Dave Root
@neuronroot.bsky.social
Neuroscientist at CU Boulder. he/him. Mostly amplify other neuroscientists. www.root-lab.org
Pinned
Dave Root
@neuronroot.bsky.social
· Feb 27
New preprint! We untangle glutamatergic and dopaminergic subpopulations in the ventral tegmental area. Long thread incoming, buckle up friends. 1/n
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Untangling dopamine and glutamate in the ventral tegmental area
Ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine neurons are of great interest for their central roles in motivation, learning, and psychiatric disorders. While hypotheses of VTA dopamine neuron function posit a...
www.biorxiv.org
New Pre-Print led by @emilyprevost.bsky.social Glutamate-dopamine, nonglu-dopamine, and glu-only neurons and neurotransmitters they use have dissociable contributions to motivated behavior. Important to segregate DA subcell-types to better understand the many motivation-related functions of DA
Reposted by Dave Root
Thought now was as good a time as ever to join bsky - Excited to share a big part of my PhD work is finally published- 7+ years of experiments from a great team of people. Wishing I could be at #sfn2025 to celebrate with you guys! www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Cocaine seeking and consumption are oppositely regulated by mesolimbic dopamine in male rats - Nature Communications
Here authors demonstrate how opposing trajectories of dopamine transmission underlie changes in drug seeking and taking over chronic drug use. Increased dopamine to drug cues elevates craving, whereas...
www.nature.com
November 13, 2025 at 11:09 PM
Thought now was as good a time as ever to join bsky - Excited to share a big part of my PhD work is finally published- 7+ years of experiments from a great team of people. Wishing I could be at #sfn2025 to celebrate with you guys! www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Dave Root
We are grieving our friend and brilliant colleague Natalia Duque-Wilckens. A creative scientist, artist, caring mentor, and force for change. Words can’t describe the impact she had on lives at UC Davis, MSU, NC State and beyond. I feel lucky to have known her and wish her time didn’t end so soon
November 13, 2025 at 6:58 PM
We are grieving our friend and brilliant colleague Natalia Duque-Wilckens. A creative scientist, artist, caring mentor, and force for change. Words can’t describe the impact she had on lives at UC Davis, MSU, NC State and beyond. I feel lucky to have known her and wish her time didn’t end so soon
Reposted by Dave Root
The Gowrishankar lab will be opening its doors @neuro_MUSC on Dec 1, 2025! We will be hiring at all levels. I will also be at @SfNtweets presenting my lab's vision on Wednesday, Nov 19, 8AM-12PM at poster board GG7. If you're interested, please reach out!
www.raajgowrishankarlab.org
www.raajgowrishankarlab.org
Gowrishankar Lab
www.raajgowrishankarlab.org
November 12, 2025 at 10:23 PM
The Gowrishankar lab will be opening its doors @neuro_MUSC on Dec 1, 2025! We will be hiring at all levels. I will also be at @SfNtweets presenting my lab's vision on Wednesday, Nov 19, 8AM-12PM at poster board GG7. If you're interested, please reach out!
www.raajgowrishankarlab.org
www.raajgowrishankarlab.org
Reposted by Dave Root
Out now: Favila, Capece Marsico et al. 2025, Nature Communications: Using longitudinal deep-brain imaging, we report that amygdala interneurons exhibit complex and heterogeneous plasticity during associative learning, at both the single-cell and population level.
👉 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
👉 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Heterogeneous plasticity of amygdala interneurons in associative learning and extinction - Nature Communications
In this study, the authors uncover how diverse inhibitory interneurons in the amygdala flexibly contribute to fear and safety learning, revealing a key role for inhibition in emotional memory and adap...
www.nature.com
November 12, 2025 at 6:55 PM
Out now: Favila, Capece Marsico et al. 2025, Nature Communications: Using longitudinal deep-brain imaging, we report that amygdala interneurons exhibit complex and heterogeneous plasticity during associative learning, at both the single-cell and population level.
👉 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
👉 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Dave Root
New preprint from the lab! We identified Vipr2-expressing BNST neurons as a distinct subpopulation of the oval nucleus that promotes feeding, is activated by food restriction, is non-overlapping with appetite-suppressing PKC delta neurons, and projects to PSTN & PVN hypothalamic feeding centers.
November 11, 2025 at 4:39 PM
New preprint from the lab! We identified Vipr2-expressing BNST neurons as a distinct subpopulation of the oval nucleus that promotes feeding, is activated by food restriction, is non-overlapping with appetite-suppressing PKC delta neurons, and projects to PSTN & PVN hypothalamic feeding centers.
Reposted by Dave Root
A Distinct Subpopulation of Extended Amygdala Neurons Drives Food Intake https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.07.685941v1
November 10, 2025 at 7:16 PM
A Distinct Subpopulation of Extended Amygdala Neurons Drives Food Intake https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.07.685941v1
Reposted by Dave Root
Delighted to see this finally out: rdcu.be/eO9oW
We tested whether brief striatal dopamine release events influence the vigor of skilled movements. Despite popular belief, we did not find any evidence linking rapid dopamine dynamics to motor vigor on a moment-by-moment basis.
We tested whether brief striatal dopamine release events influence the vigor of skilled movements. Despite popular belief, we did not find any evidence linking rapid dopamine dynamics to motor vigor on a moment-by-moment basis.
Subsecond dopamine fluctuations do not specify the vigor of ongoing actions
Nature Neuroscience - Liu and colleagues show that the vigor (that is, speed and amplitude) of dexterous movements is not controlled by ongoing fluctuations in extracellular dopamine within the...
rdcu.be
November 10, 2025 at 3:43 PM
Delighted to see this finally out: rdcu.be/eO9oW
We tested whether brief striatal dopamine release events influence the vigor of skilled movements. Despite popular belief, we did not find any evidence linking rapid dopamine dynamics to motor vigor on a moment-by-moment basis.
We tested whether brief striatal dopamine release events influence the vigor of skilled movements. Despite popular belief, we did not find any evidence linking rapid dopamine dynamics to motor vigor on a moment-by-moment basis.
Reposted by Dave Root
I really love this: What does a scientist look like? Children are drawing women more than ever before
#WomenInStem
www.science.org/content/arti...
#WomenInStem
www.science.org/content/arti...
What does a scientist look like? Children are drawing women more than ever before
Study is based on 20,860 sketches drawn by children over 5 decades
www.science.org
November 8, 2025 at 1:34 PM
I really love this: What does a scientist look like? Children are drawing women more than ever before
#WomenInStem
www.science.org/content/arti...
#WomenInStem
www.science.org/content/arti...
Reposted by Dave Root
Excited to share our latest @nature.com: How does naloxone (Narcan) stop an opioid overdose? We determined the first GDP-bound μ-opioid receptor–G protein structures and found naloxone traps a novel "latent” state, preventing GDP release and G protein activation.💊🧪 🧵👇 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
November 5, 2025 at 4:23 PM
Excited to share our latest @nature.com: How does naloxone (Narcan) stop an opioid overdose? We determined the first GDP-bound μ-opioid receptor–G protein structures and found naloxone traps a novel "latent” state, preventing GDP release and G protein activation.💊🧪 🧵👇 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Dave Root
Warning. ⚠️ If you are writing an NSF GRFP, new this year, you need official transcripts to apply. Beware. They will not review applications without official transcripts. ‼️
November 4, 2025 at 8:50 PM
Warning. ⚠️ If you are writing an NSF GRFP, new this year, you need official transcripts to apply. Beware. They will not review applications without official transcripts. ‼️
Reposted by Dave Root
BREAKING: Colorado voters approved a ballot measure that would raise state income taxes on higher-earning households to fund free meals for all public school students.
Follow AP for live updates.
Follow AP for live updates.
Live updates: US voters head to the polls in first general election since Trump's return to power
One year after Donald Trump retook the presidency, 2025 Election Day includes closely watched races for New York City mayor, New Jersey governor and California's Proposition 50.
bit.ly
November 5, 2025 at 3:33 AM
BREAKING: Colorado voters approved a ballot measure that would raise state income taxes on higher-earning households to fund free meals for all public school students.
Follow AP for live updates.
Follow AP for live updates.
Reposted by Dave Root
We’re hiring a technician!!
We’re an inclusive team of behavioral neuroscientists trying to discover the brain circuits of learning, decision making, and habit. More info👇
wassumlab.psych.ucla.edu/join-the-lab/
Job posting:
jobs.ucla.edu/jobs/8968
We’re an inclusive team of behavioral neuroscientists trying to discover the brain circuits of learning, decision making, and habit. More info👇
wassumlab.psych.ucla.edu/join-the-lab/
Job posting:
jobs.ucla.edu/jobs/8968
November 3, 2025 at 3:52 PM
We’re hiring a technician!!
We’re an inclusive team of behavioral neuroscientists trying to discover the brain circuits of learning, decision making, and habit. More info👇
wassumlab.psych.ucla.edu/join-the-lab/
Job posting:
jobs.ucla.edu/jobs/8968
We’re an inclusive team of behavioral neuroscientists trying to discover the brain circuits of learning, decision making, and habit. More info👇
wassumlab.psych.ucla.edu/join-the-lab/
Job posting:
jobs.ucla.edu/jobs/8968
Reposted by Dave Root
After the AI bubble I hope the next bubble is Laser Tag. Laser tag arenas on every street corner. Blacklight lit battlefields propping up every sector of the economy. A one story building by the side of the highway called “Blast Zone: Pizza & Arcade” valued at $2.7 trillion
November 2, 2025 at 3:09 PM
After the AI bubble I hope the next bubble is Laser Tag. Laser tag arenas on every street corner. Blacklight lit battlefields propping up every sector of the economy. A one story building by the side of the highway called “Blast Zone: Pizza & Arcade” valued at $2.7 trillion
Reposted by Dave Root
🚨Applications are now open for 2026 @beckmanillinois.bsky.social Postdoctoral Fellowships! We provide 3 years of support ($63k/year) for candidates conducting interdisciplinary research with two or more Beckman faculty members. Please apply and RT! beckman.illinois.edu/opportunitie...
Postdoctoral Fellows Program
The Beckman Institute at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign offers three postdoctoral fellow programs to support outstanding scientists: Beckman Institute Postdoctoral Fellows Program, Car...
beckman.illinois.edu
November 1, 2025 at 3:46 PM
🚨Applications are now open for 2026 @beckmanillinois.bsky.social Postdoctoral Fellowships! We provide 3 years of support ($63k/year) for candidates conducting interdisciplinary research with two or more Beckman faculty members. Please apply and RT! beckman.illinois.edu/opportunitie...
Reposted by Dave Root
From the archives, 8 yrs ago my grad student at the time Kim carved this for our department pumpkin 🎃 carving contest (guess what task she was doing)
October 31, 2025 at 9:49 PM
From the archives, 8 yrs ago my grad student at the time Kim carved this for our department pumpkin 🎃 carving contest (guess what task she was doing)
Reposted by Dave Root
@ninaluong.bsky.social is really upping her costume game this year. And she can still work in it!
October 31, 2025 at 3:21 PM
@ninaluong.bsky.social is really upping her costume game this year. And she can still work in it!
Reposted by Dave Root
ATTN: Two faculty positions are available in my department (neuroscience) at the University of Minnesota. This is a general search with no topic focus. November 20th application deadline.
Apply here: hr.umn.edu/jobs/Find-Job
Assistant Prof job code: 364920
Associate/Full Prof job code: 364921
Apply here: hr.umn.edu/jobs/Find-Job
Assistant Prof job code: 364920
Associate/Full Prof job code: 364921
October 30, 2025 at 3:59 PM
ATTN: Two faculty positions are available in my department (neuroscience) at the University of Minnesota. This is a general search with no topic focus. November 20th application deadline.
Apply here: hr.umn.edu/jobs/Find-Job
Assistant Prof job code: 364920
Associate/Full Prof job code: 364921
Apply here: hr.umn.edu/jobs/Find-Job
Assistant Prof job code: 364920
Associate/Full Prof job code: 364921
Reposted by Dave Root
The UNC Department of Biology is seeking a Director of Biology Teaching Labs, a key leadership role overseeing our undergraduate laboratory program. 1/n
Learn more and apply here: unc.peopleadmin.com/postings/308...
Learn more and apply here: unc.peopleadmin.com/postings/308...
Director of Biology Teaching Labs
The Director of Biology Teaching Labs provides leadership and direction in the management of the Biology Department's undergraduate laboratories and will be responsible for the undergraduate laborator...
unc.peopleadmin.com
October 27, 2025 at 2:12 PM
The UNC Department of Biology is seeking a Director of Biology Teaching Labs, a key leadership role overseeing our undergraduate laboratory program. 1/n
Learn more and apply here: unc.peopleadmin.com/postings/308...
Learn more and apply here: unc.peopleadmin.com/postings/308...
Reposted by Dave Root
Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science studied 28 hamsters and found that the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 infected the small intestine more than other variants, causing gut damage and major disruptions to the microbiome.
www.nature.com/articles/s44...
www.nature.com/articles/s44...
Gut infection and dysbiosis are hallmarks of severe SARS-CoV-2 variants - npj Viruses
npj Viruses - Gut infection and dysbiosis are hallmarks of severe SARS-CoV-2 variants
www.nature.com
October 25, 2025 at 1:34 PM
Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science studied 28 hamsters and found that the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 infected the small intestine more than other variants, causing gut damage and major disruptions to the microbiome.
www.nature.com/articles/s44...
www.nature.com/articles/s44...
Reposted by Dave Root
Is it candy? Nope, it is a spooky 👻 cleared mouse 🧠 used for #fluorescencefriday movies
October 24, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Is it candy? Nope, it is a spooky 👻 cleared mouse 🧠 used for #fluorescencefriday movies
Reposted by Dave Root
🧠🌟🐭 Excited to share some of my postdoc work on the evolution of dexterity!
We compared deer mice evolved in forest vs prairie habitats. We found that forest mice have:
(1) more corticospinal neurons (CSNs)
(2) better hand dexterity
(3) more dexterous climbing, which is linked to CSN number🧵
We compared deer mice evolved in forest vs prairie habitats. We found that forest mice have:
(1) more corticospinal neurons (CSNs)
(2) better hand dexterity
(3) more dexterous climbing, which is linked to CSN number🧵
October 22, 2025 at 8:41 PM
🧠🌟🐭 Excited to share some of my postdoc work on the evolution of dexterity!
We compared deer mice evolved in forest vs prairie habitats. We found that forest mice have:
(1) more corticospinal neurons (CSNs)
(2) better hand dexterity
(3) more dexterous climbing, which is linked to CSN number🧵
We compared deer mice evolved in forest vs prairie habitats. We found that forest mice have:
(1) more corticospinal neurons (CSNs)
(2) better hand dexterity
(3) more dexterous climbing, which is linked to CSN number🧵
Reposted by Dave Root
Suzanne Haber was just elected to the National Academy of Medicine! Her work on the organization of the cortex and basal ganglia has had a huge impact. Please take the opportunity to congratulate her the next time you see her. www.urmc.rochester.edu/news/story/u...
University of Rochester Neurobiologist Suzanne Haber Elected to National Academy of Medicine
An internationally recognized scientist, her work has transformed our understanding of the brain networks that play a central role in many mental health disorders, including obsessive compulsive disor...
www.urmc.rochester.edu
October 21, 2025 at 2:48 PM
Suzanne Haber was just elected to the National Academy of Medicine! Her work on the organization of the cortex and basal ganglia has had a huge impact. Please take the opportunity to congratulate her the next time you see her. www.urmc.rochester.edu/news/story/u...
Reposted by Dave Root
Excited to share another #opensource tool from the lab! We have been using this set up to do awake head-fixed scans without the need for any anesthesia on the day of the scans! Now working on integrating licking behaviour and linear treadmill operandum!
A simple, open-source restraint system for magnetic resonance imaging in awake rats https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.18.683153v1
October 21, 2025 at 12:51 PM
Excited to share another #opensource tool from the lab! We have been using this set up to do awake head-fixed scans without the need for any anesthesia on the day of the scans! Now working on integrating licking behaviour and linear treadmill operandum!
Reposted by Dave Root
HUGE opportunity at Rutgers: jobs.sciencecareers.org/job/675694/d.... They already have such a dynamic pain group there, and such a great history... really an amazing opportunity.
Director of Rutgers Center on Research in Pain and Pain Therapeutics - Piscataway, New Jersey job with Rutgers University/RUTGERS BRAIN HEALTH INSTITUTE | 675694
The ideal candidate will be a leader in pain research with a strong, federally funded research program
jobs.sciencecareers.org
October 20, 2025 at 9:01 PM
HUGE opportunity at Rutgers: jobs.sciencecareers.org/job/675694/d.... They already have such a dynamic pain group there, and such a great history... really an amazing opportunity.
Reposted by Dave Root
Excited to share the final version of our paper, where we invented a robotic device (ARM) for pain and somatosensory testing in rodents. We are excited to see many groups already getting this device in their labs through our startup company Tactorum Inc.
elifesciences.org/articles/996...
elifesciences.org/articles/996...
October 20, 2025 at 11:23 AM
Excited to share the final version of our paper, where we invented a robotic device (ARM) for pain and somatosensory testing in rodents. We are excited to see many groups already getting this device in their labs through our startup company Tactorum Inc.
elifesciences.org/articles/996...
elifesciences.org/articles/996...