There's been a lot of chatter about proposed updates to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Federal Financial Assistance Rule, which is, to put it bluntly: destructive to the integrity of federally supported research. 🧵 thread...

I don’t know about you, but I’m kind of feeling overwhelmed today by all the things I’m supposed to be mad at, outraged by, or vocally opposed to I’m reminding myself of 2 things today 1. I must make sure I’m not too exhausted by outrage to actually *do* something 2. The world is full of good ❤️‍🩹

I wrote about why the "send Americans exposed to Ebola to Kenya" is such a bad policy Is it cruel? Sure But is it also counterproductive? You bet

@ashishkjha.bsky.social with some insights over on LinkedIn The 3rd point in particular stood out to me. Public health is such a powerful discipline in part because it takes into account the fact that humans will behave like humans in pretty much every situation.

I was talking to a dear friend who’s a Program Officer at NIH. They said, “I just learned that [XYZ] is likely to fund a follow-up to a study in my portfolio. I’ve been advocating for this for a year. I’m so happy, the BS of this week has faded away!” POs care so, so much!! 🥹❤️ Never doubt this.

Super important point from @jeremymberg.bsky.social My read of the OMB doc is that part of the agenda may be to enshrine stuff in the CFR to make it harder to challenge in the courts. A LOT of ink is spilled in the doc trying to explain why OMB is allowed to do this stuff. Your comments matter!

There are a number of really good summaries going around on the proposed OMB mods to the CFR, including Liz’s. Read several of them, then comment during the 45 day comment period (individually and in groups) & call your elected officials to make sure they understand how serious this is. Please.

All the feelings putting a new book into the world… my hope is it will find the readers who need it. Disengaging from medicine’s ableist thinking and learning to trust the wisdom of sick bodies is everything 💗 #MedSky

It was a true joy to speak with Alexa McClellan for the @citiprogram.org On Research podcast! (Yes, the CITI from your HRP or GCP training) We talk about the uncertainty and challenges in U.S. science in the present moment, and reasons to hope. Take a listen! about.citiprogram.org/blog/on-rese...

Having a jar of kimchi in one's small enclosed office feels a little bit like having a jar of bees in one's office. You know there won't be an unprovoked attack. You know that if you're careful and respectful, all will be well and neither you nor bystanders will be hurt. And yet.... 🥬👀

The National Science Foundation is terminating and suspending grants again, and at Grant Witness we need you to help to track them! 🧪 We can only identify research being suppressed by under-the-radar suspensions directly from researchers. Please report! grant-witness.us/posts/2026-0... #NSF

Quick takes: 1. Share this widely. 2. Not sharing scores REDUCES transparency. 3. Whatever the merits of a plan (on paper), it is imperative to recognize who is making the decisions. This is not a good-faith negotiation w/good-faith actors. We need more transparency & expert input, not less.

(2) The plan is, indeed, to have an RFI to collect input. THIS IS A HUGE SHIFT IN NIH PRACTICES. FOLKS NEED TO THINK ABOUT THIS AND PREPARE TO WEIGH IN. 3/3

Thank you @jeremymberg.bsky.social for raising the alarm! I've been a PI, a Program Officer, and a member of an ICO leadership team. Not having access to overall impact scores would negatively impact every one of those roles. IMO, this is very not good. Comment on the RFI, everyone!

PLEASE SHARE: STAT is hiring for a "Trust-in-science" reporter! The reporter will cover where trust is breaking down, the consequences, and how to rebuild it. If you or someone you know would be great for the position, please apply! #journojobs #journalismjobs #journalism #science 📰🧪

Really nice read. I can't say I feel fine. I don't, & I would never want to give the impression that slash & burn followed by building back better is the way to do things. That said, Dr. Jackson is onto several somethings here. A more accessible & equitable scientific enterprise is a good thing!

The American Thoracic Society conference was especially thought- and feeling-provoking for me. I did a lot of thinking & feeling about how our relationships to AI might teach us how to be better as humans, & why that's so important for medicine & science. Link: open.substack.com/pub/1fullyhu...

Hey everyone! If you're wondering what all the chatter is about regarding Pope Leo XIV and AI, or if you've only read *about* the encyclical but haven't read the actual thing yet, here ya go: www.vatican.va/content/leo-...

Sunday mornings are my best time for mental play. I let my brain follow whatever wandering paths it chooses. I’m just along for the ride. This week it’s political corruption in India. Two weeks ago, theories of consciousness. Sometimes it’s just farts or something. How do you let your mind play?

This one might've slipped by you. It shouldn't. The folks at @27unihted.bsky.social gathered a tremendous amount of data from over 300 "probies" - the dedicated public servants in the first 1-2 years of their federal posts - fired in early 2025. See what our nation lost.

“Somebody told me that this is the place where everything’s better and everything’s safe” - Toad the Wet Sprocket, “Walk On The Ocean” Hi everybody! 👋🏻