Michael Shahandeh
@mshahandeh.bsky.social
Assistant Professor, Hofstra University. #neurobiology, #evolution, and #genetics of #behavior; #fly guy; #newPI #PUI
shahandehlab.weebly.com/
Sourdough baker 🥖 Cat dad 😸 Peloton mom 🚴
🏳️🌈 he/they
Posts do not reflect my employer
shahandehlab.weebly.com/
Sourdough baker 🥖 Cat dad 😸 Peloton mom 🚴
🏳️🌈 he/they
Posts do not reflect my employer
Very excited to read this!
Excited to share our new #biorxivpreprint
We discovered that the fruit fly #drosophila erecta requires food odor to mate and arousal is further enhanced by social group motion.
Cross-species analysis of brain activity reveals a novel gate evolved from within a conserved circuit
shorturl.at/gGYm7
We discovered that the fruit fly #drosophila erecta requires food odor to mate and arousal is further enhanced by social group motion.
Cross-species analysis of brain activity reveals a novel gate evolved from within a conserved circuit
shorturl.at/gGYm7
October 19, 2025 at 8:29 PM
Very excited to read this!
We're hiring (yes, in this economy!) a tenure-track Assistant Professor in Neurophysiology. Hofstra is an R2/PUI that values both research & teaching. We offer REAL startup, manageable teaching loads, & a very collegial, growing dept. (7 new faculty in the past few years + 2 searches this year).
Assistant Professor of Biology (Neurophysiology)
hofstra.peopleadmin.com
August 1, 2025 at 1:51 PM
We're hiring (yes, in this economy!) a tenure-track Assistant Professor in Neurophysiology. Hofstra is an R2/PUI that values both research & teaching. We offer REAL startup, manageable teaching loads, & a very collegial, growing dept. (7 new faculty in the past few years + 2 searches this year).
Reposted by Michael Shahandeh
✨🦟✨HOW DO MOSQUITOES HAVE SEX? ✨🦟✨
Join us for a wild journey into hidden female control, rapidly evolving stimulation devices, fierce species competition, and DEADLY MOSQUITOES!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Join us for a wild journey into hidden female control, rapidly evolving stimulation devices, fierce species competition, and DEADLY MOSQUITOES!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
April 20, 2025 at 3:05 PM
✨🦟✨HOW DO MOSQUITOES HAVE SEX? ✨🦟✨
Join us for a wild journey into hidden female control, rapidly evolving stimulation devices, fierce species competition, and DEADLY MOSQUITOES!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Join us for a wild journey into hidden female control, rapidly evolving stimulation devices, fierce species competition, and DEADLY MOSQUITOES!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Michael Shahandeh
Time to catch up on the past week’s news about science and medicine in the US. Whew. 1/10
May 1, 2025 at 11:50 PM
Time to catch up on the past week’s news about science and medicine in the US. Whew. 1/10
Reposted by Michael Shahandeh
How do #brain cells change over #evolution? @bentonlab.bsky.social compare #scRNAseq from ecologically distinct #drosophilid species to identify changes in composition & gene expression of different cell types, revealing higher divergence in #glia than #neurons @plosbiology.org 🧪 plos.io/4js7Rms
April 30, 2025 at 1:00 PM
How do #brain cells change over #evolution? @bentonlab.bsky.social compare #scRNAseq from ecologically distinct #drosophilid species to identify changes in composition & gene expression of different cell types, revealing higher divergence in #glia than #neurons @plosbiology.org 🧪 plos.io/4js7Rms
Reposted by Michael Shahandeh
And more from our favorite species trio: journals.plos.org/plosbiology/...
Comparative single-cell transcriptomic atlases of drosophilid brains suggest glial evolution during ecological adaptation
How do diverse brain cells change over evolution? By comparing single-cell transcriptomic atlases from ecologically-distinct drosophilid species, this work identifies changes in the composition and ge...
journals.plos.org
April 30, 2025 at 11:48 AM
And more from our favorite species trio: journals.plos.org/plosbiology/...
Reposted by Michael Shahandeh
Happy to see this out now:
Olfactory projection neuron rewiring in the brain of an ecological specialist: Cell Reports www.cell.com/cell-reports...
In a team effort with @bentonlab.bsky.social 's lab we establish new genetic tools in #drosophila sechellia and compare single central brain neurons.
Olfactory projection neuron rewiring in the brain of an ecological specialist: Cell Reports www.cell.com/cell-reports...
In a team effort with @bentonlab.bsky.social 's lab we establish new genetic tools in #drosophila sechellia and compare single central brain neurons.
Olfactory projection neuron rewiring in the brain of an ecological specialist
Dürr et al. develop advanced genetic tools in the host specialist D. sechellia to
study its olfactory system neuroanatomy. They show via single-cell labeling, tracing,
and quantitative comparison of o...
www.cell.com
April 28, 2025 at 7:08 AM
Happy to see this out now:
Olfactory projection neuron rewiring in the brain of an ecological specialist: Cell Reports www.cell.com/cell-reports...
In a team effort with @bentonlab.bsky.social 's lab we establish new genetic tools in #drosophila sechellia and compare single central brain neurons.
Olfactory projection neuron rewiring in the brain of an ecological specialist: Cell Reports www.cell.com/cell-reports...
In a team effort with @bentonlab.bsky.social 's lab we establish new genetic tools in #drosophila sechellia and compare single central brain neurons.
Creating the first comparative single-cell brain atlases for 3 Drosophila species was a huge effort by Daehan Lee in @bentonlab.bsky.social. With it, we describe glial cell evolution potentially associated with D. sechellia's specialization.
Explore the atlases: scope.aertslab.org#/DmelDsimDse...
Explore the atlases: scope.aertslab.org#/DmelDsimDse...
Comparative single-cell transcriptomic atlases of drosophilid brains suggest glial evolution during ecological adaptation
How do diverse brain cells change over evolution? By comparing single-cell transcriptomic atlases from ecologically-distinct drosophilid species, this work identifies changes in the composition and ge...
journals.plos.org
April 30, 2025 at 1:57 PM
Creating the first comparative single-cell brain atlases for 3 Drosophila species was a huge effort by Daehan Lee in @bentonlab.bsky.social. With it, we describe glial cell evolution potentially associated with D. sechellia's specialization.
Explore the atlases: scope.aertslab.org#/DmelDsimDse...
Explore the atlases: scope.aertslab.org#/DmelDsimDse...
Hofstra Bio is looking to hire a microbiologist: hofstra.peopleadmin.com/postings/5036
Bio Dept. is an extremely collegial group of scientists. We've hired 7 new faculty in the past few years (myself included). Hofstra is a private PUI transitioning to R2 that values both education and research.
Bio Dept. is an extremely collegial group of scientists. We've hired 7 new faculty in the past few years (myself included). Hofstra is a private PUI transitioning to R2 that values both education and research.
Assistant Professor of Microbiology
hofstra.peopleadmin.com
January 23, 2025 at 6:55 PM
Hofstra Bio is looking to hire a microbiologist: hofstra.peopleadmin.com/postings/5036
Bio Dept. is an extremely collegial group of scientists. We've hired 7 new faculty in the past few years (myself included). Hofstra is a private PUI transitioning to R2 that values both education and research.
Bio Dept. is an extremely collegial group of scientists. We've hired 7 new faculty in the past few years (myself included). Hofstra is a private PUI transitioning to R2 that values both education and research.
Lots of good stats and examples in the comments to write your own letter. Democracy.io let's you write all of your reps at once!
January 23, 2025 at 6:44 PM
Lots of good stats and examples in the comments to write your own letter. Democracy.io let's you write all of your reps at once!
Reposted by Michael Shahandeh
What better demonstrates that ‘biological sex’ is but a social construct than the u.s. president needing to declare it to be binary by political fiat in order to uphold its legitimacy.
January 20, 2025 at 10:11 PM
What better demonstrates that ‘biological sex’ is but a social construct than the u.s. president needing to declare it to be binary by political fiat in order to uphold its legitimacy.
Reposted by Michael Shahandeh
If you're looking for some trans (umbrella term) STEM people to lift up and support, you can check out my starter pack.
go.bsky.app/2oTAUBo
Some biologists, some other fields.
Lifting up more people helps everyone.
(If you want to be added to the list request by leaving a response)
go.bsky.app/2oTAUBo
Some biologists, some other fields.
Lifting up more people helps everyone.
(If you want to be added to the list request by leaving a response)
Biologists need to stand up against the increased transphobia coming.
Also, I'd love to see more collaboration from within the trans community as well.
We need more trans people to have a voice and be lifted up! The more the better!
Also, I'd love to see more collaboration from within the trans community as well.
We need more trans people to have a voice and be lifted up! The more the better!
January 21, 2025 at 12:32 AM
If you're looking for some trans (umbrella term) STEM people to lift up and support, you can check out my starter pack.
go.bsky.app/2oTAUBo
Some biologists, some other fields.
Lifting up more people helps everyone.
(If you want to be added to the list request by leaving a response)
go.bsky.app/2oTAUBo
Some biologists, some other fields.
Lifting up more people helps everyone.
(If you want to be added to the list request by leaving a response)
Reposted by Michael Shahandeh
New pre-print #2: Jérôme Mermet profiles living and dying lineages in the olfactory system to begin to explain how these sensory pathways are robustly specified but also evolvable: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Multilayer regulation underlies the functional precision and evolvability of the olfactory system
Sensory neurons must be reproducibly specified to permit accurate neural representation of external signals but also able to change during evolution. We studied this paradox in the Drosophila olfactor...
www.biorxiv.org
January 17, 2025 at 10:18 AM
New pre-print #2: Jérôme Mermet profiles living and dying lineages in the olfactory system to begin to explain how these sensory pathways are robustly specified but also evolvable: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Michael Shahandeh
Our new paper is out in Ecology and Evolution in which we use hemiclonal analysis in #Drosophila to document genetic variation in the strength of male mate choice for large females. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Genetic Variation in Male Mate Choice for Large Females in Drosophila melanogaster
We used hemiclonal analysis in Drosophila melanogaster to test for genetic variation in the strength of male mate choice for large females, a common male preference in insects. We found additive vari...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
January 14, 2025 at 4:01 PM
Our new paper is out in Ecology and Evolution in which we use hemiclonal analysis in #Drosophila to document genetic variation in the strength of male mate choice for large females. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Reposted by Michael Shahandeh
I'm thrilled to be opening my own lab this Fall at the @maxplanck.de MPI for Brain Research in Frankfurt. The lab is going to investigate the neuronal and genetic underpinnings of behavioral evolution. We are hiring on all levels. Don't hesitate to share widely and reach out if interested.
January 8, 2025 at 4:53 PM
I'm thrilled to be opening my own lab this Fall at the @maxplanck.de MPI for Brain Research in Frankfurt. The lab is going to investigate the neuronal and genetic underpinnings of behavioral evolution. We are hiring on all levels. Don't hesitate to share widely and reach out if interested.
Reposted by Michael Shahandeh
Are you PhD student or Postdoc working in the field of Neuroethology? Then apply as a speaker for the Webinar Series 'The Future Of Neuroethology'
January 10, 2025 at 5:23 AM
Are you PhD student or Postdoc working in the field of Neuroethology? Then apply as a speaker for the Webinar Series 'The Future Of Neuroethology'
Finished grading. Time for baking!
December 22, 2024 at 5:35 PM
Finished grading. Time for baking!
First cook in years, desperately trying not to burn myself 🤞
December 9, 2024 at 3:36 PM
First cook in years, desperately trying not to burn myself 🤞
Reposted by Michael Shahandeh
🦟 Pestered by mosquitoes? Fear not—grapefruit might hold the key! 🍊In our latest paper in @currentbiology.bsky.social, led by Merybeth Triana and Felipe Andreazza, we explore how nootkatone, a compound derived from grapefruit, affects mosquitoes. authors.elsevier.com/sd/article/S...
December 3, 2024 at 9:18 PM
🦟 Pestered by mosquitoes? Fear not—grapefruit might hold the key! 🍊In our latest paper in @currentbiology.bsky.social, led by Merybeth Triana and Felipe Andreazza, we explore how nootkatone, a compound derived from grapefruit, affects mosquitoes. authors.elsevier.com/sd/article/S...
Reposted by Michael Shahandeh
Resharing for new users to find collaborations or just people posting cool #animal #research! I think I've got a decent mix of taxonomic groups of interest, so hopefully this will be useful 🐟🦍🐠🦎🦗🦈🐧🦂🐬🕷️🐌🐢🐙🦟🐳🦁🦋🐊🐜🦆🐘🦃🦘🐛
DM to be added 😊
go.bsky.app/9CV3PAd
#Behavior
DM to be added 😊
go.bsky.app/9CV3PAd
#Behavior
November 26, 2024 at 10:17 AM
Resharing for new users to find collaborations or just people posting cool #animal #research! I think I've got a decent mix of taxonomic groups of interest, so hopefully this will be useful 🐟🦍🐠🦎🦗🦈🐧🦂🐬🕷️🐌🐢🐙🦟🐳🦁🦋🐊🐜🦆🐘🦃🦘🐛
DM to be added 😊
go.bsky.app/9CV3PAd
#Behavior
DM to be added 😊
go.bsky.app/9CV3PAd
#Behavior
Reposted by Michael Shahandeh
Excited to read the new preprint from the Ramdya lab about social behavior in fruit flies:
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Conspecific sociability is regulated by associative learning circuits
Sociability, an animal's ease and propensity to interact with members of its own species, is a prerequisite for many important social interactions including courtship, mating, brood rearing, and colle...
www.biorxiv.org
November 26, 2024 at 11:37 AM
Excited to read the new preprint from the Ramdya lab about social behavior in fruit flies:
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Michael Shahandeh
My lab studies both lab mice and naked mole rats. There is a belief amongst some that what we discover in mice will be universally true, and what we discover in naked mole rats will be a weird mole rat quirk. I believe this mouse-centric view of biological systems is very limiting.
November 26, 2024 at 2:18 PM
My lab studies both lab mice and naked mole rats. There is a belief amongst some that what we discover in mice will be universally true, and what we discover in naked mole rats will be a weird mole rat quirk. I believe this mouse-centric view of biological systems is very limiting.
Reposted by Michael Shahandeh
Just posting this to #popgen
Here's a link to my notes on population & quantitative genetics:
github.com/cooplab/popg...
Hoping to extend it more after the winter holidays, as I'm just finishing up teaching the undergrad version of class.
Here's a link to my notes on population & quantitative genetics:
github.com/cooplab/popg...
Hoping to extend it more after the winter holidays, as I'm just finishing up teaching the undergrad version of class.
Releases · cooplab/popgen-notes
Population genetics notes. Contribute to cooplab/popgen-notes development by creating an account on GitHub.
github.com
November 19, 2024 at 11:37 PM
Just posting this to #popgen
Here's a link to my notes on population & quantitative genetics:
github.com/cooplab/popg...
Hoping to extend it more after the winter holidays, as I'm just finishing up teaching the undergrad version of class.
Here's a link to my notes on population & quantitative genetics:
github.com/cooplab/popg...
Hoping to extend it more after the winter holidays, as I'm just finishing up teaching the undergrad version of class.
Reposted by Michael Shahandeh
Our Oceans, out now on Netflix (amp.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio...) has some amazing footage of bioluminescent ostracods in the Atlantic Ocean episode. Truly phenomenal imagery of my favorite system (yes, I’m biased). Collaborator Trevor Rivers consulted. Pls go check it out! #SciComm #MarineLife
Our Oceans review – Barack Obama’s nature show might be the most beautiful thing you see all year | Television & radio | The Guardian
Yes, the ex-president’s soothing voice was made to narrate this gorgeous wildlife programme. But the absolutely majestic visuals are the real star
amp.theguardian.com
November 20, 2024 at 9:09 PM
Our Oceans, out now on Netflix (amp.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio...) has some amazing footage of bioluminescent ostracods in the Atlantic Ocean episode. Truly phenomenal imagery of my favorite system (yes, I’m biased). Collaborator Trevor Rivers consulted. Pls go check it out! #SciComm #MarineLife