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Sophia Levis, MD, PhD

@sclevis.bsky.social
3.9K followers 381 following 26 posts

PGY-1 UC Irvine Psychiatry | MD/PhD from UC Irvine MSTP | NIDA NRSA Fellow | Interested in early life adversity, reward circuits, addiction | sc_levis on Twitter

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Reposted by Sophia Levis, MD, PhD
Sophia Levis, MD, PhD @sclevis.bsky.social · 04/12/2024
Re-sharing over here the final chapter of my PhD now online as part of a special issue of Addiction Neuroscience on stress and addiction! We explore the link between adversity, addiction, and the role of delta opioid receptors in mediating that link:
sciencedirect.com
Opioid drug seeking after early-life adversity: a role for delta opioid receptors
Opioid use disorder (OUD) is associated with a history of early-life adversity (ELA), an association that is particularly strong in women. In a rodent…
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Sophia Levis, MD, PhD @sclevis.bsky.social · 04/12/2024
Re-sharing over here the final chapter of my PhD now online as part of a special issue of Addiction Neuroscience on stress and addiction! We explore the link between adversity, addiction, and the role of delta opioid receptors in mediating that link:
sciencedirect.com
Opioid drug seeking after early-life adversity: a role for delta opioid receptors
Opioid use disorder (OUD) is associated with a history of early-life adversity (ELA), an association that is particularly strong in women. In a rodent…
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Reposted by Sophia Levis, MD, PhD
Rebecca Boehme @rebeccaboehme.bsky.social · 27/06/2024
Our study on ketamine's effects on neural self-other-distinction is finally out! 🥳 This is the first really big project from my lab, so I am extra happy about this one 🤩. #neuroskyence #PsychSciSky #AcademicSky #philsci
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Phil Lewis @phillewis.bsky.social · 25/06/2024
Denver gave people experiencing homelessness $1,000 a month. Results showed that close to half of the participants secured housing, and nearly $600K saved in public service costs due to fewer ER visits & jail stays. They also saw improved mental health.
yahoo.com
Denver gave people experiencing homelessness $1,000 a month. A year later, nearly half of participants had housing.
Participants in Denver's basic income program received up to $1,000 a month. They became more housing secure and landed full-time jobs.
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Reposted by Sophia Levis, MD, PhD
Lennart Nacke, PhD @lennartnacke.com · 26/05/2024
The five stages of academic writing: 1. Procrastination 2. Panic 3. Caffeine overdose 4. Submitting a barely coherent mess 5. Swearing to do it differently next time #academicsky
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Reposted by Sophia Levis, MD, PhD
Andrew Hardaway @andrewhardaway.bsky.social · 26/05/2024
Some cool work showing negative valence of MOR-expressing neurons in the CeA during fentanyl withdrawal. www.nature.com/articles/s41...
nature.com
Distinct µ-opioid ensembles trigger positive and negative fentanyl reinforcement - Nature
Experiments using fentanyl treatment of mice show that µ-opioid receptors mediate positive reinforcement in the ventral tegmental area and negative reinforcement in central amygdala, thereby identifyi...
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Reposted by Sophia Levis, MD, PhD
Talia Lerner @talialerner.bsky.social · 22/05/2024
Nice article pushing back on pop culture versions of dopamine Featuring an all star dopamine scientist cast ⭐ - happy to see all these folks contributing! www.vox.com/future-perfe...
vox.com
Dopamine, explained
Dopamine detoxing, hacking, and fasting: Is any of it real?
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Reposted by Sophia Levis, MD, PhD
Nicola Grissom @nicolagrissom.bsky.social · 20/05/2024
Very happy to announce our paper! "Sex mechanisms as nonbinary influences on cognitive diversity" A pleasure to contribute to this special issue of Hormones and Behavior about how to be less binary and more inclusive in behavioral and cognitive neuroscience www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Figure from our paper about nonbinary interpretations of sex differences in cognition, describing two suggestions. First, consider assessing strategies instead of performance, and second, consider whether sex impacts are variable and mosaic
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Sophia Levis, MD, PhD @sclevis.bsky.social · 20/05/2024
After 8 long years, finally get to call myself a double doc! So grateful to my mentors, family, and my MSTP cohort, who are some of the most amazing and inspiring physician-scientists I know! 🧪🩺🧠
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Sophia Levis, MD, PhD @sclevis.bsky.social · 18/05/2024
Very honored to have received the Meyskens Family research award and the department of Psychiatry outstanding graduating student award! Such an honor to be recognized among so many of my accomplished peers, and extra proud to have my family with me tonight to help celebrate! #medsky
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Alicia Izquierdo @aliciaizquierdo.bsky.social · 05/04/2024
I’m looking for more post-docs to join our team at UCLA ☀️ Please share with your 🧠 networks recruit.apo.ucla.edu/JPF09330
recruit.apo.ucla.edu
Postdoctoral Scholar
University of California, Los Angeles is hiring. Apply now!
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Reposted by Sophia Levis, MD, PhD
Luke Ontario @coolhand.bsky.social · 27/03/2024
What I think I wrote vs what I realize I wrote when I’m editing
A two panel meme; on the left is an ornate horse capping the end of a wooden railing. The right is a toy horse taped to a pole at the bottom of stairs
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Nicole Petersen @npetersen.bsky.social · 19/02/2024
🧠 hello #neuroskyence! happy to share my early career commentary in neuropsychopharmacology, highlighting the importance of understanding sex hormones for understanding the brain: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
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Reposted by Sophia Levis, MD, PhD
Aidan Moher @aidanmoher.com · 16/02/2024
The first draft is for telling yourself the story, revisions are for telling your readers.
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Lauren Ross @laurennross.bsky.social · 12/01/2024
Excited to share a new paper w Dani Bassett on "Causation in neuroscience: keeping mechanism meaningful" in Nature Reviews Neuroscience We explore different meanings of mechanism in the field, the challenges this presents & how to move forward. 🧠 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
nature.com
Causation in neuroscience: keeping mechanism meaningful - Nature Reviews Neuroscience
‘Mechanism’ is a frequently used causal concept in neuroscience but can have different meanings that are often not specified. In this Review, Ross and Bassett explore these different meanings and ...
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Sophia Levis, MD, PhD @sclevis.bsky.social · 11/01/2024
Had my final residency interview today and am just so excited to be one small step closer to becoming a psychiatrist physician-scientist! Now back to the wards... #medsky #womeninstem #neuroskyence #addictionsci
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Ben Saunders @bensaunders.bsky.social · 02/01/2024
New year, new preprint! Cued invigoration of reward seeking promotes sustained population coding in the BLA, which is disrupted by OFC inactivation. Consistent with the notion that BLA represents motivational states.
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Reposted by Sophia Levis, MD, PhD
Drug and Alcohol Dependence Reports @drugalcreports.bsky.social · 02/01/2024
Our latest pub delves into the complex link between obstetric procedures OUD in women, highlighting how some procedures (e.g., ectopic pregnancy, cesarean) have a higher risk for OUD than others (e.g., vaginal delivery). bit.ly/OUDandObstet...
Screenshot of the first page of the article "The risk of opioid use disorder among women undergoing obstetric-related procedures: Results from the Cerner Real-World Database" published in DADR.
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Reposted by Sophia Levis, MD, PhD
Martin Michaelis (he/him) @martmichaelis.bsky.social · 29/12/2023
#Benzodiazepines: It is complicated. #MedSky 🧪 jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
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Sophia Levis, MD, PhD @sclevis.bsky.social · 29/12/2023
Proud of myself for getting two manuscripts submitted just under the 2023 wire! Stay tuned for some cool 🧪🩺🧠 stuff coming out in 2024! #medsky #neuroskyence #addictionsci
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Reposted by Sophia Levis, MD, PhD
Black In Neuro @blackinneuro.bsky.social · 26/12/2023
Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) are invaluable opportunities for undergraduates to gain research experience. Join Black In Neuro on Friday, Jan. 12, 2024 at 1 PM ET for an information session with universities on the SURF application process. Register now! t.co/MuYLHgnG85 🟦🧠 🧪
Flyer is on a yellow grid background. Text at the top aligned in the middle says, SURF Paner. Under this text says, Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship Info Session. On the bottom left is a picture of participants at a Black In Neuro professional development event. Text over the picture says “Join Us” in a yellow heptadecagon shape. Icons of a calendar, clock, and location symbol are vertically aligned in the middle. To the right is a blue bubble that says, January 12 2024. Under this is a blue bubble that says, 1:00-2:15 PM ET. Lastly is a blue bubble under that says, Zoom link. At the bottom of the flyer is a black arrow pointing to www.blackinneuro.com
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Sophia Levis, MD, PhD @sclevis.bsky.social · 26/12/2023
Merry Christmas ya filthy animals
A white dog has her head buried in a red gift bag with Merry Christmas written on it
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Reposted by Sophia Levis, MD, PhD
Dr. Cate Peña @cate-cholamine.bsky.social · 23/12/2023
One last paper for 2023, officially out in Hormones and Behavior! We tested the hypothesis that thyroid hormones are a missing molecular link between experience of early life stress and downstream transcriptional changes in VTA doi.org/10.1016/j.yh...
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Drug and Alcohol Dependence Reports @drugalcreports.bsky.social · 18/12/2023
Recent research explores how community pharmacy practices might have influenced the opioid epidemic. Supports need to address store-level procedures, management pressure, and educational sponsorships in the industry. #PharmacyCare #OpioidCrisis tinyurl.com/ye7mvusn
First page of the article "Retail chain pharmacy opioid dispensing practices from 1997 to 2020: A content analysis of internal industry documents" from the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence Reports
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J. Barker Lab @jbarkerlab.bsky.social · 18/12/2023
I had a lot of fun working with @katiegbry.bsky.social to look at the relationship between performance in a progressive ratio and contingency degradation task. TLDR: She digs into task vs behavioral construct overlaps to better understand this correlation. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
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Reposted by Sophia Levis, MD, PhD
Needhi Bhalla 💅🏽 @needhibhalla.bsky.social · 16/12/2023
“One may be able to recognize good science as it happens, but significant science can only be viewed in the rearview mirror. To pretend otherwise distorts science”
science.org
A Perverted View of “Impact”
Scientists often face vexing professional decisions: whom to hire, what to fund, what to publish, and whom to promote. Because science is about the unknown and its greatest discoveries are often the l...
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Reposted by Sophia Levis, MD, PhD
Andrew Ba Tran @abtran.bsky.social · 15/12/2023
The Smithsonian holds nearly 31,000 human remains in storage but has never publicly released a full inventory. We spent months obtaining the documents and turning handwritten and typed memos into a searchable database: www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/int...
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Sophia Levis, MD, PhD @sclevis.bsky.social · 04/12/2023
My good friend and inspiring colleague Bianca @biancaleonard.bsky.social sharing her work at #ACNP2023 on imaging the PVT in humans and exploring its role in adversity-induced changes in reward behaviors at yesterday’s hot topics session! Check out her poster on Tuesday (T95)!
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Sophia Levis, MD, PhD @sclevis.bsky.social · 03/12/2023
Would really love to hear about how the directors are working to tackle this problem that they readily acknowledge exists and seriously detracts from their DEIA efforts #ACNP2023
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Tomer Ullman @tomerullman.bsky.social · 30/11/2023
asking for an image of a professor and asking to make it "more professor", a thread.
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Taniel @taniel.bsky.social · 30/11/2023
BREAKING: Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer just signed landmark voting rights legislation: It's the first law in the nation that will automatically register people as they're released from prison! Learn more: boltsmag.org/michigan-aut...
boltsmag.org
Michigan Law Would Be First to Automatically Register People to Vote As They Leave Prison
The legislature passed a bill that’d also expand automatic voter registration in other ways, including applying it at Medicaid offices, and likely add many new Michiganders to voter rolls.
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Reposted by Sophia Levis, MD, PhD
Jeffrey Perkel (he/him) @jperkel.bsky.social · 27/11/2023
Also ICYMI @natureportfolio.bsky.social, @smjyoti.bsky.social reports on tools to help rookie lab leaders get up to speed in their new job. 🧪 www.nature.com/articles/d41...
nature.com
Five ways in which rookie lab leaders can get up to speed
An array of spreadsheets, courses and online resources are available to support principal investigators leading their first research groups. An array of spreadsheets, courses and online resources are ...
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Reposted by Sophia Levis, MD, PhD
Dr. Cate Peña @cate-cholamine.bsky.social · 27/11/2023
Published! This paper was a huge effort by Sero Patel & Shannon Bennett. We found that molecular changes in NAc after #earlylifestress correspond to molecular signatures of antidepressant treatment failure- across species & drug classes- esp among females www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2305776120
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Reposted by Sophia Levis, MD, PhD
Black In Neuro @blackinneuro.bsky.social · 27/11/2023
Hey, we recognize that name! 👀 Dr. Ishmail Abdus-Saboor (Columbia University) is featured in this NPR piece on the power of touch: www.npr.org/sections/goa... #BlackInNeuro
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Reposted by Sophia Levis, MD, PhD
Black In Neuro @blackinneuro.bsky.social · 27/11/2023
Happening this Thursday! There’s still time to register ✨ (Quoted post below; link in second post) #PhDSky #AcademicSky #Neuroscience 🧪
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Marija Kundakovic @kundakoviclab.bsky.social · 19/11/2023
Time for me to start posting here! Check out our Feature Review @ Trends in Neurosciences: "Epigenetic mechanisms underlying sex differences in the brain and behavior" Extremely proud of this piece - we did our best to make it as comprehensive & inclusive as possible! www.cell.com/trends/neuro...
cell.com
Epigenetic mechanisms underlying sex differences in the brain and behavior
Sex differences are found across brain regions, behaviors, and brain diseases. Sexual differentiation of the brain is initiated prenatally but it continues throughout life, as a result of the interact...
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Reposted by Sophia Levis, MD, PhD
Bita Moghaddam @bita137.bsky.social · 09/11/2023
New travel award - sponsored by ACNP and ALBA - for early career brain science researchers from underrepresented backgrounds world-wide to travel to the FENS Forum 2024 in Vienna www.alba.network/travel-award...
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Sara Lipshutz (she/her) @jacanamama.bsky.social · 17/11/2023
Our new paper in Hormone and Behavior, now online! Recent SICB paper explored conceptual definitions of sex in EEB. Here we provide recommendations for sex variable experimental design and statistical analysis, beyond a binary SABV approach! www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
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Barbara Juarez @touchyourbrain.bsky.social · 17/11/2023
The Juarez Lab is looking to hire a postdoc interested in using circuit-dissecting techniques to further our understanding on the neural basis of SUDs and stress. Find out about our research and team at thejuarezlab.com . Underrepresented individuals in science are encouraged to apply! #Neuroskyence
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Talia Lerner @talialerner.bsky.social · 17/11/2023
“Kindness is a very powerful reinforcer” Empathetic care for SUDs matters www.nytimes.com/2023/11/16/o...
nytimes.com
Opinion | Do Safe Injection Sites Increase Crime? There’s Finally an Answer.
Communities don’t have to choose between saving lives and stopping crime. The data is proof.
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Mariam Aly @mariamaly.bsky.social · 10/11/2023
I am SUPER excited for this collaboration between @blackinneuro.bsky.social and @reviewerzero.bsky.social! Register for this trainee-focused event, in which @mattgoldrick.bsky.social and I will lead a tutorial on the hidden curriculum of peer review 📝
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Siri Leknes @sirileknes.bsky.social · 10/11/2023
Hi bluesky! I'm looking for advice on cognitive tasks delivered via smartphone as part of an EMA study Please report for reach 🧠 #NeuroSkyEnce #PsychSciSky
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Eiko Fried @eikofried.bsky.social · 06/11/2023
1/12 New paper on psychedelics as treatments for mental health problems is out! We discuss 10 challenges which limit conclusions that can be drawn about safety/efficacy of psychedelic therapy. We share a checklist for journalists, policymakers & others to assess quality of studies. Brief thread:
journals.sagepub.com
History repeating: guidelines to address common problems in psychedelic science - Michiel van Elk, E...
Research in the last decade has expressed considerable optimism about the clinical potential of psychedelics for the treatment of mental disorders. This optimis...
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Black In Neuro @blackinneuro.bsky.social · 02/11/2023
If you identify as Black In Neuro and are presenting at #SfN2023, please fill out this form with your poster or talk details, so we can share it with the community! Tags: 🧠🟦 #BlackInSTEM forms.gle/7Szrw6avu6m8...
forms.gle
BIN Member SfN Abstracts
Black In Neuro would like to highlight our members and their work from this year's Society for Neuroscience conference. This information will be shared with other BIN members who are presenting and al...
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Sophia Levis, MD, PhD @sclevis.bsky.social · 03/11/2023
Had a great time during the poster session this evening at #AMERSA2023! So many inspiring discussions about medicine, science, policy, and advocacy. Excited for more tomorrow! #addictionsci #medsky
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Black In Neuro @blackinneuro.bsky.social · 01/11/2023
Black In Neuro will be back at #SfN2023 for the second year in a row ✨ We have an amazing workshop 11/12, 12-2pm exploring the unwritten rules in academia through perspectives & personal stories of BIN members. This workshop is open to all registered for SfN, BIN members & allies 🤗 Tags: 🧪 🧠🟦
White flyer with dynamic brown and black shapes. The Black In Neuro logo is at the top left with text below “at Society for Neuroscience 2023”. Text reads: “Sunday, November 12, 2023, 12-2 PM, Walter E. Washington Convention Center 207B. Professional DEVELOPMENT Workshop. How I Survived Grad School: Perspectives from Black In NeuroThis interactive panel will explore the unwritten rules in academia through perspectives and personal stories from Black In Neuro members. This workshop will focus on giving trainees, particularly those from historically marginalized backgrounds, tips for surviving graduate school. Participants will leave the workshop with a better understanding of how to identify support networks, advocate for themselves and navigate difficult situations. Conference Registration is Required. Check Out Other Ways to Connect with BIN at SfN, www.blackinneuro.com/upcomomg-events”Flyer with nine panels. The panel at the top left has the Black In Neuro Logo with text below “Meet Our Workshop Leaders”. The next seven panels have photos of each of the speakers with their names. From left to right: Victoria MCray; Angeline Dukes, PhD; De-Shaine Murray; Clíona Kelly, PhD; Paige B. Greenwood, PhD; Rackeb Tesfaye, PhD; Elena Domingez, PhD. The panel on the bottom right has text reading “SfN 2023 Professional Development Workshop. November 12, 12-2 PM. “*Registration for SfN is required but no additional registration is necessary.”
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