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Jennifer Bussell PhD

Jennifer Bussell PhD

@jenbussell.bsky.social

2.4K followers 1.9K following 58 posts

Neuroscientist studying information seeking and curiosity via mouse models in the Axel lab at Columbia University. Formerly at Vosshall Lab at Rockefeller University. Mom in Brooklyn, former S Carolinian www.jenniferbussell.org .. more

Political science 68%

Sociology 15%

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Jennifer Bussell PhD @jenbussell.bsky.social · Oct 14

Absolutely thrilled to share my postdoc work in the Axel lab. We found odor-evoked representations of the intrinsic value of information in mouse orbitofrontal cortex and showed that mice desire knowledge as its own reward. Now on bioRxiv! www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Representations of information value in mouse orbitofrontal cortex during information seeking

bioRxiv - the preprint server for biology, operated by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, a research and educational institution

www.biorxiv.org

Reposted by Joanna Bryson, Marc Lynch, Jennifer Bussell , and 22 more Joanna Bryson, Marc Lynch, Jennifer Bussell, Richard S.J. Tol, Steve Peers, Mark D. White, Philip N. Cohen, American Library Association, Cathy N. Davidson, Michael Kevane, Silvia Secchi, Michael H. Whitworth, Michael D. McDonald, Michael Jones‐Correa, Alfie Kohn, Catherine J. Frieman, Sean P. Corcoran, Michael Larkin, Charles T. Mathewes, David Waldstreicher, Olúfẹ́mi Táíwò, Nathan P. Kalmoe, Virginia Sapiro, Clark Gray, David Darmofal

Nathan K. Hensley @nathankhensley.bsky.social · 2d

This must be weird news to see if you’re one of the literally hundreds or even thousands of university administrators who preemptively censored faculty, scrubbed websites, changed the names of centers, etc.

Keung Hui @keunghui.bsky.social · 4d

Trump administration drops legal appeal over anti-DEI funding threat to schools and colleges. This leaves in place a federal judge's ruling that the anti-DEI effort violated the First Amendment and federal procedural rules. (Via AP) apnews.com/article/dei-... #ncpol #nced

Trump administration drops legal appeal over anti-DEI funding threat to schools and colleges

The Trump administration is dropping its appeal of a federal court ruling that blocked a campaign against diversity, equity, and inclusion threatening federal funding to the nation’s schools and colle...

Reposted by Jennifer Bussell

Chris Gunter 🧬 @girlscientist.bsky.social · 2d

If you / your lab / your institution rely on NIH funding, you need to read this and understand how this is one of many changes affecting you. www.nature.com/articles/d41...

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.

Reposted by Stephen M. Walt, Jennifer Bussell, Michael Wagner , and 27 more Stephen M. Walt, Jennifer Bussell, Michael Wagner, Linda J. Skitka, Gavin A. Schmidt, Joshua S. Weitz, Scott L. Greer, Mark D. White, Lesley A. Hall, Juan Cole, Daniel W. Drezner, Smith, Karen Benjamin Guzzo, Rebecca Tushnet, Alan Richardson, Stacy D. VanDeveer, Margot C. Finn, Els Torreele, David Murakami Wood, Brooke Harrington, Richard M. Carpiano, Nathan Richardson, Pádua Fernandes, Aviel Roshwald, Ezra Golberstein, Susan D. Amussen, Nathan P. Kalmoe, Dana Howard, Timothy D. McBride, Kristina McElheran

Elizabeth Jacobs, PhD @elizabethjacobs.bsky.social · 3d

RFK Jr. appointee Kirk Milhoan has just clearly stated, out loud, that he wants to experiment on the people of the United States by seeing what happens as vaccination coverage plummets and infectious diseases spread.

Screenshot from STAT article that says

"What we're going to have is a real-world experience of when unvaccinated people get measles," he said. "What is the new incidence of hospitalization? What's the incidence of death?"

Reposted by Jennifer Bussell, Joshua S. Weitz, Scott L. Greer , and 6 more Jennifer Bussell, Joshua S. Weitz, Scott L. Greer, Calvin K. Lai, Erika Franklin Fowler, Devon Greyson, Lauren Hersch Nicholas, Georg Weizsäcker, Jesse R. Lasky

Max Kozlov @maxkozlov.bsky.social · 3d

🚨 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 🧵

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.

Reposted by Jennifer Bussell, Carl T. Bergstrom

johan @johanm.bsky.social · 3d

As #NYC is potentially facing historic levels of snow this weekend, now is the time to star preparing to help our neighbors.

dora.nyc is ready - but we need your help.

Upload resources, donate, volunteer.

Reposted by Jennifer Bussell

Stephen V Mahler @svmahler.bsky.social · 4d

Hey ventral pallidum fans, see our new paper showing that #VP GABA neurons, known for reward, also regulate aversive motivation! Inhibiting these cells with #DREADDs potentiates active or passive defenses to threats, likely via LHb.
Congrats to Erica Ramirez & Marty Martinez!
doi.org/10.1016/j.yn...

Reposted by Stephen M. Walt, Joanna Bryson, Marc Lynch , and 80 more Stephen M. Walt, Joanna Bryson, Marc Lynch, Tobias Bunde, Anupam Chander, Rebecca Solnit, Jennifer Bussell, Richard S.J. Tol, Dorothy Bishop, Brian J. Enquist, Richard E. Lenski, Andreas J. Bäumler, Tobias Kuemmerle, Will Jennings, Jon Pierre, Stefan Rahmstorf, Peter Thorne, Brendan Nyhan, Timon McPhearson, Linda J. Skitka, Du Toit, Julie L. Lockwood, Elena Litchman, Scott L. Greer, John Horgan, Steve Peers, Christopher Wright, Michael A. Clemens, Matthias Doepke, Lewis R. Gordon, Michael J. Allen, Martin Tomko, David W. Kerstetter, Marianne Hundt, Juan Cole, Cathy N. Davidson, Gernot Wagner, Jerry H. Ratcliffe, Edgar Morgenroth, Tuomas Mattila, Michael Kevane, Devon Greyson, Smith, Jonathan Hopkin, Michael W. Kraus, Silvia Secchi, Aaron Sojourner, Vincent Noël, Lisa Janicke Hinchliffe, William A. Allen, Robert B. Reich, Michael D. McDonald, Craig R. McClain, Jason Lyall, Michael Müller, Michael Jones‐Correa, Mark Rice, Anthony Burke, Juanjo Medina, Arlene Stein, Jack Stilgoe, James Connelly, Georg Weizsäcker, Ted Temzelides, Richard M. Carpiano, Nathan Richardson, Guy Pe’er, Hisham Zerriffi, Tim Stephens, Blair Fix, Karen O’Leary, Taku Ito, Sylvain Genevois, Nicole Guenther Discenza, Olúfẹ́mi Táíwò, Dietmar Fehr, Karin Wulf, Juliet Johnson, Vincent Foucher, Jeannette Sutton, David R. Shumway, Elise Thomas, Carly D. Ziter

David Ho @davidho.bsky.social · 5d

This is the most astonishing graph of what the Trump regime has done to US science. They have destroyed the federal science workforce across the board. The negative impacts on Americans will be felt for generations, and the US might never be the same again.

www.nature.com/immersive/d4...

This line graph illustrates the percentage change in agency staff levels from the previous year for nine major U.S. federal scientific and health organizations between the fiscal years 2016 and 2025. The agencies tracked include the CDC, Department of Energy, EPA, FDA, NASA, NIH, NIST, NOAA, and NSF. For the majority of the timeline between 2016 and 2023, the agencies show relatively stable fluctuations, generally staying within a range of +5% to -5% change per year. However, there is a dramatic and uniform plummet starting in the 2024–25 period. Every agency depicted shows a sharp downward trajectory, with staffing losses ranging from approximately -15% to over -25%. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) shows the most significant decline, dropping to roughly -26%, while the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) shows the least severe but still substantial drop at approximately -15%.

Reposted by Jennifer Bussell

Dr. Becca @docbecca.bsky.social · 5d

Just spoke to The Hill about how the dismantling of the NIH is impacting science in America. We still face a cliff of unfathomable heights, w easily 1000+ labs poised to close in the next year due to funding ending. A generation of young scientists lost because there is nowhere for them to train.

Reposted by Jennifer Bussell, Joshua S. Weitz

Jeremy Berg @jeremymberg.bsky.social · 5d

The conference (agreement between House and Senate) appropriations bill that includes HHS and NIH was released this morning.

www.appropriations.senate.gov/news/majorit...

1/5

Committee Releases Conferenced Defense, Homeland Security, Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies, and Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Bi...

United States Senate Committee on Appropriations

www.appropriations.senate.gov

Reposted by Jennifer Bussell

sebastianab.bsky.social @sebastianab.bsky.social · 5d

New in Nature Neuroscience: We developed a flexible model that reveals how animals learn tasks—uncovering stages, sudden insights, and gradual improvements unique to each animal.
Learning isn't monotonic, and our model captures that complexity 🐭📊
www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Infinite hidden Markov models can dissect the complexities of learning - Nature Neuroscience

Bruijns et al. present a modeling tool that enables the tracking of learning dynamics across subjects to reveal how behaviors emerge and adapt. Applying the tool to a decision-making task in mice unco...

Reposted by Jennifer Bussell, Sonia I. Seneviratne, Stacie B. Dusetzina , and 3 more Jennifer Bussell, Sonia I. Seneviratne, Stacie B. Dusetzina, Dominik Wiedenhofer, Tuomas Mattila, Dana R. Fisher

David Ho @davidho.bsky.social · 5d

This is so grim. Science isn’t just something nerds do, but the foundation of the modern world. What the Trump regime has done to US science will harm Americans for generations.

‘Shattered’: US scientists speak out about how Trump policies disrupted their careers

Researchers lay bare the human toll of lay-offs, funding cuts and attacks on science one year after the president’s return to the White House.

Reposted by Jennifer Bussell

Allen Institute @alleninstitute.org · 11d

Teach neuroscience to undergraduates? Learn how to incorporate our connectomics data into your courses!

🧠 "Incorporating open connectomics data into teaching neuroscience"
🗓️ July 23-24
🛫 Travel funds available
⏳ Apply by Feb. 2: https://bit.ly/3LAfOdy

#neuroskyence

Incorporating open connectomics data into teaching neuroscience

Learn to analyze open neuroscience data and introduce dry lab modules into your existing classes at the Incorporating Open Connectomics data into...

alleninstitute.org

Reposted by Jennifer Bussell

Mark Brandon @markbrandonlab.bsky.social · 11d

I’m very happy to share the latest from my lab published in @Nature

Hippocampal neurons that initially encode reward shift their tuning over the course of days to precede or predict reward.

Full text here:
rdcu.be/eY5nh

Reposted by Jennifer Bussell

bioRxiv Neuroscience @biorxiv-neursci.bsky.social · 12d

Dopamine Accumulation Dynamics Control Time Perception https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.13.699158v1

Reposted by Jennifer Bussell

Ishmail Abdus-Saboor @ishmailsaboor.bsky.social · 12d

Exciting new preprint on oxytocin neural circuits for massage led by Manon Bohic in Vicky Abraira’s lab. Sasha and I were glad to contribute imaging experiments to this collaborative effort, spanning mice to humans. Vicky is a master at bringing people together.

www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

Oxytocin Modulation of Spinal Circuits Drives Therapeutic Benefits of Massage

Across social species, social touch enhances well-being and reduces pain - two seemingly distinct benefits that enhance survival. Yet where and how the nervous system integrates these functions, and w...

www.biorxiv.org

Reposted by Jennifer Bussell

Andrew Plested @andrewplested.bsky.social · 18d

What a breakthrough! Such a puzzle for 30 years, this is real progress!

I wonder how general this mechanism of repression is for other systems where highly-selective expression is needed.

www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

The transcription of a single olfactory receptor per neuron is enforced by epigenetic silencing of their enhancers

The ability to discriminate thousands of odors in our environment requires each olfactory neuron to express a single olfactory receptor from hundreds of available genes. The biochemical mechanism enfo...

www.biorxiv.org

Reposted by Jennifer Bussell

Damien C-C @dccc-phd.bsky.social · 19d

Universities should build accessory lab units (ALUs) that let elders still do some of their own science but also be nearby to watch over their grand-trainees.

Needhi Bhalla 💅🏽 @needhibhalla.bsky.social · 19d

👀

“If you are a 75-year-old professor reading this, now would be a good time to take emeritus status. It’s something that a lot of people could do that would contribute enormously. The job market for young people would be in much better shape if most people over 75 retired.”

Reposted by Jennifer Bussell

Joshua Weitz @joshuasweitz.bsky.social · 19d

Folks interested in science philanthropy should read this interview w/Simons Foundation President David Spergel on the role of philanthropy, support of early career scientists (from incentives to a call for more retirements), and the pivot point between future scenarios.

issues.org/american-sci...

“There Are Two Possible Futures for American Science.”

The Simons Foundation president talks about science philanthropy, the future of the research enterprise, and remaining hopeful.

Reposted by Jennifer Bussell, Nancy Kanwisher, Michael A. Clemens , and 2 more Jennifer Bussell, Nancy Kanwisher, Michael A. Clemens, Karen Benjamin Guzzo, Larry W. Hunter

Jenna Norton @jenna-m-norton.bsky.social · 20d

The district court injunction that prevented NIH from capping indirects at 15% was upheld today on appeal!

www.reuters.com/world/trump-...

Trump administration cannot slash NIH research funding, court rules

District Judge Angel Kelley last year blocked the cuts, and on Monday the appeals court agreed.

www.reuters.com

Reposted by Jennifer Bussell

Steve W. C. Chang @stevewcchang.bsky.social · 20d

We are excited to announce the 2026 GRC Neurobiology of Cognition (7/19-24) in beautiful Waterville Valley, NH! Registration/abstract submission open. Wonderful speakers/program covering cognition across scales & species, incl. AI & neuromodulation! @desrocherslab.bsky.social @erinlrich.bsky.social

Reposted by Jennifer Bussell, Nancy Kanwisher, Joe R. Feagin , and 11 more Jennifer Bussell, Nancy Kanwisher, Joe R. Feagin, Brigitte Nerlich, Suzana J. Camargo, David Kaufman, Steve Peers, Lesley A. Hall, David R. Miller, Adrian Vickers, Stephen P. Smith, Ann Bartow, James Connelly, Manisha Sinha

Rachel Maddow @maddow.bsky.social · 25d

www.nytimes.com/2025/12/31/c...

Reposted by Jennifer Bussell, Alessandro Gozzi

Ben Hayden @benhayden.bsky.social · Dec 23

New Perspective from myself, Sarah Heilbronner and @myoo.bsky.social . “Rethinking the centrality of brain areas in understanding functional organization” in Nature Neuroscience. 🧵

rdcu.be/eVZ1A

Rethinking the centrality of brain areas in understanding functional organization

Nature Neuroscience - Parcellation of the cortex into functionally modular brain areas is foundational to neuroscience. Here, Hayden, Heilbronner and Yoo question the central status of brain areas...

Reposted by Jennifer Bussell, Brigitte Nerlich

Jaclyn A. Siegel, PhD @jacasiegel.bsky.social · Dec 18

You should be able to respond to reviewer comments with memes to liven up the peer review process.

Reposted by Jennifer Bussell

callista yee @csybio.bsky.social · Dec 17

we’ve come a long way from 20 labs! #celegans

Reposted by Jennifer Bussell

Tim Verstynen @tdverstynen.bsky.social · Dec 17

How do biological agents learn for the future?

Our perspective piece on the value of prospective learning in neuroscience is finally out. This is part of a long running collaboration with @kordinglab.bsky.social & Josh Vogelstein (as well as many other people)

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Jennifer Bussell PhD @jenbussell.bsky.social · Dec 16

Achievement unlocked! 💀💀🤣

Reposted by Jennifer Bussell

Lindsay Schwarz @lindsayschwarz.bsky.social · Dec 15

Thrilled this is out, led by former PD Cameron Ogg (now with her own lab at @rhodescollege.bsky.social!). It was a driven by a desire to see, in real-time, how LC activity/NE release influences downstream targets in behaving animals. SO hard to do, but Cameron did it! www.cell.com/cell-reports...

Locus coeruleus norepinephrine neurons facilitate orbitofrontal cortex remapping and behavioral flexibility

Ogg et al. use in vivo imaging techniques to record activity in the locus coeruleus (LC) and the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) during a reversal learning task in freely moving rodents. They show that man...

Reposted by Jennifer Bussell

Catherine Dulac @dulaclab.bsky.social · Dec 13

New paper alert!!...🤩 Led by @blogeman.bsky.social, we identify how cell type-specific hormonal responses in the hypothalamus tunes parenting behavior in males and females 🐭🧠🍼. Highlights in thread 👇 1/6

www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

Cell Type-Specific Hormonal Signaling Configures Hypothalamic Circuits for Parenting

Parenting behavior emerges from hormonally sensitive circuits, but how distinct circuit components are affected by, and contribute to, sex and state dependent changes in infant caregiving remains uncl...

www.biorxiv.org

Reposted by Jennifer Bussell

Andy Moore @aaandmoore.bsky.social · Dec 12

This movie shows lysosomes (orange) and keratin (gray) in a cultured cell over 10 minutes.

Reposted by Jennifer Bussell

Lauren J. Young @laurenjyoung.bsky.social · Dec 11

Some good news: U.S. sunscreens might finally be able to use a key UV filter ingredient found in many popular brands made in Japan, South Korea and European countries. The last time the FDA approved a new sunscreen ingredient was 1999. @sciam.bsky.social www.scientificamerican.com/article/u-s-...

U.S. Sunscreens Aren’t Great. The FDA Could Soon Change That

The U.S. is considering allowing bemotrizinol, a highly effective UV filter used throughout Europe and Asia, in its sunscreen products for the first time

www.scientificamerican.com