The FASEB Cytoskeletal Systems meeting has been a fantastic conference! The cytoskeleton community is doing such cutting edge and inspiring research. I was happy to share the work from our lab and I’ll be going home with a ton of new ideas! The organizers did an excellent job. 🤩

Juhi Narula and Sarah Wignall (@sadiewignall.bsky.social) identify a new role for the conserved kinase PLK-1 in suppressing centrosome maturation in oocytes, which surprisingly is opposite to its role in mitosis. rupress.org/jcb/article/... #CellCycle #Genetics #Cytoskeleton #Development

New paper from my lab published today in JCB - congratulations to first author and graduate student/recent PhD Juhi Narula on this beautiful story!

I helped explain to the Chicago Tribune the enourmous and irrational damage the NIH funding freeze is causing at Northwestern. “You’re at risk of losing an entire next generation of scientists" "it’s terrifying; it’s completely senseless." www.chicagotribune.com/2025/06/07/w...

Funding freeze at Northwestern from Emma Mairson at grant-watch.us. Data from USAspending. Normally, ~$70 M per month. Now, bupkis. Northwestern is keeping research moving and must be spending ~$40 M per month. Clearly not sustainable for too long.

Keep in mind: these are AWARDED grants, with Notice of Awards. The federal government is not honoring existing contracts with this university, refusing to reimburse for costs charge on awarded grants.

All of NIH funding to Northwestern University is frozen. This pause includes noncompeting approved funding, new and competing grants with fundable scores. No reimbursements for money already spent have been received since March. This situation is rarely reported so please Please get the word out!

It is beyond disturbing when the NIH and HHS Directors do not understand that animal models are essential in research www.statnews.com/2025/05/19/a...

NIH's work saves lives—& Trump is gutting it. Straight from D.C. I headed to Seattle Children's to hear from researchers & patients alike about the importance of NIH funding—it's not just about lines in a budget, it's about lifesaving discoveries. We ALL need to speak up to save it.

NIH, NSF, NASA, NEA, NEH If it funds thought it’s under attack

It has been a busy time for IBiS! With the Lane-Petersen Happy Hour on the 11th, a CV/Resume workshop from Dr. Aubrey Korenta of the Career Center last Tuesday, and DRiLS Speaker Dr. Markita Landry visiting us last Thursday, we’ve had lots of learning, fun, and community building!

Canceling awarded research grants isn’t something universities can fix with endowments. Most endowment funds are legally restricted and can't be used freely. When the government terminates a research grant, it kills a scientific project that peer scientists already evaluated as valuable.

RFK Jr.’s lies about autism are disgraceful — and I won't share them to spread misinformation. He consistently undermines public health and reinforces dangerous myths. In Illinois, we stand with those with autism, and I’ll keep fighting for inclusion, science, and the truth.

In terminating hundreds of NIH grants, the Trump administration dumped years of investment down the drain. In my latest @opinion.bloomberg.com column, we analyzed the cancelled projects & talked to scientists to understand just how much the public loses out. It's a lot: tinyurl.com/bdey86su

I was listening to the excellent interview with President Eisgruber from Princeton on The Daily podcast. Some key points: Interviewer: You said “Once you make concessions once, it’s hard not to make them again.” So I’d like to know, did what Columbia did make your job harder…?” 1/n

of all the things the administration is doing, i am a little mystified by this effort to completely destroy the science, technology and medical research sector in the united states

Make no mistake about it: Trump's reported decision to freeze funding at Northwestern University will put life-saving cures and critical research at risk. This freeze won't protect the Jewish students Trump claims to defend, it will instead undermine their academic endeavors.

What a day. What a country! 💪

This is Chicago. We filled Daley Plaza. We filled the streets. We rallied and marched in the name of democracy, human rights, civil rights, people's livelihoods, people's lives, our planet, peace and justice in our country and around the world. #HandsOff @indivisible.org

The people are awake. The people are angry. And the people are organized. 📍 Chicago, Illinois #HANDSOFF

Today was proof - the fighting spirit is alive and it’s beautiful. Each sign, all the voices said the same thing loud and clear - #Handsoff our #democracy We’re just getting started! #chicago #usa #event #protest #50501Chicago #april5 #werise #trump #elonmusk #rights #peace #love

It's midnight in Washington, and in case you're catching up... So far tonight, Republicans have blocked amendments that would: – Remove tariffs hurting families – Protect disaster response and recovery - Secure Social Security benefits - Preserve federal lands (Thread 🧵)

Yesterday's announcement canceling MARC, PREP, IMSD & IRACDA finally broke me. Spent most of the morning in my office crying. I think I'd been clinging to a glimmer of hope, but as an IRACDA alum,watching the the scale of loss for young scientists was heartbreaking. 🧪 www.nytimes.com/2025/04/03/o...

Reminder: have you checked the location of your nearest #HandsOff event this Saturday? handsoff2025.com

Excited to post our new preprint on how MOS/MAPK signaling impacts the egg transcriptome! Great collaboration with Britt Goods and lab!

“America shouldn’t take scientific progress in medicine, artificial intelligence, energy and more for granted. If the youngest, brightest minds aren’t soon reassured that the US can support their work — and that scientific inquiry will be protected from political interference — they will walk away.”

Banning diversity, equity, and inclusion - say it out loud - is catastrophic for US science. It attacks the core of the inclusive strengths of 🇺🇸 science - red or blue, rich or poor - despite the long road ahead. Thank you @stacyfarina.bsky.social for leading! www.insidehighered.com/opinion/view...

To anyone living in a state that doesn't respect you for who you love or who you are: Illinois has a place for you. You are seen, you are celebrated, you are protected, and you are welcome here in our state.

If you'd like the statistics on how much NIH funding supports your specific Congressional district, you can get that info here: report.nih.gov/award/index.... This may be especially important if your representative is Republican 🧪

Nice to see the NIH funding crisis finally getting real news coverage. Stories from the last couple of days: PBS (3/22): www.pbs.org/newshour/sho... ABC News (3/23): abcnews.go.com/Health/scien... Wired (3/24): www.wired.com/story/the-ch... NY Times (3/24): www.nytimes.com/2025/03/24/h...

Libraries and museums are integral to scientific advancement and to our core mission of #scienceforall. Stand Up for Science stands with @amlibraryassoc.bsky.social! Please call your representatives and let them know you STRONGLY oppose this attack on access to knowledge. #standupforscience

Cancer research has never been a partisan issue. Diabetes research has never been a partisan issue. Offering hope to families struggling with disease has never been a partisan issue. Until now. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

What happens after we have demonized everyone who doesn’t look, move, or pray exactly like we do? What happens when fascism takes over? We are not doomed to repeat our history. We can learn from it, and we can reject hate and authoritarianism.

The story of ozempic - besides saving millions of lives and saving billions for the healthcare system - ozempic is a scientific breakthrough everybody should know about - it was discovered because someone studied the spit of a lizard that only eats 6 times a year the Gila monster - so first 🧵

New report shows that NIH grants fueled $95 billion in economic activity and 407,782 jobs in 2024. That's not to mention the countless lives that biomedical research has saved. Show me a better investment than that. www.forbes.com/sites/michae...

Dear all, Because of your help shining light on this all 15 were reinstated today. This is a huge win for science - When We Fight We Win!!!

🧪 The attack on science could have a generational effect. We risk losing a wave of early-career researchers to these cuts. And biomedical science in the US will be less ambitious, less competitive & lead to fewer breakthroughs. So much is at stake. My latest for @opinion.bloomberg.com (🎁 link):

Faculty: have you joined the AAUP? They are fighting for us and your membership will allow them to fight for us in the courts, in the ivory towers, and support us in the streets. Sign up here: www.aaup.org/membership/d...

Chicago scientists and science advocates braved a wet and snowy day to #StandupforScience - was proud to be one of them! @indivisiblechicago.bsky.social

Our fearless #standupforscience2025 leaders! We are ready!!! Thank you for mobilizing us! @standupforscience.bsky.social

🗽🔬 Our Chicago Stand Up for Science 2025 rally is happening at 12:00 noon at Federal Plaza, Friday March 7. SEE YOU THERE. Info/sign-up: www.mobilize.us/indivisiblec...

Trump & Musk are going after science. We say no! At Friday's Stand Up for Science 2025 rally in Chicago, we'll hear from people who've devoted their lives to science and from leaders who support it. Friday, March 7th, 12:00 pm, Federal Plaza. Info/sign-up: www.mobilize.us/indivisiblec...

Excited to Stand up for Science in Chicago with friends and colleagues. Potential snow in the forecast won’t stop us - bundle up Chicago!

Quick shoutout to the labs, departments, and scientists cancelling / rescheduling lab meetings, seminars and more to give students and others the chance to defend science for @standupforscience.bsky.social

Donald Trump is lying to you.