Talia Lerner
@talialerner.bsky.social
Neuroscientist, Associate Professor, Lerner Lab. Dopamine and basal ganglia circuits controlling reinforcement learning and decision-making. Open/inclusive science. Happy working mom of 3.
Yale ➡️ UCSF ➡️ Stanford ➡️ Northwestern
lernerlab.org
Yale ➡️ UCSF ➡️ Stanford ➡️ Northwestern
lernerlab.org
Reposted by Talia Lerner
CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!
November 7, 2025 at 12:02 AM
CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!
Boo! ♥️ Lerner Lab
October 31, 2025 at 9:41 PM
Boo! ♥️ Lerner Lab
This is where I live. This is where I'm trying to raise my kids.
Go home 🧊
Go home 🧊
Border patrol agents deployed tear gas on the 3700 block of North Kildare where residents say a landscape worker, a resident, and a woman on a bike were detained. Video from a resident.
October 25, 2025 at 5:39 PM
This is where I live. This is where I'm trying to raise my kids.
Go home 🧊
Go home 🧊
Reposted by Talia Lerner
This decision leaked in an Arts & Sciences faculty meeting yesterday afternoon, and, while I suspect it'll take a minute for the student paper to update after today's email, credit to them that they had this story up this morning. www.studlife.com/news/2025/10...
Arts & Sciences Dean says WashU will not sign Trump’s higher ed compact as-is - Student Life
Dean of WashU’s College of Arts & Sciences, Feng Sheng Hu, told faculty at a meeting on Tuesday that Chancellor Andrew D. Martin does not plan to sign the Trump administration’s compact for higher edu...
www.studlife.com
October 22, 2025 at 5:03 PM
This decision leaked in an Arts & Sciences faculty meeting yesterday afternoon, and, while I suspect it'll take a minute for the student paper to update after today's email, credit to them that they had this story up this morning. www.studlife.com/news/2025/10...
All but 2 Universities Decline a Trump Offer of Preferential Funding
www.nytimes.com
October 21, 2025 at 5:16 PM
Reposted by Talia Lerner
🌵Tucson Proud🌵
No Compact for the University of Arizona. ✊🏼
No Compact for the University of Arizona. ✊🏼
October 21, 2025 at 12:38 AM
🌵Tucson Proud🌵
No Compact for the University of Arizona. ✊🏼
No Compact for the University of Arizona. ✊🏼
Hands off Chicago. No Kings.
October 18, 2025 at 6:09 PM
Hands off Chicago. No Kings.
Numerous state and local reps giving emotional speeches
October 18, 2025 at 3:55 PM
Numerous state and local reps giving emotional speeches
This is the "small" neighborhood pre-rally! Get out there today everybody!
October 18, 2025 at 3:37 PM
This is the "small" neighborhood pre-rally! Get out there today everybody!
Reposted by Talia Lerner
DARTMOUTH OUT!
We are at 6 rejections. Vanderbilt is the only private left standing "considering" the compact along with UT Austin and the University of Arizona.
We are at 6 rejections. Vanderbilt is the only private left standing "considering" the compact along with UT Austin and the University of Arizona.
Dartmouth is OUT! Thank goodness... a friend at U of A and I have been playing "Who will be the last of the 9 standing?" and it's not gonna be us!
October 18, 2025 at 3:10 PM
DARTMOUTH OUT!
We are at 6 rejections. Vanderbilt is the only private left standing "considering" the compact along with UT Austin and the University of Arizona.
We are at 6 rejections. Vanderbilt is the only private left standing "considering" the compact along with UT Austin and the University of Arizona.
Reposted by Talia Lerner
A university that signs the “compact” is one that acknowledges its own inability to compete and succeed based talent and merit. It would signal insecurity and mediocrity to current and future students and faculty. Say no. Recruit the best people, protect their freedom and support their hard work.
October 18, 2025 at 12:05 AM
A university that signs the “compact” is one that acknowledges its own inability to compete and succeed based talent and merit. It would signal insecurity and mediocrity to current and future students and faculty. Say no. Recruit the best people, protect their freedom and support their hard work.
Reposted by Talia Lerner
Interim University of Virginia President Paul Mahoney has responded ”no thank you” to the loyalty pledge masquerading as a compact. Go UVA!
www.cavalierdaily.com/article/2025...
#nocompact #uva #academicfreedom
www.cavalierdaily.com/article/2025...
#nocompact #uva #academicfreedom
U.Va. rejects Trump administration Compact for Academic Excellence
The University has rejected the “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education,” which he received from the White House and Department of Education Oct. 1, according to a community statement rel...
www.cavalierdaily.com
October 17, 2025 at 9:38 PM
Interim University of Virginia President Paul Mahoney has responded ”no thank you” to the loyalty pledge masquerading as a compact. Go UVA!
www.cavalierdaily.com/article/2025...
#nocompact #uva #academicfreedom
www.cavalierdaily.com/article/2025...
#nocompact #uva #academicfreedom
Reposted by Talia Lerner
Penn and USC have also rejected the Compact!
That makes 4 - stronger together.
www.insidehighered.com/news/faculty...
That makes 4 - stronger together.
www.insidehighered.com/news/faculty...
Penn, U. of Southern California Reject Trump Compact
The universities follow the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Brown University in rejecting the Trump administration’s proposal that would require sweeping changes.
www.insidehighered.com
October 16, 2025 at 10:24 PM
Penn and USC have also rejected the Compact!
That makes 4 - stronger together.
www.insidehighered.com/news/faculty...
That makes 4 - stronger together.
www.insidehighered.com/news/faculty...
Reposted by Talia Lerner
Penn joins MIT and Brown in saying “no” to Trump extortion move.
Penn rejects White House proposal for special funding treatment
With the decision, Penn becomes the third university to decline the offer.
www.thedp.com
October 16, 2025 at 5:16 PM
Penn joins MIT and Brown in saying “no” to Trump extortion move.
Reposted by Talia Lerner
Congratulations to Rebekah Rashford and team, it’s finally out! We tagged early life stress-activated neurons in VTA and found that chromatin those cells was much more open, even into adulthood, and that open CREs predicted greater gene expression in response to stress later in life
rdcu.be/eLa9z
rdcu.be/eLa9z
Persistent open chromatin state in early-life stress-activated cells of the VTA
Scientific Reports - Persistent open chromatin state in early-life stress-activated cells of the VTA
rdcu.be
October 15, 2025 at 5:07 PM
Congratulations to Rebekah Rashford and team, it’s finally out! We tagged early life stress-activated neurons in VTA and found that chromatin those cells was much more open, even into adulthood, and that open CREs predicted greater gene expression in response to stress later in life
rdcu.be/eLa9z
rdcu.be/eLa9z
Reposted by Talia Lerner
Brown is out! They had to do more dancing in their letter because they previously capitulated and needed to reference their previous agreement but, at its core, this reiterates MIT's letter.
The clock is now on for all other institutions.
www.brown.edu/sites/defaul...
The clock is now on for all other institutions.
www.brown.edu/sites/defaul...
www.brown.edu
October 15, 2025 at 7:22 PM
Brown is out! They had to do more dancing in their letter because they previously capitulated and needed to reference their previous agreement but, at its core, this reiterates MIT's letter.
The clock is now on for all other institutions.
www.brown.edu/sites/defaul...
The clock is now on for all other institutions.
www.brown.edu/sites/defaul...
A heartfelt goodbye 👋🏼 to @glopez.bsky.social, OG of the lab. On to her next adventure in medical writing!
Last pic - from Gaby - it's me in my office, in my office 😄
Last pic - from Gaby - it's me in my office, in my office 😄
October 11, 2025 at 2:05 PM
A heartfelt goodbye 👋🏼 to @glopez.bsky.social, OG of the lab. On to her next adventure in medical writing!
Last pic - from Gaby - it's me in my office, in my office 😄
Last pic - from Gaby - it's me in my office, in my office 😄
Reposted by Talia Lerner
15 years in the making, we confirmed that mitochondria - the powerhouse of the cell - have an unusual localization in patients who experience psychosis (including schizophrenia and bipolar disorders). You’ll never guess what kind of patient cells we used to make this discovery… 🧵
October 10, 2025 at 4:47 PM
15 years in the making, we confirmed that mitochondria - the powerhouse of the cell - have an unusual localization in patients who experience psychosis (including schizophrenia and bipolar disorders). You’ll never guess what kind of patient cells we used to make this discovery… 🧵
M.I.T. Rejects a White House Offer for Special Funding Treatment
www.nytimes.com
October 10, 2025 at 4:15 PM
Reposted by Talia Lerner
October 9th is the deadline for poster submissions for #WCBR2026 please share! www.winterbrain.org
October 8, 2025 at 2:17 PM
October 9th is the deadline for poster submissions for #WCBR2026 please share! www.winterbrain.org
The program for the 2026 Basal Ganglia GRC is live! 🧠🧪
www.grc.org/basal-gangli...
We are already ~60% full, so apply now to join us! Submit an abstract by end of Oct to be considered for a short talk.
See you in Tuscany!
www.grc.org/basal-gangli...
We are already ~60% full, so apply now to join us! Submit an abstract by end of Oct to be considered for a short talk.
See you in Tuscany!
2026 Basal Ganglia Conference GRC
The 2026 Gordon Research Conference on Basal Ganglia will be held in Lucca (Barga), Lucca Italy. Apply today to reserve your spot.
www.grc.org
October 7, 2025 at 12:37 PM
The program for the 2026 Basal Ganglia GRC is live! 🧠🧪
www.grc.org/basal-gangli...
We are already ~60% full, so apply now to join us! Submit an abstract by end of Oct to be considered for a short talk.
See you in Tuscany!
www.grc.org/basal-gangli...
We are already ~60% full, so apply now to join us! Submit an abstract by end of Oct to be considered for a short talk.
See you in Tuscany!
Read this and do not pretend not to have known what was happening. My fellow scientist, even if you can still get your next grant, everything will not be fine.
This raid is disgusting, abominable behavior, traumatizing children and families in their homes.
abc7chicago.com/post/ice-chi...
abc7chicago.com/post/ice-chi...
October 3, 2025 at 12:45 AM
Read this and do not pretend not to have known what was happening. My fellow scientist, even if you can still get your next grant, everything will not be fine.
Comment now! Cutting off student visas is terrible for US competitiveness in key research areas.
Comment period ends on Monday for a proposed rule change that would terminate student visas after 4 years. It also puts limits on exchange visitors and reps of foreign media, and shortens the length of time at the end of the visa from 60 days to 30 days.
www.federalregister.gov/documents/20...
www.federalregister.gov/documents/20...
Establishing a Fixed Time Period of Admission and an Extension of Stay Procedure for Nonimmigrant Academic Students, Exchange Visitors, and Representatives of Foreign Information Media
Unlike most nonimmigrant classifications, which are admitted for a fixed time period, aliens in the F (academic student), J (exchange visitor), and most I (representatives of foreign information media...
www.federalregister.gov
September 27, 2025 at 8:55 PM
Comment now! Cutting off student visas is terrible for US competitiveness in key research areas.
Exciting to see Professor emeritus Bob Graybeard at seminar today
September 26, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Exciting to see Professor emeritus Bob Graybeard at seminar today