Victoria Abraira
@vabraira.bsky.social
Assistant Professor at Rutgers, Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, studying the sense of touch. First generation, Latina, immigrant, mom. she/her/ella.
Pinned
Victoria Abraira
@vabraira.bsky.social
· Mar 20
Please register for this amazing meeting! Applications for this meeting must be submitted by June 8, 2025
Reposted by Victoria Abraira
Often called the “love hormone” or the “cuddle hormone,” oxytocin is produced in the brain’s hypothalamus and acts as a chemical messenger. It promotes feelings of love, bonding and well-being.
Here are surprising ways to stimulate the release of oxytocin — without a hug.
Here are surprising ways to stimulate the release of oxytocin — without a hug.
7 ways to get a feel-good fix of hormone oxytocin
Many people have that I-need-a-hug feeling these days. Here are surprising ways to stimulate the release of the feel-good hormone oxytocin — without a hug.
www.washingtonpost.com
June 29, 2025 at 8:30 PM
Often called the “love hormone” or the “cuddle hormone,” oxytocin is produced in the brain’s hypothalamus and acts as a chemical messenger. It promotes feelings of love, bonding and well-being.
Here are surprising ways to stimulate the release of oxytocin — without a hug.
Here are surprising ways to stimulate the release of oxytocin — without a hug.
Reposted by Victoria Abraira
The concept of “genius” is exclusionary, inconsistently applied, and a license to behave badly. Why can’t we give it up?
So You Want to Be a Genius
The label is exclusionary, inconsistently applied, and a license to behave badly. Why can’t we give it up?
www.newyorker.com
June 20, 2025 at 6:01 PM
The concept of “genius” is exclusionary, inconsistently applied, and a license to behave badly. Why can’t we give it up?
Reposted by Victoria Abraira
June 19, 2025 at 4:31 PM
@natashaobrown.bsky.social !!!! Congratulations!!!!! So proud of you!!!! Thank you HHMI for investing in young talent at State Universities!!!! www.hhmi.org/programs/fre...
The 2025 Freeman Hrabowski Scholars | HHMI
Freeman Hrabowski Scholars are outstanding early career faculty who have the potential to become leaders in their research fields.
www.hhmi.org
June 19, 2025 at 9:45 PM
@natashaobrown.bsky.social !!!! Congratulations!!!!! So proud of you!!!! Thank you HHMI for investing in young talent at State Universities!!!! www.hhmi.org/programs/fre...
Reposted by Victoria Abraira
I’m so honored to be selected as both a 2025 McKnight Scholar and 2025 HHMI Freeman Hrabowski Scholar. And I couldn’t be prouder to share these honors with awesome @ucdavis.bsky.social colleagues 💙💛💙💛
health.ucdavis.edu/news/headlin...
health.ucdavis.edu/news/headlin...
UC Davis researchers honored by McKnight and Howard Hughes Medical Institute
UC Davis faculty Sergey Stavisky, Theanne Griffith and Elisa Zhang receive prestigious early-career recognition from McKnight Endowment Fund and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.
health.ucdavis.edu
June 19, 2025 at 4:46 PM
I’m so honored to be selected as both a 2025 McKnight Scholar and 2025 HHMI Freeman Hrabowski Scholar. And I couldn’t be prouder to share these honors with awesome @ucdavis.bsky.social colleagues 💙💛💙💛
health.ucdavis.edu/news/headlin...
health.ucdavis.edu/news/headlin...
Reposted by Victoria Abraira
I’m thrilled to have been selected as an HHMI Freeman Hrabowski Scholar, along with my wonderful #PMB colleague @doctheagrif.bsky.social Excited for what’s to come - we’re just getting started! 🚀 @ucdavis.bsky.social
@ucd-physiology.bsky.social
health.ucdavis.edu/news/headlin...
@ucd-physiology.bsky.social
health.ucdavis.edu/news/headlin...
UC Davis researchers honored by McKnight and Howard Hughes Medical Institute
UC Davis faculty Sergey Stavisky, Theanne Griffith and Elisa Zhang receive prestigious early-career recognition from McKnight Endowment Fund and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.
health.ucdavis.edu
June 19, 2025 at 6:26 PM
I’m thrilled to have been selected as an HHMI Freeman Hrabowski Scholar, along with my wonderful #PMB colleague @doctheagrif.bsky.social Excited for what’s to come - we’re just getting started! 🚀 @ucdavis.bsky.social
@ucd-physiology.bsky.social
health.ucdavis.edu/news/headlin...
@ucd-physiology.bsky.social
health.ucdavis.edu/news/headlin...
So proud of my postdoc! She received official notice that her K99 will be awarded! That’s 3/3 postdocs with transition awards since we opened our lab in 2018! Thank you to the funding agencies for supporting the next generation!!!!
June 17, 2025 at 12:11 PM
So proud of my postdoc! She received official notice that her K99 will be awarded! That’s 3/3 postdocs with transition awards since we opened our lab in 2018! Thank you to the funding agencies for supporting the next generation!!!!
Reposted by Victoria Abraira
(And my DL works have gone on to be my most cited, fwiw). Don’t be afraid to chase your ideas/passions!
June 1, 2025 at 6:44 PM
(And my DL works have gone on to be my most cited, fwiw). Don’t be afraid to chase your ideas/passions!
Reposted by Victoria Abraira
Carl Sagan in 1986 on the problems with media and science literacy.
June 5, 2025 at 1:33 PM
Carl Sagan in 1986 on the problems with media and science literacy.
SfN elections close SOON — 2P PT/5 PM ET today! Ellen Lumpkin and Irene Tracey are both nominated for council position. Vote to ensure that strong voices represent our sensory neuroscience community. Vote at www.directvote.net/SfN/
www.directvote.net
May 21, 2025 at 11:57 PM
SfN elections close SOON — 2P PT/5 PM ET today! Ellen Lumpkin and Irene Tracey are both nominated for council position. Vote to ensure that strong voices represent our sensory neuroscience community. Vote at www.directvote.net/SfN/
Reposted by Victoria Abraira
The feeling of a hug comes from the pressure and vibration of millions of nerve endings.
Touch, Our Most Complex Sense, Is a Landscape of Cellular Sensors | Quanta Magazine
Every soft caress of wind, searing burn and seismic rumble is detected by our skin’s tangle of touch sensors. David Ginty has spent his career cataloging the neurons beneath everyday sensations.
www.quantamagazine.org
May 7, 2025 at 8:04 PM
The feeling of a hug comes from the pressure and vibration of millions of nerve endings.
Reposted by Victoria Abraira
😱 😱 😱 Major life goal achieved, though not for the reasons I’d hoped. I will be on @thisamericanlife.org tomorrow. 🧪 www.thisamericanlife.org/859/chaos-gr...
Chaos Graph - This American Life
People immersed in chaos try to solve for what it all adds up to.
www.thisamericanlife.org
April 26, 2025 at 5:51 PM
😱 😱 😱 Major life goal achieved, though not for the reasons I’d hoped. I will be on @thisamericanlife.org tomorrow. 🧪 www.thisamericanlife.org/859/chaos-gr...
You were hoping for a complete fiscal year.... I was hoping for human decency....
May 8, 2025 at 3:49 AM
You were hoping for a complete fiscal year.... I was hoping for human decency....
Reposted by Victoria Abraira
I am extremely pleased to share this feature articulating why I have lost my sanity lately. www.science.org/content/arti...
U.S. scientists’ lives and careers are being upended. Here are five of their stories
As the second Trump administration sends U.S. science into upheaval, countless researchers are fighting for their futures
www.science.org
May 3, 2025 at 10:23 PM
I am extremely pleased to share this feature articulating why I have lost my sanity lately. www.science.org/content/arti...
Reposted by Victoria Abraira
having a look at the 'ol summary statement
May 7, 2025 at 10:31 PM
having a look at the 'ol summary statement
Reposted by Victoria Abraira
Early childhood education researchers — it’s a good time to write home about the value of public broadcasting for preschool reading, school readiness, and early math skills 🧪🍎. Start an op-ed campaign.
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sesame_...
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sesame_...
May 7, 2025 at 10:50 PM
Early childhood education researchers — it’s a good time to write home about the value of public broadcasting for preschool reading, school readiness, and early math skills 🧪🍎. Start an op-ed campaign.
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sesame_...
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sesame_...
Reposted by Victoria Abraira
Our paper is out in Nature.
By examining various inputs to the motor cortex during learning, we found that thalamic inputs learn to activate the cortical neurons encoding the movement being learned.
Tour de force by Assaf in collab with Felix and Marcus. Congrats!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
By examining various inputs to the motor cortex during learning, we found that thalamic inputs learn to activate the cortical neurons encoding the movement being learned.
Tour de force by Assaf in collab with Felix and Marcus. Congrats!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Motor learning refines thalamic influence on motor cortex - Nature
Imaging and optogenetics in mice provide insight into the interplay between the primary motor cortex and the motor thalamus during learning, showing that thalamic inputs have a key role in the executi...
www.nature.com
May 8, 2025 at 12:12 AM
Our paper is out in Nature.
By examining various inputs to the motor cortex during learning, we found that thalamic inputs learn to activate the cortical neurons encoding the movement being learned.
Tour de force by Assaf in collab with Felix and Marcus. Congrats!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
By examining various inputs to the motor cortex during learning, we found that thalamic inputs learn to activate the cortical neurons encoding the movement being learned.
Tour de force by Assaf in collab with Felix and Marcus. Congrats!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
NIH termination notices arriving in my inbox....
May 8, 2025 at 3:40 AM
NIH termination notices arriving in my inbox....
Reposted by Victoria Abraira
The plots of disaster movies that portray the end of civilization often begin with high-level Government Officials ignoring the warnings of Scientists.
One of several lesson learned from the 2.5 hour @Netflix Documentary — Don’t Look Up (2021).
One of several lesson learned from the 2.5 hour @Netflix Documentary — Don’t Look Up (2021).
May 4, 2025 at 1:15 PM
The plots of disaster movies that portray the end of civilization often begin with high-level Government Officials ignoring the warnings of Scientists.
One of several lesson learned from the 2.5 hour @Netflix Documentary — Don’t Look Up (2021).
One of several lesson learned from the 2.5 hour @Netflix Documentary — Don’t Look Up (2021).
Reposted by Victoria Abraira
“I feel a little less despair” ❤️🩹
“I feel more hopeful & inspired” 🙌🏾
“It’s good to know that other people are still fighting so I can too” ✊🏾
-feedback I received from grad students and postdocs after giving my talk at Rutgers ✨
“I feel more hopeful & inspired” 🙌🏾
“It’s good to know that other people are still fighting so I can too” ✊🏾
-feedback I received from grad students and postdocs after giving my talk at Rutgers ✨
May 3, 2025 at 1:16 AM
“I feel a little less despair” ❤️🩹
“I feel more hopeful & inspired” 🙌🏾
“It’s good to know that other people are still fighting so I can too” ✊🏾
-feedback I received from grad students and postdocs after giving my talk at Rutgers ✨
“I feel more hopeful & inspired” 🙌🏾
“It’s good to know that other people are still fighting so I can too” ✊🏾
-feedback I received from grad students and postdocs after giving my talk at Rutgers ✨
Reposted by Victoria Abraira
Congratulations to the 4 exceptional senior undergrads who defended their thesis in my lab: from left to right, Selorna, Misha, PK and Josephine, together with their postdoctoral mentors Zuri Sullivan, @dingliu.bsky.social and @mostafizurrahman.bsky.social (Tricia Horvath in maternity leave)
May 2, 2025 at 7:26 PM
Congratulations to the 4 exceptional senior undergrads who defended their thesis in my lab: from left to right, Selorna, Misha, PK and Josephine, together with their postdoctoral mentors Zuri Sullivan, @dingliu.bsky.social and @mostafizurrahman.bsky.social (Tricia Horvath in maternity leave)
Reposted by Victoria Abraira
Enjoyed my first times in Chicago and @usasp.bsky.social this past week! So much exciting work happening in the pain field, I have a feeling that the groundwork for some fantastic collaborations was laid this week!
May 3, 2025 at 6:40 PM
Enjoyed my first times in Chicago and @usasp.bsky.social this past week! So much exciting work happening in the pain field, I have a feeling that the groundwork for some fantastic collaborations was laid this week!
Reposted by Victoria Abraira
Here’s just the most recent of the many NCCIH studies of #pain (from colleague @alexchesler.bsky.social published last week in Nature). Nearly 50% of NCCIH funding goes to studying pain, with a focus on nonpharmacological treatments and mechanisms. The proposed budget eliminates NCCIH.
co-author @dimacd.bsky.social pointed out that the link was truncated in my post. Hope this works: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
A distributed coding logic for thermosensation and inflammatory pain - Nature
Functional imaging and multiplexed in situ hybridization were combined to investigate how trigeminal neurons encode heat and mechanical stimuli, revealing distinct cellular mechanisms for continuing p...
www.nature.com
May 3, 2025 at 11:33 AM
Here’s just the most recent of the many NCCIH studies of #pain (from colleague @alexchesler.bsky.social published last week in Nature). Nearly 50% of NCCIH funding goes to studying pain, with a focus on nonpharmacological treatments and mechanisms. The proposed budget eliminates NCCIH.
Reposted by Victoria Abraira
Gave a talk at my parents’ retirement community to describe how science is done, and what is at stake. There was a ton of interest, and anyone can do this. Get the word out about how science affects everyone. I’m happy to share slides with anyone who asks- just get in touch! youtu.be/BY_SFgi-Cig
Kara Marshall PHD-History of Science in America - Trilogy at Tehaleh 04/27/25
YouTube video by Steve Lawson
youtu.be
May 3, 2025 at 7:20 PM
Gave a talk at my parents’ retirement community to describe how science is done, and what is at stake. There was a ton of interest, and anyone can do this. Get the word out about how science affects everyone. I’m happy to share slides with anyone who asks- just get in touch! youtu.be/BY_SFgi-Cig
Would love to get the protocol for the Ank-G stain! Looks beautiful!!!!
🌷 Happy National Flower Day 🌷
Cortex, brain. Neurons (NeuN, magenta), axon initial segments (Ankyrin-G, green), nuclei (DAPI, blue)
#FluorescenceFriday #nationalflowerday #painneuroscience
Cortex, brain. Neurons (NeuN, magenta), axon initial segments (Ankyrin-G, green), nuclei (DAPI, blue)
#FluorescenceFriday #nationalflowerday #painneuroscience
March 22, 2025 at 6:53 PM
Would love to get the protocol for the Ank-G stain! Looks beautiful!!!!