iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Talia Lerner @talialerner.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Exploitation of addiction for profit is at the heart of the design

Reposted by Talia Lerner

eartha mae @endoeartha.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

Extremely proud to share @acara333.bsky.social and my new paper, out today in @cp-neuron.bsky.social, where we develop a new fluorescent reporter of neural responses to estrogen! 🔬 paper 📝: www.cell.com/neuron/fullt... addgene page 🧬: www.addgene.org/254753/ #neuroskyence 🧪 1/10

graphical abstract of the manuscript depicting pink estrogen-sensitive neurons with a subset of their nuclei colored in green. These green nuclei represent estrogen receptor dependent neural gene transcription, tracked via the expression of a destabilized GFP with a 2 hour half-life. At top, in green is shown a cartoon of the neural response to estrogen across two estrous cycles, and below there is a cartoon of a mouse implanted with an optic fiber for in vivo imaging.

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Dave Root @neuronroot.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

On the cover of Science Signaling today, the final version of our initial investigation of functional differences between VTA glutamate-dopamine, nonglutamate-dopamine, and glutamate-only neurons www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

science.org

Distinct properties of glutamate-dopamine, nonglutamate-dopamine, and glutamate-only ventral tegmental area neurons

Glutamate cotransmission predicts the behavioral functions and characteristics of dopaminergic neurons in the VTA.

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Florence Ashley @floralashes.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

It feels weird to apply the term “whistleblower” to someone who’s just confirming what literally everybody knew with virtual certainty.

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Reposted by Talia Lerner

I-270, Exit 1 @i270exit1.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

This plan will make peer review less transparent and more confusing to applicants and program staff. Y'all killed it on the OMB proposal, you know what to do here. Comment deadline is October 13.

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Talia Lerner @talialerner.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

It has been painfully clear since Fall’24 that US science funding would tank, universities would be targeted, and any assertions about a new “gold standard” disingenuous. The question has not been “will it be that bad,” but “how bad will it be.”

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Dr. Cate Peña @cate-cholamine.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

So proud to have “Early-life stress alters H3K4me1 in VTA to prime stress sensitivity” out now in Neuron! This work spanned Many years and Many people contributed. Huge thanks to @hyejaykim.bsky.social, @ja-balouek.bsky.social, Luke Geiger, and Meaghan Creed www.cell.com/neuron/fullt...

cell.com

Early-life stress alters H3K4me1 in VTA to prime stress sensitivity

Kim, Geiger et al. report that early-life stress increases the chromatin modification H3K4me1 and its enzymatic writer, SETD7, in the ventral tegmental area. They show that this form of epigenetic pri...

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Reposted by Talia Lerner

Rebekah Evans @cellularscale.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

This paper was a LONG time coming! We functionally mapped excitatory and inhibitory inputs onto dopamine neuron dendrites using spatial optogenetics.

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Talia Lerner @talialerner.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

Also!! Jacob will present this work 👇 at #ACNP2027 in a panel on “Sensitive Periods for Addiction: How Adolescent Experience Shapes Reward and Control Systems,” along with Stephanie Groman, Luke Hyde, and Katie Karlsgodt! 🙌 Excited for this dive into rodent + human data presented side-by-side

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Talia Lerner @talialerner.bsky.social · 03/08/2026

And a second new preprint from Lerner Lab on the same day! 👀 🎉 Led by graduate student Nkatha Mwenda! “Dopamine dips during unrewarded actions promote punishment-resistant reward seeking” #neuroskyence🧪

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Talia Lerner @talialerner.bsky.social · 03/08/2026

🚨Happy to share a new preprint from Lerner Lab led by graduate student @nadelneurosci.bsky.social! 🚨 “Adolescent stress recruits a latent amygdala-dopamine circuit to drive punishment-resistant reward-seeking” This has been a wholly impressive effort by Jacob; summary below 👇 #neuroskyence🧪

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Jennifer Bussell PhD @jenbussell.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

How does the brain represent the value of knowledge? In our paper--out now at Nature Neuroscience--we identify a representation of intrinsic information value within neural population structures in the orbitofrontal cortex in mice. www.nature.com/articles/s41593-026-02377-y #neuroskyence 🧠🧪 (1/8)

nature.com

Representations of the intrinsic value of information in mouse orbitofrontal cortex - Nature Neuroscience

Mice are motivated to seek information of no extrinsic value. Recording neural activity in orbitofrontal cortex reveals a representation of the value of information that is distinct from the value of ...

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Reposted by Talia Lerner

Olivia Drake @odrake.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

Our new preprint from @daylab.bsky.social characterizes Chst9-MSNs, a specialized NAc population with high Oprm1 expression and opioid sensitivity that is required for fentanyl reward learning. Excited to share this work! 🧠🧬 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

biorxiv.org

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Talia Lerner @talialerner.bsky.social · 24/07/2026

A very nice panel on translationally relevant studies of neural circuits for DBS this morning at #CRANIA2026 - covering thinking about Parkinson's, dystonia, and chronic pain. All star panel and really complementary talks! Gives me optimism in translating circuit work!

Panel sitting at front of conference with Alexandra Nelson, Arun Gittis, Meaghan Creed, and Jaideep Bains

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Reposted by Talia Lerner

Keri Martinowich @martinowk.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

This is a great experience for early career folks! Working with the Intern and the Special Projects team are some of my best memories and highlight of my time as @npp-journal.bsky.social Social Media Editor!

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Reposted by Talia Lerner

megan peters 🧠 @meganakpeters.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

I've been told my discussion with NPR about US academics/scientists moving overseas will be on NPR later today on All Things Considered! Live broadcast 4-6pm Eastern. Don’t know when my segment will be within this, but tune in! Huge thanks to @npr.org for the opportunity to share my perspective.

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Reposted by Talia Lerner

Nora Newcombe @noranewcombe.bsky.social · 16/06/2026

I heard yesterday there are now over 12k comments. Great, but not enough! Comment, if you haven’t already.

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Reposted by Talia Lerner

Colette Delawalla, PhD @cdelawalla.bsky.social · 06/06/2026

I NEED YOUR ATTENTION. When violent and controlling people start to feel their power slip, they become more violent and controlling. I believe this is what’s happening in the Administration, now. This is a CRITICAL INFLECTION POINT: we MUST come together and push back *hard* NOW. 🧵 a thread

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Professa Murray @kalimurray.bsky.social · 03/06/2026

1/And just one more note: I have seen various science organizations begin to organize to comment on this rule. A: It is really important to comment on this rule. B: Why? A comment is part of the administrative record and the agency has to respond—in some way—to the comment.

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Reposted by Talia Lerner

Scott Rich, Ph.D. @richcompneuro.bsky.social · 02/06/2026

Top story on the @nytimes.com app. A big sign that this all-important story is breaking into mainstream consciousness.

Top story on the NYT app regarding science funding.

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Reposted by Talia Lerner

bioRxiv Neuroscience @biorxiv-neursci.bsky.social · 29/05/2026

Local control of dopamine release in nucleus accumbens gates opioid withdrawal aversion www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/20…

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Talia Lerner @talialerner.bsky.social · 31/05/2026

I followed these instructions to comment on the new proposed (disatrous) OMB rule - super helpful! Please take the time to write a specific, personal comment!!!

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Reposted by Talia Lerner

Joshua Weitz @joshuasweitz.bsky.social · 28/05/2026

Politicization of science is a pathway to mediocrity, decline, and real-world failure. The White House and OMB might want more power to undermine America's once-leading R&D ecosystem, but doing so comes with costs: to careers, discovery, the economy, our health, and national security.

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Talia Lerner @talialerner.bsky.social · 28/05/2026

I should have re-posted this a long time ago! 🤣 But please check out this interview I did with Sheena Josselyn at SickKids and #UofT. It was a great conversation!

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Talia Lerner @talialerner.bsky.social · 13/05/2026

The Lerner Lab is excited for #Dopamine2026 next week! Make sure to check out these sessions and say hello 👋 @dopaminesociety.bsky.social

Tues morning, Parallel Session 14, “Here be dragons: Mapping the uncharted territories of dopamine topology” – featuring Laia Castell (presenting her work from Tricia Janak’s lab)
Tues afternoon, Parallel Session 20, “Dopamine circuit plasticity mechanisms in reward-free motor learning” –featuring AJ Miller-Hansen (Talia Lerner, chair)
Wed morning, Parallel Session 21, “The role of dopaminergic systems in associating and integrating world information to motivate actions” – featuring work by Nkatha Mwenda (presented by Talia Lerner)

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Talia Lerner @talialerner.bsky.social · 12/05/2026

🚨Exiting new preprint from Lerner Lab postdoc AJ Miller-Hansen examining the thalamus as a physiological driver of local, acetylcholine-dependent dopamine release! 🚨 DA-ACh interactions have been 🔥but what’s really going on in vivo? We think we have some answers. #neuroskyence🧪

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Ariel Levine @ariellevine.bsky.social · 05/05/2026

Posting for Vibhu Sahni: Due to unforeseen circumstances the Burke Neurological Institute will have to terminate its research operations 5/22. There are international postdocs on visas who are looking for new homes. Please reach out to Vibhu if you can help

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Zoe McElligott @nanopharmnc.bsky.social · 01/05/2026

I am looking for a new reserach technician. This is an entry level position ideal for a graudating senior. Please re-post and send candidates my way! zoemce@email.unc.edu

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Reposted by Talia Lerner

Tommaso Patriarchi @tpatriarchi.bsky.social · 26/04/2026

Check out the birghtest star in the room: PinkyCaMP - the latest member to the red GECI family! Amazing work led by Olivia Masseck and a wonderful team! Proud to contribute

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Talia Lerner @talialerner.bsky.social · 01/04/2026

This ruling, supported even by liberal justices, betrays a fundamental misunderstanding: Therapy is not the expression of a personal opinion - it's medical care. There is no first amendment right to medical malpractice.

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Talia Lerner @talialerner.bsky.social · 11/03/2026

This piece reflecting on how I formed the ideas for my research was fun to write, and I hope you enjoy reading it!

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Talia Lerner @talialerner.bsky.social · 20/02/2026

Burnt out, took the time she needed, came back with confidence, grace, and joy. An inspiration ✨🤩

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Talia Lerner @talialerner.bsky.social · 13/02/2026

Watching the systematic dismantling of the world's largest funder of biomedical research is heartbreaking and infuriating

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Stand Up for Science! @standupforscience.net · 28/01/2026

Get in, dorks. We're ready for round two. RALLY TO TAKE BACK SCIENCE! 🔬🧪✊ March 7th, 2026 in Washington, DC Learn more at www.standupforscience.net/ma... (link in our bio.)

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Talia Lerner @talialerner.bsky.social · 05/02/2026

Congrats to the new #GRCBasalGanglia vice-chairs! See you in Ventura, California 2028!

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Talia Lerner @talialerner.bsky.social · 02/02/2026

Taking the #GRCBasalGanglia Oath ✋🏼 I acknowledge that the go/no-go model of the BG was useful but it is outdated and incorrect, or at least incomplete. I pledge not to use the go/no-go model as a strawman to motivate my work.

BG GRC Oath:
I acknowledge that the go/no-go model of the BG was useful but it is outdated and incorrect, or at least incomplete. I pledge not to use the go/no-go model as a strawman to motivate my work.

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Talia Lerner @talialerner.bsky.social · 01/02/2026

Congratulations to the new 2028 Basal Ganglia GRS chairs, Amy Gottschalk and Rodrigo Paz! #GRCBasalGanglia

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Andrew Perfors @perfors.net · 01/02/2026

I am really angry about all of the scientists who cozied up to Epstein even after it was known who he was. I am nearly as angry at how many people are justifying this as "they had to, it's how academia works" NO IT FUCKING WELL ISN'T

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Talia Lerner @talialerner.bsky.social · 01/02/2026

Waking up in beautiful Tuscany - not to be underestimated! #GRCBasalGanglia 😍

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Talia Lerner @talialerner.bsky.social · 26/01/2026

We cannot do science while our people are being shot down in the streets. We cannot fund DHS/ICE. Call your representatives.

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Reposted by Talia Lerner

Max Kozlov @maxkozlov.bsky.social · 22/01/2026

🚨 New from me: Grant review at more than half of NIH's institutes could be frozen by the end of the year. That's because crucial NIH grant-review panels are slated to be empty at those institutes by Jan 2027. A wonky bureaucratic problem with big implications. A short 🧵

nature.com

Exclusive: key NIH review panels due to lose all members by the end of 2026

Thirteen of the agency’s advisory councils, which must review grant applications before funding is awarded, are on track to have no voting members.

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Talia Lerner @talialerner.bsky.social · 15/01/2026

Now back! Good, confusing, but good

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Talia Lerner @talialerner.bsky.social · 14/01/2026

Every day, a new atrocity. This one hits close to home.

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Reposted by Talia Lerner

Charlie Thomas @cthomasjamh.bsky.social · 12/01/2026

This is the sort of statement that was expected from every university president and law firm partner over the last year. That those statements weren’t made played a huge part in where we are now and people will remember.

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