Weird stuff going on inside NIH! My latest, with reporting on internal messages citing a DOJ order on... attending a conference? As one source said... what the actual fuck?

This is the list of NIH ICs which lack permanent Directors. It will be very interesting to see who is willing to take the roles, assuming NIH tries to fill the positions. (NIMH has an active search)

Sitting, frustrated, tired of it all, want to take action? Sign the letter below. This letter is huge. Make it go far!

Jonathan Mahler, who wrote an article for The New York Times Magazine on the impact of delays and cuts to cancer research funding, explained why he focused on UMass Chan researcher Rachael Sirianni, PhD, on the Cancer Letter Podcast: direc.to/nr1R #podcast @cancerletter.com @docsirianni.bsky.social

Spread this far and wide! actionnetwork.org/forms/civil-...

I really struggled to caption it and finally gave up 🙇‍♀️

NIH Director’s Pulsing Neck Tumor Announces Cancer Research Cuts — theonion.com/nih-director...

Since the deadline update last week there's not been any change to the GRFP website. And even if it's opened tomorrow, students will have a bit over a month instead of the usual 90 days.

“(RFK JR.) failed to even give you a courtesy call?” Ex CDC Director Dr. Monarez says HHS Secretary RFK Jr. didn’t even give her a courtesy call after the CDC was shot up by a guy who blamed the COVID vaccine for making him depressed and suicidal

Louder. For those in the back. They are LYING when they say the goal is to weed out to corruption. They are INTRODUCING corruption to systems that have never, ever seen this kind of political interference

The scientific evidence shows no link between COVID19 vaccines + child deaths.No matter how many times this false, provocative statement is made, it does not change reality. There is no coverup, no conspiracy. There are simply a lot of people willing to say whatever it takes for political gain

TOMORROW: One month out from our next nationwide day of defiance, we’re kicking things off with thousands of activists across the country. Join us, our partners, and this great lineup of guests to learn everything you need to know about October 18: www.mobilize.us/nokings/even...

Watching Neurosurgery Grand Rounds by UMass Chan’s very own Matthew Hemming, a hem-onc clinician-scientist whose research lab directly drives clinical care. Below: survival rates have improved since the 40s. I don’t want to hear that we “haven’t made progress in the war on cancer” 1/3

My quote of the day Honest discussions - even and perhaps especially on topics about which we disagree - can help us resist hypocrisy and arrogance. They can also help us live up to the basic ideals, such as liberty and justice for all, on which our country was founded. David Price

If we truly cared about children, we would - ensure they had easy access to lifesaving vaccines - enact policies to control guns - protect them in conflicts and wars - tackle climate change which jeopardizes their future Adults are failing on all the above

Some thoughts. I’ll keep sharing this powerful expose, which provides a completely accounting of the actions our federal government is taking against cancer research. I’m living it, but reading this article and seeing it from an outsiders perspective is something else www.nytimes.com/2025/09/14/m...

This organization and event both look amazing. Anyone in DC this Thursday for a rally and Hill Day? rallyformedicalresearch.org

Want to see a collection of responses to Jonathan Mahler's searing report about Tr*mp's War on the War on Cancer? Click through the following link www.facebook.com/rwsirianni/p...

Thanks to @maddow.msnbc.com and @msnbc.com for highlighting @jonathanmahler.bsky.social's exceptional expose on how the Trump administration is systematically dismantling the biomedical research enterprise in our country, link to his article and others in the comments www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddo...

On the Trump administration's cruel disbanding of the Pediatric Brain Tumor Consortium: my op-ed @statnews.com My 12-year-old son died from brain cancer. This research would have helped children like him www.statnews.com/2025/09/15/p...

The type of speech most punished in this society is that which consists of telling the truth about how the powerful have harmed you

Shutting down the war on cancer. “New presidential administrations have usually gone out of their way to make transitions at the NIH as seamless as possible so as not to disrupt ongoing research…” Right. That’s not what is happening now. Must-read article. 🧪

“Medical miracles don’t happen overnight. You have to invest in them.” -Francis Collins, Former NIH Director The NIH funds early-stage research that includes understanding how diseases affect us, developing new techniques & creating large datasets to be used. 🧪 theconversation.com/proposed-cut...

Me too

I am not a political pawn. I am a living, breathing human being who has dedicated her life to a scientific problem that I believe matters for human health. The article below tells our story; I hope you will read it and share it www.nytimes.com/2025/09/14/m...

This breaks my heart. I’ve had many similar discussions with students, esp bc I lead a research ed program for undergrads to support biomed workforce. It’s hard to know what to say. Should they (pre 2025)? Should they (post 2025)? Two entirely different convos 😢 We are losing a gen of scientists

Another casualty of the war our govt is waging against itself. Already lost 117 filled positions + 57 open positions, then another 60 to be announced this week. Shaved ad'tl $ by cutting future "grad employees" ie slots for doctoral students to do research/teach www.oregonlive.com/education/20...

They’re not wrong about AALAC…

Top 10 research institution in the globe? America has only one left, and it's Harvard. Remaining 9 are international. Good thing our federal government is attacking and destroying STEM at Harvard and so many other institutions across the country www.nytimes.com/2025/09/08/o...

The gov't attacking research is the definition of "cutting off ones to nose to spite the face". The current admin is *destroying* one of the most important resources ever built in our country: our strength in STEM. We are on the way to making that strength... history. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/08/o...

Hey @schumer.senate.gov, ready to stand up and fight for what your constituents want? Your constituents want a healthy, safe, and technologically advanced society. Fight for it. Do the job you were hired for, and fight for what you know is right

I’ve spent a good chunk of my career relying on American science and engineering to keep me alive. Yesterday, RFK Jr. testified at the U.S. Senate Finance Committee. It was sad to see him try to destroy the life’s work of so many American scientists. He shouldn’t be in this job.

@sandylaping.bsky.social & I must have added another 20 actions to the www.trumpactiontracker.info? today. I get the impression that the administration is drunk on their success in getting away with all their bullshit & is going for everything they ever dreamed of. I can only hope they overreach.

Ouch. Yup.

Any Senators here? I’m a biomedical scientist with immunology, cancer, infectious disease expertise. RFK Jr lied to you in his confirmation hearings. Repeatedly. Provably. He’s lied to EVERYONE for 30+ years. Repeatedly. Provably. He WILL lie today. Repeatedly. Provably. 1/

Couldn’t take enough screenshots of this one. Honestly this is so accurate to what it feels like, it was a hard read www.statnews.com/2025/08/26/f...

Here’s some of what scientists told us: "The past five months are by far the worst I've experienced in my science career (from grad student to professor) over the last 30-plus years because we no longer know if there will be support for the work that we do, because science and research has…” +

I'm no historian, but historians tell us what happened: Hitler came to power because he capitalized on an economic crisis through nationalist xenophobia and dangerous manipulation of what was an increasingly desperate economy. We are watching this exact playbook on repeat right now

Following up on this thought (RFK is really getting under my skin this morning), I wonder to what extent those outside of higher ed understand the real goal. Scientific training is not about learning information. It's about learning *how* to evaluate the quality and strength of evidence 1/2

Hard to convince younger generations, but for decades, Republicans went on and on about how two of the worst things imaginable were (1) state intervention in the market and (2) DC using federal troops against US states; both so bad the people should be ready for armed rebellion in case it happens.

Oh this is SUCH good news. The Katz award is a specific type of mechanism supporting highly innovative, early career investigators. So very glad to see this come back!

GOP in my childhood: small government, free market economy, civil liberty, individual accountability, govern by logic not through the heart. MAGA now: the weirdest combination of anti-free-market fascism, evidence-dismissing, emotion-fueled paranoia and cruelty that I never could have imagined

Because his knowledge, the statements he makes, are literally *wrong*. They're flat out LIES. It's not a Q of "belief" or differing "opinion"; this madman literally doesn't understand what evidence actually is or how to evaluate it. Can we send him back to undergrad? www.vox.com/health/45922...

As a DC resident I feel like I should say: This is a complete and utter lie. My kid, under age 12, walked to school last year into an area close to downtown. Telling the truth is an important thing.

Jeeze. It’s almost like having law enforcement agents wear masks and arrest people without identifying themselves is… a bad idea. Who woulda thunk? (My sincerest condolenses to this family. It’s this country I’m worried about) www.yahoo.com/news/article...

This is what it looks like when your organization does not cower in advance compliance to avoid the anger of the regime. The NFL has been on to Trump's bullshit since the mid 1980s. apnews.com/article/nfl-...

That tracks. “Hey let’s just try it and see what happens” has been the motto all along

I know this is not a unique observation but public health was basically created to deal with the Spanish flu, and then a century later COVID hit and killed twice as many people and our response was to destroy public health

The motto from the Bethesda Declaration authors from a mug they sent me.