Debby Silver
@debbysilver.bsky.social
Scientist, prof at Duke, mom, food, travel, ocean lover. Fascinated by how the brain develops and is modified in disease and evolution. RNA biology intersects neural development. Views my own not employer. https://sites.duke.edu/silverlab/
Reposted by Debby Silver
“Intraspecific sequence variation and complete genomes refine the identification of rapidly evolved regions in humans”
New work on HAQERs, by
@rimangan.bsky.social Yanting Luo Craig Lowe @debbysilver.bsky.social @manoliskellis.bsky.social & colleagues
🧪🧬
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
New work on HAQERs, by
@rimangan.bsky.social Yanting Luo Craig Lowe @debbysilver.bsky.social @manoliskellis.bsky.social & colleagues
🧪🧬
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Intraspecific sequence variation and complete genomes refine the identification of rapidly evolved regions in humans
Humans exhibit significant phenotypic differences from other great apes, yet pinpointing the underlying genetic changes has been limited by incomplete reference genomes and a reliance on single assemb...
www.biorxiv.org
October 21, 2025 at 10:14 AM
“Intraspecific sequence variation and complete genomes refine the identification of rapidly evolved regions in humans”
New work on HAQERs, by
@rimangan.bsky.social Yanting Luo Craig Lowe @debbysilver.bsky.social @manoliskellis.bsky.social & colleagues
🧪🧬
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
New work on HAQERs, by
@rimangan.bsky.social Yanting Luo Craig Lowe @debbysilver.bsky.social @manoliskellis.bsky.social & colleagues
🧪🧬
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
I am thrilled to share our latest story led by the incredibly talented Brooke D’Arcy and Camila Musso. We discover a rich world of local gene expression in radial glia, essential neural and glial precursors, and develop a new method for sub-cellular mRNA manipulation. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
October 10, 2025 at 10:28 PM
I am thrilled to share our latest story led by the incredibly talented Brooke D’Arcy and Camila Musso. We discover a rich world of local gene expression in radial glia, essential neural and glial precursors, and develop a new method for sub-cellular mRNA manipulation. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Thanks @blibep.bsky.social for hosting me in Marseille and sharing your exciting science on cerebellar evolution!!
Thanks as well to @alexbaffet.bsky.social and @sbaulac.bsky.social for hosting me in Paris!! What a treat to visit with and discuss fantastic science with all! #internationalscience!
Thanks as well to @alexbaffet.bsky.social and @sbaulac.bsky.social for hosting me in Paris!! What a treat to visit with and discuss fantastic science with all! #internationalscience!
We were glad to receive @debbysilver.bsky.social 🇺🇸 for a @ibdm.bsky.social keynote lecture "The choreography of brain development: From RNA biology to evolution"!
Thank you for coming in Marseille! Very nice chats on neurodevelopment, human evolution, gene regulation! Food and sea also in the menu!
Thank you for coming in Marseille! Very nice chats on neurodevelopment, human evolution, gene regulation! Food and sea also in the menu!
September 13, 2025 at 6:36 PM
Thanks @blibep.bsky.social for hosting me in Marseille and sharing your exciting science on cerebellar evolution!!
Thanks as well to @alexbaffet.bsky.social and @sbaulac.bsky.social for hosting me in Paris!! What a treat to visit with and discuss fantastic science with all! #internationalscience!
Thanks as well to @alexbaffet.bsky.social and @sbaulac.bsky.social for hosting me in Paris!! What a treat to visit with and discuss fantastic science with all! #internationalscience!
Reposted by Debby Silver
From RNA to evolution: Come join our next keynote lecture on the choreography of brain development by @debbysilver.bsky.social, Professor at Duke University!
📍September 15 at 11am in NQ105 in Martinsried
Art by @somedonkey.bsky.social
📍September 15 at 11am in NQ105 in Martinsried
Art by @somedonkey.bsky.social
September 11, 2025 at 8:23 AM
From RNA to evolution: Come join our next keynote lecture on the choreography of brain development by @debbysilver.bsky.social, Professor at Duke University!
📍September 15 at 11am in NQ105 in Martinsried
Art by @somedonkey.bsky.social
📍September 15 at 11am in NQ105 in Martinsried
Art by @somedonkey.bsky.social
Reposted by Debby Silver
"What I would simply say is cancer can't wait." --Richard Schlueter, a 56-year-old metastatic cancer patient whose therapy was delayed due to terminations at NIH.
August 18, 2025 at 10:18 PM
"What I would simply say is cancer can't wait." --Richard Schlueter, a 56-year-old metastatic cancer patient whose therapy was delayed due to terminations at NIH.
Sharing our newest study led by the incredibly talented @federicamosti.bsky.social investigating new molecular mechanisms of human brain development. We discover a human-specific enhancer HAR1984 that influences chromatin looping to promote cortical size and folding! www.biorxiv.org/cgi/content/...
August 10, 2025 at 1:19 PM
Sharing our newest study led by the incredibly talented @federicamosti.bsky.social investigating new molecular mechanisms of human brain development. We discover a human-specific enhancer HAR1984 that influences chromatin looping to promote cortical size and folding! www.biorxiv.org/cgi/content/...
Reposted by Debby Silver
Taking a snippet of genetic code that is unique to humans and inserting it into mice helps them grow bigger brains than usual
https://go.nature.com/3GOTQkz
https://go.nature.com/3GOTQkz
Mice grow bigger brains when given this stretch of human DNA
Finding adds to the bigger picture of how humans developed such large brains.
go.nature.com
May 14, 2025 at 3:41 PM
Taking a snippet of genetic code that is unique to humans and inserting it into mice helps them grow bigger brains than usual
https://go.nature.com/3GOTQkz
https://go.nature.com/3GOTQkz
Thrilled to share our latest study out in @natureportfolio.nature.com led by the fantastically talented Jing Liu. Our study provides insight into a long standing question in biology: What molecular features make us uniquely human and how do these function? www.nature.com/articles/s41...
A human-specific enhancer fine-tunes radial glia potency and corticogenesis - Nature
HARE5, a human accelerated region enhancer, modulates cortical development by influencing neural progenitor cell behaviour, leading to an enlarged neocortex with increased functional independence betw...
www.nature.com
May 14, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Thrilled to share our latest study out in @natureportfolio.nature.com led by the fantastically talented Jing Liu. Our study provides insight into a long standing question in biology: What molecular features make us uniquely human and how do these function? www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Debby Silver
Reposted by Debby Silver
Re-amplifying this webinar!
#metasci #neuroscience #science
This would also be a great opportunity for early-career scientists to learn more about the prize and consider submitting an entry for the NINDS Early-Career Rigor Champions Prize (deadline 5/2/25)!
www.challenge.gov?challenge=ni...
#metasci #neuroscience #science
This would also be a great opportunity for early-career scientists to learn more about the prize and consider submitting an entry for the NINDS Early-Career Rigor Champions Prize (deadline 5/2/25)!
www.challenge.gov?challenge=ni...
April 10, 2025 at 7:50 PM
Re-amplifying this webinar!
#metasci #neuroscience #science
This would also be a great opportunity for early-career scientists to learn more about the prize and consider submitting an entry for the NINDS Early-Career Rigor Champions Prize (deadline 5/2/25)!
www.challenge.gov?challenge=ni...
#metasci #neuroscience #science
This would also be a great opportunity for early-career scientists to learn more about the prize and consider submitting an entry for the NINDS Early-Career Rigor Champions Prize (deadline 5/2/25)!
www.challenge.gov?challenge=ni...
Reposted by Debby Silver
"This will go down as one of the darkest days in modern scientific history." Story on the decimation of NIH by @maxkozlov.bsky.social www.nature.com/articles/d41...?
‘One of the darkest days’: NIH purges agency leadership amid mass layoffs
In shock move, four institute directors at the US biomedical agency are removed from their posts.
www.nature.com
April 1, 2025 at 9:11 PM
"This will go down as one of the darkest days in modern scientific history." Story on the decimation of NIH by @maxkozlov.bsky.social www.nature.com/articles/d41...?
Reposted by Debby Silver
Trump has cut the NIH budget by more than half in defiance of Congressionally mandated appropriations for the agency. No comparison historically, not even the Great Recession. This is clearly not legal and Congress needs to address it.
March 30, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Trump has cut the NIH budget by more than half in defiance of Congressionally mandated appropriations for the agency. No comparison historically, not even the Great Recession. This is clearly not legal and Congress needs to address it.
Reposted by Debby Silver
Inspiring speakers highlighting the importance to our collective health as well as economic return on investment of basic, curiosity-driven research at yesterday’s @standupforscience.bsky.social
Frightening to see active dismantling of decades of public investments in our health and futures.
Frightening to see active dismantling of decades of public investments in our health and futures.
March 8, 2025 at 2:51 PM
Inspiring speakers highlighting the importance to our collective health as well as economic return on investment of basic, curiosity-driven research at yesterday’s @standupforscience.bsky.social
Frightening to see active dismantling of decades of public investments in our health and futures.
Frightening to see active dismantling of decades of public investments in our health and futures.
Reposted by Debby Silver
Reposted by Debby Silver
I have been talking to the media, Time, Fortune, NBC, etc., to explain how the onslaught on science and NIH will impact the health of all Americans. Everyone knows someone who has cancer, heart disease, or depression. Spread the word about how cutting science impacts all.
time.com/7216299/nih-...
time.com/7216299/nih-...
Experts Call NIH Budget Cuts an 'Apocalypse' for Science
The reductions target indirect costs that cover administrative and equipment costs.
time.com
February 15, 2025 at 9:28 PM
I have been talking to the media, Time, Fortune, NBC, etc., to explain how the onslaught on science and NIH will impact the health of all Americans. Everyone knows someone who has cancer, heart disease, or depression. Spread the word about how cutting science impacts all.
time.com/7216299/nih-...
time.com/7216299/nih-...
Reposted by Debby Silver
Don’t lose hope. Remember, Watergate took over two years to fully unravel from the initial break-in to Nixon’s resignation. Just like then and now, Americans are losing faith in their government. We are documenting every illegal action and will hold this administration and Elon Musk accountable.
February 15, 2025 at 2:19 AM
Don’t lose hope. Remember, Watergate took over two years to fully unravel from the initial break-in to Nixon’s resignation. Just like then and now, Americans are losing faith in their government. We are documenting every illegal action and will hold this administration and Elon Musk accountable.
Reposted by Debby Silver
Our values and resolve are only strengthened by recent events.
February 11, 2025 at 10:51 PM
Our values and resolve are only strengthened by recent events.
Reposted by Debby Silver
Reposted by Debby Silver
Trump & Musk are making massive cuts to the National Institutes of Health.
I know there is a lot going on right now, but this is one of worst things they have done so far, will affect cancer research and trials, the search for cures, innovation and competitiveness, our universities. Your lives.
I know there is a lot going on right now, but this is one of worst things they have done so far, will affect cancer research and trials, the search for cures, innovation and competitiveness, our universities. Your lives.
February 8, 2025 at 11:16 PM
Trump & Musk are making massive cuts to the National Institutes of Health.
I know there is a lot going on right now, but this is one of worst things they have done so far, will affect cancer research and trials, the search for cures, innovation and competitiveness, our universities. Your lives.
I know there is a lot going on right now, but this is one of worst things they have done so far, will affect cancer research and trials, the search for cures, innovation and competitiveness, our universities. Your lives.
Reposted by Debby Silver
To my friends and colleagues at UAB, IU, UF, FSU, UL, WashU, OSU, CWRU, etc, etc. Call both your senators and your representative. They listen. Emphasize the direct economic impact of NIH research, and the indirect impacts on pharmaceutical/biotech. Underscore its relevance to national security.
The Senate HELP Committee has jurisdiction over NIH.
GOP members of the committee represent AK, AL, IN, FL, KS, KY, LA, ME, MO, OH, and SC.
Research universities and hospitals in those states need to be extra loud.
GOP members of the committee represent AK, AL, IN, FL, KS, KY, LA, ME, MO, OH, and SC.
Research universities and hospitals in those states need to be extra loud.
February 8, 2025 at 3:27 AM
To my friends and colleagues at UAB, IU, UF, FSU, UL, WashU, OSU, CWRU, etc, etc. Call both your senators and your representative. They listen. Emphasize the direct economic impact of NIH research, and the indirect impacts on pharmaceutical/biotech. Underscore its relevance to national security.
Reposted by Debby Silver
OMB memo tonight “Temporary Pause of Agency Grant, Loan, and Other Financial Assistance”
January 28, 2025 at 2:46 AM
OMB memo tonight “Temporary Pause of Agency Grant, Loan, and Other Financial Assistance”
Reposted by Debby Silver
I think some people hear “grants” and think that without them, scientists and government workers just have less stuff to play with at work. But grants fund salaries for students, academics, researchers, and people who work in all areas of public service.
“Pausing” grants means people don’t eat.
“Pausing” grants means people don’t eat.
White House pauses all federal grants, sparking confusion
The Trump administration has put a hold on all federal financial grants and loans, affecting tens of billions of dollars in payments.
www.washingtonpost.com
January 28, 2025 at 3:03 AM
I think some people hear “grants” and think that without them, scientists and government workers just have less stuff to play with at work. But grants fund salaries for students, academics, researchers, and people who work in all areas of public service.
“Pausing” grants means people don’t eat.
“Pausing” grants means people don’t eat.
Reposted by Debby Silver
I joined 75+ @nobelprize.bsky.social laureates urging US Senators to oppose RFK Jr.'s confirmation as DHHS Secretary. If you’re in a state with GOP senators, PLEASE reach out to them! I’d deeply appreciate it if you amplified this post! 🙏
www.nytimes.com/2024/12/09/h...
www.nytimes.com/2024/12/09/h...
December 9, 2024 at 11:19 PM
I joined 75+ @nobelprize.bsky.social laureates urging US Senators to oppose RFK Jr.'s confirmation as DHHS Secretary. If you’re in a state with GOP senators, PLEASE reach out to them! I’d deeply appreciate it if you amplified this post! 🙏
www.nytimes.com/2024/12/09/h...
www.nytimes.com/2024/12/09/h...
Reposted by Debby Silver
Today the Trump admin abruptly and indefinitely terminated many of the activities of the National Institutes of Health, the $50B/year collection of agencies that power the US biotech and health ecosystems. Even if these orders were lifted tomorrow, the disruption would be enormous.
Why care? 🧵
Why care? 🧵
Why should the public care about the freeze on the NIH? Aside from the need for scientific pursuits to make our society better…
-For every dollar we invest in NIH research, there is a $2.5 return.
-Research dollars help fund universities that employ non-academics. (1/)
-For every dollar we invest in NIH research, there is a $2.5 return.
-Research dollars help fund universities that employ non-academics. (1/)
January 23, 2025 at 3:14 AM
Today the Trump admin abruptly and indefinitely terminated many of the activities of the National Institutes of Health, the $50B/year collection of agencies that power the US biotech and health ecosystems. Even if these orders were lifted tomorrow, the disruption would be enormous.
Why care? 🧵
Why care? 🧵
Happy to share some good news today, and our latest study on DDX3X! Led by super talented @federicamosti.bsky.social we use live imaging, transcriptomics and interaction studies to define how clinically diverse missense mutations in DDX3X influence neural development. dx.plos.org/10.1371/jour...
Multi-modal investigation reveals pathogenic features of diverse DDX3X missense mutations
Author summary DDX3X mutations are associated with neurodevelopmental disorders, including DDX3X syndrome and autism spectrum disorder. DDX3X is an RNA binding protein whose loss of function impairs b...
dx.plos.org
January 23, 2025 at 2:05 AM
Happy to share some good news today, and our latest study on DDX3X! Led by super talented @federicamosti.bsky.social we use live imaging, transcriptomics and interaction studies to define how clinically diverse missense mutations in DDX3X influence neural development. dx.plos.org/10.1371/jour...