Wei Wen
@wwenneuro.bsky.social
Ex- neuroscientist used to patch stuff and still crazy about how circuits work. Feminist | Traveler | Coffee addict. Formerly with Turrigiano Lab @Brandeis. 🧠👩🔬🚴♀️📷🏳️🌈 She/Her/她. 讲中文.
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1422-856X
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1422-856X
So from the leftmost (where cars rush by at 75mph) to the rightmost side (where people are causally eating food), you have a “threat gradient”, and then you have to decide which part of this gradient is safe. Our brain achieves this by calculating threat probabilities in real time.
November 12, 2025 at 10:03 AM
So from the leftmost (where cars rush by at 75mph) to the rightmost side (where people are causally eating food), you have a “threat gradient”, and then you have to decide which part of this gradient is safe. Our brain achieves this by calculating threat probabilities in real time.
I’m totally biased but this is the best hand-pulled noodle in the entire world. The owners used to operate in Singapore, and they moved back to set up this place a decade ago. It’s one block away from my grandpa’s place, and amazingly they didn’t raise the price even during COVID times.
November 12, 2025 at 10:03 AM
I’m totally biased but this is the best hand-pulled noodle in the entire world. The owners used to operate in Singapore, and they moved back to set up this place a decade ago. It’s one block away from my grandpa’s place, and amazingly they didn’t raise the price even during COVID times.
The last two cells I patched! They are by no means my best fills, but definitely the most memorable. Also a reminder to new patchers that lousy fills do not indicate bad cells- some of my best recordings didn’t have great fills. (Ah I miss patching🥹)
#patchclamp #electrophysiology
#patchclamp #electrophysiology
November 6, 2025 at 9:40 AM
The last two cells I patched! They are by no means my best fills, but definitely the most memorable. Also a reminder to new patchers that lousy fills do not indicate bad cells- some of my best recordings didn’t have great fills. (Ah I miss patching🥹)
#patchclamp #electrophysiology
#patchclamp #electrophysiology
Like every responsible adult, I got myself a jellycat while shopping for bathroom renovation stuff.
November 3, 2025 at 11:06 PM
Like every responsible adult, I got myself a jellycat while shopping for bathroom renovation stuff.
Landed in hometown airport! Proof that the air quality has much improved since @turrigiano.bsky.social ‘s last visit😉
November 1, 2025 at 7:08 AM
Landed in hometown airport! Proof that the air quality has much improved since @turrigiano.bsky.social ‘s last visit😉
Donated some of my books to one of my favorite public libraries- love the view from this courtyard!
October 25, 2025 at 1:24 PM
Donated some of my books to one of my favorite public libraries- love the view from this courtyard!
One of the most beautiful things in the world❤️ #patchclamp #EIRatio
October 17, 2025 at 5:14 PM
One of the most beautiful things in the world❤️ #patchclamp #EIRatio
We further show that the light-driven downward IHP can be partially reversed by acutely blocking NMDAR activity during the light exposure, confirming that this light-driven increase in correlation triggers downward IHP via downstream signaling involving NMDARs.
May 31, 2025 at 3:19 PM
We further show that the light-driven downward IHP can be partially reversed by acutely blocking NMDAR activity during the light exposure, confirming that this light-driven increase in correlation triggers downward IHP via downstream signaling involving NMDARs.
Similarly, given that spiking activity is more relevant to mean firing rates, which are stable across light and dark, we expect synaptic strengths to remain stable under the same three conditions. Indeed, mEPSC amplitudes show no difference whatsoever.
May 31, 2025 at 3:19 PM
Similarly, given that spiking activity is more relevant to mean firing rates, which are stable across light and dark, we expect synaptic strengths to remain stable under the same three conditions. Indeed, mEPSC amplitudes show no difference whatsoever.
To test this, we measure intrinsic excitability at two timepoints: right before the end of a 12h dark period (Dark 0h) and 6h into the light period (Light 6h). F-I curve has indeed shifted downward after 6h of light exposure (but not when animals are kept in dark, Dark 6h).
May 31, 2025 at 3:19 PM
To test this, we measure intrinsic excitability at two timepoints: right before the end of a 12h dark period (Dark 0h) and 6h into the light period (Light 6h). F-I curve has indeed shifted downward after 6h of light exposure (but not when animals are kept in dark, Dark 6h).
We have shown that, two fundamental network functions, mean firing rate and pairwise correlation, behave differently across light/dark transitions. In rodent V1, while neuronal mean firing rates are stable across light and dark, pairwise correlations are higher in the light.
May 31, 2025 at 3:19 PM
We have shown that, two fundamental network functions, mean firing rate and pairwise correlation, behave differently across light/dark transitions. In rodent V1, while neuronal mean firing rates are stable across light and dark, pairwise correlations are higher in the light.
Since changes in NMDAR activity does not trigger synaptic scaling, then enhancing their activity should not affect TTX’s ability to induce scaling up. This is exactly what we see: synaptic scaling is still present under co-treatment of TTX and GLYX.
May 31, 2025 at 3:19 PM
Since changes in NMDAR activity does not trigger synaptic scaling, then enhancing their activity should not affect TTX’s ability to induce scaling up. This is exactly what we see: synaptic scaling is still present under co-treatment of TTX and GLYX.
If IHP is only triggered by reduced NMDAR signaling, then TTX should not be able to induce IHP when NMDAR activity is simultaneously enhanced. Indeed, IHP is no longer present when we co-treat neurons with TTX and an NMDAR positive allosteric modulator (GLYX).
May 31, 2025 at 3:19 PM
If IHP is only triggered by reduced NMDAR signaling, then TTX should not be able to induce IHP when NMDAR activity is simultaneously enhanced. Indeed, IHP is no longer present when we co-treat neurons with TTX and an NMDAR positive allosteric modulator (GLYX).
To differentiate between them, we perturb different aspects of network activity in cultured neurons by blocking spiking (TTX) or NMDAR signaling (APV). We find that, while spiking blockade induces both synaptic scaling and IHP, NMDAR blockade only triggers IHP.
May 31, 2025 at 3:19 PM
To differentiate between them, we perturb different aspects of network activity in cultured neurons by blocking spiking (TTX) or NMDAR signaling (APV). We find that, while spiking blockade induces both synaptic scaling and IHP, NMDAR blockade only triggers IHP.
To determine whether synaptic scaling and IHP are arranged in a hierarchical or a modular manner, we propose two models: the hierarchical model in A (first pic), and the modular model in B (second pic).
May 31, 2025 at 3:19 PM
To determine whether synaptic scaling and IHP are arranged in a hierarchical or a modular manner, we propose two models: the hierarchical model in A (first pic), and the modular model in B (second pic).
Some beautiful IPSCs for your Friday! #patchclamp
May 16, 2025 at 5:42 PM
Some beautiful IPSCs for your Friday! #patchclamp
A very unproductive afternoon somehow felt productive after I dusted off my telephoto lens to catch this bunny just outside my porch (who was, until this very moment, ravenously eating grass like it’s the end of world)
April 19, 2025 at 8:52 PM
A very unproductive afternoon somehow felt productive after I dusted off my telephoto lens to catch this bunny just outside my porch (who was, until this very moment, ravenously eating grass like it’s the end of world)
Do you ever get tired of looking at neurons😻
April 10, 2025 at 8:15 PM
Do you ever get tired of looking at neurons😻
Here we go... again.
(This is me trying my best to get some thing done rather than screaming internally all the time🫠
(This is me trying my best to get some thing done rather than screaming internally all the time🫠
April 3, 2025 at 5:28 PM
Here we go... again.
(This is me trying my best to get some thing done rather than screaming internally all the time🫠
(This is me trying my best to get some thing done rather than screaming internally all the time🫠
All those GABAs from mouse V1 #patchclamp
(Should mention these are recorded with a high Cl internal thus the outward currents)
(Should mention these are recorded with a high Cl internal thus the outward currents)
March 29, 2025 at 10:25 PM
All those GABAs from mouse V1 #patchclamp
(Should mention these are recorded with a high Cl internal thus the outward currents)
(Should mention these are recorded with a high Cl internal thus the outward currents)
We got something *very* important in mail today! Take a guess👀
March 24, 2025 at 4:53 PM
We got something *very* important in mail today! Take a guess👀
Love is a touch yet not a touch.
Pretty interesting Munch exhibition at Harvard art museum. Learned some perspectives that are quite different from those I saw in Oslo🤔
Pretty interesting Munch exhibition at Harvard art museum. Learned some perspectives that are quite different from those I saw in Oslo🤔
March 22, 2025 at 6:16 PM
Love is a touch yet not a touch.
Pretty interesting Munch exhibition at Harvard art museum. Learned some perspectives that are quite different from those I saw in Oslo🤔
Pretty interesting Munch exhibition at Harvard art museum. Learned some perspectives that are quite different from those I saw in Oslo🤔
Such a good feeling to get data again #patchclamp
March 20, 2025 at 6:23 PM
Such a good feeling to get data again #patchclamp