Jean Laurens
@jeanlaurens.bsky.social
Neuroscientist - Vestibular system, Spatial navigation - Group leader at the Ernst Strüngmann Institute for Neuroscience, Frankfurt, Germany.
I entirely agree.
Research in rodents has enabled remarkable technical advances and deepened our understanding of brainstem circuits and general brain physiology.
However, only NHPs possess cognitive, visual, and motor faculties necessary to advance human-relevant systems neuroscience.
Research in rodents has enabled remarkable technical advances and deepened our understanding of brainstem circuits and general brain physiology.
However, only NHPs possess cognitive, visual, and motor faculties necessary to advance human-relevant systems neuroscience.
Research in primate brains has been essential for the development of brain-computer interfaces and artificial neural networks. New funding and policy changes put future such advances at risk, write Cory Miller, @movshon.bsky.social and Doris Tsao.
#neuroskyence
bit.ly/47MXYLH
#neuroskyence
bit.ly/47MXYLH
Without monkeys, neuroscience has no future
Research in primate brains has been essential for the development of BCIs, ANNs. New funding and policy changes put future such advances at risk.
bit.ly
November 11, 2025 at 1:53 PM
I entirely agree.
Research in rodents has enabled remarkable technical advances and deepened our understanding of brainstem circuits and general brain physiology.
However, only NHPs possess cognitive, visual, and motor faculties necessary to advance human-relevant systems neuroscience.
Research in rodents has enabled remarkable technical advances and deepened our understanding of brainstem circuits and general brain physiology.
However, only NHPs possess cognitive, visual, and motor faculties necessary to advance human-relevant systems neuroscience.
Reposted by Jean Laurens
Fear, monkeys, and institutional courage
When news broke of an explosion inside Harvard’s neurobiology building early Saturday morning, every scientist who works with monkeys felt it—an involuntary jolt, a spike of cortisol, the silent thought: what if it had been us? Neither animals nor people…
When news broke of an explosion inside Harvard’s neurobiology building early Saturday morning, every scientist who works with monkeys felt it—an involuntary jolt, a spike of cortisol, the silent thought: what if it had been us? Neither animals nor people…
Fear, monkeys, and institutional courage
When news broke of an explosion inside Harvard’s neurobiology building early Saturday morning, every scientist who works with monkeys felt it—an involuntary jolt, a spike of cortisol, the silent thought: what if it had been us? Neither animals nor people were hurt, thankfully. It doesn’t appear to have been an attack. But it didn’t matter. For those of us who work with monkeys, the fear is always near the surface.
micheleabasso7.wordpress.com
November 6, 2025 at 7:21 PM
Fear, monkeys, and institutional courage
When news broke of an explosion inside Harvard’s neurobiology building early Saturday morning, every scientist who works with monkeys felt it—an involuntary jolt, a spike of cortisol, the silent thought: what if it had been us? Neither animals nor people…
When news broke of an explosion inside Harvard’s neurobiology building early Saturday morning, every scientist who works with monkeys felt it—an involuntary jolt, a spike of cortisol, the silent thought: what if it had been us? Neither animals nor people…
Reposted by Jean Laurens
Why are primates essential for brain research?
🎧 Watch Episode #3 with Prof. Gail to uncover #Neuroscience, #DecisionMaking, and #Neuroprosthetics:
youtu.be/HN4YFhGU_6Y?...
🎧 Watch Episode #3 with Prof. Gail to uncover #Neuroscience, #DecisionMaking, and #Neuroprosthetics:
youtu.be/HN4YFhGU_6Y?...
November 3, 2025 at 5:40 PM
Why are primates essential for brain research?
🎧 Watch Episode #3 with Prof. Gail to uncover #Neuroscience, #DecisionMaking, and #Neuroprosthetics:
youtu.be/HN4YFhGU_6Y?...
🎧 Watch Episode #3 with Prof. Gail to uncover #Neuroscience, #DecisionMaking, and #Neuroprosthetics:
youtu.be/HN4YFhGU_6Y?...
A major blow to neuroscience and biomedical research.
Dutch lawmakers have approved the phase-out of primate research at one of Europe’s biggest facilities. Neuroscientists are worried.
By Lauren Schenkman
#neuroskyence
www.thetransmitter.org/animal-model...
By Lauren Schenkman
#neuroskyence
www.thetransmitter.org/animal-model...
Nonhuman primate research to lose federal funding at major European facility
The Dutch Senate has ordered the Biomedical Primate Research Centre in the Netherlands to shift its funding away from primate experiments by 2030.
www.thetransmitter.org
October 31, 2025 at 4:41 AM
A major blow to neuroscience and biomedical research.
Reposted by Jean Laurens
A sad day for Neuroscience in the Netherlands.
Dutch lawmakers have approved the phase-out of primate research at one of Europe’s biggest facilities. Neuroscientists are worried.
By Lauren Schenkman
#neuroskyence
www.thetransmitter.org/animal-model...
By Lauren Schenkman
#neuroskyence
www.thetransmitter.org/animal-model...
Nonhuman primate research to lose federal funding at major European facility
The Dutch Senate has ordered the Biomedical Primate Research Centre in the Netherlands to shift its funding away from primate experiments by 2030.
www.thetransmitter.org
October 30, 2025 at 11:56 PM
A sad day for Neuroscience in the Netherlands.
Reposted by Jean Laurens
We’re having lots of fun designing tasks to study neural circuits of spatial orientation in mice, and we’re looking for PhD candidates to join the adventure!
Email me to learn more or apply for a PhD with us: www.keshavarzilab.com
🗓️ Deadline for expressions of interest: 30 October.
Email me to learn more or apply for a PhD with us: www.keshavarzilab.com
🗓️ Deadline for expressions of interest: 30 October.
October 16, 2025 at 11:31 PM
We’re having lots of fun designing tasks to study neural circuits of spatial orientation in mice, and we’re looking for PhD candidates to join the adventure!
Email me to learn more or apply for a PhD with us: www.keshavarzilab.com
🗓️ Deadline for expressions of interest: 30 October.
Email me to learn more or apply for a PhD with us: www.keshavarzilab.com
🗓️ Deadline for expressions of interest: 30 October.
Reposted by Jean Laurens
Hintergründe zur deutschen Forschung an der #Xenotransplantation aus erster Hand gibt es u.a. im Podcast #FabelnFellFakten: www.tierversuche-verstehen.de/s3e5-xenotra...
Darin erklärt Eckhard Wolf @lmumuenchen.bsky.social die Gründe und verrät wann es mit dem #Schweineherz so weit sein könnte.
Darin erklärt Eckhard Wolf @lmumuenchen.bsky.social die Gründe und verrät wann es mit dem #Schweineherz so weit sein könnte.
September 10, 2025 at 6:55 AM
Hintergründe zur deutschen Forschung an der #Xenotransplantation aus erster Hand gibt es u.a. im Podcast #FabelnFellFakten: www.tierversuche-verstehen.de/s3e5-xenotra...
Darin erklärt Eckhard Wolf @lmumuenchen.bsky.social die Gründe und verrät wann es mit dem #Schweineherz so weit sein könnte.
Darin erklärt Eckhard Wolf @lmumuenchen.bsky.social die Gründe und verrät wann es mit dem #Schweineherz so weit sein könnte.
Reposted by Jean Laurens
Let's recap:
Everything* is everywhere**
* Except language, motor, memory, facial recognition, spatial perception, ...
** Except white matter, human brains, or anything else that is not a mouse brain
Everything* is everywhere**
* Except language, motor, memory, facial recognition, spatial perception, ...
** Except white matter, human brains, or anything else that is not a mouse brain
How do you deal with the confound of white matter damage when interpreting natural experiments?
September 6, 2025 at 10:19 PM
Let's recap:
Everything* is everywhere**
* Except language, motor, memory, facial recognition, spatial perception, ...
** Except white matter, human brains, or anything else that is not a mouse brain
Everything* is everywhere**
* Except language, motor, memory, facial recognition, spatial perception, ...
** Except white matter, human brains, or anything else that is not a mouse brain
Reposted by Jean Laurens
@benhayden.bsky.social
@tyrellturing.bsky.social
@jmgrohneuro.bsky.social
@pessoabrain.bsky.social
I see a lot of talk on here about how we should avoid
"x does y" talk because the brain is "a dynamic, reverberant, reciprocally interconnected system".
But this does not follow.
A thread...
@tyrellturing.bsky.social
@jmgrohneuro.bsky.social
@pessoabrain.bsky.social
I see a lot of talk on here about how we should avoid
"x does y" talk because the brain is "a dynamic, reverberant, reciprocally interconnected system".
But this does not follow.
A thread...
September 5, 2025 at 9:57 PM
@benhayden.bsky.social
@tyrellturing.bsky.social
@jmgrohneuro.bsky.social
@pessoabrain.bsky.social
I see a lot of talk on here about how we should avoid
"x does y" talk because the brain is "a dynamic, reverberant, reciprocally interconnected system".
But this does not follow.
A thread...
@tyrellturing.bsky.social
@jmgrohneuro.bsky.social
@pessoabrain.bsky.social
I see a lot of talk on here about how we should avoid
"x does y" talk because the brain is "a dynamic, reverberant, reciprocally interconnected system".
But this does not follow.
A thread...
Reposted by Jean Laurens
I think the church of everything is everywhere should check tumor removal surgeries. They all start by making sure they won't remove a specific function when removing a specific region. Can you guess how they do it?
@benhayden.bsky.social
@pessoabrain.bsky.social
hint: it is not with decoders
@benhayden.bsky.social
@pessoabrain.bsky.social
hint: it is not with decoders
@benhayden.bsky.social
@tyrellturing.bsky.social
@jmgrohneuro.bsky.social
@pessoabrain.bsky.social
I see a lot of talk on here about how we should avoid
"x does y" talk because the brain is "a dynamic, reverberant, reciprocally interconnected system".
But this does not follow.
A thread...
@tyrellturing.bsky.social
@jmgrohneuro.bsky.social
@pessoabrain.bsky.social
I see a lot of talk on here about how we should avoid
"x does y" talk because the brain is "a dynamic, reverberant, reciprocally interconnected system".
But this does not follow.
A thread...
September 6, 2025 at 2:17 AM
I think the church of everything is everywhere should check tumor removal surgeries. They all start by making sure they won't remove a specific function when removing a specific region. Can you guess how they do it?
@benhayden.bsky.social
@pessoabrain.bsky.social
hint: it is not with decoders
@benhayden.bsky.social
@pessoabrain.bsky.social
hint: it is not with decoders
Reposted by Jean Laurens
Of course. It’s extraordinarily that we even need to have this discussion - again - I despair.
September 6, 2025 at 5:27 PM
Of course. It’s extraordinarily that we even need to have this discussion - again - I despair.
Reposted by Jean Laurens
This graph, taken from an article @science.org by @sarareardon.bsky.social is problematic. Actually, it's outright wrong. And that's probably due to ill definitions.
Short 🧵⬇️
Short 🧵⬇️
August 26, 2025 at 8:12 AM
This graph, taken from an article @science.org by @sarareardon.bsky.social is problematic. Actually, it's outright wrong. And that's probably due to ill definitions.
Short 🧵⬇️
Short 🧵⬇️
Reposted by Jean Laurens
August 22, 2025 at 1:52 AM
Reposted by Jean Laurens
We express deep concern over the recent dangerous precedent of political interference in #Canada regarding research involving #dogs.
Decisions about biomedical research should be guided by fact-based evaluation and evidence, not crude political grandstanding.
More: www.eara.eu/post/the-dan...
Decisions about biomedical research should be guided by fact-based evaluation and evidence, not crude political grandstanding.
More: www.eara.eu/post/the-dan...
The Dangerous Precedent of Political Interference in Medical Research in Canada
The European Animal Research Association (EARA) expresses deep concern over recent statements by Ontario Premier Doug Ford regarding biomedical research involving dogs.
www.eara.eu
August 20, 2025 at 1:30 PM
We express deep concern over the recent dangerous precedent of political interference in #Canada regarding research involving #dogs.
Decisions about biomedical research should be guided by fact-based evaluation and evidence, not crude political grandstanding.
More: www.eara.eu/post/the-dan...
Decisions about biomedical research should be guided by fact-based evaluation and evidence, not crude political grandstanding.
More: www.eara.eu/post/the-dan...
Reposted by Jean Laurens
Very timely and insightful OpEd by Prof. Cory Miller on WSJ. It lays out an important point - Advanced AI cannot be developed in a vacuum without understanding the sophisticated machines we have in our brains.
www.wsj.com/opinion/the-...
www.wsj.com/opinion/the-...
Opinion | The Future of AI Lies in Monkeys, Not Microchips
Neuroscience research on primates will help us learn how to build an efficient thinking machine.
www.wsj.com
August 20, 2025 at 6:31 PM
Very timely and insightful OpEd by Prof. Cory Miller on WSJ. It lays out an important point - Advanced AI cannot be developed in a vacuum without understanding the sophisticated machines we have in our brains.
www.wsj.com/opinion/the-...
www.wsj.com/opinion/the-...
Reposted by Jean Laurens
hi this is my favorite writing advice, it's from former simpsons writer john swartzwelder (i think about the crappy little elf all the time) www.newyorker.com/culture/the-...
August 16, 2025 at 8:43 PM
hi this is my favorite writing advice, it's from former simpsons writer john swartzwelder (i think about the crappy little elf all the time) www.newyorker.com/culture/the-...
Reposted by Jean Laurens
This had me laughing to tears. The person sitting next to me on the flight must have thought I was nuts.
A must read for the FEP curious.
www.researchgate.net/publication/...
A must read for the FEP curious.
www.researchgate.net/publication/...
(PDF) The Exit Manual: How to Leave the Free Energy Cult and Still Get Tenure
PDF | This manual is not a plea. It is a jailbreak from a cult—the Free Energy Principle, a theoretical metastasis that began in computational... | Find, read and cite all the research you need on Res...
www.researchgate.net
August 15, 2025 at 7:04 PM
This had me laughing to tears. The person sitting next to me on the flight must have thought I was nuts.
A must read for the FEP curious.
www.researchgate.net/publication/...
A must read for the FEP curious.
www.researchgate.net/publication/...
Reposted by Jean Laurens
Kleiner Sneak Peek in unser neues Video: Wir schauen Tierpfleger Justin bei seinem Arbeitsalltag am Deutschen Primatenzentrum über die Schulter.
🎥 Hier den ganzen Film ansehen: youtu.be/x8FI2xuklds
🎥 Hier den ganzen Film ansehen: youtu.be/x8FI2xuklds
August 14, 2025 at 6:53 AM
Kleiner Sneak Peek in unser neues Video: Wir schauen Tierpfleger Justin bei seinem Arbeitsalltag am Deutschen Primatenzentrum über die Schulter.
🎥 Hier den ganzen Film ansehen: youtu.be/x8FI2xuklds
🎥 Hier den ganzen Film ansehen: youtu.be/x8FI2xuklds
Reposted by Jean Laurens
Die Welt gewinnt den "War on Cancer" - titelt der @economist.com.
Langsam, aber stetig fallen die Todesraten, immer mehr Menschen überleben eine Krebserkrankung.
Und die Forschung hat noch ein paar Pfeile im Köcher: Neue Immuntherapien, mRNA-"Impfungen" uvm.
#ForschungWirkt
Langsam, aber stetig fallen die Todesraten, immer mehr Menschen überleben eine Krebserkrankung.
Und die Forschung hat noch ein paar Pfeile im Köcher: Neue Immuntherapien, mRNA-"Impfungen" uvm.
#ForschungWirkt
August 8, 2025 at 7:40 AM
Die Welt gewinnt den "War on Cancer" - titelt der @economist.com.
Langsam, aber stetig fallen die Todesraten, immer mehr Menschen überleben eine Krebserkrankung.
Und die Forschung hat noch ein paar Pfeile im Köcher: Neue Immuntherapien, mRNA-"Impfungen" uvm.
#ForschungWirkt
Langsam, aber stetig fallen die Todesraten, immer mehr Menschen überleben eine Krebserkrankung.
Und die Forschung hat noch ein paar Pfeile im Köcher: Neue Immuntherapien, mRNA-"Impfungen" uvm.
#ForschungWirkt
Reposted by Jean Laurens
Aaaand we have our final line-up for ESI-SyNC 2025! Check it out! :)
Join us for two exciting days of figuring out what altered states of consciousness do to your brain!
More info:
esi-frankfurt.de/newevent/
Go register (100 Euro, free for junior researchers):
survey.academiccloud.de/index.php/18...
Join us for two exciting days of figuring out what altered states of consciousness do to your brain!
More info:
esi-frankfurt.de/newevent/
Go register (100 Euro, free for junior researchers):
survey.academiccloud.de/index.php/18...
August 6, 2025 at 12:00 PM
Aaaand we have our final line-up for ESI-SyNC 2025! Check it out! :)
Join us for two exciting days of figuring out what altered states of consciousness do to your brain!
More info:
esi-frankfurt.de/newevent/
Go register (100 Euro, free for junior researchers):
survey.academiccloud.de/index.php/18...
Join us for two exciting days of figuring out what altered states of consciousness do to your brain!
More info:
esi-frankfurt.de/newevent/
Go register (100 Euro, free for junior researchers):
survey.academiccloud.de/index.php/18...
Reposted by Jean Laurens
Guinea-Paviane im Senegal treffen ihre nächtlichen Entscheidungen offenbar unabhängig von potenziellen Risiken durch Fressfeinde oder Parasiten und bevorzugen es, in guter Nachbarschaft zu schlafen. Dabei nutzen sie überwiegend hohe Bäume in den Galeriewäldern entlang des Gambia-Flusses. 🌴👉 (1/2)
August 1, 2025 at 8:29 AM
Guinea-Paviane im Senegal treffen ihre nächtlichen Entscheidungen offenbar unabhängig von potenziellen Risiken durch Fressfeinde oder Parasiten und bevorzugen es, in guter Nachbarschaft zu schlafen. Dabei nutzen sie überwiegend hohe Bäume in den Galeriewäldern entlang des Gambia-Flusses. 🌴👉 (1/2)
Reposted by Jean Laurens
I’m doing some research on IACUC practices. Does your institution make public the meeting minutes? If so can you DM me with the link to them. mbasso@uw.edu. Thanks!
July 28, 2025 at 5:24 AM
I’m doing some research on IACUC practices. Does your institution make public the meeting minutes? If so can you DM me with the link to them. mbasso@uw.edu. Thanks!
Reposted by Jean Laurens
Amidst everything, the lab's first preprint is out! It's just a methods paper, no scientific results (yet!), but it's still great to see it all pulled together. We hope that these open-source behavioral tools will be useful for others!
A Semi-Automated, Parallelized, and Flexible Spatial Navigation Task for Rats https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.07.22.666070v1
July 25, 2025 at 9:39 PM
Amidst everything, the lab's first preprint is out! It's just a methods paper, no scientific results (yet!), but it's still great to see it all pulled together. We hope that these open-source behavioral tools will be useful for others!
Reposted by Jean Laurens
In our upcoming episode, Dr. Raymundo Baez Mendoza @raymundobaez.bsky.social, neuroscientist at the German Primate Center @primatenzentrum.bsky.social, explains how game theory is used to understand cooperation, competition, and social risk in controlled lab settings. 🐒
youtube.com/shorts/Ac34u...
youtube.com/shorts/Ac34u...
How do researchers study social interactions?
YouTube video by Neuroscience and Beyond
youtube.com
July 24, 2025 at 3:51 PM
In our upcoming episode, Dr. Raymundo Baez Mendoza @raymundobaez.bsky.social, neuroscientist at the German Primate Center @primatenzentrum.bsky.social, explains how game theory is used to understand cooperation, competition, and social risk in controlled lab settings. 🐒
youtube.com/shorts/Ac34u...
youtube.com/shorts/Ac34u...
Reposted by Jean Laurens
Machtverhältnisse bei Primaten: Klar dominante Geschlechter sind die Ausnahme! Neulich war der NDR bei uns zu Gast und hat unsere Forschenden Claudia Fichtel & Peter Kappeler zu ihrer neuen Studie interviewt. 👉 Hier geht’s zum Beitrag: www.ndr.de/fernsehen/se...
#DPZ #patriarchat
#DPZ #patriarchat
July 23, 2025 at 9:08 AM
Machtverhältnisse bei Primaten: Klar dominante Geschlechter sind die Ausnahme! Neulich war der NDR bei uns zu Gast und hat unsere Forschenden Claudia Fichtel & Peter Kappeler zu ihrer neuen Studie interviewt. 👉 Hier geht’s zum Beitrag: www.ndr.de/fernsehen/se...
#DPZ #patriarchat
#DPZ #patriarchat