doing video-based work calls. 1. Don't be late. 2. Turn on camera. 3. No eating. 4. Learn how to interrupt. 5. Close your door. 6. No multitasking. 7. Sit still.
@UHN
Seven Rules of Zoom Meeting Etiquette From the Pros
Congratulations to the newly minted PhD Dr. Ana Sias!!!
Dr. Sias is a brilliant, creative, inquisitive, and rigorous scientist. Iโm so lucky to have her as a colleague.
Me: Finally Iโm in a great data analysis groove. This data is going to be ๐ฅ!
๐ฉโ๐ป
โ 5 min later โ
Me: Sh*t! I have to go pick up my kid!๐คฆโโ๏ธ
Iโm so excited and honored (and tbh a little nervous) to speak about my life & career in science at the upcoming
@WomeninLearning
learning luncheon at the
@PavlovSociety
meeting!
โ
#WILwednesday
Announcementโ
Our 11th Annual Luncheon will take place on Sat., 10/2 during the
@PavlovSociety
Mtg in Ann Arbor, MI. We're so thrilled that our Distinguished Speaker will be
@KateWassum
(UCLA)!
It's never too early to register & donate:
Regarding finding neural mechanisms for psychological processes:
โIf you donโt understand something, you put it in the trash can of the brain, which is the prefrontal cortex.โ
-Gyรถrgy Buzsรกki
@ICLMUCLA
๐จ๐จ Weโre recruiting! ๐จ๐จ
We are currently recruiting for 1 possibly 2 lab technician positions.
Join us studying the neural circuits underlying adaptive & maladaptive reward learning, motivation, & decision making.
More info here:
You canโt just invite Black scientists to your board, committee, faculty etc, pat yourself on the back, and call it a day.
You also need to change the culture to ensure they are welcomed, promoted, valued, and respected once they are there.
An added spotlight is now being shined on Black scientists/trainees (which is inherently good). Perhaps new opportunities and resources are even being provided (which is also good). However, will we now face an added resentment in the academy because of this?
We need to remember that most of the behavioral paradigms we use today were developed in males and may not well capture the intended process in females.
Paraphrasing wisdom from
@ShanskyLab
#ACNP2019
What if scientists made friendship bracelets like the
#ErasTour
#Swifties
to trade at conferences?
Instead of song titles or albums, they would have your favorite brain regions, molecules, genes, neurotransmitters, methods, etc.
@SfN_Events
How to describe your research experience in your grad school personal statement:
- What did you know (and not know)
- What is the question
- What did you do (and why)
- What did you find
- What does this mean
- What did/would you do next
๐จ Pre-print alert! ๐จ Super excited to share with y'all what I've been working on in
@KateWassum
's lab. ๐ง ๐ญ
In true Wassum Lab fashion, here's a tweet ๐งต on what we found!
#AcademicTwitter
: What academia-related things are you thankful for? I'll start.
I'm thankful for "nodders". The students who nod as you lecture. They're so encouraging and awesome. Every class needs a "nodder"!
@LoriKnacklab
I was once accused of being self-aggrandizing in a review. ๐
In the revision I switched from โwe foundโ to โthe data showโ. So the data were being self-aggrandizing, not me. โบ๏ธ
.
@eLife
makes a step away from the old โreviewโpublishโ model towards a new โpublishโreviewโ model.
Starting July 2021, they will only review preprints & will work towards meaningful public reviews with the goal of eliminating journal title as the measure of research quality.
We are pleased to announce the next advancement in our mission to transform science publishing. From today, we take the next steps towards exclusively reviewing preprints. Learn more about these changes in an Editorial from Editor-in-Chief Mike Eisen
โธ
Many people put their pictures on their CVs
I found it strange but I have been seeing lots of academic CV lately and approx. 50% has them...
Should we add pictures of us to our CVs?
#AcademicChatter
#academia
At 10AM this morning my daughter brought me a โcocktailโ made out of play-doh. Iโm starting to worry about what theyโre teaching her at home school.
Comment by chair at
#IDARS2019
: speakers should spend less time acknowledging the trainees.
Going to have to hard disagree. Acknowledging the people who contributed the ideas and work is ๐ฏ critical.
Speakers should just stick to allotted time. Itโs not hard.
For real! I am first-gen, I did not know this until my junior year of college and my reaction was similar. This is not an intuitive thing when you are accustomed to juggling paying-jobs alongside your education.
#firstgen
#firstgenPhD
#firstgenscience