Colorado and Washington have options…

This report in SCIENCE provides evidence that the steroid precursor pregnelone can act to prevent marijuana intoxication. Interestingly there appears to be a feedback loop, THC-mediated activation of the CB-1 Receptor results in an increase in pregnelone synthesis which subsequently can inhibit CB-1.

The authors suggest pregnelone as a possible treatment for marijuana “intoxication and addiction”.

Electing more scientists to office…

A great piece from Pacific Standard, here.  Money quote:

The backers of Franklin’s List are trying to get science literacy back into American politics by recruiting, training, and sponsoring actual professionals from the STEM fields—science, technology, engineering, and mathematics—to run for office. Franklin’s List is modeled on another political action committee, Emily’s List

A good idea to start 2014 I think…

2013 retrospective and thinking about 2014

On the whole, 2013 was not as disastrous for science as I had feared. Both here at the Krasnow Institute and nationally, the worst effects of the federal budget debacle seem to have been managed or at least ameliorated. Our students continue to make us proud with their scholarship. Our faculty continue to make really substantive contributions to their fields, and our staff make it possible for all of that to happen. So I thank everyone.

Looking forward, in the coming months we will begin implementing our Institute-wide strategic plan. This includes plans for seriously stepping up our research funding in some pretty novel ways, making the case to our donors for funding Phase III of the Krasnow facility and introducing a new emphasis of the Institute: the intersection of science and art, within the global context of human and animal cognition. So big plans ahead, time to execute.

I wish all of the loyal readers of Advanced Study a very happy and prosperous 2014.

Intramural NIH not so hot anymore…

Latest survey of federal workplaces is here. My former employer, the NIH, took a nasty dive this time. NSF went up and NASA is at the top of the heap.

I remember my years at the NIH as terrific, but that was long before 9/11 and construction of the big security fence around campus.

Money quote from ScienceInsider:

factors include a continued pay freeze, a 30% cut in travel budgets, and the elimination of a pot of money for year-end bonuses for exceptional service

I’d say the transformation of NIH from an open campus (really similar to a large university) to secured compound is also part of the problem.