baucumlab.bsky.social

baucumlab.bsky.social

@baucumlab.bsky.social

97 followers132 following51 posts

Excited to share publication news for the lab. Our latest work describing a novel conditional neurabin knockout mouse line is available ASAP in ACS Chemical Neuroscience. Open Access version can be found here: pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/....

pubs.acs.orgProteomic Characterization of Striatal Neurabin Interactome and Its Sex Specific Impact on Motor BehaviorThe striatum serves as the primary input nucleus of the basal ganglia. Reversible protein phosphorylation in the post synaptic density (PSD) of medium spiny neurons (MSNs) modulates inputs from striatal afferents. The context dependent regulation of PSD protein phosphorylation in direct-pathway medium spiny neurons (dMSNs) and indirect-pathway medium spiny neurons (iMSNs) works to differentially and synergistically impact striatal physiology and the execution of motor programs. An important regulator of PSD protein phosphorylation is protein phosphatase 1 (PP1), which obtains substrate specificity through the action of PP1 targeting proteins. While prior work has demonstrated the global and cell type-specific impact of the PP1 targeting protein, spinophilin, on striatal motor behaviors like the accelerating rotarod task and amphetamine sensitization, the role of its homologue, neurabin, is yet to be elucidated. Using proteomics approaches, we determined that striatal neurabin associates with pre and postsynaptic proteins that mediate glutamatergic synapse function. Moreover, we found that global loss of neurabin enhanced rotarod motor learning but had no impact on amphetamine sensitization. Interestingly, using novel conditional neurabin knockout mouse lines, we found that loss of neurabin in dMSNs, but not iMSNs, enhanced performance on the accelerating rotarod task and that these effects were specific for male mice. These data highlight neurabin’s particular importance to the striatal glutamatergic synapse and uncover a sex and cell type specific role for this synaptic protein in uniquely limiting skill motor learning but not psychomotor sensitization.

The 4th of my 4 grants this review round got a not discussed today. Glad I got at least 1 that got a 28th percentile, and will see how that goes, but I thought that at least one of my others would also have been discussed.

Now have to wait for summary statements to contact the PO for my 28th percentile and also to figure out which path is best moving forward on the other NDs. I do have 1 for next cycle to be reviewed and one I am working on for a February submission.

Had 2 grants reviewed this week. One ND and one 28th percentile. At least one was discussed and it was at NIGMS With the new system and given that NIGMS didn’t exclusively use percentiles previously anyway, will see if it has any chance. One more grant getting reviewed this week.

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Two grants getting reviewed this week and one next week. I have had to wait almost a year for some of these to get reviewed as they were submitted as part of an at risk mechanism, which was removed when they were sent. I hope to get a good score, or at least discussed, but who knows.

Also, with the new formatting of no paylines and with institutes being able to take what they want, if I do get a good score, who knows about funding. The uncertainty makes things even more difficult and it felt near impossible before. Wish me luck.

Just saw my grant in commons that was supposed to be reviewed a month ago was rescheduled to December. Hopefully it is in the top 30% or whatever that gets Discussed. It is listed as a 2 day study section but I thought some study sections are going down to 1 day which is why they change triage line?

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After 10 years, I am stepping down as chair of our department and we have an active search going on! Utah is a phenomenal place to live and work and it's been the honor of a lifetime chairing the department founded by Lou Goodman. #MedSky #Neuroskyence Repost! jobs.chronicle.com/job/37914733...

jobs.chronicle.comChair of Pharmacology and Toxicology - Salt Lake City, Utah job with The University of Utah | 37914733The University of Utah seeks a Chair of Pharmacology and Toxicology

I got another ND on my NIH grant. While it’s hard to be too frustrated with the current state of things, this one was super frustrating as scored last time and thought the idea was much stronger and addressed the critiques well from the last round.

baucumlab.bsky.social reposted

DOGE is cutting funding for a badly-needed new VA medical center in Indianapolis. Denying healthcare to our veterans isn’t efficiency. It’s cruel. I’ve demanded that DOGE immediately reverse this dangerous decision.

Well the study section that was supposed to meet yesterday and today for one of my grants got an updated date of 04/22 on commons. I still don’t see it or any new ones in the federal register but not sure how long those take to post.

The 2nd of 5 study sections that I have grants being reviewed at got dreaded * - “Denotes this meeting did not take place as scheduled” by it. Federal register is supposedly opened up, but still the last study section posted was on 1/21, so will be 15-35 days at least for rescheduling, I bet.

baucumlab.bsky.social reposted

OK #HoosierSky so this is happening Share amongst your peeps Those who are in science Those who like science Those who have been helped by science Those who value truth and facts Come hang with the cool kids and say hi to some rad scientists

baucumlab.bsky.social reposted

Gene editing technology began by people studying salt marshes. Ozempic began by folks studying the venom of Gila Monsters. Support for basic science has empowered us to understand our world. Tethering it to applications health has transformed and saved countless lives.

baucumlab.bsky.social reposted

The following post is my opinion and not a reflection of anyone else. I saw that 2 of my grants that were submitted in response to an “At Risk” mechanism were de-assigned from the study sections they were supposed to be reviewed at. They are currently not assigned to any study section. 1/6

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The ability to identify new targets and new ways to treat disease is severely impacted when funding mechanisms that broaden the individuals and types of research being performed is curtailed. Not only is science obstructed, but every local economy where the research is performed is impacted. 5/6

I reached out to the POs for the grants to see if they can move them to a “Parent” R01 mechanism as there is no difference in how the specific grants are reviewed. I have not given up yet but am emotionally and scientifically drained. 6/6

The following post is my opinion and not a reflection of anyone else. I saw that 2 of my grants that were submitted in response to an “At Risk” mechanism were de-assigned from the study sections they were supposed to be reviewed at. They are currently not assigned to any study section. 1/6

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I have submitted 32 R01 grant applications in my career and while some have scored well (top 80%) none have been funded. While I have had challenges obtaining funding, I work every day in improving not only the science of my grants but enhancing the communication of that science. 3/6

Getting funded is not always about the excellence of the research. It takes individuals who do not have a certain scientific pedigree, are from underrepresented backgrounds, or who communicate their science differently, longer to obtain R01 funding. This is well-documented. 4/6

The following post is my opinion and not a reflection of anyone else. I saw that 2 of my grants that were submitted in response to an “At Risk” mechanism were de-assigned from the study sections they were supposed to be reviewed at. They are currently not assigned to any study section. 1/6

I am a New Investigator, meaning I have not received an R01 yet, so qualified for this mechanism. This action will put my ability to fund my research back by more than a year and may lead to me shutting down my lab – which employs multiple people. 2/6

My funding has allowed us to make tools to understand how one specific protein impacts behavioral changes associated with repetitive movements observed in neurodevelopmental disorders.

Roxana Daneshjou, MD, PhD@roxanadaneshjou.bsky.social

To help people understand the importance of NIH, share what you’ve used their funding for (in easily understandable terms). I’ll start: my NIH postdoc funding helped me develop and test AI tools that could identify skin cancer across diverse skin tones.

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Start the new year off right! Make sure you attend this month's Big Ten Neuroscience Seminar Series highlighting research at the Stark Neurosciences Research Institute at Indiana University School of Medicine by @baucumlab.bsky.social and Izabela Facco Caliman on January 27th! Don't miss it it!

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Only 5 days left to apply for the 2025 Medical Neuroscience Undergraduate Summer Research program! Come join us for an incredible neuroscience research experience in the fun city of Indianapolis! medicine.iu.edu/research-cen....

medicine.iu.eduMedical Neuroscience Undergraduate Summer Research | Stark Neurosciences Research Institute | IU School of MedicineIndiana University School of MedicineContact UsFacebookInstagramLinkedInTwitterIndian...

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🧠✨ Calling all curious high school minds! ✨🧠 Join the Brain Bee competition! 🏆 🗓 When: January 25th, 2025 📍 Where: IU Indianapolis and the IU Health Neuroscience Center 📝 Visit the link for details and registration 👉 science.indianapolis.iu.edu/neuroscience... #BrainBee #Neuroscience #STEM

science.indianapolis.iu.eduBrain Bee: Events: About: Neuroscience: Indiana University IndianapolisIU TridentThe Neuroscience Program sponsors the Brain Bee to help advance scientific minds and foster community interest in the sciences.

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