Matthijs Dorst
@mattneuro.bsky.social
Neuroscientist in Oslo. Former Editor. Mucking about with Voltage Imaging and patching. Aiming for a mix of fun, science, and funny science. Trying to be kind. He/him. https://dorst-lab.org/
Finally figured out why this lick-port circuit was not working: some absolute idiot mixed up the orientation of a relay on the schematic!
(it was me, I made the schematic)
(it was me, I made the schematic)
November 10, 2025 at 1:48 PM
Finally figured out why this lick-port circuit was not working: some absolute idiot mixed up the orientation of a relay on the schematic!
(it was me, I made the schematic)
(it was me, I made the schematic)
Reposted by Matthijs Dorst
AAVs are crucial vectors for delivering biosensors into neurons! Using AAV delivery, we perform two-color imaging of calcium and potassium transients in neurons. These AAVs are now available from @braincase.bsky.social www.ebraincase.com/news/new-pro...
November 6, 2025 at 10:15 AM
AAVs are crucial vectors for delivering biosensors into neurons! Using AAV delivery, we perform two-color imaging of calcium and potassium transients in neurons. These AAVs are now available from @braincase.bsky.social www.ebraincase.com/news/new-pro...
For anyone wondering: if you need to send a bunch of analog signals around a setup, you can totally misuse ethernet for an easy plug-and-play connection.
I've somehow managed to already use all 8 wires for this one, so please, nobody give me any more experiment ideas.
I've somehow managed to already use all 8 wires for this one, so please, nobody give me any more experiment ideas.
November 5, 2025 at 2:36 PM
For anyone wondering: if you need to send a bunch of analog signals around a setup, you can totally misuse ethernet for an easy plug-and-play connection.
I've somehow managed to already use all 8 wires for this one, so please, nobody give me any more experiment ideas.
I've somehow managed to already use all 8 wires for this one, so please, nobody give me any more experiment ideas.
Considering how much I have been using other people's 3D printers over the years, this was probably inevitable
November 5, 2025 at 12:04 PM
Considering how much I have been using other people's 3D printers over the years, this was probably inevitable
Also, do you *really* need 50+ pages of details for that initial selection? Is it *really* going to come down to which of the candidates wrote a better lab-leadership philosophy statement, just for that first round?
Anyone outside academia would consider our hiring process to be completely bonkers.
Anyone outside academia would consider our hiring process to be completely bonkers.
The academic job market is doing something very good:
A lot of searches are *NO* longer asking for reference letters until applicants make the short list.
This makes is easier to apply for jobs, reduces the letter writing load for faculty, and makes the review process easier for committee members.
A lot of searches are *NO* longer asking for reference letters until applicants make the short list.
This makes is easier to apply for jobs, reduces the letter writing load for faculty, and makes the review process easier for committee members.
Dear academics
We could dramatically reduce our administrative workload if we all just agreed not to ask for reference letters until we made our list of finalists.
This is massive collective action problem has already been solved by…
*checks notes*
…every other industry on earth.
We could dramatically reduce our administrative workload if we all just agreed not to ask for reference letters until we made our list of finalists.
This is massive collective action problem has already been solved by…
*checks notes*
…every other industry on earth.
November 5, 2025 at 12:47 AM
Also, do you *really* need 50+ pages of details for that initial selection? Is it *really* going to come down to which of the candidates wrote a better lab-leadership philosophy statement, just for that first round?
Anyone outside academia would consider our hiring process to be completely bonkers.
Anyone outside academia would consider our hiring process to be completely bonkers.
Reposted by Matthijs Dorst
Open Sesame!
The ELT doors have moved for the first time. This was no small feat, as each door will weigh 650 tonnes once completed.
The ELT dome & its doors will guard the telescope from the harsh conditions of the Atacama Desert.
https://www.eso.org/public/videos/potw2544a/
🔭 🧪
📹 ESO/ACe
The ELT doors have moved for the first time. This was no small feat, as each door will weigh 650 tonnes once completed.
The ELT dome & its doors will guard the telescope from the harsh conditions of the Atacama Desert.
https://www.eso.org/public/videos/potw2544a/
🔭 🧪
📹 ESO/ACe
November 3, 2025 at 8:02 AM
Open Sesame!
The ELT doors have moved for the first time. This was no small feat, as each door will weigh 650 tonnes once completed.
The ELT dome & its doors will guard the telescope from the harsh conditions of the Atacama Desert.
https://www.eso.org/public/videos/potw2544a/
🔭 🧪
📹 ESO/ACe
The ELT doors have moved for the first time. This was no small feat, as each door will weigh 650 tonnes once completed.
The ELT dome & its doors will guard the telescope from the harsh conditions of the Atacama Desert.
https://www.eso.org/public/videos/potw2544a/
🔭 🧪
📹 ESO/ACe
Today is a good day to visit the National History museum in Oslo! Especially since university employees get free access 😎
November 2, 2025 at 2:28 PM
Today is a good day to visit the National History museum in Oslo! Especially since university employees get free access 😎
Strong opening by @mohebial.bsky.social for today's @swebags.bsky.social seminar!
October 30, 2025 at 3:09 PM
Strong opening by @mohebial.bsky.social for today's @swebags.bsky.social seminar!
Reposted by Matthijs Dorst
New story up on the non-existent banned words from NIH grants (based on my grant title, word cloud analysis)
www.statnews.com/2025/10/29/n...
1/3
www.statnews.com/2025/10/29/n...
1/3
Scientists had to change more than 700 grant titles to receive NIH funding. Health disparities researchers fear what’s next
The titles of more than 700 multi-year NIH grants have been changed this year, according to an analysis by Jeremy Berg, a former agency official
www.statnews.com
October 29, 2025 at 12:07 PM
New story up on the non-existent banned words from NIH grants (based on my grant title, word cloud analysis)
www.statnews.com/2025/10/29/n...
1/3
www.statnews.com/2025/10/29/n...
1/3
Reposted by Matthijs Dorst
We are looking for a computational postdoc to work with us on new optimisation algorithms to make #RELION even better. Join our bubbly team at the @mrclmb.bsky.social in Cambridge, UK. 🤗 RTs appreciated.
mrc.tal.net/vx/appcentre...
mrc.tal.net/vx/appcentre...
Quick Check Needed
mrc.tal.net
October 29, 2025 at 9:17 AM
We are looking for a computational postdoc to work with us on new optimisation algorithms to make #RELION even better. Join our bubbly team at the @mrclmb.bsky.social in Cambridge, UK. 🤗 RTs appreciated.
mrc.tal.net/vx/appcentre...
mrc.tal.net/vx/appcentre...
Reposted by Matthijs Dorst
It's been a long, long, LONG wait, but the Portrait in Cells scarf - based on this artwork - is back in stock in two weights of silk, yayyyyy! #sciart www.etsy.com/shop/artolog...
October 21, 2025 at 9:00 PM
It's been a long, long, LONG wait, but the Portrait in Cells scarf - based on this artwork - is back in stock in two weights of silk, yayyyyy! #sciart www.etsy.com/shop/artolog...
Taking precautions after that last AWS outage
October 28, 2025 at 12:25 PM
Taking precautions after that last AWS outage
Reposted by Matthijs Dorst
Normalize replying to manuscript reviewers' comments with emojis.
October 27, 2025 at 1:53 PM
Normalize replying to manuscript reviewers' comments with emojis.
Reposted by Matthijs Dorst
For #FluorescenceFriday - projection neurons from the mouse prefrontal cortex to the locus coeruleus 🔴 with Fos labeling activated cells 🟢. Image credit to the Circuits team in the Translational Neuroscience Division @lieberinstitute.bsky.social 🧠🔬🧪
October 24, 2025 at 11:45 AM
For #FluorescenceFriday - projection neurons from the mouse prefrontal cortex to the locus coeruleus 🔴 with Fos labeling activated cells 🟢. Image credit to the Circuits team in the Translational Neuroscience Division @lieberinstitute.bsky.social 🧠🔬🧪
Reposted by Matthijs Dorst
Another #FluorescenceFriday image here, from an ongoing project studying circuitry of the retrosplenial cortex. Here we are using rabies to map the inputs specifically to the deep pyramidal cells (L5). Cyan shows the deep cells and magenta shows their presynaptic partners. #NeuroSkyence
October 24, 2025 at 9:44 AM
Another #FluorescenceFriday image here, from an ongoing project studying circuitry of the retrosplenial cortex. Here we are using rabies to map the inputs specifically to the deep pyramidal cells (L5). Cyan shows the deep cells and magenta shows their presynaptic partners. #NeuroSkyence
Breadboards are a scam by Big Board.
October 22, 2025 at 4:28 PM
Breadboards are a scam by Big Board.
Grad students when a seminar has free snacks
Neuronal Migration: How hunger guides new brain cells to their destination
elifesciences.org/articles/109...
elifesciences.org/articles/109...
Neuronal Migration: How hunger guides new brain cells to their destination
Blood flow and a hormone called ghrelin help new neurons travel to where they are meant to be in the brain of adult mice.
elifesciences.org
October 22, 2025 at 11:32 AM
Grad students when a seminar has free snacks
Unique opportunity to become a professional sh*tposter*? Count me in!
* not professional
* they probably don't want sh*tposters
* not professional
* they probably don't want sh*tposters
🌟 Call for #FENS2026 Social Media Ambassadors!
💭 Are you passionate about #neuroscience and active on social media?
We are looking for enthusiastic Social Media Ambassadors to help promote the #FENSForum!
🗓️ Deadline: 14 November 2025
👉 https://loom.ly/lsOt59E
💭 Are you passionate about #neuroscience and active on social media?
We are looking for enthusiastic Social Media Ambassadors to help promote the #FENSForum!
🗓️ Deadline: 14 November 2025
👉 https://loom.ly/lsOt59E
October 22, 2025 at 11:20 AM
Unique opportunity to become a professional sh*tposter*? Count me in!
* not professional
* they probably don't want sh*tposters
* not professional
* they probably don't want sh*tposters
Mouse 🧠 behavior folks: what is the best way to do whisker stimulation? Servos? Magnets? Air-puff? Other?
I like the simplicity of servos, but they seem to make quite a lot of noise. That could be fixed with some linkages, but of course, that would increase complexity again.
I like the simplicity of servos, but they seem to make quite a lot of noise. That could be fixed with some linkages, but of course, that would increase complexity again.
October 21, 2025 at 2:47 PM
Mouse 🧠 behavior folks: what is the best way to do whisker stimulation? Servos? Magnets? Air-puff? Other?
I like the simplicity of servos, but they seem to make quite a lot of noise. That could be fixed with some linkages, but of course, that would increase complexity again.
I like the simplicity of servos, but they seem to make quite a lot of noise. That could be fixed with some linkages, but of course, that would increase complexity again.
Updated Matlab to 2025a, and.. what the f*ck @mathworks.bsky.social ?
Let me guess: the enshitification will continue until all your customers have jumped ship? It wasn't enough to be down for weeks last year because someone vibe-coded your firewall?
Let me guess: the enshitification will continue until all your customers have jumped ship? It wasn't enough to be down for weeks last year because someone vibe-coded your firewall?
October 20, 2025 at 7:01 PM
Updated Matlab to 2025a, and.. what the f*ck @mathworks.bsky.social ?
Let me guess: the enshitification will continue until all your customers have jumped ship? It wasn't enough to be down for weeks last year because someone vibe-coded your firewall?
Let me guess: the enshitification will continue until all your customers have jumped ship? It wasn't enough to be down for weeks last year because someone vibe-coded your firewall?
If I had a penny for every time I planned a half-hour meeting and ended up chatting for an hour and a half this week, I'd have two pennies.
Which isn't a lot, but it's weird that it happened twice, and I am starting to suspect I may be the problem.
Which isn't a lot, but it's weird that it happened twice, and I am starting to suspect I may be the problem.
October 17, 2025 at 4:34 PM
If I had a penny for every time I planned a half-hour meeting and ended up chatting for an hour and a half this week, I'd have two pennies.
Which isn't a lot, but it's weird that it happened twice, and I am starting to suspect I may be the problem.
Which isn't a lot, but it's weird that it happened twice, and I am starting to suspect I may be the problem.
Was this objective expensive?
In honour of spooky month, share a 4 word horror story that only someone in your profession would understand.
rm -rf ~/
rm -rf ~/
"The chancellor approved it"
October 12, 2025 at 4:56 PM
Was this objective expensive?
Reposted by Matthijs Dorst
Pretty Fluorescent Friday by Sierra Turner!
October 11, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Pretty Fluorescent Friday by Sierra Turner!
Moving to Norway be like:
- Can't sign a rental agreement until I have a Norwegian bank account.
- Can't get a bank account without a Norwegian ID number.
- Can't get a Norwegian ID number without having a rental contract.
It is absolutely hilarious to me how some people think immigration is easy.
- Can't sign a rental agreement until I have a Norwegian bank account.
- Can't get a bank account without a Norwegian ID number.
- Can't get a Norwegian ID number without having a rental contract.
It is absolutely hilarious to me how some people think immigration is easy.
October 10, 2025 at 12:05 PM
Moving to Norway be like:
- Can't sign a rental agreement until I have a Norwegian bank account.
- Can't get a bank account without a Norwegian ID number.
- Can't get a Norwegian ID number without having a rental contract.
It is absolutely hilarious to me how some people think immigration is easy.
- Can't sign a rental agreement until I have a Norwegian bank account.
- Can't get a bank account without a Norwegian ID number.
- Can't get a Norwegian ID number without having a rental contract.
It is absolutely hilarious to me how some people think immigration is easy.