Kendall Lough
@kendall-lough.bsky.social
Developmental Neurobiologist looking for opportunities to start a lab!
Scott Williams Lab | Center for Gastrointestinal Biology and Disease
UNC Chapel Hill | Durhamite
#devbio #gut-brain
Scott Williams Lab | Center for Gastrointestinal Biology and Disease
UNC Chapel Hill | Durhamite
#devbio #gut-brain
Pinned
We next show that this circuit fails to form properly without EEC-derived BDNF. We employ a novel gut-ganglion explant system to show that BDNF is required to form stable interactions between EECs and nodose neurons.
Reposted by Kendall Lough
As national medical, scientific, public health and patient organizations, we call for the resignation of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to ensure the health of the American people. Read our statement: asm.org/press-releas...
Joint Statement Calling for Secretary Kennedy Resignation
The American Society for Microbiology released a joint statement calling for the resignation of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
asm.org
September 3, 2025 at 11:10 PM
As national medical, scientific, public health and patient organizations, we call for the resignation of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to ensure the health of the American people. Read our statement: asm.org/press-releas...
Reposted by Kendall Lough
I am very grateful that my department has decided to support me in my transition into an independent investigator position (wherever that might be) by naming me a Destination Biochemistry Advanced Postdoctoral Scholar!
medschool.vanderbilt.edu/basic-scienc...
medschool.vanderbilt.edu/basic-scienc...
Carvajal-García named Destination Biochemistry Advanced Postdoctoral Scholar
Juan Carvajal-García has been named a 2025 Destination Biochemistry Advanced Postdoctoral Scholar, a distinction granted by the Department of Biochemistry at the School of Medicine Basic Sciences. The...
medschool.vanderbilt.edu
August 26, 2025 at 3:27 PM
I am very grateful that my department has decided to support me in my transition into an independent investigator position (wherever that might be) by naming me a Destination Biochemistry Advanced Postdoctoral Scholar!
medschool.vanderbilt.edu/basic-scienc...
medschool.vanderbilt.edu/basic-scienc...
Reposted by Kendall Lough
The only place in DC where crime is up is the White House.
August 11, 2025 at 4:05 PM
The only place in DC where crime is up is the White House.
Reposted by Kendall Lough
This RFI includes a request for input on the notion of peer review compensation. In case you were not motivated to reply on the publishing costs, this is another issue of importance to some.
grants.nih.gov/grants/guide...
grants.nih.gov/grants/guide...
NOT-OD-25-138: Request for Information on Maximizing Research Funds by Limiting Allowable Publishing Costs
NIH Funding Opportunities and Notices in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts: Request for Information on Maximizing Research Funds by Limiting Allowable Publishing Costs NOT-OD-25-138. NIH
grants.nih.gov
August 1, 2025 at 7:15 PM
This RFI includes a request for input on the notion of peer review compensation. In case you were not motivated to reply on the publishing costs, this is another issue of importance to some.
grants.nih.gov/grants/guide...
grants.nih.gov/grants/guide...
Reposted by Kendall Lough
Last chance to tell the NIH if you think animal models are important for biomedical research! 👇👇👇👇
The NIH is asking scientists and the public to comment on plans to drastically limit animal model research. If you think animal models remain important tools for basic and clinical research tell them! Click the link below and scroll down to send your comments!
www.fda.gov/news-events/...
www.fda.gov/news-events/...
FDA-NIH Workshop: Reducing Animal Testing
The FDA is hosting a workshop on reducing animal testing. The workshop is open to current FDA and NIH employees.
www.fda.gov
July 14, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Last chance to tell the NIH if you think animal models are important for biomedical research! 👇👇👇👇
Reposted by Kendall Lough
Some good news: @hannahhrncir.bsky.social ‘s primary PhD paper is finally online! This study lays the groundwork for a lot of technical and conceptual things the lab is currently working on, including light sheet microscopy for imaging entire biliary trees in mouse liver: rdcu.be/d90Br 1/4
Sox9 inhibits Activin A to promote biliary maturation and branching morphogenesis
Nature Communications - The bile ducts of the liver form a network of large ducts and small ductules, though how they are patterned remains unclear. Hrncir et al. show that Sox9 is required for the...
rdcu.be
February 16, 2025 at 7:30 PM
Some good news: @hannahhrncir.bsky.social ‘s primary PhD paper is finally online! This study lays the groundwork for a lot of technical and conceptual things the lab is currently working on, including light sheet microscopy for imaging entire biliary trees in mouse liver: rdcu.be/d90Br 1/4
Reposted by Kendall Lough
Check out our work using 3D whole gut spatial genomics, where we found spatially-distinct gene expression patterns along the zebrafish enteric nervous system across 4 to 7 days in development www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
June 27, 2025 at 1:55 PM
Check out our work using 3D whole gut spatial genomics, where we found spatially-distinct gene expression patterns along the zebrafish enteric nervous system across 4 to 7 days in development www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Kendall Lough
This was a fun lesson in having your hypothesis proven wrong (we thought they would have worse outcomes after injury), and having that be even more exciting. We hope what we find may help inform tissue engineering and regenerative strategies, and lead to improved clinical interventions.
June 20, 2025 at 8:06 PM
This was a fun lesson in having your hypothesis proven wrong (we thought they would have worse outcomes after injury), and having that be even more exciting. We hope what we find may help inform tissue engineering and regenerative strategies, and lead to improved clinical interventions.
Reposted by Kendall Lough
For #FluorescenceFriday I'm sharing the fantastic work of postdoc Sarah McLarnon! A follow up to our '23 Development paper where we asked: Does precise vascular patterning matter for function and what happens after ischemic injury? The results were surprising! journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10....
June 20, 2025 at 8:06 PM
For #FluorescenceFriday I'm sharing the fantastic work of postdoc Sarah McLarnon! A follow up to our '23 Development paper where we asked: Does precise vascular patterning matter for function and what happens after ischemic injury? The results were surprising! journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10....
Reposted by Kendall Lough
I frequently take comfort in the fact that the Universe is vast and beautiful and entirely unaffected by petty human foolishness
June 23, 2025 at 5:46 PM
I frequently take comfort in the fact that the Universe is vast and beautiful and entirely unaffected by petty human foolishness
Reposted by Kendall Lough
Extremely honored to receive this prize from @socdevbio.bsky.social, which recognizes not only my love for developmental biology, but the extremely online I am 🧪 (protect science, protect people, viva la dev bio!)
June 22, 2025 at 8:01 PM
Extremely honored to receive this prize from @socdevbio.bsky.social, which recognizes not only my love for developmental biology, but the extremely online I am 🧪 (protect science, protect people, viva la dev bio!)
Reposted by Kendall Lough
It’s a quill? A sea pen? No—it’s a gill filament! 🪶🪸🐟
Under the microscope, this fish gill structure looks just like a sea pen.
Fascinating how nature keeps circling back to the same shapes.
Want to learn how gills develop?
👉 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
#FluorescenceFriday #Zebrafish
Under the microscope, this fish gill structure looks just like a sea pen.
Fascinating how nature keeps circling back to the same shapes.
Want to learn how gills develop?
👉 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
#FluorescenceFriday #Zebrafish
June 20, 2025 at 1:30 PM
It’s a quill? A sea pen? No—it’s a gill filament! 🪶🪸🐟
Under the microscope, this fish gill structure looks just like a sea pen.
Fascinating how nature keeps circling back to the same shapes.
Want to learn how gills develop?
👉 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
#FluorescenceFriday #Zebrafish
Under the microscope, this fish gill structure looks just like a sea pen.
Fascinating how nature keeps circling back to the same shapes.
Want to learn how gills develop?
👉 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
#FluorescenceFriday #Zebrafish
Some absolutely gorgeous morphogenic work describing how distinct migratory behavior allows cells to ensheath and sculpt a mature organ. Beautiful videos and a highly tractable genetic system. Can't wait to see what Maik does in his future lab!
#DevBio #CellBio #Microscopy
#DevBio #CellBio #Microscopy
FINALLY out in #Science Advances! 🎉
3 years of hard work, a fantastic team — and I’m proud to be first and co-corresponding author!
It's about Plexin signaling driving collective cell migration & organ sculpting. Check out the videos 😀
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
#DevBio #CellBio #Microscopy
3 years of hard work, a fantastic team — and I’m proud to be first and co-corresponding author!
It's about Plexin signaling driving collective cell migration & organ sculpting. Check out the videos 😀
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
#DevBio #CellBio #Microscopy
June 20, 2025 at 2:24 PM
Some absolutely gorgeous morphogenic work describing how distinct migratory behavior allows cells to ensheath and sculpt a mature organ. Beautiful videos and a highly tractable genetic system. Can't wait to see what Maik does in his future lab!
#DevBio #CellBio #Microscopy
#DevBio #CellBio #Microscopy
Reposted by Kendall Lough
We specialize in creating custom viral vectors for neuroscience applications. We would love to hear what is or is not working for you. We are here to facilitate your research! www.unc-neurotools.org Stay tuned for unique insights for optimizing viral vectors in your experiments.
Neurotools
NeuroTools provides custom viral vectors tailored for neuroscience experiments. We offer small prep sizes of AAV, Lentivirus, HSV, and Rabies at competitive rates for the neuroscience community.
www.unc-neurotools.org
April 21, 2025 at 4:24 PM
We specialize in creating custom viral vectors for neuroscience applications. We would love to hear what is or is not working for you. We are here to facilitate your research! www.unc-neurotools.org Stay tuned for unique insights for optimizing viral vectors in your experiments.
Reposted by Kendall Lough
Thrilled to share that the first trainee-driven paper of my lab is out! Check out 1st author Jennifer’s poster at #DDW2025 or mine at #APS2025 to see where we go from here!
Enteroendocrine cells regulate intestinal barrier permeability | American Journal of Physiology-Cell Physiology | American Physiological Society
The intestinal epithelial barrier is essential for nutrient absorption and protection against ingested pathogens and foreign substances. Barrier integrity is maintained by tight junctions, which are s...
journals.physiology.org
April 18, 2025 at 12:26 AM
Reposted by Kendall Lough
Really proud to start the year by sharing our new review in @endosocjournals.bsky.social on the roles of GLP-1 in eating and obesity treatment, led by superstar postdoc @laurenjonesucl.bsky.social!
academic.oup.com/endo/article...
🧪🧠📈 #neuroscience #neuroskyence #GLP-1 #obesity #wegovy #ozempic
academic.oup.com/endo/article...
🧪🧠📈 #neuroscience #neuroskyence #GLP-1 #obesity #wegovy #ozempic
GLP-1 and the Neurobiology of Eating Control: Recent Advances
Abstract. Obesity is now considered a chronic relapsing progressive disease, associated with increased all-cause mortality that scales with body weight, af
academic.oup.com
January 21, 2025 at 11:59 AM
Really proud to start the year by sharing our new review in @endosocjournals.bsky.social on the roles of GLP-1 in eating and obesity treatment, led by superstar postdoc @laurenjonesucl.bsky.social!
academic.oup.com/endo/article...
🧪🧠📈 #neuroscience #neuroskyence #GLP-1 #obesity #wegovy #ozempic
academic.oup.com/endo/article...
🧪🧠📈 #neuroscience #neuroskyence #GLP-1 #obesity #wegovy #ozempic
Reposted by Kendall Lough
Check out the latest Carolina research from @maikbischoff.bsky.social on how cells coordinate together to help shape our organs. 🐏🔬
Also thrilled that Gabrielle Neyman ( #UNC News), with help from #AAAS, wrote an awesome press release about our new paper that’s accessible to non-scientists!
Huge thanks to Gabrielle and AAAS for helping share our work with the world! 🙏
#SciComm #Science
www.eurekalert.org/news-release...
Huge thanks to Gabrielle and AAAS for helping share our work with the world! 🙏
#SciComm #Science
www.eurekalert.org/news-release...
Organ sculpting cells may hold clues to how cancer spreads
A new study from scientists at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill reveals that the cells shaping our organs may be far more mobile and coordinated than once believed.
www.eurekalert.org
June 19, 2025 at 3:33 PM
Check out the latest Carolina research from @maikbischoff.bsky.social on how cells coordinate together to help shape our organs. 🐏🔬
Reposted by Kendall Lough
In🐭Skin wound healing, #LangerhansCell colocalizes with sprouting tip cells
Ablating CD207+ Langerhans cells impairs both #EndothelialCell- & Fibroblast-mediated repair
Angiogenic secretome of Langerhans cell🤓
@valeriejhorsley.bsky.social @cp-devcell.bsky.social 2022
www.cell.com/developmenta...
Ablating CD207+ Langerhans cells impairs both #EndothelialCell- & Fibroblast-mediated repair
Angiogenic secretome of Langerhans cell🤓
@valeriejhorsley.bsky.social @cp-devcell.bsky.social 2022
www.cell.com/developmenta...
June 18, 2025 at 11:50 AM
In🐭Skin wound healing, #LangerhansCell colocalizes with sprouting tip cells
Ablating CD207+ Langerhans cells impairs both #EndothelialCell- & Fibroblast-mediated repair
Angiogenic secretome of Langerhans cell🤓
@valeriejhorsley.bsky.social @cp-devcell.bsky.social 2022
www.cell.com/developmenta...
Ablating CD207+ Langerhans cells impairs both #EndothelialCell- & Fibroblast-mediated repair
Angiogenic secretome of Langerhans cell🤓
@valeriejhorsley.bsky.social @cp-devcell.bsky.social 2022
www.cell.com/developmenta...
Reposted by Kendall Lough
I’m super proud that Science Advances chose one of my images to feature on their website! 🎉🖼️
www.science.org/journal/sciadv
Huge shout-out to @aaas.org for the support.
#Microscopy #CellBio #DevBio #Morphogenesis #SciArt #SciComm
paper: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/journal/sciadv
Huge shout-out to @aaas.org for the support.
#Microscopy #CellBio #DevBio #Morphogenesis #SciArt #SciComm
paper: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
June 18, 2025 at 8:41 PM
I’m super proud that Science Advances chose one of my images to feature on their website! 🎉🖼️
www.science.org/journal/sciadv
Huge shout-out to @aaas.org for the support.
#Microscopy #CellBio #DevBio #Morphogenesis #SciArt #SciComm
paper: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/journal/sciadv
Huge shout-out to @aaas.org for the support.
#Microscopy #CellBio #DevBio #Morphogenesis #SciArt #SciComm
paper: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Kendall Lough
FINALLY out in #Science Advances! 🎉
3 years of hard work, a fantastic team — and I’m proud to be first and co-corresponding author!
It's about Plexin signaling driving collective cell migration & organ sculpting. Check out the videos 😀
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
#DevBio #CellBio #Microscopy
3 years of hard work, a fantastic team — and I’m proud to be first and co-corresponding author!
It's about Plexin signaling driving collective cell migration & organ sculpting. Check out the videos 😀
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
#DevBio #CellBio #Microscopy
June 18, 2025 at 7:06 PM
FINALLY out in #Science Advances! 🎉
3 years of hard work, a fantastic team — and I’m proud to be first and co-corresponding author!
It's about Plexin signaling driving collective cell migration & organ sculpting. Check out the videos 😀
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
#DevBio #CellBio #Microscopy
3 years of hard work, a fantastic team — and I’m proud to be first and co-corresponding author!
It's about Plexin signaling driving collective cell migration & organ sculpting. Check out the videos 😀
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
#DevBio #CellBio #Microscopy
Reposted by Kendall Lough
My full story about the court's ruling today, which @scott-delaney.bsky.social called an “extraordinary repudiation” of the Trump administration.
The judge ruled the “whole enterprise was rotten to its core” by declaring the “ideas that animated the policies” illegal, he told me.
The judge ruled the “whole enterprise was rotten to its core” by declaring the “ideas that animated the policies” illegal, he told me.
Judge rules against NIH grant cuts — and calls them discriminatory
The decision means that the US biomedical agency has to restore funding to hundreds of research projects, but the government will likely appeal.
www.nature.com
June 16, 2025 at 11:16 PM
My full story about the court's ruling today, which @scott-delaney.bsky.social called an “extraordinary repudiation” of the Trump administration.
The judge ruled the “whole enterprise was rotten to its core” by declaring the “ideas that animated the policies” illegal, he told me.
The judge ruled the “whole enterprise was rotten to its core” by declaring the “ideas that animated the policies” illegal, he told me.
Reposted by Kendall Lough
Today, my NIH colleagues and I did something scary but really important. We spoke up about egregious harms we are seeing happen to research participants and public health through thoughtless and politicized policies at NIH. 🧵1/3
apnews.com/article/nih-...
apnews.com/article/nih-...
June 10, 2025 at 4:10 AM
Today, my NIH colleagues and I did something scary but really important. We spoke up about egregious harms we are seeing happen to research participants and public health through thoughtless and politicized policies at NIH. 🧵1/3
apnews.com/article/nih-...
apnews.com/article/nih-...
Reposted by Kendall Lough
Please sign on and add your voice in calling for an NIH that prioritizes the safety of research participants and public health over political momentum.
actionnetwork.org/forms/add-na...
actionnetwork.org/forms/add-na...
ADD YOUR NAME: Sign the Open Letter in Support of NIH Staff
Join the courageous and committed National Institutes of Health (NIH) public servants by adding your name now.
actionnetwork.org
June 10, 2025 at 4:10 AM
Please sign on and add your voice in calling for an NIH that prioritizes the safety of research participants and public health over political momentum.
actionnetwork.org/forms/add-na...
actionnetwork.org/forms/add-na...
Reposted by Kendall Lough
"We are speaking on behalf of hundreds of NIH staff who are standing up together to say: WE DISSENT.
I am so scared about doing this but I am trying to be brave for my kids because it's only gonna get harder to speak up."
Thank you to Dr. Jenna Norton and NIH scientists for your courage!
I am so scared about doing this but I am trying to be brave for my kids because it's only gonna get harder to speak up."
Thank you to Dr. Jenna Norton and NIH scientists for your courage!
June 9, 2025 at 5:25 PM
"We are speaking on behalf of hundreds of NIH staff who are standing up together to say: WE DISSENT.
I am so scared about doing this but I am trying to be brave for my kids because it's only gonna get harder to speak up."
Thank you to Dr. Jenna Norton and NIH scientists for your courage!
I am so scared about doing this but I am trying to be brave for my kids because it's only gonna get harder to speak up."
Thank you to Dr. Jenna Norton and NIH scientists for your courage!