Life in the Lab

We recently published two reviews on computational neuroethology – the first a quick recap of the Markowitz et al paper found here https://www.nature.com/articles/s41386-019-0493-6 and the second an update on the current state of computational ethology, written with our colleagues David Anderson, Pietro Perona, Kristin Branson and Andy Leifer found here https://www.cell.com/neuron/fulltext/S0896-6273(19)30841-4?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS0896627319308414%3Fshowall%3Dtrue

 

We had a great time celebrating 2019 at our annual Holiday party….a little dinner, some drinking with the Stevens and Sabatini lab, and a recounting of experiments (as always, some successes, some failures, and much learned from both). Plus, special guests – Ralph and Kristin came back to say hello 🙂 Our best for a terrific 2020 to all!

Our best to all for a great 2020!

Congratulations to the most recently minted PhD from the Datta lab, Maria Lissistnya Bloom PhD. Masha beautifully defended her thesis on the ontogeny of a specialized set of olfactory sensory neurons – a gorgeous bit of cell biology that represents the very first look at how the necklace olfactory system renews itself across the lifespan of an animal. Extraordinarily proud of all that she has accomplished, and looking forward to all the science she will do in the future!

Slater and Tatsuya did a terrific job describing recent work in the lab on circuits for sensation, with lots of great feedback from the department. Always fun to share progress!

We celebrated the annual festival of lights with lots of Indian food, plenty of beer, and – most importantly – a viewing of the Bollywood classic Don. No, not the lame Shah Rukh Khan version, the awesome 1978 Amitabh Bachhan version, and yes, it holds up!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVV095alBZk

The Datta lab (led by Caleb Weinreb, who, truth be told is an honest-to-god sculptor) made an amazing pumpkin for the annual departmental carving contest – Bob as The Thinker. Gates of Hell indeed!

Also, for a look at Bob’s favorite Halloween thing ever, check this out – https://youtu.be/q2rjEUpmzow

 

 

 

Our beloved technician Ralph Peterson is leaving us to go to graduate school at NYU in neuroscience. He already left the lab once, and came back, but this time we think he means it and that makes us sad because he is amazing! We wish him the absolute best of luck in school – here we are hoisting a beer at the A4Cade to celebrate his time in the lab. Stay in touch, Ralphie – we can’t wait to hear about your science!

Bob and Ralph jamming out one last time 🙁

Curious about MoSeq, and want to understand a little bit more about how it works, what is can (and cannot) do, and what we are doing about it? Bob has recently written a review for BMC Biology (found here) on exactly that – we hope it is useful!

Happy Birthday to all, and a big congrats to Rockwell (a joint student between the Datta and Hoekstra labs) on passing his PQE!