Anna Vlasits
@annaintegrated.bsky.social
Retina neurobiologist. My lab opened at University of Illinois, Chicago in January 2024. vlasitslab.org Views my own.
Pinned
a picture of a woman with the words this is exciting below her
ALT: a picture of a woman with the words this is exciting below her
media.tenor.com
Exciting news:
⭐I'm thrilled to receive a grant from the Brain Research Foundation! tinyurl.com/2p9ku4sd
⭐"Atypical retinal ganglion cell function in a mouse model of Fragile X syndrome" was published! tinyurl.com/htk3ekce
⭐my review on retinal receptive fields was published! tinyurl.com/48b9xbs2
⭐I'm thrilled to receive a grant from the Brain Research Foundation! tinyurl.com/2p9ku4sd
⭐"Atypical retinal ganglion cell function in a mouse model of Fragile X syndrome" was published! tinyurl.com/htk3ekce
⭐my review on retinal receptive fields was published! tinyurl.com/48b9xbs2
Reposted by Anna Vlasits
Finally out! We studied the retinas of the longest-living vertebrate, the Greenland shark, and found that the retinas remain remarkably healthy in animals around 150 years old. What is the mechanism? It may be a highly efficient DNA repair system. Enjoy!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
January 6, 2026 at 1:40 AM
Finally out! We studied the retinas of the longest-living vertebrate, the Greenland shark, and found that the retinas remain remarkably healthy in animals around 150 years old. What is the mechanism? It may be a highly efficient DNA repair system. Enjoy!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Anna Vlasits
#HHS unveiled a new childhood vaccination schedule today. The pared-down schedule was developed in secret, not using the normal public science-based process. With the change, the US recommends fewer vaccines than Germany, Israel, Spain, China, & many other countries. www.statnews.com/2026/01/05/c...
Federal health officials slash recommended childhood vaccinations under Trump’s directive
The number of recommended childhood shots drops from 17 to 11.
www.statnews.com
January 6, 2026 at 2:23 AM
#HHS unveiled a new childhood vaccination schedule today. The pared-down schedule was developed in secret, not using the normal public science-based process. With the change, the US recommends fewer vaccines than Germany, Israel, Spain, China, & many other countries. www.statnews.com/2026/01/05/c...
Reposted by Anna Vlasits
Excited to share our new work on visual information processing in the retinocollicular pathway. We discovered that while luminance responses can predict motion responses in retinal ganglion cells, this prediction does not hold in the superior colliculus cells.
www.cell.com/current-biol...
www.cell.com/current-biol...
Decoupling of visual feature selectivity in the retinocollicular pathway
Schwartz and Matsumoto et al. show that visual feature selectivity for luminance and
motion is coupled in the retina but becomes decoupled in the superior colliculus.
This transformation reorganizes t...
www.cell.com
December 17, 2025 at 3:11 AM
Excited to share our new work on visual information processing in the retinocollicular pathway. We discovered that while luminance responses can predict motion responses in retinal ganglion cells, this prediction does not hold in the superior colliculus cells.
www.cell.com/current-biol...
www.cell.com/current-biol...
Reposted by Anna Vlasits
Reminder to please reach out if you are interested!
November 17, 2025 at 2:37 AM
Reminder to please reach out if you are interested!
Reposted by Anna Vlasits
We're disappointed to see Ben Barres's powerful book "The Autobiography of a Transgender Scientist" among the ~400 titles removed from the Naval Academy Library. Needless to say, we're proud to have published his book and will keep it — and his memory — alive.
The Coming Out of a Transgender Scientist
"I know that I am making the right decision because whenever I think about changing my gender role, I am flooded with feelings of relief."
thereader.mitpress.mit.edu
April 8, 2025 at 8:24 PM
We're disappointed to see Ben Barres's powerful book "The Autobiography of a Transgender Scientist" among the ~400 titles removed from the Naval Academy Library. Needless to say, we're proud to have published his book and will keep it — and his memory — alive.
This program changed my life. Apply!
The 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/
The Zara Weinberg Leading Edge Cohort application is now open! Due Feb 2.
www.leadingedgesymposium.org/apply/
November 6, 2025 at 2:05 PM
This program changed my life. Apply!
Reposted by Anna Vlasits
Zara Weinberg passed away earlier this week. She joined my lab earlier this year when her postdoc lab formally closed.
She was a brilliant scientist, supportive mentor, dear friend, avid music fan, rabid believer in public transit, open science champion, and above all just an amazing human.
She was a brilliant scientist, supportive mentor, dear friend, avid music fan, rabid believer in public transit, open science champion, and above all just an amazing human.
October 31, 2025 at 1:18 PM
Zara Weinberg passed away earlier this week. She joined my lab earlier this year when her postdoc lab formally closed.
She was a brilliant scientist, supportive mentor, dear friend, avid music fan, rabid believer in public transit, open science champion, and above all just an amazing human.
She was a brilliant scientist, supportive mentor, dear friend, avid music fan, rabid believer in public transit, open science champion, and above all just an amazing human.
Reposted by Anna Vlasits
Yes, Halloween is the deadliest day of the year for child pedestrians—great advice from @mcbazacophd.bsky.social
(It’s also our kid’s birthday)
(It’s also our kid’s birthday)
October 31, 2025 at 11:41 AM
Yes, Halloween is the deadliest day of the year for child pedestrians—great advice from @mcbazacophd.bsky.social
(It’s also our kid’s birthday)
(It’s also our kid’s birthday)
Reposted by Anna Vlasits
Let's talk about barreleye fishes in family Opisthoproctidae. Take a minute to take in the image below.
What look like 'eyes' above the tiny toothless mouth are in fact chemosensory organs equivalent to nostrils.
The EYES are the green domes INSIDE THE TRANSPARENT HEAD. And they look *up*...
What look like 'eyes' above the tiny toothless mouth are in fact chemosensory organs equivalent to nostrils.
The EYES are the green domes INSIDE THE TRANSPARENT HEAD. And they look *up*...
November 6, 2024 at 1:08 AM
Let's talk about barreleye fishes in family Opisthoproctidae. Take a minute to take in the image below.
What look like 'eyes' above the tiny toothless mouth are in fact chemosensory organs equivalent to nostrils.
The EYES are the green domes INSIDE THE TRANSPARENT HEAD. And they look *up*...
What look like 'eyes' above the tiny toothless mouth are in fact chemosensory organs equivalent to nostrils.
The EYES are the green domes INSIDE THE TRANSPARENT HEAD. And they look *up*...
Reposted by Anna Vlasits
Zara Weinberg was a brilliant, loving, and beautiful woman. She inspired everyone who she interacted with, and always strived to make the world a better place for everyone. Tho the world is a little less bright today without her, her memory will always be a blessing.
She was truly one of the best.
She was truly one of the best.
October 30, 2025 at 8:55 PM
Zara Weinberg was a brilliant, loving, and beautiful woman. She inspired everyone who she interacted with, and always strived to make the world a better place for everyone. Tho the world is a little less bright today without her, her memory will always be a blessing.
She was truly one of the best.
She was truly one of the best.
Happy Halloween from the Vlasits Lab! Can you guess the species from the eyes? Ping pong ball art by the lab members!
October 30, 2025 at 5:33 PM
Happy Halloween from the Vlasits Lab! Can you guess the species from the eyes? Ping pong ball art by the lab members!
Reposted by Anna Vlasits
I’m thrilled to share my postdoc work and the first paper from the McKinley Lab! 🎉
@karalmckinley.bsky.social
We built the first transgenic model of menstruation in mice.
We used it to uncover how the endometrium organizes and sheds during menstruation. 🧪
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
🧵
@karalmckinley.bsky.social
We built the first transgenic model of menstruation in mice.
We used it to uncover how the endometrium organizes and sheds during menstruation. 🧪
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
🧵
Induction of menstruation in mice reveals the regulation of menstrual shedding
During menstruation, an inner layer of the endometrium is selectively shed, while an outer, progenitor-containing layer is preserved to support repeated regeneration. Progress in understanding this co...
www.biorxiv.org
October 10, 2025 at 12:50 PM
I’m thrilled to share my postdoc work and the first paper from the McKinley Lab! 🎉
@karalmckinley.bsky.social
We built the first transgenic model of menstruation in mice.
We used it to uncover how the endometrium organizes and sheds during menstruation. 🧪
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
🧵
@karalmckinley.bsky.social
We built the first transgenic model of menstruation in mice.
We used it to uncover how the endometrium organizes and sheds during menstruation. 🧪
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
🧵
Such exciting work from @karalmckinley.bsky.social lab. I wonder if this mouse model could be used to study brain changes across the menstrual cycle and associated mood disorders as well.
Lab’s 1st preprint!
Menstruation is understudied due to societal taboos + a biological challenge: mice (a key system for research + drug discovery) don’t menstruate.
@cagricevrim.bsky.social made menstruating mice + used them to discover early events in menstruation.
He is on the job market!
Menstruation is understudied due to societal taboos + a biological challenge: mice (a key system for research + drug discovery) don’t menstruate.
@cagricevrim.bsky.social made menstruating mice + used them to discover early events in menstruation.
He is on the job market!
I’m thrilled to share my postdoc work and the first paper from the McKinley Lab! 🎉
@karalmckinley.bsky.social
We built the first transgenic model of menstruation in mice.
We used it to uncover how the endometrium organizes and sheds during menstruation. 🧪
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
🧵
@karalmckinley.bsky.social
We built the first transgenic model of menstruation in mice.
We used it to uncover how the endometrium organizes and sheds during menstruation. 🧪
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
🧵
October 11, 2025 at 2:17 AM
Such exciting work from @karalmckinley.bsky.social lab. I wonder if this mouse model could be used to study brain changes across the menstrual cycle and associated mood disorders as well.
So excited that a retina neurobiology colleague was awarded the MacArthur Genius Award! Congratulations Teresa Puthussery!
news.berkeley.edu/2025/10/08/v...
news.berkeley.edu/2025/10/08/v...
Vision scientist Teresa Puthussery receives MacArthur ‘genius’ award - Berkeley News
Puthussery’s discoveries about the retina are paving the way for new treatments for eye disease and vision loss
news.berkeley.edu
October 9, 2025 at 11:25 AM
So excited that a retina neurobiology colleague was awarded the MacArthur Genius Award! Congratulations Teresa Puthussery!
news.berkeley.edu/2025/10/08/v...
news.berkeley.edu/2025/10/08/v...
Reposted by Anna Vlasits
Our review is out 🎉
We discuss how neural computations in the retina shape behavior, continuing the top-down tradition of Lettvin et al.'s classic bug-detector neurons
Check it out 👀 arevie.ws/46HMEjd @annualreviews.bsky.social w/ coauthors @serenariccitelli.bsky.social @annaintegrated.bsky.social
We discuss how neural computations in the retina shape behavior, continuing the top-down tradition of Lettvin et al.'s classic bug-detector neurons
Check it out 👀 arevie.ws/46HMEjd @annualreviews.bsky.social w/ coauthors @serenariccitelli.bsky.social @annaintegrated.bsky.social
October 7, 2025 at 11:39 AM
Our review is out 🎉
We discuss how neural computations in the retina shape behavior, continuing the top-down tradition of Lettvin et al.'s classic bug-detector neurons
Check it out 👀 arevie.ws/46HMEjd @annualreviews.bsky.social w/ coauthors @serenariccitelli.bsky.social @annaintegrated.bsky.social
We discuss how neural computations in the retina shape behavior, continuing the top-down tradition of Lettvin et al.'s classic bug-detector neurons
Check it out 👀 arevie.ws/46HMEjd @annualreviews.bsky.social w/ coauthors @serenariccitelli.bsky.social @annaintegrated.bsky.social
Reposted by Anna Vlasits
Interesting study from Germany on e-bikes and the modes they replace:
"43.1% of electric bicycle trips and 63.2% of electric bicycle mileage would have been undertaken using a car if no e-bike had been available, highlighting their substantial potential to reduce transport-related CO2 emissions"
"43.1% of electric bicycle trips and 63.2% of electric bicycle mileage would have been undertaken using a car if no e-bike had been available, highlighting their substantial potential to reduce transport-related CO2 emissions"
Further, steeper, greener: Implications from an electric bicycle mode choice model
Electric bicycles are transforming the active mobility landscape, potentially increasing active mode uptake and delivering environmental and health benefits. This study examines electric bicycle mo...
doi.org
July 24, 2025 at 6:35 PM
Interesting study from Germany on e-bikes and the modes they replace:
"43.1% of electric bicycle trips and 63.2% of electric bicycle mileage would have been undertaken using a car if no e-bike had been available, highlighting their substantial potential to reduce transport-related CO2 emissions"
"43.1% of electric bicycle trips and 63.2% of electric bicycle mileage would have been undertaken using a car if no e-bike had been available, highlighting their substantial potential to reduce transport-related CO2 emissions"
Reposted by Anna Vlasits
The ICE budget is now set to be approximately what the NIH budget was. We’re shifting money from solving real problems to solving fictitious problems.
July 3, 2025 at 10:53 PM
The ICE budget is now set to be approximately what the NIH budget was. We’re shifting money from solving real problems to solving fictitious problems.
Reposted by Anna Vlasits
The evil that men do lives after them
July 3, 2025 at 6:42 PM
The evil that men do lives after them
Reposted by Anna Vlasits
Wow look who’s flying!
Exciting news:
⭐I'm thrilled to receive a grant from the Brain Research Foundation! tinyurl.com/2p9ku4sd
⭐"Atypical retinal ganglion cell function in a mouse model of Fragile X syndrome" was published! tinyurl.com/htk3ekce
⭐my review on retinal receptive fields was published! tinyurl.com/48b9xbs2
⭐I'm thrilled to receive a grant from the Brain Research Foundation! tinyurl.com/2p9ku4sd
⭐"Atypical retinal ganglion cell function in a mouse model of Fragile X syndrome" was published! tinyurl.com/htk3ekce
⭐my review on retinal receptive fields was published! tinyurl.com/48b9xbs2
a picture of a woman with the words this is exciting below her
ALT: a picture of a woman with the words this is exciting below her
media.tenor.com
July 2, 2025 at 10:21 AM
Wow look who’s flying!
Exciting news:
⭐I'm thrilled to receive a grant from the Brain Research Foundation! tinyurl.com/2p9ku4sd
⭐"Atypical retinal ganglion cell function in a mouse model of Fragile X syndrome" was published! tinyurl.com/htk3ekce
⭐my review on retinal receptive fields was published! tinyurl.com/48b9xbs2
⭐I'm thrilled to receive a grant from the Brain Research Foundation! tinyurl.com/2p9ku4sd
⭐"Atypical retinal ganglion cell function in a mouse model of Fragile X syndrome" was published! tinyurl.com/htk3ekce
⭐my review on retinal receptive fields was published! tinyurl.com/48b9xbs2
a picture of a woman with the words this is exciting below her
ALT: a picture of a woman with the words this is exciting below her
media.tenor.com
July 2, 2025 at 2:06 AM
Exciting news:
⭐I'm thrilled to receive a grant from the Brain Research Foundation! tinyurl.com/2p9ku4sd
⭐"Atypical retinal ganglion cell function in a mouse model of Fragile X syndrome" was published! tinyurl.com/htk3ekce
⭐my review on retinal receptive fields was published! tinyurl.com/48b9xbs2
⭐I'm thrilled to receive a grant from the Brain Research Foundation! tinyurl.com/2p9ku4sd
⭐"Atypical retinal ganglion cell function in a mouse model of Fragile X syndrome" was published! tinyurl.com/htk3ekce
⭐my review on retinal receptive fields was published! tinyurl.com/48b9xbs2
Reposted by Anna Vlasits
I'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. #science
Too poor to science: How wealth determines who succeeds in STEM
From 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...
journals.plos.org
June 24, 2025 at 6:09 PM
I'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. #science
Shakespeare the neuroscientist
Canst thou not minister to a mind diseas’d,
Pluck from the memory a rooted sorrow,
Raze out the written troubles of the brain,
And with some sweet oblivious antidote
Cleanse the stuff’d bosom of that perilous stuff
Which weighs upon the heart?
Pluck from the memory a rooted sorrow,
Raze out the written troubles of the brain,
And with some sweet oblivious antidote
Cleanse the stuff’d bosom of that perilous stuff
Which weighs upon the heart?
June 17, 2025 at 10:43 PM
Shakespeare the neuroscientist
Reposted by Anna Vlasits
The 5,486,642 acres of National Forest in Oregon proposed for sale accounts for almost one third of the 16,784,978 acres managed by the Forest Service.
One. Third.
One. Third.
June 16, 2025 at 4:57 PM
The 5,486,642 acres of National Forest in Oregon proposed for sale accounts for almost one third of the 16,784,978 acres managed by the Forest Service.
One. Third.
One. Third.