Lin Tian, PhD
@lintianphd.bsky.social
Scientific Director at MPFI | Developing optical & molecular tools for 🧠 research & 💊 discovery | Baseball mom, swim mom & dog mom
Thanks to @nature.com for featuring our work in this piece on genetically-encoded sensors.
The article does a great job highlighting their importance for both basic research and translational impact, such as in our lab's research on serotonin.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
The article does a great job highlighting their importance for both basic research and translational impact, such as in our lab's research on serotonin.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
How genetically encoded sensors have lit up neuroscience
Tools that track specific molecules in neurons have enabled researchers to probe previously unexplored aspects of neurobiology — although important caveats remain.
www.nature.com
November 21, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Thanks to @nature.com for featuring our work in this piece on genetically-encoded sensors.
The article does a great job highlighting their importance for both basic research and translational impact, such as in our lab's research on serotonin.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
The article does a great job highlighting their importance for both basic research and translational impact, such as in our lab's research on serotonin.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
How has the way we study neural coding and dynamics changed?
At the recent @lakeconferences.bsky.social hosted by @alleninstitute.org I was able to share ideas and research with others working toward new experimental & computational methods for studying these dynamic systems over time.
At the recent @lakeconferences.bsky.social hosted by @alleninstitute.org I was able to share ideas and research with others working toward new experimental & computational methods for studying these dynamic systems over time.
October 21, 2025 at 6:02 PM
How has the way we study neural coding and dynamics changed?
At the recent @lakeconferences.bsky.social hosted by @alleninstitute.org I was able to share ideas and research with others working toward new experimental & computational methods for studying these dynamic systems over time.
At the recent @lakeconferences.bsky.social hosted by @alleninstitute.org I was able to share ideas and research with others working toward new experimental & computational methods for studying these dynamic systems over time.
This week is the 16th Annual National Postdoc Appreciation Week, and we couldn't be prouder of our postdocs in the Tian Lab! ✨
Our postdocs drive forward research, plan and lead projects, mentor students, present and publish work, and much more. I am grateful for you every day!
#NPAW2025
Our postdocs drive forward research, plan and lead projects, mentor students, present and publish work, and much more. I am grateful for you every day!
#NPAW2025
September 18, 2025 at 9:19 PM
This week is the 16th Annual National Postdoc Appreciation Week, and we couldn't be prouder of our postdocs in the Tian Lab! ✨
Our postdocs drive forward research, plan and lead projects, mentor students, present and publish work, and much more. I am grateful for you every day!
#NPAW2025
Our postdocs drive forward research, plan and lead projects, mentor students, present and publish work, and much more. I am grateful for you every day!
#NPAW2025
Reposted by Lin Tian, PhD
Thinking about attending Sunposium 2026? The early bird registration deadline is September 19th. Curious what makes this conference so special? Our video will give you a glimpse: buff.ly/2FuGjgO Join us March 9–11, 2026, in sunny South Florida. Find more information at buff.ly/zn5aS2b
Sunposium 2026
This is "Sunposium 2026" by Max Planck Florida on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.
buff.ly
September 8, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Thinking about attending Sunposium 2026? The early bird registration deadline is September 19th. Curious what makes this conference so special? Our video will give you a glimpse: buff.ly/2FuGjgO Join us March 9–11, 2026, in sunny South Florida. Find more information at buff.ly/zn5aS2b
The brain has complex dynamics that give rise to a range of states & behaviors.
🤔 How do we study this complex system?
In my lab’s work, we design and optimize biosensors to measure brain activity at the molecular level.
🤔 How do we study this complex system?
In my lab’s work, we design and optimize biosensors to measure brain activity at the molecular level.
August 25, 2025 at 2:50 PM
The brain has complex dynamics that give rise to a range of states & behaviors.
🤔 How do we study this complex system?
In my lab’s work, we design and optimize biosensors to measure brain activity at the molecular level.
🤔 How do we study this complex system?
In my lab’s work, we design and optimize biosensors to measure brain activity at the molecular level.
I attended the first ever Neurobiology of Psychedelics GRC last month.
I was impressed by how interdisciplinary the field is, from molecules to humans. We are just starting to understand the mechanisms of these drugs and how they can unlock future treatments. #GRCPsychedelics
I was impressed by how interdisciplinary the field is, from molecules to humans. We are just starting to understand the mechanisms of these drugs and how they can unlock future treatments. #GRCPsychedelics
August 7, 2025 at 3:23 PM
I attended the first ever Neurobiology of Psychedelics GRC last month.
I was impressed by how interdisciplinary the field is, from molecules to humans. We are just starting to understand the mechanisms of these drugs and how they can unlock future treatments. #GRCPsychedelics
I was impressed by how interdisciplinary the field is, from molecules to humans. We are just starting to understand the mechanisms of these drugs and how they can unlock future treatments. #GRCPsychedelics
Congratulations to our three wonderful interns who joined us in the Tian Lab this summer, working on optimizing our PsychLight methodology to screen for potentially therapeutic compounds with similar mechanisms to psychedelics.
www.mpfi.org/high-school-...
www.mpfi.org/high-school-...
August 5, 2025 at 6:47 PM
Congratulations to our three wonderful interns who joined us in the Tian Lab this summer, working on optimizing our PsychLight methodology to screen for potentially therapeutic compounds with similar mechanisms to psychedelics.
www.mpfi.org/high-school-...
www.mpfi.org/high-school-...
The Tian Lab looks forward to welcoming high school students each year as a part of @mpfneuro.bsky.social's summer internship program!
We’re thrilled to have Olivia & Nicole join us this summer and to be part of their journey as they explore what a future in neuroscience can look like.
We’re thrilled to have Olivia & Nicole join us this summer and to be part of their journey as they explore what a future in neuroscience can look like.
Meet MPFI's 2025 High School Internship cohort! These seven talented students have been working alongside our researchers this summer on projects in neuroscience, programming, or mechanical engineering. Read more about these talented students in our latest blog post: mpfi.org/welcome-2025...
Welcome 2025 High School Interns! – Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience
The Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience (MPFI) proudly announces its 2025 High School Summer Internship Program participants. This select group of rising stars are spending six immersive…
mpfi.org
July 17, 2025 at 6:13 PM
The Tian Lab looks forward to welcoming high school students each year as a part of @mpfneuro.bsky.social's summer internship program!
We’re thrilled to have Olivia & Nicole join us this summer and to be part of their journey as they explore what a future in neuroscience can look like.
We’re thrilled to have Olivia & Nicole join us this summer and to be part of their journey as they explore what a future in neuroscience can look like.
I recently spoke about my lab's newest sensors at @embl.org's European Light Microscopy Initiative meeting 🔦 🧠
Sharing progress with the community is key to moving science forward, which is why these sensors, and all our tools, are open source ➡️ www.lintianlab.org/research#tools
Sharing progress with the community is key to moving science forward, which is why these sensors, and all our tools, are open source ➡️ www.lintianlab.org/research#tools
July 10, 2025 at 7:05 PM
I recently spoke about my lab's newest sensors at @embl.org's European Light Microscopy Initiative meeting 🔦 🧠
Sharing progress with the community is key to moving science forward, which is why these sensors, and all our tools, are open source ➡️ www.lintianlab.org/research#tools
Sharing progress with the community is key to moving science forward, which is why these sensors, and all our tools, are open source ➡️ www.lintianlab.org/research#tools
What a joy to celebrate Nikki, Yihan & Kiran at @ucdavis.bsky.social commencement 🎓
As Chancellor May said, the world needs minds like yours more than ever & I’m so excited to see the impact you’ll make in the years ahead.
Congratulations on this incredible milestone!
As Chancellor May said, the world needs minds like yours more than ever & I’m so excited to see the impact you’ll make in the years ahead.
Congratulations on this incredible milestone!
June 18, 2025 at 7:39 PM
What a joy to celebrate Nikki, Yihan & Kiran at @ucdavis.bsky.social commencement 🎓
As Chancellor May said, the world needs minds like yours more than ever & I’m so excited to see the impact you’ll make in the years ahead.
Congratulations on this incredible milestone!
As Chancellor May said, the world needs minds like yours more than ever & I’m so excited to see the impact you’ll make in the years ahead.
Congratulations on this incredible milestone!
Reposted by Lin Tian, PhD
📆 Mark your calendars: #OptoGRC2026 is headed back to Tuscany, May 10-15, 2026!
We look forward to reuniting with our amazing community for a week of great science, thoughtful discussions & shared time with colleagues.
More details coming soon👇🏽
tinyurl.com/esvrabsu
We look forward to reuniting with our amazing community for a week of great science, thoughtful discussions & shared time with colleagues.
More details coming soon👇🏽
tinyurl.com/esvrabsu
May 23, 2025 at 8:05 PM
📆 Mark your calendars: #OptoGRC2026 is headed back to Tuscany, May 10-15, 2026!
We look forward to reuniting with our amazing community for a week of great science, thoughtful discussions & shared time with colleagues.
More details coming soon👇🏽
tinyurl.com/esvrabsu
We look forward to reuniting with our amazing community for a week of great science, thoughtful discussions & shared time with colleagues.
More details coming soon👇🏽
tinyurl.com/esvrabsu
Reposted by Lin Tian, PhD
Our next #InterfaceNeuroGT session highlighted cutting-edge techniques for measuring and manipulating sensorimotor and cognitive behavior — across species and across scales.
Sponsored by McCamish Parkinson's Disease Innovation Program and chaired by @drannabellesinger.bsky.social.
Sponsored by McCamish Parkinson's Disease Innovation Program and chaired by @drannabellesinger.bsky.social.
May 8, 2025 at 7:34 PM
Our next #InterfaceNeuroGT session highlighted cutting-edge techniques for measuring and manipulating sensorimotor and cognitive behavior — across species and across scales.
Sponsored by McCamish Parkinson's Disease Innovation Program and chaired by @drannabellesinger.bsky.social.
Sponsored by McCamish Parkinson's Disease Innovation Program and chaired by @drannabellesinger.bsky.social.
Reposted by Lin Tian, PhD
Know an exceptional early-career independent scientist? Nominate them for the Peter Gruss Young Investigator Award, honoring outstanding contributions to the scientific community through collaboration, creativity, and curiosity-driven research. Please share! mpfi.org/pgyia
May 8, 2025 at 3:17 PM
Know an exceptional early-career independent scientist? Nominate them for the Peter Gruss Young Investigator Award, honoring outstanding contributions to the scientific community through collaboration, creativity, and curiosity-driven research. Please share! mpfi.org/pgyia
Reposted by Lin Tian, PhD
It's #MentalHealthAwareness Month. At MPFI, Dr. Lin Tian's team is uncovering changes in brain signaling in conditions like depression by developing tools to visualize neurotransmitters in real-time. This work brings us closer to improved treatment of mental health challenges. buff.ly/LguhgQU
May 2, 2025 at 12:52 PM
It's #MentalHealthAwareness Month. At MPFI, Dr. Lin Tian's team is uncovering changes in brain signaling in conditions like depression by developing tools to visualize neurotransmitters in real-time. This work brings us closer to improved treatment of mental health challenges. buff.ly/LguhgQU
The new @maxplanck.de Postdoc Program platform is now open for its first ever round of applications!
If you're looking for a new research opportunity, check out the full list of open positions👇🏽
postdocprogram.mpg.de/node/3
If you're looking for a new research opportunity, check out the full list of open positions👇🏽
postdocprogram.mpg.de/node/3
April 28, 2025 at 4:16 PM
The new @maxplanck.de Postdoc Program platform is now open for its first ever round of applications!
If you're looking for a new research opportunity, check out the full list of open positions👇🏽
postdocprogram.mpg.de/node/3
If you're looking for a new research opportunity, check out the full list of open positions👇🏽
postdocprogram.mpg.de/node/3
Last week was #GradStudentAppreciationWeek – a chance to celebrate and thank the incredible Tian Lab students who move our science forward 🧑🏽🔬👩🏻🔬
Your creativity, focus & determination in the face of big questions inspire me every day, and I am so grateful to learn alongside you.
Your creativity, focus & determination in the face of big questions inspire me every day, and I am so grateful to learn alongside you.
April 16, 2025 at 7:17 PM
Last week was #GradStudentAppreciationWeek – a chance to celebrate and thank the incredible Tian Lab students who move our science forward 🧑🏽🔬👩🏻🔬
Your creativity, focus & determination in the face of big questions inspire me every day, and I am so grateful to learn alongside you.
Your creativity, focus & determination in the face of big questions inspire me every day, and I am so grateful to learn alongside you.
Reposted by Lin Tian, PhD
A warm welcome to all of the students, faculty and sponsors who have traveled from around the world to join us at the 2025 Advanced Neurotechniques Course! We couldn't imagine a more exciting way to kick off the course than with a fantastic keynote lecture from Nobel laureate Stefan Hell!
April 14, 2025 at 8:38 PM
A warm welcome to all of the students, faculty and sponsors who have traveled from around the world to join us at the 2025 Advanced Neurotechniques Course! We couldn't imagine a more exciting way to kick off the course than with a fantastic keynote lecture from Nobel laureate Stefan Hell!
On Monday, @patrick-cramer.maxplanck.de, President of @maxplanck.de, shared a powerful message at @germanyinusa.bsky.social about the importance of partnership between the USA and Germany — built on our shared core values of excellence, integrity, openness, and freedom 🇺🇸🇩🇪
April 10, 2025 at 7:56 PM
On Monday, @patrick-cramer.maxplanck.de, President of @maxplanck.de, shared a powerful message at @germanyinusa.bsky.social about the importance of partnership between the USA and Germany — built on our shared core values of excellence, integrity, openness, and freedom 🇺🇸🇩🇪
Proud to have had our Senior Research Scientist, Kwun Nok Mimi Man, represent the Tian Lab at #CSNeuroMet2025 in Shenzhen!
She presented our new FLIM sensor—compatible with both fluorescence and lifetime imaging, enabling deeper, more versatile measurements of dopamine dynamics in vivo 💡 🧠
She presented our new FLIM sensor—compatible with both fluorescence and lifetime imaging, enabling deeper, more versatile measurements of dopamine dynamics in vivo 💡 🧠
April 9, 2025 at 6:44 PM
Proud to have had our Senior Research Scientist, Kwun Nok Mimi Man, represent the Tian Lab at #CSNeuroMet2025 in Shenzhen!
She presented our new FLIM sensor—compatible with both fluorescence and lifetime imaging, enabling deeper, more versatile measurements of dopamine dynamics in vivo 💡 🧠
She presented our new FLIM sensor—compatible with both fluorescence and lifetime imaging, enabling deeper, more versatile measurements of dopamine dynamics in vivo 💡 🧠
Since we began tracking in 2023, we've shipped over 170 biosensor samples to research teams across 4 continents!
#OpenScience is a core value of the Tian Lab & we're proud to contribute by making our tools globally accessible 🌎🔬
🔗 Requests: lintianlab.org/research#tools
#OpenScience is a core value of the Tian Lab & we're proud to contribute by making our tools globally accessible 🌎🔬
🔗 Requests: lintianlab.org/research#tools
April 7, 2025 at 8:16 PM
Since we began tracking in 2023, we've shipped over 170 biosensor samples to research teams across 4 continents!
#OpenScience is a core value of the Tian Lab & we're proud to contribute by making our tools globally accessible 🌎🔬
🔗 Requests: lintianlab.org/research#tools
#OpenScience is a core value of the Tian Lab & we're proud to contribute by making our tools globally accessible 🌎🔬
🔗 Requests: lintianlab.org/research#tools
Reposted by Lin Tian, PhD
If you are at @cellpress.bsky.social “Neurometabolism in health and disease”, don’t miss hearing about a new red-shifted dopamine sensor compatible with both fluorescence and lifetime measurements developed by Kwun Nok Mimi Man from @lintianphd.bsky.social lab! Poster P.38, 1:30 – 3:30 Tuesday.
April 7, 2025 at 3:30 PM
If you are at @cellpress.bsky.social “Neurometabolism in health and disease”, don’t miss hearing about a new red-shifted dopamine sensor compatible with both fluorescence and lifetime measurements developed by Kwun Nok Mimi Man from @lintianphd.bsky.social lab! Poster P.38, 1:30 – 3:30 Tuesday.
Thank you to @thetransmitter.bsky.social for highlighting some of the latest breakthroughs in photometry!
As these systems continue to improve, the technology becomes more efficient, affordable & accessible, and unlocks the potential for new discoveries about the human brain 🧠
As these systems continue to improve, the technology becomes more efficient, affordable & accessible, and unlocks the potential for new discoveries about the human brain 🧠
A new photometry tool tracks fast and slow changes in dopamine levels and offers new insights into how the signals change across the brain.
By @sydneywyatt.bsky.social
www.thetransmitter.org/methods/besp...
By @sydneywyatt.bsky.social
www.thetransmitter.org/methods/besp...
Bespoke photometry system captures variety of dopamine signals in mice
The tool tracks the excitation of an engineered protein that senses dopamine’s absolute levels, including fast and slow fluctuations in real time, and offers new insights into how the signals change…
www.thetransmitter.org
April 3, 2025 at 4:31 PM
Thank you to @thetransmitter.bsky.social for highlighting some of the latest breakthroughs in photometry!
As these systems continue to improve, the technology becomes more efficient, affordable & accessible, and unlocks the potential for new discoveries about the human brain 🧠
As these systems continue to improve, the technology becomes more efficient, affordable & accessible, and unlocks the potential for new discoveries about the human brain 🧠
Reposted by Lin Tian, PhD
Did you catch our CEO and Scientific Director, Dr. David Fitzpatrick, on South Florida PBS's (@southfloridapbs.bsky.social ) "On the Town in the Palm Beaches" with Frank Licari? Check out the interview to learn more about MPFI's work! ➡️ to.pbs.org/4leYRm1
(Dr. Fitzpatrick's segment starts at 11:00)
(Dr. Fitzpatrick's segment starts at 11:00)
On the Town in The Palm Beaches with Frank Licari | Working in the Palm Beaches | Season 8 | Episode 3
Visit the booming workforce of the Palm Beaches.
to.pbs.org
April 2, 2025 at 3:31 PM
Did you catch our CEO and Scientific Director, Dr. David Fitzpatrick, on South Florida PBS's (@southfloridapbs.bsky.social ) "On the Town in the Palm Beaches" with Frank Licari? Check out the interview to learn more about MPFI's work! ➡️ to.pbs.org/4leYRm1
(Dr. Fitzpatrick's segment starts at 11:00)
(Dr. Fitzpatrick's segment starts at 11:00)
Excited to join this incredible lineup on April 2 to discuss how the Brain Coast Alliance is working to advance brain health right here in South Florida 🧠🌴
Looking forward to sharing our progress & discussing @mpfneuro.bsky.social's role in driving innovation!
Register: tinyurl.com/24jfa3wf
Looking forward to sharing our progress & discussing @mpfneuro.bsky.social's role in driving innovation!
Register: tinyurl.com/24jfa3wf
March 21, 2025 at 7:55 PM
Excited to join this incredible lineup on April 2 to discuss how the Brain Coast Alliance is working to advance brain health right here in South Florida 🧠🌴
Looking forward to sharing our progress & discussing @mpfneuro.bsky.social's role in driving innovation!
Register: tinyurl.com/24jfa3wf
Looking forward to sharing our progress & discussing @mpfneuro.bsky.social's role in driving innovation!
Register: tinyurl.com/24jfa3wf