Daniel Gonzales
• Asst. Professor @ Vanderbilt BME
• HHMI Hanna Gray Fellow
• Neurotechnology & BMIs
• Technically a physicist
• Husband • Dad • BBQ • Texan • he/him
gonzales.science
- When reviewing PhD applications this cycle, I made small notes of things that stood out to me. Both good and bad. I think it could be helpful to those considering applying this Fall. gonzales.science/resource-blo...
- We snagged two GRFPs and one honorable mention this cycle. Super proud of the lab and the great quality we’re able to recruit! gonzales.science/lab-news/apr...
- Feeling thankful, but also saddened by the cuts to this program. The number of awards were reduced by half. It’s a shame to see such a special program that funds highly talented scientists be cut
- The lab has had a hell of a month and I’m excited for some upcoming announcements… …but for now please enjoy these pics as we move step-by-step towards simultaneous ephys and two-photon imaging with our flexible & semi transparent electrodes
- The shadow in the bottom left of these pics is the ribbon of our flexible probes. The array is inserted and spans about 1 mm. Here we’re imaging at z = 200um
- So as of this week it appears the lab is now in the NHP ephys game Recorded with thin film flexible electrodes
- i want to neuropixels these things
- Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether they could, they didn't stop to think if they should www.theguardian.com/science/2025...
- There’s been some talk on here about communicating more with undergrads about science funding, policies, outlook etc. I admit I was skeptical there would be interest. I polled my course. 70% were interested in having a discussion. The other 30% were “maybe interested.” 0% were not interested.
- We set aside 20min in class for a Q&A on funding a lab, federal funding, IDCs, and ongoing policy shifts. Was definitely not enough time. Such great and insightful questions Probably could have taken the whole class Anyway. 10/10 would recommend
- Reposted by Daniel GonzalesThis new Atlantic piece on the timeline of the NIH shutdown reads like the script to a new Soderbergh film. It is so, so dark and perfectly captures the evil and intentional chaos behind everything we've experienced over the last month www.theatlantic.com/health/archi...
- More bad news
- Microsoft is inventing new forms of matter for quantum computing before making Outlook or Teams usable without feeling the pain of a thousand suns
- Awesome thread and be prepared for a rollercoaster of emotions
- Nice to see McKnight digging in when others are stepping back
- Reposted by Daniel GonzalesTeaching citizens about science 🤝 Teaching students about being a citizen
- Reposted by Daniel GonzalesI just covered this for @thetransmitter.bsky.social — will keep following! www.thetransmitter.org/funding/fede...
- Reposted by Daniel GonzalesNIH meetings are still not being announced in the federal register, so nearly all study sections and councils after this week are not going to happen. This is basically a freeze on funding new grants...
- 2018 vs 2025. This dude has been coming to lab with me since he was in diapers 😭
- We’re official doing two photon imaging (and chronic too!). So much work to do but all of these firsts are special
- This was supposed to be a gif/video
- Reposted by Daniel Gonzalesalso this same org has this super useful infographic, breaking down the difference between direct and indirect (also called Facilities and Administration) costs and what F&A costs can and cannot be used for at a research university or institute
- Reposted by Daniel GonzalesThis week's sensorimotor superlab reading list is out @andpru.bsky.social @diedrichsenjorn.bsky.social @paulgribble.bsky.social #neuroskyence #psychscisky #Sensorimotor superlab.ca/posts/2025-02-07-li…
- Reposted by Daniel GonzalesDear biologists & neuroscientists -- I'd like to collect some cursory data on what the "typical" breakdown of funding between federal & private looks like in labs. If you run a research lab or know enough about yours, could you fill this small form out? forms.gle/PEzWEYojBjfj...
- Reposted by Daniel GonzalesAre you an HHMI-funded researcher affected by the cancellation today of IC3 (Inclusive Excellence 3)? Find me at mwadman@aaas.org or on Signal: meredithwadman.13
- This is so embarrassing
- Reposted by Daniel GonzalesSensory inputs trigger a fast-traveling wave, followed by a slower wave carrying top-down info (value/choice). The late wave reactivates ensembles in superficial cortical layers. Touch-evoked traveling waves establish a translaminar spacetime code www.science.org/doi/full/10.... #neuroscience
- Reposted by Daniel GonzalesWell, would you look at that - travelling waves in cortex have the ingredients necessary to do credit assignment via the apical dendrites of L5 neurons! 😎 #neuroscience 🧪
- Sensory inputs trigger a fast-traveling wave, followed by a slower wave carrying top-down info (value/choice). The late wave reactivates ensembles in superficial cortical layers. Touch-evoked traveling waves establish a translaminar spacetime code www.science.org/doi/full/10.... #neuroscience
- New blog post. Thoughts on this first year of being a new PI gonzales.science/resource-blo...
- Cameo appearance by @neuroamyo.bsky.social and Ira Glass
- Is there a way to speed this up
- Reposted by Daniel Gonzales1/19 I’m thrilled that my postdoctoral work, with John Widloski and David Foster is now out in @science.org, along with a wonderful preview by Daniel Bendor!
- Really proud to see my postdoc work out!! We used flexible, semi-transparent NeuroGrids to record traveling waves while simultaneously mapping cellular and subcellular dynamics with two-photon imaging www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
- We had a fantastic team of scientists on this project and it was a pleasure to work with them. A huge thanks to @kjayant.bsky.social and his ongoing support of my career
- This work would absolutely not have been possible without federal funding from the NIH and AFOSR
- Reposted by Daniel GonzalesPerfection
- Unreal day to be submitting my first R01 lol
- Reposted by Daniel GonzalesAmidst the chaos (and not unrelated), I wrote a sequel to my posts from the last 2 years since they seemed to resonate with people: Thoughts after 3 years as a PI www.brains-explained.com/thoughts-aft...
- Stressed about the uncertainty at the NIH? Have a cigarette.
- Ah yes exactly what the world needs a faculty needing in 1 min long increments
- Reposted by Daniel GonzalesME: wanna hear a joke BSKY REPLY PERSON: a what
- The stages of grant writing
- Puts me in the mood to fire up the smoker (chicken wings maybe?) and drink some whiskey this evening
- Fielding good ice breaker questions for the start of my course tomorrow Last semester we did “if you were a potato how would you like to be prepared for a meal and why” Taking new suggestions
- The most memorable answer to the potato question was vodka
- I regret to inform you I did not get my life together* over the weekend like I thought I would *finish my syllabus
- I’ve put a lot of thought into it. As a husband, dad, researcher, new professor…my New Year’s resolution is to eat more tacos
- God bless
- Coming up on a full week of family visiting our house and they don’t realize how dangerously close I am to pulling up a powerpoint and specifics aims page the next time they ask about my job
