Emily R. Trunnell, Ph.D.
@ertrunnell.bsky.social
neuroscientist 🧠 | Director @ https://www.scienceadvancement.org/ | Moving U.S. biomedical research toward humans & away from other animals | she/her/hers
Pinned
2025 was a breakthrough year for human-relevant science. 🧪
Behind the scenes, our SAO team spent thousands of hours moving this work forward.
We’re proud to share a few highlights from an impactful year ⬇️
Onward to an even more ambitious 2026! 🎉
—Emily, Kati, Donya & Gabby
Behind the scenes, our SAO team spent thousands of hours moving this work forward.
We’re proud to share a few highlights from an impactful year ⬇️
Onward to an even more ambitious 2026! 🎉
—Emily, Kati, Donya & Gabby
2025 was a breakthrough year for human-relevant science. 🧪
Behind the scenes, our SAO team spent thousands of hours moving this work forward.
We’re proud to share a few highlights from an impactful year ⬇️
Onward to an even more ambitious 2026! 🎉
—Emily, Kati, Donya & Gabby
Behind the scenes, our SAO team spent thousands of hours moving this work forward.
We’re proud to share a few highlights from an impactful year ⬇️
Onward to an even more ambitious 2026! 🎉
—Emily, Kati, Donya & Gabby
December 21, 2025 at 1:53 PM
2025 was a breakthrough year for human-relevant science. 🧪
Behind the scenes, our SAO team spent thousands of hours moving this work forward.
We’re proud to share a few highlights from an impactful year ⬇️
Onward to an even more ambitious 2026! 🎉
—Emily, Kati, Donya & Gabby
Behind the scenes, our SAO team spent thousands of hours moving this work forward.
We’re proud to share a few highlights from an impactful year ⬇️
Onward to an even more ambitious 2026! 🎉
—Emily, Kati, Donya & Gabby
Read how @emulatebio.bsky.social's organ-chips are driving the future of personalized medicine.
By using patients' own cells, researchers & clinicians can preserve the genetic & physiological complexity of real individuals, capturing what makes each patient unique.
emulatebio.com/using-organ-...
By using patients' own cells, researchers & clinicians can preserve the genetic & physiological complexity of real individuals, capturing what makes each patient unique.
emulatebio.com/using-organ-...
Using Organ-on-a-Chip Technology to Unlock Patient-Derived Precision Medicine
Discover how Organ-Chip models using patient-derived samples are advancing personalized medicine — and read three case-studies showing real-world impact in bone-marrow toxicity, neurodegeneration (ALS...
emulatebio.com
December 19, 2025 at 7:48 PM
Read how @emulatebio.bsky.social's organ-chips are driving the future of personalized medicine.
By using patients' own cells, researchers & clinicians can preserve the genetic & physiological complexity of real individuals, capturing what makes each patient unique.
emulatebio.com/using-organ-...
By using patients' own cells, researchers & clinicians can preserve the genetic & physiological complexity of real individuals, capturing what makes each patient unique.
emulatebio.com/using-organ-...
In Films' Sentient is part of the World Cinema Documentary Competition at #Sundance!
Sentient features the story of my colleague Dr. Lisa Jones-Engel, a primatologist who turned away from the laboratory and toward animal liberation.
festival.sundance.org/program/film...
#animalrights #ethics
Sentient features the story of my colleague Dr. Lisa Jones-Engel, a primatologist who turned away from the laboratory and toward animal liberation.
festival.sundance.org/program/film...
#animalrights #ethics
December 19, 2025 at 6:24 PM
In Films' Sentient is part of the World Cinema Documentary Competition at #Sundance!
Sentient features the story of my colleague Dr. Lisa Jones-Engel, a primatologist who turned away from the laboratory and toward animal liberation.
festival.sundance.org/program/film...
#animalrights #ethics
Sentient features the story of my colleague Dr. Lisa Jones-Engel, a primatologist who turned away from the laboratory and toward animal liberation.
festival.sundance.org/program/film...
#animalrights #ethics
Reposted by Emily R. Trunnell, Ph.D.
It's not all bad!
December 19, 2025 at 2:33 PM
It's not all bad!
Excellent feature on @aaguirre1980.bsky.social's lab at @michiganstateu.bsky.social!
"Therapeutic drug development for A-fib has struggled because there are no reliable animal models that resemble the disease."
Enter Aguirre's human heart #assembloids ➡️
msutoday.msu.edu/news/2025/12...
#Afib
"Therapeutic drug development for A-fib has struggled because there are no reliable animal models that resemble the disease."
Enter Aguirre's human heart #assembloids ➡️
msutoday.msu.edu/news/2025/12...
#Afib
MSU scientists create first human heart model to accurately model A-fib
Michigan State University researchers have developed the first human heart organoid model that accurately replicates atrial fibrillation, opening the door to new treatments for a condition affecting 6...
msutoday.msu.edu
December 19, 2025 at 1:23 PM
Excellent feature on @aaguirre1980.bsky.social's lab at @michiganstateu.bsky.social!
"Therapeutic drug development for A-fib has struggled because there are no reliable animal models that resemble the disease."
Enter Aguirre's human heart #assembloids ➡️
msutoday.msu.edu/news/2025/12...
#Afib
"Therapeutic drug development for A-fib has struggled because there are no reliable animal models that resemble the disease."
Enter Aguirre's human heart #assembloids ➡️
msutoday.msu.edu/news/2025/12...
#Afib
🧠 Organoid research at @emoryuniversity.bsky.social just got an upgrade!
The @brainorganoidhub.bsky.social, part of @emorygenetics.bsky.social, is now the home of a new CellXpress.ai Automated Cell Culture System.
The @brainorganoidhub.bsky.social, part of @emorygenetics.bsky.social, is now the home of a new CellXpress.ai Automated Cell Culture System.
December 19, 2025 at 4:30 AM
🧠 Organoid research at @emoryuniversity.bsky.social just got an upgrade!
The @brainorganoidhub.bsky.social, part of @emorygenetics.bsky.social, is now the home of a new CellXpress.ai Automated Cell Culture System.
The @brainorganoidhub.bsky.social, part of @emorygenetics.bsky.social, is now the home of a new CellXpress.ai Automated Cell Culture System.
GigaTIME! 🖥️ 🔬 🧬 🧪
This multimodal #AI model by @msftresearch.bsky.social, @uwcse.bsky.social, & Providence Cancer Institute translates conventional pathology slides into virtual multiplex immunofluorescence (mIF) images that map tumor details.
www.microsoft.com/en-us/resear...
#oncsky #medsky
This multimodal #AI model by @msftresearch.bsky.social, @uwcse.bsky.social, & Providence Cancer Institute translates conventional pathology slides into virtual multiplex immunofluorescence (mIF) images that map tumor details.
www.microsoft.com/en-us/resear...
#oncsky #medsky
AI-generated population-scale is changing how we study cancer
Using AI-generated virtual populations, Microsoft researchers uncovered hidden cellular patterns that could reshape how we understand and treat cancer.
www.microsoft.com
December 16, 2025 at 1:55 PM
GigaTIME! 🖥️ 🔬 🧬 🧪
This multimodal #AI model by @msftresearch.bsky.social, @uwcse.bsky.social, & Providence Cancer Institute translates conventional pathology slides into virtual multiplex immunofluorescence (mIF) images that map tumor details.
www.microsoft.com/en-us/resear...
#oncsky #medsky
This multimodal #AI model by @msftresearch.bsky.social, @uwcse.bsky.social, & Providence Cancer Institute translates conventional pathology slides into virtual multiplex immunofluorescence (mIF) images that map tumor details.
www.microsoft.com/en-us/resear...
#oncsky #medsky
In a new paper, Costello et al. explore how @imrasurgical.bsky.social’s robotic & laparoscopic surgical simulation models are “platform‑agnostic," meaning they can be seamlessly integrated across multiple robotic systems from different manufacturers.
#medsky #meded #surgsky #surged
#medsky #meded #surgsky #surged
December 16, 2025 at 2:55 AM
In a new paper, Costello et al. explore how @imrasurgical.bsky.social’s robotic & laparoscopic surgical simulation models are “platform‑agnostic," meaning they can be seamlessly integrated across multiple robotic systems from different manufacturers.
#medsky #meded #surgsky #surged
#medsky #meded #surgsky #surged
Reposted by Emily R. Trunnell, Ph.D.
2026 is almost here! If you’re racing to get your manuscript across the finish line, don’t let reviewer bias against nonanimal methods slow you down.
Our Author Guide helps you strengthen your manuscript and avoid #AnimalMethodsBias in manuscript review. 🧪
www.animalmethodsbias.org/author-guide
Our Author Guide helps you strengthen your manuscript and avoid #AnimalMethodsBias in manuscript review. 🧪
www.animalmethodsbias.org/author-guide
December 15, 2025 at 7:22 PM
2026 is almost here! If you’re racing to get your manuscript across the finish line, don’t let reviewer bias against nonanimal methods slow you down.
Our Author Guide helps you strengthen your manuscript and avoid #AnimalMethodsBias in manuscript review. 🧪
www.animalmethodsbias.org/author-guide
Our Author Guide helps you strengthen your manuscript and avoid #AnimalMethodsBias in manuscript review. 🧪
www.animalmethodsbias.org/author-guide
Don't forget to check NIH's centralized list of research priority areas for new potential funding topics!
We've pulled the ones applicable to #NAMs scientists.
🧫 🧬 🧪
Bookmark this page 🔖
grants.nih.gov/funding/find...
#funding #NIHfunding #researchfunding
We've pulled the ones applicable to #NAMs scientists.
🧫 🧬 🧪
Bookmark this page 🔖
grants.nih.gov/funding/find...
#funding #NIHfunding #researchfunding
December 15, 2025 at 2:56 PM
Don't forget to check NIH's centralized list of research priority areas for new potential funding topics!
We've pulled the ones applicable to #NAMs scientists.
🧫 🧬 🧪
Bookmark this page 🔖
grants.nih.gov/funding/find...
#funding #NIHfunding #researchfunding
We've pulled the ones applicable to #NAMs scientists.
🧫 🧬 🧪
Bookmark this page 🔖
grants.nih.gov/funding/find...
#funding #NIHfunding #researchfunding
Another groundbreaking discovery brought to you by organoids. ✨🧫✨
@stanfordmedicine.bsky.social & @cincychildrens.bsky.social scientists created #UlcerativeColitis colon organoids (colonoids) using biopsies from pediatric patients with the condition.
#gastrosky #medsky #pedsky #organoid 🧪
@stanfordmedicine.bsky.social & @cincychildrens.bsky.social scientists created #UlcerativeColitis colon organoids (colonoids) using biopsies from pediatric patients with the condition.
#gastrosky #medsky #pedsky #organoid 🧪
December 12, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Another groundbreaking discovery brought to you by organoids. ✨🧫✨
@stanfordmedicine.bsky.social & @cincychildrens.bsky.social scientists created #UlcerativeColitis colon organoids (colonoids) using biopsies from pediatric patients with the condition.
#gastrosky #medsky #pedsky #organoid 🧪
@stanfordmedicine.bsky.social & @cincychildrens.bsky.social scientists created #UlcerativeColitis colon organoids (colonoids) using biopsies from pediatric patients with the condition.
#gastrosky #medsky #pedsky #organoid 🧪
💡 While most ethics lit on animal experimentation focuses on the harms & benefits of the practice in the here & now, @nicodmueller.bsky.social of @unibas.ch argues that we should also be asking macro-level, long-term questions about how institutions can ultimately move away from it.
#bioethics 👇
#bioethics 👇
📣❗New article out now!
rdcu.be/eSSNa
I explain how to do "nonideal animal research ethics" – it involves spelling out ethical goals first, then mapping ethical pathways to get there. I think we should do this more often because…
rdcu.be/eSSNa
I explain how to do "nonideal animal research ethics" – it involves spelling out ethical goals first, then mapping ethical pathways to get there. I think we should do this more often because…
December 11, 2025 at 6:36 PM
💡 While most ethics lit on animal experimentation focuses on the harms & benefits of the practice in the here & now, @nicodmueller.bsky.social of @unibas.ch argues that we should also be asking macro-level, long-term questions about how institutions can ultimately move away from it.
#bioethics 👇
#bioethics 👇
Researchers at @ub.edu have uncovered new molecular pathophysiology features underlying #Dravet syndrome, identifying impaired network connectivity & an early excitatory–inhibitory imbalance in human brain #organoids.
#neuroskyence 🧪
#neuroskyence 🧪
December 11, 2025 at 2:52 PM
Researchers at @ub.edu have uncovered new molecular pathophysiology features underlying #Dravet syndrome, identifying impaired network connectivity & an early excitatory–inhibitory imbalance in human brain #organoids.
#neuroskyence 🧪
#neuroskyence 🧪
In this brief communication, scientists at @niaidnews.bsky.social report that prions from #neurodegenerative disorders—specifically CJD & FFI—can infect human cerebral #organoids regardless of whether the organoids carry the disease-causing mutation.
#neuroskyence
#neuroskyence
December 11, 2025 at 2:34 PM
In this brief communication, scientists at @niaidnews.bsky.social report that prions from #neurodegenerative disorders—specifically CJD & FFI—can infect human cerebral #organoids regardless of whether the organoids carry the disease-causing mutation.
#neuroskyence
#neuroskyence
Please share with journal editors in your networks!
💡 Simple editor interventions can help address reviewer suggestions for animal experiments!
✅ Grab our new new Editor Checklist here: animalmethodsbias.org/resources/ed...
🔎 Learn more about these recommendations: animalmethodsbias.org/projects/edi...
Expand this 🧵 for more info 👇
🧪
✅ Grab our new new Editor Checklist here: animalmethodsbias.org/resources/ed...
🔎 Learn more about these recommendations: animalmethodsbias.org/projects/edi...
Expand this 🧵 for more info 👇
🧪
December 11, 2025 at 2:18 PM
Please share with journal editors in your networks!
The human brain doesn’t just recognize human voices—it also recognizes those of #chimpanzees.
🧠 Using #fMRI, @leoceravolo.bsky.social, @thibaudgruber.bsky.social, & colleagues played vocalizations from humans, chimpanzees, bonobos, & macaques to 23 participants. ⬇️
🧪 🧬 #neuroskyence #evobio
🧠 Using #fMRI, @leoceravolo.bsky.social, @thibaudgruber.bsky.social, & colleagues played vocalizations from humans, chimpanzees, bonobos, & macaques to 23 participants. ⬇️
🧪 🧬 #neuroskyence #evobio
a close up of a chimpanzee 's face with a national geographic logo in the corner
ALT: a close up of a chimpanzee 's face with a national geographic logo in the corner
media.tenor.com
December 10, 2025 at 4:39 PM
The human brain doesn’t just recognize human voices—it also recognizes those of #chimpanzees.
🧠 Using #fMRI, @leoceravolo.bsky.social, @thibaudgruber.bsky.social, & colleagues played vocalizations from humans, chimpanzees, bonobos, & macaques to 23 participants. ⬇️
🧪 🧬 #neuroskyence #evobio
🧠 Using #fMRI, @leoceravolo.bsky.social, @thibaudgruber.bsky.social, & colleagues played vocalizations from humans, chimpanzees, bonobos, & macaques to 23 participants. ⬇️
🧪 🧬 #neuroskyence #evobio
Reposted by Emily R. Trunnell, Ph.D.
Hey DC/MD/VA! Hope you can join me for some of these upcoming events, starting tonight with Mary Hollingsworth at @dcpubliclibrary.bsky.social! #booksky, #dogs, #animalresearch 📚💙
December 10, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Hey DC/MD/VA! Hope you can join me for some of these upcoming events, starting tonight with Mary Hollingsworth at @dcpubliclibrary.bsky.social! #booksky, #dogs, #animalresearch 📚💙
New research from @mdanderson.bsky.social brings human-relevant insights to breast cancer using multi- #omics.
The Navin lab developed wellDR-seq, a high-throughput method that profiles the genome & transcriptome of thousands of single cells simultaneously.
🧪 #genomics #oncsky #breastcancer
The Navin lab developed wellDR-seq, a high-throughput method that profiles the genome & transcriptome of thousands of single cells simultaneously.
🧪 #genomics #oncsky #breastcancer
December 9, 2025 at 2:58 PM
New research from @mdanderson.bsky.social brings human-relevant insights to breast cancer using multi- #omics.
The Navin lab developed wellDR-seq, a high-throughput method that profiles the genome & transcriptome of thousands of single cells simultaneously.
🧪 #genomics #oncsky #breastcancer
The Navin lab developed wellDR-seq, a high-throughput method that profiles the genome & transcriptome of thousands of single cells simultaneously.
🧪 #genomics #oncsky #breastcancer
This #SysRev examines 17 studies assessing the usefulness of 3D-printed, VR, & AR surgical simulators for teaching urology trainees to perform renal cancer surgeries, with many focusing on laparoscopic & robot-assisted partial nephrectomies.
#MedEd #MedSky #SurgEd #SurgSky
#MedEd #MedSky #SurgEd #SurgSky
December 9, 2025 at 1:46 PM
Congrats to Revalia Bio on its $26.7M @arpa-h.bsky.social grant!
Revalia will "build advanced AI-driven models trained on Human Data Trials, living systems derived from donated human organs, organ-on-chip platforms, and multimodal datasets."
www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/...
🧪
Revalia will "build advanced AI-driven models trained on Human Data Trials, living systems derived from donated human organs, organ-on-chip platforms, and multimodal datasets."
www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/...
🧪
December 8, 2025 at 3:13 PM
Congrats to Revalia Bio on its $26.7M @arpa-h.bsky.social grant!
Revalia will "build advanced AI-driven models trained on Human Data Trials, living systems derived from donated human organs, organ-on-chip platforms, and multimodal datasets."
www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/...
🧪
Revalia will "build advanced AI-driven models trained on Human Data Trials, living systems derived from donated human organs, organ-on-chip platforms, and multimodal datasets."
www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/...
🧪
The Fall 2025 edition of SAO Quarterly is landing in inboxes this week!
🙅 No spam.
✅ Just 4 content-packed emails per year.
"This is an amazing newsletter!!!" – A happy subscriber
Sign up at the bottom of our homepage: scienceadvancement.org
🧪 #scipol #bioethics #medsky
🙅 No spam.
✅ Just 4 content-packed emails per year.
"This is an amazing newsletter!!!" – A happy subscriber
Sign up at the bottom of our homepage: scienceadvancement.org
🧪 #scipol #bioethics #medsky
December 8, 2025 at 3:03 PM
The Fall 2025 edition of SAO Quarterly is landing in inboxes this week!
🙅 No spam.
✅ Just 4 content-packed emails per year.
"This is an amazing newsletter!!!" – A happy subscriber
Sign up at the bottom of our homepage: scienceadvancement.org
🧪 #scipol #bioethics #medsky
🙅 No spam.
✅ Just 4 content-packed emails per year.
"This is an amazing newsletter!!!" – A happy subscriber
Sign up at the bottom of our homepage: scienceadvancement.org
🧪 #scipol #bioethics #medsky
Join the Q&A webinar for the NAMs Reduction to Practice Challenge this Wednesday, December 10th at 3:00pm ET!
Link to register: herox.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
#NAMs #funding #researchfunding #NIHfunding 🧪
Link to register: herox.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
#NAMs #funding #researchfunding #NIHfunding 🧪
🚨 Last week the #NAMs Reduction to Practice Challenge launched! #NIH will award $7M over 3 phases to multidisciplinary teams that can successfully use combinatorial non-animal methods deliver usable, human-relevant solutions within just 3 years. www.herox.com/Complement-A...
#funding 🧪
#funding 🧪
December 8, 2025 at 3:01 AM
Join the Q&A webinar for the NAMs Reduction to Practice Challenge this Wednesday, December 10th at 3:00pm ET!
Link to register: herox.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
#NAMs #funding #researchfunding #NIHfunding 🧪
Link to register: herox.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
#NAMs #funding #researchfunding #NIHfunding 🧪
New website to bookmark! 🔖
bimmoh.eu
The Biomedical models Hub (BimmoH) is the largest public database of biomedical research papers using human biology-based models.
You can search by model, clinical condition, disease, pathophysiology, anatomy, histology, cell type, & more.
🧪
bimmoh.eu
The Biomedical models Hub (BimmoH) is the largest public database of biomedical research papers using human biology-based models.
You can search by model, clinical condition, disease, pathophysiology, anatomy, histology, cell type, & more.
🧪
December 5, 2025 at 1:59 PM
New website to bookmark! 🔖
bimmoh.eu
The Biomedical models Hub (BimmoH) is the largest public database of biomedical research papers using human biology-based models.
You can search by model, clinical condition, disease, pathophysiology, anatomy, histology, cell type, & more.
🧪
bimmoh.eu
The Biomedical models Hub (BimmoH) is the largest public database of biomedical research papers using human biology-based models.
You can search by model, clinical condition, disease, pathophysiology, anatomy, histology, cell type, & more.
🧪
In this review, Niraj Chaudhary & Luis G. Villa-Diaz of @oaklandu.bsky.social provide a comprehensive analysis of current animal-free #hPSC culture platforms and their role in drug discovery, regenerative medicine, & more. 🧪
www.frontiersin.org/journals/tox...
www.frontiersin.org/journals/tox...
Frontiers | Advancements in the in vitro culture of human pluripotent stem cells: progress, challenges, and future directions: comprehensive review
The advancement of human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC) culture systems has revolutionized the landscape of preclinical drug discovery and toxicological evalua...
www.frontiersin.org
December 5, 2025 at 2:15 AM
In this review, Niraj Chaudhary & Luis G. Villa-Diaz of @oaklandu.bsky.social provide a comprehensive analysis of current animal-free #hPSC culture platforms and their role in drug discovery, regenerative medicine, & more. 🧪
www.frontiersin.org/journals/tox...
www.frontiersin.org/journals/tox...
Instead of mice, @rimuhc.bsky.social, @mcgill.ca, & @stanford.edu researchers hiPSC-derived neuronal models, including cortical #organoids, to discover that the chromosomal deletion that causes #SmithMagenis syndrome disrupts multiple steps of cortical development.
#neuroskyence 🧪
#neuroskyence 🧪
![A quote in dark brown on a beige background reads: “[H]uman and mouse neocortices have distinct cell types, including unique types of radial glial cells as well as different chromatin spatial organization and gene-expression patterns and excitability.” Above the quote is a quote symbol in light brown. Below the quote is the text in light brown: “Lee et al. Am J Hum Genet. 2025 doi:10.1016/j.ajhg.2025.07.020.” To the left is an image of a mouse standing on their hind legs with a light gray background. Over the image is half of a translucent beige, arched door-like shape.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:in2pnzujy66a7qnesoxha6ar/bafkreieyojfvsyt2dpoh2hmx3ojjdsforx2r6giv56apbzog7uwwwlkkcm@jpeg)
December 3, 2025 at 8:03 PM
Instead of mice, @rimuhc.bsky.social, @mcgill.ca, & @stanford.edu researchers hiPSC-derived neuronal models, including cortical #organoids, to discover that the chromosomal deletion that causes #SmithMagenis syndrome disrupts multiple steps of cortical development.
#neuroskyence 🧪
#neuroskyence 🧪