Kristyn Lizbinski
@kristyn-lizbinski.bsky.social
Neuroscientist. Neural circuits - Olfaction - Neuromodulation - Sensory processing. Postdoc in the Jeanne lab at Yale. She/her
https://kristynlizbinski.com
https://kristynlizbinski.com
Pinned
Sensory processing reformats odor coding around valence and dynamics
Extracting relevant features of a complex sensory signal typically involves sequential processing through multiple brain regions. However, identifying the logic and mechanisms of these transformations...
www.biorxiv.org
Excited to share my most recent postdoctoral work in the Jeanne lab @yaleneuro.bsky.social !
“Sensory processing reformats odor coding around valence and dynamics”
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
We ask: how is a sensory code transformed across multiple stages of processing to inform behavior?
“Sensory processing reformats odor coding around valence and dynamics”
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
We ask: how is a sensory code transformed across multiple stages of processing to inform behavior?
Reposted by Kristyn Lizbinski
An inhibitory feedback circuit mediating sleep need and sensory gating in Drosophila https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.17.688806v1
November 18, 2025 at 1:15 AM
An inhibitory feedback circuit mediating sleep need and sensory gating in Drosophila https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.17.688806v1
Reposted by Kristyn Lizbinski
🚀 New paper alert!
Thrilled to share our latest study led by postdoc
@gera_jayati
published in eLife.
👉 doi.org/10.7554/eLif...
Continue reading for a summary. 🧵
Thrilled to share our latest study led by postdoc
@gera_jayati
published in eLife.
👉 doi.org/10.7554/eLif...
Continue reading for a summary. 🧵
Anti-diuretic hormone ITP signals via a guanylate cyclase receptor to modulate systemic homeostasis in Drosophila
A multi-pronged approach reveals that ion transport peptide neuropeptide acts through the guanylate cyclase receptor Gyc76C to coordinate osmotic and metabolic homeostasis across multiple tissues in D...
doi.org
November 13, 2025 at 5:59 PM
🚀 New paper alert!
Thrilled to share our latest study led by postdoc
@gera_jayati
published in eLife.
👉 doi.org/10.7554/eLif...
Continue reading for a summary. 🧵
Thrilled to share our latest study led by postdoc
@gera_jayati
published in eLife.
👉 doi.org/10.7554/eLif...
Continue reading for a summary. 🧵
Reposted by Kristyn Lizbinski
Olfactory biopsy analysis of Alzheimer's pathobiology across disease stages https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.11.687356v1
November 13, 2025 at 12:15 AM
Olfactory biopsy analysis of Alzheimer's pathobiology across disease stages https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.11.687356v1
Excited to share my most recent postdoctoral work in the Jeanne lab @yaleneuro.bsky.social !
“Sensory processing reformats odor coding around valence and dynamics”
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
We ask: how is a sensory code transformed across multiple stages of processing to inform behavior?
“Sensory processing reformats odor coding around valence and dynamics”
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
We ask: how is a sensory code transformed across multiple stages of processing to inform behavior?
Sensory processing reformats odor coding around valence and dynamics
Extracting relevant features of a complex sensory signal typically involves sequential processing through multiple brain regions. However, identifying the logic and mechanisms of these transformations...
www.biorxiv.org
November 9, 2025 at 12:58 PM
Excited to share my most recent postdoctoral work in the Jeanne lab @yaleneuro.bsky.social !
“Sensory processing reformats odor coding around valence and dynamics”
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
We ask: how is a sensory code transformed across multiple stages of processing to inform behavior?
“Sensory processing reformats odor coding around valence and dynamics”
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
We ask: how is a sensory code transformed across multiple stages of processing to inform behavior?
Reposted by Kristyn Lizbinski
1/ Hello Drosophila-philists and braino-maniacs! 👋🪰🧠🧪
The Caron lab has a new preprint, and it is about 🥁🥁🥁 democracy!
Neuro-democracy, to be precise. So: drop EVERYTHING and listen up — a 🧶!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
The Caron lab has a new preprint, and it is about 🥁🥁🥁 democracy!
Neuro-democracy, to be precise. So: drop EVERYTHING and listen up — a 🧶!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
October 30, 2025 at 5:47 PM
1/ Hello Drosophila-philists and braino-maniacs! 👋🪰🧠🧪
The Caron lab has a new preprint, and it is about 🥁🥁🥁 democracy!
Neuro-democracy, to be precise. So: drop EVERYTHING and listen up — a 🧶!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
The Caron lab has a new preprint, and it is about 🥁🥁🥁 democracy!
Neuro-democracy, to be precise. So: drop EVERYTHING and listen up — a 🧶!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Kristyn Lizbinski
Do flies feel pain?
Spooky new preprint from our lab on the cells and circuits that mediate nociceptive behaviors in adult Drosophila, led by graduate student (and newly minted PhD!) @jonesjes.bsky.social.
🪰⚡👻🎃
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Spooky new preprint from our lab on the cells and circuits that mediate nociceptive behaviors in adult Drosophila, led by graduate student (and newly minted PhD!) @jonesjes.bsky.social.
🪰⚡👻🎃
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
October 29, 2025 at 6:56 PM
Do flies feel pain?
Spooky new preprint from our lab on the cells and circuits that mediate nociceptive behaviors in adult Drosophila, led by graduate student (and newly minted PhD!) @jonesjes.bsky.social.
🪰⚡👻🎃
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Spooky new preprint from our lab on the cells and circuits that mediate nociceptive behaviors in adult Drosophila, led by graduate student (and newly minted PhD!) @jonesjes.bsky.social.
🪰⚡👻🎃
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Kristyn Lizbinski
Astrocytes have long been conceived as passive support player cells in the brain. But today @science.org (via 3 reports) they got a big upgrade for their active role in neuromodulation and control of brain function
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
May 15, 2025 at 6:49 PM
Astrocytes have long been conceived as passive support player cells in the brain. But today @science.org (via 3 reports) they got a big upgrade for their active role in neuromodulation and control of brain function
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Kristyn Lizbinski
Control of Synaptic Communication through Molecularly Engineered Bioluminescence Light Emission and Sensing https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.27.684942v1
October 28, 2025 at 10:15 AM
Control of Synaptic Communication through Molecularly Engineered Bioluminescence Light Emission and Sensing https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.27.684942v1
Reposted by Kristyn Lizbinski
@senapati.bsky.social latest and greatest! Charly Treiber on board too. Over and out.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Visceral signaling of post-ingestive malaise directs memory updating in Drosophila
Consolidation is a time when labile memories transition to a stable form. Malaise learning in Drosophila reveals consolidation to also permit memory updating. Flies taught to associate one of two odor...
www.biorxiv.org
October 23, 2025 at 8:32 PM
@senapati.bsky.social latest and greatest! Charly Treiber on board too. Over and out.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Kristyn Lizbinski
Excited to announce our new pre-print (www.biorxiv.org/cgi/content/...)!
This collaborative work (co-led by Adriane Otopalik and Gerry Rubin) examines how neuronal circuits regulate social behaviors, like courtship🫶 and aggression🥊, across sexes. #neuroscience #Drosophila #WomenInSTEM 🧪1/
This collaborative work (co-led by Adriane Otopalik and Gerry Rubin) examines how neuronal circuits regulate social behaviors, like courtship🫶 and aggression🥊, across sexes. #neuroscience #Drosophila #WomenInSTEM 🧪1/
October 23, 2025 at 12:44 PM
Excited to announce our new pre-print (www.biorxiv.org/cgi/content/...)!
This collaborative work (co-led by Adriane Otopalik and Gerry Rubin) examines how neuronal circuits regulate social behaviors, like courtship🫶 and aggression🥊, across sexes. #neuroscience #Drosophila #WomenInSTEM 🧪1/
This collaborative work (co-led by Adriane Otopalik and Gerry Rubin) examines how neuronal circuits regulate social behaviors, like courtship🫶 and aggression🥊, across sexes. #neuroscience #Drosophila #WomenInSTEM 🧪1/
Reposted by Kristyn Lizbinski
Out today in Nature: We uncover a neural mechanism for the integration of two internal states - hunger and estrous state - and how this integration shapes pup-directed behaviors in mice.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Integration of hunger and hormonal state gates infant-directed aggression - Nature
Combined behavioural, circuit-level and cellular approaches are used to demonstrate how hypothalamic neurons integrate hunger and oestrous state to drive a switch in how female mice interact with pups...
www.nature.com
October 22, 2025 at 3:30 PM
Out today in Nature: We uncover a neural mechanism for the integration of two internal states - hunger and estrous state - and how this integration shapes pup-directed behaviors in mice.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Kristyn Lizbinski
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 16, 2025 at 6:34 AM
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
Reposted by Kristyn Lizbinski
Join us next Thursday (10/23) for #SYNAPSES, a senior postdoc symposium @yaleneuro.bsky.social @kavliatyale.bsky.social
Talks will be given by:
- @annrosebright.bsky.social, PhD👩🔬
- Peter Hasenhuetl, PhD 🔬
- Minhyeok Chang, PhD 🧑🔬
- @zhenggang.bsky.social, PhD 🥼
Register Today! Yale only.
Talks will be given by:
- @annrosebright.bsky.social, PhD👩🔬
- Peter Hasenhuetl, PhD 🔬
- Minhyeok Chang, PhD 🧑🔬
- @zhenggang.bsky.social, PhD 🥼
Register Today! Yale only.
October 16, 2025 at 5:16 PM
Join us next Thursday (10/23) for #SYNAPSES, a senior postdoc symposium @yaleneuro.bsky.social @kavliatyale.bsky.social
Talks will be given by:
- @annrosebright.bsky.social, PhD👩🔬
- Peter Hasenhuetl, PhD 🔬
- Minhyeok Chang, PhD 🧑🔬
- @zhenggang.bsky.social, PhD 🥼
Register Today! Yale only.
Talks will be given by:
- @annrosebright.bsky.social, PhD👩🔬
- Peter Hasenhuetl, PhD 🔬
- Minhyeok Chang, PhD 🧑🔬
- @zhenggang.bsky.social, PhD 🥼
Register Today! Yale only.
Reposted by Kristyn Lizbinski
Excited to share our new #biorxivpreprint:
“Sexual dimorphism in the complete connectome of the Drosophila male central nervous system” www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
We describe the #connectomics reconstruction and analysis of an entire adult #maleCNS #drosophila central nervous system. 1/10
“Sexual dimorphism in the complete connectome of the Drosophila male central nervous system” www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
We describe the #connectomics reconstruction and analysis of an entire adult #maleCNS #drosophila central nervous system. 1/10
October 15, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Excited to share our new #biorxivpreprint:
“Sexual dimorphism in the complete connectome of the Drosophila male central nervous system” www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
We describe the #connectomics reconstruction and analysis of an entire adult #maleCNS #drosophila central nervous system. 1/10
“Sexual dimorphism in the complete connectome of the Drosophila male central nervous system” www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
We describe the #connectomics reconstruction and analysis of an entire adult #maleCNS #drosophila central nervous system. 1/10
Reposted by Kristyn Lizbinski
Ever wonder how fruit flies can be used to help uncover novel therapies for #AlcoholUseDisorder? My new paper with @karlakaun.bsky.social describes a behavioral assay pipeline using #Drosophila that can be used to screen new treatments and to investigate the mechanism of currently available drugs.
Investigating pharmacotherapies for alcohol use disorder using Drosophila melanogaster
This study validates Drosophila melanogaster as a powerful model for alcohol use disorder (AUD) drug discovery. A pipeline to test drug effects on acute alcohol response, alcohol consumption, and mem...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
October 15, 2025 at 4:43 PM
Ever wonder how fruit flies can be used to help uncover novel therapies for #AlcoholUseDisorder? My new paper with @karlakaun.bsky.social describes a behavioral assay pipeline using #Drosophila that can be used to screen new treatments and to investigate the mechanism of currently available drugs.
Reposted by Kristyn Lizbinski
We were just having this conversation @meera-sundaram.bsky.social! Using C.elegans as a model in your lab as a PhD student, I learned to think about biological systems as integrated networks. This has shaped my approach to studying the nervous system, attempting to link the body and brain.
Reaffirming the value of model organisms in training scientific minds @ishmailsaboor.bsky.social exactly what we were talking about re your #Celegans background setting you up for creative work in other systems! www.nature.com/articles/s41...
October 13, 2025 at 10:05 PM
We were just having this conversation @meera-sundaram.bsky.social! Using C.elegans as a model in your lab as a PhD student, I learned to think about biological systems as integrated networks. This has shaped my approach to studying the nervous system, attempting to link the body and brain.
Reposted by Kristyn Lizbinski
This one hits close to home. Jim is my office neighbor. Absolutely devastating.
A Cornell University researcher has been developing an artificial heart for children for more than 20 years. Now, his research is on hold and his lab is shut down.
This 4-year-old's heart is failing. A federal grant that might help him was canceled
A Cornell University researcher has been developing an artificial heart for children for more than 20 years. Now, his research is on hold and his lab is shut down.
n.pr
October 12, 2025 at 10:19 PM
This one hits close to home. Jim is my office neighbor. Absolutely devastating.
Reposted by Kristyn Lizbinski
Exciting news for #drosophila #connectomics and #neuroscience enthusiasts: the Drosophila male central nervous system connectome is now live for exploration. Find out more at the landing page hosted by our Janelia FlyEM collaborators www.janelia.org/project-team....
Male CNS Connectome
A team of researchers has unveiled the complete connectome of a male fruit fly central nervous system —a seamless map of all the neurons in the brain and nerve cord of a single male fruit fly and the ...
www.janelia.org
October 5, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Exciting news for #drosophila #connectomics and #neuroscience enthusiasts: the Drosophila male central nervous system connectome is now live for exploration. Find out more at the landing page hosted by our Janelia FlyEM collaborators www.janelia.org/project-team....
Reposted by Kristyn Lizbinski
Distributed neural computation and the evolution of the first brains https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.03.680388v1
October 4, 2025 at 8:15 AM
Distributed neural computation and the evolution of the first brains https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.03.680388v1
Reposted by Kristyn Lizbinski
Using a new genetically-encoded voltage indicator in an all-optical approach to measure synaptic plasticity in awake behaving mice. Great work by @jacquescarolan.bsky.social and colleagues. Check out www.nature.com/articles/s41...
All-optical voltage interrogation for probing synaptic plasticity in vivo - Nature Communications
Reliable measuring the voltage dynamics of individual neurons in the intact brain is significantly challenging. Here authors developed an all-optical method combining two-photon voltage imaging and optogenetics to measure and induce synaptic plasticity in vivo, revealing LTP of inhibition in cerebellar circuits and providing a blueprint to link synaptic changes to learning.
www.nature.com
October 4, 2025 at 2:15 AM
Using a new genetically-encoded voltage indicator in an all-optical approach to measure synaptic plasticity in awake behaving mice. Great work by @jacquescarolan.bsky.social and colleagues. Check out www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Kristyn Lizbinski
Although highly topical, kleptoparasitism does not get nearly the attention it deserves!
Here, a plant exploits the kleptoparasitic behavior of a fly that likes to snatch ants killed by spiders.
🕷️🐜🪰🌿
So the thief itself gets taken advantage of. Nice going, plants!
www.cell.com/current-biol...
Here, a plant exploits the kleptoparasitic behavior of a fly that likes to snatch ants killed by spiders.
🕷️🐜🪰🌿
So the thief itself gets taken advantage of. Nice going, plants!
www.cell.com/current-biol...
Olfactory floral mimicry of injured ants mediates the attraction of kleptoparasitic fly pollinators
Mochizuki reports a plant that lures pollinating flies by imitating the scent of ants
injured by predators. This study reveals the first known case of ant mimicry in flowers
and uncovers previously un...
www.cell.com
September 26, 2025 at 4:59 PM
Although highly topical, kleptoparasitism does not get nearly the attention it deserves!
Here, a plant exploits the kleptoparasitic behavior of a fly that likes to snatch ants killed by spiders.
🕷️🐜🪰🌿
So the thief itself gets taken advantage of. Nice going, plants!
www.cell.com/current-biol...
Here, a plant exploits the kleptoparasitic behavior of a fly that likes to snatch ants killed by spiders.
🕷️🐜🪰🌿
So the thief itself gets taken advantage of. Nice going, plants!
www.cell.com/current-biol...
Reposted by Kristyn Lizbinski
✨ @cardsagainsthumanity.com just launched its 2026 Ambassador Scholarship: five $20K tuition scholarships to UG women & non-binary students in STEM!
Applications close Monday, December 15: scienceambassadorscholarship.org
Applications close Monday, December 15: scienceambassadorscholarship.org
The Science Ambassador Scholarship
An annual scholarship for women and non-binary students in STEM, funded by Cards Against Humanity.
scienceambassadorscholarship.org
September 19, 2025 at 2:03 PM
✨ @cardsagainsthumanity.com just launched its 2026 Ambassador Scholarship: five $20K tuition scholarships to UG women & non-binary students in STEM!
Applications close Monday, December 15: scienceambassadorscholarship.org
Applications close Monday, December 15: scienceambassadorscholarship.org
Reposted by Kristyn Lizbinski
Our first big preprint, led by the great Dr. Qi Xue
@Qi_Xue_94
. We discovered three mechanisms for olfactory adaptation in the fruit pest Drosophila suzukii, two of which are novel .Well Done Qi; you will be a great professor. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
@Qi_Xue_94
. We discovered three mechanisms for olfactory adaptation in the fruit pest Drosophila suzukii, two of which are novel .Well Done Qi; you will be a great professor. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Genomic plasticity drives olfactory adaptation in a pest fly
Preference shifts in insects are often driven by changes in the olfactory system, yet the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. The worldwide pest Drosophila suzukii, which oviposits in ripe rather th...
www.biorxiv.org
September 19, 2025 at 11:18 PM
Our first big preprint, led by the great Dr. Qi Xue
@Qi_Xue_94
. We discovered three mechanisms for olfactory adaptation in the fruit pest Drosophila suzukii, two of which are novel .Well Done Qi; you will be a great professor. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
@Qi_Xue_94
. We discovered three mechanisms for olfactory adaptation in the fruit pest Drosophila suzukii, two of which are novel .Well Done Qi; you will be a great professor. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Kristyn Lizbinski
Excited to share our latest work - expressing the bacterial sodium channel in fly Kenyon cells surprisingly *decreases* their excitability, thanks partly to decreased endogenous sodium channels. This prevents learning and decreases odor-evoked calcium influx doi.org/10.1113/JP28...
Ectopic sodium channel expression decreases excitability of Drosophila Kenyon cells
Abstract figure legend: We tested the effects of expressing the bacterial voltage-gated sodium channel NaChBac in the Kenyon cells of the Drosophila memory centre, the mushroom body. NaChBac expressi...
doi.org
September 1, 2025 at 4:50 PM
Excited to share our latest work - expressing the bacterial sodium channel in fly Kenyon cells surprisingly *decreases* their excitability, thanks partly to decreased endogenous sodium channels. This prevents learning and decreases odor-evoked calcium influx doi.org/10.1113/JP28...
Reposted by Kristyn Lizbinski
From Sensory Detection to Motor Action: The Comprehensive Drosophila Taste-Feeding Connectome https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.08.25.671814v1
August 25, 2025 at 9:15 PM
From Sensory Detection to Motor Action: The Comprehensive Drosophila Taste-Feeding Connectome https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.08.25.671814v1