Fred Wolf
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fredwolf.bsky.social
Fred Wolf
@fredwolf.bsky.social
Science is not engineering. UC Merced Prof - addiction, thirst, flies, genes, brains, behavior. Neuro/Dev at UCM: http://neurodevucmerced.com
Pinned
First ethanol experience memory-like states look like classical memories genetically and behaviorally, but use new circuits. Also distinct from spaced training ethanol reward circuits. Great work of former grad Cal Larnerd @qsb-uc-merced.bsky.social @ucmerced.bsky.social doi.org/10.1371/jour...
Reposted by Fred Wolf
Sad that even biorxiv is falling victim to AI slop
November 7, 2025 at 2:46 AM
Reposted by Fred Wolf
UC Merced biologist Néstor Oviedo is exploring how the brain may hold the key to controlling cancer.

Supported by a $2 million NIH grant, his lab is studying how molecular signals influence the earliest stages of cancer development. 🔗 ucm.edu/orzdvg
November 4, 2025 at 7:02 PM
The incredible @doc-brock.bsky.social, @qsb-uc-merced.bsky.social @ucmerced.bsky.social alumni, is guest teaching my grad prof skills class today!
October 27, 2025 at 5:45 PM
Reposted by Fred Wolf
Excited to announce our new pre-print (www.biorxiv.org/cgi/content/...)!

This collaborative work (co-led by Adriane Otopalik and Gerry Rubin) examines how neuronal circuits regulate social behaviors, like courtship🫶 and aggression🥊, across sexes. #neuroscience #Drosophila #WomenInSTEM 🧪1/
October 23, 2025 at 12:44 PM
Reposted by Fred Wolf
Grew up under a dictatorship, they attacked expertise first. This is alarmingly familiar. Trust in expertise is the foundation of modern civilization. Even as a researcher, I rely on expert knowledge I could never master in a lifetime. Rejecting that isn’t freedom, it’s how societies collapse!
RFK Jr: We need to stop trusting the experts... Trusting the experts is not a feature of science or democracy, it's a feature of religion and totalitarianism.
October 19, 2025 at 6:11 PM
Happy to be hosting NeLLi scientist Frederik Schulz for a QSB grad program @qsb-uc-merced.bsky.social JGI/RENEW seminar here at @ucmerced.bsky.social today! And you should sign up for this excellent symposium too.
Join experts at our Sequences to Cultures Jamboree Nov. 6–7 to help develop recommendations for cultivating new bacteria and archaea—revealed by a recent genome census. A key outcome will be a a compelling position paper: jgi.doe.gov/sites/defaul...

More: jointgeno.me/NeLLi

@biosci.lbl.gov 🖥️🧬 🦠
2025 NeLLi Symposium | Joint Genome Institute
Las Vegas, NV Nov. 4-5. Immediately followed by 1.5-day jamboree on November 6-7
jointgeno.me
October 16, 2025 at 4:26 PM
Just in time for the Cold Spring Harbor Neurobiology of Drosophila meeting - read up on the receptor for the best neuropeptide, ever, NPF/NPY, and thirsty water seeking.
October 10, 2025 at 1:26 PM
Reposted by Fred Wolf
NSF GRFP solicitation is finally up. Life Sci deadline extended to Nov 10 but 2nd year grad students no longer eligible www.nsf.gov/funding/oppo...
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP)
www.nsf.gov
September 26, 2025 at 8:00 PM
Reposted by Fred Wolf
A new large study of alcohol intake using genetics (Mendelian randomization) finds a dose-response relationship for risk of dementia with no protective effect at low levels of intake
ebm.bmj.com/content/earl...
September 23, 2025 at 11:46 PM
Reposted by Fred Wolf
I’ve tried three NJ pharmacies and none of them have the Novavax COVID vaccine. Is availability very limited? The mRNA vaccines take me out for 48-72 hours every single time, and Novavax doesn’t. I don’t have time to sleep for 3 days! 💉
September 12, 2025 at 2:32 PM
Reposted by Fred Wolf
While full solicitation isn’t up, looks like we have 2025 proposal deadlines for the GRFP: www.nsf.gov/funding/oppo...
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP)
www.nsf.gov
September 8, 2025 at 6:10 PM
Reposted by Fred Wolf
Please help me to celebrate Mei Zhen, an innovator and tremendous collaborator, named to the Royal Society of Canada Academy of Science on September 4, 2025
September 6, 2025 at 5:56 PM
These 10 rules for teachers and students really good! Adopted all but one (because of course we all get to make the rules)
Sharing these 10 Rules for Teachers and Students by Sister Corita Kent and John Cage for anyone out there looking for unsolicited advice on how to happily go all-in on your creative projects. Have fun !

ohnotype.co/blog/10-rule...
10 Rules for Teachers and Students by Sister Corita Kent and John Cage | OH no Type Company
OH no Type Co. Retail and custom typefaces. Life’s a thrill, fonts are chill!
ohnotype.co
September 3, 2025 at 1:45 AM
Reposted by Fred Wolf
We are looking forward to the 2026 #Alcohol GRC in Ventura, CA! The main meeting starts Feb 22, 2026 (GRS Feb 21-22). For both, we will be selecting additional invited talks from the submitted abstracts. For consideration, submit your abstract by Oct 10! #alcoholGRC2026 #alcoholGRS2026
August 29, 2025 at 11:06 AM
Still no NSF GRFP announcement for this year. Another week or two and the program is going to be effectively cancelled, because students will not have time to prepare. Any chatter out there about whats going on???? www.nsf.gov/funding/oppo...
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP)
www.nsf.gov
August 25, 2025 at 3:58 PM
Reposted by Fred Wolf
Tenure-track assistant professor position in neuroscience or physiology at University of Michigan LSA Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology (MCDB): lsa.umich.edu/mcdb/news-ev...
MCDB Opens Search for Faculty | U-M LSA Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology (MCDB)
MCDB welcomes applications at the Assistant Professor level from outstanding biological scientists in all areas of physiology and neuroscience, spanning molecular, cellular, systems, and organismal le...
lsa.umich.edu
August 20, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Reposted by Fred Wolf
Class starts on Monday and I'm trying to write GRFP draft deadlines into the syllabus... Is this even happening?
Trying again: Does anyone know if the NSF GRFP will return this year? We're >1 month past the date of last year's solicitation (July 12, 2024) and there's not a new one up yet.
@akallen10.bsky.social
@surtlab.bsky.social
@sicb.bsky.social
@paleophile.bsky.social
@omearabrian.bsky.social
August 20, 2025 at 3:04 PM
Still nothing about this year's NSF GRFP. Will there even be any?
Any whispers about when the NSF GRFP due dates and program information will be posted? Last year it was mid-July....
August 16, 2025 at 5:46 PM
Reposted by Fred Wolf
As a young man I used to think it would be a shame if humanity didn’t get off Earth and spread across the galaxy.
Now I understand that (a) we definitely won’t and (b) that’s a very good thing. No other sentient species should have to deal with us
E = mc^2 + AI
August 12, 2025 at 11:09 PM
Any whispers about when the NSF GRFP due dates and program information will be posted? Last year it was mid-July....
August 1, 2025 at 8:44 PM
Reposted by Fred Wolf
🧬 @jgi.doe.gov is hiring! We're seeking an Advanced Analysis Manager to lead data infrastructure and software engineering supporting the generation, analysis, and dissemination of genomics data

Hybrid | SF Bay Area | Apply by Aug 7

jobs.lbl.gov/jobs/advance...

@biosci.lbl.gov @berkeleylab.lbl.gov
July 29, 2025 at 11:49 PM
Reposted by Fred Wolf
An outstanding opportunity for a senior leadership role here at UC Merced. The Dean of the School of Natural Sciences has the chance to work with an amazing team of staff and faculty. If folks have specific questions please don't hesitate to reach out.

Apply here: aprecruit.ucmerced.edu/JPF02013
Dean, School of Natural Sciences
University of California, Merced is hiring. Apply now!
aprecruit.ucmerced.edu
July 24, 2025 at 4:47 PM
Spoken like a true Drosophilist
This isn't a coincidence, IMO. The fly community is generally super rigorous - because there are so many tools and techniques available, people expect you to really nail things in order to get published (and keep getting funded)
Model organism communities are fantastic. Good work, "Drosophilists"! www.nature.com/articles/d41...
July 16, 2025 at 11:58 PM
Reposted by Fred Wolf
A single NPFR neuropeptide F receptor neuron that regulates thirst behaviors in Drosophila https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.07.03.662850v1
July 4, 2025 at 2:16 AM