Michael Kasten
@madscientistphd.bsky.social
He/Him. Patch clamp 4lyfe. Applied physionecromancer, electrophysiologist, extraordinaire. Fan of any neuron that repolarizes >800 V/s.
I know the US has a long history of not allowing government employees to be extradited and tried for war crimes by international criminal courts, but I believe that needs to end. Now.
www.npr.org/2025/11/17/g...
www.npr.org/2025/11/17/g...
Justice Department official told prosecutors that U.S. should 'just sink' drug boats
NPR interviews with current and former officials reveal more of the backstory around the military's strikes in the Caribbean.
www.npr.org
November 18, 2025 at 2:07 AM
I know the US has a long history of not allowing government employees to be extradited and tried for war crimes by international criminal courts, but I believe that needs to end. Now.
www.npr.org/2025/11/17/g...
www.npr.org/2025/11/17/g...
Reposted by Michael Kasten
Saw this 10+ year old article posted elsewhere today, and man....feels more relevant today than in 2014.
www.politico.com/magazine/sto...
www.politico.com/magazine/sto...
The Pitchforks Are Coming… For Us Plutocrats
A memo for my fellow filthy rich who live in our gated bubble worlds: Wake up, people. It won’t last.
www.politico.com
October 27, 2025 at 10:06 PM
Saw this 10+ year old article posted elsewhere today, and man....feels more relevant today than in 2014.
www.politico.com/magazine/sto...
www.politico.com/magazine/sto...
Solid C+ effort but mediocre homemade croissants are still pretty damn tasty.
October 26, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Solid C+ effort but mediocre homemade croissants are still pretty damn tasty.
Recognizing that I'm several years behind the curve here, but with Plastics One long gone, what is the go to right now for bipolar stainless steel electrodes, commutators, etc?
October 9, 2025 at 1:41 PM
Recognizing that I'm several years behind the curve here, but with Plastics One long gone, what is the go to right now for bipolar stainless steel electrodes, commutators, etc?
Did you call the Code Red on Secretary Hegseth?
a man in a military uniform is asking " you want answers "
Alt: Jack Nicholson in a few good men asking " you want answers "
media.tenor.com
September 30, 2025 at 3:24 PM
Did you call the Code Red on Secretary Hegseth?
ETTD, competitive golf edition:
September 27, 2025 at 5:28 PM
ETTD, competitive golf edition:
Update^2: Still still here. #fuck #RaptureWatch2025
Update: Still here. #RaptureWatch2025
September 23, 2025 at 9:38 PM
Update^2: Still still here. #fuck #RaptureWatch2025
Update: Still here. #RaptureWatch2025
September 23, 2025 at 11:08 AM
Update: Still here. #RaptureWatch2025
Reposted by Michael Kasten
Thank you!
This is the first for CRISPRa for a neurodevelopmental disorder, as far as I'm aware, but Navneet Matharu (also an author here!) and @nadavahituv.bsky.social used this approach to treat obesity related to Sim1 and and Mc4r: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
This is the first for CRISPRa for a neurodevelopmental disorder, as far as I'm aware, but Navneet Matharu (also an author here!) and @nadavahituv.bsky.social used this approach to treat obesity related to Sim1 and and Mc4r: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
CRISPR-mediated activation of a promoter or enhancer rescues obesity caused by haploinsufficiency
Obesity caused by loss of function of one gene copy can be rescued via CRISPR-mediated activation of the normal copy.
www.science.org
September 17, 2025 at 9:08 PM
Thank you!
This is the first for CRISPRa for a neurodevelopmental disorder, as far as I'm aware, but Navneet Matharu (also an author here!) and @nadavahituv.bsky.social used this approach to treat obesity related to Sim1 and and Mc4r: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
This is the first for CRISPRa for a neurodevelopmental disorder, as far as I'm aware, but Navneet Matharu (also an author here!) and @nadavahituv.bsky.social used this approach to treat obesity related to Sim1 and and Mc4r: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Michael Kasten
SCN2A loss is strongly linked to neurodevelopmental delays and, at times, seizure. In an amazing collaboration with @nadavahituv.bsky.social, led by Serena Tamura, Andrew Nelson, and Perry Spratt, we leveraged CRISPR activator approaches to rescue this loss.
rdcu.be/eGU0W
rdcu.be/eGU0W
CRISPR activation for SCN2A-related neurodevelopmental disorders
Nature - Using SCN2A haploinsufficiency as a proof-of-concept, upregulation of the existing functional gene copy through CRISPR activation was able to rescue neurological-associated phenotypes in...
rdcu.be
September 17, 2025 at 6:27 PM
SCN2A loss is strongly linked to neurodevelopmental delays and, at times, seizure. In an amazing collaboration with @nadavahituv.bsky.social, led by Serena Tamura, Andrew Nelson, and Perry Spratt, we leveraged CRISPR activator approaches to rescue this loss.
rdcu.be/eGU0W
rdcu.be/eGU0W
All I can think of with this article is Trump acting out this GIF: www.nytimes.com/2025/09/05/u...
a man is standing in front of a shelf full of movies including deep cover
Alt: an idiot standing in front of a shelf full of movies saying "OOOOOH!! Navy SEALS!!"
media.tenor.com
September 5, 2025 at 1:26 PM
All I can think of with this article is Trump acting out this GIF: www.nytimes.com/2025/09/05/u...
Is it wrong to wonder what in the Four Seasons Total Landscaping actually happened here??
August 31, 2025 at 9:05 PM
Is it wrong to wonder what in the Four Seasons Total Landscaping actually happened here??
I have never in my life seen so many agnostics and atheists doing exactly that.
August 30, 2025 at 12:15 PM
I have never in my life seen so many agnostics and atheists doing exactly that.
What someone says: “At my job, I use AI for tasks like….”
What I hear: “I didn’t want to work so I just used Clippy to…..”
What I hear: “I didn’t want to work so I just used Clippy to…..”
a paper clip with googly eyes is sitting on top of a piece of paper
Alt: Microsoft’s Clippy doing your mundane task
media.tenor.com
August 26, 2025 at 12:20 PM
What someone says: “At my job, I use AI for tasks like….”
What I hear: “I didn’t want to work so I just used Clippy to…..”
What I hear: “I didn’t want to work so I just used Clippy to…..”
Reposted by Michael Kasten
we have a new manuscript out! 🧵Lead by @sarayconley.bsky.social with significant contributions by @sarahsizer.bsky.social @madiganbedard.bsky.social and Sara Faccidomo and Clyde Hodge. We describe a tonic excitatory conductance in the BNST! link.springer.com/epdf/10.1007...
Glutamate delta-1 receptors regulate a tonic excitatory conductance in the mouse bed nucleus of the stria terminalis and influence neuronal function
link.springer.com
August 22, 2025 at 12:38 AM
we have a new manuscript out! 🧵Lead by @sarayconley.bsky.social with significant contributions by @sarahsizer.bsky.social @madiganbedard.bsky.social and Sara Faccidomo and Clyde Hodge. We describe a tonic excitatory conductance in the BNST! link.springer.com/epdf/10.1007...
"The shrimp contains Cesium-137"
Homer:
"That's bad"
time.com/7310679/fda-...
Homer:
"That's bad"
time.com/7310679/fda-...
a cartoon character says " that 's bad " in a dark room
Alt: Simpson's cartoon character says " that 's bad " in a dark room
media.tenor.com
August 19, 2025 at 6:19 PM
"The shrimp contains Cesium-137"
Homer:
"That's bad"
time.com/7310679/fda-...
Homer:
"That's bad"
time.com/7310679/fda-...
2025 me.
Man Who Thought He'd Lost All Hope Loses Last Additional Bit Of Hope He Didn't Even Know He Still Had theonion.com/man-who...
August 8, 2025 at 5:06 PM
2025 me.
Stupid? Sure, but it's still a better idea than increasing coal production.
www.politico.com/news/2025/08...
www.politico.com/news/2025/08...
Duffy to announce nuclear reactor on the moon
This is the first major agency effort by the interim NASA administrator, who is also the Transportation secretary and a former Fox News host.
www.politico.com
August 4, 2025 at 9:25 PM
Stupid? Sure, but it's still a better idea than increasing coal production.
www.politico.com/news/2025/08...
www.politico.com/news/2025/08...
Reposted by Michael Kasten
I guess she’d aged out. But still seems to fit a certain pattern.
August 3, 2025 at 8:45 PM
I guess she’d aged out. But still seems to fit a certain pattern.
WTAF.
NEW
The White House is blocking the NIH from awarding new research grants for the rest of the fiscal year
Chokes off billions in research funding
Gift link www.wsj.com/politics/pol... with @nidhisubs.bsky.social
The White House is blocking the NIH from awarding new research grants for the rest of the fiscal year
Chokes off billions in research funding
Gift link www.wsj.com/politics/pol... with @nidhisubs.bsky.social
Trump Administration Puts New Chokehold on Billions in Health-Research Funding
The National Institutes of Health can’t award grants to outside researchers under a new White House restriction.
www.wsj.com
July 30, 2025 at 12:27 AM
WTAF.
Reposted by Michael Kasten
A major NIH grant to study ways to restore hearing was terminated by the Trump administration bc it was awarded through a DEI initiative—to a researcher who qualified bc of his own hearing loss www.cnn.com/2025/07/29/h... @manorlaboratory.bsky.social
July 29, 2025 at 12:45 PM
A major NIH grant to study ways to restore hearing was terminated by the Trump administration bc it was awarded through a DEI initiative—to a researcher who qualified bc of his own hearing loss www.cnn.com/2025/07/29/h... @manorlaboratory.bsky.social
I find it absolutely infuriating that this moron is in charge of $$$. That he can get on TV and make outrageously false claims like “NIH funded the gain of function research that caused pandemic” without a hint of pushback???
BRENNAN: Are you going to release the cancer research funding?
RUSS VOUGHT: We're gonna continue to go through the same process that we have gone through with regard to the Dept of Education & we will release that funding when we are done
BRENNAN: The WH budget does call for a $18b cut to NIH
RUSS VOUGHT: We're gonna continue to go through the same process that we have gone through with regard to the Dept of Education & we will release that funding when we are done
BRENNAN: The WH budget does call for a $18b cut to NIH
July 28, 2025 at 12:49 PM
I find it absolutely infuriating that this moron is in charge of $$$. That he can get on TV and make outrageously false claims like “NIH funded the gain of function research that caused pandemic” without a hint of pushback???
UNC people know what Friday means..
a cartoon of homer simpson sitting in a theater holding a box of nachos
Alt: a cartoon of homer simpson sitting in a stadium seat singing “nacho nacho man!”
media.tenor.com
July 25, 2025 at 4:13 PM
UNC people know what Friday means..