Alexander Bates
@as_bates
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#neuroscience #connectomics #natverse @harvardmed w/ @RachelIreneWils. Past: @MRC_LMB w/ @gsxej, @CamZoology, @flyconnectome. Distant past: @uclnpp. https://t.co/0eZdKDZ8CD
Cambridge, England
Joined July 2016
The fly has a full #connectome, basically a directed + weighted graph. But what are its connection ‘signs’, excitatory/inhibitory? We move towards this answer, predicting transmitters from EM! w/@BobQubit, vid @amyneurons, 1/n Published @CellCellPress: https://t.co/yuWZEVWZkx
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Today is the last day to sign up for Brain Simulation School! https://t.co/H4vQs3uLJ7
What's better than talking about simulating brains? Actually doing it. Apply to the San Juan Winter School on Connectomics and Brain Simulation https://t.co/rYPOFUh8XH Deadline extended to Oct 24!
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What's better than talking about simulating brains? Actually doing it. Apply to the San Juan Winter School on Connectomics and Brain Simulation https://t.co/rYPOFUh8XH Deadline extended to Oct 24!
sjcabs.com
Two-week intensive course on connectomics and brain simulation in San Juan, Puerto Rico. December 29, 2025 - January 10, 2026.
Can a neuroscientist simulate a brain? I don’t think so.
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Explore the BANC (brain and nerve cord) dataset in Codex: https://t.co/cxmil35LCe Preprint from @as_bates et al: https://t.co/I3grDIljQI Upcoming Codex workshop: Tues Oct 28 at 12:30 US ET. Registration coming soon. Reply to this thread with Codex questions / feature requests!
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Exciting news for #drosophila #connectomics and #neuroscience enthusiasts: the Drosophila male central nervous system connectome is now live and free to use and explore. Find out more at the landing page hosted by our Janelia FlyEM collaborators https://t.co/jKgJgBMxCW.
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Neuronal diversity is written in transcriptional codes 🧬. But what is the logic of these codes that define cell types and wiring patterns? To find out we built a #scRNAseq developmental atlas of the Drosophila nerve cord and linked it to the #connectome 🪰🧠 Tweeprint! ⬇️1/8
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FlyBase needs your help! We ask that European labs continue to contribute to Cambridge, UK FlyBase, whereas US and other non-European labs can contribute to US FlyBase. For more information and how to donate:
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The Transmitter @_TheTransmitter is honored to have won two 2025 TABPI Awards—one for the top feature article of the year and the other for the top how-to article! https://t.co/XrQonkTOJ6 Check out our award-winning pieces below:
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A synapse resolution map of the brain + body control hub of a fruit fly! New preprint w/ @harvardmed @PrincetonNeuro : https://t.co/BaLUmDLX0E Who cares about a fly? Fly research has directly contributed to our genetic understanding of dozens of diseases like Parkinson’s and
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Public access to the first fly connectome that spans the full central nervous system!: https://t.co/KjZRDM0tp2 Different from prior connectomes - it has the brain + cord (think spinal cord) We use it to ‘embody’ the CNS. Full thread here:
Introducing The BANC (Brain and Nerve Cord) connectome preprint! Thanks to all who helped make this synapse-resolution map of an adult fruit fly central nervous system possible! Preprint: https://t.co/aQUyKkIHWD The BANC is publicly available in Codex: https://t.co/dUBuTa4Ilz
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A wealth of connections, now in the BANC! Congrats to this international consortium for a massive new data release shedding light on brain-body interactions.
Introducing The BANC (Brain and Nerve Cord) connectome preprint! Thanks to all who helped make this synapse-resolution map of an adult fruit fly central nervous system possible! Preprint: https://t.co/aQUyKkIHWD The BANC is publicly available in Codex: https://t.co/dUBuTa4Ilz
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Body & brain wired
Introducing The BANC (Brain and Nerve Cord) connectome preprint! Thanks to all who helped make this synapse-resolution map of an adult fruit fly central nervous system possible! Preprint: https://t.co/aQUyKkIHWD The BANC is publicly available in Codex: https://t.co/dUBuTa4Ilz
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Interactive brain-body connectivity at the Codex. Click on thorax, salivary gland, etc, and see the neurons associated with that body part! H/T @mottcallie
https://t.co/5KZxJTVdqx
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So FlyWire joined forces with the BANC team at @harvardmed, and the current data release is the fruit of our labors. We've proved once again that a connectome can be obtained through cooperation by many small labs. Connectomics is not dominated by large institutions.
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Big shoutout to our collaborators at @harvardmed @Harvard! This resource emphasizes the importance of publicly funded research. Sic parvis magna!
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Introducing The BANC (Brain and Nerve Cord) connectome preprint! Thanks to all who helped make this synapse-resolution map of an adult fruit fly central nervous system possible! Preprint: https://t.co/aQUyKkIHWD The BANC is publicly available in Codex: https://t.co/dUBuTa4Ilz
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Researchers have reconstructed the complete wiring diagram, or connectome, of the fruit fly’s adult brain—a feat akin to mapping all the buildings, avenues, and streets in a complex city. https://t.co/FoimItIb2U
@NewsfromScience
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Had a great time presenting my work at #SfN today. Thank you so much everyone that came by for the inspiring discussions!
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Starting soon: FlyWire Live at the Tools, Tech, and Theory BRAIN Initiative Social at #sfn24 Location: https://t.co/kshry0Tl4d Image features neurons colored by neurotransmitter inspired by this paper from @BobQubit @as_bates et al https://t.co/WbiZQgWVda
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covercovercovercovercovercovercovercovercovercovercover this is terrifically exciting (Also please dw, the central dogma is still very much intact, this is just a bit of a funky spin on it)
The central dogma of molecular biology states that genetic information flows from DNA and RNA to protein, with reverse transcription converting RNA to DNA. In the pursuit of understanding how bacteria defend themselves from viral infection, two groups have found alternative
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