Reposted by Stacey KigarLeading Edge Fellows Program @leadingedgeprogram.bsky.social · 09/06/2026We are thrilled to announce the 2026 Zara Weinberg Leading Edge Fellows! 40 remarkable postdocs pursuing transformative research in biological/biomedical sciences. This is the 7th Leading Edge cohort and we are so excited to welcome them! www.leadingedgesymposium.org/fellows/ 011855
Stacey Kigar @staceykigar.bsky.social · 28/11/2025This work is an important first step toward refining psychiatric diagnoses, aligning them with biological processes, and empowering discovery of new treatment options. 010
Stacey Kigar @staceykigar.bsky.social · 28/11/2025i.e., anxious-depression, social withdrawal, compulsivity & intrusive thought - and the levels of different immune cells and plasma cytokines. These relationships varied with and without exposure to stress. Exposing white blood cells to an immune challenge revealed further symptom relationships 110
Stacey Kigar @staceykigar.bsky.social · 28/11/2025laying the groundwork to reveal common biological processes & to enable future therapeutic options. We used a laboratory-induced stressor, immunophenotyping, and comprehensive cognitive testing to profile healthy volunteers. We find relationships between transdiagnostic symptoms... 110
Stacey Kigar @staceykigar.bsky.social · 28/11/2025Defining psychiatric disorders is often 'fuzzy' - e.g., compulsivity is a symptom in substance addictions, OCD, hoarding disorder, et al., - which impedes diagnostics and treatment. Our newly published work examines these shared ('transdiagnostic') symptoms... www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...sciencedirect.comInflammatory profiles of transdiagnostic symptom dimensions in healthy femalesPsychiatric disorders are increasingly conceptualised as heterogeneous categories with transdiagnostic underlying mechanisms that cut across multiple … 153
Stacey Kigar @staceykigar.bsky.social · 18/11/2025“balanced on a toothpick labelled DNS” - @scalarmoon.bsky.social 020
Reposted by Stacey KigarLeading Edge Fellows Program @leadingedgeprogram.bsky.social · 05/11/2025The Leading Edge Fellows gathered this week to celebrate Zara Weinberg, a beloved member of our community. Our 7th cohort of Leading Edge Fellows (2026) will be named in her honor. The Zara Weinberg Leading Edge Cohort application is now open! Due Feb 2. www.leadingedgesymposium.org/apply/ 214985
Reposted by Stacey KigarLex McMenamin (they/them) @lexmcmenamin.com · 03/11/2025thank you for all the support; the statement from our union is now live here with some more reporting. now that this is public I can confirm that the majority of today’s layoffs were women of color. there are no longer any Black women working at Teen Vogue.hollywoodreporter.comAs Condé Nast Folds Teen Vogue Into Vogue’s Website, NewsGuild Condemns the PlanThe union, which reps staffers, says the move was "clearly designed" to blunt the journalism of the brand, which has leaned in to progressive politics. 288117725936
Stacey Kigar @staceykigar.bsky.social · 01/11/2025not taking #caturday for granted as our super senior (i.e., nearly 20y old) lady gave us a proper health scare this week. (thankfully she seems to be on the mend) 030
Stacey Kigar @staceykigar.bsky.social · 01/11/2025Zara was an incredibly inspiring scientist, activist, and leader within our community of Leading Edge Fellows. She will be deeply missed by all those who had the pleasure of interacting with her. 0163
Stacey Kigar @staceykigar.bsky.social · 13/10/2025Incredible new work from the McKinley Lab @karalmckinley.bsky.social describing menstruating mice and stem cell renewal in the uterus! Congrats to an amazing team 🐭🧬🔬 021
Reposted by Stacey KigarImmuNoah's Ark (Noe Rodriguez) @immunoah.bsky.social · 01/10/2025📣📣We're seeking a postdoc to join us at the @mrclmb.bsky.social to investigate neuroimmune interactomes in tumour & viral immunity. If you find fascinating & want to learn about #neuroscience & #immunology, tracing neurons, molecular biology & #flowcytometry, apply! 🧠🫁👀🩸🔬 mrc.tal.net/vx/mobile-0/... 086
Stacey Kigar @staceykigar.bsky.social · 01/10/2025Congrats to Varun, Xinhe, and the team on this very important work 000
Stacey Kigar @staceykigar.bsky.social · 01/10/2025Thank you! That is certainly the hope, though there’s much work ahead re: translating these results from rodent to human. 110
Reposted by Stacey KigarNPR @npr.org · 01/10/2025JUST IN: Jane Goodall, primatologist who transformed our understanding of the lives of apes, has died, according to an announcement from the Jane Goodall Institute.n.prJane Goodall, legendary primatologist, has died at age 91Jane Goodall, primatologist who transformed our understanding of the lives of apes, has died, according to an announcement from the Jane Goodall Institute. 13434401051
Reposted by Stacey KigarMedicine at Cambridge @medcambridge.bsky.social · 29/09/2025Upcoming seminar: 🎓Dr Stacey Kigar @staceykigar.bsky.social @medcambridge.bsky.social 📢"Chronic stress-mediated effects on the immune system: links to mental health" 📅 1-2PM, Thur 2 October 📍JCBC @cambridgebiocampus.bsky.social buff.ly/ggnAwDO #CITIID #MedSky #ImmunoSky 🧪 052
Reposted by Stacey KigarGergo Porkolab @gergoporkolab.bsky.social · 12/09/2025Happy to share our new preprint on BBB mechanobiology on bioRxiv: www.biorxiv.org/cgi/content/... We describe an exciting new link between tight junctions and cell-matrix adhesions during BBB maturation and in epileptic BBB dysfunction.biorxiv.orgEndothelial tight junctions and cell-matrix adhesions reciprocally control blood-brain barrier integrityBrain endothelial cells (ECs) rely on mechanical cues to provide a physical barrier that protects the brain. Yet how ECs integrate forces to establish and maintain the blood-brain barrier (BBB) remain... 193
Reposted by Stacey KigarOlivia Guest · Ολίβια Γκεστ @olivia.science · 08/09/2025There are a lot more people than one might think who refuse this tech but are shamed by users. Once the space for their opinions and voices opens up, the scene will change. These stats, 18k views, are not a coincidence for example on this preprint. People want to not, yup. zenodo.org/records/1706...zenodo.orgAgainst the Uncritical Adoption of 'AI' Technologies in AcademiaUnder the banner of progress, products have been uncritically adopted or even imposed on users — in past centuries with tobacco and combustion engines, and in the 21st with social media. For these col... 04318
Stacey Kigar @staceykigar.bsky.social · 01/09/2025Check out this nice write-up of our work, out today in @natcomms.nature.com! 🧠🐁💉 130
Reposted by Stacey KigarArghavan Salles, MD, PhD @arghavansallesmd.medsky.social · 01/09/2025If you’ve ever compared unvaccinated kids to vaccinated kids, you’ve seen the former are more likely to die. 281250428
Reposted by Stacey KigarAbby Polter @ampolter.bsky.social · 01/09/2025One of my former students sent me an update letting me know she got into medical school and included a picture of her white coat ceremony. It made my day! Send your professors updates on what you're doing, it's a real highlight in this job. 1174
Stacey Kigar @staceykigar.bsky.social · 01/09/2025I am so grateful to everyone involved in bringing this paper to fruition, and am especially grateful to the NIH and @cambridgebrc.bsky.social for supporting me throughout. To read a summary of the project, please check out this summary by Craig Brierley here: www.cam.ac.uk/research/new...cam.ac.ukDepression linked to presence of immune cells in the brain’s protective layerImmune cells released from bone marrow in the skull in response to chronic stress and adversity could play a key role in symptoms of depression and anxiety, 010
Stacey Kigar @staceykigar.bsky.social · 01/09/2025It involved lots of hard work from my brilliant co-authors, including co-first author @maryellenlynall.bsky.social and others who as far as I know aren’t on blue sky. Data collection took place during Covid lockdown, and involved coordinating teams transatlantically, requiring lots of grit/tenacity! 100
Stacey Kigar @staceykigar.bsky.social · 01/09/2025Systemic depletion of type I interferon signaling improved depressive behavior in chronically stressed mice, and may hold promise as a future target for depression treatment. This project was a labor of love, stemming from work done many years ago now while I was still a postdoc at the NIH campus… 100
Stacey Kigar @staceykigar.bsky.social · 01/09/2025A unique population of neutrophils that are regulated independently of neutrophils derived from other bone marrow stores, like tibia. Our single cell RNA sequencing analysis of meningeal tissue showed type I interferons as a plausible candidate triggering movement of neutrophils into the meninges… 100
Stacey Kigar @staceykigar.bsky.social · 01/09/2025However, we found neutrophils increased in the meninges—a protective tissue layer surrounding the brain. We were surprised to find that neutrophils did not seem to enter the meninges from the bloodstream, but instead entered from nearby skull bone marrow. The skull bone marrow appears to host.. 100
Stacey Kigar @staceykigar.bsky.social · 01/09/2025It is not clear what if any relationship blood neutrophils have with mood disorders like depression. We hypothesized that neutrophils increased by stress could exert an effect on mood from within the brain or its surrounding/supporting tissues. We found no evidence that neutrophils enter the brain.. 100
Stacey Kigar @staceykigar.bsky.social · 01/09/2025We used a combination of bioinformatics, immuno-, and behavioral assays to show “first responder” immune cells (neutrophils) accumulate around the brain following prolonged stress exposure. While it is well known that acute exposure to stress causes release of neutrophils into the bloodstream… 110
Stacey Kigar @staceykigar.bsky.social · 01/09/2025‼️ New manuscript alert ‼️ I’m thrilled to share this work examining chronic stress-related “depression” and immune cells at the blood brain barrier: www.nature.com/articles/s41...nature.comChronic social defeat stress induces meningeal neutrophilia via type I interferon signaling in male miceNature Communications - Chronic stress is a risk factor for depression, yet the mechanisms are unclear. Here, the authors show in mice that stress drives interferon-mediated neutrophil recruitment... 191
Stacey Kigar @staceykigar.bsky.social · 18/08/2025It’s also factually incorrect that other countries lack mail-in voting: www.idea.int/news/how-us-...idea.intHow the US stacks up against global voting by mail trends 010
Reposted by Stacey KigarFredrik Jutfelt 🐠 @jutfelt.bsky.social · 18/08/2025Associate Professor position in animal physiology at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (to replace me basically). An amazing permanent position at a great university! Please spread widely 🙏 www.jobbnorge.no/en/available...jobbnorge.noAssociate Professor in molecular/cellular animal physiology (281754) | NTNU - Norwegian University of Science and TechnologyJob title: Associate Professor in molecular/cellular animal physiology (281754), Employer: NTNU - Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Deadline: Monday, September 1, 2025 13248
Reposted by Stacey KigarWill Ratcliff @wcratcliff.bsky.social · 12/08/2025Not sure how many scientists here have tried Claude Code or similar command line coding assistants. I had a complicated family property tax problem that was best solved by a brute force Monte Carlo simulation approach, so I spent a few days coding up and analyzing a model with Claude Code. 19349128
Reposted by Stacey KigarHarmit Singh Malik @harmitmalik.bsky.social · 03/08/2025I spoke to Renaud Pourpe (of @lonelypipette.bsky.social fame with @epigenetique.bsky.social) about the unique challenges faced by postdocs and early-career PIs worldwide on the transition from postdoc to PI. Lots of useful advice shared (by others): www.alba.network/diversity-po... Check it out.alba.networkALBA-IBRO Diversity Podcast - Season 2Episode 4 is out. In season 2, we focus on the transition from postdoc to PI, highlighting the unique challenges faced by postdocs and early-career PIs worldwide. Hosted by the Lonely Pipette. 03413
Reposted by Stacey KigarSeth Trueger @mdaware.org · 31/07/2025one cool thing about Scandinavian countries with comprehensive public health insurance is places like Denmark can do a study on… everybody and conclude that yes COVID vaccines are safe 10871246
Reposted by Stacey Kigarmichelle⁷ @poisonivy47.bsky.social · 21/07/2025is your workplace trying to force ai on you? is a family member giving ai too much power in their life? are you sick of billionaires destroying the environment and making life worse for everyone? here's a list of resources 10+ pages long to help you fight back: docs.google.com/document/d/1...docs.google.comQuestioning AI Resource ListExcellent summary of major problems with companies’ focus on AI written by expert in machine learning: https://ludic.mataroa.blog/blog/i-will-fucking-piledrive-you-if-you-mention-ai-again/ Another g... 12206121
Reposted by Stacey KigarDr Craig R McClain @drcraigmc.bsky.social · 24/06/2025I've wanted to write this article for years. About my and other's struggles to even survive sometime in #academia. Thank you to the amazing editors at @plosbiology.org that gave me the forum to write this piece. #sciencejournals.plos.orgToo poor to science: How wealth determines who succeeds in STEMFrom student to researcher, a career in science can come with a high price tag. This Perspective explores how persistent financial barriers limit who can succeed in science, revealing how wealth shape... 23412198
Reposted by Stacey KigarDr. Erin Giglio 🏳️🌈 @eringiglio.bsky.social · 07/07/2025the thing that *really* gets me about the pivot penalty is that pivoting is one of the easiest ways to escape a toxic supervisor by fleeing the "area", at least temporarily. academia is so relational and trainees have few options if their supervisors become hostile. adding costs to this one sucks. 1104
Reposted by Stacey KigarRicardo Henriques @henriqueslab.bsky.social · 03/07/2025It's here! ✨ The #ExSRRF protocol paper is out 😍. Full details for merging Expansion Microscopy with our eSRRF analysis. From cells to tissue. A partnership with @puellesv.bsky.social's lab. Lead by Dominik Kylies and @hannah-superres.bsky.social + colleagues. #ExM #eSRRF ➡️ Open link: rdcu.be/euvEw 04315
Reposted by Stacey KigarPhilip Ball @philipcball.bsky.social · 01/07/2025Now I've looked more closely at these two recent papers in Nature, and they are both excellent examples of why we need new narratives for talking about molecular biology to non-specialists. 🧵 www.nature.com/articles/s41... www.nature.com/articles/s41...nature.comDeciphering disordered regions controlling mRNA decay in high-throughput - NatureUsing high-throughput functional profiling, how disordered regions control mRNA stability and translation is explored. 310130
Reposted by Stacey KigarDamien Fair @drdamienfair.bsky.social · 29/06/2025Alert! ... for the child development world! @fluxsociety.bsky.social @fitngin.bsky.social The Healthy Brain and Child Development (HBCD) Study has released its first data wave - it’s massive. Check here: docs.hbcdstudy.org and here: nbdc-datahub.org Here’s why it matters 🧠🍼 115979
Reposted by Stacey KigarPatricia Zengerle @reuterszengerle.bsky.social · 27/06/2025Curious what Virginia's Republican governor has to say about this. UVa is a crown jewel for the state. 475
Reposted by Stacey KigarJulie Lasselin @julielasselin.bsky.social · 21/06/2025‼️🚨 postdoc position 🚨‼️ I am looking for a postdoc in psychoneuroimmunology - come join our group to work on sickness behavior in humans 🤒🦠 at Karolinska Institutet @ki.se !! ki.varbi.com/en/what:job/... deadline July 31st @pnirs.bsky.social #neuroskyence #PsychSciSky #interoceptionki.varbi.comPostdoctoral Researcher in PsychoneuroimmunologyDo you want to contribute to improving human health? Join a dynamic and inclusive research group at the forefront of psychoneuroimmunology, where we investigate the interplay between behavior, brain f 33931
Reposted by Stacey KigarAlexandria Ocasio-Cortez @aoc.bsky.social · 11/06/2025Rewording my earlier post. RFK Jr will be testifying before Congress. I am interested in what experts and others think would be the best way to leverage this time and opportunity for the public good. If you were behind the dais for this hearing, what would you do? What do you want to see asked? 3423176783043
Reposted by Stacey Kigarstephen @stephanoplis.bsky.social · 11/06/2025I’m looking for a postdoctoral scholar to join me in the Self & Society Laboratory at UC Riverside! Sharing would be much appreciated! aprecruit.ucr.edu/JPF02104aprecruit.ucr.eduPostdoctoral Scholar in Social/Personality PsychologyUniversity of California, Riverside is hiring. Apply now! 13238
Stacey Kigar @staceykigar.bsky.social · 01/06/2025If you see this, post a flower 🌷 Lovely tulips from a recent trip to the Netherlands 041
Reposted by Stacey KigarEd Boyden @eboyden3.bsky.social · 30/05/2025Just published, expansion in situ genome sequencing, where you can sequence DNA while still inside the cell, mapping its organization relative to proteins and other markers, with the help of expansion microscopy! Led by @jbuenrostro.bksy.social. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/... 416854
Stacey Kigar @staceykigar.bsky.social · 27/05/2025Congratulations and welcome to the newest cohort of fantastic Leading Edge Fellows!! 020