STEM Black History Fact 1/28 Dr. Alice Ball developed the first effective treatment for leprosy in 1915, well before antibiotics were known. Her work went uncredited for years. Dr. Ball - "I work and work and still it seems that I have done nothing." www.womenshistory.org/education-re...

To the extent that the fate of NIH and ICE funding may continue to be linked, we as scientists may feel forced to choose between protecting our own funding and the safety and wellbeing of our neighbors. This is a false choice. open.substack.com/pub/sciencea...

Can’t do good science in an unfree country. Defund ICE.

Keep sciencing. We are living through a time when looking at a rock and wondering how old it is qualifies as an act of resistance.

Microbiology professor, want to join a slack for microbiology professors, any career stage, diverse career types (pure teaching, med school, R1, community college, pure research fed PIs, ...) Message me for an invite link if you are interested. No imposter syndrome, if you are 1% micro, join!

WHERE WILL YOU BE TOMORROW?

SO MANY STAND UP FOR SCIENCE EVENTS TO CHOOSE FROM—153 and COUNTING! To get more information on our local events and to register your own, head to www.standupforscience2025.org/local-event-information/ ☀️⬇️🌎

Love this reminder of how basic science funded by the federal government has led to transformational new technologies. So many other examples (CRISPR.. Ozempic..) and something we as scientists need to communicate frequently and forcefully to our congress people and taxpayers.

Today, a broad coalition of scientific professional societies who represent over 92,000 scientists are speaking out against the politicization and demonization of Federally funded science and government scientist jobs. It was an honor to help the Union of Concerned Scientists with this! 🧪🌎

Vaccines are one of the three best things human beings have ever done to extend our own lifespans (along with sanitation and cheap food production at scale). This graphic is amazing (and bc of differences in methodology, this doesn't even include the COVID vaccine, which saved another ~20 million).

NIH Updates Good news: It appears that at least of the submitted F31 diversity supplements for which the study section had disappeared from eRA commons are reappearing with the original study section. Still uncertain future, but it's a step. 1/2

A federal judge in Massachusetts has just blocked Trump administration's move to cut NIH's funding of indirect costs A hearing is now scheduled for Feb. 21 in case, which was brought by 22 states earlier today storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

“Curiosity-driven, basic science has yielded a deeper understanding of how life forms develop and function in their environment and has had wide implications for health and our planet. Investing in this is vital for scientific progress and is worth protecting in a democracy.” —Ruth Lehmann

While we still need to keep on working to limit COVID transmission, don't forget about other microbial pathogens. Two stories here on Acinetobacter baumannii to keep an eye on www.healio.com/news/infecti... and a press release about another paper: www.eurekalert.org/news-release...

This is a great list, but wish there were more emphasis on PARENTAL leave extending to non-birth parents. I can't imagine how I would have navigated faculty job interviews with a newborn if my husband hadn't been able to take 12 weeks of PAID leave (thanks to Massachusetts PFMLA).

Covid testing is a good way to help keep family and friends safe. US residents can now receive 4 free tests in the mail by filling out the short form below.

My lab's first big research paper is now out in mBio! 🎉 We ask: how can Legionella antagonize other microbes with reactive oxygen species without hurting themselves? Answer: several dynamics seem to generate a 'toxic moat' of ROS around producers pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37728338/

The Molecular Microbiology department at Washington University in St Louis School of Medicine is recruiting at the Assistant Professor level! Come be a #newPI with me in this stellar research environment and fantastic microbiology community. facultyopportunities.wustl.edu/apply/Postin...