TFW for once, just once, you get 3 reasonable reviews that are actually doable in 3 months.

Biggest ever democratic win for VA gov (since 1961!) : tonight. By a lot. With big BIG coattails. Look for Spanberger.

Walking to lab not thinking of much, being greeted by this lovely creature that dutifully waited at the traffic light once it reached the end of Kezar triangle… slightly surreal. Big one too.

Nicely done @oaklandroots.bsky.social great win to end season and what fireworks!

Money does talk, it turns out.

Well, I guess it’s time to carry that passport in my work bag. Especially bizarre as a naturalized citizen of German upbringing…..

Boy, am I sick of mediocre $5 Bay Area croissants.

Nice view of work

Morning after the rain

Very proud of this story and the amazing Agnisrota Mazumder @agnisrota.bsky.social. An exciting joint journey of exploration with @thebraunlab.bsky.social in subtelomeric heterochromatin. Many surprises but, one that stuck are the unique co-existing epigenetic states in the same domain.

Best weekend feeling. Co coaching your kids competitive team and they come back to win against a very physical opponent, first time playing on a full regulation field. The best.

why won't Youtube understand I just don't like Chopin. Esp when I work. AI should take care of that no?

“Critics call it extortion.”

The Bay Area job market for young people (undergrads, PhD grads) is truly dismal. It's very hard to see this.

A 37.5% cut being implemented now by NIH. Less because the policy is only effective for part of a fiscal year. But if congress does nothing, a 50% cut next fiscal year. Nefarious accounting trick from the ONB to thwart the intent of Congress.

Scenes from a science crisis: a selection of recent developments 🧵1/6

The NIH ‘s new forward funding approach is an accounting trick designed to artificially reduce the budget by committing next year’s funds to this year’s budget without making the funds available. It’s an excuse to fund fewer grants. Bureaucratic authoritarianism to nullify congressional intent.

Slack enabled /launched AI today. I disabled it for our workspaces. Right call? Unnecessary?

Last days of Japan- Paris trip. Not ready to go.

Paris is gleaming everywhere

Harajuku (Tokyo) and St Germain (Paris) people watching within coupe of days … one has much more interesting examples of self expression in fashion.

Amazing trip to Japan ended with TeamLabs Planet, animal cafe for kids and the KillBill restaurant for a Tokyo flair…. And now Lufthansa has us delayed 11 hrs onto the destination ;-)

First trip to Japan- like many in the “low Yen” era. My god, what a civilized place. The family is having a really wonderful time. Just a few more days. Surprisingly outside the big cities very few tourists unlike what you are used to say in Europe.

Yesterday was driving to pick up my son from school. Then 2 turkeys ganged up on me. At first they seemed to cross the road slowly as they do, but it turned into tag- team terror. One kept blocking my way screaming over the hood at me the other pecking at window. Lesson: even wildlife hates Tesla.

Nice to leave us hanging over the weekend.

Watched the Champions League Final at New Parkway theatre with a bunch of 11/12 yr old PSG supporters... Was fun. They were great. But I gotta say- this is the reason I only really follow National Team football- it's too much of a pure money question on the club level. Do follow my home club (FCN!)

Feel like my institution could do a better job with its cover page and the nature of what we do, given the current situation …. www.ucsf.edu

so, the NOFO for R35 EI is officially expired. I am glad I heard this only through the grapevine and "speed-resubmitted" even though I was planning on the following (now non-existent deadline). If anyone hears anything about a re-issue please post it ;-)

not sure I understand the #HHMI decision. Something about making sure scientists are supported- but Investigators are very well supported, why cut off the next generation? We look to institutions like that to lead now. Anyone understand the reasoning?

Boy this rebound thing sure does suck.

I guess UC is going to try a little UT... how do we feel about this?

Senators- it’s in your hands now.

Community. question. I only just heard this for the first time. Is the EI R35 program actually ending this cycle ? I just saw the notice expires, but does anyone have any info on future plans? Thx.

Very much worth a read to grapple with this existential question: www.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10....

Wonderful day being back "home" at Cal for the fully student-run Marian Koshland lecture. Interacting with the awesome PhD students all day was a blast, the campus was in full cherry blossoms, peak Cal. Great chats with faculty too, even those once on my Quals exam! Thank you MCB students &faculty

U. Conn. folks -- I'll be giving a seminar in GGS tomorrow at noon on 'Chromatin regulation and its evolution' !

Stepwise photobleaching of the economy

Lovely am run on the Berkeley waterfront to clear head of all the madness

#standupforscience SF.

TFW you feel good about not driving for once and taking public transit and it’s a totally hellscape of endless delays and you remember this in not Europe …

Looking forward to standupforscience.bsky.social. We should effectively communicate that Science funding and intellectual independence is central to the American economy way beyond that of the scientist- but to the welfare and prosperity of all.

Amazing writing a proposal today and I cannot look up papers as per usual. Better get fully familiar with EuropePMC...

I am honored that UC Berkeley MCB students invited me to give the Marion Koshland lecture. Date was 3/7 - that is Stand Up For Science Day. We agreed it should be postponed- instead, lets all remember what made this country special and all go to : (Sac/SF in Bay Area) standupforscience2025.org

well, at least under 20%.

I was moved by a high school peer’s history project on the separation of powers.This was going to be my country. Then came here 25 years ago driven by a belief that it’s the most amazing place to do science and where everyone can make it. After a shock, I think we need to fight for this noble ideal.

Here's a quantitative illustration of what's happening with NIH funding.

This seems very bad if ongoing - any evidence to the contrary ? popular.info/p/trump-main...

Good reporting from the always essential @juddlegum.bsky.social open.substack.com/pub/populari...