George Chen
@gtchen.bsky.social
Scientist @ UCLA studying neurodevelopment & autism genetics. Previously @ UCIrvine. Robotics educator (FIRST/VEX) and maker. He/Him.
Reposted by George Chen
what else is there to say
December 29, 2025 at 12:10 AM
what else is there to say
Reposted by George Chen
More news (not good) from NIH
The renewal request from National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke Director Walter Koroshetz has been denied.
I guess the NIH_leadership™ needed another position to fill with their time-tested recruitment process.
The renewal request from National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke Director Walter Koroshetz has been denied.
I guess the NIH_leadership™ needed another position to fill with their time-tested recruitment process.
December 27, 2025 at 4:17 PM
More news (not good) from NIH
The renewal request from National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke Director Walter Koroshetz has been denied.
I guess the NIH_leadership™ needed another position to fill with their time-tested recruitment process.
The renewal request from National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke Director Walter Koroshetz has been denied.
I guess the NIH_leadership™ needed another position to fill with their time-tested recruitment process.
Excited to have been able to contribute a tiny bit to this monumental work by Nick, Troy, and Florence! #neuroskyence 🧪
Stoked to share our latest work entitled: “Large-scale discovery of neural enhancers for cis-regulation therapies”
shorturl.at/H3Qww
This is an enormous team effort that I had the honour of spearheading with Nick Page and Florence Chardon.
Bluetorial below.
shorturl.at/H3Qww
This is an enormous team effort that I had the honour of spearheading with Nick Page and Florence Chardon.
Bluetorial below.
November 6, 2025 at 2:00 AM
Excited to have been able to contribute a tiny bit to this monumental work by Nick, Troy, and Florence! #neuroskyence 🧪
Reposted by George Chen
A cartoonist's review of AI art - The Oatmeal
This is a comic about AI art.
theoatmeal.com
October 7, 2025 at 4:51 PM
“You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.”
― Jane Goodall (1934-2025)
― Jane Goodall (1934-2025)
October 1, 2025 at 6:31 PM
“You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.”
― Jane Goodall (1934-2025)
― Jane Goodall (1934-2025)
Reposted by George Chen
We are thrilled to announce that our NEW Large Language Model will be released on 11.18.25.
October 1, 2025 at 2:38 PM
We are thrilled to announce that our NEW Large Language Model will be released on 11.18.25.
Reposted by George Chen
Justice Jackson is basically reporting live from inside a garbage fire
www.ballsandstrikes.org/scotus/nih-c...
www.ballsandstrikes.org/scotus/nih-c...
Ketanji Brown Jackson Stops Just Short of Saying the Supreme Court Is Breathtakingly Full of Shit
“Calvinball has only one rule: There are no fixed rules. We seem to have two: that one, and this Administration always wins.”
www.ballsandstrikes.org
August 22, 2025 at 6:50 PM
Justice Jackson is basically reporting live from inside a garbage fire
www.ballsandstrikes.org/scotus/nih-c...
www.ballsandstrikes.org/scotus/nih-c...
Story out today from @uclahealth.org on one of my projects in lab studying rare neurodevelopmental disorders using patient stem cells and brain organoids. UCLA #ResearchPowersProgress 🧪 www.uclahealth.org/news/article...
Rare mutation in autism risk gene connects family with researcher
An email to renowned autism investigator Dr. Daniel Geschwind is leading to new science.
www.uclahealth.org
August 19, 2025 at 7:47 PM
Story out today from @uclahealth.org on one of my projects in lab studying rare neurodevelopmental disorders using patient stem cells and brain organoids. UCLA #ResearchPowersProgress 🧪 www.uclahealth.org/news/article...
My new @science.org editorial on the role of scientists in defending democracy is out today. As authoritarianism takes hold in the US, we must fight for the democratic principles that enable a free society and scientists have a key role. I hope you'll join us.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Scientists’ role in defending democracy
The United States’ democratic leadership, commitment to freedom of expression, and investment in the pursuit of knowledge have long enabled its preeminence in science and technology. Yet today we are ...
www.science.org
August 14, 2025 at 9:18 PM
Reposted by George Chen
Hundreds of millions of dollars suspended for cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimer's research (among many, many other equally important diseases and endeavors) and for what? What is the point of all of this? Help me understand how this makes our country better, stronger, and healthier in any way.
The massive list of suspended UCLA grants came out today: 300 NSF and 500 NIH grants. I am miraculously not on the list, but this is devastating. Science will be lost, progress will be frozen, people will lose jobs, and careers in science and medicine are being destroyed. This is not ok.
August 1, 2025 at 10:33 PM
Hundreds of millions of dollars suspended for cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimer's research (among many, many other equally important diseases and endeavors) and for what? What is the point of all of this? Help me understand how this makes our country better, stronger, and healthier in any way.
Reposted by George Chen
the USA built a system of higher education so good that smart/rich people from across the world came here, spending billions to learn here, subsidizing education for Americans while spending money to live in our cities and towns. our government arbitrarily decided we should stop doing that
The US could see a 30-40% decline in new international student enrollment, resulting in nearly $7 billion in lost revenue and more than 60,000 fewer American jobs. https://www.nafsa.org/fall-2025-international-student-enrollment-outlook-and-economic-impact
August 3, 2025 at 3:39 PM
the USA built a system of higher education so good that smart/rich people from across the world came here, spending billions to learn here, subsidizing education for Americans while spending money to live in our cities and towns. our government arbitrarily decided we should stop doing that
Reposted by George Chen
Federal agencies hiding out in a bunker
July 31, 2025 at 11:46 PM
Federal agencies hiding out in a bunker
Reposted by George Chen
🧪 #NIH
You may have seen this morning that employees at NIH wrote an open letter to the Director (cheekily called the Bethesda Declaration). You can read it and sign a supporting letter here.
www.standupforscience.net/bethesda-dec...
Please consider signing and forwarding on.
You may have seen this morning that employees at NIH wrote an open letter to the Director (cheekily called the Bethesda Declaration). You can read it and sign a supporting letter here.
www.standupforscience.net/bethesda-dec...
Please consider signing and forwarding on.
Bethesda Declaration — STAND UP FOR SCIENCE
Support NIH Staff Now!
www.standupforscience.net
June 9, 2025 at 4:32 PM
🧪 #NIH
You may have seen this morning that employees at NIH wrote an open letter to the Director (cheekily called the Bethesda Declaration). You can read it and sign a supporting letter here.
www.standupforscience.net/bethesda-dec...
Please consider signing and forwarding on.
You may have seen this morning that employees at NIH wrote an open letter to the Director (cheekily called the Bethesda Declaration). You can read it and sign a supporting letter here.
www.standupforscience.net/bethesda-dec...
Please consider signing and forwarding on.
Reposted by George Chen
New project: From stereotypes to breakthroughs, Hollywood's history with Asian and Asian American characters is complicated.
This AAPI Heritage Month, dive into the data that reveals whether that's changed: pudding.cool/2025/05/aapi...
This AAPI Heritage Month, dive into the data that reveals whether that's changed: pudding.cool/2025/05/aapi...
May 29, 2025 at 1:08 PM
New project: From stereotypes to breakthroughs, Hollywood's history with Asian and Asian American characters is complicated.
This AAPI Heritage Month, dive into the data that reveals whether that's changed: pudding.cool/2025/05/aapi...
This AAPI Heritage Month, dive into the data that reveals whether that's changed: pudding.cool/2025/05/aapi...
Reposted by George Chen
Breaking News: A baby with a rare disorder made medical history by receiving the first custom gene-editing treatment. The technique used has the potential to help people with thousands of other uncommon genetic diseases. nyti.ms/4j49xBy
May 15, 2025 at 5:09 PM
Breaking News: A baby with a rare disorder made medical history by receiving the first custom gene-editing treatment. The technique used has the potential to help people with thousands of other uncommon genetic diseases. nyti.ms/4j49xBy
Reposted by George Chen
A technology feature in Nature explains how organoids, assembloids and a growing toolkit of bioengineering tricks are helping scientists stitch together models of the developing human brain, pushing the limits of realism and control. 🧪
Brain tissues, assemble! Inside the push to build better brain models
With organoids, assembloids and a growing toolkit of bioengineering tricks, scientists are stitching together models of the developing human brain — and pushing the limits of realism and control.
go.nature.com
May 16, 2025 at 7:50 PM
A technology feature in Nature explains how organoids, assembloids and a growing toolkit of bioengineering tricks are helping scientists stitch together models of the developing human brain, pushing the limits of realism and control. 🧪
Reposted by George Chen
Thrilled to share 2 reviews from the lab:
🧬Annual Review Functional Neurogenomics
annualreviews.org/content/jour...
🧠Current Opinion high-throughput analysis of corticogenesis
authors.elsevier.com/sd/article/S...
Thanks to my labbies and the field—we were honored to showcase your work! #WeAreHiring
🧬Annual Review Functional Neurogenomics
annualreviews.org/content/jour...
🧠Current Opinion high-throughput analysis of corticogenesis
authors.elsevier.com/sd/article/S...
Thanks to my labbies and the field—we were honored to showcase your work! #WeAreHiring
www.annualreviews.org
May 14, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Thrilled to share 2 reviews from the lab:
🧬Annual Review Functional Neurogenomics
annualreviews.org/content/jour...
🧠Current Opinion high-throughput analysis of corticogenesis
authors.elsevier.com/sd/article/S...
Thanks to my labbies and the field—we were honored to showcase your work! #WeAreHiring
🧬Annual Review Functional Neurogenomics
annualreviews.org/content/jour...
🧠Current Opinion high-throughput analysis of corticogenesis
authors.elsevier.com/sd/article/S...
Thanks to my labbies and the field—we were honored to showcase your work! #WeAreHiring
Reposted by George Chen
Thrilled to share our latest study out in @natureportfolio.nature.com led by the fantastically talented Jing Liu. Our study provides insight into a long standing question in biology: What molecular features make us uniquely human and how do these function? www.nature.com/articles/s41...
A human-specific enhancer fine-tunes radial glia potency and corticogenesis - Nature
HARE5, a human accelerated region enhancer, modulates cortical development by influencing neural progenitor cell behaviour, leading to an enlarged neocortex with increased functional independence betw...
www.nature.com
May 14, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Thrilled to share our latest study out in @natureportfolio.nature.com led by the fantastically talented Jing Liu. Our study provides insight into a long standing question in biology: What molecular features make us uniquely human and how do these function? www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by George Chen
"Dear @senmullin.bsky.social, Capito, Cassidy, Collins, Cornyn..[and 6 others]"
"These hastily-executed NIH contract cuts will damage medical research for diseases like cancer&dementia..."
"It would be taking the side of cancer to do nothing to stop [the cuts]"
Letter sent to R Senators:
"These hastily-executed NIH contract cuts will damage medical research for diseases like cancer&dementia..."
"It would be taking the side of cancer to do nothing to stop [the cuts]"
Letter sent to R Senators:
April 22, 2025 at 4:33 PM
"Dear @senmullin.bsky.social, Capito, Cassidy, Collins, Cornyn..[and 6 others]"
"These hastily-executed NIH contract cuts will damage medical research for diseases like cancer&dementia..."
"It would be taking the side of cancer to do nothing to stop [the cuts]"
Letter sent to R Senators:
"These hastily-executed NIH contract cuts will damage medical research for diseases like cancer&dementia..."
"It would be taking the side of cancer to do nothing to stop [the cuts]"
Letter sent to R Senators:
Reposted by George Chen
Dishonest charts are coming from all directions, and they're only going to hit harder. Unless we push back. So, an interactive guide: Defense Against Dishonest Charts flowingdata.com/projects/dis...
Defense Against Dishonest Charts
This is a guide to protect ourselves and to preserve what is good about turning data into visual things.
flowingdata.com
February 13, 2025 at 9:45 PM
Dishonest charts are coming from all directions, and they're only going to hit harder. Unless we push back. So, an interactive guide: Defense Against Dishonest Charts flowingdata.com/projects/dis...
Reposted by George Chen
Yet another report on the economic value of NIH investments The indiscriminate and large cuts are illogical and harmful I am angry www.forbes.com/sites/michae...
NIH Grants Fueled $95 Billion In FY 2024 Economic Activity, Finds New Report
National Institutes of Health grants generated almost $95 billion in economic activity nationwide in FY 2024 according to a new report by United for Medical Research.
www.forbes.com
March 13, 2025 at 1:19 AM
Yet another report on the economic value of NIH investments The indiscriminate and large cuts are illogical and harmful I am angry www.forbes.com/sites/michae...
Reposted by George Chen
Today is Rare Disease Day and it’s a day to raise awareness for the 300 Million people in the world with over 6000 rare diseases. If you or a loved one have a rare disease write it in the comments and make it seen.
#RareDisease #RareDiseaseDay
#RareDisease #RareDiseaseDay
February 28, 2025 at 12:54 PM
Today is Rare Disease Day and it’s a day to raise awareness for the 300 Million people in the world with over 6000 rare diseases. If you or a loved one have a rare disease write it in the comments and make it seen.
#RareDisease #RareDiseaseDay
#RareDisease #RareDiseaseDay
Reposted by George Chen
More hits to #NIH:
"The Trump administration has imposed a new restriction on employment that could push out thousands of NIH’s senior scientists: The agency cannot retain scientists in 1-year to 4-year positions that have long been routinely renewed." 🧪
@jocelynkaiser.bsky.social at @science.org
"The Trump administration has imposed a new restriction on employment that could push out thousands of NIH’s senior scientists: The agency cannot retain scientists in 1-year to 4-year positions that have long been routinely renewed." 🧪
@jocelynkaiser.bsky.social at @science.org
NIH ban on renewing senior scientists adds to assaults on its in-house research
Policy follows firings of tenure-track scientists and suspension of training programs
www.science.org
February 27, 2025 at 4:44 AM
More hits to #NIH:
"The Trump administration has imposed a new restriction on employment that could push out thousands of NIH’s senior scientists: The agency cannot retain scientists in 1-year to 4-year positions that have long been routinely renewed." 🧪
@jocelynkaiser.bsky.social at @science.org
"The Trump administration has imposed a new restriction on employment that could push out thousands of NIH’s senior scientists: The agency cannot retain scientists in 1-year to 4-year positions that have long been routinely renewed." 🧪
@jocelynkaiser.bsky.social at @science.org
Reposted by George Chen
Reposted by George Chen
This is not news to most scientists by now, but others might be interested.
Biomedical research is undergoing tremendous damage, even beyond the firings at NIH, CDC, and NSF; the suppression of data sharing; and the attacks on initiatives to improve scientific quality.
Biomedical research is undergoing tremendous damage, even beyond the firings at NIH, CDC, and NSF; the suppression of data sharing; and the attacks on initiatives to improve scientific quality.
February 19, 2025 at 4:44 PM
This is not news to most scientists by now, but others might be interested.
Biomedical research is undergoing tremendous damage, even beyond the firings at NIH, CDC, and NSF; the suppression of data sharing; and the attacks on initiatives to improve scientific quality.
Biomedical research is undergoing tremendous damage, even beyond the firings at NIH, CDC, and NSF; the suppression of data sharing; and the attacks on initiatives to improve scientific quality.