Janel Le Belle
@janellebelle.bsky.social
UCLA Associate Professor, PhD Researcher of brains 🧠 (development, stem cells, neuroinflammation, autism, sensory processing, brain injury & repair)
Teacher of Neuroanatomy, Neurophilosophy (consciousness, cognitive science), & Stem Cell Biology
Teacher of Neuroanatomy, Neurophilosophy (consciousness, cognitive science), & Stem Cell Biology
Reposted by Janel Le Belle
What would Francis Crick make of this?
I really enjoyed being part of this conversation on consciousness with @anilseth.bsky.social @stevefleming.bsky.social @cosmicskeptic.bsky.social, hosted by @profbriancox.bsky.social. Listen now!
I really enjoyed being part of this conversation on consciousness with @anilseth.bsky.social @stevefleming.bsky.social @cosmicskeptic.bsky.social, hosted by @profbriancox.bsky.social. Listen now!
What can science tell us about consciousness?
Join our expert panellists as they answer audience questions about the nature of consciousness.
Listen now on your favourite podcast platform:
lnk.to/AQOSConsciou...
Join our expert panellists as they answer audience questions about the nature of consciousness.
Listen now on your favourite podcast platform:
lnk.to/AQOSConsciou...
November 27, 2025 at 5:33 PM
What would Francis Crick make of this?
I really enjoyed being part of this conversation on consciousness with @anilseth.bsky.social @stevefleming.bsky.social @cosmicskeptic.bsky.social, hosted by @profbriancox.bsky.social. Listen now!
I really enjoyed being part of this conversation on consciousness with @anilseth.bsky.social @stevefleming.bsky.social @cosmicskeptic.bsky.social, hosted by @profbriancox.bsky.social. Listen now!
Reposted by Janel Le Belle
As you’re preparing for your Thanksgiving meal, remember the skilled work it took to get that food to your grocery store.
Tell us your favorite Thanksgiving dish, and we can share some of what we know about the work behind the ingredients.
Tell us your favorite Thanksgiving dish, and we can share some of what we know about the work behind the ingredients.
November 26, 2025 at 6:03 PM
As you’re preparing for your Thanksgiving meal, remember the skilled work it took to get that food to your grocery store.
Tell us your favorite Thanksgiving dish, and we can share some of what we know about the work behind the ingredients.
Tell us your favorite Thanksgiving dish, and we can share some of what we know about the work behind the ingredients.
Reposted by Janel Le Belle
1/6 New preprint 🚀 How does the cortex learn to represent things and how they move without reconstructing sensory stimuli? We developed a circuit-centric recurrent predictive learning (RPL) model based on JEPAs.
🔗 doi.org/10.1101/2025...
Led by @atenagm.bsky.social @mshalvagal.bsky.social
🔗 doi.org/10.1101/2025...
Led by @atenagm.bsky.social @mshalvagal.bsky.social
November 27, 2025 at 8:24 AM
1/6 New preprint 🚀 How does the cortex learn to represent things and how they move without reconstructing sensory stimuli? We developed a circuit-centric recurrent predictive learning (RPL) model based on JEPAs.
🔗 doi.org/10.1101/2025...
Led by @atenagm.bsky.social @mshalvagal.bsky.social
🔗 doi.org/10.1101/2025...
Led by @atenagm.bsky.social @mshalvagal.bsky.social
Reposted by Janel Le Belle
Just a reminder that the people who run AI companies talk like this when amongst themselves and when you ask me if I'm anti-AI, well, I'm anti whatever the fuck this is
November 27, 2025 at 1:22 AM
Just a reminder that the people who run AI companies talk like this when amongst themselves and when you ask me if I'm anti-AI, well, I'm anti whatever the fuck this is
Reposted by Janel Le Belle
I need everybody to read this and understand what’s going on. These are spouses of US citizens in the country legally. They have entry clearance and green cards, they’ve passed background checks and have no criminal records. ICE is taking them anyway.
Gift link:
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/26/u...
Gift link:
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/26/u...
Green Card Interviews End in Handcuffs for Spouses of U.S. Citizens
www.nytimes.com
November 26, 2025 at 8:40 PM
I need everybody to read this and understand what’s going on. These are spouses of US citizens in the country legally. They have entry clearance and green cards, they’ve passed background checks and have no criminal records. ICE is taking them anyway.
Gift link:
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/26/u...
Gift link:
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/26/u...
Reposted by Janel Le Belle
Oh boy I can't wait for my employer to promise to surveil me to make sure that I teach dred scott as good law
"A Northwestern spokesman did not return multiple requests for comment."
🫠
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/26/u...
🫠
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/26/u...
Northwestern University Nears Deal to Resolve Its Conflict With the White House
www.nytimes.com
November 26, 2025 at 9:28 PM
Oh boy I can't wait for my employer to promise to surveil me to make sure that I teach dred scott as good law
Reposted by Janel Le Belle
🧠📈 New #OpenAccess review: 'Chronic Neuroplasticity Changes Following Neurotropic Viral Infection'.
Long-term viral infections can disrupt neuroplasticity through neuroinflammation, synaptic dysfunction, oxidative stress, and impaired neurogenesis. bit.ly/4imYhS1 #ResearchPublishing
Long-term viral infections can disrupt neuroplasticity through neuroinflammation, synaptic dysfunction, oxidative stress, and impaired neurogenesis. bit.ly/4imYhS1 #ResearchPublishing
November 26, 2025 at 4:00 PM
🧠📈 New #OpenAccess review: 'Chronic Neuroplasticity Changes Following Neurotropic Viral Infection'.
Long-term viral infections can disrupt neuroplasticity through neuroinflammation, synaptic dysfunction, oxidative stress, and impaired neurogenesis. bit.ly/4imYhS1 #ResearchPublishing
Long-term viral infections can disrupt neuroplasticity through neuroinflammation, synaptic dysfunction, oxidative stress, and impaired neurogenesis. bit.ly/4imYhS1 #ResearchPublishing
Reposted by Janel Le Belle
NYT reports that Northwestern is preparing to capitulate to Trump's extortion campaign.
Northwestern University Nears Deal to Resolve Its Conflict With the White House
www.nytimes.com
November 26, 2025 at 6:33 PM
NYT reports that Northwestern is preparing to capitulate to Trump's extortion campaign.
Reposted by Janel Le Belle
What does it mean to understand language? We argue that the brain’s core language system is limited, and that *deeply* understanding language requires EXPORTING info to other brain regions.
w/ @neuranna.bsky.social @evfedorenko.bsky.social @nancykanwisher.bsky.social
arxiv.org/abs/2511.19757
1/n🧵👇
w/ @neuranna.bsky.social @evfedorenko.bsky.social @nancykanwisher.bsky.social
arxiv.org/abs/2511.19757
1/n🧵👇
What does it mean to understand language?
Language understanding entails not just extracting the surface-level meaning of the linguistic input, but constructing rich mental models of the situation it describes. Here we propose that because pr...
arxiv.org
November 26, 2025 at 4:26 PM
What does it mean to understand language? We argue that the brain’s core language system is limited, and that *deeply* understanding language requires EXPORTING info to other brain regions.
w/ @neuranna.bsky.social @evfedorenko.bsky.social @nancykanwisher.bsky.social
arxiv.org/abs/2511.19757
1/n🧵👇
w/ @neuranna.bsky.social @evfedorenko.bsky.social @nancykanwisher.bsky.social
arxiv.org/abs/2511.19757
1/n🧵👇
Reposted by Janel Le Belle
Vulnerability to memory decline in aging revealed by a mega-analysis of structural brain change www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Vulnerability to memory decline in aging revealed by a mega-analysis of structural brain change - Nature Communications
Across 13 longitudinal studies (3,737 adults), the authors show that brain atrophy parallels memory loss, with a stronger coupling in later life. APOE ε4 increases decline, yet genetic risk does not m...
www.nature.com
November 26, 2025 at 2:32 PM
Vulnerability to memory decline in aging revealed by a mega-analysis of structural brain change www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Janel Le Belle
Mixed selectivity: when neurons stopped looking like specialists — a Journal Club article by Fanny Cazettes
@fannycazettes.bsky.social
#neuroscience #neuroskyence
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
@fannycazettes.bsky.social
#neuroscience #neuroskyence
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
November 26, 2025 at 2:25 PM
Mixed selectivity: when neurons stopped looking like specialists — a Journal Club article by Fanny Cazettes
@fannycazettes.bsky.social
#neuroscience #neuroskyence
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
@fannycazettes.bsky.social
#neuroscience #neuroskyence
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Janel Le Belle
🚨Friends, we’re happy to share that our book is available for pre-order! 🎉
We aimed to cover all the foundations of the topic in an accessible manner for a large audience.
It could help set up a bachelor-level curriculum on the topic.
Pre-orders are very key for the fate of books: shorturl.at/Dxbif
We aimed to cover all the foundations of the topic in an accessible manner for a large audience.
It could help set up a bachelor-level curriculum on the topic.
Pre-orders are very key for the fate of books: shorturl.at/Dxbif
November 26, 2025 at 11:38 AM
🚨Friends, we’re happy to share that our book is available for pre-order! 🎉
We aimed to cover all the foundations of the topic in an accessible manner for a large audience.
It could help set up a bachelor-level curriculum on the topic.
Pre-orders are very key for the fate of books: shorturl.at/Dxbif
We aimed to cover all the foundations of the topic in an accessible manner for a large audience.
It could help set up a bachelor-level curriculum on the topic.
Pre-orders are very key for the fate of books: shorturl.at/Dxbif
Reposted by Janel Le Belle
Our attempt to give multinucleate cells the spotlight they deserve (seriously, they’re everywhere), led by the fearless @mrosjac.bsky.social and with @Markus Ganter
doi.org/10.32942/X2M...
We’d love your feedback while this goes through the peer review process!
#MicroEvoSky
#ProtistsonSky 🧪🌏
doi.org/10.32942/X2M...
We’d love your feedback while this goes through the peer review process!
#MicroEvoSky
#ProtistsonSky 🧪🌏
November 26, 2025 at 2:05 PM
Our attempt to give multinucleate cells the spotlight they deserve (seriously, they’re everywhere), led by the fearless @mrosjac.bsky.social and with @Markus Ganter
doi.org/10.32942/X2M...
We’d love your feedback while this goes through the peer review process!
#MicroEvoSky
#ProtistsonSky 🧪🌏
doi.org/10.32942/X2M...
We’d love your feedback while this goes through the peer review process!
#MicroEvoSky
#ProtistsonSky 🧪🌏
Reposted by Janel Le Belle
By mapping connections among researchers, Neurotree makes it possible to trace how the field has evolved and to visualize how shifts in lab size, training and other factors can shape its direction, writes founder @stephenvdavid.bsky.social.
bit.ly/4od0SiL
#neuroskyence #StateOfNeuroscience
bit.ly/4od0SiL
#neuroskyence #StateOfNeuroscience
Tracing neuroscience’s family tree to track its growth
By mapping connections among researchers, Neurotree makes it possible to see how the field has evolved and what factors shape its direction.
www.thetransmitter.org
November 25, 2025 at 2:08 PM
By mapping connections among researchers, Neurotree makes it possible to trace how the field has evolved and to visualize how shifts in lab size, training and other factors can shape its direction, writes founder @stephenvdavid.bsky.social.
bit.ly/4od0SiL
#neuroskyence #StateOfNeuroscience
bit.ly/4od0SiL
#neuroskyence #StateOfNeuroscience
Reposted by Janel Le Belle
NIH shake-up to grant decision-making draws concerns of political meddling | Science | AAAS www.science.org/content/arti...
NIH shake-up to grant decision-making draws concerns of political meddling
Policy drops “paylines” based on peer-review scores and requires geography and other factors to guide approvals
www.science.org
November 25, 2025 at 6:26 PM
NIH shake-up to grant decision-making draws concerns of political meddling | Science | AAAS www.science.org/content/arti...
Reposted by Janel Le Belle
This is how Trump merely suing people influences their behavior, and he knows it. Which is why he keeps doing it.
Today @rutgerbregman.com posted a transcript of his Reith Lecture showing that the version that BBC aired removed the line about Trump's world-historical corruption.
BBC emailed me: "we made the decision to remove one sentence from the lecture on legal advice.”
newrepublic.com/article/2036...
BBC emailed me: "we made the decision to remove one sentence from the lecture on legal advice.”
newrepublic.com/article/2036...
November 25, 2025 at 4:31 PM
This is how Trump merely suing people influences their behavior, and he knows it. Which is why he keeps doing it.
Reposted by Janel Le Belle
"The growing popularity of these drugs [peptides]
shows that many people will experiment with them long before science confirms they work or are safe."
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/18/w...
my review erictopol.substack.com/p/the-peptid...
shows that many people will experiment with them long before science confirms they work or are safe."
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/18/w...
my review erictopol.substack.com/p/the-peptid...
The Internet Loves Peptide Therapy. Is It Really a Miracle Cure?
www.nytimes.com
November 25, 2025 at 3:10 PM
"The growing popularity of these drugs [peptides]
shows that many people will experiment with them long before science confirms they work or are safe."
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/18/w...
my review erictopol.substack.com/p/the-peptid...
shows that many people will experiment with them long before science confirms they work or are safe."
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/18/w...
my review erictopol.substack.com/p/the-peptid...
Reposted by Janel Le Belle
In August, UCL neuroscientists joined Marshallese sailors on a Pacific voyage to study how these expert navigators use traditional techniques to find their way by sensing the swells of the ocean, in a project led by Prof @hugospiers.bsky.social and PhD student Maria Ahmad @uclpals.bsky.social
A Voyage Into the Art of Finding One’s Way at Sea
www.nytimes.com
November 21, 2025 at 2:32 PM
In August, UCL neuroscientists joined Marshallese sailors on a Pacific voyage to study how these expert navigators use traditional techniques to find their way by sensing the swells of the ocean, in a project led by Prof @hugospiers.bsky.social and PhD student Maria Ahmad @uclpals.bsky.social
Reposted by Janel Le Belle
About that exclusive, "closed-to-press" MAHA summit last week with RFK and JD Vance: I got in.
Here's what I saw. 🧵 🧪
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Here's what I saw. 🧵 🧪
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
November 21, 2025 at 5:01 PM
About that exclusive, "closed-to-press" MAHA summit last week with RFK and JD Vance: I got in.
Here's what I saw. 🧵 🧪
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Here's what I saw. 🧵 🧪
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Reposted by Janel Le Belle
It is a sobering thought to realize that we're watching the leaders of American universities determine whether critical thinking-- and by extension, the #humanities --are still worthwhile investments.
Who invests in critical thinking and who invests in an AI chatbot to help you think will be really telling.
November 23, 2025 at 8:45 PM
It is a sobering thought to realize that we're watching the leaders of American universities determine whether critical thinking-- and by extension, the #humanities --are still worthwhile investments.
Reposted by Janel Le Belle
In 1990, 943 million people in China lived on less than $3 a day measured in 2021 dollars – 83% of the population, according to the World Bank. By 2019, the number was brought down to zero. In the US more than 4 million Americans live on less than $3 a day, 3x as many as 35 years ago.
China has brought millions out of poverty. The US has not – by choice
Despite the US’s economic success, income inequality remains breathtaking. But this is no glitch – it’s the system
www.theguardian.com
November 23, 2025 at 8:19 PM
In 1990, 943 million people in China lived on less than $3 a day measured in 2021 dollars – 83% of the population, according to the World Bank. By 2019, the number was brought down to zero. In the US more than 4 million Americans live on less than $3 a day, 3x as many as 35 years ago.
Reposted by Janel Le Belle
Yet another unique way to stimulate cellular immunity against cancer.
“Using the gut immune system to induce cellular immunity is a unique approach,” Shirakawa notes. “And it should be very easy to extend it to other antigen proteins and also infectious diseases.”
#ScienceSunday
“Using the gut immune system to induce cellular immunity is a unique approach,” Shirakawa notes. “And it should be very easy to extend it to other antigen proteins and also infectious diseases.”
#ScienceSunday
Inducing immunity against cancer via the gut
Could a microbe that can smuggle antigens into the immune system of the gut provide a simple way to treat cancers?
www.nature.com
November 23, 2025 at 12:05 PM
Yet another unique way to stimulate cellular immunity against cancer.
“Using the gut immune system to induce cellular immunity is a unique approach,” Shirakawa notes. “And it should be very easy to extend it to other antigen proteins and also infectious diseases.”
#ScienceSunday
“Using the gut immune system to induce cellular immunity is a unique approach,” Shirakawa notes. “And it should be very easy to extend it to other antigen proteins and also infectious diseases.”
#ScienceSunday
Reposted by Janel Le Belle
Since I learned about this a week ago, I keep thinking about how there are people who spent decades studying the T Rex and are just now learning that what they based their understanding on was not, in fact, a young T Rex,
But an entirely different species.
naturalsciences.org/calendar/new...
But an entirely different species.
naturalsciences.org/calendar/new...
Nanotyrannus Confirmed: Dueling Dinosaurs Fossil Rewrites the Story of T. rex | Programs and Events Calendar
naturalsciences.org
November 22, 2025 at 6:07 PM
Since I learned about this a week ago, I keep thinking about how there are people who spent decades studying the T Rex and are just now learning that what they based their understanding on was not, in fact, a young T Rex,
But an entirely different species.
naturalsciences.org/calendar/new...
But an entirely different species.
naturalsciences.org/calendar/new...
Reposted by Janel Le Belle
𝗖𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗳𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲
𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗱𝘆𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀
"...trade-off between cognitive flexibility and stability inherent to dynamical system models of varying complexity."
by S Musslick and A Bizyaeva
#neuroskyence
doi.org/10.1016/j.co...
𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗱𝘆𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀
"...trade-off between cognitive flexibility and stability inherent to dynamical system models of varying complexity."
by S Musslick and A Bizyaeva
#neuroskyence
doi.org/10.1016/j.co...
November 22, 2025 at 6:43 PM
𝗖𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗳𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲
𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗱𝘆𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀
"...trade-off between cognitive flexibility and stability inherent to dynamical system models of varying complexity."
by S Musslick and A Bizyaeva
#neuroskyence
doi.org/10.1016/j.co...
𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗱𝘆𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀
"...trade-off between cognitive flexibility and stability inherent to dynamical system models of varying complexity."
by S Musslick and A Bizyaeva
#neuroskyence
doi.org/10.1016/j.co...
Reposted by Janel Le Belle
New Jersey may stop paying federal taxes under new governor www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
New Jersey may stop paying federal taxes under new governor
Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill said on a podcast with Jon Stewart it's a "great idea."
www.politico.com
November 22, 2025 at 1:52 PM
New Jersey may stop paying federal taxes under new governor www.politico.com/news/2025/11...