Today Priya Rajasethupathy and colleagues @RockefellerUniv published a truly groundbreaking paper that changes how we think about memory https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(20)31152-1
Let me break it down for you [thread] 1/n

She tested the learning and memory ability of 200 different mouse strains. Some mice were smart, others not so much. She found a genetic locus called Smart1 that accounted for 17% of the genetic variation in smartness. That's a big number for those of you wondering 2/n

So what is the gene at Smart1 that makes the smart mice smart? An orphan G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) called Gpr12! This is cool because GPCRs are signaling molecules, suggesting that there might be a smart-i-fication substance in our brains that activates Gpr12. 3/n

Next question: where is Gpr12 expressed? How about one of those conventional areas of the brain that does memory? WRONG!! Let's just say 'thalamus' is the next big thing. 4/n

Want to get involved in this? https://www.rajasethupathylab.com/ 
Priya is actively recruiting postdocs who are driven to understand memory, cognition, and behavior by working at the intersection of functional genomics and systems neuroscience. She encourages women & URMs to apply 5/end

@OdedRechavi re-tweeted this [*Swoon*]
Maybe @MCHammer will also find it cool