Shelley Batts is a Neuroscience PhD candidate at the University of Michigan. She studies hair cell regeneration in the cochlea, and is just embarking on that quixotic quest called 'thesis.' She lies awake at night pondering how science intersects with politics, culture, policy, money, medicine, and religion in an attempt to be more than just a niche scientist sitting in the oh-so-lovely ivory tower. Follow me and my parrot on the quest to get funded, get a PhD, and stay sane.
Those who dwell, as scientists or laymen, among the beauties and mysteries of the earth, are never alone or weary of life. ~Rachel Carson
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Cochlear Hair Cell Regeneration
Interview With Dr. Irene Pepperberg
On Religion and Taking the 'Red Pill'
Neuroscience of Cocaine Addiction
Parrots Have Object Permanance
November 30, 2007
Category: Stem Cells
Time has a great article about the recent breakthrough in stem cell research (that certain types of skin cells can regain pluripotency)--specifically on whether this so-called resolution to the stem cell debate might help the GOP. Stem cell research has...
Posted by Shelley Batts at 11:46 PM • 7 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
November 29, 2007
Category: Blogging
Worrisome news: A Cairo human rights activist and blogger, Wael Abbas, posted videos of torture by Egyptian police on YouTube. YouTube received some "complaints" about the material and responded by suspending Abbas' account there, citing his material was "inappropriate." One...
Posted by Shelley Batts at 7:59 PM • 11 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Marine Bio
During the Thanksgiving break, a friend of mine took this great photo of a cuttlefish at the New England Aquarium. A few days ago, a really cool website called Digital Cuttlefish was brought to my attention by a comment someone...
Posted by Shelley Batts at 6:40 PM • 8 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
November 28, 2007
Category: Disease
Gene therapy is the isolation of a gene, which is then packaged into a vector for introduction into the body in hopes that it can correct some aspect of genetic disease. Often this "vector" is a type of virus which...
Posted by Shelley Batts at 11:34 AM • 7 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
November 27, 2007
Category: Tastes Like Neuroscience
In a response to a "What are You Thankful For" request by ABC4.com, a rare and interesting neurological case study was described: penetration of the brain by a deer antler. CNN.com also has a video describing the event and the...
Posted by Shelley Batts at 6:06 PM • 15 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Inner Ear Biology
The Scientist has a fastastic illustrated feature on the workings of cochlear hair cells in their current online issue. In addition to pointing out the different cell types in the inner ear, there are a few informative blurbs about mechanotransduction...
Posted by Shelley Batts at 11:07 AM • 2 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
November 26, 2007
Category: Tastes Like Neuroscience
Well I arrived back in Michigan after a deep-fried Thanksgiving in Florida, hope you all had an as opulently greasy and delicious a meal as I did. I have to share a funny anecdote from my drive to the airport...
Posted by Shelley Batts at 8:21 AM • 4 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
November 22, 2007
Category: Holiday Specials
The South is a great place to spend Thanksgiving. There's pecan pie and fried ocra, green-bean casserole, and ham AND a turkey, and lots and lots of gracious hospitality. Except for my parents, my entire extended family lives in the...
Posted by Shelley Batts at 8:54 AM • 14 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
November 21, 2007
Category: Marine Bio
Slaughtering whales for human consumption or for scientific research? Japan hopes you don't ask that question.
Posted by Shelley Batts at 9:06 AM • 10 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: The War on Science
I have a love-hate relationship with Florida. The "hate" part of the equation comes from their shameful treatment of the manatee issue, their conservative Republican politics, their wanton destruction of the Everglades, and now, giving consideration to putting intelligent design...
Posted by Shelley Batts at 12:19 AM • 20 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
November 19, 2007
Category: Blogging
A Wikipedia article is plagarized for profit.
Posted by Shelley Batts at 6:35 PM • 9 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Podcasts
Didn't go to the Society for Neuroscience conference, but still want to know what happened (and in an English accent, no less)? Then check out this new NeuroPod podcast from Nature, where Kerri Smith talks about the highlights from SFN....
Posted by Shelley Batts at 8:49 AM • 0 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
November 18, 2007
Category: Tastes Like Neuroscience
Topographical map of the human brain.
Posted by Shelley Batts at 9:56 AM • 4 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
November 16, 2007
Category: Fun
He might present this at the next meeting: And have you heard about B.E. Smalls? I hear he's made a breakthrough: And I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the eminent Dr. Dre's work (coauthor, Eminem): If you aren't familiar...
Posted by Shelley Batts at 8:46 AM • 4 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
November 15, 2007
Category: US Politics
This trend has continued until the present. Despite the NIH's budget remaining stagnant for years, not even compensating for inflation, Bush has decided to wield the presidential veto against an increase in just $1 billion for the next fiscal...
Posted by Shelley Batts at 8:51 AM • 8 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
November 14, 2007
Category: Truth and Beauty
By Dr. Sonja Pyott Department of Biology and Marine Biology University of North Carolina, Wilmington Wilmington, NC, USA Specimen: Cochlea and Hair Cells Technique: Confocal This confocal microscopy image of the organ of Corti is just stunning. Judges at...
Posted by Shelley Batts at 5:54 PM • 1 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
November 13, 2007
Category: Red Herrings
You make it pink.
Posted by Shelley Batts at 8:43 AM • 11 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
November 12, 2007
Category: Tastes Like Neuroscience
Whoever said that you can't learn anything useful from TV? A technicolor mouse, and skirting the line between art and science.
Posted by Shelley Batts at 9:00 AM • 13 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
November 10, 2007
Category: Marine Bio
Sometimes killing the thing you are studying cannot be avoided.
Posted by Shelley Batts at 8:20 PM • 8 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
November 9, 2007
Category: Academia
The University of Michigan just started a new blog on the topic of how to handle the academic interview. What kinds of questions do you fear, and how should they be handled? How do you prepare for the interview? In...
Posted by Shelley Batts at 5:21 PM • 0 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Tastes Like Neuroscience
Deleting certain olfactory receptors in mice impair their ability to perceive smells which relay 'innate' fear, but not learned fear.
Posted by Shelley Batts at 8:27 AM • 4 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
November 6, 2007
Category: Religion
The New York Times has an interesting piece up about Antony Flew, formerly vocal atheist and revered philosopher, who's been co-oped by the Intelligent Design brigade in his dotage. In 1950, Flew published a discourse on atheism "Theology and Falsification"...
Posted by Shelley Batts at 8:38 AM • 6 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
November 5, 2007
Category: Chemistry
There are a few plants and fungi that rely on extremely offensive odors to attract insects and spread its pollen or spores. These odors, to people, stink like decomposing, rotten meat, but to flies they are highly attractive. The stinkhorn...
Posted by Shelley Batts at 8:45 AM • 6 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
November 4, 2007
Category: Law and Ethics
It is a twisted fanaticism that wholly detracts from the otherwise honorable cause of giving animals as much protection as possible....
Posted by Shelley Batts at 8:59 AM • 17 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
November 2, 2007
Category: Book Reviews
Can an idea be so powerful as to destroy the "knower"?
Posted by Shelley Batts at 8:48 AM • 9 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
November 1, 2007
Category: Birds
Don't parrots dance to any *decent* music?
Posted by Shelley Batts at 10:29 AM • 11 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Behavior
Its been a bad year for animal communication. First Alex the Grey Parrot suddenly dies, now the famous sign-language-using chimp Washoe has also died Tuesday night of the flu. Washoe, who first learned a bit of American Sign Language in...
Posted by Shelley Batts at 8:40 AM • 5 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
