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Will Giardino

@willgiardino.bsky.social
1.5K followers 553 following 43 posts

Neuroscientist, Assistant Professor @ Stanford, PI @ Giardino Lab. Personal account, personal views.

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Reposted by Will Giardino
Olivier George @brainaddiction.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
The function is not in the neurotransmiter but in the circuit it's acting. This is why full agonist and antagonist are tricky as a medication, because you might solve the problem on one side of the brain and make it worse on the other side.... doi.org/10.1038/s41...
nature.com
Nociceptin orphanin F/Q Pathways are dysregulated by stress and modulate reward responsiveness and motivated behavior across species
Molecular Psychiatry - Nociceptin orphanin F/Q Pathways are dysregulated by stress and modulate reward responsiveness and motivated behavior across species
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Will Giardino @willgiardino.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
Congrats to lab postdoc Dr. Ivy Hoang on being awarded an F32 NRSA from NIH/NIDA! Ivy's project aims to answer how the population of CCK neurons in the BNST links sleep homeostasis, drug memories, and cocaine seeking. So proud of her, and so thrilled to see this work funded.
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Will Giardino @willgiardino.bsky.social · 19/06/2026
Beautiful new article "Neurobiology of negative reinforcement as a driving force in alcohol addiction" by Vendruscolo & Koob. Been reading these reviews for 20yrs- this might be the first time that Medial & Lateral BNST received separate labels in the circuit figure! www.cell.com/neuron/fullt...
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Elizabeth Sypek @elizabethis.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
NINDS has discontinued our F32 mechanism. All previously submitted applications will proceed as normal. grants.nih.gov/grants/guide...
grants.nih.gov
NOT-NS-26-002: Notice of Change: Early Expiration of NINDS Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) for Training of Postdoctoral Fellows (F32 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
NIH Funding Opportunities and Notices in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts: Notice of Change: Early Expiration of NINDS Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) for Training of ...
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Will Giardino @willgiardino.bsky.social · 06/05/2026
The Giardino Lab at Stanford is hiring a full-time post-bacc Research Assistant! If you know someone who is passionate about research and want to work at the intersection of stress, addiction, and sleep/wake neurobiology, have them apply here. careersearch.stanford.edu/jobs/life-sc...
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Patrick Mulholland (He/Him) @mulhollandlab.bsky.social · 28/02/2026
Here are the Alcohol GRC awardees-Congrats!
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Will Giardino @willgiardino.bsky.social · 11/11/2025
New preprint from the lab! We identified Vipr2-expressing BNST neurons as a distinct subpopulation of the oval nucleus that promotes feeding, is activated by food restriction, is non-overlapping with appetite-suppressing PKC delta neurons, and projects to PSTN & PVN hypothalamic feeding centers.
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bioRxiv Neuroscience @biorxiv-neursci.bsky.social · 10/11/2025
A Distinct Subpopulation of Extended Amygdala Neurons Drives Food Intake www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/202…
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Will Giardino @willgiardino.bsky.social · 03/11/2025
Excited to share new research from my lab in final published form! By deleting hypocretin (orexin) receptors from CRF neurons, we uncovered neuropeptide mechanisms linking alcohol drinking and negative emotional hyperarousal through BNST neuronal excitability. www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
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Niko Massaly @massalyniko.bsky.social · 22/10/2025
🚨 Please RT! We’re recruiting a motivated postdoc to dissect the neurocircuits of affective pain. Expertise in behavioral models of pain/SUDs, stereotaxy, microscopy, opto/chemogenetics, or fiber photometry encouraged. Apply 👉 recruit.apo.ucla.edu/JPF10647 #Neuroscience #Postdoc
recruit.apo.ucla.edu
Postdoctoral Research Position
University of California, Los Angeles is hiring. Apply now!
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Joanna Dabrowska @dabrowska-lab.bsky.social · 26/09/2025
Our work on mind-boggling CRF-BNST neurons is out! 🥳 🔹Sex & estrous matter: CRF neurons⬇️anxious arousal (yup) after unpredictable fear in diestrus👧not👦 🔹👧show⬆️contextual fear, independent of CRF/estrous ✨Anxiety-potentiated startle🟰👍 readout in🚶‍♀️&🐀 www.biologicalpsychiatryjournal.com/article/S000...
biologicalpsychiatryjournal.com
Activity of corticotropin-releasing factor neurons in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis reduces anxiety-potentiated startle in female rats in an estrous phase-dependent manner
The prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and anxiety disorders is higher in women than men. The severity of hallmark symptoms including hypervigilance and fear reactivity to unpredictab...
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Anne Vassalli @annevassalli.bsky.social · 25/07/2025
Excited to share our new preprint! www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1... Divergent modulation of dopaminergic neurons by hypocretin/orexin receptors-1 and -2 shapes dopaminergic cell activity and socio-emotional behavior Tzanoulinou et al Supported by @snsf.ch
Summary depiction of divergent neuromodulation of dopaminergic neurons by hypocretin/orexin receptors-1 and -2 as reflected at electrophysiological and behavioral levels
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Will Giardino @willgiardino.bsky.social · 07/07/2025
We’re excited to share our new preprint from the lab! PhD student @armorningstar.bsky.social demonstrated how Early Life Stress shapes sex-specific vulnerability to alcohol behavioral sensitivity, alcohol drinking, and alcohol's effects on social behaviors in mice.
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bioRxiv Neuroscience @biorxiv-neursci.bsky.social · 29/06/2025
Early life stress modulates behavioral sensitivity to alcohol and promotes escalation of alcohol drinking www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/202…
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Will Giardino @willgiardino.bsky.social · 14/05/2025
Honored to give a seminar at NIH/NIDA IRP in Baltimore this week and learn about the incredible research being done there by so many brilliant, diverse people to advance neuroscience and addiction treatment. Immense respect for all the NIH scientists & staff, working under such unfair circumstances
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dan mccalley @danmccalley.bsky.social · 29/04/2025
new paper out in Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation: a ‘reverse translational‘ model of TMS for Alcohol Use Disorder — we know so little about which TMS parameters will be best to reduce drinking — so, why not leverage mice to test things out rapidly & cheaply? www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
sciencedirect.com
Developing a reverse translational model of low-intensity rTMS in alcohol use disorder: The influence of theta burst stimulation protocols on binge alcohol drinking in mice
Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) is a promising treatment tool for Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD). A challenge facing the field is that…
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Will Giardino @willgiardino.bsky.social · 29/04/2025
Thrilled to contribute to this collaboration with the McNerney lab, @danmccalley.bsky.social, Claudia Padula, and team - where we used distinct TMS neuromodulation protocols to observe sex-specific impacts on binge alcohol drinking in mice! #TranscranialMagneticStimulation
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Reposted by Will Giardino
Leigh Walker @drlcwalker.bsky.social · 21/03/2025
Check out our new paper lead by superstars Amy Pearl and Xavier Maddern in @naturecomms.bsky.social . We show a sex specific role for ghrelin signalling in the Edinger Westphal nucleus driving binge drinking. Thanks to all those involved www.nature.com/articles/s41...
nature.com
Midbrain ghrelin receptor signalling regulates binge drinking in a sex specific manner - Nature Communications
Binge drinking is a rising issue in women, yet the underlying neurobiology remains underexplored. Here authors show the Edinger-Westphal (EWcp) peptidergic neurons as a critical regulator of binge dri...
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Will Giardino @willgiardino.bsky.social · 08/03/2025
So proud of the Giardino lab members #StandUpForScience @standupforscience.bsky.social
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Will Giardino @willgiardino.bsky.social · 06/03/2025
an excellent interview with an excellent science friend!
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PessoaBrain @pessoabrain.bsky.social · 04/03/2025
𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗱𝗼 𝗮𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝘅𝗶𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀? One reason might be that the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis suppresses anxiety. (Btw this region is as important as the amygdala in anxiety, likely more). (h/t @ajshackman.bsky.social) #neuroscience #neuroskyence doi.org/10.1016/j.ce...
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Jenna McHenry @jennamchenry.bsky.social · 28/02/2025
Recruiting a postdoc! State-dependent regulation of social behavior & social group dynamics using in vivo deep brain calcium imaging, machine learning, etc... all the circuit tools. Applicants can email me directly if interested and apply here: academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/29799.
academicjobsonline.org
Duke University, Psychology and Neuroscience
Job #AJO29799, Postdoctoral Associate, Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, US
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Katie Witkiewitz @katiew.bsky.social · 25/02/2025
My heart breaks daily for those who started careers in the pandemic & survived 5 years of heart wrenching loss and uncertainty to now be faced with loss and uncertainty. This time, the uncertainty is driven by pure evil and is 💯 unnecessary. That's why we must all @standupforscience.bsky.social
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Will Giardino @willgiardino.bsky.social · 19/02/2025
Follow-up:
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Alexander Harris @dralexharris.bsky.social · 12/02/2025
First they came for my diversity grant, and I did not freak out - because I still had an R01. Then they paused federal funding, and I did not freak out - because I had a start up package with central funds. Then they cut indirect costs, and there was no research program left to freak out over
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Ben Saunders @bensaunders.bsky.social · 12/02/2025
There are a huge # of scientists who are rapidly reconsidering their futures right now, and their ability to move on careerwise might be contingent on a milestone (paper, committee approval) that you have a direct role in. One small way to help is to consider the impact of that responsibility.
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Sonya Neal @neal-lab.bsky.social · 12/02/2025
As a leader in my lab & various initiatives, I’ve made my stance clear....my commitment to DEI is unwavering. I won’t back down or shy away, even as others do. I’ll continue to uphold and advocate for these values.
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Will Giardino @willgiardino.bsky.social · 10/02/2025
For anyone who thinks that private philanthropy is going to step in and fill the void left by NIH, here's a preview of how that's going to work out: "Thank you for your recent application submission... We received 146 applications in total, about 3 times more than the previous year."
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Katie Witkiewitz @katiew.bsky.social · 04/02/2025
Open (public) sessions of NIDA and NIAAA Advisory council meetings scheduled for this week are both cancelled. Keep making calls folks. nida.nih.gov/about-nida/a...
nida.nih.gov
National Advisory Council Agenda | National Institute on Drug Abuse
At the present time, all NIH public meetings are cancelled. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding.
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Zoe McElligott @nanopharmnc.bsky.social · 05/02/2025
And lots of foundation grants state that no salary support is allowed. Many folks don't understand that faculty (often at med schools) are often on "soft money" meaning we pay our own salary out of our federal grants.
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Will Giardino @willgiardino.bsky.social · 26/01/2025
Our #WCBR2025 panel session on Extended Amygdala Stress Neurocircuitry is today at 4:30pm in room Sierra B! with @laylabraindoc.bsky.social , Rajani Maiya, and Sherod Haynes
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Tired Ass Profs @tired-profs.bsky.social · 23/01/2025
Oh great… the same new PIs who were hit by a global pandemic just as they started are now trying to renew their grants and get tenure when the funding agencies are actively being destroyed. But sure.... that COVID tenure clock extension reeaaallly made a difference....
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Nature Neuroscience @natneuro.nature.com · 22/01/2025
Combined analysis of #GWAS and human brain single-cell transcriptomics data to infer the cell-types involved in the etiology of #schizophrenia and other psychiatric disorders 🧪🧠 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
nature.com
Mapping the cellular etiology of schizophrenia and complex brain phenotypes - Nature Neuroscience
Duncan and colleagues link specific human brain cell types to schizophrenia and other complex brain phenotypes, providing mechanistic insights and a cellular taxonomy for psychiatric disorders.
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Will Giardino @willgiardino.bsky.social · 21/01/2025
Thrilled to have our collaboration with Dr Laramie Duncan out in @natureneuro.bsky.social! We leveraged two landmark datasets (GWAS + snRNA-seq from 105 regions of human brain) to infer the cell types involved in the etiology of psychiatric phenotypes (SCZ, AUD, Sleep) www.nature.com/articles/s41...
nature.com
Mapping the cellular etiology of schizophrenia and complex brain phenotypes - Nature Neuroscience
Duncan and colleagues link specific human brain cell types to schizophrenia and other complex brain phenotypes, providing mechanistic insights and a cellular taxonomy for psychiatric disorders.
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Julieta Lis @julietalis.bsky.social · 16/01/2025
🚨Postdoc and Postbac positions available in my group at the NIEHS/NIH! Interested in investigating the neural mechanisms for social behaviors across development in a supportive environment? Make sure to apply! Job ads in🧵Feel free to DM/email w/ questions, please RT
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HHMI @hhmi-science.bsky.social · 08/01/2025
Today we're thrilled to announce our 2024 #HannaGrayFellows! Please join us in welcoming and celebrating these outstanding early career scientists!
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Dave Root @neuronroot.bsky.social · 02/01/2025
Couple of pre-prints led by @anniely.bsky.social VGluT3 BNST neurons transmit GABA and restrict feeding without affecting rewarding or aversive processing www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1... Assessing the role of BNST GABA neurons in backward conditioned suppression www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
biorxiv.org
VGluT3 BNST neurons transmit GABA and restrict feeding without affecting rewarding or aversive processing
The bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) is involved in feeding, reward, aversion, and anxiety-like behavior. We identify BNST neurons defined by the expression of vesicular glutamate transporte...
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