For anyone keeping tracking, Federal workers from 10 agencies have now authored letters of dissent against policies that are harming Americans. You can read and sign them all here: linktr.ee/declarations...

Reminder to register for the Midwinter Conference of Immunologists at the Asilomar Conference Center in Pacific Grove, CA! Join us for some great science and the opportunity to talk to junior and senior colleagues in a beautiful setting!! www.midwconfimmunol.org

A bad thing is unfolding at NIH this week: It looks like the Trump administration is trying to replace key civil servant scientific leaders, the Institute Directors, with political hires. These directors control the NIH budget, tens of billions. A bit of a video explainer here: 1/ 🧪

We just launched the biggest primary program in Indivisible’s history. Help us (literally) send Schumer and the surrender caucus a message. open.substack.com/pub/ezralevi...

😱

We're disappointed to see Ben Barres's powerful book "The Autobiography of a Transgender Scientist" among the ~400 titles removed from the Naval Academy Library. Needless to say, we're proud to have published his book and will keep it — and his memory — alive.

My quote of the day As I reflect on my life, I recognize that our greatest achievements often arise from our most profound struggles. Embrace challenges and view failures as opportunities for growth. It is through these trials that we learn, adapt, and ultimately succeed. Marie Curie

We have a new timeline up today on our Medical Research Funding page, documenting the onslaught of political, legal, and bureaucratic attacks on medical research since January: unbreaking.org/issues/medic...

The US funds the bulk of biomedical research globally by far. It's not like other countries can simply take up the slack. The more likely: people leave research, new people don't become researchers. There is no happy ending. www.pbs.org/newshour/sho...

The Depression began after Wall Street stocks crashed 96 years ago today, @hcrichardson.bsky.social reminds us. She cites a wildly off-base claim heard then & now: "Republican leaders blamed poor Americans for the Great Depression, saying they drained the economy because they refused to work hard."

The UofA is hiring for a Principal Scientist in cancer immunology! This isn’t a typical academic position—we're looking for a scientist with a great idea but needs time/resources to translate and commercialize. Please repost and apply if interested! arizona.csod.com/ux/ats/caree...

New US Dark Age incoming.

Looking for a home for your biochemistry preprint? We publish studies into biological molecules or chemical approaches that illuminate biological processes. See what we publish... buff.ly/YMsrNDQ ...or learn about our changes to peer review buff.ly/HwDx1hq

Is this accurate?!? Re Harvard CCB "Chemistry and Chemical Biology will go down to four or five admits, one of the professors added."

A decade ago, research said giving young children peanut products can prevent allergies. A new study says that, 10 years later, tens of thousands of U.S. children have avoided allergies as a result. n.pr/4o3hKJO

Please pass along, I’m recruiting PhD students to join our Macroecology Lab @uofa-eeb.bsky.social We study phys ecology, macroecology, biodiversity - spanning scaling, trait-based ecology, theory, comparative biology & ecoinformatics. Several avenues for funding. Please reach out if interested🧪🌐🌾

CBS reporter Edward R. Murrow embodied what a journalist should be: someone who holds power to account instead of capitulating to it. Over 70 years later, his segment denouncing Joe McCarthy’s congressional witch hunts rings truer than ever.

For more information about the Friday night massacre at CDC, I wrote up an analysis of who got terminated and what that means for public health. Grateful to @saveamericamvmt.bsky.social for supporting and amplifying. We are in really terrible trouble. rasmussenretorts.substack.com/p/the-death-...

RIFs at CDC. Destroying the Epidemic Intelligence Service, NCIRD, NCIPC & a dozen other areas/divisions/branches will cause enormous harm and suffering to America, and indeed to the whole world. Call your Reps about it. Then call them again.

My quote of the day Nobody ever thanks you for saving them from the disease they didn't know they were going to get. William Foege

One week from today, in front of NIH, 10am-12pm Rally to Defend Medical Research NIH/Medical Center Metro stop Rockville Pike Bethesda, MD 20814 www.mobilize.us/mobilize/eve...

This is great. Thanks 🙏🏼 for these @lizneeley.bsky.social. Meeting the Moment is a bit of light in the darkness.

They have fired the staff of the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report and 70 Epidemic Intelligence Service officers, who are disease detectives that respond to outbreaks around the world. I cannot emphasize enough how dangerous it is to dismantle our disease surveillance infrastructure.

I don’t know who needs to hear this but the CDC is being eviscerated right now. America is not going to have any kind of outbreak response capacity after tonight. Americans’ health data is no longer secure. Say goodbye to federal public health in any capacity. It’s a disaster. We won’t recover.

Asthma is a chronic disease characterized by acute, intermittent, recurrent episodes of airway inflammation. A decade of work developing the tools, techniques and collaborations needed to figure out how CD4+ T cells in the lungs propagate disease can be found here: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

News accelerated as I wrote this week‘s debrief (proper post tomorrow, meanwhile get some sleep, friends) buttondown.com/liminalcreat...

I think the past few weeks have shown that, regardless of political affiliation, even media companies respond to effects on their bottom line. If you are upset with changes in your primary news source, consider changing it. Support the numerous organizations that value and deserve your patronage.

Countdown: Twelve Days Stand up and speak out for Democracy before it is totally taken away. This will take ALL of us! Commit. Support. Share. 👇🏼💪🇺🇸

Journalist Edward R. Murrow used his platform on CBS to criticize the witch hunts led by Senator Joseph McCarthy in the 1950s. This is what real journalism should do — hold power to account, not capitulate to it.

👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼This 👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼

Dr. Jane Goodall filmed an interview with Netflix in March 2025 that she understood would only be released after her death.

Each Friday, I summarize what is happening to American science & higher ed. 🧪 This was Week 37: - 9 universities face loyalty oath (“compact”) - government shutdown - impact on services & fear of further RIFs - four NIH directors officially fired & so much more buttondown.com/liminalcreat...

Are you an alum from one of the 9 schools Trump just attacked? Sign this alumni petition now to support your school, defend democracy, and build a grassroots movement for campus freedom across America. alumni.controlshift.app/petitions/tr...

Suggest pairing lizbucar.substack.com/p/ezra-klein... with this ~“Mindfulness commodified for American consumption is about managing your stress, not addressing systemic oppression. Optimizing performance, not transforming unjust conditions. Finding inner peace, instead of collective liberation.”

Hear! effing Hear! [Gift link] www.nytimes.com/2025/10/02/o...

New job 🚨: Our #SCIMaP (scienceimpacts.org) team is searching for a Research Communications and Media Outreach Specialist to facilitate public engagement related to federal investment in science and health research. Application review starts Oct 10: umd.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/UMCP/j...

A true hero... She changed how we think about so many things...

Jane Goodall was my first childhood hero, as I loved animals as a kid and was inspired by her story. I still remember the National Geographic specials about her. RIP.

After the Berlin AIDS Conference in 1993, I took a train from Berlin to Krakow and then travelled onto Oświęcim, better known as Auschwitz. On that night ride through the German & Polish countrysides on the train, we stepped out of our cabin, probably for a smoke. 1/ www.bbc.com/news/live/c9...

Precisely

Low blow taking Jane Goodall from us at this point, universe. :(

"If we lose hope, we're doomed." We must continue Dr. Jane Goodall's mission and all fight for the future of the planet.

Each Friday, I summarize what is happening to American science & higher ed. 🧪 (Failed to post here this weekend) Week 36: - Reinstatement of UCLA funding - analysis of H1B visa impacts - pocket rescissions, "domestic terrorism" & so much more buttondown.email/liminalcreat...

We are pleased to present a special collection highlighting recent findings in the #InnateImmunity field. It spotlights cutting-edge research on the mechanistic aspects of innate immune signaling upon #infection, in #autoimmunity, and in #neurodegeneration. rupress.org/jem/collecti...

It’s great to have a Portland-based reporter like @caseyparks.bsky.social to ground the news in reality www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/...

Now that I am no longer dealing with an infant with an infection (non-staphylococcal), time for a proper 🧵! If you’re interested in some combination of Staphylococcus aureus, innate immune sensing of bacteria, inflammasomes, and cell wall modifications, read on…

“Every time you feel fear, step forward,” he said once again. “That’s what I keep in my mind now. Is today confusing? Yeah. Tomorrow may not be. Why? Because I faced today.” www.nytimes.com/2025/09/28/b...

Here's my NSF GRFP OpEd. Who wants to publish it? "Revert text of NSF 25-547 (GRFP FY26) to NSF 24-591 (GRFP FY25) and keep current competition dates so that all applicants have a fair chance and awards can be made in advance of April 2026 decisions for graduate school."