🔬 What if diagnosing and tracking AML could be done with one test?  At #ASH25, NMDP is sharing new MEASURE study results showing whole genome sequencing (WGS) can identify key AML mutations and offer clearer, more consistent data—moving us closer to modernized diagnosis and monitoring.  ⬇️

Logging back into Bluesky to ask for current best practices for presubmission enquiry @natureportfolio.nature.com. We have a massive piece of team science we are turning into important resource paper that will be cited++ @naturemedicine.bsky.social website asking for a form - do it or email editor?

Thank you for organizing this Simon. Agree, was a lovely speech from Dr. Lancaster.

What does a 40% NIH budget cut mean for funding chances (now ~15%)? You might think “60% of the money left = 9% success” ❌ NOPE!!! 1-3% because 80% of the budget is for existing grants New science? Starved Ongoing grants? Slashed 😢 #FundingScienceSavesLives

We have 2-3 group leader positions opening @fimm-uh.bsky.social !! We are looking for outstanding candidates in human genetics and precision medicine. This time we have a focus on population health data science. E.g. AI for EHR/health data        Generous starting package 💰 shorturl.at/FAk6n

Breaking News: The Trump administration halted Harvard’s ability to enroll international students, a major escalation in its battle with the school.

Discussed this at a dinner yesterday with mild surprise that it hasn’t already happened - once in a generation discount on the opportunity to turn capital into legacy.

Appreciate shoutout to old literature

Check this chart. Purple line: NIH actual budget (as passed by Congress) after 2000. This is in real (inflation-adjusted) dollars. The Trump/Vought proposal for 2026 (yellow) is catastrophic, for US science and medical cures for Americans. That's a massive drop.

The hits just keep on coming...

Biotech shares today. What did I miss?

Current administration proposes 18 BILLION dollar cut (~40%) to NIH medical research for FY26 (closer to 45% if new budget 27B not 48.5B+inflation). National Science Foundation cuts of ~56% proposed. whitehouse.gov/wp-content/u.... @altnih4science.bsky.social @davelevitan.bsky.social

NEW: Per multiple sources, the National Cancer Institute’s Board of Scientific Advisors has been entirely disbanded.

TFW you get an email from @ash.hematology.org and realize that you are about to age out of eligibility for the William Dameshek Prize...

Taking from NIH research to create a new MAHA agency? wapo.st/42gLz0Z Summary: Proposal: $47B NIH budget split into $27B for NIH (now only 8 institutes, from 27) and $20B for a new "Administration for a Healthy America" (incl. primary care, childhood chronic disease).

Incredible

It’s stunning to me that the New York Times did not put the story on the bloodbath at the NIH, CDC, and FDA on its front page this morning.

The crazy thing about firing all of these federal employees is that they tend to be underpaid, super hardworking, in it for the right reasons, idealistic people who could’ve worked in industry or pharma and made way more money but they truly believed in the mission and the good they were doing.

Incredible story, very well told. At the intersection of purpose-driven scientific research, dedicated federal employees working tirelessly without credit for the public good, rare diseases under radar of the power of the market, and “healthcare” in the US. Sharing as a gift article: wapo.st/3DyAWgz

Tell me you don't understand the research and innovation process w/o saying it. McKinsey report from DOGE staff now at NIH on "leading through change: preparing for government transition". I went to HBS specifically to think seriously about how federal research agencies could improve - this ain't it

Johns Hopkins to cut more than 2,000 jobs after $800M in federal cuts

Judge orders Trump officials to offer jobs back to fired probationary workers

Vibes

As I get older myself I’ve become less tolerant of the “more of a comment than a question” elders.

HHS is not renewing yearly contracts of researchers at NIH. The 1st cohort will be terminated 3/8. If continued, this will end careers of 1000s of scientists, and will cripple intramural research. email secretary Kennedy and your congressional reps today! docs.google.com/document/d/1...

None of this is normal

More hits to #NIH: "The Trump administration has imposed a new restriction on employment that could push out thousands of NIH’s senior scientists: The agency cannot retain scientists in 1-year to 4-year positions that have long been routinely renewed." 🧪 @jocelynkaiser.bsky.social at @science.org

These were, hands down, the most rigorous external reviews I've ever done. What the leadership wanted to know was, are these investigators and programs "outstanding?" And they, and our review committee, took that word both literally and seriously.

Federal workers in limbo. Employees at HHS getting emails telling them to justify their jobs and NIH instructing workers to hold off before responding. Obtained from a source familiar.

#tandem25 #leusm Chen: MEASURE study will help clarify for pt AML specific markers for blood based MRD monitoring. Other approaches for high sensitivity under investigation.

NEW: approximately 330 National Cancer Institute probationary employees will be fired this afternoon. That’s a bit less than 10% of its entire staff.

#Tandem25 I'll be talking today (10.30am Ballrm B, 4th flr) about Pre-MEASURE use of CIBMTR Clinical Data & Biospecimens. Current issue nature.com/BMT focuses on this, and is dedicated to co-author Dr. Kristin Page www.nature.com/articles/s41... Pls consider donating www.gofundme.com/f/dwkhq-supp...

Great timing for #Tandem25! Dr. Amanda Blackmon and Prof. Mike Grunwald co-editors of nature.com/bmt special issue on Pre-MEASURE

Amazing showing from my team (ex-NIH, now VT) at #tandem25 - five presentations over the next two days!! Dr. Gege Gui and I both talk tomorrow, and Rasha Al-Ali, Jesse Tettero, and Laura Dillon all have presentations on Thursday. @astct.bsky.social @cibmtr.bsky.social @fralinbiomed.bsky.social

My mood…

Wonderful, collegial, meeting this morning (6am!) with AML MRD colleagues from around the world. Challenging times for physicians and scientists but this productive, apolitical, thoughtful conversation with true experts working to use NGS to improve things for patients was therapeutic and energizing

The @washingtonpost.com now confirms my earlier reporting:

Dr. Gege Gui

I am delighted to announce the arrival of our newest faculty member, Shenglin Mei PhD, to the new Virginia Tech Fralin Biomedical Research Institute Cancer Research Center in Washington, DC. news.vt.edu/articles/202...

#ASH24 done. A privilege to speak, with colleagues from the FDA, on progress in using MRD testing for drug development in blood cancers. AML the next one?

Starting now!!

Started day at 4am ET - got here at 3.30pm ET. Fantastic absurd trip across the country but I made it. Let’s go!!! @ash-hematology.bsky.social #ASH24

"But more than titles or prominence, I have always come back to what would have the most impact on advancing cancer research and improving patients’ lives."

Any new 🦋 arrivals? go.bsky.app/xg4Y26

#ASH24 Introverts don’t always relish mega-conferences the way others do. It helps me, personally, to remember the absolute joy that Eli Estey had at this meeting and how he relished the chance to engage meaningfully with his colleagues and their work (with kindness). @ash-hematology.bsky.social

US leadership in the funding of medical research is something we as taxpayers can be proud of. At a simpler, economic-only, level it is just an incredible return on investment.

Happy day after Thanksgiving for all those who managed to have a nice family meal thanks to the collective good judgement to not mention politics once.